Cornwall has remained one of the most popular destinations in the UK for family holidays. Cornwall has a style of life all of its own, with its glorious beaches, quaint cottages, spectacular coastlines and Cornish cream teas. Cornwall holidays offer something for everyone, whether you’re looking for action packed surfing holidays, relaxing walking holidays or fun holidays for the kids.

Some of the best places to visit on your Cornwall holidays are:

Crealy Great Adventure Park
Cornwall’s Crealy Great Adventure Park is an amusement park for children of all ages. They have waterslides, climbing frames and activities for toddlers and teenagers alike.

The National Maritime Museum
Those looking for some culture from their Cornwall holidays can try the National Maritime Museum, where some of the great shipping history of Britain’s past can be enjoyed. As well as learning about the history of Britain’s maritime, you can also witness shipwrecks first hand!

Blue Reef Aquarium
The Blue Reef Aquarium will appeal to both children and adults alike. Here you can witness some of the most beautiful creatures found in the ocean, and some of the most deadly! You can even see and interact with dolphins as they swim up to you, just as curious about you as you are about them.

The Eden Project
Cornwall holidays aren’t complete without a trip to see the largest greenhouse in the world; the Eden Project. The Eden Project is a contained tropical environment covered by giant glass domes, covering the size of 30 premiership football pitches. The Eden Project offers both beauty and science under one, giant, roof.

The recession is affecting everyone’s holiday plans in the UK, causing more people to stay at home rather than take their usual holidays abroad, or city breaks in Europe. This doesn’t have to be the case though, as you can earn free flights and free stays in hotels across the UK, Europe and worldwide by collecting Airmiles.

When you spend money using a Lloyds TSB Airmiles Duo Credit Card account, you’ll be collecting Airmiles and, when you collect Airmiles, you can save up for free flights to many city break destinations. So, Airmiles are a great way to save money on a city break.

For a short trip to Europe, for example to Paris, Rome or Madrid, it wouldn’t take long for you to collect enough Airmiles to exchange for the free flights.

If you’re not an Airmiles Duo account holder, you can still collect Airmiles when you shop at Tesco, by swapping your Tesco Clubcard points for Airmiles, which can be used for free flights. Spending your Clubcard points on free flights is much more enjoyable than getting money off your weekly shopping. Other ways to collect Airmiles include shopping at hundreds of online stores, such as eBay.co.uk and johnlewis.com, via the Airmiles eStore. You can even collect Airmiles while filling up with fuel. If you sign up for a Shell Drivers’ Club card, you can convert your Shell Drivers’ Club points into Airmiles.

More and more people travel abroad ever year for leisure and business purposes. Suffering an accident or injury overseas can be very distressing. If you are unlucky enough to suffer an injury when you are travelling abroad, there is a chance for you to claim the injury compensation you are entitled to.

Insurance companies cover different types of accidents abroad. If you suffer an injury or accident abroad you can get legal help from your insurance company. The insurance company has to work on your case and try to settle your claim.

Making an holiday accident claim can sometimes be a long and difficult process. First of all, if you make a compensation claim abroad this is usually subject to the law of the country where the injury occurred. This affects your right to compensation and the value of your injury claim.

Secondly, the time limits in which a claim can be made vary throughout the world, therefore it is very important to contact a solicitor and seek advice as soon as possible. If you happen to have an accident abroad it is advisable to gather as much information at the time as you can and file a report. This report may go to the local police officers, other parties involved in your injury your accident such as the hotel or travel company. This is recommended especially if the accident occurs in the hotel’s premises and reporting to as many people as possible will give you an advantage in your compensation claim because these can give testimonials on your favour.

Usually if you suffer an injury in a foreign country you can claim compensation for the following:

- Compensation for your accident or injury
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Loss of income as a result of not being able to to work on your return
- Other expenses incurred by you because of the accident

In addition to these, you could be eligible to claim additional compensation based on individual cases. Your injury lawyer can give you advice on what you can claim based on your particular situation.

In recent years, there have been recent changes in UK and European legislation which have made claiming compensation for accidents or injuries sustained abroad much easier. If your claim is successful, you will be awarded financial compensation which will depend on the individual circumstances of your case – like the extent of your injury and financial losses you have sustained because of the injury.

If you’ve suffered an accident whilst being abroad and would like to see if you are eligible to make a claim for compensation then don’t hesitate and contact your injury lawyers now!

