Posts filed under 'travel'
With half term coming up many families will jet off to ski resorts for fun packed holidays, and with the excellent snow conditions it’s bound to be a popular activity for the mid term break.
The Telegraph reported that half a metre of fresh snow is expected to fall in many resorts, across France, Austria, Switzerland and almost a metre in some US resorts which will make room for great skiing.
If you are more of a thrill seeker looking for a winter sport other than skiing then you may like to have a go at ice karting, similar to go-karting but with studded tyres. Alternatively you could try snowboarding or how about snowlerblading? Click here to have a look at some more adventurous activities, but make sure your travel insurance is in order before setting off on your trip.
February 12th, 2010
Over the past few weeks the snow and freezing weather conditions has resulted in flight disruptions, which affected flight arrivals and caused delays to departures.
Flights from Gatwick, Southampton, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter airports and passengers at Cardiff, Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted were all affected. The daily mail reported that some passengers were told to leave terminal five without their luggage due to flight delays, and it had been recommended that passengers contact the airline before going to the airport.
If you are planning on travelling make sure you are prepared and have adequate travel insurance, you never know when you might need it. Click here for the latest travel news.
January 14th, 2010
Flooding has caused chaos on the roads as torrential rain has hit some parts of the UK, and the rainy weather is set to continue over the weekend.
The environmental agency has put 27 flood warnings in place, and severe gales may also accompany the rain.
With these warnings in place it is important not to drive unless essential, as driving conditions are treacherous and many roads are closed. However if you do decide to drive in these conditions then keep this advice in mind:
• Lower your speed
• Leave a longer gap between yourself and other traffic
• Watch out for any shiny patches as they could be puddles of water
• Be alert and ready to slow down if needed
If you are planning a journey this weekend remember these tips and ensure you have adequate car insurance cover. Click on the article link below for more advice on flooding and for information about road closures.
Article: Flood rescue: what you need to know
November 20th, 2009
Friday 13th is known as a day of good or bad luck. Some people will approach today with caution, whilst others will just carry on like it’s any other day.
According to BBC Online, research has found that people who consider themselves unlucky are more likely to believe in superstitions associated to bad luck; however people who consider themselves lucky tend to believe in superstitions related to good luck.
Friday 13th, nonetheless, could be unlucky for road users. Research from the AA and the Work Wise UK organisation found that Fridays are the worst day for road accidents, and the month of November has consistently been a bad month for road accidents, so a combination of the two may result in an unlucky day.
So whether you believe in luck or not, make sure you avoid a car insurance claim by adapting to the deteriorating road conditions, and take care on the road.
November 13th, 2009
Seatbelts are an important safety feature in every car, however some people can still suffer from bruising or even broken ribs when in an accident due to the force of a seatbelt. Most of the time these injuries are minimal compared to what could have been, but could these injuries be avoided as technology and safety improves?
Ford has launched an inflatable seatbelt which is based on airbag technology. In the event of an accident the seatbelt will inflate and expand in the space of only 40 milliseconds. It will stay inflated for a few seconds after the crash, and then it will slowly deflate as the air escapes out of the pores in the airbag.
The inflatable seatbelts will initially be introduced in the backseats of the latest Ford Explorer 4×4 model, which goes into production in the United States next year, and according to whatcar.com, Ford would like to use the seatbelt in more of their products in the future.
This could possibly be the future of the seatbelt, and if the trial works well, then we could see a decrease in the number of injuries caused by seatbelts.
November 12th, 2009
An Electric Car you can Plug in at Home - Nissan reach an era of Green Motoring
Nissan have unveiled the world’s first affordable electric family car. It’s called the ‘Leaf’ hatchback and averages a top speed of 100mph after it is charged from a plug socket at home - now that’s a powerful green machine. The five-seater is powered by a lithium-ion battery and could soon be sitting in thousands of garages around Britain very soon.
The zero emission vehicle will be sold first in the U.S, Japan and then Europe towards the end of 2010 and Nissan bosses have stated the car’s batteries could be made at the Sunderland plant - creating hundreds of jobs and giving the car industry a boost during the recession. The Leaf’s batteries can be fully charged overnight or reach 80% full in half an hour and they appear to fit neatly in place of your petrol cap.
The hatchback’s price could start at around £13,000. The best part however, is that owners will not have to pay road tax because the Leaf has no emissions. So, could you turn over a new leaf? Speaking of ways to keep your costs down, get cheaper car insurance online and check out Swiftcover.com for a UK car insurance quote in under 60 seconds.
August 7th, 2009
Travel disruption affected at least a million people today as a 48 hour strike hit the tubes.
The two day strike, starting at 7pm yesterday, has been very shaky with half of London Underground’s 20,000 drivers, station and maintenance staff arriving for work according to The Times.
