Home Articles Posted by Izy Berry (Page 76)
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Discovering The Best Of Dubai With Family
Dubai is a dazzling city in the heart of United Arab Emirates. It is one of the most famous and sought after of UAE’s seven emirates. In the last few years, Dubai has earned the reputation of an ultimate getaway for shopping and fine dining. Offering infinite opportunities of fun and adventure, it makes for the perfect family holiday destination. With natural beauty, spectacular infrastructure and world class theme parks, the city has something in store for everyone.
The city offers the best of land, air as well as water sports activities. Its deserts are home to some of the most dazzling sand dunes in the world, making dune bashing a popular sport. Desert skiing and desert safaris are other things-to-do in the desert. A safari ride in the stunning deserts of Dubai promises you and your family an unforgettable experience. The city also consists of magnificent race tracks allowing one to enjoy driving like a pro. It also organises Formula 1 races every year, which attract fans from across the world.
With islands in the shape of palm and globe and what have you, Dubai is a man-made city. Because of the brilliant infrastructure, it consists of breath taking drop zones for skydiving. Though skydiving here comes at a lofty price, the adrenaline rush it offers is totally worth it. The same goes for bungee jumping in the city. You may also enjoy the beautiful skyline of Dubai by going for a hot balloon ride here. With spectacular views of its deserts and waters, the ride will surely mesmerise you and your family.
Parasailing, kayaking, Para surfing and karting are some of the other activities that Dubai delivers best. A must-do activity in the city is snorkelling or deep sea diving with family. From lasting a week to over the weekend, the duration depends on what suits one best. As the Gulf is home to exotic marine life, these expeditions promise an unforgettable experience. They also prove to be quite enriching, in terms of knowledge, for the kids. Though all these activities in the city are perfectly safe, you must get travel insurance when travelling to Dubai. It hurts no one to be extra careful, for your sake and for that of your family.
Another recommended activity in Dubai for families is checking out the city’s wonderful theme parks. The parks offer a plethora of fun and adventure activities. Some of the most sought after theme parks in Dubai are Aqua Adventure, Wild Wadi and The Palm. They present to you a world full of fun and amusement.
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London Private Car Hire – What you need to know
There is a very famous quote about London which goes like, “A bad day in London is still better than a good day anywhere else.” London, a place that vibrantly dances with positive vibes of frenetic energy, noise and ideas, is a megalopolis with a diverse population. London is the largest city in England and the United Kingdom, and the UK’s capital city. A charming city with centuries of cultural heritage, resident monarchy, fashion, politics and trade, the city tops the charts, to be one of the the most popular cities for travellers to visit in the world.
One of the things that makes London special and distinct is its black “hackney” taxis with their distinctive shape and yellow light which indicates if they are available to be flagged from the street.
But other than these taxis, there is also an overflowing abundance of private hire cars. What are they? Commonly termed minicabs and introduced in the 1960s to offer a substitute and cheaper means of transportation in the UK, these cars are licensed by the Public Carriage Office (PCO) in order for them to be considered applicable to hire.
Unlike the black cabs on the streets, they can’t be hailed or flagged down and must only be pre-booked through a Private Hire Operator for a fixed fare. Other than that, they also have far less obligations to follow or abide by such as the drivers may or may not take the Knowledge Test, or the car may or may not be equipped with a taximeter. As of the most recent statistics and figures, there are more than 40,000+ private hire drivers and 22,000+ taxis in London alone, which is enough to highlight how big a demand and scope this industry has. Obtaining a private hire car driver license:
To become a licensed PHV driver , an applicant must;
* Be 21 years of age
* Have a DVLA, other EEA or Northern Ireland driving license that is at least three years old.
* Permission to live and work in the UK
* Have taken the ‘enhanced’ criminal records check to ensure you are of good character
* Be medically fit to operate a vehicle
* Take a topographical skills assessment test Obtaining a PHV vehicle license:
To qualify for a Private Hire Vehicle License, the vehicle must meet the following requirements:
* Whether new or old, it must not be older than 5 years.
* Must be licensed by the authorities
Mostly, the cars used by private hire operators and agencies include charter buses, limousines, tour buses, mini buses, people carriers, and other vehicle models which differ from company to company.
With so many firms competing amongst themselves, it often becomes difficult to keep track. To ease this difficulty, many saw this as an opportunity and websites like minicabit and others came into existence. Today, these websites hold information about thousands of real time minicabs providing transit services in London. Just with a few clicks, passengers can find out about minicabs fares offered by different private hire operators and choose the best among all for their journey.
