Honeymooning on the cheap

When you sit down and begin to make your wedding plans, you soon begin to realise how the cost of the whole affair is creeping nearer and nearer to your budget limit.   At this point the honeymoon is often one of the aspects of getting married that has to take a back seat, as everything else seems to be so much more important.

But a honeymoon does not have to be an expensive affair especially if you decide to combine it with the holiday you intended to take later on in the year.  There are many places which are considered to be romantic and these are ideal for your honeymoon/holiday destination.

For example, a four night break in New York or an all inclusive package to the Caribbean may be just the ticket.  If you shop around and search on line you will discover that there are many late deals available that won’t cost you a fortune.

Many of the cruise travel companies have fantastic money saving deals with all kinds of free upgrades to make your trip a little more special.

If you consider yourself to be a bit of a wine connoisseur why not take to the vineyards of Spain and sample the many different wines on offer?  You can keep the cost down by using local fincas (similar to small holdings) in the wine producing areas for your accommodation.  Salud!

Sharm El Sheikh

Located on the southern point of the Sinai Peninsula, Sharm el Sheikh has become a popular destination for holiday-makers wanting to take in a spot of scuba diving whilst they are away from home.

This Red Sea boasts some of the most interesting sites to dive such as Ras Om El Sid and Ras Mohammed as well as the wrecks of the Dunraven and the Thistlegorm.

Accommodation is generally of five star quality and there are plenty of grand hotels to choose from. However, there are also many more basic options if you simply need somewhere to get your head down after a day’s diving.

Of course, you will find that Sharm El Sheikh has a lot more than diving to offer although it is a place more suited to water sports than shopping, for example. Water based activities include snorkelling, para-sailing,  canoeing  or taking a glass bottom boat ride over the complex coral known as “the brain”.

Flights to Sharm El Sheikh are now scheduled regularly and it’s only a fifteen minute drive from the Sharm airport to the resort.  If you wish to visit other places of interest whilst on holiday, there is a regular bus service which runs from Sharm el Sheikh all the way to Cairo, a whole new experience in itself but nonetheless a cheap way of getting out and about.

Scuba Diving

You don’t have to be an expert to go on a scuba diving holiday.  In fact, all that is needed is an interest in the sea and the amazing world that exists beneath the surface of the water.

It’s not necessary to have any experience as full instruction is given, usually by the head of the dive school by a mixture of training sessions and video presentations.  Safety and security is of the utmost importance so you will be tested on what you have learned prior to taking your first dive.  You can take advantage of the trial dive offered by most dive centres to make sure you feel ok when you are under water.  This usually takes place in a specially designed dive pool.  You don’t even have to splash out on expensive dive equipment as this will be provided as part of your training package.

If you enjoy your diving experience you can complete a course which provides you with a certificate to dive at any of the popular dive resorts.  The world is then your oyster, as far as scuba diving goes but remember to take your camera with you so you can show your friends and family the magnificent examples of sea-life you saw whilst taking your diving holiday.

What should I pack?

This is the question you may find yourself asking the day before you are due to travel away from home for your well earned holiday.

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules about this.  A lot depends on your destination and the reason you are going on holiday.  However, there are a few things we recommended you have in your luggage – just in case.

So when you are jetting away to sunny climes, you will need to take your beach wear and appropriate footwear.   Light clothing such as t. shirts and shorts is ideal for the daytime as are a few outfits to get dressed up in for those balmy nights out.  A pair of good walking shoes is essential if you intend to do a spot of sightseeing as well as a pair of jeans and a jacket or cardigan for if the temperature drops a little at night time.

If your are off skiing for your holidays, as well as your usual skiing equipment you will need to take warm clothing and adequate footwear for when you are away from the slopes.  A hat, scarf and gloves would probably not go amiss too.

Other useful items to have in your case are a small torch, a needle and cotton and a basic first aid kit.

Holiday Insurance

Although many people don’t bother taking out insurance for their holidays, you don’t realise just how valuable it is until you actually need it.  The majority of travel companies require that insurance is held by the traveller as part of the terms and conditions of the holiday package, but the policies they offer are often much more expensive than you can find for yourself and all it takes is a little effort on your part.

