After any enjoyable vacation, returning home is inevitably a bit of a come down. You’ve spent a week or more experiencing new things, relaxing and generally forgetting about work and home, then you are straight back into the real world. The post holiday blues, or post holiday depression, is a problem that many people face, and it is all too easy to find yourself resenting your normal life, which is not healthy at all!Here are our top tips to help you chase those holiday blues away. Read the rest of this entry »

Since the start of 2011, we have seen increasing numbers of earthquakes across the globe. Japan, New Zealand, Spain and even the United Kingdom have seen earth tremors of varying severity over recent months, and some of these have been extremely destructive.

You may be wondering what earthquakes have to do with self catering holidays. Well, since earthquakes usually happen with little or no prior warning, it is not impossible that you may encounter one when you are on vacation. While this is a nightmare that nobody wants to face, having an understanding of how to protect yourself and your family is essential. In this article, we set out to give you some understanding of what happens when an earthquake occurs and how you should react if it does.

Earthquakes are caused by movements of the earth’s plates, creating a shaking sensation which can damage structures on the surface. Even the most minor trembles can be alarming, particularly the first time you experience them as it may be difficult to stand and furniture may move around.

If a quake does occur, you should bear in mind the following safety tips and advice.

The number one piece of advice is DO NOT PANIC. Most quakes are minor and cause little or no problems, so stay cool and aware.

Make sure that everyone in the family knows a plan of action in case of emergency.

In severe quakes, local emergency services will mobilise to provide assistance. Always follow instructions given by police, fire and ambulance officers for optimum safety.

Only make phone calls if it is absolutely essential, to keep lines free for vital communications.

Quakes are normally followed by aftershocks, so be ready to take shelter again if this happens.

Indoors

If you are indoors when an earthquake happens, experts advise that you should stay indoors until the shaking stops. Most people are injured when they panic and try to run outside or get to a different part of the building during an earthquake.

Drop to the floor and shelter beneath a strong table. If there is nothing that you can hide under, position yourself in an inner corner of the building. Use your arms to protect your face.

Although it is often advised to take shelter in a doorway, this is only the case if the doorway is strongly supported. Since it is unlikely that you can be sure about this in holiday accommodation, it is advisable to forget this option.

Be aware of any objects which might fall on you and cause injury, such as light fittings or ornaments. You should also get as far away as possible from glass doors or windows which could shatter.

Never use elevators during or after a quake. Remember that electric and gas supplies may be disturbed by quakes.

Keep your travel documents, insurance and identification in an easy to access place at all times during your holiday. If something unexpected happens, then it will be beneficial to be able to access these papers.

Outdoors

If you are outdoors, stay put but move away from any buildings, street lights or anything else which may fall and cause injury.

In a Vehicle

If you happen to be driving when an earthquake occurs, look for a safe place to stop. Don’t park under bridges, by buildings or under electrical wires, as these may be damaged by the tremors.

If you are able to continue your journey, do so with care, remembering that quakes can cause cracks in roads and cause flooding.

If  You Get Trapped

Make sure that everyone knows what to do if they are caught under debris.

Stay calm and do not try to move about too much, as this may cause movement of the debris and put you in greater danger.

Summon help using a whistle if possible, or by calling out when you hear people nearby.

Do not light a flame, as gas pipes may be damaged by the quake and could cause explosions.

While keeping the advice detailed above in mind, it is good to remember that the likelihood that you will be involved in an earthquake remains very low. We hope that rather than frightening you, these tips will give you a sense of security knowing what to do “just in case”.

Whether you are a frequent flyer or take one vacation each year, getting to where you are going can at times be stressful and uncomfortable. It doesn’t have to be that way however, and if you pack the right attitude and follow our tips, you might even start seeing the flight as part of your holiday.