Lastly, the benefits offered include:
* Less time consuming
* Authentic information
* Cost-efficient
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Sending a gift or letter whilst travelling – Getting it Right
Getting important deliveries from A to B may seem a little complicated when you need to ship overseas or send home a gift or letter whilst travelling abroad. There’s a lot of information out there, so we’ve broken the main aspects of what you need to consider down into palatable tips for the smooth transit of your goods overseas.
Weight and Size Restrictions
If you’re sending an object that weighs over a kilogram and you need it to arrive fast, its best to use an expert courier service like TNT UK where you’ll have lots of different options for delivery speed, the type of delivery and help available to you at every stage of the process.
How Does Pricing Work?
The cost will be calculated by the dimensions and weight of your parcel and there are handy tools online to help you calculate this. Measure your parcel accurately and this should be quick and easy. Many services offer the delivery of multiple items which is well worth looking into if you need to ship more than one parcel internationally, check out the pricing and costs first before you send them.
Packing
Make sure your packing is secure, especially for valuable or fragile items, for which you can choose select services for an even safer delivery. When sending a parcel overseas, it’s always a good idea to have a mix of packing materials like protective bubble wrap, secure packing tape or gaffer tape, strong cardboard and maybe even a plastic covering to protect from any potential liquid contact while in transit.
What Can I Send?
Sending food internationally can be problematic when it comes to certain restrictions that certain countries apply for the importation of edible goods. It’s best to check out any potential restrictions before leaving your item with the courier, or check what services they offer for potentially tricky items. It’s worth noting that you are legally obliged to declare the full contents of your parcel, particularly if it contains fresh produce.
What Paperwork Do I Need?
You will have forms to fill in when you send anything internationally – these details are needed for tax purposes and are quite straightforward to fill out. These can be done online with a courier, saving you valuable time. Inside the EU, you will not generally need any extra documentation. Outside of the EU, however you will need commercial invoices which your courier will provide to you. Countries like Australia and New Zealand have stricter polices in what you can and cannot bring in and out of the country be sure to review and be fully compliant with those.
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My Favourite City Breaks Across the World
Long term travel is amazing, and gives us the freedom to go and do whatever we want. However unless you have a location-independent career or unlimited funds, you’ll eventually need to pick a place to settle down and do some work.
Even the most committed long-term travellers eventually need to set up a base, which is why city breaks are an amazing way to get the best of both worlds- you get to see incredible destinations while still having a home and even working in a 9-5.
Taking city breaks also means that you’re likely to be able to relax a little more, and since your budget will probably stretch far further if you’re going back to work on Monday, you won’t be staying in hostels and can stay somewhere a little nicer and spoil yourself.
Here are some of my favourite city breaks across the world:
London, United Kingdom
London has something for everyone, and a city break in London is a great idea if you want to visit the Tower, go museum hopping or simply people watch.
Hotel prices in London vary, but if you’re looking for a weekend where you can truly spoil yourself, and indulge in the luxuries then there are some amazing boutique hotels. A lot of these also have spa’s inside them, allowing you to truly relax before exploring the treasures of a city.
Melbourne, Australia
With great shopping, excellent coffee, plenty of things to do and see, and alleyways waiting to be explored, Melbourne is the perfect destination for a city break. Be sure to go in the summer or shoulder seasons, since winter can be a terrible time if you’re wanting to spend some time wandering around the city – which is one of the best things you can do here. Head to the zoo at some stage, and take advantage of the excellent public transport system to get you where you need to go.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is an excellent place to go because there’s so much to do and see. I would recommend taking the weekend plus an extra day, so maybe the Friday before or Monday after the weekend so you have time to explore and relax. The first thing you should do is take one of the free walking tours in the city, which will let you get acquainted with the city and you’ll have an idea of your general directions. The Little Mermaid sculpture is famous around the world, and although she has been continually vandalised over the years, she also keeps being restored. Both the Rosenborg Castle and the National Museum are well worth a visit as well.
Antigua, Guatemala
This colonial city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and once you arrive it’s easy to see why. With gorgeous cobblestoned streets, and more cathedrals than you can shake a fist at, this town is just 90 minutes from Guatemala city. For those who like to get active, there are volcano hikes and ziplining to keep you busy, while those who like coffee should head to one of the many plantations for brunch and to learn about the coffee industry in Guatemala.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai is located in Northern Thailand, just a quick flight or overnight train from Bangkok. The city has an old town surrounded by a moat, so hire a moto and go exploring. Head to Elephant Nature Park to see the rescued elephants and take a drive around the hills of Thailand for stunning views.
