Posts by : Izy Berry

Ah, the Maldives… the epitome of paradise. You’ll find everything you need here for a tropical holiday, including beautiful diving opportunities, water sports, fun excursions, luxury spas and resorts, as well as some of the best beaches in the world. If you’re looking for a relaxing, fun and luxurious holiday then the Maldives is the right place for you. The first thing you’ll need to do is choose where you’re going to stay and you’re spoiled for choice in that regard. Places like the Elegant Resorts Reethi Rah offer absolute luxury and comfort at an affordable price. Once you’ve made your hotel reservations, you’ll need to plan how to spend your time. Here are some suggestions of the top things to do in the Maldives:

Get in the Water

The Maldives offer beautiful, clear blue water that is warm enough to take a bath in – well almost! It would be a shame to visit the Maldives and to not make the most of the water activities here. Diving is very popular on the Maldives because of the clarity of the water and the fact that it is literally swimming with bright, colourful marine life that make for a very exciting dive. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never dived before, it can be a lot of fun and there are properly guided dives available here for any experience level.

Get Up High:

If you want amazing views of the Maldives, why not consider a scenic flight? There are sea flights here that take off and land in the water. If you come all the way to paradise, you might as well make the most of it with seeping views. If the sea landing wasn’t enough to entice you, consider the incredible photos you’ll be able to take from onboard the plane.

Get Sporty:

What’s your preference? You’ll find yourself spoiled for choice in terms of water sports in the Maldives. You can go surfing, windsurf, parasail, kayak, kite surf, water ski or jet ski. It doesn’t really matter if you’re heading to the Maldives for your honeymoon, a family holiday or with some friends; any of these activities are a fun way to experience a new place, get a bit of adrenaline pumping and some exercise in.

Get Relaxed:

What better place to relax than on some of the most stunning beaches in the world? If you need to break up the sunshine, golden sand and warm ocean, why not head to one of the luxurious spas and have a massage or treatment? Your stress will almost melt away while you indulge in the finest things the Maldives have to offer.

The Maldives is the perfect place to take an island escape. Have you been before? Let us know in the comments below.

Travelling throughout any part of the world will bring you a taste of local culture, people, perspective and, literally, of the local grub. Central American countries offer a huge breadth of choices when it comes to food, encouraging tourists from all around the globe to come visit.

Here are just a few suggestions of where to go to sample this region’s diverse spectrum of flavors:

Costa Rica

When you’re planning your travels and booking your flights to Central America, stop first in the Spanish-influenced Costa Rica. Dishes here are savory yet not overly spicy and include ‘gallo pinto,’ a dish of beans and rice seasoned with onion, cilantro and Lizano sauce, a local condiment. The Chorotega Indian-influenced food in the north and the Caribbean-inspired cuisine, with creamy coconut milk, on the east coast is evidence of the diverse Costa Rican palate.

Panama

Panamanian dishes also welcome the use of coconut, as well as plenty of other fresh fruits and vegetables, including corn and yucca. For a country so small, the amount of diverse flavor there is may surprise you. You can taste the influence of Africa, Spain, America and the Caribbean when you dine in Panama. You’ll no doubt enjoy trying dishes such as arepas, a fried dough made from corn, empanadas, tamales, and the catch of the day – usually sea bass.

El Salvador

Though it is the smallest of the Central American nations, El Salvador has a wide variety of traditional dishes. With Spanish and indigenous influences, Salvadoran cuisine has developed into a taste all its own. Pupusa, a tortilla filled with cheese, ground pork and beans, is a must-try for any visitor. Tamales, rice and beans, and deep fried yucca are also popular. Friends and family enjoy meals immensely in El Salvador and, as a result, mealtimes can last a number of hours.

Belize

Finally, head to Belize and you can feast on cuisine with African, Caribbean, Mexican, Spanish and Mayan influences. With so much inspiration to draw from, it’s no wonder the food here is so varied. The bean or fish-filled fried corn patties are a delight and seafood, including lobster and shrimp, is fresh and plentiful.

Travelling throughout Central America is sure to give your taste buds a treat. The only question is, how long can you go for?

Images by jesjimher, roland, Nagyman and Reindertot, used under Creative Commons license.

Buying travel insurance is one of those things you don’t want to get wrong, because it can end up being almost useless! If you find a good company you like, you can use them every time you go on holiday so it’s just the initial investment in researching the right company you need to get out of the way. I’ve personally had some pretty bad experiences with travel insurance – when there was a major earthquake in my home town one of my family members died and my travel insurance initially refused to fly me home. It was a very frustrating time for me as not only had I lost a near and dear family member, but I couldn’t call home as all the power and phone lines were down.

