tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56249102791095343622024-03-16T01:09:53.295+00:00SandWagonTravel news & reviews written barefoot eyes set on the horizon,curiosity giddy. Driving travel bandwagons into the ditch.Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-61825500403127474632014-04-19T00:31:00.003+01:002014-04-19T00:40:15.078+01:00Paris Marathon 2014 - stepping back into the light<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now is as good a time as any to reconnect with you on the sandwagon. I ran my first marathon on April 6. It was the <a href="http://www.schneiderelectricparismarathon.com/index_us.html">Paris Marathon</a> and I've been mulling over how to report it ever since. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The race started and finished in sight of the Arc de Triomphe. In between I covered 26.2 miles of cobbles, ran along the River Seine, up, down and through eerie traffic underpasses, saluted the Eiffel Tower and saw the Pyramid at the Louvre for the first time. African drumming bands stood out among the entertainment laid on by the race organisers. They were upbeat, positive and full of life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fire fighters cheered and supporters waved flags, pom poms, hand-painted banners and danced. Wigs, hot pants, rock bands and dog walkers featured. Elsewhere unimpressed faces looking blankly out of restaurants at the stream of heavy joggers in the latter stages of the route. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Arc de Triumphe gives me goosebumps. Always has and still does. Thick-set and overwhelming in comparison to delicate Parisian wrought iron that dances over balconies and up lampposts. Lining up for the marathon on the Champs Elysees, the marble Arc dwarfed me and did not bid me <i>bonne chance</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fighting through the wall at mile 25 and rounding the bend out of the Bois de Boulogne to tackle the final yards, there was the Arc. It was aloof and said: 'you're just passing through'. 5 hours and 2 minutes later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crowds lined the final stages. There was genuine passion in the shouts of <i>allez. </i>Maybe it was<i> </i>fatigue, but the French language never sounded as foreign as it did in those final few minutes. Cobbles, an unknown towering monument and the Arc up ahead, beyond a packed finishers' enclosure. It was over and without fanfare or fuss I collected my medal. Months of training in the making and revelations about running. Success! One 10 euro beer and a metro ride home to our backpacker hostel close to Canal St Martin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next year I'll finish faster and the Arc with applaud.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Room: </b><a href="http://www.paris-hostels.com/uk/home.htm">Peace & Love Hostel</a> for a comfortable bed, no frills, good value hospitality and access to the kitchen at 6 am to make porridge, peanut butter on baguette and black coffee. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Food & Drink:</b> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chez Papa (Metro: Louis Blanc), champagne at Chez Prune (Canal St Martin), <a href="http://www.pointephemere.org/">Point Ephemere</a>, Pasta party at PastaPapa (Metro: Opé</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ra) and more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Flights:</b> BA and Air France from London Heathrow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Sightseeing:</b> Shakespeare and Company book store and various landmarks for 26.2 miles around Paris including Notre Dame, Lourve, Bastille, Place de La Concorde and Eiffel Tower.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-63988423819067846572012-05-31T05:55:00.001+01:002012-09-28T14:08:40.040+01:00A chance to take stock during travels in South East AsiaIt's just 8.30am on registration day at the <a href="http://www.suanmokkh-idh.org/">International Dhamma Hermitage of Wat Suan Mokkh</a>, in Chaiya, Thailand, and I've already cheated the system and myself. Several camping / yoga mats were piled up in the dorm's kit room, so I snaffled one. The mere chance that one of the wafer-thin cushions could lead to a more luxurious snooze on the concrete cell bed brought out my rebellious side. In my opinion a good night's sleep has to be conducive to attaining a higher state of consciousness. I'll still be trying the wooden pillow for size, no fear.<br />
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Mat-nabbing wasn't a great start to the strict 10-day Buddhist meditation retreat I'd just signed up for, where the rules of engagement forbid speaking, sunbathing, jogging, hanging around by the dorm of the opposite sex, wearing see-through clothes, smoking, drinking alcohol, taking a bath in your swimsuit and soaking in the hot springs for more than ten minutes. My chores for the duration of the retreat will be laying the candles beside the reflection pool, and learning a regimented approach to everything, including washing my breakfast bowl in a string of wash basins, in strict order of succession.<br />
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I wound up at the Hermitage of Wat Suan Mokkh after a thought-provoking stay on the island of Koh Lanta led me to seek out a yoga class or maybe a meditation introduction elsewhere in Thailand. My compass was set for Koh Phanang, where I planned to mix soul-searching with scuba diving and some Full Moon Party decadence.<br />
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Danielle (28) from New Orleans was seated on the transfer bus from Koh Lanta and we exchanged the normal information - how long have you stayed on Koh Lanta? Where are you headed now? A hazy plan for Koh Phanang from me, but a Buddhist meditation retreat for her. And the seed was sown.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"> </span>Female living quarters Hermitage Wat Suan Mokkh, Thailand</td></tr>
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Ten minutes later, Swedish Annette (52), climbed in with a dive bag and a yoga mat and the glow of disciplined, meditative living.(Turns out that this is her third year at Wat Suan and she runs a meditation retreat on Koh Lanta, where she has lived for seven years.)<br />
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My next move in Thailand was a fated one, but I let the idea of the retreat settle inside for the next two hours as we took the car ferry back to the mainland and I nodded off en route to Surat Thani. As our bus pulled up I asked Annette if the retreat was pre-booked or drop in. Just drop in. Registration was tomorrow and anyone interested could spend the night for free at Wat Suan Mokkh temple across the road from the retreat centre.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meditation hall, at Hermitage Wat Suan Mokkh, Thailand</td></tr>
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Was there yoga?, I asked. For sure the reply. It costs 2,000 baht including two meals a day.<br />
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Koh Phanang was put on hold for another time and I headed off with Danielle and Annette towards days of silence in an unknown setting. When the retreat comes to an end, or I break loose in the meantime, I'll explain all. <br />
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Right now the schedule dictates that I eat at 12.30 and await a greeting from the abbot at 4pm sat in my chosen space in the sandy meditation hall.<br />
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19.15 BEGINNING OF THE SILENCE<br />
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21.30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>LIGHTS OUT<br />
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<span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-88812823405359932422012-02-05T00:31:00.011+00:002012-02-05T14:31:46.768+00:00Bali scuba trip - I've that sinking feeling about this dream travel plan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZW1GVL2P_TwuMAxXS7tOIiWVaYzoa8mMn__hm374sd1nYj-8sjJ849WjFcWJci_wE-Cm79qJIwWWATOn_hLoXdBEffc5f9-eKTaDHSYxJSFtbO16wDf4exmcudtl_-y0ZcKgd6QJ89y6/s1600/bali.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZW1GVL2P_TwuMAxXS7tOIiWVaYzoa8mMn__hm374sd1nYj-8sjJ849WjFcWJci_wE-Cm79qJIwWWATOn_hLoXdBEffc5f9-eKTaDHSYxJSFtbO16wDf4exmcudtl_-y0ZcKgd6QJ89y6/s200/bali.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705454463361197570" /></a>MY wonderfully well-crafted dream of floating below the swooping wing of a manta ray was certainly curtailed today... even though I've a credit card gagging to shoulder the booking.<br /><br />This trip, which would have kicked off in Bali in the first week of April, has been brewing for around two or three weeks, fueled by a couple of like-minded scuba diving friends (who have booked flight tickets), a boyfriend who's understandably tempted to turn 30 years old sipping a Bintang on the other side of the world, and my summer-baby's need to get the hell out of England until at least early June.<br /><br />Just a month, perhaps two away. Some time to temple-tiptoe and practice yoga posing on my tod, followed by jaw-dropping dives with my scuba buddies - that's all I've ever wanted. Manta Point, perhaps the Gilis and Komodo National Park, a wreck or two, just one sunfish, several sharks and ten turtles.<br /><br /><div>But I've a hunch this one just ain't going to be...</div><div><br /></div><div>Which is the first time I've let travel reality slap me down. I've never been rich (far, far from it) but I'm the queen of the travel 'f**k it', with the 'f**k it and fly' magazine column drafted. Pay it off later. Live life while you can. See the world not sense....<br /><br />But this trip, this one would ruin me. Curled in a ball on the sofa as it snowed outside in suburban Peterborough today, I broke the news to my fella and to myself. It aint happening....unless, unless something.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.singaporeair.com/SAA-flow.form?execution=e2s1">Singapore Airlines</a> have amazing return flights from London into Denpasar up in lights, from April onwards. £545-ish if you're interested in living this dream for me and clinking beers with my dive buddies.</div><div><br /></div><div>They're awesome....here they are...</div><div><br /></div><div> <div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUhH6X8XYuA-R8gMyc7iihAzlh0njejdZgW9NB8mxsKe8oF7NRduxM93PNkFFcCVGl6YMJqShXOH-4bhhMovlJj_YEpQBr-VbuZzLc15ehhsrTb8h9XRp7Vhz5BEtw8GTkloLtzjmOTN0/s200/dive+buds.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705451862061646482" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></div></div><div>It was an amazing idea, and the reason I ditched my travel publishing job to be a freelancer was the freedom to flit off. If only...if only I hadn't spent so much time and money training myself as a proper Journalist (all shorthandy and legally sound) there'd be money in the bank to live the dream... but that's my terrible reality, and a million hearts must surely bleed.</div><br />Back to pitching travel feature ideas and crossing my fingers those seats are still available once a miracle has happened.<br /><br />Or, should I just be F**king it all as usual?<br /><br />Bali beach shot by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/michis0806/">michis0806 </a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span></div>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-71195574966310230652011-11-29T11:14:00.003+00:002011-11-29T11:20:53.705+00:00Plastic problems in Cyprus highlighted by Thomas Cook<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjtBi3YCcsLpuUSNcOPnnmrZa6JfTKlgf-ATre-2OkQxZ8wgJl81uWreDUlc-AlZSPKqh6wvYRgvx5x4RAQy6_eeD6CtDLyboRqF0NyqVMgQCwLmviPtfxCNodfURwXl0SuoxkIu3QR4O/s1600/sculpture-close-up-WTM-2011.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjtBi3YCcsLpuUSNcOPnnmrZa6JfTKlgf-ATre-2OkQxZ8wgJl81uWreDUlc-AlZSPKqh6wvYRgvx5x4RAQy6_eeD6CtDLyboRqF0NyqVMgQCwLmviPtfxCNodfURwXl0SuoxkIu3QR4O/s200/sculpture-close-up-WTM-2011.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680375593934897042" /></a>HUNDREDS of plastic water bottles have been used to create a thought-provoking eco-sculpture that stands proudly at Thomas Cook's offices in Peterborough. <div><br />The statue is of a meditative man and is a replica of Auguste Rodin’s sculpture The Thinker, created in 1902 and now on display in Paris.<br /><br /></div><div>Made from plastic mineral water bottles, rather than cast in bronze, his job is to make Thomas Cook’s 2,000 staff in Bretton and its overseas suppliers think how they can reduce the mountains of plastic waste holidays can cause.<br /><br />Jo Baddeley, sustainable destinations manager for Thomas Cook, called the new recruit unique and really strange.