Jimmy Spices

If I may be allowed to extend travel to include eating experiences (I may because it is my blog..!), I wanted to just report what a great night was had by friends and Family at Jimmy Spices in Sutton Coldfield a few weeks back.
On offer was a £15 all you can eat buffet of Chinese, Indian and Italian food - This alone sounds like pure heaven for a foodie, but you wonder if the Chinese and Indian in particular will be authentic (At least that was what I was thinking), by which I mean would the Chinese be as good as if it were in a Chinese restaurant? etc..
I am very keen on all these cooking styles, so was a little sceptical.
On arrival, I was staggered by the floor-space of the upstairs rooms of this restaurant - it was huge.. tables wre in rows seating between about 20 to 30 per table - which was ideal for large family parties. If you weren't with a party, maybe you would meet some new people - but I wasn't intending to write a review so I didn't pay a lot of attention to the seating arrangements. After sitting and chatting for a while, I went to check out the food. Each style of cooking had it's own open kitchen section in the centre of the room where specialist chefs were openly preparing and cooking food, one for Indian food, one for Chinese and one for Italian. I began with Chinese - it was really superb, some of the best Chinese cooking I have ever tasted. Just to check that this wasn't a fluke, I then moved on to Indian, and yes, this was as good as the Chinese - really expertly done. Sadly I didn't have chance to try the Italian as I was persuaded by my daughter to get some ice-cream after which I did not really feel like eating more savoury dishes. (Still a bit gutted that I didn't have a go at the Italian - although most people seemed to be going for pizzas which quite frankly are NOT my idea of fine dining... I would hope that there were also pasta dishes, maybe some seafood?? I'll have to wait 'til next time to find out - I would certainly without a doubt visit again, it's a great place to take a crowd because there truly is something for everyone.
You don't have to travel to The Midlands to get the same experience however, as well as restaurants in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham and Stratford on Avon, they also have places in Staines, Epsom and Bath.

Travel History

My own travel plans have been on hold for some time since family is our priority at the moment. Hence more recent posts are concerned with 'local' traveling rather than that of a more exotic type. Not that I have ever been anywhere very exotic, but my travel destinations include:

Austria, Germany, France, Greece, Malta, US, Canada, Eire and a few places in between. I have not been on a plane for a good many years (apart from a 'domestic' flight to Edinburgh), and to my shame, I do not even own a valid passport at the moment, my old one lapsed and I didn't want to waste money getting it renewed when I know I would not need it for a while. Our recent travel includes sights around the UK, mainly Wales and specifically West Wales. I guess that narrows the wide niche of 'travel' for this blog down to one that concentrates mainly on the places within easy reach of my home - which is probably no bad thing.

Recently I have been posting information and opinion on places such as The Wild Welsh Zoo and St Davids in West Wales. Our very next vacation is planned in a similar region, so expect more of the same.

Dan Yr Ogof

We took a trip to Dan Yr Ogof caves recently, having lived relatively close to the attraction for many years, but never having visited it myself. The drive to the site itself is quite enjoyable if you have decent weather, the attraction is located in beautiful countryside and a little of the 'beaten track'.

The caves were originally discovered in the early 20th century when some locals stumbled upon them by accident. Since that time they have been developed as a tourist attraction, but it is the caves themselves that remain the star of the 'show'.

Over the years, other attractions and exhibitions have been added to the site such that they now boast '10 attractions on one ticket' - but at best this is a bit of an overstatement of the facts - three of the 10 attractions are the three sets of caves, and I wouldn't consider much of the rest of the exhibits as 'stand-alone' attractions.

On the way out, there is a shire horse farm yard with some play areas and a variety of animals such as goats and alpacas etc.. of all the additional features, this was probably the only one that merited any more than a few minutes time to explore. The entrance to the site was quite expensive costing around £30 for two adults and a child, and if you had intended to make a day of it (as I originally intended) you may be struggling for something to do especially if the weather decides to get particularly 'Welsh'...

That said, the caves themselves are a spectacular natural phenomenon, well worth a visit, and a great place to get some stunning photographs. There is a commentary throughout the caves that has to be quite loud to rise above the noise of rushing water, for me it was a bit too loud, and I would have preferred to have placards to read or something along those lines. I came away with the feeling that if you were to overhaul the site today, you would probably do it very differently and probably focus on different aspects of the cave such as the environmental/geographical aspects. To sum up then, visit the caves - they are a sight worth seeing, but don't expect to find endless entertainment with the boast of 10 attractions - finish up with a visit to the shire horses/farm - somehow you will have seen seven of the ten attractions already...

