Sunday, 14 March 2010 is Mothering Sunday, also known as Mother’s Day (whichever you prefer to call it) in the UK and Eire (Ireland).
Your mother may be as good a cook as the late, great, Julia Child but this is one day of the year when Mum should be given a break from kitchen duties and taken out or invited over and treated. Here is Julia Child (recently celebrated in the film Julie and Julia) in one of her famous clips (apologies to vegetarians):
Mother’s Day is celebrated on different dates throughout the world so if your mother lives in another country check the date and mark it on your calendar so that you don’t forget.
The majority of countries celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, which is May 9 in 2010, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Italy and South Africa. France celebrates on May 30 in 2010.
If you have left it until the last minute it may be too late to send a card or have flowers delivered, but at least pick up the phone and make a call to let that special person in your life know that she is not forgotten.
Note: If you are checking Mother’s Day dates online we’d recommend checking several sites as we found a lot of erroneous information!
For a travel insurance quote click here. Safe travels!
We don’t have room to list them all, but here are dates of the 2010 major golf tournaments to mark on your calendar:
March 11-14 - WGC – CA Championship Doral Golf Resort and Spa, Florida, USA
April 8-11 - Masters Tournament Augusta National, Georgia, USA
May 20-23 - BMW PGA Championship Wentworth Club, Surrey, England
June 17-20 - U.S. Open Pebble Beach, California, USA
July 15-18 - 139th British Open R&A (Royal and Ancient), St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland
August 12-15 - U.S. PGA Championship Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin
October 1-3 - Ryder Cup The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales
November 4-7 WGC - HSBC Champions Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, China
November 25-28 - Dubai World Championship Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE
We don’t mean to leave out the ladies - the Ladies European Tour ends in Dubai on December 8-11.
Golf cover can be added to your travel insurance policy upon payment of an additional premium. Cover includes lost, stolen or damaged equipment; golf hire in the event that your golf equipment is delayed or misdirected, and pre-paid green fees. See the policy for details, or give us a call.
To obtain a Travel Insurance quote for seniorsclick here. If you plan to mix your next business trip with a little golf click here for business travel insurance.
This is the Year of the Tiger in Chinese Astrology but, ironically, it doesn’t seem to be a great year for Tiger Woods, so far…
Flickr cc Image: tiarescott (St.Andrews 18th hole marker)
Hard to believe, but it’s almost time for the first race of the 2010 Formula 1 Grand Prix season!
The race schedule roars into action with the ‘2010 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix’ from the Sakhir Circuit, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, from 12-14 March. Here’s a preview of the circuit to whet your appetite:
Bahrain International Airport is just north of the capital city, Manama. The Sakhir Circuit is 30 km SW of Manama (approx. 40 minutes drive) to the south. Airport shuttle buses are available to take visitors to hotels and resorts.
Once in Bahrain, it is easy to get around by taxi, bus or rental car. The island state of Bahrain is a lively place, with plenty of sun, sea and sand -so don’t forget to pack your sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses and carry drinking water with you. Manama provides plenty to do, with exotic souqs, shopping malls, restaurants, clubs and discos. Currency is the Bahraini Dinar.
Visit our Travel Guide to Bahrain and follow the link for the Foreign Office (FCO) ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign for very important and updated travel advice. For example, remember that it is a fairly conservative country and they have a dim view of drink-driving, and intoxication in general. Be aware of the dress code and your behaviour in public. Check to make sure that your passport will have at least six months’ validity remaining upon your arrival in Bahrain.
Emergency medical care in Bahrain can be expensive - and you will have to pay for it unless you have travel insurance. We also offer competitive rates for Motorcycle travel insurance, as well as vehicle and motorcycle breakdown cover.
This weekend brings the first Saturday in March - which means it’s time for the start of the famous Iditarod dog-sled race. They call it ‘The Last Great Race on Earth’ and it’s easy to see why.
The race takes the mushers and their dogs through more than 1150 miles of some of the most challenging, wild and dangerous terrain to be found on earth. Add to that the weather, with sub-zero temperatures and blizzards and it is a real test of human and canine endurance.
