Where Should I Go On Holiday

It's good to be open-minded about your destination when booking a last minute holiday. Broaden your scope and you may well end up at a wonderful destination you never dreamed of visiting.

A last minute holiday can provide two fundamental advantages for a holidaymaker these days.

1. You can get holidays cheaper at the last minute. 2. You can be more confident in your operator if you book only days before you travel.

Economic times are difficult these days. There can't be many of us who have not suffered the financial pinch. Budgets have to be reduced, belts tightened, things given up. Yet, we all value our holidays, and who can blame us? It's a chance to get away from it all, to see a brighter side of life, and to re-charge our batteries.

The trouble is that most pre-booked holidays can get a little expensive, and we'd all rather keep the costs down if we can. In addition, with the demise of some airlines in the past year, it would be tragic to see your pre-booked holiday vanish before your eyes. Waiting for a last minute holiday can reduce the chances of failure, and keep your costs down.

When you are looking for a last minute holiday deal, it is best to be open-minded about your destination. If you have your heart set on a particular location, then waiting for a last minute holiday is probably going to leave you disappointed. However, if you have aims of, say: sun, sea, nightlife, then a last minute deal will almost certainly satisfy those aims. Or if it's horse riding, hills, mountains, within three hours, then, equally, there's probably something available for you.

Some bargain deals are available in travel agent shop windows, but shop around to get the best deals. The Internet also has plenty to offer. You might even get an exciting destination that you never thought you'd visit!

So, tell your family to dust off the sun hat, swimming costume and flip-flops; you're off on holiday and there's no time to lose!

Tavelling With Toddlers

If you're planning any type of travel with children, here are the best seven tips on traveling with children I can give you. My girl is 5 and boy 3 years old, my family lives 250 miles away so I'm offering my advice from experience.

First you'll need to pack some of their favorite quiet (very important!), small toys, books, blanket, teddy bear, pillow and pajamas. I still keep baby wipes; you never know when you'll need to use them. They are so versatile; from wiping hands and faces, to wiping up spills.

 Secondly, be sure to pack enough clothes; I always pack two days extra and usually two more pairs of socks and underwear. If your youngling isn't out of diapers yet, packing is about the same, just make sure you have double the amount of diapers and wipes. Oh, don't forget a towel to lay the baby on and plastic zip lock baggies to put the soiled diaper in.

The third tip for traveling with children I have for you is to pack nutritious and non-messy snacks. There is something about traveling that makes children think they're starving! One word of advice; don't pack those small juice boxes; one squeeze and the juice is all over your child, the floor and car seat!

Tip four is pack your child(s) medicine; prescription and over-the-counter. I always take children's Tylenol and Ibuprofen, a small first aid kit, Benadryl, small dosing cup, vapor rub, baby lotion, and a thermometer.

Tip number five for traveling with children is to try and keep their routine fairly normal; when mine still took naps, we would hit the road about an hour before their nap time, they'd nap for a couple hours and when they woke up, I'd stop for coffee and a snack for them, then in another hour, we were at Gramma's!

 Another tip is to keep them entertained; pack some new toys, or better yet some toys they haven't played with in a while. New books are good or if they're old enough, story cd's with a book for them to follow along with.

Adventure Holiday Tour

What constitutes an adventure holiday? In a way that’s one of those, How long is a piece of string? questions because what might be a real adventure to one person might seem very lame to another. So really it depends on you. Fortunately there’s an adventure holiday out there for just about everyone, from the mildly active to the insanely strenuous with adrenaline release levels to match.

Take walking holidays for instance. You might feel that hiking in the Cotswolds is quite sufficient adventure for you, thank you very much! On the other hand you might feel the need to stretch yourself far more than that before you’ll be satisfied. That’s okay, there are adventure holidays available to cater for all tastes.Trekking in the Himalayas may be more up your street, venturing into the deep forests and out onto the high alpine pasture lands and on to Annapurna. Or maybe fly to turkey and go looking for remains of Noah’s Ark on the slopes of Mount Ararat. Chances are you won’t find any but what does that matter, you’ll have a great adventure just getting up there.

Of course adventure holidays include all sorts of activities as well as walking. If you enjoy cycling in any of its various forms you’ll find cycling holidays in all manner of locations around the world. You might like to cycle around the wine growing region of Tuscany visiting Chianti and many other places whose names you recognise from wine bottles. It would seem rude not to sample the produce as you go, so if you enjoy wine as well as cycling you can satisfy two interests at the same time. If that’s not adventurous for you then why not Turkey, again the region of Lycia will provide a bike ride full of interest and you can get off the beaten track and see things you wouldn’t any other way. Cycling holidays are available in most parts of the world. Does the idea of cycling along the Great Wall of China sound appealing. If it does that’s pretty adventurous by most people’s standards. There are plenty of bicycles available in China and they’re not all in Beijing. Northern India’s a great place for cycling holidays too. A bike is the best possible way of getting around the villages and appreciating life in rural India. You can combine that with visiting the famous palaces and forts of the region for a holiday with lots of contrasts.