Euro-tunnel Deal

Travel to continental Europe via Eurotunnel for half price on Tues 22, Wed 23 & Thur 24 Feb. Standard vehicles (Cars, small vans or motorcycles) and up to 9 people can travel for just £22.

Call 0844 335 1649, as the offer's not available online or at check-in. You have to leave after 6am and return before midnight that same day. Tickets are non-amendable and non-refundable. Book a minimum of 1 day before travel).

For more details on the above offers, visit the special Eurotunnel page - Information provided by the lovely people at MoneySavingExpert.com.

Air Travel is suffering

Not only will we have more British Airways strikes to look forward to after yesterday's court ruling, but disruptions are still being caused by volcanic ash at some UK airports - currently limited to Scottish airports. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has stated that his airline will not consider abiding by EU rules on compensation and has stated that only the cost of the ticket will be refunded even where travelers have been forced to rent additional accommodation abroad.
Two out of the three high court judges yesterday voted to overturn the injunction imposed on the proposed 'Unite' strike planned to disrupt in particular World Cup travelers in a few weeks time. The injunction was imposed on Monday when BA argued that ballot results had not been adequately communicated to union members. BA intend to introduce contingency plans designed to circumvent union action.

BA strike

The economic climate was always going to have an effect on the travel business and the current dispute between UNITE and BA seems to be an outworking of the recession. BA are (arguably) forced to make cuts - this will impact on air-crew at some point, but the air-crew are digging their heels in. In an effort to give a fair view, nobody likes their contract to be changed significantly, but on the other hand, management is tasked with finding a way to make some real savings in order to sustain a profitable company for the future.
Strikes are due to continue at the week-end, hopefully a timely and mutually beneficial compromise can be reached.

Combining travel and surgery

Traveling abroad to have cosmetic surgery is not a new idea, but generally this has been understood to mean having procedures carries out in sometimes less-than hygienic conditions in Eastern European countries.
Imagine then, if you will, a very different idea: visiting your dentist in Cancun! Cancun Cosmetic Dentistry has opened a practice with the highest clinical standards in the world famous Mexican resort of Cancun with the sole intention of treating clients from the UK, USA and Canada. The aim is to be able to combine the holiday of a lifetime with the idea of taking advantage of high quality cosmetic dentistry at a fraction of the normal costs.
The owner is Dr. German Arzate who promises to be able to give you a completely new smile in just a week. During that week, you will be in the most beautiful surroundings available anywhere, and be able to lounge on the beaches, go diving or visit some unique Mexican archaeological attractions. You will also be in a clinical environment that is completely geared towards English-speaking patients - imagine bringing the perfect smile home as a permanent reminder of your holiday...

Rail Fares set to rise

Southeastern train company customers will be charged extra to use the new 'Javelin' service. The Javelin is a new highspeed (140mph) train from Hitachi which is planned to run between London St Pancras and Ebbsfleet International, with a few services extending to Ashford International, Ramsgate via Canterbury West or Dover. From 13 December 2009 Southeastern plan to operate a regular high-speed domestic service into and out of London St Pancras. The services are marketed as Southeastern Highspeed and the trains will be named after British personalities associated with speed.

The second price rise will come in January and will be across the board under the regulated fares formula (allowing prices to rise a set amount above RPI), despite assurances by Government that rail prices would fall in 2010. Some existing services may also be cut to help fund the new investment.

Drink your way to Calais

P&O are currently offering a great day-trip offer if you are planning to stock your cellar with French wines, which includes a case of Californian wine into the bargain.

Thanks to the MoneySavingExpert for bringing this one to our attention...

For £24, you get a return Dover-Calais ticket for a car and up to 9 people (worth c.£35), and a free case of Ernest & Julio Gallo Winemaker's Seal Red or White wine (worth £25). The wine is redeemable on the outward leg of your journey only; you'll get a voucher for it along with your tickets.

Valid for travel between now and 1st December 2009 (though excludes travel on 23, 24, 31 October and 1 November), and can be booked until 12 Nov. To get the deal, go to P&O UK's website and enter 'freewineDT' in the box when booking to qualify.

This is an online offer only....and if you enjoy your wine and are looking to do a quick booze cruise before Christmas, this is a no-brainer...