The dog breeds used in the race are mainly gorgeous Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. If you read Jack London’s ‘The Call of the Wild’ or ‘White Fang’ (or saw the movie) your imagination may have been captured by this harsh, yet magical world.
The Iditarod trail takes the sled teams in a north-west direction from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. The mushers, with their teams of anything from 12-16 dogs, normally complete the race in 10-17 days.
The race trail alternates between odd years and even years. During odd years, the route takes the teams on a detour to the south and through different towns, including the old ghost town of Iditarod. As this is an even year they will take the northern route. For more information visit www.iditarod.com.
If the sight of all this snow gets your heart thumping then perhaps you haven’t had enough of winter yet… Why not take in another ski trip before the snow melts? Don’t forget the all-important ski insurance.
(Note: No matter which ski insurance policy you decide to purchase, remember to check the terms and conditions before engaging in any potentially hazardous activities so that you know what’s covered - and the levels of cover).
With the excitement of the Six Nations tournament in full swing it may be hard to think ahead, but it’s time for rugger fans to start planning their trip to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011).
Don’t miss out because this tournament is only held every four years. The action kicks off on 9 September 2011. The tournament lasts for six weeks and it is anticipated that thousands of UK fans will travel out to support their teams.
The venues for the matches are spread out between many different locations on the North and South Islands, so this affords a fantastic opportunity to really see and experience New Zealand. The quarter-final matches will be held in Wellington and Christchurch, and the semi-finals and final in Auckland.
Tickets go on sale to the general public for individual matches in three phases, beginning in April 2010. For more information, and the match schedule, visit the official website www.rugbyworldcup.com.
If you need to research travel to New Zealand, visit our Travel Guide and follow the link for the Foreign Office (FCO) ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign for important and updated travel advice.
Don’t risk a penalty by neglecting to take out travel insurance for your trip - obtain a low cost quote here!
Although it is not a public holiday, most residents of Wales and those living in Welsh communities throughout the world celebrate their patron saint, St. David, and their Welsh culture.
If you happen to notice anyone wearing a leek or daffodil and wonder why… It is a tradition on St. David’s Day to pin these Welsh symbols on clothing, wear costumes and hold parties or parades. Welsh flags (red dragon on a green and white background) are also displayed by many Welsh people.
Among the many things that Wales is famous for is the long, tongue-twisting name of a town in North Wales, which is believed to be one of the longest in the world:
In response to the devastating 8.8 earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday, Google has activated a new app to help friends and relatives find each other. Here is the link: chilepersonfinder.
The format is simple, with the options: ‘I’m looking for someone’ or ‘I have information about someone’ which is available in both Spanish and English. The service has already been used to track thousands of records following the quake in Chile. Google also activated a ‘people finder’ app following the Haiti earthquake, which contains thousands of records.
We really have come a long way with all the new technology available to us these days. There are so many terrific advantages with access to the Internet and search engines, and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
On Saturday, following the quake in Chile, a missing relative in Santiago was located with the help of another user on Twitter. She used the Twitter search function and hashtags (#chile, #earthquake, etc.) and her tweet was retweeted and seen by someone who was able to help. When catastrophes strike and telephone landlines are down, social networking is proving to have a very valuable place in our lives, allowing us to be pro-active in seeking and providing help - and freeing up emergency services to get on with their important work.
GPS tracking technology on mobile phones has also helped to locate hikers, climbers and skiers lost or injured in the mountains. There was an instance when a snowboarder was lost in the Alps and subsequently rescued and saved because a tweet he sent resulted in his position being located via GPS, his iPhone and Google Maps.
Obviously, carrying a mobile phone or smart phone with you when travelling is a very good idea, and could even save your life. However, even with all the new technology available out there, it is still important to take out travel insurance to help pick up the pieces if your plans go awry.
It has been one heartbreaking natural catastrophe after another recently. A massive earthquake struck Chile earlier today, causing extensive damage and the loss of 122+ lives (according to the latest news report).
The British Foreign Office (FCO) has advised that it is in touch with the embassy in Santiago but communications are not reliable. The FCO is advising against all but essential travel to the regions of Biobio, Maule and Araucan, including the capital city, Santiago, and the city of Concepcion, near Chillan. Santiago airport is closed at the time of writing and communications are down in many areas.
