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All-Inclusive Holidays Will Save You Money

Posted by Viola Woolcott

If you are planning your next holiday and like to know how to make it more enjoyable, more hassle-free, of course, less time consuming and even save some money while you’re planning it, try an all-inclusive holiday.

All-inclusive Holidays are widely recognised to be one of the best options, and that not only for families, but for couples and also singles. They are available to fit any travel budget, from economy to luxury to world class. There are endless offers that everyone can afford. Rolled into one ‘handy’ price you will find a wide variety of activities… delicious meals… drinks… and even tips, taxes. And that isn’t it. Airfare, transportation, tours and attractions are also included in some packages.

Quite a number of the all-inclusive resorts are very family orientated and specifically designed to cater for families with children to make them feel at home. These resorts will provide children’s facilities. Daily activities and supervised programs as well as recreational activities for the entire family to be enjoyed together.

All-inclusive vacations are an excellent way of planning an exotic, romantic getaway. For honeymoons, anniversary celebrations or just to be together to create long-lasting memories.

CHILD-FREE ZONE!

Couples-Only! - All-inclusive! Do you desire building a stronger relationship together with your partner? No doubt, than this is for you! It’s exactly what you need, with memories that last you a lifetime. And what is even better, you will be ‘hooked’ for life.

Single and looking to mingle? Adult only? - All-inclusive! This is for you if you want to get away to relax from every day life. Get away from the hustle and bustle. Spend time with yourself. Or even meet like minded people. Book an all-inclusive and enjoy the luxury accommodation, charge your batteries with energising recreational activities or if you enjoy exciting nightlife, go for it!

Personally I have enjoyed quite a number of all-inclusive holidays. There are many great deals on the net and there is no need to break the bank. I’ve never had any regrets and I know you won’t either.

WARNING - Have You Checked Your Home?

By Viola Woolcott

BREAK IN WARNING!

Going on holiday? Be prepared - make sure to check your home is secure to prevent you and yours from becoming a victim of crime.

Sure, this is common sense, but as you are preparing, you may not think or remember to pay attention to the basics.

Burglaries are especially on the increase during holiday season. Don’t take a chance of becoming a target for ruthless ‘opportunity’ thieves.

Here are some very simple hints and tips before you are off:

* Doors and windows should be locked - check again before you leave
* Check shed and garage and leave valuables out of sight, I.e. tools and electrics
* If you own a garage - USE IT! - if you don’t, don’t leave anything for the thief in sight
* Make sure your alarm system is up to date when you are away
* How about your outdoor lighting? Is it working properly?
* Thieves are looking through doors and windows and what is on ‘display’ - make sure that nothing is in ‘view’ to get the thieves attention
* Make sure your home looks as if you are there - fit automatic timers for lights inside your home
* Neighbourhood watch - inform your neighbours and also your friends that you are away so they look out for your property

Also, be of help if it is your neighbour going away, offer to keep an eye on their property. Make sure that any post or newspapers are put through the letterbox properly.

Have I missed anything?

Click on any link here:
Rain or Shine | Britains Wettest Summer in Years | Bring Me Sunshine
Spanish Bars | Tapas | Don’t You Just Love It
Sailboat Charter | Organic and Vegetarian Holidays | Macro Cruise
Workshops | Retreats | Courses
The Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT)

Cats Belong In a Carrier | Tips for Trips

Submitted by Kyler Horris

Without proper planning travelling with your pet by car can spell disaster.

Here are some tips that will make it easier during a car trip for you and your cat.

First I must say that all animals should be kept in a confined space during travel by car. The easiest way to transport a cat is in a plastic or wire pet carrier. There are also cardboard carriers, but they can be chewed through in no time. So my advice would be to use a proper carrier, especially on those longer trips. You will find that in the long run it is a good investment.

Don’t be driven by guilt knowing that your ‘friend’ is in a carrier until you reached the destination. From past experience I know that cats who are on the loose in cars may crawl under the seats or even under the foot pedals and don’t forget their heads can get caught in the window trying to escape. Your safest bet is to leave him/her in a pet carrier.

Car noises are scary, so try avoiding to put the carrier on the floor. If at all possible, place the pet carrier on the passenger seat next to you. A slanted seat can easily be levelled (maybe with a rolled towel) in order to get the cat as comfortable as possible. The radio should be on low or even turned off.

Most cars have air-conditioning these days. If the air vents point in the cats direction for the cat to get some cool air, make sure it is not blasting with cold air. And remember not to leave the cat in the carrier in the sun.

Make sure that your cat has his/her own cat food and plenty of water. It is best keep the situation as familiar as possible, so that your cat is less bewildered.

