Category: Holidays

Whether you are a foreign family who really wants to experience the swinging capital, or are local and want to see more of London, there are many ways to go about arranging a week or two in what is perhaps the most exciting of all the European cities. In former times, one would be advised to contact a tour company, who could make all your accommodation and travel arrangements, yet, thanks to the Internet, everything can be organised in the comfort of your living room.

Travel Options

London is a huge city and if you want to be able to be selective in what you see, hiring a car is the best option. Once you are sure of your dates, search online for “affordable people carrier hire in London” and you can browse through the different suppliers until you find the best deal. All the vehicles will be pretty much the same in terms of age and condition, so it is really down to price and availability, and if you plan to go in the winter, you might be able to secure a bargain.

Accommodation

With the vehicle hire arranged, your thoughts can turn to accommodation, and while you can stay in a different place each night, this will be an expensive way to go about it. As you have a vehicle at your disposal, you should look for something nice that is 20km or so from the city centre, perhaps in Berkshire or Surrey, where there are quaint period inns and small hotels, and if you book for the duration of your stay, there would likely be a discount on the normal daily rate. Staying in one of the surrounding counties gives you a taste of the natural beauty of the Home Counties, and the city is merely a 30-minute drive away, giving you the best of both worlds.

London Attractions

The best way to plan your holiday is for the whole family to sit around the computer and begin to search for London attractions. There are so many, you will have to be very selective about where you do decide to visit, and it isn’t wise to include more than two venues in a single day, as with travelling, it would be impractical, unless they all happen to be in the same area. The places you select can be booked online, and there are special tourist packages, where you can make a single payment and the entire family has free access to many of the London places of interest. It is definitely worth exploring the possibility of purchasing a family tourist ticket package, as many of the famous venues are included, and this could save you hundreds of pounds.

Of course, any holiday in London is not going to be cheap, but with some careful spending and affordable car hire, a large family can enjoy the holiday for a very affordable price.

Contemporary walking holidays are sweeping the globe and becoming increasingly popular for a myriad of reasons:

• A Calming Form of Meditation: Getting out from under the fluorescent lights of the office and away from the incessant sounds of the city is a great way to recharge your batteries, reduce stress, and ease your state of mind, especially if you surround yourself with natural settings, greenery, and panoramic vistas.
• An Easy Way to Stay Fit: Prolonged walking treks have been proven to increase cardiovascular fitness, reinforce bone density, bolster muscular strength, and lower the risk of many diseases, which is a far cry from the largely sedentary, slothful vacations of today’s day and age.
• An Affordable Way to Sightsee: As long as you have an adequate pair of walking shoes, a suitable kit, and weather-appropriate attire at your disposal, you can circumvent many of the exorbitant expenses associated with facilitating a memorable holiday without sacrificing any adventure, exhilaration, or amusement.
• An Eco-Friendly Excursion: Apart from the conveyance required to reach your destination of choice, you’ll be able to remove the spectre of charter busses, taxicabs, trains, and congested roadways, which effectively reduces your carbon footprint and pays homage to Mother Earth.
• A Sense of Accomplishment: Completing a walking circuit provides a sense of achievement that simply cannot be obtained by taking a cruise or lounging on a beach. You’ll be able to reach places that aren’t accessible by modern vehicles, which will allow you to catch sight of inimitable countrysides, traditional villages, rugged forests, vast vineyards, and other unique locations. Best of all, the entire jaunt can be facilitated at your own pace – no one else’s.

If you’re interested in scheduling your very own excursion in the near future, it’s in your best interests to take a long, hard look at the three most popular walking holidays in Scotland…

Arran Coastal Way

This awe-inspiring 105-kilometre coastal adventure combines a vast array of waterside footpaths, forest trails, and valley tracks, allowing you to gaze upon incredible sights such as the Machrie Moor Stone Circle, Goat Fell, and a wide range of wildlife as well. To boot, there is a litany of accommodations along the path, which means that there’s always a hot meal and cot around the corner.