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Wine holidays in France for the non-connoisseur
Knowing your blackberry notes from your blueberry, or tannins from tertiary aromas, is not essential for a wine holiday. You don’t have to be a connoisseur, merely a happy admirer, to enjoy a trip to French wine country. These days as wine itself becomes more accessible so do trip to the wine country, catering for all levels of knowledge and a variety of tastes.
Here’s some hints and tips for a beginner wine lover organising a trip to Burgundy, Bordeaux and beyond.
Tours & Tastings in Burgundy
Burgundy, or to a local Bourgogne, may only take up a slither of the map of France but it is a big name in the world of wine. Wine has been made in Burgundy since around the 5th century! The richness of the history and culture of wine in the area makes it accessible to even the biggest wine newbie!
Dijon rests at the very top of the wine region and has a whole host of tours and tastings based in the surrounding area. The Burgundy Shop, a site dedicated to dishing up interesting information on the region has some examples of tours in the area.
In the South of Burgundy, Mâconnais can be found, which according to Wine Folly is rather the rogue member of that Burgundy family. But going rogue can be well worth it. The area is known for its chardonnay, but not for the price tag that other parts of Burgundy boast. For the non-connoisseur value for money may be the best choice!
Bicycling through Bordeaux
Bordeaux is exceedingly well-known for its wine – not just for drinking and travel but also for wine investment! But it’s not all about big bucks and cultured wine buying decisions. It’s also one of the best places in France for cycling.
The beautiful stretches of the Garonne means Bordeaux makes for wonderful cycling, or boating, tours of the area so that one can explore this most renowned wine region. While one is in the area it would almost be rude not to sample the local wines – but you don’t have to spend big.
If you check out the local wine bars, wander down the beautiful streets and you’re never far from a great glass of wine and some fantastic bistro food, with set 2-course menus from around 18 euros.
Laying back in the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is well-known for its wonderful wines: just recently the oenophiles at The London Wine Cellar confessed to having a weak spot for Chenin Blanc. In a recent article on wine and food combinations, they suggested a chilled glass of Quarts de Chaume from Domaine Baumard with a Pear Tarte Tatin as their ultimate pairing.
But there’s more to the Loire Valley than wine: there’s a beautiful old-world of villages and folklore too. Within the Loire Valley there are many Troglodyte dwellings, and even villages. These don’t instantly sound appealing, admittedly. But these home built into the landscape are not to be missed. They echo locals, past and present, wanting to make the most of their surroundings – and in an almost Hobbit like feet or architectural genius they have built homes that sit directly within the natural forms of the valley.
Troglodyte Village of Rochemenier is one of the most famous options and makes for a great day trip. Once you’ve had your fill of these beautiful and well thought out homes you can find your way back to a wine bar with a sweet chenin blanc by the river and retire peacefully for the evening.
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Thinking of visiting India: Top tips to help you make the most of your experience
Despite the wealth of potential travel locations that exist around the world, there are some that remain decidedly more popular than others. Take the magical and mystical destination of India, for example, which is home to numerous sites of interest and a rich cultural heritage that defies all logic.
Despite this, India is also one of the most challenging destinations for novice travellers and those with a limited experience of international culture. India is also a nation of extremes, both in terms of social and political beliefs and the climate changes that take place throughout the year.
3 Tips for travelling to India: How to stay safe and make the most of your experience
Rather than avoiding India as a holiday destination, however, travellers should instead commit to behaving responsibly and absorbing as much information as possible prior to their trip. With this in mind, here are three tips that will help you to get the most from your India sojourn: –
Learn about the Indian Culture
This is arguably the most important consideration, as India’s cultural heritage is a rich tapestry that has multiple prominent threads. While this adds to the appeal of India, it can also cause an issue for uninformed or ill-prepared travellers who are not use to a set of social and behavioural values that are so far removed from their own. Hindu is also the dominant religion in India, so it is important to develop a basic understanding of the values that underpin this to avoid offending locals. Traditional social orders and hierarchies are also integral to Indian culture, so this is something that you will need to pay heed to when interacting with residents.
Embrace and scale the language barrier
If you are used to travelling to European and Mediterranean resorts, you are probably used to English being a dominant language. This is not the case in India, however, where English is not one of the recognised or official languages used nationwide. In fact, there are three dialects used in principle including Hindi, Urdu and Bengali, so it may be worth learning some purposeful phrases before boarding your outbound flight.
If you are struggling for time and can only learn one dialect, I would recommend prioritising Hindi ahead of the others.
Book an organised tour to aid your travel experience
India is also a huge country, defined by diverse terrain and parched, arid landscapes. Its winding inner-city districts can also impact on your coordination, so this is certainly not a nation where you would want to get lost. This underlines the merits of investing in an organised tour, with service providers such as Wexas offering a host of guided excursions that help you to see various parts of the country in comfort and safety. It is hard to underestimate the importance of this, especially if you are travelling with friends and loved ones!