* Since most budget airlines not longer provide meals during the flight, and the online selection of snacks is normally rather boring and expensive, packing your own snack to eat on board is a great way to save money. Taking food through check in is not a problem, providing you remember not to pack knives or other sharp object and purchase your drinks in the departure lounge as there are restriction in place as to the quantities of liquids that can be carried through security. Get as creative as you like with the food you pack, as long as it isn’t smelly or messy - the other occupants of the plane might not appreciate it too much if you start opening tins of sardines! Make delicious sandwiches and wraps, take fresh or dried fruit and nuts, and anything else you fancy to stave off those airborne hunger pangs!
* Pack a few moist wipes in your bag. These come in handy in a whole variety of situations and are great if you feel the need to refresh yourself a bit before landing.
* While dressing for comfort might sound like something your granny does, you’ll be able to enjoy your flight much more if you think ahead about what you wear. The temperature of planes can fluctuate, so dress in light layers, which you can take off or put on if you feel too hot or cold. An extra pullover, hooded sweater or cardigan will keep you snug, and if you want to take it off, it’ll fold up to make a lovely soft pillow! Shoes that you can slip on and off easily are a bonus, particularly if your feet swell when you fly, and avoid any clothes that feel restrictive, or have large buckles or fastenings, which could dig in when you are seated for a long duration.
* If you like to catch a few zs when you are travelling, consider packing an eye-mask and ear plugs. These two simple purchases will increase your comfort significantly - you’ll be thankful of the ear plugs if you happen to be on a flight packed with screaming youngsters! If the noise of flights is a real bother, and you travel on a regular basis, you may like to invest in sound-cancelling headphones, somewhat pricey, but a perfect way to create a haven of silence. Some people also like the inflatable travel pillows that are widely available to provide a support for your neck. If you invest in one of these, make sure you try it before you fly - you want a cushion that won’t deflate as you use it, and it’s best to avoid anything that is too big, as your fellow passengers won’t be impressed if you infringe on their space.
* Many people like to use the “lost time” of their flight to catch up on reading, and the latest technology of e-books means that it’s even easier to ensure you have something keep you amused. Whether you choose electronic books or printed pages, pick something that you never have time to read at home, and loose yourself in some fantastic fiction. Other popular ideas for keeping yourself entertained include an i-Pod or similar device packed full of interesting downloads and music to put you in a great mood.
* Bach Rescue Remedy is a fantastic natural medicine which is great for anyone who suffers nerves/jitters when flying. Available in liquid and pastille form, the blend of floral and plant essences can be taken before you even reach the airport, helping you to relax and enjoy the start of your holidays.

Imagine the scenario. You’ve waited all year for your week or two in the sun with the family, and are enjoying a relaxing time, free from the pressures of work. Everything is marvellous until a) you slip by the pool-side and hear a nasty crunch from your ankle, or b) your child gets horrendous food poisoning from a dodgy BBQ sausage, or c) your husband’s back tooth breaks when eating sweets and he’s in agony. What happens now? Do you grab your EHIC and travel insurance documents and head off to get medical treatment, or do you panic and wish that you’d spent time arranging those two essential details when you booked your tickets? Nobody likes to think about what might happen if they fall ill on holiday, but a few minutes planning can save you stress and money if you do find yourself in a difficult situation.

Anyone who is entitled to NHS state healthcare in the UK can, and should, apply for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The EHIC replaced the E111 form in January 2006, is supplied free of charge and is valid for five years from the date of issue. Carrying an EHIC allows the holder to access free or reduced price medical treatment in the European Union’s 27 member states, and it is advised that you carry your card at all times while travelling in Europe. In practice, this card means that if you or a family member (who must have their own card) is injured or falls ill, they can use the public health services available in the country they are visiting, allowing them to continue their stay and not need to return to the UK for treatment. The process to order EHICs for your family is perfectly straight-forward. Simply head over to the EHIC website , where you can apply online or by telephone. You’ll need to have the relevant NIE number, surname and forename, as well as date of birth for each applicant handy before you get started.

Although your EHIC is a vital part of your travel kit, it is not interchangeable with travel insurance. To be totally secure and covered, you must have BOTH. The EHIC does not cover repatriation costs, and in most countries it does not cover full costs of medical care, only a contribution to the final amount. According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website , this could mean that you find yourself with hefty bills if something does go wrong : an air ambulance from the Canary Islands could cost you anything between £12,000 and £16,000(figures from FirstAssist Services Ltd).

If you want to avoid the added worry of how you’ll pay if something did happen to go awry, you absolutely must buy a travel insurance policy which offers complete cover for your needs. It is well worth shopping around for your travel insurance as prices vary between brokers, but bear in mind, what each policy includes can also vary dramatically. A standard travel insurance policy will only include 24 hour service and assistance, medical and health expenses, personal liability and cancellation cover, as well as cover for loss or theft of your possessions. While standard policies may be cheaper, take some time to consider whether it is worth spending the extra few quid for the extra security of personal accident cover and legal expenses. Remember that if you plan to participate in activities such as jet-skiing and paragliding, you may need to add extend your policy to add additional cover as these are often excluded. If you travel frequently, look out for money-saving deals on annual or multi-trip travel insurance, and NEVER travel without insurance.

