Looking for things to do in London this summer in London?
Last weekend (23 July), 100 ping-pong tables popped up across London’s landmarks - from Soho Square to Westfield Shopping Centre, Tate Britain to the British Library, St Pancras International to Heathrow’s Terminal 3.
Marked ‘Stop and Play’, the tables are up for four weeks for all to enjoy. Bats and balls are supplied so it’s great for those impromptu moments.
Having tried the ping pong tables on Saturday, Your Travel Planner can thoroughly recommend “Ping London” also as a great day out for adults and children alike. Don’t forget to drop into Ping Pong Parlour - a one-of-a-kind table tennis social club located just off Carnaby Street - set up just for four weeks this Summer.
Ping! has been created as a partnership between the ETTA and Sing London, the participatory arts organisation that produced last year’s Street Pianos Project with artist Luke Jerram.
For more information or to find a table near you, visit Ping London.
Monday, July 26th, 2010,
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Filed under: UK & Ireland| London, Things to Do, What's on in London|
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The latest information from the Icelandic Meteorological Office indicate that the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is currently in a ‘paused’ phase ie. no longer emitting ash but only steam. However, volcanoes are only regarded as being dormant if they are ‘paused’ for three months.
With the massive disruption to UK travellers recently, Your Travel Planner has researched and called travel insurance companies to see which policies are offering specific cover for volcanic ash clouds.
Here’s what we found. Look out for the policies that will cover you to make alternative travel arrangements home:
Remember: You’re covered for cancellation from the date that you take out your policy, not the date that your holiday starts. So whatever the volcano news in the months to come, you’re covered for cancellation. BUT,you won’t be covered if you take out a policy during an airspace ban.
Aviva Travel Insurance
Cancellation and Enforced Stay Abroad (alternative travel arrangements home)
Aviva recently launched an optional add-on to their standard travel insurance policies, to provide cover for any future event causing a closure of airspace, airports or ports. This optional upgrade is £10 per person on an annual policy and £5 per person on a single trip policy.
This cover means you will be able to claim for cancellation of your trip if airspace, airport/port is closed for more than 24 hours from the time stated on your travel ticket.
A section called Enforced Stay Abroad has also been added which covers you if you can’t return home due to the closure of airspace or an airport/port. The cover provides £100 per person for each 24 hour period (to a maximum of £1500) that you are unable to return home OR if you need to make your own way home after a 24 hour delay (and the carrier or handling agent has been unable to offer you suitable alternative travel arrangements), Aviva will pay you up to £1,000 per person for reasonable and necessary additional travel expenses that you incur.
Columbus Direct
Travel delay, abandonment and Emergency Travel Upgrade (alternative travel arrangements home)
Columbus Direct will cover to travel delay and abandonment if the policy was taken out when there was no airspace ban.
They have also added a new “Emergency Travel Upgrade” as an option on its gold and silver policy ranges. This helps passengers pay for alternative ways home in case of being stranded overseas. The upgrade costs £20 per policy and reimburses up to £4,000 of expense.
More details can be found here.
M&S Travel Insurance
Independent Traveller option (accommodation only for getting home)
M&S travel insurance policies are underwritten by AXA, who are only providing cover under the optional Independent Traveller section. If you’re stuck abroad, this section covers you for accommodation only, with the assumption that the airlines will cover the flights. Independent Traveller cover is optional, but included in M&S’s annual policies. Other expenses incurred such as food and beverage will not be covered.
Direct Travel Insurance
Delayed departure or abandonment
A company that honoured claims for ash cloud, Direct Travel say they are continuing to consider the ash cloud as “adverse weather”. missed or delayed departure or abandonment, to cover accommodation and transport that cannot be recovered from another source.
Depending on your policy, the benefit of cover is upto £350 for delayed departure, upto £6,000 for abandonment and upto £1000 for missed departure. If you are stranded abroad due to travel disruption, Direct Travel will automatically extend your policy period until you return home, at no extra cost.
However, Direct Travel are not covering additional repatriation costs ie. alternative travel arrangements to get home.
World First
Travel delay and abandonment
World First are covering the ash cloud under travel delay and abandonment. Travel delay provides £25 for the first 12 hours and then £10 thereafter, to a maximum of £100 per person. After 24 hours you can then claim under abandonment. Policyholders who become stuck abroad due to any new event will have their policies automatically extended until the next available flight is offered.
To keep up-to-date with this changing travel insurance situation, Your Travel Planner recommends moneymaxim who is keeping their site updated with the latest situation.