<br /><br />She said: “I was absolutely delighted to see him there, because not only will people who work at Thomas Cook see him there, but visitors too.<br /><br />“People don’t know what it is when they walk in, so he’s drawing quite a lot of attention and it’s going to generate quite a lot of interest and queries.<br /><br />“The whole idea of building him out of the plastic bottles was to represent a project we were running in the first place, so far away in Cyprus, but then seeing him come to life and have his little legacy going in our own offices was like going full circle.” <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Daniel Broadley (42), a figurative artist from Wiltshire, used 1,100 factory reject bottles for the transparent interpretation.<br /><br />Called “Message in 1,100 bottles”, the seven-foot thinker represents the quantity of plastic bottles being binned every day by just one hotel used by Thomas Cook in Cyprus. The artist moulded the bottles around an internal metal skeleton, before securing everything with industrial double-sided tape and plastic ties.<br /><br />Daniel said: “It was an interesting idea and a worthwhile cause, because the hotels in question don’t have any recycling facilities.<br /><br />“It was something I was very interested in doing and it was a great opportunity.”<br /><br />The hotel that inspired Thomas Cook’s new receptionist now serves more of its water in refillable cups not bottles – a success that the sculpture was commissioned to celebrate.<br /><br />In June this year, Thomas Cook committed £8,000, and joined forces with The Travel Foundation to help Cypriot hotels think twice before dolling out plastics.<br /><br />Sue Hurdle, chief executive of The Travel Foundation said: “The sculpture will now serve as a very visual reminder to all Thomas Cook staff and visitors about the small things that can be done to make holidays more sustainable.<br /><br />“Not only do such initiatives reduce dependence on finite resources and lessen the impact of tourism, but they save businesses money, so it’s a win-win situation.”<br /><br />DRINKING water bottles sent to landfill sites can take between 20 and a thousand years to degrade.<br /><br />When they are thrown into our oceans marine mammals and seabirds feed on them, mistaking photo-degraded particles for fish and plankton.<br /><br />An estimated 50,000 pieces of plastic per square kilometre floats through our seas, much of which has gathered in The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.<br /><br />This mass of plastic debris is thought to be twice the size of France and swirls through an area once known as the doldrums.</span></div>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-89458593677614178882011-11-08T10:20:00.005+00:002011-11-09T13:58:54.511+00:00Spanish high-speed trains help RENFE scoop travel awardIndependent travellers in Spain and Portugal have benefited from improved services across the Iberian Peninsula, something celebrated by the international tourism community yesterday.<br /><br />RENFE, the Spanish public rail network won a World Travel Market Global Award at London's Excel, which company president, Teofilo Serrano Beltran collected from WTM Chairman Fiona Jeffery.<br /><br />Fiona said: "The linking up of the Iberian Peninsula through efficient rail links has led to innumerable benefits for both those living in the region and holidaymakers choosing to visit."<br /><br />Travel problems in Spain were fixed by RENFE, whose services now connect the Portuguese ports of Lisbon, Leixoes and Sines with Spain. RENFE's new high-speed trains have also slashed journey times between cities and increased attention to accessibility has benefited travellers with disabilities. The improved trains have done their bit for the environment, with CO2 emissions recorded at seven times less than aircraft. <br /><br /><span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-12548758190546544312011-11-07T16:29:00.003+00:002011-11-07T17:03:08.063+00:00"Gamification" coming to a holiday near youExploring the architectural glories of Renaissance Florence via the third-person animated pixels of the game Assassin's Creed II is surprisingly gratifying, I admit.<br /><br />For example, sliding down the terracotta curves of Brunelleschi's vast dome atop Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral had crossed my mind in reality (and was quickly crossed out). But as an immortal game-player I've jumped from bell towers, swam across the River Arno and slid down that cathedral dome at full pelt, falling off the side of building and landed in a hay cart miles below. <br /><br />Control pad travel, aboard the PlayStation plane, has certain advantages over real life travel. And the same can be said, it seems, for selling holidays. <br /><br />Travel companies are latching onto the idea that 18-34-year-old holidaymakers (and the oldies too) are susceptible to the power of the video game, announced the World Travel Market Global Trends Report 2011 today.<br /><br />Professional and press gathered at Excel, London, heard how "gamification - the integration of gaming dynamics into non-gaming environments - will spread from the entertainment sector to the travel industry."<br /><br />Travel boffins Euromonitor concluded from recent studies that, "Gamification is the latest battleground in online travel, combining key aspects of loyalty and social networking.<br />"Together with traditional marketing, gaming will help travel companies to increase brand awareness, in hope of becoming the next viral sensation."<br /><br />Hopefully, the gamification on offer in years to come will be a bit more exciting than the 'share your photos' attempts in 2010 by the Australian Tourism Board and Lufthansa.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> the <span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-1910798359862027322011-10-10T20:07:00.014+01:002011-10-10T20:50:18.594+01:00Stay in Tune for a London city break costing 2p per night<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eVEbOOxYBmw58i4eHIEr-zA9_XNYB1qKAMkMTQSIJd1knOCnm6LmxaOx4jMuRjUlp6SOmaKTu2BLTlJ_fPXc44k3rv3bvq4ileYx1noxYA_V7lLkktxvOQFB_x4AqFDnIHqcyKFPEUhT/s1600/featured-oct2011-liverpool-st-open-my-en.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eVEbOOxYBmw58i4eHIEr-zA9_XNYB1qKAMkMTQSIJd1knOCnm6LmxaOx4jMuRjUlp6SOmaKTu2BLTlJ_fPXc44k3rv3bvq4ileYx1noxYA_V7lLkktxvOQFB_x4AqFDnIHqcyKFPEUhT/s200/featured-oct2011-liverpool-st-open-my-en.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661949212760397378" /></a>TUNE HOTELS will mark the arrival of their second London hotel tomorrow by giving away rooms for twopence. <div><br /></div><div>So even if you only have those two pennies to rub together, you can spend them on a break in the big smoke, sampling the latest offering from the 'limited service hotel' chain that is branching out from Malaysia and Indonesia.<br /><br />City breakers can snap up the 1,000 cheap nights at the new <a href="http://www.tunehotels.com/" target="_blank">Tune Hotel Liverpool Street</a>, located in Folgate Street, from 8am tomorrow until Friday October 14.<br /><br />Availability of the 2p rooms will be staggered across the special booking period to allow as many different people to benefit as possible.<br /><br />Bargain hunters will, however, have to live up to their names on this occasion and ferret around a bit, because these cheap dates will be hidden across a long booking period, ranging January 4 to May 27 2012.<br /><br />As annoying as this might be, hints and tips will be circulated on Tune Hotels’ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tunehotelsUK" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/tunehotelsuk" target="_blank">Twitter</a> pages, offering clues as to which dates still have 2p rooms available.<br /><br />Set to open on January 4 2012, this new 183 en-suite roomed hotel is handy for the City of London, Spitalfields and Shoreditch and aims to offer "great value, great savings". Which in reality means clean, low-cost rooms furnished with high-quality beds, power showers, air conditioning and 24 hour security. Guests pay extra for any facilities and services they use. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tune Hotels said: "Sometimes, all you really need from a hotel is a hot shower and a good night's rest. That's why, our limited service hotels offer beds at very affordable prices by getting rid of costly full service extras (pools, spas, saunas, room service or the like) that you just don't need and shouldn't have to pay for."<br /><br />To be in with a chance visit their<b> <a href="http://www.tunehotels.com/uk" target="_blank">website</a> at 8am tomorrow</b> and get searching.<b> </b><br /><br />If you miss the 2p rooms, a launch offer of 25% discount is available between January 4 and March 31 2012. Enter the following <b>discount code HBPR11JLS</b> on the Tune Hotels’ website, before October 31.<br /><br /></div>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-16099698381846363002011-06-23T20:54:00.012+01:002011-08-10T18:26:05.177+01:00Warning posters issued to stamp out fish feeding and shark attacks in Sharm el Sheikh<div>Beach hotels and scuba schools, popular with thousands of British holidaymakers, in Sharm El Sheikh are being urged to support a new campaign to help lower the risk of more shark attacks in the Red Sea.
<br /></div><div>Egypt’s Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CDWS) has printed posters in English, as well Arabic, Russian and Italian, to explain why the practice of fish feeding should be stamped out. </div><div><span class="fullpost">
<br /></span></div><div>Some tour guides are known to throw food from their boats as bait, to attract greater numbers of tropical fish towards their guests, during scuba and snorkeling trips.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>CDWS want this to stop and believes fish feeding causes behavioural changes in not only tropical fish, but also in the local shark population.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>A spokesman for CDWS said the campaign aims to raise visitors’ awareness towards marine conservation issues and will discourage fish feeding in Ras Mohammed National Park and Sharm El Sheikh.</div><div>
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<br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg5Fl4V8U8wrIXE1yv9soQZ-eTJih-AVci9oF9cQMiBbxzV8t-lr0GqDz4bqVVEjh5bl84K6HlXeWuq5IUGIP4nUXmQI_LgH7Bp_QJzyqykXaX9E6HBeWYtqL1vg0W_obprvPFMlSF4-4/s200/fish.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 112px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621508548955152050" /><div>“Feeding the fish harms their biological functions and their ability to hunt for food.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>“It leads to changes in the behaviour of fish and the related coral reef community,” say the bright yellow posters.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>The CDWS has distributed the warnings to every beach hotel, excursion boat, live-aboard company and jetty in Sharm El Sheikh. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Last summer the resort’s beaches were closed to tourists and water sports were banned after several divers were attacked by sharks. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Oceanic white-tip reef sharks were blamed, but this was never confirmed. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Ryan Mowett, a dive master at Stoney Cove in Leicestershire, who dives regularly in the Red Sea, told me earlier this year that he thought feeding practices in Egyptian resorts were worrying. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>He said: "If it had turned out that oceanic white tips carried out those attacks, it may mean their feeding practices are undergoing radical changes, and that is a concern."</div><div>
<br /></div>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-19717200769332252092011-04-08T21:10:00.010+01:002011-08-10T18:24:21.236+01:00First Choice go All-Inclusive only, but is paying upfront the "devil's work"?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGM1_1UY4cPJ3jFTxjBdXwsrdjgkMAS66FMGKDfTjCWx1XLcnsSWCbnY20d9PnePJ4N21QMQDbR5VZmLkCBQ4myZUJTSekJ_qGee0Q2v8TOmsEAncktxufA0RNnfhmK2z0SHBQSyN74iQ/s1600/pool_4165021988_3401006218.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGM1_1UY4cPJ3jFTxjBdXwsrdjgkMAS66FMGKDfTjCWx1XLcnsSWCbnY20d9PnePJ4N21QMQDbR5VZmLkCBQ4myZUJTSekJ_qGee0Q2v8TOmsEAncktxufA0RNnfhmK2z0SHBQSyN74iQ/s200/pool_4165021988_3401006218.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593309954529323154" /></a>Booking your holiday will get slightly easier next summer when <b>First Choice</b> starts selling nothing but all-inclusive packages.
<br />
<br />That’s flights, transfers, accommodation, three meals per day and your fill of local drinks for a one-off fee.