Just a thought, maybe it’s a good idea to feed your cat at the end of your journey, rather than at the beginning.

Don’t forget litter, pan, scoop and disposable bags. Even if you are visiting someone with cats, bring your own cat’s litter. Cats can be very temperamental about having their own.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
NEVER LEAVE ANY ANIMAL IN AN UNATTENDED VEHICLE - ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS - ANIMALS MAY OVERHEAT, WHICH OFTEN RESULTS IN DEATH!

Just to give you an idea of carriers. Click on the links below:
www.www.zoo plus.co.uk
www.thepetextraordinarium.co.uk/
www.www.cat-alog.com

Passports and Visas

Posted by Viola Woolcott

This information only applies to British Citizen’s who are holding a UK Passport which has been issued in the UK. For clarification Non-British Citizen passport holders or British Citizen who are holding a UK Passport which has been issued abroad are kindly asked to contact the appropriate consulate or embassy.

As regulations can change, you should always (well in advance) check with your travel agent or maybe the relevant embassy that the passport and visa regulations have not been changed. Give yourself plenty of time to do so, as it sometimes takes some time to obtain a visa.

It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that your passport is valid and acceptable, and it is also YOUR responsibility to make sure that you have the documentation and maybe visa for your travel. If you haven’t got the right and correct documentation, you may be refused travel and entry into another country. When you are refused entry into another country, it may mean that you have to be responsible for any occurring costs such as:

= fines
= financial penalties
= surcharges
= other costs (even your immediate return ticket)
= sums of any description

These would have to be paid and settled immediately. No compensation, refund or other sum will be paid.

It is essential for your passport to be valid in order to travel abroad. Even though your passport has been issued for 10 years (it is 5 years for children), be aware that some countries overseas have immigration requirements. For example:

= validity for a minimum period after the date of entry into another country, which is usually 6 months.
= before travelling I would advice you to check if your passport is in its final year of validity and before you make your final travel plans, check the requirements and ‘rules’ of your final destination.

Make sure you apply for your passport early if you haven’t got one, or if it is about to expire. If you are 16 years of age and you never had your own passport, you need to apply for one even earlier. Before using your passport, your identity has to be confirmed and approved by the UK passport service. To protect your identity you may have to attend an interview. For more information visit: www.ips.gov.uk

It will make things easier if you, at the time of booking make sure that you give your first name and surname as stated on your passport. It will reduce confusion as the details will show on your tickets and have to match. If the details are different from that on your passport, it will cause problems not only with checking in, also with insurance details and you may not be able to travel.

Weather and Natural Disasters

Posted by Viola Woolcott

There are some holiday destinations that may be affected by certain weather patterns. For example:

=> tropical storms
=> monsoons
=> hurricanes
=> typhoons,
=> flooding
=> seismic activity which could lead to earthquakes and tidal waves

To give you an example, in general between June and November is ‘hurricane’ season. The affected areas are:

** Atlantic
** Caribbean Sea
** Gulf of Mexico

As weather patterns are always changing, it could also happen at different times of the year. Be aware that weather advice can on many occasions vary.

Storms as well as natural disasters can disrupt your travel arrangements significantly, but it is very difficult to predict the actual path, duration or even the effects of severe weather condition and seismic activities accurately. Natural disasters are beyond our control.

Recommendation:
Check the latest FCO Travel Advice for your destination. For information visit: www.fco.gov.uk/travel

Europe by Train | Tips For Travellers

By Viola Woolcott

What you need to know about travelling Europe on the train. Plan your trip from buying tickets to getting the most for your travel money.

Where Can I Inform Myself?

Most stations have an Information Desk. Use it to plan your trip. When there are impatient commuters waiting, do not expect the person on the ticket window to answer all of your question. This goes especially for crowded stations such as Venice. Departing train times you will find on the yellow posters at the stations.

What Do I Need To Know Before Buying My Ticket?

First you need to check if you need national or international tickets. When you have all the information like Train times and/or number, first or second class, one-way or round trip, and of course the date you want to travel, you go to the ticket window. In some countries you may even need to reserve a seat. Fast trains are usually more expensive and you may be charged a supplement.

What about Specials and Discounts?

By taking a slightly slower train that left almost at the same time, I was able to reduce the costs by 67% on a recent trip in Austria. So be sure to ask if there are any ‘specials’ when you plan your trip. And defiantly make good use of student and age discounts which will reduce costs as well.

Have You Checked the Facilities?

On long distance trains you often have restaurants or cafes.
On medium distance trains you may have to rely on a cart carrying sandwiches, snacks, drinks and coffee.
On regional trains you will find that they quite often don’t carry food or beverages.

