Tag Archives: Travel
29. Jun, 2011

Sheffield to Hamburg

The Imtech arena will be a buzz of activity as the Haye vs Klitschko match approaches.  With not much time left to plan your journey it is time to get a move on if you really want to see one of the top fights this century.  If you live in Sheffield you have a number of options available to you – depending on your budget and the length of time you mind travelling.

The best option with such a short time frame is to fly from Doncaster Sheffield airport to Hamburg.  The flight will take approximately two hours although you may be pushed to find an airline that travels directly, with most opting for a change in Manchester or London.  It may be best to travel to one of these cities and then fly direct.  Fly BMI, Lufthansa, Easy Jet, KLM and Air France all have direct services between the two cities.

Another option is to take the bus or train from Sheffield to London and then catch the Eurostar from London to Hamburg.  With a stop in Brussels, this is clearly going to take a lot longer than flying but if you plan to travel soon you still have time to make it.  Not only that, it is much cheaper and the journey is more scenic.  Prices start at 69 euros per ticket and may be reduced even further if you have a valid rail card.

Upon arriving at Hamburg Airport or at the Hamburg Rail Station, the price of a taxi to the arena will cost around $20.  So what are you waiting for, get on the phone, or online and start looking for the best option for your budget.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and not one you want to miss out on! Watch Klitschko vs Haye live from the stands!

24. Jan, 2011

What to do and see at Angel Falls

What to do and see at Angel Falls

Falling from a height of 3,212 feet, Angel Falls is the highest continuously flowing waterfall in the world. This spectacular falls is located in a portion of Canaima National Park in Venezuela. While there are many versions regarding how, when and by whom the falls were first found One legend lays credit at the feet of Sir Walter Raleigh but there is no definite proof to support this premise.

According to all accounts, Angel Falls was named for Jimmie Angel who was an American small-craft pilot associated with a mining company in Oklahoma. Around 1933 while Angel was searching for gold, he first glimpsed the falls near a plateau area known as Auyantepui . Two translations for this name are Devil’s Mountain and Devil’s Canyon.

Angel Falls which has been calculated to exceed the height of Niagara Falls some 15 times was first featured in a 1949 issue of National Geographic. In 1957 the ashes of Jimmie Angel were sprinkled over the falls to commorate his death.

The area around Angel Falls and Canaima National Park is home to numerous varieties and colors of orchids. Many creatures of the wild find a safe haven here from monkeys and three-toed sloths to jaguars and capybaras.

The best time to visit the falls is during the rainy season from June to October since it is believed the tropical rains falling during this period both increase the speed and add special beauty to the flowing water. It is interesting to note that during the dry season from January to April, the amount of the flow backs off to a mere trickle.

The only way to experience Angel Falls is by boat, plane or hiking on foot. A visit by boat usually includes a camping trip spanning 2 or 3 days with campers sleeping in hammocks located about 30 miles away in the national park. By airplane it is only possible to fly above or in front of the falls since there is no place to land near them. It could be said that hikers have the best experience since they must make their way through the jungle and canyon to reach Angel Falls.  Lesley at allpro

01. Sep, 2010

The magical Alps

The magical Alps

If you look at the role the Alps have had in European history, you’ll probably realize that very few other mountain ranges have been so important in shaping the political map of a continent. The Alps separated peoples and served as impressive walls keeping unwanted visitor away, but their backdoors and unbeaten paths have also served as an improbable way for surprise attacks. Few things sound more glorious in Ancient History than Hannibal crossing the Alps with his troops and his party of elephants to sneak attack the Romans where they least expected.

Luckily for us, the invention of more modern ways of transport has made the Alps less of a natural border and more of a holiday resort. We can now enjoy the beauty of one of Nature’s greatest feats as we take several ski holidays to the many resorts that that mountain range has to offer. And each different country that houses the Alps seems to add its own flavor to them. Austrians focus on good food and on organized ski slopes, the Swiss seem to focus more on the landscape aspect of it and on harder slopes for the more passionate skiers, while the Italians are more turned towards the young market, with plenty of snowboarders and late night parties.

20. Aug, 2010

The Place to go for a Family Adventure Vacation

The Place to go for a Family Adventure Vacation

If you and your family are looking for a great vacation spot where you can enjoy the outdoors, you should look into staying at Center Parcs. There are several locations around the UK that provide great outdoor adventure for any family to take part in. You can go for a long walk in the woods or canoe on the water. They also have several locations with horseback riding available. If you enjoy swimming, you can use one of several pools they have on the premises.

They also have several sports activities such as fencing and tennis if you want something more active. These vacation areas also cater to the needs of children by providing a large assortment of things they can participate in as well. They can do climbing activities, swimming or go horseback riding as well. After your family has had a full day of adventure and activity you can relax and visit one of several restaurants they have.