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<br />First Choice will be the only mainstream travel company dedicated to the all-inclusive, which they claim knocks about £500 off a family’s total holiday spend.<span class="fullpost">
<br />
<br />Whether the saving rings true or not, the move simplifies things for holidaymakers and travel agents – First Choice will be first choice for value for money all-in holidays.
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<br />Their Summer 2012 brochure will sell all-inclusive packages to 33 destinations, in three bands of affordability: silver for premium properties; orange for great value village-style resorts and jade for standard.
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<br />Well over half of First Choice holidays are already all-inclusive and demand for them has been on the rise for the last five years.
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<br />First Choice said: “All-inclusive holidays enable people to enjoy the best of both worlds – a unique feeling of indulgence combined with practical control over their holiday spending.”
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<br />When asked how hoteliers who don’t already offer all-inclusive felt about the move they said: “Those that don’t are particularly excited at the prospect.
<br />“We will be working closely with them and offering them all the support they need to convert.
<br />
<br />“A small number of properties will not be able to convert and where possible these will continue to be offered under other TUI brands such as Thomson and Skytours.”
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<br /><b>Simon Calder</b>, travel editor for The Independent, told the BBC that: "All-inclusives are the devil's work.
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<br />“They dampen the appetite to explore – because as soon as you step beyond the walls the meter starts running and you're incurring extra costs. Therefore you're not getting the range of experiences you would find if you simply used the hotel for sleeping in, and explored the options in the area."
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<br />Obviously all-inclusive holidays aren’t for everyone. Discovering the fantastic shops, bars and restaurants that line local piazzas, high streets and harbours is a major reason many of us go away at all.
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<br />However, all-inclusives can offer the most relaxing weeks of your life.
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<br />There's no need to penny pinch, and cool drinks, snacks and meals are, at most, a flip-flopped wander away from the poolside. That’s why frazzled families, honeymooners and workaholics snap them up in droves.
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<br />The change at First Choice might be a sign that the all-inclusive is gobbling up customers who used to while away their evenings in local tavernas. Time will tell.
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<br />It is, however, a sensible consolidation and re-branding exercise that puts the all-inclusive eggs of parent company Thomson in one well-established basket.
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<br />Are all-inclusive deals the devil’s work or the most sensible way to stay on budget as you relax?
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<br />Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30562163@N04/">rachelcoyne</a></span>
<br />Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-17281712507849211342011-04-08T12:26:00.009+01:002011-04-08T12:40:27.748+01:00Spot the landmark, win KLM flights to 20 Secret Cities<img src="http://ebuzzing.co.uk/statsimagesp/22743_2272_343818_18224_14210_1.jpg" border="0" style="width:0px;height:0px" /><p><img alt="" src="http://secretcities.klm.com/Content/Images/homeCities.png" style="width: 277px; height: 201px;" /></p><p>SERIAL CITY BREAKERS and armchair urban explorers can win <a rel="nofollow" href="http://secretcities.klm.com/" target="_blank">KLM</a> flights, just by identifying the location of a mystery landmark.</p>But it's not as easy as it sounds, and that's what makes this travel <a rel="nofollow" href="http://secretcities.klm.com/" target="_blank">contest</a><a rel="nofollow" href="http://secretcities.klm.com/"> </a>particularly addictive.<p></p><p>Every day at 4 pm (GMT) until April 24 the Dutch airline will tweet (from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/#!/klm">@KLM</a>) a link to photos of mystery landmarks. Then you have to recognise the landmark and plot its <a rel="nofollow" href="http://secretcities.klm.com/" target="_blank">Secret Cit</a>y location on an integrated Google map.</p><p>The day's winner is the person whose little red flag is plotted closest to the landmark. </p><p></p><p><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" >What can you win?</span></strong><br />A pair of return flight tickets to one of 5 secret cities featured each week. You choose from the 5 cities.</p><p>Last week's winner chose Santa Monica from Cape Town, Santa Monica, Prague, Singapore and Goteborg.</p><p>He tweeted: "Guess I'm a bit overexcited now, but c'mon…I WON! And <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitpic.com/4gsvcy">look</a> how happy he looks about it.</p><p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Here's more</span></b><br />Don't expect to see the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa just yet. So far these photos have been tricky to identify, even for self-proclaimed city experts. Ahem...like me. I've edited city guidebooks and travelled around to see, climb and photograph urban architecture, everywhere from Cairo to the bell towers (or as historians tell us, penis extensions) built by the wealthy during the Italian Renaissance.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKjvEhpdixrT5LTqcsgVq26kGLuFYjQ2I1GKIVuaEwAs6N-ayK2ggJB9HwDqJbAYlZTGfDbOI8T2o572v6M5WcciV-Uingq99AZcfLRg-jGqOdNAKNgr9591cah6RLzFHQmPFNchPE1S5W/s200/ContestImage.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593174036505190450" /></p><p>But, I sucked at yesterday's mystery landmark. My guess (and I'm too ashamed to tell you what it was) turned out to be 2710 km from the correct location!</p><p>Now I'm determined to guess today's <strong>Secret City </strong>correctly. Roll on 4 pm.</p><p><strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" >How to win</span><br /></strong>Most importantly follow KLM on Twitter <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/#!/klm">@KLM</a>.</p><p>When <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/#!/klm">@KLM</a> Tweet at 4 pm the race begins. Hit the link to the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://secretcities.klm.com/">Secret City page</a>. Identify the landmark. Plant your red flag on the Google map where you think the building is. </p><p>The beauty of Google maps being that you can zoom in until your flag sits directly on top on the landmark (assuming you've guessed the correct location).</p><p>To move the flag click elsewhere on the map - no dragging necessary. </p><p>Make sure you guess all 5 cities every week, from Monday to Friday. The person closest to the landmarks everyday of the week will win.</p><p> <strong><span class="Apple-style-span" >What if more than one person guesses correctly all week?</span></strong><br />Then the winner will be the person who planted their flags the fastest.</p><p><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" >Phone a friend</span></strong><br />Or in this case Tweet a friend to help you guess the secret city, by clicking the Tweet button below the photo.</p><p><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" >How to be disqualified</span></strong><br />By entering from multiple Twitter accounts.</p><p>Happy guessing city breakers. I'll be trying again at 4pm today!</p><p><br /></p><p><i><a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sponsored Post</a></i></p>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-83714984691718345382011-02-21T10:24:00.005+00:002011-02-21T10:35:56.816+00:00Win British Airways flight tickets to world's 'Highest Stand-Up Comedy Gig'<img src="http://www.ebuzzing.com/statsimagesp/20837_2046_315570_18224_14210_1.jpg" border="0" style="width:0px;height:0px" /><p><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.com/rd/20837_2046_315570_18224_14210/www.facebook.com/britishairways"><img alt="" src="http://cdn1.rednoseday.com/cdn/053d39e579f25e816d960435c2d7c0b4/sites/default/files/imagecache/partner-image/partners/BA_Comic_Relief_Stamp_4cPH_0.jpg" style="width: 385px; height: 216px; " /></a></p><p>On March 12 <b>B</b><b>rit</b><b>ish Airways</b> will team up with <b>Comic Relief</b> to change their dinner menu from “chicken or fish” to chuckles and fits of laughter ... and tickets for the in-flight fun fest are still up for grabs.</p><p>BA will kick off a year long partnership with Comic Relief by setting a record for the '<b>Highest Stand-Up Comedy Gig in the World</b>' on a flight over the UK.On the bill are stand up comics <b>Dara O'Briain</b>, <b>Jack Whitehall</b> and <b>Jon Richardson</b>, who will<b> </b>have passengers rolling in the aisles as they help raise money in the run up to <span style="font-weight: bold; "><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.rednoseday.com/">Red Nose Day</a></span>.</p><div>To be in with a chance of winning a ticket for the comedy flight, text 'Fly1' to 70300 or visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.com/rd/20837_2046_315570_18224_14210/www.facebook.com/britishairways"><span style="font-weight: bold; ">www.facebook.com/britishairways</span></a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Watch them talk about the event here:</div></div><div><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4flL5I1kLd0" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Texts cost 50p and you can make a donation to Comic Relief at the same time (in multiples of £3). To enter the competition for tickets without donating, visit the <b><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.britishairways.com/travel/webforms/public/en_gb?eId=120001&wfpId=gig_in_the_sky">BA website</a></b>. </div><div>The record breaking event is part of a wider campaign by British Airways called '<span style="font-weight: bold; "><a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.com/rd/20837_2046_315570_18224_14210/www.facebook.com/britishairways">Flying Start</a></span>', which aims to transform the lives of disadvantaged children at home and abroad.</div><br /><div>British Airways said:“All donations received from the public through Flying Start will go directly to help transform children's lives. In fact, we aim to raise up to £6 million by 2013 to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children living in the UK and in some of the poorest countries across the world.”</div><div><div><br /></div><div>For example, BA’s ‘Fying Start’ project supports The Busoga Association in Uganda. The Association's work helps people living in the urban slum of Jinja to find work and better housing, to have access to basic health care and to enable children to get a good education. </div><div><br /></div><div> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ebuzzing.com/" target="_blank"><i>Sponsored Post</i></a></div><br /></div><br /><p><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://ebuzzing.com/player_blog/js/mini_share.php" charset="utf-8"></script></p><br /><a href="http://www.ebuzzing.com/" class="wikio-widget-ebmini"></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ebuzzing.com/player_blog/js/mini_share.php" charset="utf-8"></script> <span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-68245594410583523852011-01-24T15:24:00.020+00:002011-01-24T17:17:01.142+00:00High-value, low-impact tourism to contribute to Gross National Happiness of Bhutan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzy26dtECKkveuh9StarMjz4r4YuYczgnBabfYGSy-wH6NECxdPZQWQz5OIrVTAZkYsy4QStzA4Clc0ctCv3WKlD-dhkeO9rmSp9AgDSGN5mfpn-yqScWfZFXjEJCuTGmsMl5-gmAityN/s1600/Bhutan1_299930552_7ad31afb71.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzy26dtECKkveuh9StarMjz4r4YuYczgnBabfYGSy-wH6NECxdPZQWQz5OIrVTAZkYsy4QStzA4Clc0ctCv3WKlD-dhkeO9rmSp9AgDSGN5mfpn-yqScWfZFXjEJCuTGmsMl5-gmAityN/s200/Bhutan1_299930552_7ad31afb71.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565799228076541826" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://unwto.org/en"><span style="font-weight: bold;">World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO)</span></a> has expressed its support for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bhutan</span>'s long-term tourism policy, which focuses on sustainablity and quality.<br /><br />UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, met with Bhutan's acting Prime Minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba at a seminar earlier this month. Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba told those gathered that the Royal Government of Bhutan considers tourism “a window of opportunity for the future of Bhutan" and that tourism will contribute to the economic security and Gross National Happiness (Bhutan’s measure of wellbeing) of the Bhutanese people.<br /><br />The two met during a seminar on ‘Mainstreaming Tourism’, co-organised by UNWTO and the Bhutan Tourism Council and attended by government officials, private sector representatives and members of development agencies.<br /><br />Taleb Rifai told the seminar that the tiny landlocked country of Bhutan - dubbed 'The Last Shangrila' - is facing “significant challenges and strong pressure for change.”<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_trGrOSp-nBaPcM8B0E9PrYEoWWd3urNNpX18DE0J3ptg5SF7FpfhvBlfwPAcX4glvHpy3_oFXlmSg8VEvZG_XQl_9twfslgsmSWWL8uzzE9LBkd1HgxywwuaT52Qgo7c-NzaN6ckwur/s1600/Bhutan3_716057605_411f237f5e.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_trGrOSp-nBaPcM8B0E9PrYEoWWd3urNNpX18DE0J3ptg5SF7FpfhvBlfwPAcX4glvHpy3_oFXlmSg8VEvZG_XQl_9twfslgsmSWWL8uzzE9LBkd1HgxywwuaT52Qgo7c-NzaN6ckwur/s200/Bhutan3_716057605_411f237f5e.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565801517207400546" border="0" /></a>In regards Bhutan's tourism plans, he said: "At UNWTO we acknowledge the tremendous pressure Bhutan is under to stimulate rapid growth in tourism and praise the government for its continued focus on sustainability and quality.<br /><br />"The principle of high-value, low-impact tourism development, guiding tourism’s growth in Bhutan, is highly commendable and has undoubtedly contributed to the unique tourism brand of this country”. <br /><br />The landlocked Kingdom of Bhutan remains one of the most intriguing, little visited and charismatic countries on the international tourism stage. It's been on my wish-list for years due to its combination of Himalayan mountain scenery, happiness and giant multicoloured phalluses painted on every building for good luck - the type of lucky charm that this girl is always drawn to.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyvmykLNS7yU_BqI2RsJxTy3RPAuT7J0huVNISU8pKL4-fp2mY_aw8oUc8u1V5q2owXi1bzxXZsRwz5KjtFJJcDBgIi_rG1Lo-D1QkxNzsVGI315Er6dT3XGo5J2-0hX3b-3Ddio5VFLR/s1600/Bhutan_2496114330_e18e92c0d6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyvmykLNS7yU_BqI2RsJxTy3RPAuT7J0huVNISU8pKL4-fp2mY_aw8oUc8u1V5q2owXi1bzxXZsRwz5KjtFJJcDBgIi_rG1Lo-D1QkxNzsVGI315Er6dT3XGo5J2-0hX3b-3Ddio5VFLR/s200/Bhutan_2496114330_e18e92c0d6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565797511206317314" border="0" /></a></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bhutan Basics<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Geography</span> Landlocked at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by India, and to the north by China.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Population</span> 691,000<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Paperwork</span> Visas only granted to travellers pre-booked on authorised tours.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why visit? </span> To trek through pristine Himalayan mountain scenery where steep peaks soar higher than 23,000 feet and pure river water rushes by. A landscape that provides habitat for big cats including snow leopards, Bengal tigers, clouded and Indian leopards, as well as Himalayan black bear, red panda, Tibetan wolves and Himalayan musk deer. To experience traditional festivals with masked dances and traditional music.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For organised tours you could try</span><br />Blue Poppy <a href="http://www.bluepoppybhutan.com/travel.htm">bluepoppybhutan.com/travel.htm</a> from the US<br />Transindus <a href="http://www.transindus.co.uk/index.php?pg=1&rn=Bhutan&t=BHUJ">transindus.co.uk</a> from the UK<br /><br />Images:<br />Monastery by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wanhoff/">thomaswanhoff</a><br />Ceremony of the masks by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/miles_lane/">miles_lane </a><br />Phallus by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafaelgomez/">rafaelgomez </a><br /><br /><span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-23053679081042733112010-12-16T11:22:00.008+00:002010-12-16T23:17:23.872+00:00How geography swots can win a weekend in Europe<p><img alt="" src="http://ebuzzingvideo.com/uk/images/Radisson/RadissonBlu.jpg" style="width: 315px; height: 172px; float: left; margin: 5px;" />I've more prizes (and some Chrismassy muzak) from Radisson to share.</p>Their <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.radissonbluquiz.com/en/">latest competition</a>, which focuses on the Radisson Blu brand, has been giving geography swots an opportunity to win money-off voucher or a weekend for two in some of my favourite European cities - Milan, Madrid, Berlin, Helsinki and Hamburg.<br /><p>All you need to do is visit their snowy <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.radissonbluquiz.com/en/">competition website</a>, which has the obligatory snowman, igloo and snow shaker. There's even a choice of three muzak tracks, albeit three versions of Rudolph the Reindeer.</p>Once you're feeling all festive, put your quiz hat on and take a stab at the three triviatastic questions. Don't worry, you can click for extra hints if you're struggling with the answers. Your reward for getting all three correct is the chance to spin the wheel of fortune and win instant prizes including €100 Radisson Blu gift cards.<br /><p>Swot or not, everyone can enter their weekly prize draw for the weekend hotel stay. The prize, worth €400, comprises two nights accommodation for two people in a standard room including breakfast at a Radisson Blu Hotel.</p>Remaining draw dates and destinations are:<br /><p><strong>21 Dec</strong> - <strong>Helsinki</strong>, which really does have one of the freshest art and design scenes in Europe, as well as fantastic shops.</p><strong>28 Dec</strong> – <strong>Madrid</strong>, where I walked and walked for days, fuelled by tapas and glasses of red wine mixed with cola.<br /><p> <strong>3 Jan </strong>– <strong>Hamburg</strong>, where the Beatles got creative and it's difficult to resist saying 'Ich bin ein Hamburger'.</p>If you are aged 18 or over and live in the EU (but not Sweden) give it a whirl at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.radissonbluquiz.com/en/">radissonbluquiz.com/en/ </a><br /><p><br /> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.co.uk/rd/18535_1842_277233_18224_14210/www.radissonbluquiz.com/en/" target="_blank">Radisson Blue Quiz </a><br /><br /> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.radissonbluquiz.com/en/" target="_blank"><img alt="Radisson Blue Quiz " src="http://ebuzzingvideo.com/uk/images/Radisson/RadissonBluLogo.jpg" border="0" style="width:auto !important;" /></a><br /><br /> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.co.uk/" target="_blank"><i>Sponsored Post</i></a></p><br /><a href="http://www.wikio.co.uk/" class="wikio-widget-ebmini">Share hosted by Wikio</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.wikio.co.uk/js/ext/ebmini?country=uk" charset="utf-8"></script>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-76245932048990681712010-12-09T14:12:00.034+00:002010-12-09T18:00:12.234+00:00Regular Red Sea divers not worried by shark attacks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalrJGBFasUwD2474u83g7EdfmLQLf31BNB6ku37wozcNmDdDDBG6BFUkAnw6ARMuFvhRdELGNsdNDmpwE2gUii3oqE562raavlqPNcpmHjVTftbHBgERUIzfaEXbL-WIZPCWzIRpVtpXH/s1600/4113190555_e820b420d7-1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalrJGBFasUwD2474u83g7EdfmLQLf31BNB6ku37wozcNmDdDDBG6BFUkAnw6ARMuFvhRdELGNsdNDmpwE2gUii3oqE562raavlqPNcpmHjVTftbHBgERUIzfaEXbL-WIZPCWzIRpVtpXH/s200/4113190555_e820b420d7-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548719134343273538" border="0" /></a>I've just spoken to a UK-based Dive Master who is travelling to Hurghada, on Egypt's Red Sea coast, tomorrow. He'll spend the run up to Christmas with a group of divers and local guides on a 'live-aboard' trip from Marsa Alam. They'll dive some incredible offshore sites including <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sha'ab Aiman</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sha'ab Mahrus</span>, in the hope of seeing grey, silver tip and white tip reef sharks.<br /><br />Divers on live-aboard trips average three dives per day, each lasting around an hour, so he'll be spending around 20 hours in the Red Sea. In light of the four recent shark attacks in Sharm el Sheikh, that could sound like a long time to be underwater.<br /><br />But he told me:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "Regular Red Sea divers won’t be worried by the attacks or the idea of continuing to dive with sharks. They are used to them, as are other warm water divers from elsewhere. But if it turns out that several oceanic white tips carried out these attacks it may mean their feeding practices are undergoing radical changes, and that is a concern."</span><br /><br />Shark attacks are very unusual in the Red Sea, particularly attacks by the species in question this time - the oceanic white tip. Still, the <a href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt">FCO travel advice</a> for Egypt, which was updated today, continues to read that 'most diving and water sport activities in the Sharm El Sheikh area remained suspended'.<br /><br />See the latest statement from Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Watersports here <a href="http://www.cdws.travel/chamber-news.aspx?id=52">cdws.travel/chamber-news.aspx?id=52</a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">(Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44763891@N02/">Diving Mullah</a>)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Read more like this:</span><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-5-emotional-escapes.html">Scuba dive to escape - Top 5 Emotional Escapes</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/05/golden-blocks-shore-dive-my-piece-for.html">Golden Blocks Shore Dive - For <span style="font-style: italic;">The Independent</span> </a><br /><br /><span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-22385724192388711402010-12-06T13:02:00.009+00:002010-12-07T12:28:47.690+00:00Face the muzak and defeat the Park Inn hotel manager to win iPads and free accommodation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qRb7wL4GHuZQ20Bq5qE5rkZ-AqopM6U9ngsL5IE7Duyh-91q3QjD78Ye1hdAMJ_SzosDIeevGjHlmiHPcYWKv_tuyiP2L7okHSIdpNKv1uqSlLyj8W1XeX2e5mQxnDG4YZ5hp3U22hMs/s1600/ParkInn1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 278px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qRb7wL4GHuZQ20Bq5qE5rkZ-AqopM6U9ngsL5IE7Duyh-91q3QjD78Ye1hdAMJ_SzosDIeevGjHlmiHPcYWKv_tuyiP2L7okHSIdpNKv1uqSlLyj8W1XeX2e5mQxnDG4YZ5hp3U22hMs/s200/ParkInn1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547579679064058930" border="0" /></a>I wish that Santa existed, that hotel rooms were always free and that iPads grew on Christmas trees, so that I could just pluck off the perfect present for my loved ones. Because unless I win an iPad in Park Inn’s addictive ‘<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ebuzzing.com/rd/17741_1758_266775_18224_14210/play4.parkinn.co.uk/">4 in a row' competition</a>, my boyfriend is going to be the proud owner of a pair of crazy pants and a year’s supply of bbq sauce rather than the gadget he really wants to find in his stocking.<p>Because I'm greedy, I also want to win the grand prize: a week's worth of free accommodation. I'd pick the Park Inn Alexanderplatz in Berlin, where we’re heading to in January. Close to the Brandenburg Gate and the TV tower, it would be perfect base for the sightseeing itinerary I’ve devised – one packed with art, history and nightclubs, daily Currywursts and ein oder zwei biere.</p><p> So if you’re anything like me (a competitive lover of freebies with an addictive personality) you’ll relish the opportunity to get one over the Park Inn hotel manager in a battle of the key cards. Pick a colour and keep going and going until you win. Two competitors each week will win an iPad or a £250 voucher to use in any of the 200 Park Inn hotels worldwide (also includes Radisson Blu). Visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ebuzzing.com/rd/17741_1758_266775_18224_14210/play4.parkinn.co.uk/">play4.parkinn.co.uk</a> to start playing.</p><p>And brilliantly, every player – winner or loser – can enter the final grand prize draw. So even if you have to get back to work or reality before you’ve beaten the smarmy manager to 4 in a row, you could still win a week’s holiday at the Park Inn Manchester, Park Inn Berlin, or Park Inn Ulysse Resort (in Djerba, Tunisia) plus a £300 gift card.</p><p>The competition runs until 18 December and the winner of the seven nights’ accommodation will be announced by the end of December. