After the news that Cheryl Cole was diagnosed with malaria this week, British tourists are being warned to take proper medical precautions before travelling to exotic destinations, Cole had recently travelled to Tanzania for a brief holiday and although she is reported to have taken a full course of malaria tablets during her stay, she contracted the disease due to the fact some forms are resistant to drugs.
Although Cheryl Cole took her medication and was unlucky to get the disease, many people who travel to these destinations do not, as Britain has become the largest ‘importer’ of malaria in the western world, as some 2000 Britons contract the disease while abroad every year.
Frances Tuke of ABTA, The Travel Association states: “As we become more familiar with travelling to more exotic destinations, we can forget there are different types of risks that we need to be aware of and there are some easy things we things you can do to prevent those risks. First and foremost, if you are travelling outside of countries in Western Europe, North America or Australia, you need to go and see a health professional six to eight weeks before you go away to find out what vaccinations and preventions you need to take.”
For those who travel to the sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Tanzania are found to be at greatest risk, this area is also home to the most lethal strain of malaria, plasmodium falciparum and half of reported cases of malaria in the UK originate from this area.
Leicestershire-based consultant in health protection in, and member of the Malaria Awareness Panel, Dr Philip Monk, identifies Gambia as a particular hotspot for malaria and he has come across more cases of travellers infected in the west African country than anywhere else. He said: ‘As it’s a mainstream package holiday destination, people think it’s like going to the Balearics,’ he says. ‘It’s not. There are precautions you must take, especially in the rainy season when the risk of catching malaria is much higher.”
Figures show that Malaria causes more than one million deaths worldwide each year, and although scientists are making progress on a vaccine, it will be at least ten years before it will be widely available.
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When people think about taking a holiday to the Mediterranean they normally just look for a package deal to one of the resorts in Spain, Greece or Turkey, however there is a better way to see what the Med has to off and that is by taking a Mediterranean Cruise. A popular holiday destination is Turkey, so for a change why not take an Aegean cruise.
Here you get to experience all the temples, mosques and beaches it has to offer, starting of your journey of discovery from Marmaris and heading out to Bodrum. On your cruise you will be able to enjoy the beautiful coastline and experience the charming bougainvillea-clad towns it’s the perfect introduction to Turkey. The cruise then stops off at one of Turkey’s biggest hubs, Izmir, here you can visit Ephesus, the Mediterranean’s best-preserved classical city, where one of the seven Ancient Wonders of the World once stood, the Temple of Artemis.
Ephesus, Temple of Hadrian
Picture courtesy of topquark22
After enjoying the best of Turkey your cruise will then take you onto Greece and the small island of Mykonos where you will find quaint sugar-cube houses and whitewashed windmills. Enjoy time wandering around the maze of narrow streets in the capital, Mykonos Town where you can explore the tiny churches, flower-filled piazzas and outdoor cafés. No trip to Greece would be complete without a visit to Athens the superstar of city that packs in more than 3,000 years of history which includes Panathenian Stadium, which hosted the Ancient Greek version of the Olympic Games, and the Parthenon, a breathtaking temple that’s perched high on top of a hill.
Whitewashed windmills in Mykonos Town
Picture courtesy of Alan Miles NYC
After the few first days of exploration you can relax and unwind on the last few days as you slowly come to an end in Crete, here you can take it easy and relax on the beaches of Aghios Nikolaos or enjoy local food in the shops, restaurants. Enjoy a trip to the Palace of Knossos, where the fearsome Minotaur’s said to have lurked, before venturing back to ship for your journey back to Marmaris.
Taking a cruise holiday around this area is a great way to explore without the hassle, it is also a lot cheaper than staying in lots of hotels to see it all, there are some great cruise deals to the Mediterranean to why not book one today for your summer get away!
The Birthplace of Scotland
Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs is an area that is considered to be the birthplace of Scotland and a focal point of much of Scotland’s dramatic history. The unspoilt landscapes of glens and bays, around Kintyre and Islay, the Trossachs and Breadalbane where the Highlands and the Lowlands meet within the boundaries of Loch Lomond and the sweeping mountains of Lorn set the perfect backdrop to the unofficial West Highlands capital, Oban.
Inversnaid - Loch Lomond
Picture courtesy of alllyballly
There are so many places to stay around here with Hotels set within some of Scotland’s finest Castles to quaint family run B&B’s or how about a self catering holiday rentals where you can stay in log cabins in the National Parks or traditional farming cottages. Once you have your base for your holiday you can trace the footsteps of those before you such as Sir William Wallace, Robert the Bruce St Columba, and Mary, Queen of Scots or outlaws like Rob Roy. For nature lovers you may be lucky to catch a glimpse of an osprey, a wildcat, a regal antlered stag or an eagle and on the coast you may be lucky enough to see one or two whales and dolphins.