It hasn’t only disrupted commuters. Ticket-holders attending tonight’s football international between England and Andorra at Wembley are anxious as to how they are going to get to the game. They have been told to check the TfL website.
Many people with car insurance have had to turn to their car today leading to much of London being gridlocked.
The dispute is over pay but it is reported in The Telegraph that the RMT have agreed to put an offer of a two year deal to a referendum of its 9,000 members, so an end may be in sight. However, according to RMT the deal was scuppered at the last minute blaming Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, as having a change of heart. This was denied by Kulveer Ranger who insisted it was RMT that walked out without giving any time for the proposal to be considered. He said:
“London Underground made the very reasonable request that the RMT suspend strike action so that this could be worked through. However, the RMT leadership refused to continue or give the talks more time, and walked out.
“Londoners will be infuriated by their behaviour and will join us in calling for the RMT to suspend this strike immediately and return to negotiations.”
June 10th, 2009
Are you planning to go on holiday this year or is the credit crunch taking its toll?
With mortgage lending down, home repossessions up by 68% and unemployment above two million for the first time since 1997, can anyone afford a holiday this year?
Abta, The Travel Association, doesn’t think that the current economic climate will ‘drastically change’ Brits’ getaway plans. However, what may change is the location of the holidays. At the moment destinations outside of the eurozone are less expensive so you may see people traveling further afield.
If you are planning a holiday then cut your costs by searching for cheap travel insurance, but make sure that you get adequate cover.
March 19th, 2009
Many teenagers around the country will be getting very excited as they plan their first holiday abroad without their parents. It marks a big change in their life when they have to be responsible and independent.
However one of aspects of a holiday that teenagers probably won’t think about is their travel insurance. An article by insurance company Swiftcover reports that one in five Brits admit to not taking out adequate travel insurance which could be vital.
More people are shunning the package holiday and booking flights, accommodation and transfers directly themselves reports The Daily Mail. If you are a seasoned traveler then this approach isn’t too risky but for younger people with little travel experience the package holiday offers a kind of safety blanket, so often a good choice for teenagers.
In order to make the most of your holiday Swiftcover have listed 8 top nightmare situations to avoid:
* Drinking too much - drinking too much in hot weather can lead to exhaustion.
* Dangerous sports - treatment for a broken leg can cost up to £7,000 in Europe so make sure your travel insurance covers this if you plan to take part in dangerous sports.
* Sun exposure - limit the time in the sun and wear sun screen. Sunburn and heat stroke can ruin a holiday
* Getting lost - 11% of teenagers get lost or stranded on their first holiday without parents. Familiarise yourself with your surroundings.
* Drugs - drugs are unpredictable and accidents through drugs can invalidate your travel insurance.
* Excessive partying - this can lead to you being kicked out of your hotel, so enjoy yourself but don’t go too mad.
* Getting arrested - check local customs and laws. Don’t be arrested for being drunk and disorderly.
* Ending up in hospital - follow health and safety guidelines and make sure you have had any vaccinations.
July 31st, 2008
Back in April there were reports that Virgin and Google were joining forces to set up a human settlement on Mars. Unsurprisingly that turned out to be an April Fool joke but yesterday Virgin announced a new venture offering people the chance to visit space, no April fool.
I wonder how many people have dreamed of one day being able to go into space and feel Zero Gravity. Well now that dream could become reality. The British Billionaire, Richard Branson, has teamed up with designer Burt Rutal to produce ‘WhiteKnightTwo’, a high-altitude jet that will act as a mothership for the spacecraft SpaceShipTwo. The largest all carbon-composite aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo will take SpaceShipTwo to an altitude of about 50,000 feet before it is released. SpaceShipTwo will then propel passengers into space at nearly 2500mph, over 3 times the speed of sound, ultimately ending in five minutes of zero gravity. They will be able to see the beautiful curvature of the world and the blue hazy ring of the atmosphere, spectacular views. The ride home sounds just as exciting as the spaceship deceleration produces G-forces as you reenter the atmosphere and glide back down to earth.
The first trip could be as soon as 18 months time with the first 250 people all booking their place by paying £100,000. Richard Branson is so confident in the safety of this new venture that he and members of his family will be among the first passengers to fly. All passengers will need to undergo a pre-flight medical and will be expected to take part in 3 days of pre-flight preparation, bonding and training on site at the spaceport. No specialist training is required.
The Telegraph are reporting that Richard Branson plans to tie this in with his domestic US airline, Virgin America, where pilots from the airline will be trained to fly the spaceships. Frequent Virgin America fliers will be able to collect more miles so that one day they may be able to trade their airmiles in for a flight in space.
What an absolutely amazing experience to be able to tell your children and Grandchildren. As the technology advances maybe a trip to space could be something that we all might be able to afford one day.
Watch this promotional video for the full story of Virgin Galactic.
July 30th, 2008
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