It’s simple really.  Carry out an on line search and you will soon discover how many options are open to you.  There are policies for groups, singles, couples, families as well as for particular kinds of sporting or activity holidays.  You can also decide whether or not to go for a single trip or multi trip insurance deal.  If you travel regularly a multi trip policy represents great value for money.    Unless you are an elderly traveller or you suffer with a chronic illness, you are not likely to have to undergo any kind of medical examination to secure holiday insurance.

As well as covering you for health issues, a good insurance policy will also take into account missing or damaged luggage, and expenses incurred due to flight delays and cancellations.  All in all, holiday insurance is a must for most people.

Better to be safer than sorry

When you go on your holidays, wherever the destination, within a few days, or even hours for some people, you get into holiday mode and relaxation is the only thing on your mind.  Although it’s great to be able to turn off and enjoy yourself and forget about all your day to day stresses at home, this is the time when you can become complacent and allow the usual security measures you take to fall by the wayside.  Here are a few tips to make your holiday run as smoothly as possible.

When you leave your apartment or hotel room, check that your balcony doors and windows are closed and that no expensive items are left on display where they can be seen by passers-by.

Make use of the safe facilities offered by the establishment you are staying in.  Don’t go out wearing expensive looking jewellery and leave that wad of money behind if you are not going to need it.   A stuffed wallet or purse is soon spotted by a pick-pocket and presents the perfect opportunity when it’s poking out of your back pocket or being carried in an open handbag.

Most importantly, make sure you adhere to the dress code of the country you are visiting so no offence is caused to the locals.

Getting to the airport

For the majority of people the holiday starts the minute they walk out of the door of their homes with their suitcase in hand.  However, when holiday plans are being made and far off shores are the destination, some serious thought should be given to how to get to the airport.  This is particularly the case if the price of the holiday is to be kept as low as possible.

If you are not lucky enough to have someone who can drop you off at the airport and pick you up again when your holiday is over, there are a few other options you may wish to consider.  For example, you could use any of the public transport means such as trains, buses and taxis.   The only problem with these is that unless you live reasonably close to the airport it can work out to be quite expensive.

There are ways of keeping the cost down such as sharing a mini bus with other travellers and the companies operating this kind of business offer a reliable and efficient door to door service.  If you prefer to drive yourself to the airport in your own vehicle, you could use an off airport parking site.   They are safe and secure, much less costly than those within the airport, and they provide a free return to and from the airport terminal.

Sofia – Bulgaria

Sofia in Bulgaria is located inland by about 200 miles from the coastline in the centre of the Balkan Peninsula, which is surrounded by the Adriatic, Black and Aegean Seas. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and as you would expect for the region has a climate that is a welcome change from that in the UK.

One of the main tourist attractions is the Natural History Museum which was first opened in 1973. It is now located on the edge of Vitosha Mountain. It has a vast range of visits with most recent counts estimating more than 650,000 artifacts. It’s collection contains some of the oldest gold treasures in the world with some dating back more than 6,000 years.

There are a significant number of churches and monasteries in Bulgaria, this is mainly because during the years of foreign rule these areas were used as centres of learning and culture. The most famous of these are: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is easily recognisable due to it’s gold dome. This relic was built between 1882 and 1912, and is definitely one of main landmarks of downtown Sofia.

St George Church is one of the oldest buildings in Sofia, it is closely located to the Sheraton Hotel. It is estimated that the Church was built in the 4^th century, with the Chuch currently operating as a museum.

Sofia has a wide range of parks which offer a respite from the noise and the crowds. The largest of these are the South Park which is located near to the Palace of Culture and the Boris Gardens, which are located near to the Sofia university buildings.

Due to the climate of Sofia, depending on the time of year that you visit will present you with different activities to take part in. If you are looking to ski, the best time to visit is between early December and the end of April.

During the Winter and Spring the weather in Sofia is warm and comfortable, although there is a reasonable amount of rain. Generally there are cool evenings and dewy mornings.

The summer brings heat and dry weather, most Summer days are pleasant with the mountains providing cool and refreshing evenings.

Sofia provides a wide range of restaurants and bars. The most popular of these include Etno, Pod Lipite (which provides organic food), and Tambuktu (a fish restaurant). When eating out in Sofia it is recommended that you tip in cash and a usual tip is considered to be around 15-20% of the meal price.

As you would expect there are wide number of night spots, with a number providing modern dance music with more traditional venues available as well.

Due to the nature of the location it is a tourist hotspot and is definitely worth a visit!

