Rail Strike Hits Scotland

A significant number of Scottish rail workers walked out on strike at mid-day yesterday and a further 24-hour strike is planned for tomorrow from noon, Thursday 9 October 2008. 

Restricted services will be operating between Edinburgh and Glasgow and destinations from there, resulting in serious disruption and cancellations for thousands of passengers.  Some Virgin Rail services between England and Scotland may also be affected.  Bus services may substitute for some cancelled services.  For detailed and updated information click here.  

Flights to Scotland may also be more booked than usual due to the rail strikes, so anyone with urgent business in Scotland will need to be quick to find alternate transportation.

If travelling by road check that your Vehicle Breakdown insurance is up-to-date before setting off.

Turkey Football? Fenerbahce vs Arsenal - 21 Oct 2008

Fancy a break in the sun - mixed with some great football action?  Why not make the trip to the Champions League match at Fenerbahce - Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday, 21 October.

Arsenal fans - if you are going to the match - please don’t stick your neck out and leave matters in the hands of fate.  Gobble up a great deal on cheap Travel Insurance before you leave home! 

Take the time to visit our Travel Guide for Turkey – which also contains a link to the Foreign Office (FCO) for essential and updated travel advice and information.  Getting clued up about local laws and customs will help keep you on the straight and narrow and avoid innocently attracting the attention of the Police!

Student, Gap Year & Teacher Travel Cards - Plus Discounts for Older Travellers

It’s the time of year to start thinking about and making plans for a gap year or around the world trip.  Even older students from the School of Life can obtain travel discounts.  A lot of planning is needed to get the most out of the experience and figure out the top places to see, as well as researching each destination thoroughly.  Knowing a bit about the local laws and customs could help avoid innocently attracting the attention of foreign police!  Booking in advance is the best way to bag the cheapest flights and travel tickets. 

Student and Youth fares are usually changeable - which is one significant advantage over booking a cheap fare with a scheduled airline.  There is usually a small charge to change a Student or Youth ticket but it could be a real bonus if plans should change – and it’s better than being confined to the original plan or losing money – especially on pricey long haul flights. 

There are many ways to obtain discounts for worldwide travel – and it’s not just for students - travellers of all ages can benefit.  Students can obtain significant discounts with a Student Travel Card.  Youth Cards are available for those who are not students but under 26 years of age.  International Teacher Identity Cards are available for those in full time teaching employment. 

The Youth Hostels Association Membership Card is another way to save money and obtain discounts on hostels throughout the world (with separate memberships available for those under 26 years and those over 26).  A VIP Backpackers Card is a way to save money on transportation, food and many other essentials.  The Nomads Card is available to all ages for a small fee but benefits are restricted mostly to travel in the UK, USA and Australia.  One useful tip to remember to help keep costs down in these tough financial times is to avoid booking travel on weekends and include a Saturday night stay.

Don’t try to save money by passing on Travel Insurance though – that’s called false economy.  Buy yourself some peace of mind and keep costs down with a quote for cheap Backpacker Insurance which we offer from just 20p per day - or check out our low cost Discovery policy which includes ski cover.  Once your travel insurance is sorted, get some ideas by browsing through our Travel Guide  pages which contain links to the Foreign Office website for essential and updated travel information and advice.

Eurostar Service to Brussels and Lille Disrupted Monday, October 6 2008

Eurostar has been forced to cancel its services between the UK and Brussels on Monday, October 6, due to industrial action in Belgium.  The one-day strike is scheduled to start at 10 pm on Sunday.  Brussels Midi station will be closed on Monday as well as the remainder of the Belgian rail network which means that connections departing from Brussels will be cancelled. 

On Sunday, October 5, the 9:30 pm train from London to Brussels will be terminating in Lille. Also, due to problems associated with the recent Channel Tunnel fire Eurostar will not be operating between the UK and Lille on Monday. 

According to Eurostar’s website, tickets can be refunded or exchanged for other dates at the original point of sale.  For more information visit the Eurostar website. 

For a Travel Insurance quote click here.