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age and the week’s holiday must be taken by 31 December 2011. For full terms and conditions visit the competition page at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ebuzzing.com/rd/17741_1758_266775_18224_14210/play4.parkinn.co.uk/">http://play4.parkinn.co.uk/</a><br /></p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ebuzzing.com/rd/17741_1758_266775_18224_14210/play4.parkinn.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img style="width: auto ! important; height: auto ! important;" alt="Play 4 Park Inn " src="http://ebuzzingvideo.com/uk/images/Radisson/ParkInnlogo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://ebuzzing.co.uk/" target="_blank"><i>Sponsored Post</i></a><br /><a href="http://www.wikio.co.uk/" class="wikio-widget-ebmini">Share hosted by Wikio</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.wikio.co.uk/js/ext/ebmini?country=uk" charset="utf-8"></script>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-51225889839819793302010-12-03T14:27:00.034+00:002010-12-09T17:03:10.253+00:00Please forget Christmas and plan me a Valentine's Week in Bora Bora<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXffbdbrhumttsq6-scoGzFzlltrfTKq46eP6A2Q0CB3d6PB_jlPhIfp18eO42j6W6VeBXmoRwfL9qZnqugafPPZ-AOiVPEOAmslZUE927gZQOYjSTSfan84-mm2-cYLuEYz4ir9zUAsMN/s1600/BOR_128_press_room_watermark.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXffbdbrhumttsq6-scoGzFzlltrfTKq46eP6A2Q0CB3d6PB_jlPhIfp18eO42j6W6VeBXmoRwfL9qZnqugafPPZ-AOiVPEOAmslZUE927gZQOYjSTSfan84-mm2-cYLuEYz4ir9zUAsMN/s200/BOR_128_press_room_watermark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546474121869034178" border="0" /></a>Boyfriend, today's post is written especially for you.<br /><br />As talented as the snow is at making the cars and wheelie bins in my British suburban street sparkle, and as much as I love Christmas for giving me an excuse to devour huge quantities of Port, turkey and stuffing, I've already had it with winter.<br /><br />If I see one more '<span style="font-style: italic;">Guide to Europe's Best Christmas Markets</span>' or another '<span style="font-style: italic;">Spotlight On The Best </span>(read 'Most Snobby')<span style="font-style: italic;"> Ski Resorts of the World</span>', I'll scream into my woolly indoor snood. Arghg! What I really want to be reading about and planning for is next year's sunshine holiday. Scuba diving, drinking a beer with my feet dangling into the sea, open air yoga, a tanned face...<br /><br />Perhaps you're thinking about these things too, lovely boyfriend of mine. Perhaps you really want to surprise me with a special Valentine's Day holiday to the sun, but you've been waiting for me to point you in the right direction via my travel industry tit bits.<br /><br />So if that is the case (and I know it will be), here's some info I hope you'll find interesting. While you read it, I'll get on with sourcing my beachwear for 14th Feb 2011.....<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Four Seasons </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWKcXRcUtqSrIudT9EKTfujpIqvNetf6z0kWaHycP5GFMMr6PQNxQAcrXhcNm-ChD7wALk7Uh7FkRb3x2BaTx4lEVQR7GJVGfI_H7KlOI1709yEHdfRIKBY_dXsBA7iFweTyKVBUt3v2M/s1600/BOR_221_press_room_watermark.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 332px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWKcXRcUtqSrIudT9EKTfujpIqvNetf6z0kWaHycP5GFMMr6PQNxQAcrXhcNm-ChD7wALk7Uh7FkRb3x2BaTx4lEVQR7GJVGfI_H7KlOI1709yEHdfRIKBY_dXsBA7iFweTyKVBUt3v2M/s200/BOR_221_press_room_watermark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546475097638086978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Resort</span> in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bora Bora </span>will be celebrating Valentines for the whole of February. (<a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/borabora/">fourseasons.com/borabora</a>)<br /><br />Their new <span style="font-weight: bold;">Valentine's Package</span> includes a complimentary fifth night, champagne and chocolate-dipped tropical fruits on arrival, daily breakfast buffet, a 50-minute Couple’s Polynesian Massage and a sunset cruise. <a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/borabora/rates_and_reservations/">fourseasons.com/borabora/rates_and_reservations</a><br /><br />General Manager Rajiv Malhotra said:<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">“Romance is always in the air here. However, we could not resist allowing our guests to experience even more romance and value through the most romantic of holidays.”</span></span><br /><br />The Four Seasons Bora Bora have 100 overwater bungalows and seven beachfront villas, all with traditional thatched roofs. There's a full service spa and their restaurant serves a range of dishes from Polynesian to French to South Pacific fusion.<br /><br />Prices start at £575 per room per night for a Beach View Over Water Bungalow.<span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;" > </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Go on boyfriend, forget Christmas and make my Valentine's Day instead!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Read more like this:</span><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-5-emotional-escapes.html">Top 5 Emotional Escapes</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/01/trips-that-will-kick-start-your-spirit.html">Trips that will kick start your spirit</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2010/11/yes-id-prefer-to-have-written-this-from.html">Magic Real Travels in Fiji </a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2010/07/barcelona-bans-gut-wrenching-bullfights.html">Not the most romantic proposal idea in the world (Barcelona Bans Gut Wrenching Bullfights)</a><br /><br /><span class="fullpost">And here i</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8luLxS0qlpwBf03q58Y2q4PhKtOQxs7Yb8X24mkEWyu1FZpCsyUysPyXFIt4GuA0-5u-bQMFAJ38dQ-ZcfqO8x0zGJ6BLIzTGw5EaajKHnymyRKJSev8WxXnbVt3jHZOLuwcrK6ruXws/s1600/BOR_163_press_room_watermark.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8luLxS0qlpwBf03q58Y2q4PhKtOQxs7Yb8X24mkEWyu1FZpCsyUysPyXFIt4GuA0-5u-bQMFAJ38dQ-ZcfqO8x0zGJ6BLIzTGw5EaajKHnymyRKJSev8WxXnbVt3jHZOLuwcrK6ruXws/s200/BOR_163_press_room_watermark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546474918152872706" border="0" /></a><span class="fullpost">s t</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pWOXJwAVto2YUCyDdJuGCNZqJ0hQ6OV3T5fSnq3iVH5vdVkodFW_9e8loRE-YOzUBbByl1GpBfCEaAsUiqNQ1roNPWKNHF9uy0UON8Kete7CEF58sUMit3QuQ7zwbGYDmLH0UFPI88Gd/s1600/BOR_154_press_room_watermark.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pWOXJwAVto2YUCyDdJuGCNZqJ0hQ6OV3T5fSnq3iVH5vdVkodFW_9e8loRE-YOzUBbByl1GpBfCEaAsUiqNQ1roNPWKNHF9uy0UON8Kete7CEF58sUMit3QuQ7zwbGYDmLH0UFPI88Gd/s200/BOR_154_press_room_watermark.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546474603179666994" border="0" /></a></span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-987873049977277222010-11-23T13:35:00.039+00:002010-12-07T12:30:11.580+00:0029 April 2011 - watch the British Royal Wedding or experience something more interesting?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhccdb-1ziquZcjb11LtWuyEuh4Gv3D5FttBX8jQKZE0qhJAdLDD1S1SJ6To5_2l0ZiP2Im7gTiyC2olVI7VRdvZmTapdwchrcljHbEFBQiaAK78K9gGKGFppcE8DsyuKujftJb0gJijBU4/s1600/Dana_Point_camel_caravan_photo_12079_20100202.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhccdb-1ziquZcjb11LtWuyEuh4Gv3D5FttBX8jQKZE0qhJAdLDD1S1SJ6To5_2l0ZiP2Im7gTiyC2olVI7VRdvZmTapdwchrcljHbEFBQiaAK78K9gGKGFppcE8DsyuKujftJb0gJijBU4/s200/Dana_Point_camel_caravan_photo_12079_20100202.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542759206886948146" border="0" /></a>Kate Middleton and Prince William have set the date. Their big day at London's Westminster Abbey is Friday 29 April 2011, which has been declared a bank holiday in England and Wales.<br /><br />However, if the pomp and circumstance of a Great British royal romance isn't for you, here's a rundown of festivals and events happening around the world on and around the 29th. Getting sucked into watching the TV footage in a bar during your travels isn't a foregone conclusion. Especially when there's cheese tasting and rice cooking contests around instead. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Any other ideas? The more the merrier.</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />(Image of Dana Point, California by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/">Alex E. Proimos</a>)</span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Japan</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Showa Day (Showa no hi), National holiday (29 April)</span><br />Marks the birthday of former Emperor Showa (Hirohito).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Australia</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Australian Celtic Festival, Glen Innes (28 April - 1 May)</span><br />Celebrate Celtic culture, food, dance, history and music. <a href="http://www.australiancelticfestival.com/">australiancelticfestival.com</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">New Zealand</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Arrowtown Autumn Festival, Arrowtown, South Island (29 April- 8 May)</span><br />Visitors and residents line the footpaths to cheer on the floats, highland pipe band, vintage cars and street entertainers.<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.arrowtownautumnfestival.org.nz">arrowtownautumnfestival.org.nz</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">USA</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">California Wine Festival, Dana Point (29-30 April)</span><br />One of California's most popular wine events, perhaps because of the food, music, sea and sunshine. Hundreds of California's red and white wines, live music, dozens of top chefs and specialty food stalls. <a href="http://www.californiawinefestival.com/">californiawinefestival.com</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Astoria Warrenton Crab, Seafood and Wine Festival, Oregon (29 April-1 May) </span><br />The Oregon Coast's largest festival of northwest cuisine, wines, arts and crafts. <a href="http://www.oldoregon.com/events/entry/astoria-warrenton-crab-seafood-wine-festival/">oldoregon.com</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Colleton County Rice Festival, Walterboro, South Carolina (April 29-1 May) </span><br />A heritage festival with an arts and crafts, parades and rice cooking contests. <a href="http://www.scfestival-rice.com/">scfestival-rice.com</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">UK </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">& Ireland</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Paignton Bike Festival, Torbay, South Devon (29 April-1 May)</span><br />A three-day charity event with live music, entertainment, stunt bikes and motorbikes, organised by BMAD (Bikers Make A Difference). <a href="http://www.bmad.co.uk/festival.html">bmad.co.uk/festival.html</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Bristol Folk Festival (29 April-1 May)</span><br />Making a comeback after 32 years, to Bristol's Colston Hall. Folk sensation Seth Lakeman will feature, as will Morris Dancers and most intriguingly 'indoor camping'. <a href="http://www.bristolfolkfestival.com/">bristolfolkfestival.com</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">International Choral Festival, Cork (27 April-1 May)</span><br />This festival in its 57th year celebrates choral and vocal music with a programme of competitions, galas, fringe concerts and public performances. <a href="http://www.corkchoral.ie/">corkchoral.ie</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">South Africa</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">SA Cheese Festival, Sandrigham Estate, Stellenbosch (29 April-2 May)</span><br />A weekend treat for cheese lovers who want to sample South African fromage alongside wines, nuts and olives. <a href="http://www.cheesefestival.co.za/">cheesefestival.co.za</a><br />And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-75029662840171721512010-11-22T14:15:00.009+00:002010-12-07T12:30:39.744+00:00Travels in Texas, 2002 - from the vaults<span style="font-weight: bold;">On the 47th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, I wanted to share some memories of Texas from the Sandwagon vault.<br /><br />Be gentle with me. It did write this eight years ago! </span><br /><br />Perfectly horizontal streams of pulsing smoke floated along the Colorado River. As I walked closer it became obvious that these were not physics-defying smoke signals but streams of Mexican Free-Tail bats, storming off down river to obey their daily instinct to feast on clouds of flies. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />I watched the show with locals and visitors. There were workers heading home for dinner standing alongside families. Everyone was taking time out to share this wonder of urban wildlife. Half of the crowd lent over the Congress Avenue Bridge, looking down onto the flux of Free-Tails in flight, while the rest stared up from the river banks into the concrete arches that make such perfect roosts. The delicate, continuous drum beat of several thousand flapping bat wings filled the air.