Subscribe RSS

Archive for June, 2010

10 Hours in Manchester – What to do Jun 08

Manchester is the home of many attractions and amenities and some may also say the home of a successful football club.

Manchester also has a large airport where flights depart for almost anywhere in the world. If you are flying out from Manchester airport then why not spend the day admiring some of the local attractions and taking in some of the spectacular sights.

Look for Manchester airport parking and leave your car there while you look around the city. This is one of the great aspects of airport parking; you can leave it there, knowing it is secure while you enjoy yourself in the town or whilst on holiday.

A great place to start would be to have breakfast or brunch, depending on what time of day it is. One of the most recommended places to eat is Bar 38. This is a glass building that has several restaurants and bars within its angular walls. It is extremely modern, but also minimalist.

If you love to shop, then you will not be disappointed with the various shopping complexes, such as the Trafford Centre, the Arndale Centre, the regional markets and the city centre.

Is shopping is not your favourite past time and you would rather watch a show, then Manchester can offer you some great places of entertainment, such as the Palace Theatre, the Lowry Theatre and the Apollo.

No matter what you plan to do in Manchester, whether it is dining, drinking, shopping or watching a show, you can sit back and relax and enjoy the experience, knowing that your car is completely safe in Manchester airport parking.

share save 171 16 10 Hours in Manchester   What to do
10 hours in London – What to do Jun 08

So you have arrived for a short stay in the city of London and naturally you want to make the most of your time. London is a city bustling with arts, culture, activities, landmarks and much, much more. Plan your time carefully, and you could have a fantastic experience.

If you are arriving into Heathrow, the first thing to remember is that the tube will take you straight into central London in less than an hour, so instead of facing the London traffic, leave your car at a Heathrow Parking facility and jump on the Piccadilly Line. Make sure to buy a travelcard, which will give you unlimited access to London transport all day.

Get off the tube at Piccadilly Circus as it is only a short walk down to Trafalgar Square, where you can see the famous fountains and National Portrait Gallery. Then take a short walk to Embankment where you can jump on a tube across the river to Waterloo. Here you can enjoy a stroll along the Southbank, where you will find the National Theatre, the Tate modern, and plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars to enjoy.

You can’t visit London without seeing Buckingham Palace, so take a short tube journey to St James Park to see the Queen. Then finish off your trip by heading north to Oxford Circus, famously renowned for its fantastic shopping.

Take a quick stroll through Soho, and head to Leicester square, where you might catch a film premiere, before heading back to your airport parking at Heathrow.

share save 171 16 10 hours in London – What to do
Free flights from Airmiles Jun 07

Unless you wait for the last minute, or rely on special offers from certain airlines, the cost of flights from UK airports can be quite expensive. Even with special offers, the restrictions on when you travel and how many bags you take with you can make the flights impractical.

It would be much better to choose when you want to fly, and to where you want to go, and instead of getting ‘big discounts’, get completely free flights. This sounds unlikely, but when you’re collecting Airmiles, you can use them for free flights to anywhere in the world, from Paris to New York to Sydney.

You don’t even need to be a frequent flyer to collect Airmiles and get free flights, with travel rewards credit cards such as the Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo Credit Card Account, you can collect Airmiles every time you use your Credit Cards. This means you can get yourself one step closer to free flights every time you buy everyday things, like your car tax, weekly shop or a new pair of shoes. Whether you’re spending money on luxury items, life’s necessities or paying those laborious bills, every purchase made on your Credit Cards will give you Airmiles – Airmiles that can be exchanged for free flights to wherever you want to go.

You no longer need to watch those holiday ads on TV and worry how you’re unable to afford to fly to exotic destinations. Simply use one of the many travel rewards credit cards to earn the free flights you want.

share save 171 16 Free flights from Airmiles
Tips for keeping kids amused on holidays Jun 04

When considering children’s holidays in France, Italy and Spain, what comes immediately to mind are camping holidays in the countryside or a beach location that will give all the family as much freedom as possible without overly denting the holiday budget. Camping resorts these days also provide much in the way of sophisticated mobile home holiday living which is far removed from the uncompromising family tent.

