Tall Ships Race Schedule 2008

As European Capital of Culture, Liverpool hosts the start of the 2008 Tall Ships Race. This will be the first year that the race has been to the UK since 2005. The ships will be berthed at the Albert and Wellington docks from July 18-20, with the spectacular Parade of Sail event on the 21st when the ships depart for Maloy, Norway. 

Held each summer in Europe, the races usually involve anything up to 100 ships from more than 15 countries.  The crew is made up of young people from many parts of the world for the four days they are in each port and the racing and cruising between ports. 

The 2008 race schedule is as follows:
18-21 July – Liverpool – Departing for 11 days race to Norway
1-4 August – Maloy, Norway – then five-day cruise-in-company to Bergen, Norway
9-12 August – Bergen – departing for eight-day race to Den Helder, Netherlands
20-23 August - Den Helder.

No experience is necessary to participate as a crew member, so those hungry for an adventure at sea can obtain more information at various websites, including www.sailtraininginternational.org. 

Don’t Forget 4th July ‘Independence Day’ Celebrations in the U.S.

Friday, 4th July, is a federal public holiday in the United States. If you have trouble getting anyone on the phone it will probably be because the lucky ones are busy with barbecue and party arrangements, watching parades and fiirework displays, or travelling to celebrate the long weekend with friends and family.

Silverstone British Grand Prix 2008/2009

The 2008 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix takes place this coming weekend, July 4-6, at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire. Those lucky enough to have secured tickets will be able to watch British drivers Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard and Jenson Button duke it out at their home circuit. Record crowds are expected with up to 90,000 attending the big race on Sunday.  The number of tickets available had to be capped to make sure that fans can enjoy the spectacle in relative comfort.  Demand for tickets continues despite the sell-out. 

Tickets for the 2009 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix will go on sale after this year’s race on Monday July 7th 2008 so fans will need to act fast to make sure they don’t miss out.  www.Silverstone.co.uk.

Obviously, those living in the vicinity of Silverstone with travel plans for this weekend will need to leave plenty of extra time to get to their airport or destination!

Skiers Expected to Flock to Slopes this Winter Despite Credit Crunch

The ski travel industry is feeling confident that avid skiers will not pass up on their annual ski trip this season, despite the soaring costs of fuel and everything else.

After the surprisingly good snow season in Europe last winter skiers and boarders are thought to be feeling more confident about booking in European resorts rather than going further afield to North America and Canada. Easter also comes later in 2009 (Good Friday falls on April 10) which means a longer ski season in many places.  Reports indicate that bookings are up for many European ski resorts, but the higher-altitude resorts where snow is more certain are likely to have an advantage.

Non-skiers are also said to be reluctant to give up their annual holiday despite the economy but are tending to shop around for the best deals and set budgets.  All-inclusive holidays have seen a surge in interest as customers are keen to budget their holiday fund down to the last pound.  The industry is watching trends closely as it is suspected that travellers will cut back on city breaks in this depressing economic climate rather than sacrifice their much-needed annual holiday. 

One aspect that travellers should never cut costs on, however, is quality and comprehensive travel insurance.  For a ski insurance quote click here.

EU Takes Steps to Cut Internet and Text Roaming Charges

Those travelling abroad this summer should be able to save on data (internet) and text roaming charges. Many phone operators are advertising major cuts in roaming charges so it’s a good time to review current packages and do a comparison.

Last September the EU Telecom Commissioner placed caps on mobile phone roaming charges across the EU. The phone operators were then asked to voluntarily comply with a July 1 2008 deadline to cut the cost of data and text roaming charges across the EU.  Further action may be taken to impose caps if it transpires that operators have not cut costs significantly. 

Discussions are also taking place regarding the possibility of changing the billing system entirely so that customers pay to receive calls rather than make them.  No surprise that the industry is not happy about the steps being take by the EU and there are hints that customers may end up having to pay more for their mobile phones in future if further caps are imposed.

Are You Entitled to Compensation from an Airline for Flight Delays or Problems?