<br /><br />Guidebooks had recommended a visit to the Texan state capital on a summer’s evening to see the world’s largest urban bat colony in action. The reality exceeded my expectations – as did the Lone Star State itself. Texas revealed itself to be as much of an unknown culture for me as an indigenous Amazonian tribal village, and I had to fight off the distractions of my superficial research and those subconscious flashbacks to TV’s Dallas. There were genuine adventures to be had here, beyond the fiction.<br /><br />I’d been prepared to see houses the size of Southfork. Perhaps the closets inside them spewed forth a lifetime’s supply of Stetsons. However, the roadside hazard of a fast-food chain selling ‘Chicken and Biscuits’ did surprise me. Visions of chicken nuggets and Garibaldi combo meals with a side of HobNobs amused me so much that I swerved my hired Grand-Am. Thankfully a Texan friend saved me from more near misses.<br /><br />“Yes, biscuits,” she said, bemused. “What’s so funny? They’re just the bread part of a fried chicken sandwich, you know.”<br /><br />I didn’t know that, until I came to Texas. This fast-food discovery was matched a few evenings later by truly gargantuan jacket potatoes as long as fish and chip shop-style battered cod. Since then, neat rotund spuds back home in the UK have never quiet looked the same.<br /><br /><br />Finally, Fort Worth’s train station became as memorable a hallmark of my Texan adventures as the incongruent Phil Collins soundtrack played by the local radio stations. I arrived for my train during what should have been the morning rush hour, but the entrance hall was eerily empty. It was so devoid of activity that the stunning aqua and steely grey of Art Deco pillars, walls and ceiling bore down ominously on me, as if mourning busier times before air-conditioned cars replaced train tracks.<br /><br />These memories of Texas are as vivid in my memory as seeing Dallas’ Dealey Plaza, its book depository and that grassy knoll. And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-57569313561070775662010-11-18T17:33:00.006+00:002010-12-07T12:31:16.359+00:00Magic Real Travels in Fiji<span style="font-weight: bold;">Yes, I'd prefer to have written this from experience. But with imagination and some destinational facts for reference, being home or office-bound isn't a barrier to anyone's writing and dreaming.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magic Real travel is nearly as much fun as the real thing, don't you think?</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><br />It's 19.23 in Fiji. We've spent our paralleled-life day island hopping in a small wooden boat that we brought from a fisherman. He was by the beach shack, the day after we arrived in the islands. We've had enough rowing and paddling for today, so I've decided that the Mamanuca Islands are the best place for us to stop and sleep tonight. My justification being, the Mamanuca Islands are a collection of small coral islands, with some great surfing sites. What more could we want?<br /><br />He says: '<span style="font-style: italic;">Would you mind sleeping under the stars again tonight</span>?<span style="font-style: italic;"> Perhaps the boat would be a restful place to curl up and snooze, among the dozens of flowers that we've gathered throughout the day.</span>'<br /><br />Me: <span style="font-style: italic;">'It would be relaxing to sleep on the boat. But, while the lapping waves would relax my mind, I think I'd miss running my finger tips through the sand as the sun rises and the birds pipe up.</span>'<br />Umm, why am I worrying about this decision now, when we'll have the boat and beaches for many weeks to come? Boat, beach, boat, beach, boat..? I've made far tougher choices in life than this.<br /><br />He says: '<span style="font-style: italic;">Did you realise that I was gazing back at the beach, watching you watching me as you tried to fathom what it takes to surf.' </span><br />Me: '<span style="font-style: italic;">No, you know I'm short sighted</span>'.<br />Night surfing appeals more to me because no one would see me falling.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">'</span><span>Are there sharks...?'</span><br /><br />[A couple of hours later...]<br />Me: '<span style="font-style: italic;">Ok, I agree with your boat idea. I can't imagine ever sleeping more soundly than I will with you on the water tonight.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">I'm guessing that the sweet scent of the tropical flowers will be unbelievably intoxicating too.'</span><br />Perhaps even more so than the palm wine we've been living on since we arrived...just the two of us, on the other side of the world.<br /><br /><span>Me again:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> 'Do you think I could learn to ... feel the surf properly?'</span><br />I think I'd ask too many questions of it..why, when, how ...instead of submitting to it and letting it carry me along, coalesced within its natural instinct to rise, grow and rush to shore.<br /><br />Me again: There must be millions of fireflies here. They've come out for the dusk, to dance. They're flitting around and along the sand.<br />...'<span style="font-style: italic;">Ooh watch out! Mind you don't crush that bright orange flower. There. By your elbow. I'm saving it to wear in my witchy, sea-salty curly hair tomorrow. Post-surf lesson.'<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Read more like this:</span><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/12/does-travel-writing-style-rule-over.html">Does travel writing style rule over substance?</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/01/travels-in-texas-2002-article-from.html">Real life travels in Texas - from the vaults</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Here is the beginning of my post. <span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-43203001788315799602010-11-16T18:11:00.067+00:002010-11-17T00:01:42.700+00:00More inspiration from Tripbase ... 100 of their favourite travel writers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithYPhs7tusHlmVfU7YZpxTSRPccNYG2bbJDs5tFsq25T7lgMvcBROKyQ_s00DcaIhMw9dasAGzAqAs19bS2U7tYvndCwD38iQVQNaeWr8yzpww-9Mi7TE8vYN-HE_J7wJG_P7a9LCTYkY/s1600/Tripbase-logo.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 276px; height: 87px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithYPhs7tusHlmVfU7YZpxTSRPccNYG2bbJDs5tFsq25T7lgMvcBROKyQ_s00DcaIhMw9dasAGzAqAs19bS2U7tYvndCwD38iQVQNaeWr8yzpww-9Mi7TE8vYN-HE_J7wJG_P7a9LCTYkY/s200/Tripbase-logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540289893920803650" border="0" /></a>Travel research website <a href="http://www.tripbase.com/">Tripbase</a> who 'save users the hours, days or weeks that it takes to search for a perfect personalized vacation' recently listed <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.tripbase.com/d/travel-writers/travel_writers_21_30.html">100 of their favourite travel writers</a>.<br /><br />Anyone who has already visited Tripbase knows that their simple search criteria <span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">[to Fly or Drive?; depart when?; for how long; how important are the following things? Nightlife, Dining, Shopping, Nature, Attractions] </span>is great for directing internet-fatigued holiday-seekers straight to a top ranked hotel in a suitable mainstream destination. Useful information, such as the local climate and links to travel articles are offered too.<br /><br />By circulating a list of their favourite travel writers, Tripbase have gone a step further in the supply of online travel inspiration: they've added passionate and knowledgeable voices to their travel machine.<br /><br />The 100 writers from around the world are randomly numbered, rather than ranked, and include:<br /><br />UK-based <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jeremy Head</span> <a href="http://www.jeremyhead.com/">jeremyhead.com</a> whose <a href="http://www.travelblather.com/">Travelblather blog</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> gives informative and entertaining reflections on travel writing today.<br /><br />Record breaking ski journalist <span style="font-weight: bold;">Arnie Wilson</span> <a href="http://www.arniewilson.com/index.html">arniewilson.com</a><br /><br />Toronto-based<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Lucy Izon</span> <a href="http://www.canadacool.com/">canadacool.com</a><br /><br />Journalist <span style="font-weight: bold;">Alexis Grant</span> <a href="http://alexisgrant.com/meet-alexis/">alexisgrant.com</a> who is backpacking solo through Africa.<br /><br />Balkans <span>expert</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Chris Deliso</span> <a href="http://chrisdeliso.com/">chrisdeliso.com</a><br /><br />(Thank you Tripbase for including me at No.62)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Read more like this:</span><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2010/11/expert-travel-writers-take-over.html">Travel writers take over bmibaby's Twitter stream</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/11/travelling-without-safety-net.html">Travelling without a safety net</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/09/do-travel-websites-inspire-travellers.html">Do travel websites inspire travellers or just the 'geeks'?</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/12/does-travel-writing-style-rule-over.html">Does travel writing style rule over travel writing substance? </a>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-59651302551446544132010-11-10T18:02:00.040+00:002010-11-17T00:03:42.049+00:00Travel writers take over bmibaby's Twitter streambmibaby's 2,571 Twitter followers, as well as anyone with a Twitter account, are invited to join the latest live Q & A session from the budget airline. Today the expert travel writers Lara Dunston and Terence Carter will be sharing their knowledge and experience of bmibaby's European destinations, particularly Venice, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Majorca, Verona and Munich.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Lara and Terence are currently completely their <a href="http://grantourismotravels.com/">Grantourismo</a> project - a contemporary grand tour of the globe, during which they are reporting back from 24 destinations over 12 months. For more, check out their Grantourismo website and the Twitter pages @gran_tourismo @laradunston & @terencecarter.<br /><br />The live online Q & A will run between 15.00 and 16.00 at <a href="http://twitter.com/bmibaby_com">twitter.com/bmibaby_com</a>. To join what is likely to be a fast and furious conversation end your tweets with the hashtag <span style="font-weight: bold;">#askbmibaby</span>.<br /><br />bmibaby's previous rounds of Twitter tennis gave the travel community the chance to chat directly with Managing Director Julian Carr and Network Development Manager Simon Moore.<br /><br />Lara told me, 'We applaud bmibaby for connecting travellers and travel writers and travel industry folks in one-to-one conversation this way, in the very spirit of what Twitter is all about.'<br /><br />She added, 'We already communicate with travellers this way... we're very active on Twitter using it all day every day, and for Grantourismo we use it to tap into local knowledge, to connect with locals, get local tips, etc. I've been a strong advocate and user of Twitter since the beginning, and travelled around the Arabian Gulf last year meeting tweeps for a story I wrote on Twitter use for an in-flight magazine'.<br />And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-29477774173770800372010-11-10T16:13:00.010+00:002010-11-17T00:06:41.201+00:00Is Baghdad's tourism future looking brighter?Iraq's tourist board have returned to <a href="http://www.wtmlondon.com/">World Travel Market</a> in London, for the second year in a row, hoping to encourage ongoing investment in the country's tourism infrastructure. Their attendance begs the question: realistically, when can travellers look forward to worry-free tourist tours of Iraq and its ancient historical sites including the biblical city of Babylon? <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />At the moment, it's an impossible question to answer. Trips to former war zones such as Vietnam, Beirut and <a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2007/11/welcome-to-sarajevo-was-predictable.html">Sarajevo</a> have become the norm but Iraq obviously has a long way to go in tourism terms. The UK Foreign Office's advice for travellers is that the situation in Iraq remains 'highly dangerous with a continuing high threat of terrorism throughout the country' and they advise against all and all but essential travel.