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Thursday 23 June 2011

World travel hotspot list pits Patagonia, Alaska and Azores against Cardiff

23 June 2011
By John Bingham

National Geographic, the revered US periodical, has placed Cardiff in a list of “must-see” world travel destinations for summer 2011.



The other places chosen boast dramatic glacial landscapes, whales, bears or volcanic springs to lure visitors, but Cardiff made it in to sixth place.
The Welsh capital is described as a “modern sports-entertainment destination” combining a rich industrial heritage with the biggest waterfront development in Europe.
As well as singling out traditional draws such as Cardiff Castle – which the magazine describes as “iconic” – it portrays the city as a haven for enthusiasts of sports such as white water rafting, power boating and windsurfing.
It earns a place just behind the dramatic Andean landscape of Patagonia in Argentina and Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park and ahead of the Azores and the island of Roatan in Honduras.
The top ranking goes to Muskoka Cottage Country in Ontario, Canada, which is singled out as an “unplugged place” to escape from the demands of modern life while still within reach of cities such as Toronto.
Cardiff, the magazine says, was historically a “city of castles and coal” which has transformed itself into a mecca for shoppers and sports fans alike.
Hywel Thomas, of Cardiff & Co which promotes the city, said being featured in the National Geographic would be regarded almost with “reverence” by many.
“It is quite an accolade and the feature reflects the city's remarkable journey from a bustling coal port to a pulsating, attractive city,” he said.
But Cllr Chris Holley, leader of Swansea City and County Council – said that the choice of Cardiff would be viewed with “amusement” elsewhere in Wales.
“It seems to be the joker in the pack here,” he said.
National Geographic 10 Best Trips of Summer 2011:
1. Muskoka Cottage Country, Ontario, Canada
2. Patagonia, Argentina
3. San Juan Islands, Washington, USA
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
5. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, USA
6. Cardiff, Wales
7. Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden
8. Azores, Portugal
9. Roatan, Honduras
10. Istria, Croatia

Thursday 9 June 2011

Ryanair ramps up baggage charges

By John Fitzsimons
If you want to take luggage onto your flight, it will now set you back an extra £5 each way.



Budget airline Ryanair has ramped up the charges passengers face for carrying a piece of checked luggage onto the aircraft by £5 – but only for the summer.
You’ll now be charged £20 each way for taking on luggage lighter than 15kg, up from £15, while bags weighing between 15kg and 20kg will set you back £30 each way, up from £25. In a brazen display of profiteering, the charges will only apply from June until September 21st – in other words, the peak travel times for summer holidays.

The airline has justified this, saying that it will encourage passengers to travel without hold baggage, highlighting that three quarters of passengers do so already. That’s all well and good, but personally I don’t fancy my chances of getting enough clothing for a fortnight in Spain into my hand luggage.
Let’s see how these charges compare to a few other airlines, EasyJet, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
British Airways
All flights on British Airways have a free baggage allowance, though how much you can take on depends on which class of travel you book. There are then charges for any additional bags you take on board.
Here are the allowances for all flights except those to Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria and connecting journeys between India and USA/Bermuda/Canada.

Ticket type Number of bags Weight per bag 1st extra bag charge Further extra bags charge
First Club World Three bags Up to 32kg £72 £72
Club Europe Two bags Up to 32kg £28 £28
World Traveller Plus Two bags 23kg £72 £72
World Traveller Y Class (full fare economy) Two bags 23kg £72 £72
World Traveller/ Euro Traveller / Domestic One bag 23kg £34 / £30 / £30 £77 / £30 / £30
*Bag charges based on paying in advance on ba.com. Charges will be higher if paying at the airport
Virgin Atlantic
As with British Airways, passengers with Virgin enjoy a free checked baggage allowance, and again this varies depending on the class of your ticket. There are only three adult categories of ticket to consider thankfully.

Ticket type Number of bags Weight per bag
Upper Class Three bags Up to 32kg
Premium Economy Two bags 23kg
Economy One bag 23kg
There is also a flat charge for extra baggage, no matter what your class of ticket. The first additional bag will set you back £32, while subsequent bags will cost you £72. Again, this is based on paying in advance online – it will cost you more if you leave it until the day itself to settle these charges.
EasyJet
Ryanair’s budget airline rival EasyJet sadly does not have such a simple process when it comes to baggage. If you want to check luggage into the hold, you will have to pay a fee. However, this fee varies depending on where you are planning to fly to. What’s more, it’s only after you’ve gone through the rigmarole of finding a flight and begun the application process that you can find out what that charge will be.
To give you an idea of the sort of charges you may face, I’ve put together the table below based on a range of return flights to various destinations from London.