Facilities on camping sites are well set up for family holidays and parents will probably not see their older children for most of the holiday. Campsites are often placed near to the beach which gives an added dimension to the holiday fun. Both parents and children have the freedom to enjoy the thrills and spills of the beach, water sports and the open sea, but the campsite with its endless facilities is also on tap. So when a long hot day of swimming and beach fun is over, the nightly discos provide entertainment for parents and children alike. Campsites also provide for younger children too where there are designated play areas, plus swimming pools for more contained family enjoyment.

Camping sites will always provide the ultimate in kids’ holidays purely by fact that they cater so beautifully for all the family. It is the informality of the camping site where both children and adults are free to do exactly what they want. Adults can relax round the pool, enjoy the beach, and the local bars at night firm in the knowledge that their children are safe, also having fun and making new friends.

share save 171 16 Tips for keeping kids amused on holidays
10 More Tips For Fantastic Holiday Photos! Jun 03

At PhotoBox we appreciate that part of the fun of any holiday is browsing through your photo prints. It’s a great way of prolonging the feel good factor, especially when your photos reflect what a brilliant time you had. So here’s our guide to capturing fantastic holiday photo prints. Don’t forget the advantage of digital photos is that you can take as many as you want!

Start early
What, get up early on holiday! I don’t mean every day, but catching the flattering early morning light will be a great asset to your images.

Getting the right light
If you have to work in harsh daylight try putting your subject in the shade, or using fill-in flash to disguise unflattering shadows.

Out of hours
Any top tourist attraction is going to be busy which will obviously impact your photos. Try going at less popular times of day or aim to be the first in when they open.

Panoramic view
If it’s your landscapes that usually let you down, try a panoramic shot. Many cameras have this function or simply crop your photos before ordering your cheap photo prints.

Don’t get left out
Take turns using the camera so you all get the chance to be in the photographs. Alternatively, using the self-timer can be great fun and means nobody gets left out.

Play with perspective
Look for a fresh take on popular tourist attractions so that if you’re photographing something that everyone’s familiar with they’ll be impressed with your new approach.

People & places
Often we concentrate on the landscape when we’re somewhere new but take a look at the locals, they’re what really gives a place its character, just be respectful when taking photos of other people.

Share you snaps
It’s easy to upload and share your photos via PhotoBox whilst you’re away, to show friends & family back home what a great time you’re having.

Landscape lenses
It’s usually the vastness of a landscape that makes it so awesome. To ensure your photo prints have that feel you’ll need a suitably wide angle lens to capture what your eyes see.

Cheat a little
Photo editing can rescue disappointing images. Use it to re-crop, enrich colours and cut out unwanted elements. Suddenly you’ve got something really special that’s worth turning into a big photo print or photo gift.

share save 171 16 10 More Tips For Fantastic Holiday Photos!
Where are the best places to go on holiday in Portugal Jun 02

Portugal, like Britain, is a seafaring nation and many great explorers from history like Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan began their voyages of discovery from its sunny shores.

Mainland Portugal has long been a premier choice of tourist destination by the British which is reflected in the number of cheap flights to Portugal advertised. Portugal has lovely weather, and for the history lover, it can boast many historic buildings particularly in its capital, Lisbon. However, it is perhaps the beautiful Algarve that has made Portugal popular as a holiday resort and cheap flights to Faro take you right to the hub of this holiday hotspot with its tiny fishing villages, water sports and golf. The historic town of Faro also provides a welcome day out for shopping. Other centres such as Albufeira, Portimao and purpose built resorts such as Vilamoura again supply a level of choice for visitors.

If you want an island holiday, again Portugal has that too. Madeira is a beautiful spot that rises majestically out of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of the mainland. Madeira with its orchards and vineyards is also steeped in history and became part of Portugal in the 15th century. Madeira has a warm climate all year round which makes it popular with those that want to get away during the cold British winter. Funchal its capital has charming cobbled streets, bars and an historic cathedral, plus the island’s beautiful gardens and wonderful cliff side walks make Madeira a holiday for all ages. Cheap flights to Funchal also make this Portuguese gem good value for money.

share save 171 16 Where are the best places to go on holiday in Portugal