Borders Abbeys Way

This self-guided 110-kilometre circular route features intimate treks into four prominent abbeys from the 12^th century: Jedburgh, Melrose, Kelso, and Dryburgh. The unique combination of ancient architecture, wooded riverbanks, quaint farmlands, and untouched countrysides makes for an incredible week-long journey.

The Cateran Trail

Named after the 15^th-century cattle rustlers who roamed the region, the Cateran Trail takes you on a breathtaking passage through a wide range of glens, hillsides, woodlands, and unspoilt footpaths. The largely secluded aura of this 103-kilometre expedition allows you to truly enjoy the stunning landscapes of this lesser-known trail, which is why seasoned explorers swear by the Cateran experience year after year.

Reach out to a reputable walking holiday organisation and reserve your very own inclusive, self-guided trip as soon as possible!

If you have a very special occasion coming up, and would like to celebrate in a novel way, hiring a crewed yacht or catamaran for a Sydney Harbour cruise offers an experience with a difference. It might be a birthday party, or a hen night, and with boats that can accommodate up to 40 people, your party will be taken to a new dimension. Fully equipped luxury vessels provide the perfect platform for an unforgettable experience, and with every possible service catered for, you can create your own unique cruise on Sydney Harbour.

Total Flexibility

The cruise company would offer more than just yacht hire in Sydney, with a program that can be tailored to suit, and with a choice of self-catering or a range of attractive menus, you can book from a range of vessels that can accommodate from 2 – 40 people. You can arrange to have the bar stocked with all your favourites or bring your own drinks, and the hire company would tailor the trip to suit the client’s needs. The trip would start and finish when you like, and with all the amenities you would expect on a first class yacht, you and your group will want for nothing as you cruise around the harbour.

Corporate Events

Hiring a yacht for a cruise around Sydney Harbour is an ideal corporate setting, and whether you are celebrating reaching your business targets or engaging in teambuilding activities, this is most definitely the way to make an impression. If you would like VIP service, your menu can be prepared and served in a first class manner, and with a well-stocked bar and professional staff who are dedicated to making the experience memorable, your clients will be suitably impressed.

Catamaran Cruising

A catamaran is the ideal vessel for large social parties, as it offers a stable platform, and all the mod cons, which include the following:

• Barbeque
• Refrigeration
• Full dining facilities
• Crockery and Cutlery
• Fully stocked bars

Whatever the schedule or activities you have planned, the staff would be focused on providing everything you and your party need, and with lots of floor space, your group can relax and enjoy the luxury of a Sydney Harbour cruise.

Self-Sailing Charters

If you and your group are sailors and would like to crew the vessel, this can be arranged, and you can even enter your team in a race, if competing is where your interest lies. If you want to be sure of chartering the right boat at the right time, it is advisable to make an early booking, and special times like Christmas and Australia Day would be a very busy time.

Whatever the occasion, if you would like to have a unique experience cruising Sydney Harbour, there are online suppliers who can tailor the package to suit your needs, and with all the amenities you would expect with VIP cruises, the day will surely be remembered for all the right reasons.

Whether you are a foodie or a lover of fine wines, you will find that Hunter Valley is indeed an idyllic spot. Visitors to this area in Australia are able to take part in a number of activities, including wine-tasting events, balloon rides, and gastronomical samplings. You can also hire a bike or check out the cheeses and chocolates that are temptingly presented in shops in the area.

Visiting the Cellar Doors

Needless to say, your first priority if you visit the Hunter Valley is to visit the cellar doors and participate in wine-tasting events. In fact, there are more cellar doors in this part of the country than any other place in Australia. You can elect to visit the cellar doors yourself or opt to go on a wine-tasting tour. Guests can also enjoy concert events at places such as the Hope Estate.