Holiday accidents and injuries

Suffering an accident or injury on your holiday can be very distressing. If you are unlucky enough to suffer an injury when you should be enjoying your holiday, there is a chance for you to claim your deserved injury compensation.

Making a holiday accident claim can sometimes be a long and difficult process. First of all, if you make a compensation claim abroad this is usually subject to the law of the country where the injury occurred. This affects your right to compensation and the value of your holiday accident claim. In some cases you may be able to recover compensation for both your accident and, where appropriate, the fact that your time was ruined.

It is easier to make a compensation claim if your injury abroad happened on a holiday that was part of package tour. This is because package tour operators have to respect the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tour Regulations 1992.

Holiday tour operators, hotel staff and all other staff connected with the package holiday have a duty to provide you with a good quality and safe service.

Holiday accidents range from accidents occurred in a hotel to accidents on boats, planes or by doing various sport activities.

The main causes of holiday accidents or illnesses are the following:

- Wet floor or misplaced object
- Injury on foreign transport vehicle
- Food poisoning from the hotel restaurant
- Illness because bad hotel hygiene
- Problems with rental car that lead to a holiday accident
- Water or winter sports accidents

The time limits in which a claim can vary throughout the world, thus it is very important to contact a solicitor and seek advice as soon as possible.

If you happen to have an accident abroad it is advisable to get as much information at the time as you can. Our recommendation is to take photos of what caused the accident, writing down or sketching the scene, and taking note of the names and numbers of witnesses – as well as any injuries which have been sustained. It’s best to gather this information straight away, as it would be hard to do this at a later time.

In recent years, there have been recent changes in UK and European legislation which have made claiming holiday accident or injury compensation much easier. If your claim is successful, you will be awarded financial compensation which will depend on the individual circumstances of your case – like the extent of your injury and financial losses you have sustained because of the injury.

If you’ve suffered an accident whilst being on holiday abroad, it is imperative that you get the compensation you are entitled to. Don’t hesitate and contact your injury lawyers now!

Accommodation is one of the most important deciding factors when going on holiday. Getting a good night’s sleep is paramount for a relaxing and enjoyable break. There is a huge range of accommodation on offer but choosing to stay at a bed and breakfast is often overlooked.
Check out these Pros and Cons to help you decide:

Pros
1. Meeting New People
The smaller numbers and relaxed atmosphere often enable you to meet more people and discuss your holidays. You can even discuss your plans for the day with fellow guests over breakfast.

2. Comfy and Cosy Rooms
Rooms in bed and breakfasts are often less clinical and cosier reminding you of home. Bed and breakfasts usually provide a comfy home style mattress for their beds, which is another bonus.

3. Cost
Bed and breakfasts can in some circumstances be more economical. They’re definitely worth checking out as an option for your holiday accommodation, as they may well be cheaper than a hotel.

4. A More Unique Place to Stay
If you’re visiting a new area in the UK or abroad then staying at a B & B can also help to give you a better feel for a place than staying in a hotel where you are far removed from everyday life. You can also stay in some more unique buildings full of character. You could end up in a castle, a lighthouse, a former jailhouse, or even a treehouse.

Cons
1. Less Facilities
Although you will hopefully find yourself in a cosy room full of character it is unlikely you will have facilities like a fridge, kettle, trouser press and you may not even have a TV. However, if these are items you won’t require then there is no problem!

2. Slower Service
Although not the case for all B & Bs, service is likely to be slower than a hotel. There is unlikely to be a 24 hour reception and if you have a problem in the night you may either have to lump it or go and wake up the owner!

3. Privacy
You will probably have less anonymity in a bed and breakfast than a hotel. If you want to keep yourself to yourself and not interact with other travellers it might not be the best place to rest your head.

4. Food
Not all bed and breakfasts will have options for an evening meal/snacks etc. If your bed and breakfast is located in a remote area then you may have difficulty finding food and a hotel might be an easier choice where food is always readily available.

Don’t miss out on the Christmas Markets!

We may only just be heading into our summer but it’s never too early to start considering tours to magical Christmas Markets in both the UK and Europe. Believe it or not but these tours are extremely popular and are sure to be a sell-out so don’t miss out and book your place today!