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010,
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Filed under: Travel News, Travel Tips, Uncategorized| Iceland volcano, travel insurance, volcanic ash cloud|
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Here’s another review for Your Travel Planner readers from Annette Kirkley, a therapeutic, sports and remedial masseuse and fellow local networker.
This time, she recommends this delightful agritourismo in Puglia, Italy:
Agriturismo Masseria Aprile in Locorotondo, Puglia is an old 18th century “masseria” farmhouse to which traditional “trulli” rooms have been added. The agritourismo is surrounded by its own fields of olive trees, vines and animals, with a beautiful view of the small town of Locorotondo perched on the hill. At 1 kilometre south of the town, it’s a perfect distance to wander up to explore the town, which has beautiful whitewashed baroque buildings, and eat a meal before walking back.
The Aprile family are very hospitable and sometimes invite guests to join them for dinner, after the opportunity to have a go at making the local pasta. We were also lucky enough to witness the first pressing, by hand, of their red grapes in traditional barrels. The daughter, Stephania, runs the business and speaks good English.
The accomodation is good, with great, home-baked food for breakfast, and lots of laughter (mostly at our Italian!) There is plenty of space for children to run around in, all in all a perfect place to just chill out, or to explore the many interests of the surrounding area if you have a car. This is a very unspoilt, undiscovered part of Puglia.
See Annette’s review for Your Travel Planner of Viglatoras Apartments, Crete here. If you have a review of your favourite place, why not share it with Your Travel Planner. Please contact me at www.go2research.com/contact_Go2.php.
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010,
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Filed under: Destinations, Europe, Reviews: Hotels, Places to Eat, Destinations, Uncategorized| Agritourism, Italy|
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After a family day out in East Sussex, I remembered a traditional pub serving local and seasonal food that had come up in some research I did for a client.
The Pelham Arms is at the top of the High Street in Lewes and we were pleased to see that children were welcome in the pub until 8pm.
Built around 1640, this pub instantly gives you a warm and inviting welcome as you step in through the doors. I’ve been told that the pub was recently updated, but the original oak beams, inglenook fireplace and wooden floors preserves a traditional charm.
The food at the Pelham Arms is sourced from local suppliers and seasonal food seems to be a key criteria. Between us, we sampled the gammon, the pork chops and the brie and mushroom tart. The tart was a little overdone, but overall the food was very good. Mains are around £8.
As well as organic juices and botanically brewed soft drinks, the pub also offers a good selection of real ales.
Lewes is perfectly placed for the walkers exploring the South Downs or the South Downs Way and for families visiting East Sussex attractions such as Drusillas Park and Knockhatch Adventure Park.
Monday, May 24th, 2010,
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Filed under: Reviews: Hotels, Places to Eat, Destinations| East Sussex Pubs, Restaurant Reviews|
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“I realise now the huge potential offered by rail travel.” That is what a local parent said, after attending the Discovering Greener Family Holidays seminar last Thursday (13 May 1010).
Seminar Speakers: Dot Pinkney, Ching Lee and Richard Trillo
The seminar, organised by Go2 Holiday Research, explored how no-fly alternatives are a feasible, practical and greener choice for families. With high levels of ash disrupting UK and Ireland airspace in recent weeks, the seminar turned out to be very timely.
Speaking at the seminar, I wanted to highlight that the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland does not have to mean just staycations either. Travelling to Europe (beyond France) by train, ferry and car can be considered a part of the holiday and, from personal experience, children love the adventure this brings.
Go2 was delighted to be working with Richard Trillo, editor of Rough Guide to Kenya, and Dot Pinkney, director of communications of Tripbod.com who were guest speakers at the seminar.
“The ash cloud is forcing us to rethink our holidays and it’s fantastic to see the interest and enthusiasm to explore a greener way to travel,” said Richard Trillo.
Dot Pinkney added, “Greener travel also embraces local travel. It was great that the Tripbod concept of tapping into the knowledge and experience of locals when planning their travel was so well received.”
As well as transport alternatives, greener options for places to stay were also explored including cottages that used solar energy, yurts in the Isle of Wight and organic farms in Italy.
“I want to travel green now after this meeting. I am now aware of a difference it could make,” was the concluding comment from a local parent.
Comment from Ching Lee:
I’m delighted with the positive feedback received from the attendees of this first seminar. Many people commented at how they were unaware of the many options available. It was a very interactive and enjoyable morning. The raffle and goody bags were particularly well received and I would like to thank our Partners and Supporters for their fantastic contributions and support.
Following the interest received, we hope to run Discovering Greener Holidays seminar again for people who missed it the first time round. The date is to be confirmed, so please do check the website for updates and further details.