 Diving’s a pretty adventurous sport and diving holidays are a great introduction to it if you’re a beginner. Courses are available in centres around the world. Where better to learn than in the warm waters of the Red Sea at Sharm el Sheikh? There are plenty of diving holidays aimed at the experienced qualified diving enthusiast there or in the Caribbean among other places. If you are new to the sport you’ll find your way into a whole new world under the sea. That’s a holiday that will change your life! 

Do you like horses? More to the point, do you enjoy riding and have some equestrian experience? If so, horse riding holidays may be just the ticket for you. There’s nowhere on Earth where horses are not ridden so the world really is your oyster. As with cycling, you might fancy the wine regions of Tuscany and let your horse follow the route when you’ve been tasting the vintage. Perhaps you’d rather go further afield, say to Africa. Horse riding holidays in Nigeria are a wonderful way of seeing the real Africa. For somewhere quite different have you thought of the Azores? See the islands from the grandstand of your saddle. Back in Africa again, South Africa has just about everything including horse riding holidays. The Dinka Horse Riding Safari promises a ride you’ll never forget. You’ll want to go back time and again and each time you’ll find new experiences. 

Safaris don’t have to be on horseback or on foot. Nowadays safari holidays involve travelling through the bush in specially designed safari trucks. That way you cover more ground in the time available and like the horse rider you’re sitting fairly high off the ground so you get a grandstand view of the big game and other animals. With so many different adventure holidays to choose from, your greatest problem in finding your perfect adventure holiday is that you’re spoilt for choice as they say! 

Your own particular interests should be a help here of course. If you’re a keen cyclist, diver or equestrian, say you’re half way there already. It’s then just a matter of deciding where in the world to choose and how challenging you want your holiday to be. Those are the things only you can decide!

Holiday Planning

Holidays and travel go hand in hand. Travel and sightseeing are extremely popular nowadays, especially because of exotic locations and affordable vacation packages. More and more are opting for travelling to a far off place, say Africa or Asia, and chalking out holiday plans effectively. Want to know more about how expert travelers have an excellent holiday plan? Here are some useful tips to plan a stress-free holiday:

Select the best travel package: There are many vacation packages offered by different companies. Such companies also have travel packages at attractive discounts. You may have a local travel company but it is recommended to search for different companies over the Internet.

 Reserve tickets in advance: You will find many airlines that offer attractive discounts for last minute travelers. It is advised to reserve your tickets in advance so that you get reasonably priced air tickets. In addition, this will help you book your hotel accommodation based on your travel dates.

Plan what you are taking as luggage: Include all your important items into your luggage. Make sure you do not overstuff your belongings and opt for clothing that suits the climatic conditions of the tourist location. Do not forget to carry your medicines and all important documents needed for travel.

Purchase a guide book: Remember to have an official guidebook of the location you are visiting. This is necessary because you may have little or no knowledge about a place, say an island or a less-known city, or an area. Make sure it is current and also contains some helpful phrases in the local language so that you can hold a simple conversation or ask for directions.

PERFECT HOLIDAYS

Are you stressed up with long queues in the airport? Do you feel the pinch of lack of preparation, delays and restrictions in security? Well, these problems can arise during your holidays if do not have a proper plan for it. Holidays should be more entertaining and free from stress.

Here are some interesting tips to create a perfect holiday, if not a perfect holiday then a near-perfect one:

• For every task there should be some form of planning. So make sure you have the right plan for your holidays. Check which destinations are the perfect vacation spots for you and your family. Organize your passport, health insurance and other required documents (visa etc.) before you plan your holidays.

• Include only the necessary items in your travel bags. A camcorder, important travelling documents and some other useful things like driving license, magazines, iPods should be taken. Do not stuff anything useless as it may unnecessarily add weight to your luggage.

• Get the latest security requirements from the airport authorities. Better phone them for any new updates and requirements.

• Are you planning to fly early in the morning? If so, you need to book an overnight stay in a hotel or a motel near the airport.

• Label your baggage before reaching the airport. Pack your baggage with a few days to spare.

• You may get lost in a big airport. Always remember to have a meeting place if you are meeting friends or family members at the airport.

• The airport terminal building can be quite hectic. Better book an airport lounge if you are among those who are stressed or frustrated over late departures. If you are flying for the first time or are a nervous flyer, have a good nutritious meal before flying. It will reduce stress and increase the blood sugar level giving you enough confidence for your flight.