The Semillon Is an Iconic Wine

Whether you are an experienced wine-taster or are just beginning to dabble in the activity, you will receive an education about various grape varieties and the process of wine-making itself. This area is the ideal place for growing grapes, as the soils are regularly fed by the waters of the Hunter River as well as other tributaries, including the Paterson and Williams water systems. The temperate climate also lends to the making of the fine wines that come out of this region. One of the treasured varieties is the aged Semillon, which is known world-wide.

A Pleasant and Welcoming Travel Experience

To make your stay even more cosy and pleasant, you also have your choice of accommodation in a variety of Hunter Valley cottages. These types of retreats make it possible for you to find a homey environment away from home. Like the romantic vineyards, the cottages are designed to make your travel experience both pleasant and welcoming.

Fine Wine and Food: Always Available

As indicated, you can find a large array of cellar doors in the Hunter Valley, as more of these venues are open to guests here than in any other Australian wine region. You also have plenty of tour alternatives available to you. In addition, some of the wineries you can visit feature upscale restaurants. Therefore, restaurant patrons can enjoy the delicious local cuisine while savouring some of the area’s prestigious wines.

Award-winning Vintages

So, when you visit this part of Australia, you will soon discover why this part of the country is known for its award-winning vintages. People comment on the crispness of the aforementioned Semillon and rave about the ripeness of the Shiraz. This is a spot where you will find family-owned wineries – esteemed cellar doors that go by the name of Tyrrell, McGuigan, and Drayton, which have been making wine for decades.

A Short Three-hour Excursion from Sydney

The Upper Hunter Valley is located just under three hours north of Sydney. The first thing you will notice when entering this part of the world is the mountains and rolling green plains. This is your first taste of what is considered the good life – a portal that leads you to farmer’s’ markets, historic homes, and enchanting cellar doors.

Planning international holidays is a lot of fun, especially if you are going globetrotting with a group of friends. Asian countries have always held a distinct charm for the people of Australia, especially during the summer. The warm weather, the peaceful locale, and the distinctive culture all combine to make Asia an attractive destination. One of the most popular countries in Asia that is visited by people from all over the globe is Vietnam. Vietnam is popular for being one of the world’s largest exporters of tea and coffee. There are expansive plains where coffee and tea are grown by many of the world’s leading companies.

However, for people who are into golf, Vietnam is also a very attractive option. It might surprise you to know that some of Asia’s best golf courses are located in Vietnam. Places such as the Danang Golf Club and Montgomerie Links attract golf enthusiasts by the thousands. Golf is a popular sport in Vietnam, and it is one of the reasons why people from different parts of the globe visit this country. In fact, many international travel agencies have also begun offering dedicated Vietnam golf tours to their customers. Here are a few tips for people who are looking to plan a golf tour in this beautiful country.

Go with a Reputable Travel Agency

Rather than taking the pains to plan the whole tour by yourself, it is highly recommended that you buy a pre-planned tour package from a reputable travel agency. These agencies have links with local golfing clubs and are also able to arrange for accommodations for their customers as required. There is also a little bit of flexibility when planning the tour; you can make changes to where you want to stay or the golf courses that you wish to visit. Buying a pre-planned package is definitely a much better idea than planning everything on your own; the travel agency will give you the booking details of where you will be staying and the places you will be visiting, as well as a detailed itinerary highlighting everything that you need to know about your trip. If you are travelling with a group of friends, this is by far the best option. You can all buy the same package and take part in local golfing trips at the best courses throughout the country.

Get Ready to Move Regularly

International golfing tours are different from conventional holidays; during the day, you can spend your time at the golf course shooting holes, but at night, you have complete freedom to check out the beautiful locales. Because you will be moving about quite a lot, it is a wise move to pack as light as possible, since carting around a lot of luggage is quite difficult as it is. Therefore, it is best to take only the essentials along with you. Remember, travelling is all about getting outside of your comfort zone, so you need to stop worrying about the small things if you really want to enjoy your trip.