<br /><br />That said, details from <a href="http://www.wtmlondon.com/page.cfm/Link=1/t=m/goSection=1">World Travel Market</a>'s Global Trends Report indicate that Iraq's travel and tourism infrastructure has shown signs of recovery since the end of the war in 2003. There are direct flights to Iraq from European countries such as Austria, Germany, Greece, Norway, Sweden and the UK. For example, international airlines Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines operate flights into Iraq's fourth largest city, Erbil in Kurdistan. This region in the north of the country has experienced less violence than the rest of the country and its attractions include adventure tourism, mountain resorts and a mild climate. The fact that the Ministry of Tourism in Kurdistan employees around 500 employees might also be considered evidence of increasing inbound travel.<br /><br />The travel agencies Sharaf Travel (from the UAE) and Terre Entière (from France) are also reported to have set up in Iraq early this year, and 700 hotels are also expected to be open by 2014.<br /><br />World Travel Market Chairman Fiona Jeffery said, “Iraq’s decision to bring a delegation to World Travel Market last year was well timed for the destination’s tourism resurgence. The country offers a diverse mix of history, culture and unique experiences all paving the way for its place as an exciting up and coming destination.”<br /><br />UK-based tour operator <a href="http://www.hinterlandtravel.com/index.htm">Hinterland Travel</a> arrange tours of regional highlights including Baghdad, Babylon and the Mesopotamian ancient cities, in minivans with armed security guards. According to their website, 'the mood in Iraq is upbeat, vibrant with the security aspects improving all the time'.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Have you already travelled in Iraq? Or are you planning to visit soon?</span></span></span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-11287641372700481372010-11-08T13:09:00.020+00:002010-12-07T12:32:40.468+00:00Top 5 Emotional Escapes<span style="font-size:100%;">Spending a wodge of cash on a one-way ticket and taking off with a rucksack and a couple of travel guide books is often considered the coward's way out of a sticky situation or a disenchanting existence. Occasionally that's fair comment. But sometimes, finding space to be yourself and stringing together a few days or weeks of unstructured time can be all it takes to save your sanity.<br />Travelling is seeing how the rest of the world lives. It always helps me put my circumstances back into perspective. And I'm a believer in travel's ability to boost your confidence; whether you've just been handed a redundancy pay off or you need to rediscover some self worth at the end of a drawn out, toxic relationship.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Some suggestions if it's time to take an emotional escape:</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >1 </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scuba diving</span><br />Let the underwater world take your mind off life's let downs</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Classics</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Egypt's Red Sea (<a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/05/golden-blocks-shore-dive-my-piece-for.html">Dahab</a>, Sharm El Sheikh or Marsa Alam), Thailand, the Caribbean, Australia's Great Barrier Reef (if your budget allows). </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lesser known</span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> </span><span>Oman, Madeira, Malta, Vietnam.</span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Great for</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Physical exertion, a sense of achievement when you pass your course or expand your experience, a lively social scene with like-minded people, visual stimulation from reef, wrecks and fish.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Travel tip: </span>The mental and physical demands of the Open Water course leave no time or energy for wallowing!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Try: </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Diving the World</span>, Footprint Guides <a href="http://www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2834/diving/&Action=product&Product_Reference=DTWT02">footprinttravelguides.com</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >2 </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spas & yoga retreats</span><br />Far-flung recovery stations for bruised minds, bodies & souls</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Classics</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >: </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Bali, Thailand, Italy (Ischia), India, Ibiza.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Less obvious:</span> Turkey, </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Budapest (thermal baths), Tunisia, Switzerland, Germany, yoga diving (Dahab, Egypt).<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Great for</span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> </span>Reviving a body exhausted by disappointment and a mind wrought with rage.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Travel tip:</span> Make sure you avoid any resorts with even the slightest hint of honeymoon about them!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Try: </span>Kuoni (spa packages)<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.kuoni.co.uk/EN/Inspiration/type/spa/Pages/default.aspx">kuoni.co.uk</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">; Sunray Yoga (yoga diving, Dahab) <a href="http://sunrayoga.com/">sunrayoga.com</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >3 </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Safaris & wildlife watching</span><br />Wild reminders that life's ups and downs are just part of the cycle</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Classics</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Kenya, Zambia, Canada, Aust</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ralia, South American rainforests, The Galapagos Islands, whale watching (New Zealand, Sea of Cortez, Mexico, The Azores, South Africa).<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lesser known</span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Isle of Man, Norway, bear watching (Transylvania, Spitsbergen, Finland, Sweden), Patagonia. </span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Great for</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> Focusing on a creature other than yourself, appreciating the social habits and the habitat of animals, how to approach and watch peacefully, memories that last a lifetime.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip:</span> If you pick a conservation holiday, the satisfaction that you have spent your time and efforts doing something worthwhile. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Check out:</span> Naturetrek<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/naturetrek.co.uk">naturetrek.co.uk</a><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >4 </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >City break</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">s</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br />Urban inspiration to enliven your spirit away from stagnant routines & relationships</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Classics</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> Tokyo, New York, Sydney, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, <a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2010/07/barcelona-bans-gut-wrenching-bullfights.html">Barcelona</a>.<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Less obvious</span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> Soeul, <a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2007/11/welcome-to-sarajevo-was-predictable.html">Sarajevo</a>, Dusseldorf, Gothenburg, Beirut, <a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/02/portos-atlantic-coast-foz-do-douro-for.html">Porto</a>.</span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Great for</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Finding inspiration in the legacy of great thinkers who converged on your city of choice, for example in their architecture, their sculpture and art work in public galleries or in the bars and cafes where they did their thinking and drinking. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Transforming your image with clothes from the boutiques of up coming fashi</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ons designers.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Travel tip:</span> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Stand at the top of the city's tallest tower and enjoy the freedom of knowing that you are just another ant, like all of others below. You and every one of them are living, breathing and rolling with circumstances as best they c</span><span style="font-size:100%;">an.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Try: </span>A Hedonist's guide to... (city guide books)<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.hg2.com/">hg2.com</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >5 Road trip, river cruise or rail journey</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br />Traversing great distances, p</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" >hysically & figuratively</span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Classics</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Road: </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-Hbm4l8bOkUD5jqLLOSGnzaJBmPM_IstJS90FjPjF-3l6CLvof-dheQGbR67dZxheGEFZvSM8BkNyc2WCerIYGeZ89FDt8pKSigvVoc_92elY_xAv_drzICwimY0IoroKGrfOMSkU4mv/s1600/RoadTripUSA_print.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-Hbm4l8bOkUD5jqLLOSGnzaJBmPM_IstJS90FjPjF-3l6CLvof-dheQGbR67dZxheGEFZvSM8BkNyc2WCerIYGeZ89FDt8pKSigvVoc_92elY_xAv_drzICwimY0IoroKGrfOMSkU4mv/s200/RoadTripUSA_print.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537876366825179442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">Australia - The Australia Way, The Great Ocean</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Road, The Great Tropical Way, Mereenie Loop (including Uluru). USA - Pacific Coast, Border to </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Border, Route 66. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Rail: Trans-Siberian Railway, I</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span>nter-rail Europe.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Rivers: the Nil</span><span style="font-size:100%;">e, Amazon and Yangtze.<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Less obvious</span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> Road: The Basque Circuit (Spain and France), Ber</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span>gen to Oslo, Republic of Ireland's coastal roads. River: Mississippi, Danube. </span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Great f</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >or</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span> Carefree Thelma and Louise moments (before things turned ugly), the freedom of the open road, the wind in your hair, driving off into the sunset, the people you meet along the way, t</span><span style="font-size:100%;">he sights and scenery that you wouldn't have seen otherwise.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Try: </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Road Trip USA</span> by Jamie Jensen <a href="http://www.roadtripusa.com/index.html">roadtripusa.com</a>; <span style="font-size:100%;">Australian Road Trips </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.australianroadtrips.com/"><span>australianroadtrips.com</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">What has worked for you?</span><br /><br />Read more like this:</span><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2009/01/trips-that-will-kick-start-your-spirit.html">Trips that will kick start your spirit</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/01/geography-of-bliss-eric-weiner.html">The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/12/amsterdam-4-random-reasons-to-love-this.html">Amsterdam - 4 random reasons to love this city. Just incase you need them</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/10/travel-tv-show-alert-worlds-greatest.html">World's Greatest Cities</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/04/unforgettable-walks-to-take-before-you.html">Unforgettable walks to take before you die</a><br /><a href="http://sandwagon.blogspot.com/2008/03/101-weekwends-in-europe-by-robert.html">101 Weekends in Europe</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is the beginning of my post. </span><span class="fullpost" style="font-size:100%;">And here is the rest of it.</span>Here is the beginning of my post. <span class="fullpost">And here is the rest of it.