Losing business at Heathrow

Industry experts are claiming that Britain is losing out to the tune of £1bn annually because of the lack of a third runway at Heathrow. Travellers even from the UK are using European airports as a hub for long-haul flights that could potentially fly from Heathrow if the long-awaited third runway was in place and working to increase capacity.
On the other side of the argument there are environmental factors to be overcome, and the fact that the world market for flights is in decline and the proliferation of cheap flights indicates that the development could become a white elephant if the sales of flights and travel in general does not pick up.
Charles De Gaulle, Frankfurt and Schipol have all experienced a growth in business compared to a more or less static turnover at Heathrow for the last 5 years. The threat however is not solely from European airports as growth at Middle-Eastern airports has been astronomic. Dohar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports have seen rises approaching more than 100% in the last 5 years.

Cheap stop-overs in the UK

I usually use somewhere like Travelodge or Premier Inn for my work and leisure stop-overs within the UK, but lately I have been sticking exclusively to Travelodge because they have such good deals when you book up front.
Check out their saver deals for their £12, £19 and £29 special offers - there are even deals for EUR12 in Ireland and Spain included.
This is not by any means a sponsored post, I am genuinely a customer of Travelodge (stayed there twice in August, both times were a special offer) and am committed to writing about good deals that I find...
Normally when booking, you are not required to pay until you arrive or leave, and cancellation is available until 4pm on the day - under the terms of the special offer, you pay when you book AND bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Swine Flu border restrictions

The UK Travel Industry is becoming concerned about travellers being subject to 'vetting' from foreign officials and has asked the World Health authority to intervene. The UK is being seen worldwide as a high-risk Swine-Flu region and UK travellers are being screened and questioned (and in some cases unnecessarily detained). Not only that, but foreign travellers are being dissuaded from travelling to the UK. ABTA is making it clear that the World Health Authority are stating that 'vetting' travellers serves no purpose in the prevention of spreading Swine Flu.
The most sensitive area seems to be China, and many travellers are being put off from travelling in case they find themselves detained in quarantine.
It is hoped that people will not travel if they are obviously suffering from Swine Flu - apart from that, it is believed that treatment rather than prevention of the infection from spreading is the preferred approach.

Standing Room Only

In an attempt to keep RyanAir in the headlines, RyanAir boss Michael O'Leary has announced that his airline are considering removing seats to offer cheap or even free standing room tickets on some flights. They have reportedly asked Boeing about the logistics of providing 'vertical seating' in their ne fleet of aircraft.
Apparently the small privately-owned Chinese airline 'Spring' have already started the ball rolling by working out they could pack an extra 40 or 50% extra passengers into planes with standing room. Having only 13 planes, Spring have been looking at ways to carry more passengers with their existing fleet.
Airbus have apparently been talking to airlines about offering this option, but obviously there will be some stringent safety guidelines to be met.

£5 flights...

It is my duty to bring news of cheap flights and here is the latest offering:
For Journeys between 17th July and 29 March must book by midnight tonight! (2nd July) - note that dates of all school breaks and major sporting events are excluded - destinations include:

Aarhus - Belfast (City) - Berlin - Billun - Bournemouth - Bremen - Brussels (Charleroi) - Budapest T1 - Cork - Derry - Dublin - Dusseldorf (Weeze) - Edinburgh - Eindhoven - Frankfurt-Hahn - Glasgow (Prestwick) - Haugesund - Inverness - Karlsruhe-Baden - Kerry - Knock - Limoges - Marseille (MP2) - Milan (Bergamo) - Montpellier - Oslo (Torp) - Paris-Beauvais - Perpignan - Prague - Shannon - Stansted - Trieste - Toulon-Hyeres.

Thanks once again to the MoneySavingExpert for the heads-up
Visit the RyanAir site for the full details...

Massive discounts possible...

Travel firms may be forced to heavily discount their late bookings to clear 'stock' that has not been sold. Despite the downsizing of the available stock in an effort to avoid massive discounts, the travelling public have not been dipping into their savings to purchase holidays it seems.
With just a month to go before the schools break up, some retailers are reporting just 65% take up whereas 80% is the norm at this point. Many holiday makers are booking just three weeks in advance for 'late' deals whereas eight weeks has been the average in the past. There is anticipation that a price discounting war will ensue fairly shortly as retailers attempt to get rid of unsold stock ahead of their competitors.
Even if you have already decided not to take a holiday this Summer, you may be tempted back into the market, at least that is what the retailers are hoping for..

Selfish Rail Strikers

London Underground Rail Strikers attempted to make a point by calling a strike on a day when thousands of football fans would have been trying to make their way to Wembley to see England play Andorra in a World Cup qualifying match on Wednesday.
Despite talk about playing the game behind closed doors, the game went ahead as normal and 58,000 fans made it to Wembley. England players and manager Fabio Capello paid tribute to the fans who made the extra effort to cheer their team on to victory as England score six goals without reply.
Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) returned to work at 7pm Thursday, and a fresh round of talks is expected in bid to avert further action. That will be little consolation to those who failed to make the game and one can't help feeling disppointed for any youngsters who may have missed out on their first trip to Wembley.