Absorb yourself in the festive magic of Valkenburg where century old caves provide the setting as you follow a candle-lit cobweb of corridors to the beautiful velvet scene of this wonderful Christmas Market. Not only will you get to see the variety of stalls and their festive ware, but you’ll also have plenty of free time to explore Valkenburg itself. Head over to Belgium and see the stunning Christmas Markets held in Ypres, Ostend and Bruges. The wonderful festive season begins here in December with the St. Nicholas celebrations where shops display all sorts of fantastic sweety treats such as marzipan, ‘klaasjes’ (flat hard cakes) and ‘speculoos’ (gingerbread moulded into the shape of St Nicholas). In Liege, you’ll be able to wander around 155 decorated wooden cottages that form the magical ‘Christmas Village’. You’ll also be able to see the annual European Christmas Market in Brussels that is held on the Place St. Catherine. Belgium has something for everyone with fairy-lit nativity scenes and decorative stalls selling a wide variety of ornaments, decorations & wonderful local delicacies to sample – your short break to the Belgian Christmas Markets will truly be a magical one!

If you’re looking to shop beneath a twilight sky then choose coach tours to Germany where you can explore the traditional Christmas Markets in Cologne, Berlin, Rudesheim and Aachen. Here you’ll certainly escape the commercialism of Christmas and enjoy searching for original festive handicrafts, souvenirs and tree decorations such as crib figurines, wooden carvings, candles & lambskin shoes. Don’t forget to sample the local festive cuisine of hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, gingerbread and much more!

Join escorted tours to the Czech Republic where you can visit the Christmas Markets in Prague. Soak up the traditional festive atmosphere where the Christmas Markets light up the city with their twinkling fairy lights. Walk around the many brightly decorated stalls selling all sorts of Czech handicrafts and local specialities that will leave your taste buds tingling for more.

Cross the Channel to France where you’ll come across one of the largest markets in Northern France – the Lille Christmas Market. The children will simply love Disneyland® Resort Paris at Christmas as all the characters dress up in their festive gear and the resort itself transforms into a fabulously magical winter wonderland that will surpass any child’s imagination!

You won’t have to travel to Europe to visit Christmas Markets because we have plenty on our doorstep here in the UK too! The Bath Christmas Market is definitely one that you won’t want to miss. Here you’ll find 123 wooden chalets that cover the streets of the city between the stunning Abbey and the Roman Baths. Each chalet offers a wide range of festive items to buy such as handmade gifts, decorations and tempting food items. Not forgetting the German Christmas Market held in Edinburgh, the festive delights available at Chatsworth House, the St Nicholas Fayre in York and many more! Don’t miss your chance to experience Christmas Shopping with a difference and book your place to some of these wonderful Christmas Markets.

For the full range of UK and European Christmas Market tours available, visit www.door2tour.com.

We may all be sailing on choppy waters at the moment with the current recession squeezing our purse strings, but that’s no reason to abandon your summer holiday this year. You needn’t dash off to the Med either as there are some fantastic places to visit all on your doorstep - so what’s stopping you from a Staycation?

If you’re looking to holiday at home but you need to reign in those pennies then let one of the UK’s top Tour Operators help you decide where’s best to go. Enjoy a bargain breakaway in The Peak District where you can walk for miles and take in the stunning scenery. Combine the gentle rolling hills and honey-coloured stone villages of The Cotswolds with two fantastic steam railway journeys. Explore the home of the ‘Fab Four’ and do a spot of sightseeing whilst in Liverpool.

If you’re looking for a traditional UK summer holiday then head to the many beautiful British seaside resorts such as Llandudno, Blackpool, Scarborough, Torquay and Eastbourne. Spend weekends in family-friendly Skegness where the British holiday was born all those years ago in 1936 with Billy Butlin and his infamous holiday camps!

Holidaying in Europe is still achievable even if you are on a budget during this recession era. Whisk the whole family to Disneyland Paris for a weekend break that’ll keep everyone entertained. Explore Monet’s Garden and get some ideas of what plants to grow in your own or spend a few days in Bruges – a chocoholic’s paradise! Cruise the canals and cobbled streets of Amsterdam or spend a summer in the beautiful German Valleys. You won’t just save money on holidays and short breaks you’ll also be able to attend some of the hottest events around without breaking the bank. Ladies don your flares and platforms for a night in the West End with London theatre trips to Mamma Mia or Dirty Dancing for ‘the time of your life’. Hone in your gardening skills and jazz up your garden with tips from the experts at Hampton Court or Tatton Park Flower shows. Or, book your seat for the hugely popular Edinburgh Tattoo, a fabulous evening of military displays held in August using the stunning Edinburgh Castle as its backdrop.

Wherever you end up this summer, we wish you all the best. Have a great summer 2009!

Bon Voyage!