</span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-25527770698427766902010-10-11T13:48:00.034+01:002010-11-17T00:09:59.007+00:00Leicester, England - no place for the EDL<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86YJ0FBFcAbH9jmYwyWDehwb4Y-Fa9HEd4G8_Mu6kzP2Ky3dKfljDVl02eM9R6wd7vYFSQlURjPsLy7OR8O-R_fAKAeXDLXu-HSGrLx14DNXS8tmRoDJ9z7r7yjD9bCmP4yijo_uC5jxj/s1600/IMG_0048.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86YJ0FBFcAbH9jmYwyWDehwb4Y-Fa9HEd4G8_Mu6kzP2Ky3dKfljDVl02eM9R6wd7vYFSQlURjPsLy7OR8O-R_fAKAeXDLXu-HSGrLx14DNXS8tmRoDJ9z7r7yjD9bCmP4yijo_uC5jxj/s200/IMG_0048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526830702832097378" border="0" /></a>On Saturday 9 October I was covering a couple of events for Leicester's <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://everybodysreading.wordpress.com/">Everybody's Reading</a> festival. In the morning I visited Belgrave Library where the entertainment journalist and children's author Puneet Bhandal talked about her background and her series of Bollywood themed books. To get the blood pumping and the Bollywood magic wafting through the library at the end of her talk, Puneet taught the small crowed of adults and children some Bollywood dance steps. We danced our way through a whole song and left with smiles on our faces.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />A few hours later en route to the second event of the day - A Taste of Somalia, at Highfields Library - my car was brought to a standstill by two hundred thugs. The English Defense League (EDL) were in Leicester to perform a static protest. Perhaps it was their members who had broken through the police lines and were storming across six lanes of traffic on the ring road, towards St Georges retail park and the Highfields area. Highfields is home to a large proportion of the city's Muslim community, many of whom were also outside on the streets, seemingly to defy and defend against any possibility of EDL presence around their mosque.<br /><br />What I witnessed on the ring road distressed and disgusted me. Angry men wearing the St George cross, running at speed and chanting. Their threatening behaviour included kicking and thumping the cars right beside mine. Innocent individuals and families were in those cars. Scared stiff, they made u-turns over the central reservation and they turned around and drove straight through the stationary traffic, hitting wing mirrors in the rush to get out of there. The cars that were attacked belonged to people who were not white. I'm still struggling to define how it felt to be involved in this event and not be attacked, presumably just because I am white.<br /><br />Following instructions, I reversed along the pavement and behind two buses, while a line of riot police in front regained control. I admire the job that they did and thank them. I was scared. But my fear was probably nothing compared to those attacked around me during those few minutes. The ring road and the cityscape of my home town had become alien. Certain sections of humanity became hideous beasts.<br /><br />The One Leicester festival on 10 October was celebrated as a direct response to the visit from the EDL. The streets were rid of anger and hatred. There was nothing to fear. No sirens, no helicopters, no closed roads or marauding idiots. We had Billy Bragg, Egyptian and Bollywood dancing, a Gospel Choir and a Chinese dragon. Leicester was once again the friendly, diverse, fun place we know and love.<br /><br />I was too frantic, reversing my car and following police advice to take any photos of what I saw on Saturday. Here, however, are some pictures I took at the One Leicester event on Sunday. A true representation of what Leicester is all about.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufTlnlm5Nvxg1Ybn9wAjw5WcPS6QNH0x-1SXbToNkPn6r3P1GMIqbp-nKPAwKFr8uzsf5Xf2LGpTkbOsOeARdA5S1eyrFf3w114z0u0lng0vnKHT5D-VnM0XsFkz1O_fv7D1le8Ax1rUz/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufTlnlm5Nvxg1Ybn9wAjw5WcPS6QNH0x-1SXbToNkPn6r3P1GMIqbp-nKPAwKFr8uzsf5Xf2LGpTkbOsOeARdA5S1eyrFf3w114z0u0lng0vnKHT5D-VnM0XsFkz1O_fv7D1le8Ax1rUz/s200/IMG_0004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526825651968555250" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYAnjaCrmAqVwRarJfbx5ETWoEv7GhqbDb_nglkW7aJ7lj6nWucoJ36NnXCijNb5sDePY6P4oKjq-kVjYP6MsNG7OjV9zheWPhUJZDvV5qR5jY8JId8bUR3L5IzEo-HVJ7b1P4LRVICHM/s1600/IMG_0139.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYAnjaCrmAqVwRarJfbx5ETWoEv7GhqbDb_nglkW7aJ7lj6nWucoJ36NnXCijNb5sDePY6P4oKjq-kVjYP6MsNG7OjV9zheWPhUJZDvV5qR5jY8JId8bUR3L5IzEo-HVJ7b1P4LRVICHM/s200/IMG_0139.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526844421766916162" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXImG7bOsBLpR5Qk90I3TUhyphenhyphenDum5xo9b9E6K0Puj9EZa1ojkb2wNqCSyctiJOA2yKTM3ooFOuCMpCIs7O94ljoodNIvz-RBHwaFKM_A0MJ1P9ZTt909EwwkxfGpPK6Eo-eUSOc5ncE-Xp/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXImG7bOsBLpR5Qk90I3TUhyphenhyphenDum5xo9b9E6K0Puj9EZa1ojkb2wNqCSyctiJOA2yKTM3ooFOuCMpCIs7O94ljoodNIvz-RBHwaFKM_A0MJ1P9ZTt909EwwkxfGpPK6Eo-eUSOc5ncE-Xp/s200/IMG_0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526843813712930850" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxp2PGEIZ_ZhBgttpDE_c3Ugcu2CDp7GczO40HFVwbFFi3zE9hyphenhyphenIesVVfIODXGmRB61kV_FurPc8YB0luhn_iC9gLraIgrdo9tetAA5-mPBfRrV4lwQypiLslSEe__O-5JUZIN0Z6o_i5/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxp2PGEIZ_ZhBgttpDE_c3Ugcu2CDp7GczO40HFVwbFFi3zE9hyphenhyphenIesVVfIODXGmRB61kV_FurPc8YB0luhn_iC9gLraIgrdo9tetAA5-mPBfRrV4lwQypiLslSEe__O-5JUZIN0Z6o_i5/s200/IMG_0102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526828605470102274" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmqVAid9Pq0znNnoB5NrsYYWc5YiWh2CpyZqOjYaFAVfX2Dw-tm2HNLRK_jUearvBVz4iNEg_lL0o3yQU5wORkoU6cRqQET5-W8VeB-8WHtWoW1VZcRFHVpH-QUArrdapBS2QZTFm1c6U/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmqVAid9Pq0znNnoB5NrsYYWc5YiWh2CpyZqOjYaFAVfX2Dw-tm2HNLRK_jUearvBVz4iNEg_lL0o3yQU5wORkoU6cRqQET5-W8VeB-8WHtWoW1VZcRFHVpH-QUArrdapBS2QZTFm1c6U/s200/IMG_0167.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526838223689081570" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZfCC7gqRX4Gz-M06_Sp9b9SHy_aaEPSlEB3QbuSwQq0hAvp5x5IpqQs4H-IeggPC_O6iW5FpGVfB1JArfV2KYXvQ6lE02rMSYK1V7Uo1lfl404OSCFWR-1IdBRd_7UFgsilIuu66ZaV_/s1600/IMG_0098.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZfCC7gqRX4Gz-M06_Sp9b9SHy_aaEPSlEB3QbuSwQq0hAvp5x5IpqQs4H-IeggPC_O6iW5FpGVfB1JArfV2KYXvQ6lE02rMSYK1V7Uo1lfl404OSCFWR-1IdBRd_7UFgsilIuu66ZaV_/s200/IMG_0098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526829234485374738" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8lgJ1v8BdjFbLuqlyz-hLKNe5bQJAjQSMygpT4niaSH8i95PwZPLHD6ClK6lAxXQlThfWrWD2oY89wnnujjesb3y27xIx6tw1qDokHJvsosMlgcs4CaImbxc7NPOZSLTzzxgunq6LrKZ/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8lgJ1v8BdjFbLuqlyz-hLKNe5bQJAjQSMygpT4niaSH8i95PwZPLHD6ClK6lAxXQlThfWrWD2oY89wnnujjesb3y27xIx6tw1qDokHJvsosMlgcs4CaImbxc7NPOZSLTzzxgunq6LrKZ/s200/IMG_0035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526840722644340802" border="0" /></a></span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624910279109534362.post-41260282157003989152010-09-06T11:00:00.009+01:002010-11-17T00:10:57.945+00:00World Travel Market 2010<a href="http://www.wtmlondon.com/page.cfm/link=605">Registration</a> for the industry event of the year, <a href="http://www.wtmlondon.com/">World Travel Market</a>, is still open. Between the 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span></span> and 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span></span> November at London's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ExCel</span></span> centre, industry (46,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press) set up shop to promote destinations, products and services, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">discuss</span> issues and shake on deals. Hopefully the press will have plenty to report back on to the travelling public.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The latest news is that <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tony Juniper</span>, one of the world’s best known ecologists, will headline the opening ceremony (10.30 on Wed 10 Nov, Platinum Suite 4). Juniper is the former director of Friends of the Earth UK, is currently involved in the writing of the book <span style="font-style: italic;">Harmony </span>(authored by HRH Prince of Wales), while also writing for two leading UK newspapers and working as editor-in-chief of National Geographic’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Green</span> magazine.<br /><br />It's a clear commitment to World Travel Market's responsible tourism stance and the continuation of it's <span style="font-weight: bold;">World Responsible Tourism Day</span>. Fiona Jeffery, Chair of World Travel Market said, “In opening <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">WTM</span></span> World Responsible Tourism Day 2010, Tony Juniper will bring fresh ideas, extensive knowledge and boundless enthusiasm to the cause of responsible tourism. He is frank and honest about how we need to use the planet to ensure travel and tourism has a tomorrow”. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The latest on <span style="font-weight: bold;">World Responsible Tourism Day</span> (Wed 10 Nov 2010) is that 100 companies (which is more than ever before) have applied to participate in the campaign that helps to inspire and educate the industry on how to stay in business while protecting the environment. If deemed sufficiently dedicated to the cause, they can use the official <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">WTM</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">WRTD</span></span> logo on their marketing and PR material throughout 2010.<br /><br />Fiona Jeffery said on the subject, “Consumers are demonstrating their concern and I am delighted that the industry is beginning to respond positively.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Accredited <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">WTM</span></span> World Responsible Tourism Day businesses include</span><span>:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Africa</span> Africa Inside Out; Cape to Cape Adventure Ltd; The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Dreamcatcher</span></span> Foundation; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Karibu</span></span> Rwanda Ltd; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Nyore</span></span> Tourist Village; West Africa Discovery.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Americas</span> Exploring Horizons Ltd; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">ICRT</span></span> Belize; Red <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">de</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Turismo</span></span> Responsible; Tropic Journeys in Nature; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">TrotaMexico</span></span>; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mayaland</span></span> Resorts; Consulting 27; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ICRT</span></span> Belize; and Pure Brazil by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Venturas</span></span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Asia</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Agri</span></span> Tourism India; Community Action Treks; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">ConCERT</span></span>; Footprint Vietnam Travel; Grass Routes; Malaysian Discovery; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Rimo</span></span> Expeditions; Selena Travel.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Australia and New Zealand</span> Crystal Creek Meadows; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Ecotourism</span></span> Australia.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Europe</span> Eco Turkey; La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Fundación</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Ecoagroturismo</span></span>; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">GreenStep</span></span>; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Ruka</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Phya</span></span> Ski Resorts, Finland; Travel2help.org, Finland; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Viator</span></span> Travel, Dubrovnik Tourist Board; Villa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Pape</span></span>, Croatia.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UK</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Travelbound</span></span>, part of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">TUI</span></span> Travel; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Traveltalk</span></span>; Adventure Alternative; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">CHILLOUT</span></span> 365 Ltd; Future Sense; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">SkiBound</span></span>; Way Out Experiences Ltd; <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Celticos</span></span> Ltd.</span></span>Kelly Pipeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12037852445308848263noreply@blogger.com0