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010,
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Filed under: Travel Tips| Green Holidays|
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Following their personal review on Cuba (see Destination Review: CUBA), Your Travel Planner members, Elizabeth Clark and Martyn Calder, give us their Top 10 Tips for this fascinating country.
- Take cash (sterling or euros) or traveller’s cheques. ATMs are rare and credit cards not widely accepted. Dollars and American Express are not welcome! You can change money at the airport, on arrival or at exchanges in major hotels. Rates are pretty consistent everywhere.
- Make sure your holiday arrangements get you off the tourist track to find the real Cuba. You won’t learn much about Cuba in a hotel by the beach.
- Take wrapped soap or pens or other minor luxuries. In a country with few consumer goods, these are hugely welcome. In Old Havana, schools are squeezed between bars and museums and you’ll have no difficulty in finding a home for your gifts.
- By the same token, make sure you have all the toiletries you need. Everyday items such as conditioner and tampons can be elusive.
- Learn the difference quickly between Cuban Peso and Convertible Peso notes (the latter have pictures of monuments on them). There are 25 Cubans to the Convertible so it’s important. You’ll almost always deal in the latter.
- Acquire a good supply of small change and hold on to it. As in many European countries, a coin for the toilet superintendent is customary, and tipping generally is expected.
- Take a bottle of soy sauce or your favourite seasoning. The food can be a little bland - not always, but enough to warrant thinking about.
- Although generally a warm climate, Havana can sometimes be chilly. Take a fleece. For Cubans, air-conditioning only has one setting - max!
- Don’t expect a shopping cornucopia. If your friends and relatives don’t like rum or cigars, best to moderate their holiday gift expectations before you go.
- Vegetarianism is not a widely embraced concept - be prepared for a lot of omelette.
Friday, April 9th, 2010,
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Filed under: Destinations, South & Central America, Travel Tips| Cuba, Travel Tips|
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I recently wrote a guest blogpost for Trish Gant’s Little Gems Photography blog and thought Your Travel Planner readers would find it useful too…
The Easter holidays are upon us. If you’re looking for last-minute things to do for families over Easter, here are some suggestions from Your Travel Planner:
Easter Egg Hunts
Which child does not love an Easter Egg Hunt? Cadbury are supporting the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland’s Easter Egg Trails for the 3rd year running. Properties close to London:
Claremont Landscape Garden, Surrey; 2 & 3 April, 11am to 4pm; Polesden Lacey, Surrey; 2-5 April, 10 am to 5pm; Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire; 2-5 April, 10am to 4pm; Morden Park Hall, London; 5 April, 11am to 3pm
Days Out
There’s more Easter fun to be had on a day out. Join in the Easter Garden Trail at Wisley Gardens, Surrey on 2-5 April.
Kew Gardens’ new tree-themed outdoor play area opens this Easter. Children (between 3 and 11 years old) can climb up ladders, brave wobbly rope bridges and fly down zip wires.
London Wetland Centre has a packed programme of Easter activities for children. See the adorable newly hatched ducklings take their first swim, plus Easter egg hunts, pond dipping, puppeteers and storytelling.
It’s Easter lambing time at Bocketts Farm Park. 300 lambs are due - including 35 sets of triplets! Join in the Easter Egg Hunt Trail which will be happening every day throughout the holidays.
Theatre
Try some local theatre this Easter. The New Wimbledon Theatre still has tickets left for the last few performances of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (until 3 April). Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play is on at The Polka Theatre, Wimbledon until 15 May (suitable for 4-7 year olds) and under 3’s can enjoy Egg and Spoon (until 10 April), a multi-sensory, interactive journey through the seasons.
Short Breaks and Holidays
Grab a last minute staycation. Haven Holidays seem to have plenty of availability during Easter, prices from £134* for 4 nights. Or how about a place recognised for its lower environmental impact? Mazzard Farm in Devon, awarded Gold by the Green Tourism Business Scheme, have 3 options left during Easter, including Russett Cottage (sleeps 4)). Available 9-12 April for a long weekend, original price £345, now £225*.
*Please note that all prices and availability shown are correct at the time of writing (1 April 2010).
Thursday, April 1st, 2010,
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Filed under: Destinations, UK & Ireland, Uncategorized| Easter Holidays, Things to Do|
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By Ching Lee
There was a moment on the ferry that I thought, ‘families should travel like this more often’. I was looking out across the calm Adriatic Sea, between the Italian and Balkan peninsulas. The sun was warm and we were sheltered from the wind, listening to the sound of our children’s laughter as they played tag on the top deck.