The British Embassy in Chile is unable to receive phone calls at present and British nationals in Chile are advised to follow advice issued by local authorities.
Those who need assistance or are concerned about someone in the affected areas should phone the Foreign Office in London on:+44 207 008 0000.
Tsunami warnings are in effect for many Pacific coastal areas, including Easter Island, and evacuation of many areas is underway. British nationals on Easter Island are advised to follow directions given by local authorities.
Check the FCO websitefor updated advice and information as it becomes available.
The Olympic Games provided plenty of thrilling entertainment, as well as a bittersweet mixture of success and tragedy. Congratulations to all the medal-winners!
With the Olympic Games now coming to a close, we can look forward to the Paralympic Games, which begin with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, 12 March.
Visitors planning to attend the events should be aware that strict security procedures remain in place, and arrive early at the venues. Metal detectors will be used to screen all spectators, and bags should be kept to a minimum. Hang onto your tickets as they cannot be replaced or refunded if lost.
Some items are restricted or prohibited at the venues, including aerosols, fireworks, flammable liquids, glass containers, umbrellas, folding chairs, horns or noise-makers of any type. Animals are not permitted (except service animals). In some venues flash photography is not allowed. There is no smoking other than in designated areas. Using mobile phones to record events, or use of Wi-Fi or similar devices is prohibited -unless registered prior to entry. If you need travel information or ski resort guides, visit our Travel Guide to Canada and follow the link for the Foreign Office (FCO) ‘Know Before You Go‘ campaign for important travel advice and updates.
If you are lucky enough to be flying out to Vancouver why not check out our competitive rates for Travel Insurance and/or Ski Insurance before leaving home. To visit the official Vancouver 2010 website click here.
Posted on
February 27th, 2010,
Jean. Filed under
Travel News,
It’s almost March and we are well and truly fed up with winter and the lack of daylight and short, gloomy days.
I don’t know of anyone who enjoys getting up in the dark and arriving home from work in the dark, do you?
We have a month to wait until 28 March, when the clocks go forward an hour here in the UK. However, it’s still snowing in Scotland…
There is hope though, as daylight has increased noticeably during the past week. Out of curiosity, I checked to see just how much daylight we are gaining each day:
In the UK (London) the sun rose today at 0650 and will set at 1737. By next Friday, 5 March, the sun will rise 13 minutes earlier (0637), and set 10 minutes later (1747). To check the increase and decrease in daylight in your part of the world, check the website: timeanddate.com. It all depends on the earth’s axis, where you are located, and distance from the equator.
The Winter Solstice occurs on December 21-22 in the Northern Hemisphere, signalling the start of winter and the shortest day of the year. The same date marks Summer Solstice and the start of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. (Summer solstice, on June 20-21 heralds the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and the start of winter in the Southern Hemisphere).
Despite the days supposedly getting longer after the shortest day (21 December), the change is not really noticeable for a month or so. Sunrise occurs a little later each day, but only by about a minute. By mid-January it increases to about two minutes each day. So, cheer up! Spring is not far away:
Spring (Vernal) equinox – (first day of spring) occurs on 20 March, 2010 - when day and night are equal at 12 hours, and the sun is midpoint in the sky
Summer solstice – occurs on 21 June, 2010 - the longest day of the year, when the sun is at its most northern point
Autumn equinox – (first day of autumn) occurs on 23 September, 2010 - when day and night are equal at 12 hours, and the sun is midpoint in the sky
Winter solstice – December 21-22, 2010 - is the shortest day of the year, when the sun is at the most southern point in the sky
Some humans are more sensitive than others to the lack of daylight and suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD syndrome). Their Circadian rhythms get out of sync easily, causing all sorts of problems with mood, sleep and appetite. However, those winter housebound days do give us an opportunity to catch up on things.
Unfortunately Travel Insurance doesn’t cover problems related to SAD syndrome, but at least you can travel with peace of mind knowing you are covered for travel mishaps as you head south in search of a sunshine top-up. Spring is on its way, so pack away those SAD lamps until next winter!
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