Destination Flight dates Baggage charge
Agadir, Morocco Depart 14th June, return 21st June £28
Amsterdam, Holland Depart 14th June, return 21st June £18
Barcelona, Spain Depart 14th June, return 21st June £22
Edinburgh, Scotland Depart 14th June, return 21st June £18
Kos, Greece Depart 15th June, return 22nd June £28
Pisa, Italy Depart 14th June, return 21st June £22
Tel Aviv, Israel Depart 14th June, return 21st June £28
Paying for hold baggage entitles you to a luggage allowance of up to 20kg. This is not limited to a single bag either, so you can take a couple of bags without incurring any additional charges, so long as collectively they do not weigh more than 20kg. You can buy additional weight in advance via the EasyJet website at a rate of £10 per kg.
The rising cost of flying
Ryanair’s defence of this increase is that its fares are much cheaper than its main rivals, so even if you pay for the baggage, you’ll still be better off than if you had gone with one of the firms’ rivals. That’s all well and good, but Ryanair has also increased its fares!
Alongside its increase in baggage charges, Ryanair also announced a 12% increase in fares. Budget rival EasyJet has also warned the public to expect higher fares in the coming months, while The International Air Transport Association has predicted that airfares will rise by around 8% on average
It’s all down to the rising cost of fuel – it’s not just motorists who are suffering from the increase in the price of oil, but airlines too. And the fact that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has opted against increasing its production levels (which would have curbed the price rises) means that airlines have some tough choices to make.
Clearly we are all going to have to get used to paying a bit more for our breaks in the sun.

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Wednesday 8 June 2011

9 ways to relax during long flights

  • By:Tamara HinsonThu 19 May, 2011 09:30 AM UTC   
    Whether you’re a nervous flyer or simply someone that struggles to sleep at the best of times, long flights can be tough on both the body and mind. To help you get to your destination feeling on top of the world, we’ve put together our top tips to help you relax once you’re airborne.
     


    1. Roll with it
    Invest in an aromatherapy based roll-on travel balm to rub onto your pulse points during the flight. Look for one containing lavender to help you relax, or try a balm with mood-boosting frankincense or stimulating rosemary to clear your mind.
    2. Breathe...
    Okay, an obvious one, but we’re talking about deep breathing exercises here. When we’re stressed, we tend to hold our breath or take short, shallow breaths which can increase feelings of anxiety. First, exhale completely through your mouth and then breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. Imagine your body slowly filling up with air from the bottom upwards. Hold your breath for around five seconds and then slowly breathe out. Repeat this around ten times, making sure that exhalation takes a little longer than inhalation.
    3. … and stretch
    If you’re struggling to sleep, exercise might be the last thing on your mind, but a quick stretch might be just the thing to help you relax, whilst helping to avoid cramp or other potentially more serious health complications. Take a brisk walk up and down the aisle, or failing that, carry out a few stretches from the comfort of your seat. The majority of airlines will provide information relating to exercises that can be done sitting down.
    4. Silence is golden
    Nothing is worse than finding you’re sat next to an incessant chatterbox, especially when all you want to do is go to sleep. A pair of earplugs won’t just help shut out noise, but will hopefully send out a subtle hint to your chattering travel companion, too. Also, if you’re taking a portable music player, opt for noise cancelling headphones.
    5. Be a book worm
    If you’re a nervous flyer, a good book won’t just take your mind off your worries, but it will ease your passage to the Land of Nod, too. A long flight is the perfect environment to finally plough your way through that long book you’ve been tackling for the past few months. If you can’t decide what to read, opt for a book about the destination you’re heading to.
    6. Feel at home
    You might be thousands of miles away from your own bed, but a few home comforts can make all the difference. Pack your favourite cushion or pillow in your carry-on luggage, along with a throw or shawl to keep you warm and snug. Spritz it with your favourite perfume beforehand.
    7. Avoid alcohol
    Reaching for a gin and tonic might seem like the perfect fix for frayed nerves, but relying on the drinks trolley to relax you will only make matters worse – you’ll end up dehydrated and will find it harder to sleep too. Plus you’re hardly going to be the most popular travel companion if you’re clambering over your fellow passengers every five minutes to get to the toilet.
    8. Dress for comfort
    You may loathe the thought of being seen without your six-inch heels but when it comes to long flights, comfort wins over style every time. Opt for loose clothing – preferably man-made material – and go for comfortable shoes such as flip flops or ballet pumps. If you’ve got a favourite comfy tracksuit that’s looking a bit tired, simply pack it in your carry-on luggage and change once you’re on the aeroplane. Packing a spare pair of underwear will help you freshen up, too.
    9. Go over to the dark side
    If you’re the kind of person who struggles to sleep at home, sleeping on a plane is probably going to be twice as hard. Pack an eye mask to help block out the light – if possible, opt for one filled with lavender to soothe your nerves and help you sleep.

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6 Must-Have Items for Business Trips

By Rick Valence

There are many factors involved in a business trip planning; getting proper rest before you go, transporting and protecting your things, keeping in contact with your office, just to name a few. Getting prepared isn't always easy when you have all of that on your plate. On top of all that you have to make your business trip as productive and cost effective as possible. There are many items needed for business trips, but here are six that you must have to be able to do business properly.

