Car Hire abroad

In the days of cheap flights, it is becoming increasingly cost-effective to fly-drive to most destinations world-wide, not necessarily with a fly-drive package, but by locating your own cheap flight and finding your own car hire. I recently had to price up a trip to Mid-France and it actually turned out to be cheaper to get a flight to a nearby airport AND a hire car than it would have been to get a direct flight to the NEAREST airport. With today's fuel prices, driving to the continent is not just time-consuming, but extremely expensive - once again a good reason to go with the fly-drive option.
Admittedly fuel prices vary across the continent, but even driving to the ferry or train itself can be costly, and all but Eastern European countries have suffered from dramatically rising fuel costs as far as I know.The availability of all types of travel services via the internet is changing the face of travel and making it all the more accessible and less costly for everybody. I have been on several trips where there has been no travel agent involvement and have thoroughly enjoyed making my own itinerary and arrangements. I have used well-known chains for motel services and a bed and breakfast guide to take me off the beaten track, add that to a cheap flight and cheap car hire and you can create the perfect custom made package without leaving your seat...

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is well worth a visit if you get a chance, made more attractive by the fact that there are some bargain flights to be had from other UK airports.
Edinburgh is a lively city with it's fair share of entertainment and sights of all types. There is Holyrood house (Edinburgh residence of HM the Queen) bang right next-door to the Scottish parliament buildings. Close by, just a few minutes walk outside the city, you can go walking over Arthur's seat, a surprisingly wild landscape set only about a mile from the very centre of the city.
Scotland's first city is brim full of culture with museums, a castle, galleries and fascinating architecture.
You are guaranteed an excellent stay in Edinburgh as the city is cosmopolitan and really geared up for visitors, and ideal destination for a short break.

Tenby

One of my favourite Welsh haunts is Tenby and it's surrounding area. There is so much to do, it makes for a perfect family holiday - even if you don't get beach weather every day. Tenby itself has plenty of facilities for the traveller and plenty of room on it's beaches. There is an array of places to eat with fresh fish being the speciality along with a variety of Welsh lamb dishes.
Venture into the surrounding countryside for attractions such as Folly Farm (for the kids), Pembertons Chocolate Farm (for yourself), there are castles, gardens and outdoor pursuits of all kinds within easy reach of Tenby. The rest of the Pembroke coast offers alternative beaches if Tenby gets too busy. A relaxing time can also be had on Caldey Island, boats run from Tenby beach at regular intervals (£10 per head for adults) over to the Island populated by monks.
There are a lot of caravan parks around this area mostly populated with fixed site caravans, many of which are available for hire. Holiday lets in cottages and flats around the region are also widely available. If you are anywhere near the 'M4 corridor' travelling to Pembroke is a cinch as long as you are aware that there is a short stretch of the M4 through Swansea limited to 50mph.

More 1p flights

To be booked by midnight Thursday 12th June, so get your skates on...!
Read the full story on MoneySavingExpert.com In brief, there are flights available to more than 50 European destinations such as Madrid, Toulon, St, Tropez and Pisa from 17 UK airports between June '08 and March '09. These flights are marketed as free though you will pay a (refundable) fee of 1p...
When you think about it, you may as well book some of these flights even if you have no way of knowing if you will use them or not!! These fights are part of the latest Ryanair promotion, don't forget there are a lot of extra charges if you are so silly as to travel with any luggage!!

Using your credit card on holiday

We should always be diligent when it comes to credit-card security, however we are more vulnerable to credit card fraud whilst on holiday because we are less aware that our details may be falling into the wrong hands.
Three scams to be aware of at any time, but more so when in unfamiliar surroundings:

• 'Skimming' - where your card is copied whilst out of your sight immediately after your payment is processed, leaving your card details open to use on any number if transactions where 'chip and pin' is not required.
• 'Inflating' - Adding extra digit to your bill, making a EUR10 transaction into EUR100 without you noticing (this can be very difficult to reclaim).
• 'Doubling' - where the sales person appears to make a mistake and runs your card through for a second transaction (always insist on a copy of the proof of cancellation)

Remember:
For UK users, If your card is stolen and used, your liability is limited to £50, if you retain your card, but the details are copied, you have no liability
NEVER keep your PIN details with your credit card
Tell your card issuer straight away if your card goes missing - keep contact details for your banks handy
Check your bills carefully and keep your receipts.

Container Hotel

In these days of carbon footprints and recycled everything, it should be no surprise to find people building hotels out of old containers... This is not just a quirky one-off, as major UK hotel chain Travel lodge are pioneering this with a hotel in Uxbridge - I really want to find an excuse to go and stay there!!
For some time, Travel lodge have been investigating and developing the idea of sleeping pods (this from the company who actually have a Director of Sleep - a job for which I fear I may be over-qualified!)
Obviously this type of accommodation is aimed at the more utilitarian travel for business rather than family holidays, but as this type of travel forms a major chunk of UK hotel revenue - it's an avenue worth pursuing from a commercial angle. It is this type of progress that may end up saving the planet, a 'green' idea that is commercially viable.. Ultimately green taxes do nothing to make any type of significant difference, practical recycling for a profit makes much more sense.