Thankfully, I knew a few friends who used to work for this company and they checked through my policy and found a clause that meant they’d fly me home. After this experience I am now pretty fussy with travel insurance policies, but have heard that holiday insurance with Holiday Extras is very reliable. When you’re sorting out which travel insurance company you’re going to choose, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1) Will the Policy Cover you for Cancellation? 
I’ve read that in order to be covered for any unforeseen incidents that happen prior to your trip, you need to get travel insurance for that period. That seems really bizarre to me and quite expensive. Read the fine print of your policy and make sure it’ll cover you if something comes up prior to your trip that prevents you from going.

2) Can You Do That Activity
I’ve heard horror stories about people riding on motorcycles and not being covered by their travel insurance when things go pear shaped and they fall off the bike. By pear shaped I mean that they wont pay for your medical coverage if it’s not covered in your policy, simple! Even if the accident wasn’t your fault. This includes all sports activities, such as skiing, rock climbing, sky diving and so forth. Check if it’s in your policy!

3) What About the Excess
Some travel insurance policies have an excess fee per claim, others have an excess fee per item category. If the company charges per item category, a stolen bag with a passport, phone and cash inside could carry 3-4 excess fees alongside the claim. That can add up really quickly and eat into any money you might get in compensation for lost items. Just be mindful of what you’re really signing up for and make sure it’s practical for you.

4) Emergency Medical Evacuation
There are different tiers of travel insurance and some of the more budget coverage policies do not include emergency medical evacuation. Personally, I always ensure that mine covers this because I think if you’re in a situation where emergency medical evacuation is required, you don’t want to be worrying about the price tag that’s often 5 or 6 figures large. This is just one of those things that you probably wont need, but if you do need it you really need it.

Travel insurance can be the difference between life and death… but most often it’s a peace of mind you can’t afford to travel without. If you’re planning a holiday, please take a moment to check out this holiday planner for some travel inspiration.

When the sun’s up, okay, especially when it’s not, it’s very tempting to spend some quality time at the beach. Whether you’re hitting the beach in your area or you’re flying to someplace where there’s sun, it is important that you map out your trip first.

So that you ensure you have the perfect beach holidays, follow these simple tips:

Pack light

You’re going to the beach. What’s in the beach aside from the sand, the sun, and the sparkling blue sea? It’s relaxation. How can you relax when you’re carrying luggage that weighs a ton? Pack only the essentials. Make a list of all the things that you think you need, review the list, and crush out some items after careful deliberation.

Pack smart

What are the “beach essentials”? Your swimwear is one. Your picnic basket is another. But one important thing that you must never forget to bring is plain water. Sure, you can bring soda and other flavoured drinks, but plain water is the best hydrate to replenish your body with after the long exposure to the sun.

Important items: sunscreen, lip balm, sun hat, beach umbrella, mat or blanket, OTC medicine, moisturizer, beach toys, extra clothes that are light, sunglasses, book or magazine, extra money, and of course, a picnic basket

Easy, fuss-free food

No beach holiday is ever complete without food. You also need to ‘pack smart’ in choosing the menu for your picnic basket. Rule number one is not to bring messy food – food with sauces and soups. Easy food such as fish n’ chips, fried chicken, sandwiches, or any finger food, is the best option. If you insist to bring ‘messier’ food along, make sure that you pack them in tight containers. Also bring fruits and you can slice them in fun, tidbits sizes. Make sure that you pack them in good containers, too, so that won’t shrivel up.

Sunscreen

You might want to get a tan but you don’t want to get skin cancer. So it is best if you bring sunscreen instead of tanning oil. Sunscreen does not hinder your skin from getting tanned, but it gives you UVA and UVB protection, which is important. Even if the tanning oil has an SPF label, it is still oil based, which basically means that it is a dangerous product to rub yourself as you’ll probably still get burned which can lead to skin cancer.

Make a bonfire

It’s the perfect end to your day at the beach. Make a bonfire as the night air slowly creeps in. Huddle together with your friends and share stories.

I wont blame you if you haven’t heard of Bodrum, it is after all a fairly small city in Turkey. By the end of this post you’ll be ready to pack your bags to this dynamic holiday destination that was awarded TripAdvisors Traveller’s choice award in 2013. In Bodrum there are castles, the Museum of Underwater Archeology, Pedasa Antique City, and, of course, gorgeous beaches. This makes Bodrum a well rounded holiday destination where you can easily spend a few days and want to linger a little longer. Getting to Bodrum is fairly easy, you can get cheap flights with flythomascook – so what are you waiting for? Get inspired and then start planning your holiday adventure to Bodrum, Turkey.

Castle of St. Peter:

Who doesn’t love a good castle? They are rich with history and are frankly very impressive. Castle of St. Peters is a pretty imposing structure that has made itself the feature of Bodrum. The castle itself is very beautiful and it has great views overlooking the sea. Both kids and adults alike are fascinated by this very historic castle. Make sure you set aside a few hours to walk around the castle and to enjoy the grounds.

Museum of Underwater Archeology:

This museum is actually located inside the castle, making for a special excuse to visit it. There’s a lot of great explanations and you can also rent an audio guide if you want. There’s even half of a ship wreck inside, which is literally half a ship wreck picked up from the ocean floor. There’s a lot of creative lighting that helps create a very special atmosphere inside this museum. If you’re a lover of history and art, you can easily spend half a day here.

