Samantha Harvey is a lawyer from South Western Terrace who really finds time to relax and unwind. Traveling and exploring the world is her forever passion. Every time she travels, she makes it to a point to find relaxing log cabin holidays so she could feel the real meaning of a vacation. She always believes that everyone deserves a break from the busy life of working since she is in a busy world due to her line of work. Managing a trip every two or three months is her hobby because she believes that life is too short so it must be lived to the fullest. As of the moment, the log cabin holidays in Cornwall and Lake District are her favorite places to stay at.

Lake District is one of the most beautiful places in the United Kingdom. It is situated in the Northwest England and is a well-known destination during the holiday seasons. The mountainous area of Lake District is also known to others by the name The Lakes or Lakeland.

The place is absolutely a best place to visit because it almost has what anyone wants to see on a vacation. The Lake District has a variety of magnificent scenery such as mountains, rivers, and most of all, the lakes. Just the view, with the exemption of the activities that can be enjoyed in the location, is purely astonishing.

With the amazing location, any tourist will definitely want to stay longer than planned and if this is the case, looking for a good hotel or just a simple log cabin holidays will make the stay a memorable one.  Finding good place to stay at will make your stay better and worthwhile and here are some to choose from:

Hydro Hotel (Image courtesy: www.hydrohotel.com)

Hydro Hotel – a Victorian inspired place that was constructed in the 19th century. This hotel features 80 rooms with colored televisions, telephones and tea and coffee maker. This also offers services such as sauna and spa. It also has a swimming pool and gym for those who are figure conscious. The magnificent view of Lake Windermere is also what most of the rooms possess.

Burnside Hotel (Image courtesy: www.burnsidehotel.com)

Burnside Hotel – not just the view of the lake but the scenery of the mountain is what this location offers. One best feature that this hotel caters is the silhouette restaurant, the bistro, bar, and the internet connection that can be accesses publicly. With its 57 guest rooms with television and telephone, and spa facilities such as sauna, steam bath and beauty salon, one can’t surely resist to stay. Solarium and swimming pool is also available. Also, physically disabled persons are accommodated with special services.

Cranleigh Hotel (Image courtesy: www.cranleighhotel.com)

The Cranleigh – if planning to have a vacation with the family, this place is a good choice. This hotel is just few steps near the lake. It has 18 modern-classic styled rooms, all of which has wall-mounted flat-screened television, internet access and guests can pamper themselves with the newly renovated spa located few minutes from the hotel. Aside from the spa, one will surely love the view of the lake plus the services such as sauna, different treatments and a gym. Children will also love the ice room and relaxation will truly be at its best with the aroma room which is also offered in the spa.

It is true that everyone deserves a break and Lake District is one that must be visited. Whether one will stay on a hotel or just in a log cabin holidays in the Lake District, what matters is how the time will be spent. Anyway, the place itself is very much relaxing.

Welcome Robert Hall, a tech writer with a travel obsession! He’s given us 10 tips on making your travel safe and worry-free. Follow him on Twitter: @travelplex

Safety comes first to the mind of a responsible and cautious traveler. Your vacation can turn topsy-turvy if not planned accordingly. For all the safety-abiding travelers and those who want to be one, some forget-me-not tips.

Image credit: sriram bala (Creative Commons)

STEP 1:
First, when planning to travel international places, you might need a special travel visa, for example, in the United States, travelers with an approved ESTA US Visas (a web-based system that tells travel eligibility to the US) can visit the US under Visa Waiver program. Enquire about those details.

STEP 2:
The places you travel might have different weather conditions, so while traveling through flights, understanding the weather condition will help avoid turbulent flights or spending vacation in extreme conditions.

STEP 3:
Local currency is very important during travel, make sure you carry enough in your card and possess some cash in hand for emergencies.

STEP 4:
When travelling alone, use navigation maps and tools to avoid confusion and also be punctual when you prepare start your travel. Also make yourself aware of the legal rules and laws that ought to be followed.

STEP 5:
During your travel on flight, or vacation activities like trekking (if you want to), mountaineering etc.,  you might not have access to edible food and you could go hungry, so it is advisable to carry some till you find a proper means.

STEP 6:
There are some must-have accessories during travel like a first-aid kit, emergency medicines, and an extra pair of glasses/contacts if you are using one. Make sure you pack all of these essentials.

STEP7:
Packing the right clothes keeping in mind the weather conditions, your activities during travel, and the places you go is utmost primary. But it is chief to understand that carrying too many clothes will cause you burden and make your travel uneasy.

STEP 8:
Carrying everything you need in a compact and smart manner will keep your movement effortless. Do not forget something that is important; at the same time carry not those which you might hardly need.

STEP 9:
Plan a week ahead if possible and list down the things you will need during the travel and arrange them a day before travel. Make it early to your required destination and avoid hassle.

