It's a fact that I have only basic cooking skills so our visit to Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma was a big plus for me. Trafalgar arranged a private cooking class where the chefs passed along some of their secrets and helped us to cook our own four-course meal. What a delightful time we had, working side by side, chatting, laughing and learning. Now I'm able to prepare interesting dishes like Crispy Wonton Cups with Apple and Brie, Shrimp Cakes with Salsa Cruda, Breast of Chicken stuffed with Pecorino and Pinenuts and very, very rich, New York Cheesecake with Cherry Merlot Sauce.

Finally, everybody loves to come home with stories about the locals they've met and the meals they've been invited to. Trafalgar has always understood this concept and presents it successfully under their 'Be My Guest' banner.

In Sonoma, our group of journalists was invited to the Nicholson's Ranch to dine with owner and winemaker, Deepak Gulrajani, his friends and neighbours. We were feted with appetizers, a buffet dinner and the California wine flowed freely. I was lucky enough to be seated beside a gentleman who was our host's close pal (also a wine aficianado). I must confess I forgot completely about my dinner as we got deeper and deeper into a conversation about what it's like to be a winemaker in the Valley. He explained the qualities of the wine I was drinking. He taught me about when to water the vines and when to make them dig their roots deeper to look for water.

He showed me photos of his family. I told him about mine and I remember thinking to myself, 'this is exactly why I love to travel!' I can read all about winemaking in any book at any time. Yet, to be on the land where the grapes are grown, drinking the wine, dining with someone who lives and breathes the subject every single day is an incredibly potent experience. It is travel magic, pure and simple.

For those foodies with a sweet tooth, I vouch that all the desserts throughout our Trafalgar trip were well-worth the extra calories. I tasted everything from molten chocolate cake to Lemon Pudding Cake with fresh berries to home-made sorbets and ice creams. Take a peek at the selection for yourself.