Advice for Those Considering Dental Surgery Abroad

Watch for an inflatable dental surgery in a city near you - but without the inflated prices!  Hungarian dentists hope to fill the gap for UK patients unable to afford private treatment in the UK - if they are willing to travel to Hungary for their treatment. With the cost of private dental work sky-high in the UK many patients have no option but to suffer or seek treatment abroad. 

Hungarian Dental Travel is just one company helping to make the process easier for UK patients.  They are currently touring the UK with an inflatable surgery and offering consultations.  It gives nervous patients a chance to meet the staff and dentists to discuss their treatment and obtain a quote.  Medical tourism has become a booming business where the entire process from flights, transfers, hotels and treatment can be arranged as a package.

Patients throughout Europe have been travelling to Hungary and other countries for years for their treatment but the market in the UK has only opened up in recent years due to the availability of low cost flights to places like Hungary.  Patients can expect to pay approximately 70 percent less in Hungary than for having the work done privately in the UK.  

If countries like Hungary need patients and the UK population needs dentists then surely it’s a perfect match?  What’s the problem?  The General Dental Council is the organization which regulates dentists in the UK.  The GDC website is packed with useful information which patients can review before deciding on surgery abroad - and also to check whether their Hungarian or other dentist is registered in the UK. 

A word of caution is needed here, however.  No Travel Insurance policy that we are aware of will provide cover related to a condition where travel is to obtain medical treatment for that condition.  If a policy is offered either in the UK or from abroad it should be checked very carefully for the actual levels of medical cover.  Despite the increasing number of UK residents seeking treatment abroad the insurance industry is still very wary about providing cover for it.  Travel Insurance is still necessary nonetheless as it provides the usual cover for travel mishaps.  Click here for a non-inflated quote.

Reduced Schedule on Eurostar May Continue for Several Months

Eurostar services have still not returned to normal following the fire in the Channel Tunnel on September 11 and journeys are taking longer than usual. 

The schedule has been cut by one train per day on the London to Paris and London to Brussels routes.  There is currently one daily return service to Disneyland Paris.

Eurostar advises passengers to arrive early and allow extra time for check-in to ensure they catch their trains.  For more information about Eurostar and the current problems and revised schedule click here.

Cut down on your travel stress by purchasing Travel Insurance in advance rather than waiting until the last minute!

Get a Bird’s Eye View from a Seaplane on Your Next Holiday

Seaplanes can take us places otherwise impossible to reach – places where you can really get away from it all.  A group of retired NASA engineers are developing a new type of seagoing ‘spaceplane’ which is designed to land on water like a flying boat.  If they succeed it could make the landing of future Space Shuttles a lot easier when they are not restricted to one shot at a hard runway.  There are opportunities to travel by seaplane all over the world.  To whet your appetite here are a few examples that we’d love to try:

Take great photos of beautiful San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and surrounding areas with San Francisco Seaplane Tours.  It’s a great opportunity for aerial photography as the wings are set high so that all passengers have unobstructed views.  

Adventurous and rugged types might be more interested in a trip with Alaska Seaplane Tours.  What a way to view the spectacular and pristine scenery, wilderness areas and wildlife.  Fishing trips are also a favourite.  One look at the photos on this company’s website should get your pulse racing.

If a warm, tropical landscape is more appealing try a trip with Island Seaplane Service in the beautiful Hawaiian islands.  Admire the famous Waikiki Beach, tanned surfers, Diamond Head, Oahu and Chinaman’s hat.  Check out locations used during the filming of movies like Jurassic Park, Baywatch and Pearl Harbour.  A PuPu party and Hawaiian music could even be thrown in to make the experience complete!  

Sydney Seaplanes don’t have to fly upside down ‘down under’ to get a great view of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour. 

If you’re unsure about booking a sea plane trip as part of your holiday abroad, how about trying one in the UK first?  Loch Lomond Seaplanes flies from the centre of Glasgow across the Highlands and Lochs to gorgeous spots like Oban in about 25 minutes (rather than the two hours it would take by car).  The company also offers private charters.

Whether you travel by sea or plane or seaplane, don’t forget to take out Travel Insurance before leaving home.

