European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) Advice

All travellers visiting Countries within the EEC should have a valid E111 form BEFORE travelling – this will ensure that if you were taken ill abroad you would be covered for free or discount healthcare. From January the E111 form will be replaced by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)For more information please read our E111 advice...

Medical Treatment in the EEC

I’ve received a growing number of emails from readers who are confused about the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and hopefully this article will help deal with some, if not all of the confusion.The health insurance card will provide you with free or discounted medical treatment within an EEC country. It is worth pointing out that receipt...

Tips for a healthy and Safe holiday

I spend all year working hard to save up for my annual holiday, and the last thing I want is for it to be blighted with health issues, especially since I’m in a different country, with doctors speaking another language and a varied standard of hospitals.This is my guide to help you have a healthy and safe holiday.Vaccinations and medicationFirstly,...

Heatwave hits the UK

Wahoo! The hot weather is finally here. I love warm weather – you can’t beat sat in a park, or in the garden with a cold drink taking in some sunrays. It’s not often that we get warm weather here in the North of England, so you have to make the most of it.It annoys me though when you hear people complaining about the nice weather – with some...

On Travel-Rants – Travel-Rants Apology to DialAFlight

Travel-Rants Apology to DialAFlight. Travel-Rants offers an unreserved apology to DialAFlight in respect of a post published on this website during the past several months.DialAFlight contacted us on several occasions pointing out that they believed this particular post (they were not objecting to any of the other handful of posts about them on Travel-Rants) was made by a competitor who had posted...

The best airport in the world

The results of the World Airport Awards from Skytrax are out. Congratulations go to Incheon International Airport in Seoul which beat last year’s winner (Hong Kong International Airport) into second place. The top 10 were as follows:1. Incheon International Airport2. Hong Kong International Airport3. Singapore Changi4. Zürich5. München6....

Keeping healthy while flying

The definition of a long haul flight is seven hours or more but for many people a shorter flight can prove just as uncomfortable. This guide will provide you with tips to help you keep healthy on your next flight, after all, you want to arrive at your destination relaxed.Upgrade for comfortThe first thing to consider is your simple comfort level, if you can afford it, or if you have a medical condition...

Independent travel insurance advice

Before I start let me confirm that I’m not a qualified financial or travel insurance adviser, and don’t pretend to be, so the information in this article is written from my own experiences, and you should always speak to a qualified travel insurance broker or adviser before you buy.Apart from covering items that may be stolen while you’re...

Tips for staying fit while you’re travelling

When you travel, it’s easy to get out of healthy routines that you usually manage to follow at home. Don’t get me wrong, you should enjoy yourself on holiday, but there are a few things you can do to try and minimise the damage to your waistline or your general fitness.Don’t make holidays an excuse to eat junkWhen you’re in a foreign country...

ATV adventures in Mui Ne

Situated just 10 kilometers from the heart of Phan Thiet, one of the largest sand dunes of Mui Ne stretches over an area of 10-hectares with breathtaking views of the seascapes.One of the best ways to get around the dunes, and by far the most fun, is to rent a four-wheel, all terrain vehicle (ATV).Seeing a demand for a greater range of tourism...

Hotel building work ruins holidays

I seem to be writing about hotels a lot lately, but when I book a holiday I assume that the travel agent or tour operator is up-to-date with any planned building work in my hotel and I would not be happy if I walked into the middle of a building site.Consumer concernsToday, I received an email from a reader who found out online that the hotel...

Boycott WH Smith over travel guide books scandal

News this week that WH Smith has signed an exclusive deal with Penguin travel guides in their 460+ shops, including most airports and train stations has disgusted me. On the rare occasion I do purchase a guide book I want choice not restricted to a certain brand.You will not be able to purchase guides from the likes of Frommer’s and Lonely...

Lang Co: pride of the central coast

Last month, Lang Co inspired the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club to make it the club’s 30th member. It’s the third Vietnamese bay to join the club, the other two being Ha Long and Nha Trang bays. Other new members this year are Pemba Bay in Mozambique and Cartagena Bay in Colombia.Ha Long in Quang Ninh Province is where the club...

UK passport confusion and advice for travel to the US

One of the rants submitted by a reader this weekend has me concerned because later this year I will be travelling to the United States and I would not want to have to experience what David Pickett and his family did on arrival at the airport.Airport check-in nightmareDavid booked the flights online and they found at check-in that his wife’s...

Lack of flexibility when booking holiday online

Booking your holiday online can sometimes be frustrating and time consuming if you are looking for something out of the ordinary. If you want to book a package holiday, 7 or 14 days, then the process of booking online can be a breeze when you decide on the destination.Consumer requirements changingConsumers have become more adventurous, or...

First impressions count when booking with a travel agent

You want to feel like the travel agent wants your business and a rant received questioned the commitment and helpfulness of some travel agents. As the ranter said, you’re not asking for miracles, you just want the agent to give you the impression that they want to help you book your holiday.You do not want to feel like you are an inconvenience.Coming...

Venice, my life in Leeds and recession impacting holidays

Next week I am taking a trip to Venice for four nights and leaving the laptop at home. I’ve not written as many posts in the last few weeks because I have been busy working on a new project called Life in Leeds, and I launched it this week.Impact of the recessionSince I am away on my holiday, I thought I would open up this post and I would...

Hotel and travel product blogger reviews lack the trust factor

While getting ready for work this morning I wondered if people trust hotel and travel product reviews written by blogger’s. Before you all start giving me a hard time, let me say I understand why blogger’s take free hotel rooms and travel products in return for reviews.Blogger reviews seem one-sidedThe posts I have read recently though seem...

Hotel building work ruins holidays

I seem to be writing about hotels a lot lately, but when I book a holiday I assume that the travel agent or tour operator is up-to-date with any planned building work in my hotel and I would not be happy if I walked into the middle of a building site.Consumer concernsToday, I received an email from a reader who found out online that the hotel...

The Liberty Wreck Tulamben

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OUR RUN IN WITH THE LAW

Wow the bus station here in Tucuman is huge! Like a shopping center, well it actually is. 12 hours in the bus relieved to be off it, there were a group of guys who sat around me one is my seatmate, annoying as hell, played music loudly and the guy sat next to me keeps changing seats, one time bumping his head on the tv , he never came back...

Mediterranean beaches

With the promise of warm weather, cheap flights and delicious food it's no wonder that the Mediterranean attracts throngs of holidaying Brits to its sunny shores each year. See our top picks for best Med beaches.Agios Gordios, CorfuAlthough it has earned a noisy reputation in recent years, mainly in the lively resort of ‘kicking' Kavos, much...

Angling made simple

The island in Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province sits in the Tien River and can be reached in 25 minutes by motorboat from the city of My Tho on the Tien’s northern bank.A quicker alternative is to cross the Rach Mieu Bridge and take the sign-posted exit.Thoi Son is 1,200 hectares of populated fertile land with many canals, ponds, and...