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Thinking About Buying a new Property? Here are Some top tips
If you’ve decided that 2016 is the year that you’re going to buy your first home, upgrade to something a little bigger, or purchase an investment property, you’re making a great decision.
While experts are continually talking about whether or not the housing property is going to explode, as long as you’re not choosing to buy in the middle of cities like Sydney and Melbourne, owning property still remains one of the best ways to ensure that you’ll be financially independent and able to retire with financial security.
We’ve all heard the horror stories though, and let’s face it- it’s easy to make poor decisions and end up in a pretty bad financial situation. This is why it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve done your due diligence before jumping into anything- after all, informed buyers are smart buyers.
Once you’ve decided that you want to purchase a new property, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement and feel like you need to buy a property….NOW! Instead, this is the time to dot your i’s and cross your t’s, speak to experts, and take a long, hard look at the market.
If you’re hoping to flip the property, look at how the market is performing in the short term, since real estate generally performs better over the long term. With all of the fees associated with buying and selling property it can be better to think about how long you’ll have the property for- are you considering raising a family in the next few years, and if so, will there be enough room?
This is also when you need to look at the overall area of the property. Is it close to key amenities like public transport? Try to get the low down on how the neighbourhood is changing- are they planning to add a new school? How’s the crime rate?
Once you’ve found a property you love, it’s important to check out the area. Visit at different times of the day so you can get an idea of the noise and see if you can find any deal breakers.
Obviously, one of the biggest things to consider before buying new property is the state of your finances. While you should obviously be able to cover the mortgage, it’s also important to consider what you would do in the case that you or your significant other loses their job. When it comes to your home loans, it’s a good idea to shop around. You can save on variable rate home loans by NPBS, so be sure to make a good choice as the loan you choose will impact how much you pay each month.
It also sounds obvious, but make sure that all necessary inspections have been completed before you agree to go ahead with the purchase. This will mean you’ll be able to rest assured that you won’t have any structural damage or pest.
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The Cheltenham Festival: Where to stay?
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, especially for avid horse racing fans. Every year, almost 250,000 fans travel to the four-day event as the best horses, jockeys and owners battle it out in a number of prestigious races.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the week is the Cheltenham Gold Cup and horse racing aficionados from all over Britain will travel to Cheltenham specifically for the big race – that’s how widely respected the event is.
However, the opening day of the meeting is also growing in popularity, especially after Ruby Walsh’s dominance in recent years. The Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh combination enjoyed an opening day treble last year but might not repeat the feat after Faugheen was forced to pull out of the Champion Hurdle.
While Mullins and Walsh will be gutted, their odds on winning the Gold Cup have shortened with Vautour’s potential entry in the race and Coral punters should back the 2015 Ryanair Chase champion to win the prestigious trophy this year.
If you’re as lucky as Mullins and Walsh, you might find accommodation right in the heart of Cheltenham town centre. While the majority of hotels are already fully booked, there are a few remaining and you should book your accommodation for the Cheltenham Festival as soon as possible.
Like most Gold Cup odds, the amount of available accommodation will shorten in the coming weeks and racegoers should concentrate on booking a hotel very soon. If nothing else, you could always find somewhere outside of Cheltenham.
For example, both Gloucester and Worcester are very local to Cheltenham racecourse and plenty of travellers will choose to stay in the surrounding area, including Tewkesbury. While Cheltenham is a lovely town, many enjoy the opportunity to explore a new city and this ensures they can relax outside of the epicentre of festival life.
With plenty of hotels to choose from in both cities, this may be the best solution for those of you who have left it late to arrange accommodation. But not to worry, there are plenty of direct trains, buses and other transport links to the town and shuttle buses will be organised to take you to the racecourse.
If nothing else, the Cheltenham Festival is set to be a superb meeting – in fact, it might even be better than last year’s event. Coral and other bookmakers will be hoping for an opening day victory after Walsh’s “Ruby Tuesday” in 2015 but most importantly, punters should ensure they have plenty of fun throughout the day. After all, this is the Cheltenham Festival we’re talking about!
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How Slot Games Have Evolved Over the Years
If you closed your eyes, you would undoubtedly recognise the dinging and chirping of slot machines no matter which casino you were in around the world. In fact slot games have become such a staple that it’s almost unfathomable to imagine a casino without them- on or offline.
The name “slot machine” once encompassed every similar type of automatic vending machine- even those that distributed food, and it didn’t become synonymous with gambling until the 20th century.