We were in the middle of a two week trip to Greece and Italy (Summer 2009). The aim was to discover how feasible and enjoyable a green family summer holiday could be. In the previous week, the children had seen for themselves the importance of travelling responsibly, when we stayed on the Gerakas Peninsula of Zakynthos, one of the last nesting sites of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. (Read more about our stay here).
We had flown directly from London to Zakynthos, but now we were on a more relaxed journey back to London, via Italy and Paris.
Our journey had started the previous morning at the bus station in Zakynthos town. With our bags loaded onto the bus, we travelled all of 20 minutes to the port where we boarded the local ferry for the hour long trip to Zakynthos to Kilini. Our bags and the bus were expertly reversed onto the ferry and we would meet again in Kilini.
There’s something very regal about sailing out of a harbour. As we shouted and waved goodbye to Zakynthos, the memories of our wonderful week seemed to stay with us for longer as we sailed alongside the coast of this beautiful Ionian island. Being cocooned in a plane just doesn’t compare. On the ferry, we were still witnessing the hustle and bustle of life in Zakynthos, still feeling the sun on our faces, still marvelling at the beautiful views around us.
It’s exhilarating to sail into a harbour too. OK, so it was only Kilini, but it was a taster of things to come. From Kilini, it was another hour (on the same Zakynthos bus) to Patras.
Patras port was lined with huge international ferries and our hopes of being conveniently deposited by our Anek ferry were quickly extinguished. I don’t think the impromptu game of ‘Find Anek’ was entirely appreciated by the children (nor us for that matter), but our excitement soon returned as, once on board, we were carried smoothly by escalator up to Reception. The ferry was a far cry from the ones we’re used to
crossing the English Channel. Think cruise ship and you’ll get the picture.
Excitement turned to joy as the children saw the bunk beds in our cabin and two sets meant no arguments as to who was going to get the top bunk. The overnight 22 hour sailing meant we had plenty of time to explore (and enjoy) the facilities on board: restaurants, bars, lounges, shops and even a swimming pool. A cabin was definitely the most comfortable choice for a family, although plenty of people had opted for airline seats and even sleeping on deck.
The crossing was unbelievably calm. The mint tea and ginger biscuits I had packed to combat seasickness were thankfully not required. In fact, the beds in the cabin were very comfortable and we woke up the next day, refreshed and looking forward to our next week in the beautiful Italian region of Le Marche.
We spent the last hours before our arrival in Ancona on deck. The journey so far was proving a big hit and a success. We had reduced our carbon footprint and we arrived in colourful Ancona, certain that we would be travelling by ferry, rather than plane, to Greece again.
Still to come: Leg 2 - Ancona to Paris.
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010,
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Filed under: Destinations, Europe, Reviews: Hotels, Places to Eat, Destinations| ferry, Greece to London, Italy, train, Zakynthos|
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Last month, VisitDenmark launched their 2010 ‘Be our Guinea Pig‘ holiday testing programme, giving 2 families and 4 couples the chance to go on a FREE holiday to Denmark. The closing date for applications is noon Friday 26 March, so there’s still time to apply.
Successful applicants will be asked to test different types of activities, transportation and accommodation and document their trip through a short holiday video. The video will be published on the VisitDenmark website.
Commenting on the ‘Guinea Pig’ programme, Henrik Kahn, Director of VisitDenmark said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for enthusiastic and adventurous travellers to experience our wonderfully diverse country whilst documenting their experiences to highlight just how much fun a holiday in Denmark can be. Applicants don’t need to have any experience of writing or photography - just an ability to express themselves in an interesting and original way. All they have to do is choose which holiday they want to apply for, click the appropriate link - and cross their fingers!”
The Guinea Pig holiday test programme is open to all UK residents but certain terms and conditions apply. Each holiday includes accommodation, transport to Denmark (by air or ferry) and the different activities to be tested for each trip. Choose from these six different trips:
- Viking family holiday
- Camping family holiday
- Touring holiday for a couple
- City break to Copenhagen: Summer in the Jazz City
- City break to Copenhagen: Going Green
- City break to Aalborg
Visit the VistDenmark website for more information.
Monday, March 8th, 2010,
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Filed under: Destinations, Europe, Travel News| Free Holiday, Visit Denmark|
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Personal review from
Your Travel Planner members,
Elizabeth Clark and
Martyn Calder.
Elizabeth is a wonderful Colour Psychologist from Colourworks Consulting (www.colourworksconsulting.com).
January 2010
Cuba - land of cigars, rum, sugar, and Fidel. “Go before it changes,” we thought.
