World Travellers

Stewart Palmer our expert of the day, writes:

Europeans, especially Germans, Dutch, Scandinavians and the British tend to think of the Canary Islands as a winter sun resort. Of these, the British are probably the most likely to holiday in the Canaries during the summer.

In actual fact it makes little difference when you visit from the point of view of what weather to expect. The islands experience a fairly constant springtime climate all the year round. However, my Canary Island travel tip is to always bear in mind that all of the islands are cloudier and wetter on their north coasts or in their more northerly regions. This is where the moisture bearing trade winds make their initial contact with a land mass as they blow across the Atlantic ocean, often quite forcibly.

Stewart Palmer our expert of the day, writes:

Smuggling is a fascinating part of Dorset’s history and the county’s World Heritage coastline is littered with smugglers coves. This travel tip article is about an exhilarating, yet undemanding coastal path walk. It starts in one such cove, hidden amongst some of England’s most magnificent coastal scenery. It then takes you to a pretty beach in a tranquil bay, before returning to a real smugglers inn which is one of the most picturesque traditional English pubs you’ll find anywhere.

The walk starts at the pub which is unsurprisingly named, “The Smugglers Inn”. You will find it by driving westwards, along the A353, towards Weymouth. About six miles before Weymouth, and after passing a left hand turning, signposted Ringstead Bay, take the next left which is signposted Osmington Mills. There is also a helpful secondary signpost labeled “Smugglers Inn”. Continue along the lane as it meanders fairly steeply downhill for about three quarters of a mile. You will see the Smugglers Inn at the foot of the hillside on your left and the car park on higher ground to the right. You park here. At the time of writing it is a free car park but please understand that it is intended for pub patrons, so remember to have a drink or meal in the inn when you return later.

Nikki LeRoi our expert of the day, writes:

Many people are looking at price when searching for a discount travel agency, however, there are some other things you need to watch out for that can save you time, money and headaches when using a travel agency to plan your trip.

1) Check to see if the agency is a member of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents). Agencies who are members must follow strict rules of conduct. If you should have a problem with your agency, it will be easier for you to file a complaint.

2) Make sure their offer isn’t too good to be true. The travel industry is very competitive and some agencies will promise you the moon. Make sure they can deliver what they promise before signing up.

Stewart Palmer our expert of the day, writes:

One of the best travel tips for people thinking of going on any kind of trekking or adventure vacation with friends or family is to first consider whether their personal enthusiasm for this style of holiday is shared by the rest of the group.

The following story of a family’s holiday nightmare in Thailand provides an example.

The family had enjoyed a few days of a beach resort holiday in Thailand when the husband suggested that they go off on a jungle experience, organized by one of the trekking and adventure tour operators. His wife was not enthusiastic but decided to go along with the proposal because she knew that this was something her husband had always wanted to do. Their seven year old son sounded as keen as his dad and their five year old daughter seemed happy enough with the idea too. The other family member was a two-year-old boy.

Lizzie Scott our expert of the day, writes:

Cheap travels is all about getting the best travel deals around. The following 5 travel tips are a great way to get started on making your vacation dollars stretch farther.
Cheap Travel Tip 1 - Shop Around
You must shop around if you want to be successful in getting the budget travel you want. Shop on the Internet or visit your local travel agents. Different travel websites, and different travel agencies often have access to various specials and sales. So be sure to shop around for these hidden travel deals. Sometimes booking accommodation directly with a hotel may be more costly than booking with a travel agent or online hotel booking agent. So be sure to check out third-party hotel booking agents for more competitive room rates!

Airlines may also offer travel packages (air tickets and accommodation). However, it is best to check the hotels and do a little research. This is because booking the air tickets and accommodation separately may actually save you some previous money. All it takes is a little of your time.

Thomas Zoellner our expert of the day, writes:

Business travel has actually increased considerably in the last ten years as companies are able to sell more readily to markets all around the world; the Internet has ensured that even tiny companies can have a customer base that is truly global! It is business travelers though who are feeling the strain with increasing stress and fatigue levels. With that in mind, this business travel tips article highlights some useful information that could make your business journeys more pleasurable.

Sometimes for instance, baggage goes missing; that is an unfortunate fact of travel and whilst it is distressing enough on a family holiday, on a business trip it can be disastrous. An easy remedy to this is to pack as much as possible that you absolutely must have for you meeting, in your hand luggage.

Lizzie Scott our expert of the day, writes:

Even if you opt for cheap travels, it should remain fun and exciting. The way to enjoy your cheap travels is to travel smart. One of the most important considerations when traveling is money. You can save money by selecting cheaper accommodation and airfares.

And on your travel, it is extremely important to keep your travel money safe. Most seasoned travelers and travel experts recommend keeping valuables in a hidden wallet or travel pouch, either wrapped around your waist under your clothes or hung around your neck under your shirt.

Another great travel tip is to reduce the chance of theft by keeping majority of your cash in the hotel’s safe. Take out enough for each day to pay for necessary items. When using credit cards, make sure that the establishment or shop looks alright. Credit cards provide valuable consumer protection and the best currency exchange rates as well.

Jennifer our expert of the day, writes:

Your holidays are booked, your bags are packed and you think you have everything you need—money, passport, tickets, and clothing for every occasion. What more could you possibly require?

For almost 41% of Canadians who do not always travel with it, the answer is emergency medical travel insurance. Whether simply forgotten or deemed unnecessary, the fact is that travel health insurance should be a must-have before you leave the country.

When you are away from home even the most minor injuries or illnesses can become a major expense. So while an accident or illness can happen anywhere at anytime, emergency medical travel insurance helps to protect you from the unexpected costs that can come with a visit to a doctor or hospital outside of your home country.

Stewart Palmer our expert of the day, writes:

1 The Uffizi Gallery Tip

The Uffizi Gallery contains some of the most important and greatest art collections in the world. It is also the world’s oldest museum. Most tour guide books and online travel sites will urge you to ensure that a visit to the Uffiizi is included as part of any Florence vacation, no matter how short. What most of them fail to tell you, or at least stress with sufficient emphasis, is that without a pre-booked ticket, you may not be able to visit the Uffizi at all!

My wife and I had a three day holiday in Florence at the beginning of April 2005. We had planned on visiting the Uffizi Gallery and as soon as we checked in at our hotel we telephoned the gallery to purchase tickets. After several attempts without our calls being answered, we asked the hotel reception to do the booking for us. They explained that it was nearly always difficult to get through on the booking line and that our three day stay might not provide sufficient notice to make a booking possible. Despite this, the hotel staff were most happy to keep trying whilst we enjoyed the other wonders of Florence.

Deborah Klinger our expert of the day, writes:

Even those working in small businesses are finding that they need to travel more frequently these; this is despite advances in information technology and communication. This is putting an increasing strain on business travelers who often become stressed and fatigued at the constant need to be in another part of the world. Hopefully the following business travel tips will help you make the most of your travel time, and perhaps even enjoy the trip along the way.

When baggage goes missing it is irritating to say the least but for someone on a business trip it can be a whole lot more disastrous. The answer to this is to ensure you have everything you need in your hand luggage.

This type of forward thinking means that you will not be caught out nor will you have a wasted trip. Regular travelers know that the main business travel tip when packing is to keep things simple by only including exactly what you need for the journey and that way you won’t go far wrong if luggage goes missing.