Archive for May, 2009
Only 4 more weeks to go before Virgin Atlantic’s 25th birthday and their special fares continue this week with London to Chicago return from £279.
The terms are:
- Applies to departure dates of 1 Sept 09 - 30 Nov 09
- Includes all taxes, fees and surcharges
- Additional credit card charges and weekend travel supplements apply
- Book from 28 May to 10pm on 3 June 09
The good news is that Autumn is still a good time to visit Chicago. As the birthplace to the modern skyscraper, take in the architecture, catch a baseball game or just chill out on the Lakefront. Visit Virgin Atlantic’s website for more details of this week’s offer.
Filed under: Destinations, North America | London to Chicago Flight Offer, Virgin Atlantic Offer of the Week|No Comments
Keeping the family entertained doesn’t have to break the bank. There are loads of FREE Things to Do in London for families during the May Half Term. Your Travel Planner shares some suggestions.
South Bank Centre
The South Bank Centre has plenty of free events on for children and families during the May half-term, with most taking place in the Clore Ballroom. Below is a selection, but see the South Bank website for more information:
West End Family Fun; Tuesday, 26 May 2009
To celebrate National Family week, Southbank Centre teams up with the West End to bring you a day of workshops, singalongs, dancealongs and the opportunity to see a live extract from one of the best musicals currently running in the West End.
Half Term Family Workshops; Wednesday 27 - Friday 29 May 2009
Families can drop in for workshops that will get all the family working and playing together.
Gluemouth; Wednesday 27 - Friday 29 May 2009
Gluemouth is a new show that will inspire young poets. Laura Dockrill will perform some of her new poems for children in this unique family event.
The Magnets; Wednesday 27 - Friday 29 May 2009
The UK’s leading ‘all vocal’ band lead a singing workshop in which groups of children and their families learn different parts of well known songs.
Free Swimming
As part of a scheme supported by central government to encourage people to adopt more healthy lifestyles, many local authorities now offer free swimming for under 16 year olds (and over 60s). So if grandparents take their grandchildren, you can all go for free!
You can check here for a list of local authorities in London where you can swim for free.
Free Tennis
It’s not just swimming. Tennis for Free is an initiative to allow the public to play tennis for free. You can search the list of local authorities by area to see where there are free courts and free coaching.
Mercedes-Benz World
Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands in Weybridge is a great day out if you’re a motoring fan. Free May Half Term activities include spectacular shows from the Silver Arrows Display Team, passenger laps and F1 presentations.
Free London Museums
Visiting London means that you have access to world class and lesser known museums, with most offering free admission. All have special activities for the May Half Term. Your Travel Planner favourites include the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the British Museum.
Know of any other FREE things to do in the May Half Term? Please share it with Your Travel Planner readers by posting it as a comment. Thank you.
Filed under: Destinations, Europe, Travel Tips | Half Term ideas London, Things to Do|No Comments
A beach holiday, in a hot destination, with good snorkelling. It’s many people’s idea of a dream holiday.
Seeing the wonders of the underwater world is breathtaking and it’s something that we would want our children and future generations to be able to experience.
However, scientists estimate that 20 percent of the world’s coral reefs have already been lost. Those that remain are threatened by climate change and human-induced damage, including tourism-related activities, such as harvesting for jewellery and souvenirs.
SeaWeb’s Too Precious to Wear campaign highlights 5 coral saving tips to consider when on holiday:
- Avoid purchases of products made from real coral. Instead, choose jewellery or decorative items that are made of alternative materials. For products that are coral-inspired, not coral-derived, please visit www.tooprecioustowear.org.
- When snorkelling or diving, refrain from collecting pieces of coral or other reef creatures as souvenirs or from even touching them. Corals are slow-growing animals and can take decades to recover from impacts, sometimes never recuperating from the damage.
- Choose hotels and recreation vendors that are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and make the same commitment for your own home. Carbon dioxide emissions are warming the ocean and making it increasingly acidic, negatively affecting the health of reef corals and other marine organisms.
- Do your homework. Visit beach resorts that receive a high green rating, particularly for their pollution control and conservation policies. Do your part at home by refraining from putting chemicals and other toxic wastes into your sewer system. All treated sewage can eventually end up in the ocean and other important water systems.
- Whether you are going on holiday or staying at home this summer, make a pledge and take action to help preserve corals by signing Too Precious to Wear’s coral pledge at http://www.seaweb.org/TPTW/pledge.php.
For the full story, see the Yahoo! News website or the article on the TravelMole website.
