No one can truly say they know London well. To know London completely is impossible. London changes faster than pigeons descending into the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Home to inhabitants for over 2,000 years now London has grown from the protective circle of the Tower to a sprawling metropolis, the ideal platform for constant illustrious activity.
Always where there is history there are tales to tell. Tourists are naturally drawn to the regular tourist attractions, yet it is the true travellers that seek deeper to find the gems of a 2,000 year-old town. It only takes a very small amount of investigating to find something more rewarding, more interesting, more inspiring in London, than the London Dungeons (although it must be said ?is a damn good laugh if you can bear the hour long queues!).
For instance, not even a minute’s walk from the London Dungeons is the Hay’s Galleria. This gem is for some totally bizarre reason hidden from all guidebooks and tourist information ?no doubt to preserve its lack of thousands of tourists making it a less exclusive haven. Please go there! It’s a beautiful indoor/outdoor menagerie of a few select shops, with a vast concourse of cafes, market stalls, bands, presentations, and of course, it overlooks a beautiful part of the Thames.
Turn right from Hays Galleria and you find yourself in a Thames-side walkway next to the newest buildings in town. The architecture is phenomenal, and these lord-mayor buildings are still so new that you can imagine that the cellophane has just freshly been peeled off all the windows. You are welcome to enter the Lord Mayor’s building (it’s the one shaped like a golf ball), go to the top and marvel at the mind-boggling roundness of it all ?plus of course see the spectacular views of the HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge & the Tower of London. Continue strolling directly into the I-Witness open-air gallery, before maybe snacking on a hot-dog in the mini-fairground.
Walk past the green that previously hosted many Hollywood film premieres in giant marquees, the David Blaine in-a-box episode, plus many other varied events, and you are literally underneath Tower Bridge, keep walking and you are now in Shad Thames, a true delight of traffic-free, cobbled streets full of people, giving you a precise feeling of how the London streets felt hundreds of years ago. It is as if these streets have been restored from long ago, thus delivering to the traveller a wonderfully rich blend of old and new in the same vicinity. Circle around Shad Thames, past the ever-changing Design-Museum, and find yourself in Butlers Wharf, a charming quay-side collection of bars & restaurants all overlooking the Thames opposite the equally picturesque St Katherine’s Dock. Trust me when I tell you that Butlers Wharf is the ultimate in romantic settings.
Hays Galleria to Butlers Wharf is one walk of quite possibly hundreds to choose from, in fact ?that’s a whole day right there! There are equal delights even if you turned left out of Hay’s Galleria instead, especially the Clink Street Prison Museum, Vinopolis (Wine Museum), Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, I could go on?
Great streets, great walks, great museums (forget the big-ones ?go to the Children’s museum in Bethnal Green for a real treat). It is frustrating to think that the bulk of visitors to London wind up staying in some of the least interesting areas. Paddington & Bayswater are both great areas, being so close to Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens (now home to the finally-completed Princess Diana shrine). Kensington & Earls Court have their highlights too, but there is more to London than the tried and tested tourist routes.
I recently stayed in a five star hotel in the middle of the city on the weekend for less than one hundred pounds a night, and was amazed at exactly how completely empty the city of London was. I was in heaven! There I was in the middle of one of the oldest cities around, and I had it all to myself! City hotels are notorious for being completely empty on weekends, hence the great rates. I am sure tourists pay over the hundred pounds per night threshold to stay in ‘trendy?Kensington etal, when they could easily stay next to Tower Bridge, St Paul’s, Millennium Bridge etc, for much less.
Needless to say that the City of London (the financial centre) is absolutely coloured with history, everywhere you go there are buildings proclaiming their 16th century origins, and they are in abundance.
I was recently taken to what is supposedly one of the oldest London pubs in existence. Again, this pub is not only hidden from the guidebooks and the common information sources, it is also hidden from the public! I had to be taken there, as I would never have been able to find it unless accompanied. This pub is hidden from the world. It is sandwiched between two narrow streets and therefore completely obscured from any main thoroughfare. It has its own courtyard and as you stand supping a pint outside, it is as if you are in Victorian London. Look down the misty streets and it is easy to conjure up an old bobby on the beat blowing his whistle, or Jack the Ripper lurking in the shadows. Oh – and there’s a 150 year old tree growing through the building, to add to the oddity of the pub.
Hampstead is another great area waiting to be discovered. Covered in green spaces, Hampstead (North London) is perfect for the idyllic setting combined with the close proximity to the big-smoke. Steeped in its own folklore, Hampstead was home to Dick Turpin (apparently he was born at the Spaniard’s Inn ?hugely popular and famous pub on the Heath) of which his ghost still roams Kenwood house, and the surrounding woodlands. The high streets of Hampstead, Belsize Park, and the immaculately kept Primrose Hill are possibly the last untouched-by-commercialism streets in London (no Starbucks here!). If you want breath-taking views of the city, historical sites detailing the ‘first entry point into London? combined with al-fresco dining, and an altogether more relaxed atmosphere, Hampstead is the place, and less than 15 minutes on the tube to the city centre! Now do you see why it seems frustrating that tourists stay in less desirable areas when they could stay in an altogether more inspiring location, just as close to all the major attractions?
Of course, Hampstead is one of London’s many beauty spots, yet the city is not all about beauty. As with any home to approximately 10 million people, varied activity is rife. London events cannot help but affect all, every Londoner has an opinion on the congestion zone, on the ill-fated Millennium Dome, on Tony Blair, in fact on any topic you care to mention. Start a conversation with any London black-cab driver ?typically famous for their outspoken views, and you will find yourself immediately thrown into the debate of the day.
So, when visiting London do not even attempt to see it all ?you cannot.
In a city where already this year a Roman road has been uncovered a mile below ground level dating back to 1 AD, and where Paddington workers uncovered Brunel’s first iron-bridge ?one they didn’t know existed – London is forever creating wonders on a regular basis.
enq@VisitHotels.com
www.VisitHotels.com