STEP 10:
When travelling with family, friends, spouse, or alone, consider your and your loved ones’ safety as priority and let the vacation be part of everybody’s sweet memory.

This is a guest post by Anjali Sharma.

Gloriously impressive panoramas with innocent blend of diversified natural beauties, Ranthambore National Park is an ideal nature’s candy. It is among largest national park in India. It is situated in Sawai Madhopur district of south eastern Rajasthan about 180 Km south east of Jaipur.

Being nearest to the airport, Ranthambore was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of India and was declared Project Tiger reserve in 1973. It is surrounded by the Vindhya and Aravali hill ranges and is very near to the outer fringes of the Thar Desert.

Ranthambore National Park sprawls over an estimated area of 400 square kilometers. The impressive Ranthambore Fort is amongst the best tourist attractions, which was built in the 10th century. The forest is the typically of the dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most prominent species in this forest.

Tigers can be easily spotted even during the day time. A good time to visit Ranthambore National Park is in November and May when the nature of the dry deciduous forests makes sightings common. Its deciduous forests were once a part of the magnificent jungles of Central India.

Wildlife in Ranthambore

Image credit: Bjoern Ognibeni (Creative Commons)

Ranthambore is well known for its tiger population, which was initially started as Project Tiger in 1973. Besides tigers, the reserve has thriving population with more than 270 different species of birds. Few animal species found in the park are as mentioned:

1. Tigers, Leopards, Stripped Hyenas, Sambar deer, Chital, Nilgiri, Jungle cats, Jackals
2. Palm squirrels, Indian Mole Rats, Indian foxes, Desert squirrels, Yellow bats.
3. Amphibian species such as common toad and common frog.
4. Park is famous for its diurnal tigers, crocodiles, Tortoise, turtles, rat snakes and cobras.

Accommodation in Ranthambore National Park

Tiger Den Resort, by siddheshp (Creative Commons)

Splendid beauty of Park gets enhanced with the comfortable range of Ranthambore hotels, which provide customer friendly services and ambiance of perfection for tourists worldwide. Tourists can book their hotels according to their own preference and choice. Few Ranthambore hotels are as mentioned below:

1. Sher Bagh
2. Tiger Den Resort
3. The Pug Mark
4. Ranthambore forest resort

Best Time to Visit the Park

Best Season: From November to March
Closed: Monsoon season (July – August)

This is a guest post by Joshua Hardwick is co-owner of Hair Loss Geeks; a hair loss blog set up in 2012 with his university friend; Ian. He’s also a keen traveler and whenever he gets the chance, he’s usually off exploring what he can in the world. Follow them on Twitter!

I may be biased as I am actually from the UK myself, but I believe Great Britain offers some of the best places in the world for travelers and I have actually been lucky enough to visit many great places here. I have also been fortunate enough to travel to a few great locations in Europe too and I have noticed that these places often get missed out when it comes to travel blogs/websites.

That is why I have decided to write this post about some of the best places to visit in the UK as well as on the continent, in hope that I can inspire others to travel to these places.

London, UK

London

I know what you’re thinking…there’s nothing like pointing out the obvious. I’m sure you’ve heard about London a lot and you probably think you already know this city. However, London has a lot more to offer than just Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. London is an extremely lively city and it is most definitely one of the best (if not the best place) in the UK when it comes to nightlife.

It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for in London, whether it be a trendy bar or somewhere for an all-nighter, you’re sure to find it. London is also one of the culinary capitals of the world from my experience. There are so many restaurants in London, you won’t know what to start but if you use a website like TripAdvisor to find the best ones, you’re sure to be just as amazed as I have been.

London basically offers everything you could ever want from a city, great restaurants, great shops, a great skyline and much more. If you haven’t been to this incredible city, you really are missing out.

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest

Budapest is a hugely underrated city in Hungary in Central Europe. In fact, this whole country is hugely underrated and in my opinion and should be one of the places that everyone visits if they get a chance. Budapest itself is much like any other capital city, it has great bars and restaurants as well as a number of quirky shops but there is just something about this city that you can’t put your finger on.

Budapest has some stunning architecture and looks absolutely stunning at night. Hungarian food is also some of the best in the world in my opinion too, if not a little spicy at times. Being located in Central Europe, this city is easy to get to as well and hotels are quite reasonably priced. You can’t miss the natural hot springs in Budapest either!

If you get a chance, it is well worth travelling into some of the other areas in Hungary as well as Budapest as you will see a completely different side to the country. There is an abundance of countryside in this country and it is also home to the largest freshwater lake in Europe named Lake Balaton (great for swimming in).

Paris, France

Paris

Again, I know this seems like another obvious place in Europe but I just felt I had to mention it as it is truly wonderful and once again, somewhere that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. There are just so many reasons to visit Paris, I could write all day! Of course, there are the things that attract most people to Paris such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre but perhaps the best thing about this city is just how you feel when you’re there.