Source: Door2Tour.com

Has the recent series of Hells Kitchen inspired you to flex your culinary skills? Perhaps all the fascinating cookery programmes on TV have persuaded you to find out more about the different cuisines available across the globe? If so, then why not consider blending cuisine with culture on a gourmet break.

On coach holiday website Door2Tour.com there are a selection of tours to delight a holiday palate. Wine connoisseurs can follow the infamous Wine Trail taking you from Burgundy to Alsace and enjoy a spot of wine tasting along the way.

If pasta’s your passion, head off to an undiscovered region of Italy and discover the culinary delights of Italian gastronomy in Piedmont, where you can hunt for white truffles with the locals, dine out in many Turin restaurants and finish it all off with a vineyard tour.

With winding rivers, lush green valleys and scenery straight off a postcard, you’ll certainly enjoy sampling the local Riesling and Pinot Noir in Germany as well as brushing up on your historical knowledge by touring local castles.

Take a look at the selection available at www.door2tour.com.

Local food is what I love about travel! Thanks to the warm weather in Southeast Asia, it offers a great selection of delicious tropical fruits you don’t normally find in other parts of the world. So apart from the usual bananas, oranges, grapes and watermelons, what else does the tropical cities in Southeast Asia has to offer? Let’s take a look at our carefully selected top 10 list

1. Guavas, although can be found in other parts of the world, but you don’t find them eaten the same way as they do in Southeast Asia. The green apple guava, commonly found in Thailand, are generally eaten before ripped, where the crispy fruit are dipped in salt, pepper or sugar for added flavour.
2. Rambutan, you can find the canned ones in many Asian supermarkets, but the fresh ones are simply delicious. Under the red velvety skin, it has a white fruit inside, which is generally eaten directly by the locals. Of course, with creative Asian cuisine, they can also find rambutan jam, sauces, ice cream, or added to salads for flavour.
3. Papaya in Thailand has two main varieties, one with red and the other, a yellow-orange fruit. Like many other tropical fruits, it can be eaten directly, or mixed into papaya milk drink. The green papayas are generally used in cooking, like for the famous Thai green papaya salad, or cooked into other local dishes.
4. Mangosteen, commonly known as the “queen of fruits”, has a dark purple skin. Inside, it’s a white, delicious fruit that can be eaten raw, added to drinks, made into mangosteen cake, or to be very creative, added into seafood curry.
5. Longan, don’t be fooled by its not so fancy look. Inside the thin crispy shell, it comes with a translucent white-pinkish fruit that are sweet and juicy with a unique musky scent. It is eaten raw or used as a traditional dessert toping, mixed with glutinous rice, coconut milk and ice.
6. Sapodilla or Ginseng fruit, another fruit you shouldn’t judge by its cover. Peel through the brownish fruit skin, you’ll find light reddish-brown juicy pulp that can be eaten directly, or cook with sugar or syrup to make jam and preserved fruit snacks.
7. Custard apples have what appear to be small bumps on the outside like a badly-stung head. It has a white and sweet fruit wrapping tiny black fruit pits, it can be quite a mission to eat it without accidently swallow one. It has a very interesting flavour with the blend of banana, strawberry and pineapples all mixed into one. It can be eaten raw once peeled, or mixed with coconut milk to make ice cream or candy.
8. Durian, the “King of fruits”, can be found in many places in Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Malaysia, they are loved by the locals. Under the rough spiny coat, it has a delicious creamy-like fruit, which has a really strong scent to it. You can smell a ripe durian before you sees one.
9. Star fruits or Carambola, just like the name, has a star shape when sliced. The fruit has a translucent orangey-yellowish fruit with a sweet and acidic taste to it. Star fruits are normally eaten by dipping in salt, sugar or even pepper to sweeten the flavour. Also, it can be commonly found as pickled snacks or made into star fruit drinks.
10. Last but not least, mangoes. Yes, you can find it in other places around the world, but in places like Thailand, you can find at least 10 different varieties to choose from. Like everywhere else, mangoes are eaten raw, or dried – most popular souvenirs from Thailand and Philippines, or make into delicious desserts with glutinous rice and coconut milk.

Now that’s our top 10 list, what’s yours?

Source: Faraway Holidays | Wikipedia

It’s been there awhile, the venerable English Channel.

More than 25 million years now. Just sitting there, separating England and France. Tempting those on either side of her. Mocking them. “C’mon, cross me”, she taunts between never ending waves. “I defy you. Dream up some foolish floating device, airship (or other). Come up with some novel, daring, preferably not very well thought out quasi-invention, and take your best shot…”

“CROSS ME, I SAY!”

