Travel-4Less

Its 2010 which means I am in my fifth year of writing Travel Rants and I am out enjoying myself, celebrating a new year. It has been an odd year for me because while they are many positives to write about, the libel issue that I found myself in left a rather bad taste in the mouth.

Libel issue left me bruised but not out

At the time I was on the verge of closing the blog and moving on to pastures new but I decided to give myself six months to see how things worked out. Those six months have just come to an end and I think that Travel Rants still has a part to play in the travel industry.

Thankfully, I have found that people have been so supportive and it’s time to look forward to a new year.

Proud to be part of a great community

I sit back and look at what I have achieved, but that would not be possible without this great community. I want to thank every single one of you who have joined in the discussions. Especially to those that have been on here in the early hours answering consumer’s questions in difficult times.

Just before Christmas I was sat here reading comment’s, people worried about their holiday, newlyweds going on honeymoon, family holidays ruined, my fantastic readers and I were here to help, that made me so proud and it’s at that point that I realised I had to continue with this blog.

I still have that passion and fire in my belly.

Achievements in 2009

Mentions in the national press, nominated for awards by Lonely Planet and Travolution, recognition from the travel industry by the likes of Cheapflights and Lastminute.com and my appearance on BBC television and radio, yes a great year, but many more goals to achieve in 2010.

New Year, new goals and challenges

One of my goals this year is to use this blog to help the industry deal with big issues like holiday protection, yes, I do write about the negative aspects of travel but I think consumers, like me, have a role to play in making the industry better and that is why I write this blog.

New personal challenges

One of my biggest challenges outside of blogging is to lead a healthier lifestyle, I also want to do some fundraising and walk across part of the Great Wall of China, more on that soon. Regular readers will know that I work full-time, and run this blog in my spare time, that will hopefully change.

I wish you all the best for the coming year and here’s hoping that it is a healthy one for you all.

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This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Consumer Blog.

Reflection on a year: Libel issue, TV appearance, a community

It has been an interesting year for blogs and blogging: there was some stupid talk that blogs are dying, loads of debates on blogger trips and the quality of sponsored blog posts. Then there’s bloggers coming together to raise thousands of pounds to help build a school in Cambodia.

Blogs useful for travel consumers

Today, I am going to highlight the blogs that I have enjoyed reading in 2009. I didn’t want to base this list on the useless Alexa ranking or how many people follow them on Twitter; I want to highlight these blogs because they are great sources of information for travel consumers.

Velvet Escape

You can see that Keith puts a lot of time into his blog posts, they are inspiring, and give you a good outlook on a destination or tourist attraction. If you are looking for some inspiration to find next year’s holiday destination then a visit to Velvet Escape is a must.

Roaming Tales

I’m lazy, it’s rare you’ll see a 500 words plus post on Travel Rants but you can tell Caitlin is a professional travel writer; concise, well written posts, great photos and the occasional video too. The blog features a mixture of destination content and Caitlin’s own thoughts and opinions on travel.

Elliott

The blog written by travel journalist, Christopher Elliott is a regular read for me as a travel consumer blogger. Well written and like Travel Rants looks at consumer issues. While most of the posts focus on the US industry it is good to read what is going on the other side of the pond.

Heather on her Travels

Not only is this a very good travel blog, but it is also worth a visit if you enjoy browsing through travel photos, watching videos and listening to podcasts. Truly multimedia, the Heather on her Travels blog reviews the destinations that she has visited. A useful blog if you are looking for some travel inspiration.

Europe a la Carte

Heading to Europe? Well I recommend a visit to Europe a la Carte, written by a group of writers and edited by Karen Bryan. I have met Karen and I have never met someone so passionate about Europe and travel. The blog doesn’t just feature popular tourist hotspots, but the lesser known European destinations too.

Londonelicious

I started reading Krista’s, Londonelicious not long after I launched my Leeds travel site and loved the well written reviews of restaurants and the life of an American living in London. Full with great photos, but my only advice is; don’t visit this blog if you are hungry.

Your favourite blogs of 2009

What travel blogs you have enjoyed reading this year and you must tell me why. Oh, and you cannot mention your own blog. Also what do you think 2010 will bring for blogs and bloggers, make your predictions for the coming year and we’ll see if they come true?

I would like to thank everyone for their support in 2009, have a fantastic New Year.

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This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Consumer Blog.

My favourite travel blogs of 2009

As a foreigner visiting Italy during the winter holidays, it seems logical to question just how Italians celebrate the Christmas season. Well, I just spent Christmas in Italy and it turns out that Christmas is just as big in Italy as it is in the United States and there are many cultural traditions in which to partake.