Cuban Flags for Sale
Since the collapse of communism, Cuba has started to open up and receive the financial benefits available from tourists from the West - UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Canada. But not - of course - the United States; it is apparently still illegal in the States for US citizens to have financial dealings with Cuba, and tourism falls in this net.
It sometimes seems as if Cuba defines itself by its opposition to the United States - the victories of the Revolution and the Bay of Pigs may be well known; a celebrated baseball triumph may have passed non-baseball-loving Brits right by.
Our 1955 Bel-Air at Plaza de la Revolucion
Reminders of Cuba’s long and complicated relationship with the United States remain very visible on the streets of Havana: the Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Chryslers, and Pontiacs that still form a significant proportion of the city’s automobile population. Their continued functioning is a tribute to the ingenuity of Cuban mechanics, particularly as they are apparently now often fitted with Lada or Toyota engines. Our morning’s tour of the city in a 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air Convertible was a real high spot.
Havana
Havana - at least Havana Vieja (Old Havana) - is a beautiful city to wander around. The imposing Fort of El Morro dominates the entrance to the harbour which defines the city. The narrow streets are virtually vehicle free (not many Cubans have cars) and there has been a huge effort in recent years by the City authorities to restore the crumbling buildings. Beautiful newly-painted architectural gems juxtapose crumbling ruins which have been split into multiple occupation. Housing remains a pressing need in Cuba.
Plaza Vieja in Old Havana
Our wanderings took us, between stops in numerous street cafes, to the City Museum, the Rum Museum, the Automobile Museum, the Chocolate Museum (oh yes!), and the Museum of the Revolution. The Revolution has, of course, had a bad press in much of the West, but Batista was a desperately bad dictator, and American Mafia money was all over Havana and the then Cuban government.
The Revolution brought education and healthcare, but fifty years on the economy still struggles. Is this because of the US blockade, or is it a structural weakness of the communist system? Certainly most people are poor; a teacher may earn the equivalent of £10-15 a month, and many families struggle to augment a modest diet obtained by ration cards from sparse state-owned shops. Yet anyone in a tourist-related business might make that in tips on a good day. The divide is emphasised by there being two currencies: Cuban Pesos for most people, and Convertible Pesos for tourists and luxury shops.
Exploring Cuba
In the fields
Towards the western end of Cuba is Vinales - farming country. Here we wandered among the tobacco, pineapple, and corn fields where farmers - often with cigar in mouth - still sow by hand. Agricultural machinery is rare, and usually ancient. Tobacco leaf hangs in drying sheds, waiting to be rolled into those famous cigars.
Heading south from Havana we travelled on near-empty roads. Transport and fuel is short, and the government employs yellow-clad wardens at busy junctions to ensure that privately-owned (an ambiguous term in Cuba) cars take on less fortunate passengers - a very imaginative and eco-friendly solution.
Trinidad de Cuba is a UNESCO World Heritage site. A major centre for trade and piracy in the 1700-1800s, not much has changed in the city centre and it would make a wonderful set for Pirates of the Caribbean. We wandered around the cobbled streets and found a thriving craft market - the nearest thing to a private shopping centre we found in Cuba. Now a little way from the town, the beach was a vision of white sand and blue sea with, as is often in Cuba, very limited facilities.
Plaza Mayor in Trinidad de Cuba
Heading back north (and Cuba is much bigger than you think) we came to Santa Clara, site of one of the pivotal battles of the Revolution when Che Guevara led an attack on a government armoured train. The train’s skewed carriages now provide an imaginative museum. Also here is Che Guevara’s mausoleum - a haunting place - and museum. Che is an icon in Cuba, and his image appears everywhere, much more so than Fidel’s.
A Real Gem
Visiting Cuba is a chance to see a society which, though in many ways familiar to us with its Spanish history and art deco development, has also been isolated from mainstream western culture for half a century. There is no McDonalds, no KFC, no Starbucks, and no Coca-Cola, and that alone is worth the trip!
Havana is a real gem, music is everwhere, there is beautiful scenery, and the Cubans are very friendly. It is not, however, a cheap destination and quality and service are not watchwords; food can be unimaginative and mid-range hotels may offer only fading grandeur.
Cuba is now at a crossroads as Fidel hands over the reins. What will it be like in a decade or two? Who knows - best go now and beat the rush!
Thank you to Elizabeth and Martyn for sharing their fascinating travel experience in Cuba. If you have a travel experience to share with Your Travel Planner readers, please do contact me at Go2 Holiday Research. We’d love to hear from you!
Friday, February 26th, 2010,
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Filed under: Destinations, Reviews: Hotels, Places to Eat, Destinations, South & Central America| Cuba, Havana|
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