Too Precious to Wear is a SeaWeb campaign to create a demand for coral conservation. Too Precious to Wear is made possible with support from The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, Kingfisher Foundation, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and The Ocean Foundation. www.tooprecioustowear.org.
SeaWeb is a communications-based nonprofit organization that utilizes social marketing techniques to advance ocean conservation. www.seaweb.org
Filed under: Responsible Tourism, Travel Tips | Beach holiday, coral reef, snorkelling|No Comments
According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, there are more than 11,000 restaurants in Hong Kong. Locals and visitors alike have a fantastic choice of Cantonese and other regional Chinese food, cuisines from the rest of Asia as well as Western fare.
So after Hong Kong Highlights: Things to Do (28 April 2009), I thought I would share some of the eateries sampled on my recent trip:
Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop
The Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop in the impressive International Finance Centre is a far cry from the ‘dai pai dongs’ (open-air food stalls) that traditionally serve congee and noodles.
These days, dai pai dongs are in rapid decline as they are moved into more ‘hygienic’ cooked food centres. They still offer cheap, delicious food, though, and are definitely worth trying.
However, if you find yourself with weary feet in Central’s waterfront and have an urge for wanton noodle soup, the Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop on Level 3 of IFC Mall could be just the place. As you’d expect being in the IFC, this place is a restful, more refined, but pricier version of the beloved dai pai dong. The food’s still good though; I can recommend the dried fried beef ho fun, wanton noodles soup and red bean soup.
Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine
Another shopping centre, another restaurant. Hong Kong’s famous Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui has around 700 shops, including 50 places to eat. Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine offers just that - Thai food in a traditional setting. Prices are above average, but where else could you eat Thai and watch the big cruise ships dock right by your window?
Sham Tseng Chan Kee Roasted Goose Restaurant
Sham Tseng in Tseun Wan district is famous for its roast goose and there are several restaurants in the area serving this speciality, including the excellent Chan Kee Roasted Goose Restaurant. Our half roast goose was roasted to perfection, with crispy skin on the outside and juicy meat on the inside. The other dishes of fish steamed with ginger and spring onion and a marrow soup (served in the marrow!) were equally delicious. Sham Tseng is in the New Territories and so a little way out from central Hong Kong. However, if you have the time, it definitely is worth taking the trip.
Filed under: Asia Pacific, Destinations, Reviews: Hotels, Places to Eat, Destinations | Hong Kong, Hong Kong Places to Eat, Hong Kong Restaurant Reviews|No Comments
This week’s special fare from Virgin Atlantic (as part of their 25th birthday promotions) is London to Havana, return from £425.
The terms are:
- Applies to departure dates of 13 May 09 - 21 Jun 09 and 1 Sept - 28 Oct 09
- Includes all taxes, fees and surcharges
- Additional credit card charges and weekend travel supplements apply
- Book from 7 May to 10pm on 13 May 09
It’s a shame that the travel period for the offer is in the rainy season (May to October); the wettest months are May and June. It’s also the hurricane season, but apparently, most hurricanes strike between August and October.
However, if this doesn’t bother you, the good news is that summer temperatures in Cuba average around 81°F (27°C) with humidity at about 80 percent. Visit Virgin Atlantic’s website for more details and more news of their weekly offers.
Filed under: Destinations, South & Central America, Travel News | Cuba, Havana, Virgin Atlantic Offer of the Week|No Comments
Taking a holiday in the eurozone this year may be cheaper than you think, according to the annual Holiday Costs Barometer from Post Office Travel Services.
The Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer provides prices for a basket of 10 goods typically bought by holidaymakers - including meals and drinks - from 18 holiday destinations.
Bulgaria, Turkey and Croatia are Europe’s best buys, but Spain and Portugal are two countries in the eurozone that have made it to the top 10.
Sarah Munro, Post Office head of travel services said: “The eurozone has taken a bashing this year but our survey suggests that tourist outlets in many resorts are taking dramatic steps to encourage tourists. Despite the weak pound, this means that UK tourists who shop carefully could find that they get more than expected for their money.”
Your Travel Planner says, “This is great news for people who are still considering a holiday in the more traditional European destinations. If you can book your transportation and accommodation in Pounds, eurozone countries could still be a viable option for people on strict budgets.”
To read more on this story, see the announcement from the Post Office or the article on the Guardian website.
Filed under: Destinations, Europe, Saving Money on 2009 Holidays, Travel News | Europe, Eurozone, Holiday in Europe|No Comments
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