With your EHIC and travel insurance arranged, you’ll be able to rest assured that things will be taken care of if you do have a problem. We’ve all heard stories of people who don’t buy insurance and end up with sky-high bills and a struggle to get home - don’t let that be you!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is time to start planning a romantic break and surprise that special person in your life. While Paris is a traditional choice for many couples, this year, why not step it up a level and opt for somewhere a little more imaginative. Read on to discover five top romantic destinations with a twist, and make your Valentine celebrations stand out from the crowd.

* Spend a weekend in the Northern Italian city of Verona, the city where Shakespeare’s tragic love story Romeo and Juliet was played out. The bustling ancient city has been inhabited since 550BC and is home to numerous of examples of well preserved Roman and Medieval architecture as well as museums and art galleries. Take your sweetheart to Juliet’s House(Casa di Giulietta), where couples traditionally post love notes on a nearby wall, and have their picture taken with a statue of Juliet. OK, so this attraction was built in the 21st Century, and is considered by some to be a tacky tourist trap, while others find a truly romantic atmosphere in the cobbled courtyard.

Approximately 15 minutes from the centre of Verona, you’ll find the idyllic Giardini Giusti.          The renaissance gardens are a popular picnic spot, with hidden grottos and meandering            footpaths leading up to the peak of a small hill with magnificent views of the city.

* Indulge your senses with a trip to Granada, in the Spanish province of Andalusia. While Granada is probably best known for the intricate Moorish architecture found at the Alhambra Palace, there is much more to the city than history.

Treat your taste-buds with the gastronomic delights served in the bars and restaurants of the         city. Cookery in Granada is influenced by the fresh produce available from mountainous           regions and Mediterranean coastline. Hearty, rustic stews of beans, meat and vegetables play    a major role in cuisine, while seafood and catch of the day fish dishes offer a lighter option.

Escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and discover the Hammam, Arabic Baths.     Located near Plaza Nueva, the baths are a haven of tranquillity, where you and your partner     can relax, rejuvenate and revive yourselves.

* Whisk your partner away to Cyprus, where, legend has it, the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite rose from the waves. Aphrodite’s Rock, off the coast between Pafos and Limassol marks the spot, and folklore tales suggest that if you were to swim around the rock at midnight at full moon, you would be granted with eternal youth.

Cyprus is one of the warmest countries in Europe, and in February, you can experience the             first signs of spring: meadows of wild flower blossom, bird song, and sunshine. Drive into    the Troodos Mountains and wander the marked footpaths, where you might even be lucky         enough to spot a Cyprus Mouflon - a type of sheep, unique to the island.

If sightseeing doesn’t suit your mood, there are plenty of spectacular sandy beaches, ideal for       lazy days, cocktails and perhaps a little surfing?

* Of course, you don’t have to travel overseas to find a romantic destination that’ll charm your beau. Scotland’s capital city Edinburgh, exudes romance, with its old world glamour and hidden mysteries. As seen on TV’s Most Haunted series, you can discover Edinburgh’s spooky past with a spine-chilling guided ghost walk through the haunted Underground Vaults, where you’ll meet some of the city’s supernatural residents and haqve some guaranteed scary moments!

If braving the ghouls that lurk in the darkness doesn’t appeal, go for a light-hearted option and take your date to Edinburgh Zoo, located a short distance outside the city. The popular attraction is home to dozens of different species, and isn’t just for kids. Be sure not to miss out on the zoo’s famous daily “Penguin Parade”, when the comical birds enjoy playtime on the penguin lawn.

When we think of bargain hunting and coupon collecting, many of us conjure up images of rifling through magazines, armed with a pair of scissors so that we don’t miss a trick. That type of bargain hunting is not obsolete, but thankfully the Internet is now providing a much more instant and relevant way to find great deals on the items you need or want.

Much of this shift has happened by word of mouth on social networking sites like Twitter; people hear of a good deal and they send it onto their friends or followers. This is good for the company offering the promotion, as their name gets exposure and shows them as generous, when all the while customers get a good deal. It works for everyone. If you’re already using social networking sites but aren’t seeing anyone recommending coupons and deals, then you just need to tweak the way you use them a little. We recommend you install Seesmic for your phone or PC, which allows you to do an advanced search on the keywords that interest you, for instance ‘restaurant vouchers’, ‘restaurant deals’ and ‘restaurant coupons’. The tool then scours each and every tweet sent the world over, and sends the ones containing your keywords/keyphrases back to you.