Are you thinking about your next vacation? Fancy going somewhere exotic? You need look no further than New Zealand. Perhaps you enjoy dining out, maybe you love hiking, perhaps you are an adventure junkie or maybe you just like to laze around on the beach. New Zealand has it all.
New Zealand consists of two major islands. They are very different in terms of scenery and both islands are packed with a variety of holiday options.
The North Island has 2 major cities, Auckland which is the largest city in New Zealand by far with a population of 1.2 million people. Still not that large a city by most countries standards but it is very spread out land wise. Auckland is located in the northern part of the North Island and is the main gateway for travellers coming in to the country. The other major city is Wellington which is located at the southern tip of the North Island. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and there is an efficient ferry service providing the connection between the North and South Island.
The major holiday areas are as follows but don’t be confined to these areas as there is a lot more on offer.
Bay of Islands
Located around 160 miles or 260 km north of Auckland, this region consists of 144 islands and bays. This area has a very temperate climate and is well equipped for visitors. There are many accommodation options and plenty of things to do to keep you occupied. Many of the activities are focussed around the water as wherever you are, you will be surrounded by water containing an abundant marine life. If you are a keen fisherman, you will be in heaven.
Auckland
Approximately one third of the whole population of New Zealand lives in the greater Auckland area. If you enjoy shopping, beaches or sailing, you could spend your whole time in Auckland. Auckland has often been voted the best lifestyle city in the world with its cosmopolitan city and beautiful harbour and beaches close by. As with any big city there are multitudes of top quality restaurants, cultural activities great shopping and as it has a beautiful harbour, lots of water activities.
Rotorua
Rotorua is a unique area of New Zealand. Located about 2?hours drive from Auckland, it is an area which has a very strong Maori history and many of the cultural activities focus around this history. A very distinctive smell of sulphur assaults the nostrils as you drive into Rotorua but you soon get used to it and don’t smell it any more. You will also notice steam escaping into the air which results from the geothermal activity in and all around the city. Rotorua has a longstanding reputation as a spa city and has recently undergone a renaissance offering a wide variety of treatments. Rotorua has accommodation ranging from basic through to deluxe and plenty of it.
Taupo
Taupo is located approximately an hours drive from Rotorua in the middle of the North Island. It is also a thermal area complete with geysers and mud pools. The town is built around the famous Lake Taupo, the shape of which was created by an enormous volcanic eruption. The lake is very famous for trout fishing. Any trout caught which weighs under 4 pounds (1.8 kg) is considered to be a waste of time! Taupo is well set up for tourists and offers hot thermal pools, adventure activities, good shopping and great cafes and restaurants.
Hawkes Bay
The Hawkes Bay is a beautiful area located on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The area consists of 2 major cities, Napier and Hastings. Napier is a very interesting city as it has the highest concentration of Art Deco buildings of anywhere in the world after being virtually destroyed by an enormous earthquake in 1931. Hawkes Bay is also a major wine growing area, being one of the hottest and sunniest areas of New Zealand. There are around 40 wineries offering a wide variety of red and whites. Many of the wineries have cellar doors and restaurants so there is plenty of opportunity to try the local wines.
Wairarapa
The Wairarapa up until about 20 odd years ago was a sleepy area which appeared to be caught in a time warp. Not any more! It is now a major wine producing region within New Zealand and produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in the world. Pinot Noir is a notoriously difficult grape to grow but the Wairarapa climate suits this grape. There are more than 50 wineries in the area with a great range of restaurants and accommodation. All of this within an hour of Wellington.
Wellington
As mentioned earlier, Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It has a reputation of being very windy which it certainly can be, but on a clear day, there is nowhere nicer. There is not a lot of flat land in Wellington so almost everywhere you go, you are treated to fabulous views of the harbour and city. There are more than 300 cafes and restaurants in the city, the highest concentration per capita of almost anywhere in the world. Wellington is rich in culture and the arts and has a bursting calendar of events as well as many interesting museums and galleries to visit. Shopping is also excellent in Wellington catering to all whether you consider yourself to be funky, intellectual or just plain indulgent. Many tourists overlook Wellington which is a pity as it offers so much within a very compact area.
Look out for Part 2 of this article covering the South Island coming soon.