Like a moth to a flame over the years many have been drawn in to her enticing little game.

Sure, some have simply swum across the channel’s 34km shortest point, from Dover to Calais. This has been done more than a few times now by adventurous and slightly foolhardy men and women. The total number of swims conducted under and ratified by the Channel Swimming Association up to 2005 was 982, by 665 people. This includes twenty-four 2-way crossings and three 3-way crossings.

Yawn.

By recent estimates, every year more 11 million others - the unimaginative, the fearful, the weak - take a ferry, car or Eurostar train to traverse her.

Inexcusably boring.

The question is, how many futuristic Jet-pack crossings have there been? When did the first balloon crossing occur? Who crossed in a 20-mile (32 km) long freefall using a wing-suit and a carbon-fiber wing?

Where are the real pioneers, you ask?

Read on!

By most accounts, the first truly historic/abnormal crossing of the English Channel occurred by Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a Frenchman, taking about 2½ hours to travel from England to France on 7 January 1785 - flying from Dover Castle to Guînes in a hydrogen gas balloon. Blanchard would later be the first balloonist in North America. He would also later fall from his balloon over the Hague in 1804 and die from his severe injuries. Incidentally, his widow continued to support herself with ballooning demonstrations, until one also killed her in 1809.

Such is the life of the true pioneer.

Surprisingly, the first completely human-powered vehicle crossing of the Channel did not occur until 1979. Bryan Allen, an American, crossed the Channel in an aircraft that was powered using pedals to drive a large two-bladed propeller, called the Gossamer Albatross. It completed the 35.8 km (22.2 mi) crossing in 2 hours and 49 minutes, achieving a top speed of 29 km/h (18 mph) and an average altitude of 1.5 metres (5 feet). The aircraft was of unusual “canard” configuration, using a large horizontal stabilizer forward of the wing in a manner similar to the Wright brothers’ successful “Flyer” aircraft.

Unlike a few other pioneers, Bryan Allen is still around to recount the tale.

In 2003, Felix Baumgartner, AKA “Fearless Felix”, or, “God of the skies” because of the dangerous nature of the stunts he has performed during his career, became the first person to cross the English Channel in freefall using a specially made carbon-fiber wing.

Baumgartner leapt from a plane above Dover, landing 35 kilometres away in Cap Blanc-Nez near Calais just 14 minutes later. Top speeds of 360km/h were reached during the flight. He wore only an aerodynamic jumpsuit with a 6-foot (1.8-metre) carbon fin strapped to his back, an oxygen tank from which to breathe, and a parachute to land. Although he had prepared for three years for this flight there were problems immediately leading up to the jump, as a cameraman following him passed out through lack of oxygen in the plane seconds before it was to begin. He has since said the Channel crossing experience was the highlight of his adventure-filled life.

In 2008, a Swiss man became the first person to fly solo across the Channel using a single jet-propelled wing. Yves Rossy landed safely after the 22-mile (35.4 km) flight from Calais to Dover, which had been twice postponed this week because of bad weather. The former military pilot took less than 10 minutes to complete the crossing and parachute to the ground.

The 49-year-old flew on a plane to more than 8,200ft (2,500m), ignited jets on a wing on his back, and jumped out. The wing had no rudder or tail fin, so Rossy had to steer it using his head and back. As well as a helmet and parachute, he wore a special suit to protect him from the four kerosene-burning turbines mounted just centimetres from him on the wing.

The pace of ill-advised crossing attempts seems to be increasing. Also last year, Coast Guards slammed an attempt by ‘Top Gear’ stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to drive across the Channel in three specially-adapted cars for the BBC TV show.

They reported that the attempted crossing across the world’s busiest shipping lane remarkably saw one of the vehicles actually reach the French coast, reportedly the first such successful attempt at such a car/ship hybrid crossing. Clarkson successfully made the crossing in a white Nissan 4×4 truck with a 225-horsepower outboard motor but May, in a Triumph Herald with a sail capsized, and Hammond in a VW camper van both sank shortly after setting off.

A high precedent has been set. Watch this space as more brave & imaginative souls find newer and possibly even less safe ways to continue the time-honoured tradition of unconventional English Channel crossing. One thing is certain; she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She’ll be waiting, taunting others - for ages to come.

Source: Wikipedia | BBC.co.uk