Travel Boks

7 Nights in Egypt

2013-09-29T09:23:00.001-07:00

One of the best places I’ve been to so far would have to be Egypt. It’s a place I’d definitely go each year as a getaway break, to the same place, in the same hotel and with the same person. My fiancé and I spent 7 nights at the Sultan Gardens in Sharm el Sheikh, it was perfect. The weather was amazing, the people and staff were so friendly and respectful, the choice in food and the number of things to do and places to go were not limited at all. It was an active, fun holiday as well as a relaxing break.

We did many excursions during our stay including snorkelling, speed boat touring, sunrise quad biking, stargazing and parasailing despite the other half being afraid of heights. With neither of us being able to swim, the water based excursions were still so amazing although sound of hearing myself breathe under water whilst snorkelling was absolutely terrifying so I spent the rest of the time by the shore. It was an amazing experience even if I did only manage 3 seconds doing it.

Stargazing was nice too, it’s not something I’d do again but some of it was good. We left the hotel in the late afternoon where we were taken down to the desert area which took about 30 minutes maybe more. We then jumped onto camels to continue the rest of the journey deeper into the dessert. 20 minutes of pain during the camel ride and we were finally at the small huts where we were welcomed by Bedwin people (the people who live out in the desserts). They gave us a sweet brown shot of tea, which they called Bedwin tea. I did take time then, to give my thanks Starbucks. We also had a chance to make our own naan breads like the Bedwin people, and that was what we ate for our dinner. ..

Once we’d had dinner (or didn’t), they started with the entertainment to keep us going until it was dark enough to see the stars. We watched bellydancers do their thing on the stage wearing shiny bits of material. They involved the group as they called up a few tourists to join them. There was some other man who wore a long layered dress and stood in the same spot just twirling around for ages doing something with some round tray like things. It was entertaining, especially when his dress lit up. But the best part was when it was over. We were lead out in small groups to gaze at the stars. It was pitch black. Our group wasn’t as small as the others, and there were some annoying and chatty people so we couldn’t hear the tour guide clearly so had no idea what we were staring at. Anyway after 20 minutes it was all over. Thank God.

The best excursion would have to be the sunrise quadbiking. We had to leave the hotel at 3am. It was still pitch black once we got to the dessert and we had a private session with just me, the fiancé and the guide. He led the way and I followed behind. It was amazing, full speed across the desert in the middle of nowhere, pitch black. Dangerous. Incredible. Probably one of the best things I’ve ever done. We did this for about an hour maybe less, until the sun was about to rise. We stopped and climbed a mountain of rocks and sat down to see the sunrise over the dessert. So amazing, I’d do this again and again even if it meant 7 sleepless nights.

There was so much more, the shopping, the evening entertainment at the shisha bars, the mornings by the pool and afternoon naps on the beach.

Knowing that we would be coming back home was the only thing that ruined the holiday. Next time, because there will definitely be a next time, we will go back to Sharm for much longer than a week and just soak it all up.

How to find the cheap hotel rates

2010-09-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

A recent article in the Telegrah has revealed ways on finding the cheapest accommodation rates for holidaymakers.

It states that people should "Travel at the best time" as a majority of places cost more during certain months, and "Book at the best time" as "the biggest bargains go to late bookers" or even those who book way in advance.

It also urges travelers to "Check the extras" such as breakfast and room service. "Breakfast can represent 10 to 20 per cent of the cost of the room: make sure you know what is and isn't included," it advises.

To read the entire article, visit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hotels/7975538/Travel-advice-finding-the-best-deals-on-accommodation.html

Thomas Cook takes over Oger Tours

2010-07-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

Europe's second largest vendor of package holidays, Thomas Cook has taken over German travel company Oger Tours .

The Anglo-German holidays company paid 30 million euros for Oger Tours after it made a huge loss of 7.3 million euros in the last financial year before tax on turnover of 256 million euros.

Oger Tours, previously owned by Germany's well known Turkish businessmen, Vural Oger, specialises in Turkish destinations and takes 400,000 passgeners on holidays each year.

Visiting Dubai

2010-06-08T16:25:00.001-07:00

Dubai, now both a global city and a beautiful holiday attraction, is drawing in more tourists and holidaymakers as a result of the country's large construction projects.

Built on an artificicial island in the ocean, the worlds only seven star hotel opened in 2008 becoming Dubai's biggest landmark.

Dubai would make the perfect holiday for all the family.

For those who love adventure, Dubai has its own desert safari where you can experience Dubai's culture, dress up into Burkas, get free henna tattoos, indulge in the exotic cuisine from the desert BBQ, ride a camel and take a ride in a 4x4 van as its swoops over the hilly sands. All followed by belly dance lessons within an Arabian setting.

Sight-seers would love different kinds of beautifully built Mosques, the palaces, the 7 star hotel built on a man made island in the sea, along with the worlds tallest building.

And after that, there's that gorgeous blue sea to relax by and soak in that magical sun at the countries numerous beaches.