Going to Prague

Prague is generally perceived to be one of the most beautiful of the eastern European cities. You can easily walk around the whole of the town, so it is definitely suggested that you bring some comfortable shoes. It is possible to make it round all of the major sites in around 3-4 days.

Prague is separated by a river, the Vltava River, with Jewish Quarter, the Old Town and the New Town on one side, with Lesser Town and Prague Castle on the other. Crossing the river is made possible by the Charles Bridge which is an attraction in it’s own right.

There are number of tours which you can take to help you to get your bearings, as with most major cities there is the bus tour which whisks you around in the comfort of a bus, or alternatively there are variety of walking tours that you can sign up to.

The best place to start your visit is the Old Town Square, where you will find the Astronomical Clock placed on the Old Town Hall, and also the Tyn Church and incredible spires that it boasts. I would recommend a climb up the old Town Hall tower, which has an incredible view from it’s summit.

The Jewish Quarter is located close to the Old Town Square, and has a variety of attractions including the Spanish Synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue and the Ceremonial Hall.

There are several ways to get to Prague Castle, but we have found the easiest to be taking a tram (no 22 or 23) to Pohorelec. This takes you to above the castle and you can then walk downhill to the Lesser Town area.

One of the advantages of visiting Prague is the cost, as the Czech Republic is not currently part of the Euro, which compared to visiting France, Italy or Spain makes it extremely cheap. Drinks can typically be purchased for around a couple of pounds, with a meal costing around £15-£20. This has helped to make Prague to become a destination of choice for travellers looking for a cheap weekend break! Please be wary though as there are a huge number of hen and stag parties that attend the city at weekends, so it can become quite wild as you can imagine!

It has become more commercialised due to this influx of visitors, with several large nightclubs and a variety of bars and restaurants now opening. However if you visit during the week, this will give you the opportunity to experience the culture somewhat more.

All in all Prague is beautiful old city with lots to do, if you want to visit ancient remains or old nightclubs it can accommodate your needs. Definitely worth a visit!

First time travellers – be safe not sorry!

For those of us who are used to travelling for whatever reason, maybe business, maybe pleasure, or even a mixture of both, we know the ins and outs of the procedures we go through to get where we want to go.  If it’s for the purpose of a business trip, all that’s needed is a place to meet and talk with clients and a room to sleep in for the night.  However, things are a little different when going on pleasure trips or holidays and more than a hotel room is what´s required in this case.  As an inexperienced traveller there are a few things you need to know about and here are some tips to help you make your trip a great success.

It’s always a good idea to find out a little about the culture, customs and history of the place you are visiting.  Take time to learn about their dress manners, their religious practices, their eating habits and their government.

Try to pick up a few sentences in their language, for example, how to greet them and how to say goodbye.  Yes, we all know that English is used all over the world, but the locals will really appreciate you learning a few useful phrases.  You can do this at your library or by using translation websites on the Internet prior to setting off on you travels.

Travel light if you can.  It means you will be able to get around more freely and easily.  This doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taking things you want with you; it simply means you need only take the essentials.  You could get away with packing a few toiletries, any medicines you may need, a couple of changes of clothes and different forms of spending power like credit or debit cards, cash and travellers´ cheques. Oh, and don’t forget your camera, of course!

Making sure your travel documents are safe is very important.  You could invest in a body document bag to store your passport, travel tickets, insurance and other valuables and wear it underneath your clothing.  When you arrive at your hotel, make use of the safe facilities on offer whenever possible.

Be vigilant and remember that when you are a tourist in a new place you are likely to get special treatment, but this also makes you a target for theft.

Travel safety is necessary if you don’t want to end up being a victim of crime whilst you are on your trip.  Don’t wear expensive looking jewellery and clothing and don’t flash the latest mobile phone around.  The thieves are obviously attracted to affluence. They will spot you from a mile away and you will soon become their prey.

As far as your luggage is concerned make sure your luggage labels are covered so your details are concealed from prying eyes.

Wherever you are travelling it’s always a good idea to have the address and telephone number of your country´s consul office or embassy, just in case you find yourself in difficulties and need some help.

Whilst the above mentioned tips may initially give you cause for concern, it’s all about keeping safe whilst you are away and as long as you do this, you are sure to have a great time and hopefully not encounter any problems whatsoever.  Be safe, not sorry!

Next Page »