My Jet Set Travel

The current economic situation has had me thinking. Will people still go on their summer holidays? My mother seems to think that the one thing people will not give up on is their holidays.

I am thinking that people will not totally give up their summer holidays, more change what their original plans are. Summer holidays are a hard commodity to give up on.

Rather than give up their summer holidays altogether, it seems likely that they will opt for cheaper holidays abroad; heading for Spain rather than the Caribbean. Holidays abroad will not be as affected as most people might think because it is often just as expensive (or even more expensive) to take a holiday in the UK, where the weather doesn’t always play ball.

What do you think? Will you sacrifice your summer holiday? Let us know!

If I told you that there are Caribbean islands within a 6 hour flight from the UK, no jetlag or hurricanes, would you believe me? Probably not, because the best kept paradise islands of Cape Verde have only just emerged as a holiday island for the British. While our European neighbours have kept this gem to themselves, it was the discovery by British tour operators that have made Cape Verde all inclusive holidays are reality.

Cape Verde all inclusive Holidays are offered by several holiday companies to the Cape Verde island of Sal. For 2 adults 2 children taking an all inclusive holiday to Sal at the beginning of August costs between £4000 and £5000 depending on what company you choose to travel with. There are ever more options available with resorts opening up on Sal’s neighbour Boa Vista, although it is not quite as developed as Sal.

Cape Verde all inclusive Holidays are an ideal option if you want sunshine but don’t want the cost of the Caribbean.

Holidays to Turkey from Belfast usually involve an annoying indirect flight via another UK airport which ultimately push the price of the holiday up. It seems a little unfair doesn’t it. However, there is hope. Although a little limited in choice there are holidays to Turkey from Belfast at great prices.

The main destinations tend to be Dalaman and Bodrum. Hotels are plentiful and you can get a two week stay in a 5 star hotel, All Inclusive, for as little as £2406 for a family of four.

If you are looking for holidays to Turkey from Belfast there are a number of sites that offer some great deals.

After reading news about the survivors of the Turkish air crash in Amsterdam I was surprised some figures about how many people actually survive a plane crash. The BBC article mentioned that of the 54,000 people who were involved in plane crashes between 1984 and 2000, around 51, 000 had survived. That is an amazing statistic whatever way you look at it.

What do you do when you step on board an aircraft? Do you pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing? Do you know exactly where the emergency exists are, both over the wing and at the front or back of the aircraft? Do you have an excape plan? Do you count the seats to the nearest exists? These are all things that may save your life in the event of a crash.

I know for one that when I step on board an aircraft I make sure I know exactly where the exits are, how many seats there are between me and the exist, and I predetermine what exits I will take over the wing or in case of a fire, at the front or the back of the aircraft. I study how to open exists and let my travelling companions know what my plan is so nobody wastes time looking for me in a burning aircraft. It may sound a bit ridiculous, but research has shown that these plans can save lives.

Package holidays to Cape Verde are becomming more and more accessible to the mainstream British public. As little as two years ago package holidays to Cape Verde were a pipe dream, now there is just as much choice as any other holiday destination; with more islands slowing opening up to British tourists.

The island with the most developed tourism industry is the desert islands of Sal. It sits in the northern half of the group of islands and has one of the sunniest climates. If you are after beaches then Sal is the one for you with miles of coastline to choose from.

If you fancy a trip to some of the other islands there are boat trips to Santiago, Boa Vista and other islands. Package holidays to Cape Verde are ideal for those who want a combination of beach and adventure.

I had always known that shopping around for holidays was the best option if you want to save money on holidays. I had always thought though that the difference would be minimal. What I have found is that when I was looking for cheap all inclusive holidays to Mexico the difference in price can be astonishing.

Take for example a 3 star all inclusive resorts. One tour operators was offering the holiday for £4000, whilst another was offering the same holiday for £1000 more. Even better, I managed to find a 5 star resort that was cheaper than a 4 star resort offered by other tour operators.

I happen to notice this is the same for other boards as well. Whilst one operators might be more expensive with All Inclusive resorts than others, don’t be surprised if they offer Self catering accommodation cheaper.

It just goes to show that shopping around really is the best solution when looking for a holiday.

I could not believe it when I searched for all inclusive family holidays to Moon Palace, Mexico. From just £4800 you could get a family of 4 on a two week break at this top class resort.

Holidays to Moon Palace Mexico will suite the whole family. With one of the biggest pools in Cancun, a golf course, easy access to the Mayan ruins located in the Yucatan peninsula; prime beaches at your doorstep what more could you ask for?

Within the space of a year tour operators have picked up on the uniqueness and desirability of the Cape Verde Islands. They only emerged as a holiday destination last year with Thomson the only well known tour operator to offer package holidays to the islands. As you can imagine, since they had the monopoly on the high street niche, their prices were hardly competitive. Now other tour operators are offering cheap holidays to the Cape Verde Islands.

Interestingly,Thomson Holidays still offer very good prices on their All Inclusive deals to the islands. Other tour operators offer cheap holidays to the Cape Verde Islands if you opt for self catering or room only accommodation.

Watch this space, new islands in the archipelago are opening up to tourism with Boa Vista and Santiago Islands the next on the list.

Car Hire

Explore the islands with cheap car hire from the following companies:

EasyCar offer cheap car rental from £280 per week at the beginning of August. The Car can be hired from Sal Airport. Click here to go to the EasyCar website

Avis offer car hire from £525 per week. Car hire is available from Sal Airport, Hotel Belorizonte and Hotel Xaguate.

If you want something extra special for Christmas this year why not head off to magical Lapland and give the kids something to smile about. Monarch offers Cheap Lapland Holidays ranging from a day trip up to 5 nights.

You will be transported to Finland’s arctic north where you will be able to undertake spectacular winter activities including reindeer rides, snowmobile rides, Husky Rides, Toboggan rides as well as meeting Santa himself.

Snow suites and boots are provided as well as children’s club activities. Activities vary depending on which package you choose.

For more details regarding Cheap Lapland Holidays visit Monarch.

Travel Insurance is something that nobody should be without when going abroad. But what do you do if you need to get travel insurance for pre-exisitng medical conditions? When looking for insurance you must delcare to your insurance company that you have a pre-existing medical conidtion. By not doing so you void your policy. Depending on the exact nature of your medical condition you premium may be higher, but rarely will they refuse to issue travel insurance for a pre existing medical condition.

I have also found out that if you are travelling with someone who requires insurance for a pre-existing medical condition you may also have to inform your insurance company that this is the case.

For my upcoming trip to Africa my friend had to declare that she had a pre-existing medical condition. She managed to get insurance without paying an extortionate premium. I had read through my policy where it stated that I had to inform them that she had this condition. All is now well and my policy is not void. It just goes to show that reading through your policy can save a lot of money.