Santa Claus, or Ol’ Saint Nick, is named Babbo Natale in Italy, which translates to Father Christmas, and you can wish people a Merry Christmas by saying Buon Natale. Just as the streets of towns and cities in the United States are decorated with flashing Christmas lights and wreathes, so are Italian streets. Italians do have a few decorations that we don’t have, particularly a large number of red-suited Santa Clauses that hang from the outside of houses and look as though they are climbing inside to deliver gifts.

In the town of Mesagne, where I spent the Christmas holiday, a large fir tree was decorated with lights in the main piazza outside of a 16th century castle. In the ancient stone gate that welcomes people into the old town, wreathes adorned with white roses and white pieces of cloth were hung. The ghost-like cloths danced beautifully in the wind. Inside the old town center, businesses and homes opened their doors to display incredible nativity scenes. The depictions were in no way half-hearted, with some nativity scenes stretching for two or three rooms. Some had running water and others had mechanized replicas of men and women from ancient times. The scenes reminded me of the intricate cave displays that are prominent in the cliff-side towns of Amalfi and Positano on the Amalfi Coast.

Of course there are a significant number of culinary delicacies that arrive with the holiday season. My favorite holiday treat is a thick hot chocolate that you can find in most bars (cafes). There are special machines placed on the bar that churn the chocolate and keep it warm. The addition of Strega liquor, a liquor distilled from saffron, is popular. One of my least favorite holiday sweets is one of the most popular: Panettone. Panettone are cakes that are often filled with chocolate or dried fruit (they remind me of fruit-cakes). They come in cheerfully-decorated boxes and are sold from giant stacks in supermarkets.

As for shopping at Christmas time, Italian businesses are as busy as those in the United States. Many businesses commonly stay open for the entire day on Christmas Eve, leaving their doors open during the usual 1pm-4pm siesta. However, few  businesses remain open on Christmas day, and the following week is hit or miss. Stores will often be open in the mornings but closed for evening hours.

All in all, Christmas in Italy is very similar to that in the United States: people take time off to celebrate the holiday season.

Related posts:

1. Christmas Markets in Florence …
2. Germany Christmas Markets: a World of Christmas Magic …
3. Experience Bath, England’s Christmas Market …

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1. Christmas Markets in Florence …
2. Germany Christmas Markets: a World of Christmas Magic …
3. Experience Bath, England’s Christmas Market …

The Christmas and the New Year holidays are coming to an end and it is that time of the year where many of us start to think about booking a holiday. I know I am. So, I wanted to write a useful post, to help you book your holiday in 2010.

Financially protect yourself

To be protected financially should the company or airline go into administration you need to make sure that the holiday that you have booked is ATOL protected. Do not assume that because the travel agent has the ATOL logo in its shop or website, that your holiday is financially protected. Ask them.

If you are booking your own holiday, i.e. separate flights and accommodation then pay with a credit card. Also check to make sure that your travel insurance also includes airline failure insurance. Do not book with a debit card unless it is a Visa debit card, in the chargeback scheme.

Compare holiday prices like-for-like

At this time of the year it is worth spending a little bit of time shopping around for the best deals. This could be by visiting a few travel agents in the high-street or, use hotel, flight and holiday comparison websites. Oh, and don’t assume that “budget” airlines are the cheapest option.

Really compare the holiday’s like-for-like. Some tour operators will offer free kids places just to hook you in but when you compare you could find that the holiday is more expensive. Think about booking an all-inclusive if you are looking to cut costs, but do your research.

Keep away from scam websites

If you are booking through a third party then my advice would be to only book with brands you are familiar with. Ask family and friends for suggestions of sites that they have used. Look for contact details and go with your gut instinct.

Check with the hotel or accommodation provider that they have received your booking.

Check spelling and booking terms & conditions

I cannot stress this enough. Check and double check all of the booking details when booking online. I hear so many stories where people have entered incorrect spelling or the wrong dates. Check the booking terms and conditions relating to cancellation or booking changes. Read the small print.

Purchase travel insurance

I get so annoyed when I receive a complaint from a consumer about having to pay medical bills when they have not taken out travel insurance. It can cost as little as £10 for a single trip, per person, so there’s really no excuse, and I have little sympathy for those that don’t.

Research before you go

So many complaints are because the consumer has not fully researched their destination. They are tons of places to go and find information. Look at the average temperatures, visa information, medical advice, and visit the Foreign, Commonwealth Office website to find out any potential dangers.

Check reviews of hotel and accommodation

I take hotel and accommodation reviews with a pinch of salt, but the reviews on badly managed accommodation stand out a mile when you read the reviews. Don’t just use one review site; so you can get a wider range of reviews. Check the dates of the reviews too.