So your best bet is to check out the stores in most large train stations beforehand. Besides, very often you can not only get a great variety of interesting food to take on the train. But it will probably be cheaper too.

What If You Have a Reservation?

At larger stations, each track or maybe on the wall of the station is a “COMPOSITION OF TRAINS” board which indicates where every numbered car will be as the train pulls in. In the event that you are late, you can just get on any car and walk through the train using the internal doors until you found your car.

What If You Don’t have a Reservation?

If you haven’t made a reservation, you can just sit anywhere, BUT check the outside of your compartment to see if anyone else has reserved it before you get comfortable. Newer trains show reservation info on an LCD screen above the seats.

What About Trains To and From Airports?

Most cities have airport service by train which usually takes you to the heart of the city (to the central train station) and that is also where you usually find B&B’s, hotels, Inns etc. You can also get to the airport from any city and there is no need for you to go back to the city the airport is in on your last day in Europe as long as the train into that city stops at the airport.

Do I Have To Validate My Ticket?

To prevent people from using their ticket more than once, many countries have you validate it before you get on the train especially if the ticket is regional and valid for 90 days. The ticket will have an arrow telling you which end to validate. The validation machines are normally yellow-orange in colour.

Ho Do I Know What’s Cheap?

As a general rule, trains in southern parts of Europe are cheaper than trains in the northern parts. Trains that are slower are also much cheaper than those modern, slick and fast once. You must also enquire if there are special passes available in the country you are travelling in.

Is There a Way I Can Save More Money?

Quite often you can save money by taking overnight trains for longer trips. When you purchase your ticket check if you can buy a couchette or bunk on the train from the conductor. Travelling at night will save you a hotel and of course a day of travel.

India’s Climate | When to Travel | Where Not to Travel

By Ina Woolcott

The Climate

India’s climate encompasses a wide range of weather conditions across a vast geographic scale and varied topography, making it hard to generalise. India plays host to 6 major climatic subtypes, from arid desert in the west, alpine tundra and glaciers in the north, and humid tropical regions supporting rainforests in the southwest and the island territories, based on the Köppen system. Many regions have entirely different microclimates. There are 4 seasons - winter January and February; summer March to May; a monsoon (rainy) season June-September; and a post-monsoon period October to December.

India’s unique geography and geology heavily influence its climate. This is especially true of the Himalayas in the north and the Thar Desert in the northwest. The Himalayas obstruct to the extremely cold katabatic winds coming in that blows down from Central Asia. Hence, North India is kept warm or only mildly cooled during the winter season. In the summer months, the same phenomenon makes India pretty hot. Although the Tropic of Cancer, the boundary between the tropics and subtropics, runs through the middle of India, the entire country is considered to be tropical.

As is common throughout much of tropics, the monsoonal and other weather conditions in India are unstable - huge droughts, floods, earthquakes, cyclones and other natural disasters are infrequent, but have killed or displaced millions.

The climate is of major importance when deciding when to visit India. Bear in mind that there is a distinct difference in climatic conditions in the far north to those of the extreme south. Although there are of course 4 seasons, generally, India’s climate is defined by 3 seasons - the hot, the wet (monsoon) and the cool, each of which may differ in duration from north to south. The most pleasant time to visit most places is during the cooler period from November to roughly mid-February.

The Hot Season

The heat starts to gather on India’s northern plains from around February, by April or May it gets really hot, with the hottest time being June. Temperatures of 45°C and above are common in central India. During these months South India also becomes extremely hot, sometimes unbearably so! Late in May the first signs of the monsoon appear in some areas - high humidity,
electrical storms, short rainstorms and dust storms that turn the day as dark as night. The hot season is the time to leave the plains behind, heading for the cooler hills. This is when hill stations are at their best - and busiest!

The Monsoon Season

When the monsoon fully arrives, the rain falls steadily, usually starting the beginning of June in the extreme south, then spreading north to cover the whole country by early July.The main monsoon comes from the southwest, but the southeast coast - and
southern Kerala - are mainly affected by the short and astoundingly wet northeast monsoon, which brings rain from around October to early December. Things don’t really cool down though - hot, dry, dusty weather is merely replaced by hot, humid and muddy conditions. It doesn’t rain all day, but usually it does rain every day. Followed by the sun this makes for a
tiring steam room environment.

The Main Tourist Season

Sometime close to October the monsoon finishes for most of the country. This is when India receives most of its tourists - however, it is now too late to visit Ladakh. For this, May to October is the best period. During October and November it is generally neither too hot, nor too cold, although October can still be hot and/or humid in some areas.