Oban Harbour
Picture courtesy of Lombardo_UK
Whilst up in the Birth Place of Scotland you can immerse yourself in the traditions of Scotland and enjoy traditional folk music, highland games and local food as well as understand others fascination with the area such as travel writer, Sir Walter Scott, who penned his best selling poem ‘The Lady of the Lake’, about the landscapes around Loch Katrine. If you plan on staying in this fascinating region you can base yourself in one of many holiday cottages and travel around the region taking in all it has to offer.
Loch Katrine
Picture courtesy of Ben A’an
Although the UK only covers a small area it can be quite hard to get around it quickly, especially if you travel a lot for business, motorways can be long and tiresome so travelling by car is not always appropriate if you have to look fresh faced for a meeting, travelling by train is a better option than by road as you have more space and freedom to relax and with the availability of WiFi onboard many mainline trains now you can also get some work done. However if you are travelling long distances say from Edinburgh to London then travelling by train can take a considerable amount of time, however if you choose to take a flight to London you can cut down on a large amount of travelling time.
It normally takes about one hour to fly from Edinburgh Airport to London Heathrow, where as taking the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Kings Cross can take up to 6 hours. Although there is time taken up with baggage checks and other security in the airport it still takes less time to travel, and many UK airports around the country carry many internal flights, so it’s worth considering when you are looking to travel a great distance.
There are a great number of people who like to holiday in peace and quiet away from noisy youngsters, loud kids entertainment and kids clubs, now more and more places are catering to this market, with some hotels being adults only and now some cruises are exclusive to adults, which is great if you don’t want to see a child while your away.
Cruise Holiday line P&O Cruises now offer cruises for adults, P&O’s newest addition to its fleet the Adonia is a small intimate ship, it’s the smallest in their fleet and offers a classic cruise experience and designed specifically for adults only. Here you feel like you are on a home away from home with a comfortably familiar feel throughout, you will also be able to explore some of the smaller ports today’s larger ships cannot visit.
P&O’s mid size cruise ship the Arcadia also offer a relaxed pace and stylish surroundings and a hint of extravagance on this adult’s only ship. It features exterior glass-fronted lifts and expansive art collection featuring no less than 3,000 works of art. You can take a leisurely walk up to Sky Deck and in addition to great views you’ll find The Orchid Bar and Orchid Restaurant, a select dining venue which offers immaculately presented Asian fusion dishes.
The Arcadia also has a great spa to relax in which includes a large hydrotherapy pool and a thermal suite complete with fragrant aromatic showers.
If you fancy a breakaway child free then there are some great cruise deals available.
The Scottish Highlands hidden delights
When you visit the Scottish Highlands you’d be forgiven in thinking that you are in another world let alone still in the UK, many people often forget what natural beauty lies within this country and how much there is to enjoy. The Scottish Highlands offer a treasure trove of fresh fish, fine whisky, astounding lochs, and stunning scenery to explore, to see the best you can stay in one of many holiday rentals in the area from rustic log cabins to quaint little cottages to get a real feel.
Scottish Highlands, Gruinard Bay, Wester Ross,
Picture courtesy of HighlandBlade
The Highlands cover an extensive area and are home to a quarter of a million people, spread among some vibrant cities such as Inverness to small crafting communities as well as some of the sparsely populated islands around the coast. Covering the Northern Highlands, Skye & Lochalash, Inverness, Loch Ness & Nairn, Aviemore & Cairngorms, Fort William & Lochaber and Moray, you may need more than one holiday here!
There’s a lot to see and do in the Highlands whether your taking a family holiday, a romantic weekend away or an action packed group holiday why not give walking, cycling, golfing, kayaking, sailing or pony trekking a go. If you want to learn some of the history of the area, you can take a look around at some of the Scottish Castles such as Dunvegan Castle & Gardens which was built on a rock in an idyllic loch side setting, it’s also the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years.
Dunvegan Castle & Gardens
Picture courtesy of wineboar
There are many things that Scotland is famous for one of which is its best export, Whisky, for centuries the Gaelic speaking clans produced ‘uisge beatha’ (Gaelic: ‘water of life’), now known as Whisky, you can visit one of many distilleries and learn about its heritage and the importance to the culture and history of the country.
If you stay in a holiday cottage or cabin you can go out and enjoy all the fresh locally sourced food in the area such as fresh sea food, prime Aberdeen Angus beef and lots of whisky to wash it down.
Aberdeen Angus
Picture courtesy of gjeewaytee on and off
Warnings have been issued for holidaymakers visiting the south east coast to be on the lookout for swarms of Lions Mane jellyfish, after large numbers have been seen recently off the Cornish coast. The Lions Mane jellyfish can grow up to 8ft and have a toxic sting that causes muscle paralysis, which can lead to suffocation and heart attack.