So, what about you? What tips would you give other consumers when booking their holiday for 2010?

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This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Consumer Blog.

Guide to booking your holiday in 2010

Krk is joint largest of the Dalmatian islands, and joined to the mainland by a concrete road bridge which is one of the world’s longest, which means its an easy holiday destination for people coming from Slovenia, Germany, Hungary and Austria looking for a simple bucket and spade beach holiday.
The northern edge of the island is the most verdant, covered in forests and land used to grow fruit and grapes, and the southern regions are much barer, but rich in interesting karst formations on a limestone plain. The north western coast is the least built on and the best place for visitors looking for exploration or adventure. For those interested in man’s influence there’s much in the way of history and archaeology to appreciate, including old and oft ruined cathedrals and religious monuments, but there’s also a thriving and colourful folk tradition to have some fun amongst.
As well as the bridges Krk is easily accessed by ferry, or air – it has its own airport.

St. Lucia may well have some of the most varied and dramatic coastline of any island in the southeastern Caribbean. This allows for a range of kayaking that can take you from wide open bays to exploring more secluded, mangrove-covered inlets and coves, or even close to the base of the dramatic Piton mountains on guided paddles. Although we were not able to take advantage of some of these more challenging and longer outings on our own visit, we found the kayaking at Choc Bay, located between the capital of Castries and Rodney Bay on St. Lucia’s northwestern coastline, to be a pleasing session out on an expansive and pristine bay fronting the Caribbean.
Being on the Caribbean side, you encounter almost calm surfaces and always easy currents along Choc Bay while closer to the shore. The bay is about two miles from one end to the other, with Vide Bouteille Point at its southern extreme and Labrelotte Point at its northern side. Our resort was closer to Labrelotte, and our allowable range for kayaking only spanned somewhat beyond the actual frontage of the resort, which was still a nice stretch. To the left and southwards, most notable on the horizon will be an interesting looking islet called Rat Island. We were told there are actually no rodents, it was a private retreat and off-limits at the time to curious kayakers, so we did not head far in that direction.
Taking off from the beachfront along our resort, the waters remained an almost consistent gorgeous pale-to-medium acquamarine with very little chop to them as we went less than two hundred yards offshore and paddled south, then turned back and headed north taking a slightly closer route to shore to make land at the northern end. Just beyond the resort beach was a small inlet and strip of sand where you can pull up and relax for a while. It is fringed by mangrove and thick brush, and an idyllic stop to enjoy any beverage or snacks you have brought along. For more adventurous kayaking, you can contact the outfitters at Anse Chastanet on the island’s other side for guided outings into some of the more undeveloped or uninhabited coastline, but absent that Choc Bay provides a basic and very scenic outing to acquaint yourself with St. Lucia by kayak.

When I was working as an English teacher at a lycée (high school) in Gassin, France, I frequently took day or weekend trips to nearby Marseilles. What kept me coming back to this coastal city of industry was the laid-back “salt of the earth” quality of its over 1,605,000 inhabitants (Marseilles is the third largest city in France after Paris and Lyon) and its eclectic array of restaurants, museums and shops- I discovered something new every time I visited.

The layout of Marseilles makes it very accessible for tourists and “faux locals” such as myself. The Canbière (the city’s main boulevard) spans the city from the Vieux Port (Old Port) to the Réformés quartier (district). Toward the center of the city, there are two pedestrian zones- Rue St. Ferréol and Cours Julien- both great areas for shopping and soaking in Marseillaise culture.

I spent most of my time in the Vieux Port, which is in the middle of two old forts- Fort Saint-Nicolas and Fort Saint-Jean. There is a grounded energy in the Vieux Port that always invigorated me and made me feel like I was sitting smack dab in the middle of “la vraie France” (“real France”). I remember one afternoon in the Vieux Port when I grabbed a kir (dry white wine with blackcurrant liqueur) and sat outside reading Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, glancing up once in a while in the direction of the Château d’If in the Bay of Marseilles (where the novel is set).

Indeed, Marseilles is a mecca for lovers of French literature- it is the birthplace of such greats as Victor Gélu, Valère Bernard, Pierre Bertas, Edmond Rostand and André Roussin. French art aficionados will appreciate the fact that Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Georges Braque and Raoul Dufy frequented Marseilles and created many masterpieces on the shores of l’Estaque (a small port on the far end of the bay).

Marseilles, considered to be one of the cultural centers of France, is home to a large opera house (Opéra de Marseille), several historical and maritime museums, numerous high-profile theaters (la Criée, le Gymnase and the Théâtre Toursky), cinemas dedicated to various genres of film and dozens of galleries. La Friche arts centre (built in a former match factory near the St. Charles station) hosts concerts, lectures, workshops, dance performances and exhibitions.

