Posts filed under 'travel'
The government has recently announced that they are going to roll out the use of the hard-shoulder on motorways at peak driving times. After a year of testing on the M42 the scheme is going to be soon extended to other motorways including the M1, M4, M6, M25 and M40.
The announcement raises a few questions
including whether the use of these previously empty lanes will hinder the work of the emergency services (although The Highways Agency insists it won’t) and, as claimed by Friends of the Earth, whether this “motorway widening by stealth” will simply attract more cars and cause even more carbon dioxide emissions.
Can the two battles - one against gridlock, the other against environmental damage - both be won? And will lives be lost if, say, ambulances or helicopters aren’t able to reach an accident scene because of a blocked hard shoulder.
Whatever the government’s priorities one thing is for sure: allowing us to use the hard shoulder is a less expensive option than stumping up the money to add an extra new lane….
November 2nd, 2007
Q: When is a destination not a destination? A: When it’s only a stop-over of course. Okay, so it’s not the best riddle you’ve ever faced, but it does provide a link between two articles published by the Telegraph and Times this weekend.
First up is the Telegraph’s insider guide to Dubai and covers all you need to know about this oasis in the desert from the world’s first ’seven star’ hotel - the Burj Al-Arab - to the huge indoor ski slope - ideal if you miss the snow while in the desert - and all the best places to shop, eat and be seen! Check out the full article for the low down on the high-life to be enjoyed in Dubai.
The Times chose to focus on Dubai too - as well as neighbours such as Qatar and Abu Dhabi but only to commend it as a stop-over on the way to the Far East or beyond on account of the cheap fares available should you travel via the Middle East. The article keenly notes that despite the subsidised fares - hoping to entice you stay and spend - one can stay just an hour or three, before flying on to your final destination, and save a fortune in air fares. Lots of bargains to be had - though you may of course spend all that you save in the shopping malls.
October 29th, 2007
It’s not even the second last week of October and already the first Christmas commercial is on television.
I can’t remember who it was for – possibly Argos - but it definitely had “I wish it could be Christmas every day” throughout – not to mention Roy Wood (the original singer of said ‘classic’ song) in a cameo role.
Now while it does seem a little early to be snapping up crackers and ordering your turkey, there are those who clearly like to get the whole thing – literally – wrapped up by Halloween.
Playing to those who are not just organised but also with an eye for a bargain, there is an extremely timely article on the Telegraph website about Christmas shopping in the US and taking advantage of the superb exchange rate – still hovering around the £1 = $2 mark.
Their tip was that Boston was a better destination than New York City, and the article features a host of tips on exactly where to go for the best choice and of course the best savings in both cities.
For those with more exotic trips in mind, a follow-up piece also offers an inside guide to Christmas shopping in Hong Kong, Marrakesh, and Mumbai and Istanbul. Beats Argos I suppose…
October 21st, 2007
Julian Worricker – a BBC Radio 5 Live presenter has taken a 6-month sabbatical to travel the world. Interestingly, one of the first of his observations on cultural differences is about the differences in rules for pool (as in the billiard-type game). He notes the main one is about whether or not you get one or two shots after a foul shot by your opponent. I know of at least 3 others that have caused trouble and strife in bars whether in Barnet, Budapest or Bangkok so for any other intrepid travellers, my tip is always sort out before you begin:
1) Whether after the cue ball is accidentally pocketed the opponent can go forward and backward from the baulk-line or just forward. (I say both ways)
2) Whether when shooting for the 8-ball, you have to nominate the pocket you intend to put the ball into – and thus whether you lose if it ends up in another pocket, instead of winning anyway. (I say any pocket is fine)
3) Whether you have to shoot for your balls in sequence 1-7 or 9-15 before attempting to pot the black. (I say this is ridiculous - any ball is fine).
4) Whether if you are carrying two shots and then end up on the black, you continue to have two shots, or, at this stage, just the one. (I’m happy to allow just one)
And finally one I always like to establish - brimming with confidence at the start of a game – whether or not I have the right to stay at the table if I win.
Feel free to disagree with me, but I know the rules I learned are the best - even if they are not the rules pubs seem to allow probably to speed up games and thus make more money from the tables.
October 19th, 2007
Selected highlights from the weekend’s travel press….