The first ever slot game was actually inside a machine based on poker. Players were trying to get the best possible hand, and owners of the machines would typically remove a couple of cards to reduce the chance of the player winning and stack the odds in favour of the house.
The closest thing to the modern day slot machine is the Liberty Bell, which was created by Charles Fey in 1887. He solved the main problem with similar machines, and managed to make the Liberty Bell actually pay out then and there, with every winning combination. This was previously impossible and the establishment where the previous machines were located had always been responsible for rewarding winning patrons.
The Liberty Bell was so popular that Fey had trouble meeting the huge demand. He soon began renting his machines out to establishments on the condition that he could keep 50% of the profits- something that must have set him on his way to becoming a very wealthy man. Plenty of gambling manufacturers approached Fey and asked to buy the manufacturing and distribution rights but he refused all offers and instead collaborated with the Mills Novelty Company in 1907.
Together they created the Mills Liberty Bell, a variation of the original that was set in cast iron and had cast iron feet and toes. In 1910 the machine was improved and re-released as the Operator Bell, and was again incredibly popular with 30,000 ordered.
The main problem was the weight and expense when it came to producing these machines. By 1915, Mills knew they needed to do something about this, and decided to use a wooden cabinet design, making them far cheaper to produce and far easier to move. The machines were once again given a huge update in the 1930’s with colourful and attractive designs and themes with names which aimed to create feelings of prestige and power like Lion Head, War Eagle, Roman Head and Castle Front.
Today it would be unheard of to not see slot games in almost any casino around the world. And with the prevalence of online gaming continuing to grow, slot games are becoming even more fun and able to be played on both laptops and mobiles from your own couch or bed. The first online slot game was released in 1998, and now you can find a huge range of games available, especially on online casino Netbet. If you have some time to kill, jump online today and see just how much slot games have evolved.
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Why all-inclusive is your fast track to saving money
We all want to go on holiday, it’s a simple fact of life; whilst we’re sat whiling away the hours at work, staring out of a window and dreaming of sunnier climes, it’s perfectly naturally to be wishing you were somewhere else entirely. Holidays should be a given, not a luxury, but it’s a very true fact that money does not grow on trees.
Incidentally, if you have managed to find that elusive tree, please share its location!
When looking for a holiday, how do you go about it?
We used to head to the Travel Agency shop on our local High Street, sitting for seemingly ages pouring over brochures with a helpful member of staff, before simply giving up and going for the next destination the brochure page turned to. Whilst this was a tried and tested routine, the Internet changed it all, and nowadays we simply open our laptop or fire up our tablet in order to book a holiday.
There are many ways to save cash on your holiday, but one you might not have thought of is to choose your board basis wisely.
If you usually go self-catering, you will know that this has its perks and it has its downsides; on the perk side, you get to try lots of different restaurants, and you have total freedom over your catering needs, but on the downside, it’s basically a lot more expensive whilst you’re away, and you have the hassle of having to budget your cash, when you simply want to be enjoying yourself.
Now, flip it on the other side, have you considered all-inclusive?
Again, it has its perks and it has its downsides, but the perks certainly outweigh any negatives, which can be avoided with a little careful planning.
Of course, all-inclusive holidays are a little more expensive at the booking stage, but you can save cash here by being a little clever and planning slightly. Falcon Holidays offer a calculator facility on their website, which allows you to think a little about your catering needs, and gives you an idea of how much your holiday will cost you to book. This has the bonus of helping you budget your booking needs, so you don’t end up going for a holiday which is simply going to cost you more than you can afford. The other plus side to going with this particular company is that there are a wider range of destinations soon to be added to the fore, with Thomson Airways operating on behalf of the company, allowing a non-stop service from June 2016 to far-flung paradise destinations, such as Montego Bay and Cancun. Of course, you could head to the Med instead, with Turkey and Greece two very popular choices.
Aside from the slightly higher cost compared to self-catering at the booking stage, the perk is of course that when you arrive, you don’t need to worry about food or drink, because you’ve already paid for it! Those travelling with kids will find this a massive bonus, because the cost of endless soft drinks and ice creams can certainly add up when you head away on a self-catering basis.
The downside? Well, all-inclusive hotels have the tendency to be huge, and they have everything you need on-site; this has the risk of you not feeling the need to leave the four walls of your hotel, which is a major mistake when you’re supposed to be seeing a new destination. The answer? Force yourself out! See, every cloud and all that!
In order to make your holiday more affordable, all-inclusive could be the answer to your travel prayers. Spread the cost of your holiday price over the months beforehand, and you don’t need to spend so much whilst you’re away.
Problem solved!