The jellyfish are normally found in cooler waters which are further north in the Arctic and northern Atlantic oceans but because of the colder winter the seas further south have become cold enough for them, experts also believe that the flourishing plankton in the south eastern coastal areas, which is a key food source for jellyfish have lured the creatures.
A spokesman for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution said they were aware of the danger and advised beach users to be careful, because the Lion’s Mane can give a potent sting although the sting itself is not fatal it can cause blisters and severe muscular cramp, which can affect the respiratory system and heart function.
This summer for your holiday why not support tourism here in the UK, there are many great places to discover and nowhere more so than Scotland, with so many sights, sounds and tastes to explore you will probably find yourself coming back time and time again.
Getting to Scotland is easy you can get direct flights to Glasgow or Edinburgh from many UK airports, you can travel up there by train on the East Coast and West Coast Mainlines and you can also easily travel by car. If you travel by air or by rail you can hire a car to explore what Scotland has to offer or if you wish to get some exercise and want to explore harder to reach places you can also hire bikes to get around on.
Scotland is split up into 14 regions, each offering their own taste of Scotland:
1. Shetland
2. Orkney
3. The Outer Hebrides
4. Highlands & Moray
5. Aberdeen City & Shire
6. Angus & Dundee
7. Perthshire
8. Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling & Trossachs
9. The Kingdom of Fife
10. Edinburgh & the Lothian’s
11. Glasgow & the Clyde Valley
12. Ayrshire & Arran
13. Dumfries & Galloway
14. Scottish Borders
Over the summer there are many events and festivals held all around Scotland which offer an insight into the local history, some of these include:
Edinburgh International Film Festival – 16 June 2010 to 27 June 2010
Isle of Gigha Music Festival – 25 June 2010 to 28 June 2010
Scottish Traditional Boat Festival – 26 June 2010 to 27 June 2010
Tarbert Seafood Festival – 2 July 2010 to 5 July 2010
The Open Championship – 11 July 2010 to 18 July 2010
Hebridean Celtic Festival – 14 July 2010 to 17 July 2010
Inveraray Highland Games – 20 July 2010 to 21 July 2010
Wickerman Festival – 23 July 2010 to 24 July 2010
Edinburgh Festival Fringe – 6 August 2010 to 30 August 2010
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – 6 August 2010 to 28 August 2010
So all you have to do now is decide where you want to go in Scotland, whether you want to enjoy what the 14 Scottish Regions have to offer, or whether you want to take part in some of the many events that will be taking place this summer.
Flower of Scotland
Picture courtesy of foxypar4
Many people still think cruises are for those who have retired and want to spend their latter year travelling around the world on what could be considered a floating retirement home however it’s this miss understanding that stops people going on a cruise holiday and enjoying what these great ships have to offer. There are plenty of fun filled activities to enjoy on board many of the newer cruise liners not to mention what you can get up to on shore!
Carnivals fleet of ships are known as the Fun Ships for a reason, designed for the young and young at heart these ships off plenty of fun and nonstop parties as soon as you leave shore and with destinations around the Caribbean and next year the Mediterranean too you will be in store for a glamorous break away.
For those who like a bit of intrigue whilst away Whodunit Productions and Royal Caribbean International offer Murder Mystery Tours where a body is found and you and your fellow sleuths have to weed out the red herrings among the clues and unveil the murderer.
If you want excitement and fun for the whole family then take a cruise with Disney, as you would guess there ships are decked out with all things Disney as well as offering Disney shows in the theatre, Disney cartoons on cabin TVs and Mickey and co are also on board to help with the fun!
There is one cruise ship where you won’t be lost for things to do, but you may get lost! And that Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the seas, which is one of the worlds biggest cruise ships. On board there are a whole range of activities for all to enjoy including surf simulators and rock-climbing walls as well as different districts which offer lots of shopping and plenty of eating and drinking!
So really there is no excuse not to book a cruise holiday especially as you can get some great cruise deals!
Many designers have tried their hands at the hotel business, mainly on design aspects such as Armani, Moschino, Missoni, Versace, Bvlgari, Ralph Lauren and many more. Now Gucci are getting in on the act by opening a luxury hotel in Dubai at the end of the year. This is planned to be the first of many with further hotels open to around the world in the next 15 years in Brazil and Russia, as well as other countries in the Far East, Africa and South America. Managing director of the new hotel brand Lorenz Ziller says “We would like to have 40 hotels in 15 years”.
Guests who staying in the hotel will have a choice of 80 standard suites as well as penthouses and one royal suite and they will also be able to enjoy the star attraction which is a roof-top bar, which will offer high-rise views across the desert city. Although the hotel will attract celebrities and the rich and famous it will not mean that the Gucci hotel will be out of reach of many travellers some rooms could cost as little as US$408 (£284), which is not bad compare to the higher end of the spectrum where prices could be around US$6,808 (£4749). There will also be an opportunity for the hotels guests to purchase anything in the hotel, from furniture and bed linen to slippers.