Telegraph: With the Rugby World Cup nearing its conclusion in Paris and England making it all the way to the final once again, this feature looked at some of the best brasseries in Paris to er…try if you fancy some decent scrum for your tum. Will you be converted? Are they worth a punt? Okay, no more rugby puns.
Times Online: On the subject of Paris…this article covered everything you need to know about Eurostar and it’s move next month from Waterloo to St. Pancras. The good news is 1) the journey gets quicker: down to 2h 15mins. 2) £59 fares will still be available 3) Eurostar is now better-positioned for the rest of the UK, with seven train lines coming into either St. Pancras or nearby Kings Cross or Euston terminals.
The Independent: Picked out France as the best bet for top-class skiing. Pros: 1) the height of the mountains - meaning a better chance of snow. 2) the amount of intermediate terrain, what most Brits need apparently. 3) the quality of the lift system. 4) plenty of transport options from all over UK. 5) accomodation that isn’t all very expensive. The only downsides they seemed to find were the lack of good, simple restaurants, and the amount of British skiiers.
The Guardian: They also took on skiing with their answer to the question “So which ski resort is right for us” which provided six bespoke solutions ranging from the quaint and quirky to the more rampant and rabid resorts to suit different travellers.
Wherever you head to…don’t forget your travel insurance ; - )
October 15th, 2007
The rise of the cheap flight airlines has meant a rise in holiday ’snacking’ - bite-sized breaks in addition to ‘main’ summer holidays. And for many, this snacking takes the form of drinking - whether it be the opportunity to sip sherry in the Jerez region of Spain or sample champagne in the actual Champagne region of France. October however heralds one thing in the drinking world: Oktoberfest, the annual festival of beer which takes place in Munich every year.
Plenty of airlines provide inexpensive flights to Munich, so getting there is easy enough - but rather handily for those that want to enjoy something of an Oktoberfeast as well as an Oktoberfest (their word play, not mine), The Guardian has recently provided a Top Ten list of Munich eateries offering a variety of fayre to pad out the pints (or, should I say, soak up the steins).
My favourite has to be the currywürst - bite-sized slices of sausage smothered in a curry sauce. They may not exactly serve curry like this round Mumbai way, but as they say, when in Rome, do like the Romans…
October 3rd, 2007
Right now, my son is satisfied with Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs and day-trips anywhere on the London Underground. More mature appetites, hankering for a more luxurious railway experience might wish to peruse this pick of the world’s most exclusive railway journeys as published in this weekend’s Sunday Telegraph. There are a couple of expected names on the list from the Venice Simplon-Orient Express to the Blue Train that runs between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa and, of course, being a list of the most exclusive journeys, you can bet your Family Railcard that none of these are exactly inexpensive ways to get from A to B.
September 24th, 2007
Not to be outdone by The Telegraph - see yesterday’s post - The Observer today published their list of “25 Great Ideas for Autumn Getaways” a veritable feast of food festivals, wine tours, forest retreats and more to explore once our Indian Summer fades.
September 16th, 2007
Round my way we seem to be enjoying somewhat of late summer. Long may it continue but I don’t suppose it will. Whilst lounging in the park, drinking cappucinos, and wondering when the next getaway might present itself, I happened upon 25 Great Autumn Escapes courtesy of the Daily Telegraph’s weekend Travel section.
September 15th, 2007
An interesting report has just been published. Unveiled at the Royal Geographical Society, in a conference session on Transport and Sustainability, the research from the University of Exeter claims that we - as a nation - are addicted to cheap flights and confused about whether or not to undertake air travel.
When we open the newspapers we see, on one page, stories about the environmental damage caused by aviation, and then on the next page we see full-page advertisements offering cheaper flights to suit our lifestyle. The study reckons that even those living ‘generally green lives’ are reluctant to fly less and bargain flights are one thing they are reluctant to give up. Of course, one could suggest that at least all these flights heading off to sunnier climes are warming up the country for those who can’t afford to go jetting off abroad, meaning that in the long term, we’ll all need to take less flights abroad in search of the sun…but it’s a cheap gag really. The big question is, can the combined efforts of the scientific community and the Government change our attitudes further so as to encourage more responsible travel?
Equally important, how long will it be before there really is public appetite to break our cheap flight addiction? Right now, it seems only die-hard environmentalists are willing to reduce their short haul travel, and as the report concludes, even they do it reluctantly.
August 31st, 2007
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