Deep into the winter season, around mid-December to mid-January, Delhi and other northern cities can turn surprisingly cold, especially at night. In the far north it is freezing cold. In the far south the temperatures are comfortably warm over this time.

Festivals

It’s worth finding out the dates of particular festivals - you may be attracted or repelled by the chaos and over-pricedness of everything at these times. There are virtually no festivals during May and June. The wedding season is between November and March, when you’re likely to witness at least one lively procession through the streets.

Areas of Conflict

There are several Indian regions which are prone to occasional conflict. Jammu and Kashmir (as district from Ladakh) are subject to political violence and travellers should seek consular advice before entering any area bordering Pakistan in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab.

Consular advice should also be sought before travelling to Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur in northeast India is considered. Militant groups operate sporadically in some rural areas of Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa.

It is advisable to check out the following website for more information on this:
Safe Travel

Safety Tips for Travelling

By Viola Woolcott

If you are travelling abroad, make sure you have all of the necessary papers and documents you need to get into and out of the country.

Checklist for Travellers

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

It is wise to check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) up-to-date travel and travellers advice on the net at www.fco.gov.uk/travel

It is advisable to get a good guidebook and to get to know your destination.

Get familiar with local laws and customs and follow their guidelines on arrival.

Always tell family and friends where you are going. Make sure to leave details of how you can contact each other, i.e. by e-mail in emergencies.

Leave photocopies of your passport, insurance policies, ticket details, your itinerary and maybe a 24-hour emergency number you can be reached on with your family and friends.

INSURANCE

VERY IMPORTANT!

Get comprehensive and adequate travel insurance. Make sure that all of the activities you plan are covered. Make sure that your policy covers:

Air Ambulance – in case you need to be flown home

ALL medical bills

ANY pre-existing conditions

Potentially hazardous activities

In the event of death bringing the body home

Make sure that your family is covered to be brought home in the event of your illness or injury

Replacing and/or bringing your car home if necessary

MAKE A PLAN TO STAY HEALTHY

Check to see what health precautions you need for the country you are entering

If you are on medication, check if it is legal in the country you are visiting – maybe you need a written medical letter from your GP.

Should you be travelling within the EEA – European Economic Area, you can obtain an EHIC from www.dh.gov.uk/travellers or go to the Post Office. REMEMBER, regardless, you still need travel insurance.

YOUR TICKETS

Buy a return ticket - BEFORE YOU GO

Once you get there – keep your tickets in a safe place

YOUR PASSPORTS AND VISAS

Even travelling overseas, including journeys through the Channel Tunnel, require a passport

Check that your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months at return date.

Make sure that your passport is in good condition; make a note of the number, date, place and issue.

Make a note of your next of kin in your passport.

Your Travel Agent will also be able to advise you if you need a Visa.

Children under the age of 16 (that includes Babies) that are not already included on a valid passport, or travelling to the USA need to have their own individual passport. Should they be already included on their parents’ passport, they can continue to travel on these until they reach the age of 16, or the passport on which they travel expires.

It is advisable to take another means of identification preferably with a photograph.

ONCE YOU ARE THERE

The passport should be kept in the hotel safe and a photocopy should be carried with you.

DRUGS

Don’t get involved with any kind of drugs – in some countries the penalties are severe and could even include the death sentence.

Don’t carry i.e. parcels or luggage through customs for other people.

Don’t cross any borders with someone you don’t know, i.e. hitchhikers.

THE MONEY AND CURRENCY

Check and make sure that you have enough money to cover emergencies.

Choose to take traveller’s cheques and keep note of their numbers.

Find out how your traveller cheques and credit cards can be replaced if lost or stolen.

Also check the expiry dates on debit or credit cards and make sure you take note of their numbers.

ONCE YOU GET THERE

Only carry as much money as you feel you need for the day and leave the rest in the hotel safe.

If you need to carry a lot of money, ask your partner or friend to carry some of it.

Use a secure inside pocket or even better a money belt.

Leave at least one credit card in the hotel safe

If anything like money, passport or anything else is stolen abroad, you must report it at once to the local police so you can obtain a statement about your loss, as you will have to claim it against your insurance. You will also need to take steps to cancel any traveller cheques or cards.

CONSULAR ASSISTANCE

Write down the number of your nearest Consulate. The Consular officers are there to help you help yourself. Usually Tour Operators, Hotels as well as the Police have this information. Remember that the working hours vary, so it is better to telephone them first. Most Consulates operate an answer phone system for out of hours service and they also give information on working hours as well as emergency numbers for other times. You can find details and what support is available on www.fco.gov.uk/travel

Safety should always be your number one concern when you travel, whether abroad or in your home country or state.