There are several “must buy” products when one visits Marseilles. The first is the Tarot de Marseille- the most commonly used tarot card deck. Also, it would be a shame to leave Marseilles (or Provence in general) without a bottle of Patsis (anis flavored liqueur) and a jar of tapanade made with delicious Provençal olives. Lastly, Marseilles is famous for it’s santons – small, traditional figurines used in Provençal Christmas crèches. In November and December, there is a santon fair each Sunday in the Cours d’Estienne d’Orves (the large square off the Vieux-Port).

Related posts:

1. Nice, France – a City for Wanderers …

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1. Nice, France – a City for Wanderers …

Having visited the palace of Versailles in France, I had a feeling that I would not be impressed by King Frederick II’s Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, Germany. Sure enough, when we pulled up to the old villa, I thought, well this is pretty good, but it isn’t so much. Then our tour guide told us that we were looking at the servants’ quarters.

King Frederick II (also known as Frederick the Great) lived during the 17th Century and united a significant portion of Prussia’s territory during his lifetime. He was known for being  sensitive to the Enlightenment Movement while simultaneously ruling with ruthless authority. When he was a teenager, he tried to flee from his father in order to escape becoming king. However, he was captured and, as punishment, was forced to watch his childhood friend beheaded.

The grounds of the Sanssouci Palace are located outside of the city of Potsdam, which is located near Berlin, and you can get to it by bus, train or  rental car. The grounds are so impressive and so massive that—if it is a nice day—they can consume an entire day (I recommend packing a picnic with a bottle of wine or two).

After I was told that I was looking at the servants’ quarters, we entered the palace grounds, which stretch for what seems like miles. Around every corner of the grounds we found gargantuan and beautiful feats of architecture as well as more polite gazebos and fountains. There are terraced gardens, ponds, a Chinese House, and multiple fountains that show Frederick’s love of ancient Greek artwork.

Another reason that the grounds feel so endless is that there are multiple buildings that served as palaces, notably the New Palace, which was built by Frederick simply to show off his power. The palaces display Rococo and Baroque architecture.

When we came to the official palace there was no mistaking it. Standing on a hill with intricate arbor of grapevines rolling down in front of it, the palace looked both cold and secretive, like a lost empire. The tour inside is worth the price. My favorite room is the room that King Frederick II had decorated specifically to the tastes of the writer, Voltaire. Dazzling beyond any verbal description, the walls are completely composed of gold that is shaped into nature scenes that include vines and life-size birds. The decorations are three-dimensional and jump out at you from all sides. The intricacy and deliberation of the work is awe-inspiring, and lends credit to the rumor that Voltaire and he were more than just friends. The fact that the poet—for reasons unknown—stopped visiting King Frederick II before the room’s completion, and in fact never saw the room himself, is a poetic tragedy on multiple levels.

After visiting the palace, I wandered along the ponds and fields around the palace with a head full of facts about the King’s life. Frederick the Great is thought to have lived a lonely life, and it didn’t take much imagination for me to picture him strolling alone along the banks of his massive ponds or rows of  grapevines.

Related posts:

1. Ten Reasons to Visit the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna …
2. Five Great Places to Ice Skate in Britain …

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1. Ten Reasons to Visit the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna …
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Rab is the Dalmatian Coast’s active break island. The northeastern side of the island is mostly barren, covered in interesting karst features, while the southwestern side is heavily wooded with pine and oak forests, both of which are broken up kilometres worth of biking trails, while off shore there’s a wealth of water sporting options, windsurfing being one of the most popular.
Rab Town is the island’s main town, a collection of interesting medieval buildings arranged behind a fortified peninsular between four Romanesque bell towers: Rab was part of the Byzantine Empire during the Middle Ages and ruled by Venice during the Renaissance, then annexed by the Habsburg princes in 1815, so while the buildings were built by different people they’re more graceful than not.

Kandarola beach is thought to have been Croatia’s first nudist beach, and it all started when Rab island’s local authorities gave permission for King Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson to go skinny dipping in 1936 – which is a raunchy thing for a king to ask for permission for… Since then it’s become one of Croatia’s most popular naturist beaches, and has been furnished with two restaurants and a beach bar, just out from the resort and campsite. It also offers plenty of water sports hire options (still textile optional?), and lots of trees to provide the shade essential to keeping comfortable if you’re swimming sans bathing suit.
The terrain is pebbly and the beach is about one and a half kilometres long. The pretty coves at the western end are where people tend to moor their boats, and just beyond the edge of the beach here are some lovely views if you fancy a stroll.