Off to Sunny Spain

Planning for Summer Holidays is upon us and as a holiday destination, Spain is still bound to be one of the most popular places visited by UK holidaymakers. Having been top of the favourite destination lists for decades, Spain still has plenty to offer in it's various resorts and Islands. A package holiday in a Hotel remains the most popular way to visit, but there is an up and coming holiday rental market for Villas in Spain offering a viable alternative to those who prefer a little more privacy.
A Spanish driving holiday will open up some of the wonders of Spain mostly left unexplored by generations of UK tourists. Most visitors would opt to hire a car for this type of Holiday, yet it would be entirely feasible to travel through France and bring your own car to Spain over a few days or even catch a car ferry to Bilbao.
Whether you opt for traditional resorts such as Costa del Sol or Rent a holiday villa in Tenerife, or The Canaries, Majorca, Costa del Almeria... Spain is geared up for your holiday needs, guaranteed sunshine and fabulous food come as standard. If you venture outside your complex, with a little Tourist information you can also find culture and fabulous scenery to match the beautiful beaches that Spain is famous for.

Home exchange remains popular

In these troubled financial times, home exchange schemes remain a popular choice amongst holiday makers looking for a way to get a great holiday for a bargain. This type of holiday would not suit everyone, but if your home is in a good location and in a good state of repair, then signing up with a home exchange scheme could be very beneficial.
'Invented City' home exchange scheme is one such service provider who have just announced that they have 1000 homes in the UK waiting to exchange with other home-owners, and over 2000 homes worldwide in places as diverse as Italy, Netherlands, Spain and USA amongst others. Currently 'Invented City' are offering a two year membership for the cost of one.
Home exchanges offer many advantages over conventional holidays, such as the fact that you will usually be staying in a community rather than in holiday accommodation. Of course the other side of the deal is that you have to open your home to 'strangers', but they are hardly going to trash your house if you are staying in theirs...

Monarch employees could walk out

A ballot has been set for July for Monarch employees to decide whether to strike, a strike that could have a serious impact on British holiday makers and an already tightly squeezed holiday industry..
Monarch employees are happy to defer a payrise until next year, but are asking for a lump sum payment, cabin crew are also looking for an extra allowance in line with pilots. Unions say that the requests are reasonable and take into account the difficult time that the travel industry is facing in the current economic climate.
Thousands of UK holiday-makers could be left stranded at airports across the country, including Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Luton and Dublin if the 600 staff vote for industrial action.
Monarch maintain that currently, the company cannot possibly consider extra outlay on employees, but talks continue to attempt to avert what could prove to be a crippling strike taking place. Management state: "Monarch senior management continues to work with the cabin crew trade union to resolve this matter as quickly as possible in the interests of its customers and all other employees."

Least Popular Traveling Companions

Thanks once more to Essential Travel for a new report into the people we don't want to sit next to on a flight to our chosen holiday destination - Answers vary from those who don't want their personal space invaded by overweight travelers to those who would prefer not to sit next to their own family members - one respondent answering:‘I would pay not to sit next to my 15 year old daughter’.
The feelings against more portly travelers appear to run fairly high with over 40% of the respondents (out of 1000) citing 'Overweight Individuals' as the least desirable traveling companion - To be fair teenage offspring, or more accurately 'family' were only identified as a problem by 2% which translates as 20 out of the 1000 interviewed.
A good number (17%) identified 'babies' as undesirables whilst surprisingly 'smelly' (7%) was pipped by 'chatterbox' (8%) - Please note that surprisingly and smelly are not part of the same phrase... to be 'surprisingly smelly' indeed puts a whole new spin on simply being smelly...
Politicians and bankers were given an easy ride and identified as being slightly less desirable than your own family members and a honeymooning couple.

This survey will no doubt be welcomed by those airlines who are planning to introduce a 'fat tax' for those who find it difficult to fit into a single seat adequate for most other travelers. RyanAir is one of those who is considering this approach. There is some confusion as to how exactly this charge will be made as weight alone may not constitute an invasion of personal space, and any charge is almost sure to be challenged under discrimination laws. Some US airlines are already charging very obese passengers who spill over into neighbouring seats for a second seat in some cases. United Airlines said it would make additional charges for travellers whose size made them "infringe on another guest's seat".