Bulgaria offers pleasures for each one’s taste. Thinking of an active holiday? Bulgaria has it – swimming, skiing, riding, climbing, hunting, fishing… Thinking of relaxing – amazing nature, sunny beaches, healing spas, monasteries and churches, hospitable towns and villages… Ancient culture, endless beaches and an emerald sea, high mountains with marvellous gorges and caves, clear lakes and rivers full of fish, wide valleys, healing springs, ancient culture, hospitable people, tempting cuisine and wines, diverse flora and fauna…
All accommodation places in Bulgaria have been categorised according to the 5-star international system. Privatisation has had a favourable impact and today the country is proud of hotels and restaurants that meet the modern world standard.
When you are ready for that once in a lifetime experience of an Bulgarian vacation, consider a private home rental for your source of lodging. Hotels can be nice, but staying in a private home rented for the occasion can give you a chance to see the real Bulgaria. Explore the countryside, walk into the village and visit with the residents, and see what it feels like to actually go home, to a cabin or villa at the end of the day, living as the Bulgarians do. Or, try a beach house if that suits you or an apartment if you prefer a more urban setting. Getting to know the local people by living among them for an extended stay of a few weeks will give you a chance to learn some of the language, or if you already speak Bulgarian to brush up on your skills. It will also give you a chance to learn local history in a very unique way, from the people themselves. You will appreciate all of the similarities of Bulgarian culture with your own, and learn to appreciate the differences as well. The Bulgarians are a wonderful, friendly people with a rich culture and history. Taking the time to live among them, getting to know them as friends and neighbors, is truly an experience you will always remember.
Private homes for rent to vacationers in Bulgaria can be found in various price ranges. If you are looking for luxury, there are villas available. If something more rustic suits your taste and budget, then smaller homes and even old farmhouses are available to appeal to all tastes. Just as an example, one property includes two bedrooms, queen size beds, kitchen, laundry area, bathroom, central eat and the satellite television, telephone and VCR that most tourists are used to having. Imagine though the coziness and comfort of coming back to the house after a day of sight seeing to sit by the fire place, drinking a glass of a local wine, having a light dinner of pasta, and enjoying the peace and quiet of your surroundings. Staying in a hotel in a major city will certainly show you the tourist hot spots, but staying in a private home will show you the real Bulgaria.
There are so many wonderful places to visit in Bulgaria like:
- Nessebar – beautiful small town on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast a few hours south of Varna. Another one of Bulgaria’s many UNESCO world heritage sites.
- Sozopol – together with Nessebar these are the two sea towns with traditional houses and ancient dig sites.
- Bansko – a beautiful old village in the Pirin mountains with refurbished homes, stone wall, and cobblestone streets, but increasingly overtaken by resort hotels. Good place for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. The birthplace of the Bulgarian revival movement. If you want a true mountain village experience, there are a few other villages nearby from which to choose. In the beginning of august an annual Jazz festival is being held in the town. Skiiers and Snowboarders could find BanskoSki useful.
No visa is required for entry for citizens of the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
However, foreigners have to register at the police after 72 hours. If you have booked with a travel agency, this will be taken care of. If not – usually, your hotel will handle the necessary paperwork (ask). If you do not stay in a hotel, you will need to go to the police and take the tedious task of registering on your own. Especially for UK and US citizens, Bulgaria is really cracking down on this. Failure to register might mean a 2000 Leva fine (about $1200 US). Also take care that you have an entry stamp in your passport, otherwise your exit could be quite troublesome.
Bulgaria offers tourist attractions all around the year. Most popular are summer seaside resorts, along the entire Black Sea coastline. In winter numerous ski resorts are there to attract tourists. There are many spa, trekking and historical destinations that offer incredibly rich variety of experiences.
There are hundreds, maybe thousands of mineral water springs around the country, so this is something you’d better taste and drink. Ayrian and boza are two traditional Balkan non-alcoholic beverages.

