Author: Chris

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Chris

Grabbing a bargain flight

If you are keen to get away for a few days but money is tight, you do not necessarily have to give up on the idea of going to a different country. Although going broad can cost a lot and often substantially more than vacationing in the UK, that’s not to say you can’t grab a bargain holiday if you are savvy and willing to spend a bit of time shopping around. Many of the budget airlines such as Ryan Air and Easy Jet will often put on flights to other major cities for less than it would cost for a full tank of fuel. You can sometimes find flights from London to Paris for around £30 a person. You will of course have to factor in cost for your accommodation, but when the flight is costing so little, you may be able to splash out a bit more on a hotel or if you really want to do it as cheap as possible, why not look to stay at a hostel. It may be that you have friends in another country where you could go and stay with them for a few days which would probably cost you nothing.

To grab a bargain you need to be looking often for flights and be willing to book them quickly when you see them. Be sure to have your passport ready before you book to avoid disappointment.

How to save money when booking your holiday abroad.

When planning a holiday, it can be tempting to go for the hassle-free option of booking a package holiday. These are holidays through a particular provider that includes in one price: accommodation, flights, transfers and luggage allowance. These holidays are easy and tend to be stress-free to book however that sort of convenience comes at a price. Another benefit of a package holiday is that they tend to be ATOL protected which gives you cover against any cancellations. However you can quite easily obtain this level of cover through decent travel insurance which is usually fairly low cost.

So if you are looking to watch those pennies you may want to consider shopping around to get the best price on each aspect of your holiday. Once you’ve decided where you’d like to go you can google flight options. Lots of airlines allow you to book directly with them and add on all your extras such as baggage allowance afterwards. You can then book your flights and start looking at which accommodation you’d like. Often it’s worth contacting the hotel or resort directly to see what is the best price they can offer you. Once you have your flights and accommodation booked then its time to look for your transfers. There are a few different options for this depending on your budget but most websites now allow you to enter flight details and they will work out what times you need to be collected and dropped off. So to save money, shop around before your next break away.

Liverpool is not just for Beatles fans

Although Liverpool is synonymous with the Fab Four the city of Liverpool has so much more to offer tourists. Whether you enjoy exploring the countless historic buildings of significance the city has or want to browse the excellent selection of shops you need to look no further.

When you arrive in Liverpool, it is a good idea to hop on one of the city tour buses as this will give you the chance to get an overview of the city and identify specific landmarks that you may want to go back and explore. There are wonderful museums to visit so that you can find out more about the history of this important port and the links is has to the famous Titanic and a walk along the docks gives visitors a real sense of the historic importance of the place.

The city has a wide selection of accommodation available and ranges from cheap and cheerful guest houses to the remarkable Titanic hotel with its themed rooms and restaurant and the nearby spa and wellness centre. Dining out in Liverpool is a wonderful opportunity to sample food from many cultures as there are many different types of restaurant available including most of the major chain restaurants you would expect to see in a large city.

So, a visit to Liverpool should certainly be on your to do list whether a Beatles fan or not.

Is business travel a thing of the past?

Before Covid, lots of businesses had employees or directors that had to travel all over the world for various reasons. It may be that they needed to go and meet a new supplier in China or that they were trying to establish more business in another country, whatever the reason, travel abroad for business purposes was not unusual. During the height of the pandemic, many companies had to suspend virtually all travel and had to find new ways to continue working. This often meant that video conferencing platforms such as Skype, Zoom and Teams were used a lot more.

Although travel rules are now beginning to relax, will business travel every be the same again. Many companies have realised that they can save a lot of money by doing business over video calls and it may be that part of this continues. Of course, for some businesses or certain meetings, face to face will still be beneficial but it is likely to be reduced compared to what it previously was.

It may be that companies resume travel again but actually enforce stricter procedures themselves. These may be temporary, or they could be here to stay.

Will holidays ever be the same again?

Many of us are longing to be able to jump on a plane and take a holiday abroad again. We dream of lying on a beautiful sandy beach and taking a dip in the warm ocean waters or exploring a foreign city stopping to taste the traditional fare of that particular region, but will this ever be possible again?

The answer to this question is probably not, as just when we think it is ok to plan our holidays again the travel restrictions change, and we find ourselves once more having to pay for expensive tests and prepare for possible isolation stays in hotels.