Pedasa Antique City:

These  ancient ruins are quite small, but there is a wonderful view of the bay here. On top of that, many tourists don’t make the venture out here so it is quite peaceful and relaxing. It is a little hike, so be warned but it is relatively easy to get to. Pedasa is located just north of the city. Catch a dolmus from Bodrum Otogar to Konacik and you can start your walk from there.

Bitez Beach:

This beach is a lovely beach with light sand and great restaurants scattered along the edge. It is a relatively peaceful beach that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it should from other tourists, but that’s a good thing. Take a towel, some sun glasses and sunscreen and you can spend the day lounging in paradise.

Bodrum has a lot to offer whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, or a family holiday with kids.

Studying in a foreign country is a great experience that will stay with you for a life time. However, the road doesn’t always run smoothly as you have to adapt to a whole host of new customs that are…well…foreign to you.

We thought we’d put together a list of some of the main perils that international students face as a mark of solidarity, and to show all you locals just how complex life can be.

1. Thinking in one language and speaking in another

If only someone could just translate your thoughts. Actually…scrap that.

2. Having to do algebra every time you want to transfer money through your different bank accounts

High five to the inventor of PayPal, but not so much to the person who thought charging to send money would be a good idea.

3. Getting funny looks when you use a word embarrassingly wrong

So ‘pants’ means something slightly different in America and the UK? Oops…

4. If you lose your adaptor you risk wet, frizzy hair

So don’t ever make the mistake of being a nice person by lending your adaptors to your international friends, either.

5. Not physically being able to process how many sinks in Britain have a separate tap for cold and hot water

And wondering if it’s acceptable to request just one in your student accommodation, and feel like high fiving companies like Urbanest that feature them in their London student flats.

6. Dreaming in a variety of different languages

And therefore waking up just as confused as you were before you went to sleep.

7. Loving trying the new food of your new country, but secretly craving your favourite goodies from back home

If only the local corner shop had a special shelf especially for you.

8. When Skype freezes and you’re stuck on a not-so-attractive pose

And finishing each session with ‘so next time, my time or yours?’.

9. Attempting to remember that something perfectly normal in your country is seen as really rude/strange in the new country

Fancy brushing up on your British etiquette? Check these tips out.

10. Having to take a loan out every time you want to call home

And dying a little inside each time your phone bill arrives at the end of the month.

11. Taking about half an hour to discover what shoe/clothes size you are when buying something new

Ok so 36 is a 4…or something…right?

12. Going to a restaurant with friends that serves your home cuisine and the look on their faces when you pronounce the food correctly

You’ve never seen anyone so impressed every time you say ‘pan au chocolat’ before. It’s almost as if you’re French or something.

13. Looking the wrong way when crossing the road

And secretly being stupidly grateful when it says ‘Look Left’ or ‘Look Right’ on the ground.

14. Trying to get the hang of different measurements, times and temperatures

So is that Celsius, Fahrenheit, miles, kilometres or millilitres? We don’t know either, but this conversion app might help.

In an ideal world, you’d never have to make a travel insurance claim. Unfortunately I’ve had to make a few claims during my travels. From when I was stabbed, right through to when I accidentally smashed my laptop screen. There’s a few things you can do to avoid problems with your travel insurance and then to protect yourself when things do go wrong. Here are my top tips for ensuring your trip goes smoothly when it’s not going smoothly:

1) Get Legal Advice from a Compensation Lawyer
I had an issue with my travel insurance company refusing me fly me home. Basically what happened was there was a devastating earthquake in my home town which cut off power and phones to the city. A family member was fatally injured during the quake and I couldn’t easily commit to my family. My insurance company was not prepared to cover my costs home because they didn’t feel that the specific family member was “close enough” to justify covering the costs of me coming home. Thankfully, I consulted a lawyer and they looked over my clause – they found a clause where I was eligible to fly home at their expense if there was any unforeseen circumstance that required me to be home, which was a huge relief after such a tragedy.

2) Check Your Policy
I’ve heard far too many people who have taken out travel insurance, and then go and participate in activities that aren’t covered. You need to ensure that you get travel insurance that is appropriate for your needs. For example, if you’re going to participate in sports such as skiing, rock climbing, bungy jumping etc you need to ensure that your policy covers these things. If something was to go wrong and your policy didn’t provide coverage, then that’s a really expensive and potentially serious mistake.

3) Make Sure You Get it:
There’s nothing worse than hearing a story about someone who’s on holiday and an accident has happened. The story only gets much worse when you read that the person didn’t have travel insurance and are forced to foot a really huge bill – something like that could cripple you and your family financially. Or even worse – you may be unable to pay so treatment would stop. Getting travel insurance ensures that you are protected if anything goes wrong and if the worst was to happen, your family wouldn’t be left with a crippling bill.