Perhaps it’s the French language or the stunning architecture that is dotted around the city, but there’s just something special about this city. The food is great here (as is the wine) which to me, is a good enough reason to visit any city! It should be noted that accommodation here can be quite expensive, much like London, but it is great for city breaks.

In a nutshell…

There are so many other great places in Europe and the UK that you simply need to visit, so it might be worth travelling around a little further if you are lucky enough to get chance to travel here. For now however, these three places are a great start and they are all very different too.

Which are your top 3 go-to places in Europe?

This is a guest post by Andrea Jones, on behalf of ChilliSauce.co.uk – event coordinators and providers of a variety of UK stag do ideas and stag weekend ideas for trips abroad.

Travelling has never been an easy task. During the best of times travelling for business or pleasure was time consuming. At its worst, travel can bring out the worst in mankind and press our stress levels through the roof. Thankfully modern technology has come along and saved the day. With increasingly impressive smart phones and tablets at our disposal, a lot of stress, anxiety, and boredom can be taken out of travel with the help of apps.

The iPhone may have been the first to popularize the app with the Apple Store and a catchphrase “there’s an app for that,” but Android and Blackberry users have an equally impressive array of apps at their fingertips to help pass the time during travel. There truly is an app for everything these days, from planning and organizing a trip to keeping yourself entertained along the way.

Planning Apps

Before the time comes to embark on a vacation, there are numerous apps that can be used to help book flights, plan driving routes, and find hotel rooms to stay at.

Kayak App

Kayak has quickly become the best online tool for finding the best deal on a flight. The majority of airlines offering flights in the United States, and even international carriers, have flights and prices listed with Kayak. One stop shopping is the key here.
Price: Free on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone/iPad

Priceline Negotiator App

Want to name your own price on a hotel? You can do that with the Priceline app. This allows travelers to select hotels based upon star ratings and name their preferred nightly rate.
Price: Free on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone/iPad

TripIt

This app allows travelers to collect all their information in one place. Gate numbers, terminals, and flight numbers are collected in the app and easily accessible to help keep all the important details of your travels at hand.
Price: Free on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone/iPad

Snafu-Helping Apps

Whether traveling by train, plane, or automobile there are always snafus that are going to come up. Some snafus are minor, such as forgetting a bathing suit or toothbrush. Other snafus include cancelled flights, weather delays, or a wrong turn on Dad’s “shortcut.”

FlightTrack Pro

In addition to storing important itinerary information, this app can pull real time weather and flight information for 5,000 airports and nearly 1,400 airlines. If a flight is cancelled or delayed, the app allows travelers to search for and book different connections.
Price: $10 on iPhone/iPad, $5 for Android and Blackberry

TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor

The worst snafu on any trip involves a lost reservation. TripAdvisor has a dense listing of restaurants, attractions, and hotels around the country along with reviews of those who have visited them. This app allows travelers to conduct searches for nearby restaurants and hotels and comparison shop the best options.
Price: Free on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone/iPad

Google Maps Navigation

The power of Google Maps now offers GPS navigation so travelers can avoid getting lost trying to take an infamous “shortcut.” The navigation offers satellite images, street views, and traffic updates to get you where you’re going quickly and easily.
Price: Free on Android

Entertainment Apps

Entertainment is critical on any vacation, especially during the travel portion. Families with kids fully understand this. There are apps available to keep everyone entertained from the youngest members of the family to mom and dad.

Road Trip Bingo

RoadTripBingo

Traveling by car is a classic American vacation style, but it gets boring quickly for kids. Keep them entertained with thousands of bingo cards to play. Even those who don’t understand what they’re looking at can enjoy moving icons on the screen and shaking the device to clear the board.
Price: $1 on Android, $2 on iPhone/iPad

Roadside America

It is good every now and again to get out of the car and stretch. When you are out of your comfort zone, find the wackiest pit stops anywhere in America with this guided detour map.
Price: $3 per region or $6 for all six regions covered. Available on iPhone/iPad

The Lorax: Dr. Seuss

This can be your travelling babysitter with this app that reads the popular children’s story out load to your youngest travelers. The app can also say the names of illustrations with a simple tap of the screen.
Price: $5 on Android and iPhone/iPad

Dora the Explorer Coloring Adventures

Here’s to no more boxes of crayons and markers in the car or on the plane. This app allows kids age 2 to 6 infinitely redesign five different scenes with virtual colors or stickers.
Price: $5 on iPad

There are literally hundreds of thousands of apps on Android Market and the Apple App Store. These are merely some of the more popular options for entertainment, planning, and chaos management while travelling.

Think we missed a must-have app? Chime in with your opinion on a little known must-have app.