Although most trips abroad are trouble free, being prepared will go a long way to avoiding the possibility of serious trouble. If you are travelling abroad here are some of things you need to do to make your trip easier:
1. Check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice (call 0845 850 2829) for Public Announcements or Travel Warnings for the countries you plan to visit. Public Announcements provide fast-breaking information about relatively short-term conditions that may pose risks to the security of travellers.
2. Get a good guidebook and get to know your destination. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are travelling. While in a foreign country, you are subject to that country’s laws. Learn about the countries that you plan to visit. Before departing, take the time to do some research about the people and their culture, and any problems that the country is experiencing that may affect your travel plans.
3. Get travel insurance and check that the cover is appropriate and check what vaccinations you need 2 months before you travel. Also, consider whether you need to take extra health precautions. Make sure your insurance covers your emergency medical needs (including medical evacuation) while you are overseas.
4. Take enough money for your trip and some back-up funds such as traveller’s cheques, sterling or US dollars.
5. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewellery and do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards.
6. While abroad, avoid using illicit drugs or drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages, and associating with people who do.
7. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.
8. If your travel involves passage on airlines with which you are unfamiliar, you may wish to check their safety and reliability with a reputable travel agent.
9. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
10. Ensure you have a valid passport that is in good condition and the necessary visas, if required.
11. Make several copies of your passport, insurance policy plus 24-hour emergency number, and ticket details. Leave these copies, your itinerary and contact details with family and friends. Carry the other copies with you in a separate place from your passport. This will facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or stolen.
12. Ensure that your travel organiser or travel agent can provide sufficient evidence of security for the refunding and repatriation of consumers in the event of insolvency. This security must be in place by one of several Financial Protection Organisations.
13. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