1) Medication
Not just all of your personal prescription medications, which are obviously vital to pack, you will also need to compile a small first-aid kit and keep it with you at all times. They are a very common item and can be picked up at any drug store. This is especially true when visiting a foreign country where you do not speak the language. This way if you have a minor medical need, you will have everything to take care of it yourself.

2) Inflatable Travel Pillow
Let's face it, carrying around an actual pillow is cumbersome at best. Your best option for portability is using a lightweight travel pillow that inflates. Regardless of your mode of transportation, plane, train, or automobile, it will come in handy. Even if you are driving a car, you will be thankful you brought one. This is especially true if you need to pull over for a little catnap.

3) Plug Adapter
If your business trip is taking you to another country, you will have to have an electric plug adapter to be able to use any of your handy electronic gadgets. Without one you will look like a fool and probably not be able to even conduct much business due to the dependence most businesses have on technology.

4) Voltage Converter
You need a voltage converter for much of the same reasons you need a plug adapter. Voltage rates vary from country to country. So, having one device that lets you use electricity from them all will be very important. Currently there are many electronics, but not all, that allow for a range of voltages. Be very certain, otherwise you may permanently fry your devices.

5) Surge Protector
While we may have built in wiring in our homes to protect against power surges, this is not true everywhere. You need to be sure your electronics are protected from being damaged from an electrical surge.

6) Noise-canceling Headphones
These are an absolute must for those who need to rest or get work done in a noisy environment. Just be careful to reserve their use in relatively safe situations because they block all noise and you will not be able to hear if there is any danger.

Careful planning can ensure that your business trips go as smoothly as possible. With these six items that should not be a problem on your next business trip.

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Thursday 2 June 2011

Six places to see before they disappear

By Nikki Bayley

Whether it's down to human-made pollution or the natural erosion of time and tides, some places in the world are facing a ticking clock when it comes to their future. According to the experts, the following places are due to disappear, so, here's a rather sad roll-call of some of the most spectacular places which are under threat.
Venice
Venice
One of the loveliest cities on earth, Venice is also said to be one of the most doomed. Thanks to an imperfect combination of the land sinking and the water levels rising. Venice has sunk by around 7cm a century for the past thousand years, but a report suggests that process has sped up and in the last 100 years, Venice has sunk by 24cm. Climatologists believe that Venice could be uninhabitable by 2100. The Italian government is committed to spending millions of schemes to help prop the city up and save it from the waves, however no scheme so far seems to have the answers.
The Great Barrier Reef
If you've ever watched 'Finding Nemo' and assumed that real life can't possibly be as bright as a cartoon, Australia's Great Barrier Reef will prove you wrong. It's simply astounding, the colours of the fish and the coral are hyper-real. However, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Great Barrier Reef, and the nearly $5 billion tourist industry built around it, could be “extinct” by 2050. This is due to climate change and pollution. A process called bleaching happens when the acidity of the ocean increases due to the absorption of carbon dioxide, which kills off the micro-organisms that make up the reef.

Dead sea
The Dead Sea
It's the world's most salty body of water, famous for its healing properties and the fact that no matter how hard you try, you simply can't sink in its buoyant waves! However, the Dead Sea is under threat of draining dry. In 2006, according to the now ex-Jordanian Minister for Water and Agriculture, Hazem Nasser, "There is a declination in the level of the sea at about one metre every year." Jordan are lobbying for more water to be pumped into the Dead Sea from the Red Sea. The authorities say that unless nearly two billion cubic metres of water per year is pumped into the Dead Sea, it will disappear in 50 years time.
The Great Wall of China
Built around 2000 years ago to keep out the marauding hordes, the Great Wall of China is a dazzling man-made achievement. At its peak, the Great Wall reached 4,500 miles from South Korea to the Gobi desert. However, the World Monuments Fund has put the Great Wall on a list of the 100 most endangered structures and the Beijing Daily Newspaper reported that, "Around a third of the 2000-year-old structure is merely rubble and the same amount again has completely disappeared". Sandstorms are to blame for a more than 37-mile stretch of the wall being destroyed, although a great deal of the wall has been destroyed thanks to generations of farmers using the wall to build and repair their homes and farms.
The Amazon Rainforest
More than 20% of the world's oxygen is produced in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, which is why it's often described at the lungs of the planet. The Rainforest is one of the world's natural marvels, with more than half of the estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects on earth, living in its tropical forest. However, between May 2000 and August 2005, Brazil lost more than 132,000 square kilometers of forest—an area larger than Greece — and since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometres of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. With de-forestation running at such a rapid rate, experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years.
Polar bears
Polar Bears in Canada
Canada's western Hudson Bay is famous for being the best place on earth to see Polar bears around the Churchill, Manitoba area. Sadly, those days could be numbered because of global warming. According to research from biologist Andrew Derocher and others from the University of Alberta, "the polar bears in western Hudson Bay have lost 25 percent of their population in the past three decades." Because of the loss of sea ice, the polar bears now spend three more weeks on land than they did three decades ago, during which time they are unable to hunt. According to calculations by experts, the western Hudson Bay polar bears could die out in 25 to 30 years.
 

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