The restaurants offer a variety of dining experiences as well and have dishes available from a lot of different regions, such as Italian foods and Indian foods. They also provide Center Parcs discount vouchers on a complete line of food available as take away. If you need to unwind from your busy day, you can take a trip to their spa and relax in a soothing sauna.

21. Apr, 2010

Getting to Vienna

Getting to Vienna

Flying to Vienna used to be flat out expensive. This helped out making it one of the glamour tourist capitals of the World, and for long Austrians didn’t really complain about it since they could easily afford the higher than average flight prices. But several factors changed this trend, including the increase of tourist from within the EU, the rising prices of airplane fuel that made the prices too much even for Austrian standards and the rising of the low-cost airlines. Cheap flights to Vienna International Airport are now a reality and the airport management has coped with it perfectly. Austrian Airlines uses the airport as its main hub, and that is one of the most prestigious airliners, but its low cost subsidiaries and partner companies also use the airport and its facilities as their main headquarters.

Recently, low cost carrier Niki also declared Austrian International Airport as its main hub. Flying into Vienna, whether on an expensive or in a low-cost airliner is now easy and the airport facilities make no distinction between glamour and discount. This ease of use, combined to the proximity to one of the most beautiful capitals in the World, makes any trip to Vienna incredibly rewarding.

04. Jan, 2010

The Season for Crowded Travel

The Season for Crowded Travel

airportAs snowy weather and strong winds can create delays for days, the holidays are always the busiest time at airports. To help make your Yule-tide experience a little easier, several travel organizations are offering tips to help everyone. Do you have a Plan B?  That is what The New York Times recommends everyone has.  With less flights leaving the tarmac during the unpredictable bad weather, many travellers could spend their holidays at the airport with the staff instead of with their loved ones. This wouldn’t exactly result in luxury travel.

Another idea is to have the phone numbers of booking agents, customer server representatives as well as car rental companies and hotel lodging already programmed into your cell phone, just in case. And with so many airlines charging upward of $100 for checked baggage, it is important to pack wisely for any holiday trip. You can save money by cutting back on what you bring with you and check into the safety regulation for baggage handling. Even the most meticulously wrapped present might have to be opened by the airline as a safety check.

06. Apr, 2009

Common Travel Blunders

tiredFor people who travel a lot, there are certain things that should be avoided to ensure maximum ease and comfort.  Whether you travel for fun or for business, it is important that you do it right and it means getting rid of unhealthy travel habits that keep you from enjoying it.

1. Over packing or under packing- Many travellers do not pay much attention to their packing habits that leads to either forgetting pertinent things or bringing unnecessary stuff that only makes your luggage bulky and heavy. Put more attention to packing than you use to, it will make your travel a lot easier, lighter and more productive.

2. Depriving yourself of sleep- Just because you purchased an expensive vacation package, you should not push yourself to be awake all the time in the attempt to make the most out of your vacation. Remember that you are on VACATION which means you need to relax.  Enjoy the sights as much as you can without straining your sleeping needs.

3. Being too impulsive with the itinerary- So you decided to go backpacking through Europe in the summer and you intended to travel aimlessly.  That does not mean you should not plan on which places to visit.  You have to at least shortlist the most important places you want to go to as well as the length of time you are to stay there so you don’t end up overstaying in one place and not be able to visit other sights worth seeing.

4. Letting the jetlag get to you- You came home from a trip and you feel as though you have been up for days because of the shift in time zones.  Establish a normal sleeping pattern as soon as you get back from your travel.  Determine what time you are landing and sleep on the flight back if necessary.

27. Mar, 2009

Tips on Travel Preparation

packingThere are many things that any individual who plans to travel must do, especially when leaving their home country.  Here are a few tips on keeping yourself safe and healthy for your travel needs.

1. Make sure you have all of your vaccinations, because having your body’s immune system up and running will save you time in the sick bed.

2. Take safety classes and self defense courses, this will allow you to fend off any attackers and people who may be out to cause trouble.

3. Make sure you have any travel visas and passports on hand before you plan a trip outside your home country.

4. Make sure to have extra funds on hand in case of emergencies, this will prevent you from being unable to pay for necessary travel expenses or emergency visits to the hospital.

5. Make sure you are healthy when traveling, being sick may expose you to other disease that can easily attack your body when it is not working at optimal level of health.

6. Make preparations and reservations for hotel accommodations to make sure you have a place to stay.  This helps to prevent mindless wandering to other hotels, in hope that they have a room available.

7. Book flights only when you are certain that you can take them, otherwise pay extra for flexible flights in case you cannot make a flight on the reserved date.

8. Always have your form of land transportation figured out before heading to your destination.  Make sure you have a rental car, friend or family to pick you up, bus or cab fare in mind to prevent stranded moments in airports.

9. Learn the customs of the people where you are going before you go.  Some countries find it offensive to tip service people, while others find it offending to eat everything on your plate at a restaurant.