Travel Insurance for Apocalyptic Times as we Await 2012

Foreign travel is impossible for many of us at the moment due to the messed up economy and our bank accounts being raided by everyone from the tax man to the energy companies and financial institutions.  If nothing else we’ll save carbon footprints as we curl up on the sofa and console ourselves by watching travel shows and the National Geographic and Discovery channels.  There are always cheerful DVDs to rent or you could escape to the cinema.  A theatre ticket should still be affordable next year (let’s hope) when the new apocalypse film 2012 is released.

The last thing we all need at the moment is another apocalypse movie but, yes, there’s another one in the works, due for release during 2009. The 2012  movie will be brought to the big screen by Roland Emmerich - famous for disaster movies like Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow.  It is based on predictions in the Mayan Calendar which signal that December 21, 2012 marks some sort of change or ‘new world order’ taking place.  Many believe 2012 will bring a new spiritual awakening - or the end of the world as we know it. 

The movie is sure to stir the active imaginations of conspiracy theorists and those who follow stories about the Iluminati, Skull and Bones, Masons, Nibiru, Planet X, The Anunaki, Nostradamus, UFOs, and how it all could be connected to the huge amounts of money sunk into CERN’s LHC big bang machine!  Whether or not we are all doomed to get sucked into a black hole once the LHC is fixed and running again we can at least have fun discussing it all and spicing up our lives as we ride out the credit crunch. We can still dream of someday being able to afford another foreign holiday while pondering whether climate change really is man-made or due to the gravitational pull of Planet X.

Let’s hope the rich bankers and Wall Street traders will make good use of the hay they made while the sun was shining.  Perhaps they will put their riches to good use like Richard Branson who built himself a space ship and has plans for a hotel in space for his friends and family - and anyone else who can afford it.  At least they will be able to escape planet earth and avoid any apocalypse heading our way!  Maybe Hollywood should concentrate on making more feel-good movies like The Sound of Music and Abba for the rest of us.

Those who decide to cheer themselves up with a holiday - in lieu of eating or paying the mortgage – can at least still get a cheap quote for Travel Insurance!

Caution and Advice for Backpackers and Travellers to India

A bomb exploded in a market in South Delhi yesterday, leaving several dead and many injured. No British nationals are thought to have been involved.  However, the Foreign Office (FCO) has issued cautions and advisories against travel to several parts of India including rural Jammu and Kashmir, the border with Pakistan in the north and west, Srinagar in northern India and Imphal in east and north India.  Recent attacks have been targeted towards expats and travellers in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. 

We certainly don’t enjoy passing along bad news and it’s possible to become a victim of crime or terrorism attacks anywhere in the world these days, but a few simple precautions can help to avoid problems. One important point to remember is that booking travel to destinations after the Foreign Office have issued advisories, or where there are media reports of trouble, may jeopardize certain claims against travel insurance policies. Cover varies depending on the type of policy and the issuing provider so it is important to know the levels of cover associated with any policy. 

The FCO advisory for India contains much more information and we would recommend that anyone planning to travel there review it in detail. Our Travel Guide for India contains a link to the FCO for the latest advisories and updates.  Obtain a no-obligation quote for Backpacker or Travel Insurance as part of your travel planning.

Celtic vs Villarreal Football Match 30 September 2008

Travellers planning to be in the area of Villarreal in the province of Castellon, Spain, are advised that a Celtic vs Villarreal football match will be taking place at the end of the month.

Celtic fans are advised to leave plenty of time to get to the Madrigal stadium as access is likely to be slow due to body searches and ticket checks upon entering.  The doors will open ninety minutes prior to kick off and at the end of the match Celtic fans should be prepared to be asked to stay in the stadium for half an hour to allow Villarreal fans to leave first. 

Fans should read up on local laws and customs and comply with instructions given by Spanish police and remember that it is illegal to drink in the streets in Spain.  Those ignoring the law could face arrest.

For more information about getting to the stadium, maps and transportation information visit our travel guide for Spain which contains a link to the Foreign Office website for complete and updated travel information.  The following links may also be helpful:  www.villarrealcf.es and  www.celticfc.net/splash.aspx

Travellers to Spain should carry the European Health Insurance card but be aware that it does not provide the complete cover that goes along with a good Travel Insurance policy.