Seesmic really is a great tool, but it doesn’t actually guarantee top quality offers. What we mean is that the tweets you receive might be directly from a manufacturer promoting their product, rather than giving you a decent amount of money-off. To find the best deals, we recommend online communities and shopping ‘portals’ like Buxr.com. Content is created by consumers, for consumers here so there’s no promoting going on. What’s more, the site has its own voting system, where users rate any deal posted onto the site. That means easy distinction between dud voucher codes and genuinely great ones in the blink of an eye!

The final site we think is essential for bargain hunting and coupon collecting is Remember the Milk (rememberthemilk.com). You may have heard of this site before, as it’s a very popular way to organise events and activities online. Many people, however, use it in a different way for coupon collecting, whereby they input a coupon’s code as a ‘task’ due on the date that the coupon will expire, or a few days beforehand. Then, every coupon or voucher code is sent to you in an email and you don’t forget about it. You can coordinate coupons with events, too, such as a 2-for-1 voucher for a theme park on the day of your child’s birthday, or 20% off wine on your wedding anniversary. Remember the Milk is an incredibly versatile site with a simple concept, so you can alter it to suit any kind of bargain hunting.

There’s no need to ditch magazines and leaflets when it comes to bargain hunting, but adding the Internet to your coupon collecting repertoire is a great way to get the best deals. The websites that we’ve mentioned in this article will definitely help you find good money-off promotions, but it’s also a good idea to use your intuition. Search engines will always bring good deals if you use the right keywords, so be sure to do regular searches for coupons on your favourite items, and on your favourite shops too.

Not everyone likes the idea of waking up early in the morning to go hiking along a glacier, whereas for others that would be a dream come true. The fact of the matter is that not all holidays suit everyone, and the difference between catering and self catering excursions is a big one.

Holidaying in UK destinations like the Outer Hebrides, or North West Wales might mean you’re spoilt for choice on self catering accommodation, but the catered options are a little thin on the ground. If you look closely enough then there are always Bed & Breakfasts in these areas, but for a large family, camping or renting a cottage may be the best option. If you’ve never been on this type of holiday before, however, the big question remains: “can I cope with self catering?”

If you are quite self sufficient at home then a self catering holiday is often a huge joy. Sampling the local foods and delicacies and grocery shopping outside of your usual busy schedule means that this responsibility doesn’t seem like a chore, but still gives you day-to-day routine. Of course, self catering in an area that uses the same currency, or one that you’re used to will be the easiest option, but that’s not to say it’s not impossible in other areas too. Self catering also works extremely well if you have fussy eaters in your family, or those with allergies/intolerances, as you have complete control over what they eat. In these respects, self catering can prove much less stressful than staying in catered accommodation, where there’s much less room for manoeuvre.

However, even with all this in mind there’s no promising that a catered holiday won’t be stressful too. Whether you end up stressed or stress free depends largely upon your own personality, and preferences. Before you rush to book your catered holiday, ask yourself whether you prefer to be in control of things like mealtimes and cleaning, or whether you’re happy to stick to a specific schedule if it means you don’t have to cook or clean. Are you the kind of person who feels guilty if they’re not doing something? If so, a self catering holiday may suit you quite well. The lack of work still means you are relaxing, but the cooking and cleaning means you’re still busy enough to feel useful. On the other hand, if your lifestyle means you often eat out and you have a cleaner, then suddenly being thrust into that role on a self catering holiday might mean it’s not such a treat after all.

The success of a self catering holiday will also depend on your family dynamics. If, for example, you have four children and a nanny at home to help out, then a self catering holiday without the help will make it twice as stressful for you. Going on holiday with your family and your parents, on the other hand, will mean you’ve got lots of help on hand and more time to relax.

Considering your personal preferences and your family dynamics are important in determining whether your self catering holiday will be a success. Don’t forget to pay close attention to your destination, though, and remember that there’s nothing wrong with going to the same place twice, if you really enjoy it there. Holidays are personal occasions that can take many forms, so don’t feel you should opt for the first package holiday you see.

I’ve been sitting looking out my window at a waterlogged garden, thinking about how much I ought to be getting on with and how much I don’t fancy going out there and getting on with it.

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