I use the Internet to find just about every type of information. Even the weather.
Sure, I could just stick my head out the window and call out, “Hello. What’s the weather forecast today?” But if the response is “hurricanes, hail and meteor storms”, I don’t want my head to be on the wrong side of the window when the answer comes down.
Plus, that won’t help me fine-tune my last minute travel plans.
So I turn to the Internet. There are three really easy ways to get a good weather forecast over the Internet:
Weather forecast websites:
There are some good weather forecast websites. The one I use most often, because I am in Canada, is The Weather Network http://www.theweathernetwork.com ), and I also like CNN ( http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/ ).
CNN gives current conditions and a five day forecast. The Weather Network provides more detail, with a short term forecast ( this evening, tonight, tomorrow morning, etc.) and a longer term forecast over the next six days. The Weather Network provides the most detail of all the options, but it takes longer to download than the progress of climate change (so don’t do it on a 26K modem!) Both offer forecasts for cities worldwide.
Weather forecast software:
A second way, which does not even require going to a website, is to get current conditions right on your desktop. There are free weather forecast software downloads, such as http://www.weather4you.info that display key data right on your desktop, and even provide a text summary one click away.
Weather forecasts on the desktop are probably the fastest way to get local weather information, and the data is updated every five minutes. The display can be set up for local weather, but a couple clicks allows for a quick check of conditions form almost every weather monitoring station in the world ?ideal for making last minute travel plans
Weather forecasts by Google:
A third way to access the weather forecast is through Google. Yes, the find-everything search engine has added weather to its repertoire. For instance, search Google for “weather Orlando”, without the quotation marks, and see what you get.
At the time of writing, this service is available only to cities in the USA (I presume Americans get more weather than other people.). However, it will hopefully be available everywhere by the time you read this article.
Google’s is the least precise weather forecast of the options, but fairly quick and simple to reach if you are looking for information on a city in the USA.
All three options are worthwhile, whether preparing for the daily commute or making travel and vacation plans. So pull in your head, close that window and log on. Why stick your neck out when there is weather on your computer.

With a population of almost half a million, Dublin is the capital and largest city on the island of Ireland. It was originated in 488AD as a shipping port while going through the Irish Sea and has progressively grown into a modern day city throughout the years.

Today Dublin is a mixture of the old and the new Metro and they merge nicely from the downtown area out into the suburbs.

Dublin has a sizable number of immigrants, coming from Great Britain, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and continental Europe. More recently, Nigerian, Indian, and Eastern European populations have also migrated into the city, largely attracted by Ireland’s economic success since the mid-1990′s. Old and once run-down streets have rapidly become busy ‘ethnic districts’, such as Moore Street’s transformation into ‘Little Africa’ and Parnell Street East into the city’s de-facto ‘Chinatown’ and ‘Asian Village’. These villages are a great way for tourists to spend the afternoon, casually walking the cobblestone streets, shopping and having lunch!

There is plenty to do in Dublin if you are on vacation or sightseeing.

- The National Print Museum of Ireland
- The Irish Museum of Modern Art
- The National Gallery of Ireland
- The Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery
- The Chester Beatty Library
- And three centers of the National Museum of Ireland are all located in Dublin.

These cultural museums would make an informative and beautiful tour around the city of Dublin. And Dublin has an excellent bus system that will carry you around the town with very little effort or expense. Or if you prefer a more energetic afternoon, renting a bicycle and touring on a bike is a popular way to see the city “up close and personal.?

The river Liffey separates Dublin, the North from the South, with typically the working class on the North and the middle and upper class on the South. In more recent years the city has also been divided socio-economically between East and Westside too. But not to worry! There are plenty of restaurants and nightlife anywhere you want to go, from the friendly outdoor pubs to the Temple Bar, which is “The Place” for nightlife and often people from Britain and beyond visit for the weekend.

Whatever you prefer, you are sure to find in Dublin. And don’t forget to catch a football or a rugby game at Croke Park, which seats 82,300 fans! There are other sports arenas scattered around the city for soccer, horse and greyhound racing, baseball, and other athletic events which are held at Morton Stadium in Santry.

So, from fine dining to eating in your hotel and the wonderful restaurants, to cultural exhibits around town, and seasonal sports events across the country to ending a wonderful day with a night of dancing or walking along the beach, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy while in Dublin.

And don’t forget the week-long celebrations for St Patrick’s Day, which culminate in the great parade on 17 March.