There are so many different things to get excited about when you’re going on holiday, however for me it’s one of the most intangible moments that I love the most.

For some reason, for as long as I can remember, when I go on holiday we always land in the middle of the night and it’s usually somewhere hot. My first encounter with any country is through half closed eyes – whether it’s Jacksonville, Dubai, KL, Santo Domingo, Cairo, Mumbai or Cancún,

After an invariably long flight (or multiple flights) I’m half asleep as I stumble off the plane, clothes crumpled and hair ruffled from sleeping in some contorted position.

However when I step off that plane… a wall of heat hits me. The night air is alive with the remnants of the suns rays humming away, their sound masked by the loud chirping of crickets.

There must be a secret rule in airport design that states that all airports have to have palm trees surrounding them because they ALL have palm trees (especially KL airport which is surrounded by Palm tree plantations!)

I grew up in a house with Palm trees in the garden but I still get excited when I see the rough pattern of a palm tree trunk. There’s something about a palm tree that just makes me instantly feel happy. I think it’s a universal symbol of freedom from daily life.

The feathery green fronds whisper in the warm breeze welcoming you to their country.

Landing at night means you don’t really get to see the new country yet – between immigration queues, taxis and checking into hotels with bleary eyed hotel staff – all you want is a good nights sleep! I love all that though, it’s almost like you’re in a sort of international limbo. It’s so exciting going to sleep in a new country with no real sense of it – just anticipation.

I know it’s a little strange – but that’s the part I like best about holidays – the night time heat, the palm trees and the sense of adventure, wondering what tomorrow will bring.

Tomorrow (night) I’ll land in Ho Chi Minh City – and I cant wait to wake up in Vietnam!