Rather than become downhearted about a situation that we cannot change however it is better to either decide that foreign holidays are off the cards for a few years and plan for staycation holidays instead or be prepared to act quickly when restrictions are lifted and grab that holiday while you can. This is easier for those without school-aged children as they can be flexible where dates are concerned rather than being restricted by school holiday times. Planning ahead for holidays abroad next year is a risk but having something to look forward to is essential for everyone’s mental wellbeing.

How safe is travel by plane?

If you are a nervous flier, you will constantly be thinking about your safety when going on holiday on a plane. For some people the thought of going on a plane is too much so instead they decide that they are never going to go on holiday abroad. This can be a real shame as they often miss out on enjoyable holidays and time with family or friends because they won’t catch a flight. But how safe is it on a plane?

A commercial airline is actually really safe. Since the tragedy of 9/11 airlines all over the world have increased their security drastically. IT is very hard to get anything on to a plane that can cause damage or injury to others. The most risk when flying is that something goes wrong with the plane itself. This again is extremely rare and planes are designed to be able to continue even after suffering damage or failure. Planes are tested very vigorously and they are safety checked before every flight. The pilots that fly these commercial airlines have a lot of experience and have trained for many years in order to prepare them to delay with a number of different

Would you consider going on a coach trip?

If you drive, you may not think too much about coach trips but they can actually still be really enjoyable and work out better value that having to drive. They can also be a lot less hassle and allow you to enjoy your day more.

Coach trips are often put n by private companies. Usually, during the summer months lots of coach companies will put on trips to the seaside. This can be great if you don’t drive so usually struggle to get away but also even if you do drive you may like to try one. If you don’t have to drive you don’t have to worry abut trying to find parking. You also don’t have to pay for the parking which can easily add another ten pounds or so on to your day. Coaches can usually drop you off and pick you up right alongside the beach meaning you don’t have to travel fair with all your belongings.

Private coach companies also often do trips to the theatre which can mean you can get a huge saving. You can also enjoy a drink or two knowing that you do not have to drive back. Why nt have a look at what is on offer near you and give one a try?

The rules for travelling to and from the UK are set to change again

On the 4th October at 4am travel rules will again change for people leaving and entering the UK. There will no longer be red, amber and green list – just one red list with travel form the other countries all having the same rules. IF when you travel after the 4th October you are fully vaccinated by an approved vaccine and 14 days have passed since you had the second dose, then you will now follow the new guidelines. These rules also apply to those under the age of 18 and resident in the UK or one of the listed countries or territories with approved vaccination programmes or if you are taking part in a UK or USA vaccine trial. You will have to book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test which needs to be taken after arrival in England. You will also have to complete your passenger locator form – any time in the 48 hours before you arrive in England – so the address you’re staying at is known and take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 after you arrive in England. If you are fully vaccinated you will no longer be required to take a pre departure test an 8 days test or quarantine at home for 10 days after your arrival to the UK. The rules if travelling from a red country are a lot stricter, so you need to keep that in mind before booking your trip.

Where to eat when abroad

If you have booked a holiday abroad this year or next you need to consider what you are going to do about food. It may be that you choose to go all inclusive where your meals are all included in the price you pay, but if you chose half board or self catering then you may need to do a bit of research to see what options you have. The last thing you want when you are on holiday is to end up wasting your time and money eating at a place that is awful and worse still if it makes you ill. Have a good look on the internet before you go to check for local places that have reviews.

It is often a good idea to speak to the locals working in or near to your resort. Ask them for their recommendations of where is best to eat. Social media sites such as Facebook can be useful too as there are often local groups which you can join and ask for advice on where the best restaurants are.

If you need to be careful with your money, then have a look online and see if you can find the menu to view what sort of prices they charge and what selection of food they have on offer.

Businesses may be able to start to resume trips abroad very soon

With the rules changing for the double vaccinated in the UK, it is likely that businesses that have put foreign travel on hold for a while may soon be able to start again. Although some business trips to certain locations have been allowed, the rules regarding isolation and costs etc has meant that for many businesses it simply wasn’t feasible. As the UK starts to lift some of the lockdown restrictions and the rules regarding isolation if you have received both does of the vaccine is changing, it is likely that the travel industry will slowly start to open up again. Because there is going to be a high demand for flights and accommodation you may expect to see an increase in prices. As many businesses meetings have had to take place over Zoom or other video conferencing software, it could be that some businesses no longer feel the need to travel abroad as much as they used to and are happy with their new way of working.

If you are asked to travel for your business, then be sure that you check up on what is needed to travel and also upon your return. If you do have to isolate you should not be made to take this as holiday, it should instead be classed as working time.