According to a news report, many airline passenger are losing out on compensation which may be due to them when an airline claims to have ‘technical problems’. A Dutch company, EUclaim, monitors and tracks the movements of every airline twenty-four hours a day. Using the information they collect on flights they are often able to prove a case and successfully obtain compensation for passengers - even after an airline has denied to the claimant that any benefit is due.

An obscure EC regulation 261/2004 was introduced during 2005 and many air passengers are unaware that they have a right to compensation under this regulation if boarding is denied, flights are delayed or cancelled or they are downgraded.  According to EUclaim airlines often use ‘extraordinary circumstances’ (usually technical problems) as the reason for last minute flight departure problems when the real reason may be economic and for their own benefit.  Most passengers believe they have no way of disputing such a claim by an airline and give up.

EUclaim uses a calculator into which a passenger enters details of the flight for an analysis of whether compensation is due. If a claim is valid the company will take it up with the airline and fight the case for a fee of about 27% which is deducted from the amount collected. They even take it to court if necessary, and work on a no-win-no-fee basis. 

For busy travellers who don’t have the time or patience to deal with airline beaurocracy this might be a great solution and certainly appears worth looking into.  For more information visit the EUclaim website.

Also worth a visit is the Air Transport Users Council (AUC) website which is the UKs consumer watchdog agency for the Aviation Industry.

Backpacking or Travelling in Peru? Check Health Advisories Before Departing

The Peruvian Ministry of Health have reported six cases of yellow fever in June 2008, four of which were fatal. There is a particular risk east of the Andes, but at the current time this does not include Cusco or Machu Picchu. Those planning to travel from Peru to other countries in S. America may be required to provide evidence of a valid yellow fever vaccination. Visitors are also advised to take precautions to avoid altitude sickness when visiting mountainous zones.

We always recommend that travellers pay a visit to the Foreign Office (FCO) website for their excellent travel updates, advisories and current information before setting off on a trip. 

Diseases such as Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever and Malaria are common in Peru.  Malaria is more often found in the north part of the country and in jungle areas.  Dengue Fever is prevalent in Latin America and the Caribbean throughout the year.  Visit our Travel Guide for Peru which contains a link to the FCO where comprehensive information can be found, as well as links for information regarding necessary vaccinations.

Cheap Ski Flights - Easyjet Sale on Winter 2008-09 Flights

Easyjet is having a sale on flights for next winter from East Midlands, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester. News of flights from other UK airports will be released soon. Their winter schedule operates from November 2 through March 28 2009.

Easyjet flies to many top European ski destinations so act fast to grab these deals and secure your place on the slopes!   Fares are advertised from £21.99 one way on the Easyjet website.

For ski information and a quote for your ski insurance click here.

Running of the Bulls at Pamplona and Travel Advice for Spain

The annual San Fermin Bull Run and festival takes place in Pamplona, Navarra, in the north of Spain from July 6-14. It’s no surprise that running with bulls has the potential to be very dangerous so visitors planning to attend should obtain information about the run here. Any person under 18 years of age or appearing to be intoxicated is not permitted to participate in the run.  Runners are advised to obey any instructions given by the Police.  As is typical of any crowded and touristy venue, pickpockets will be looking for easy targets so extra vigilence with personal property is advised. 

For more information visit our Travel Guide section for Spain which contains a link to the Foreign Office (FCO) website for comprehensive and updated travel information, updates and advisories.

Travel Advice for Tunisia

Those holding British passports can visit Tunisia for three months or less without a visa. However, non-UK-born British passport holders may have to undergo a lengthy security check on arrival.

Passports should be checked well before the travel date as six months or more validity is required for entry into Tunisia. Regulations in Tunisia require visitors to declare any large amounts of money being taken into the country, and to declare any amount more than £500 when leaving.  Adults and single parents travelling alone with children are sometimes required to provide documents of parental responsibility before entering or leaving, so accurate information should be sought prior to travel for those likely to be affected. 

In Tunisia all medical treatment for non-Tunisians must be paid for at the time it is received, and the costs can be high.  For more information click on our Travel Guide for Tunisia which contains a link to the Foreign Office (FCO) website where updated travel advice and information can be found.