Although, this is one place I'd love to visit again, I would only recommend short stays of 4 days, that's more than enough time to do everything. Also remember, Thursday and Fridays are like our Saturdays and Sundays; weekends. Everything remains shut for these two days as it is their official holiday.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?... Yes, it's a plane

2010-04-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

After the six day crisis of the "no flight zone" over the UK leaving Brits stranded abroad and holidaymakers stuck in the UK airports due to the volcanic explosion in Iceland, planes are finally back in the skies as the aviation industry has been given the go ahead to lift off.

However, despite the flight ban being lifted, over 15,000 British holidaymakers are still stuck abroad as airlines struggle to keep up with the backlog of over 100,000 cancelled flights.

In some countries, holidaymakers have stated that a number of local shops have increased the prices of goods as a bid to get more out of the situation.

Airlines are expected to lose over £1.5 billion as a result as insurers of thousands of holidaymakers stay hanging on their tails, fighting for compensation following the incident.

Holiday ruiner or holiday joke?

2010-04-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

Recently I went on a well earned holiday for two weeks to a small island in Cuba to get away from this whole credit crunch craze.
It was absolutely lovely. The sandy beaches, the palm trees, the ocean, just like something out of a brochure.

But obviously something must have happened for me to feel the need to share it with you.

So let me set the scene. I'm on the beach, lying down as the sun beams down on my brown skin, I'm not tanned, and nor am I trying to get tanned… I am actually brown.

Anyway, I'm relaxing by the sea, listening to the sounds of the ocean, staring at the clouds as they gently drift across the sky and disappear out of my range. I close my eyes and picture myself floating. I lay there, no stress, just peace.

I’m interrupted by a disgusted “Oh my God!” and open my eyes and following my sister’s glare across the beach. My daydream is ruined by an awful sight.

It's a man, a middle aged, short fat man…topless. The hairs on those boobs are outrageous. But that isn’t the problem. Nor is it the fact that his moobs are sagging. It's what's going on down south that's the problem. This overweight species is wearing a thong! And that’s what amazes me. And I don’t mean magician act amazed as in ‘wow do it again! Do it again!’ Because seriously, please don’t.

Ok so it’s good, the fat dude has confidence in himself and blah blah blah. Just because he’s big it doesn’t mean I’m going to feel any kind of sympathy from him.

Unless his brain was taken over by fat cells, he could have at least considered other people and f***ed off to a quieter part of the beach. He was a big man but the island wasn’t exactly that small.

There are just some things that should really be kept indoors...and tucked away might I add. So unless you like that kind of stuff, I’d suggest you do your research on the type of beach you chose to relax in before denying your children the sweet dreams they deserve.

Volcano disruption

2010-04-20T16:48:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of Family Guy, you may have seen an episode of Peter Griffin stating that he spent $200 from the "Rainy Day Fund" on Volcano Insurance. And during that moment, like myself, you laughed and thought "you stupid fool". But now it seems that Peter Griffin had the last laugh as that volcano insurance really would have come in handy for many holidaymakers right about now.

Thanks to the icelandic volcano that erupted not so long ago, the dust has filled the air leaving a number of UK airports with no option but to close following dangerous flying conditions.

As a result, those working with the airlines and at the airports seem to be enjoying their time off at the expense of the aviation industry who is losing millions of pounds over the volcanic disaster.

Holidaymakers who fled the country before the eruption have been left stranded abroad while those who planned to go on holiday are stuck in the country.

The country is also encountering problems as goods can no longer be imported through aviation and prices are now expected to increase due to supply and demand.

Planes are slowly preparing to fly, but the damage to the aviation industry has been done. If only we had followed Peter Griffin and purchased that volcano insurance.

Save cash by using the same cab service

2010-04-01T08:46:00.001-07:00

Travelling around London can be an annoying experience if you're not a fan of smelling other peoples underarms and standing bumper to bumper with strangers.

The best idea would be to keep a cab number in your phone for those days where you've finished work, gone to the pub, had a few drinks, and need to go back home.

Finding a minicab in London is of course, not difficult. But finding an affordable and reliable taxi is. That's why you should keep the same contact, and you never know, they may offer discounts later on for being such a loyal customer.

Family Day out in London

2010-03-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

It's always difficult deciding where to go and what to do when it comes to family outings. Picking somewhere that everyone will enjoy isn't always as simple as it seems. That's why it's always good to do something in London as there are various things to do for all ages.

Here are the top recommendations from our team to help you decide on where to go as a family.

1. Parks
Parks are always fun places, and if you're in London, Hyde Park is the place to be this summer. You and your family can play a game of football, have a picnic and feed the ducks, all followed by a nice boat ride along the park's beautiful lake.

2. Touring London
Why not tour London from the outside? If your strapped for cash, family outings can seem daunting. But when your in London, you can't go wrong. Leave home with a picnic and a family travel card and thats all you need. Look at the magnificent Tower of London from the outside, walk along London Bridge, and back along the Millennium Bridge, watch the London Eye do its thing and listen to Big Ben sing. Visit Buckingham Palace, before heading off to the park for a picnic.

3. Madam Tussauds
One of London's popular tourist attractions, Madam Tussauds is a place for the family to visit all the Hollywood and Bollywood stars; pose with Posh and Becks, shake hands with Chris Tarrant, sit in the Big Brother Diary Room.

4. London Zoo
Want to show the little ones more than just a cat, dog and a pigeon? London Zoo is the place to be.