Celeb Spotting

If you’re going on holiday to the Caribbean or fancy staying somewhere where you’re likely to bump into a celeb then I have good news for you. Here are the 3 best Caribbean Islands for celebrity spotting…

1. St Barthelemy

Superstars to have been spotted here include Jay-Z and Beyonce, Matt Damon, Uma Thurman, Usher, Ashton Kutcher and Jason Statham. Although, many of these celebs will stay on their yachts when holidaying in St Barthelemy but who is to say you won’t see them wandering round the beach at some point? Bruce Willis and Jay-Z enjoy eating at the terrace of the Carl Gustaf Hotel which is on a hill overlooking the harbour.

 

2. Bahamas

Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon have been caught having a cheeky getaway to the Bahamas on several occasions. Cindy Crawford even married there right on the beach! Fancy bumping into a celeb you should visit Sip Sip where Robert de Niro and Diane von Furstenburg have lunched.

 

3. Anguilla

This island offers posh boutique hotels and the “postcard perfect” beaches we all dream of visiting. Sandra Bullock, Orlando Bloom, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Aniston and Janet Jackson have been papped holidaying here. Celebrities looking for a bit of privacy stay in the Viceroy which is a stylish resort with a saltwater infinity pool, Orlando Bloom and model Miranda Kerr even honeymooned here!

 

But obviously most celebrities have the money to spend on extremely luxurious so if you’re still looking for somewhere you can holiday like a celebrity but not have to pay the high price you should check out Top Villas.

 

Actors/Actresses Born in France

When I think of Emma Watson I wouldn’t assume that she was born in France, but she was born in Paris with France to English parents.The actresses parents divorced when she was five and then moved to Oxfordshire, England with her mother and younger brother. So this got me intrigued to find out what other actors/actresses were born in France..

 

Eva Green, Casino Royale actress, was also born in Paris and has a non-identical twin sister. At the age of 17 Eva left French school and went on to study in Ramsgate, England, Kent.

 

 

 

Elodie Yung, actress from G.I. Joe: Retaliation was born in France in 1986 and grew up in Seine-saint-Denis in Le Bourget. Once she graduated from University of La Sorbonne with a law degree she came over to England to study acting at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in London.

 

 

Frank Darabont, writer and actor in The Shawshank Redemption was born in a refugee camp in 1959 in Montbeliard, France. Frank was then taken to America as an infant and settled with his family in Los Angeles.

 

 

Nora Arnezeder, actress in Safe House, was born in Paris but left Paris at the age of two for Aix-en-Provence and then moved to Bali, Indonesia when she was 14 for a year and then headed back to Paris.

To find out what other actors/actresses were born in France visit the IMDb site.

 

Best Destinations to Travel Alone

Travelling solo means you have free reign over where you visit and what you do on YOUR holiday, so you should definitely take this opportunity to visit the places you have always wanted to but have never had the chance to. Great destinations to travel solo too are Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, USA and Bhutan.

Why Australia? For starters it is the furthest place away from the UK, so if you’re looking to travel solo because you want to get away from everything then Australia is most certainly a GREAT place to do so! Lots of younger travellers choose to visit here to experience life “down under” before getting tied down by a job. Australia has a very outdoorsy culture and a relaxing vibe so you’ll never be short of company out there and you’ll feel very comfortable.

New Zealand… Just like Australia, New Zealand is known for being outdoorsy plus being full of gorgeous scenery. There is a huge choice of hostels, campsites, hotels and wooden lodges for you to choose from when it comes to deciding where you’re going to be staying. You can even see whale and dolphins if you visit the North Island, and the South Island has beautiful waterfalls. Not forgetting Queenstown which is the adventure capital.

Thailand is known to be one of the friendliest in the world; so travelling solo here you will be treated amazingly. Not only that, Thailand is incredibly easy to visit with great transport links, amazing accommodation and there is guarantee that you’ll meet many other like minded solos.

USA is definitely a great starting point if you have never travelled alone before. America has so many amazing attractions for you to visit, plus they LOVE the British accent so it won’t be hard meeting people and talking to the locals! If you’re looking for sunshine Florida and California are ideal, but if you fancy visiting the party scene you should check out Miami.

Finally, Bhutan is one of the most cultural countries in the world and you can actually only enter the kingdom if you are on a pre-booked tour. You are escorted around and put up in a 4* rated accommodation and treated to beautiful cuisine. Bhutan is a very peaceful place, but if you’re looking to meet others Thimpu is great and even has a good nightlife. 

Things to do in Orlando

If you’re looking for a holiday perfect for children and a great family holiday you should definitely consider Orlando. There are so many attractions and places to visit in Orlando so it is definitely the ideal destination, as well as having a wide range of accommodation types, including amazing hotels and some beautiful villas.

As everyone knows the most known type of attraction in Orlando are theme parks. There are several in Orlando, Universal Orlando being a set of some including Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, with other attractions within this clan of theme parks. But there are other things to do in Orlando other than theme parks.

Kayak Eco-Tour, this is great fun, paddling your way through the waters and you may even spot real alligators or eagles on this fun day out.

Orlando Magic, come and see a game of basketball in this 20,000 seat Amway Centre downtown during the season which is between October to June.

(not one so much for the children) But in the evenings why not head on down to some great wine bars.

Orlando are  known for having a great spa. Enjoying a romantic weekend away take time to get pampered at one of Orlando’s world-class spas.

Or why not take a little shopping trip, Orlando is home to two major shopping malls as well as two outlet centres which are great for finding a good old bargain.

Enjoy a bit of golf? Why not spend some time testing your skills on some of the impressive greens Orlando has to offer.

Or check out some of the great foods in some of Orlando’s finest restaurants.

For more information and ideas of places to visit then check out: 10 Things To Do In Orlando Besides Theme Parks.

Travelling alone

Always dreamed to go travelling, but no one else shares this same dream? Well fear not, travelling solo could be great! Here are some great tips to help you when travelling alone: 

1. Plan in advance; although the excitement of not knowing where you’re going or what you’re doing does sound great, but it may not always end well. Who knows where you could end up.. So doing a little advance planning won’t hurt, you don’t need a detailed plan but for the first night at least, make sure you know where you’re staying and perhaps book your hostel/hotel before you leave.

2. Pack light; carrying massive bags that way a ton around whilst travelling will be tiring and could quite possibly ruin the whole experience for you, so just bring the essentials but enough to last you for however long you plan to be travelling for.  

3. Try to arrive during the day; being in an unfamiliar city and not knowing where you are going can be some what hard, so make sure you try and arrive during the daylight so you can see exactly where you’re going, and don’t risk getting lost.

4. Mix with others; see other travellers? Why not try and start a conversation with them, in the hostel lounges is a great place to meet short-term friends, and could also help you pick up some excellent travel advice.

5. Watch the world around you; whilst sitting in a cafe sipping on a warm hot chocolate watch what others do, how they act and react to certain things, this could help you learn how things are done in that country. 

6. Open up; learn to talk to strangers (even though we’re told not to when we’re younger), smile and start a conversation, making a few friends, short-term, can’t hurt.

7. Go out and enjoy yourself; do as much as you can, visit pubs, clubs, concerts and theatres. You’re travelling alone so you can do what you want so why not make the most of it!

8. Don’t be put off by dining alone; a lot of people actually do this, enjoy it! Perhaps go to restaurants with communal tables or counters, this could make it easier to make conversation with people and then you may not end up dining alone!

9. Sign up for courses; depending on how long you’re planning to stay in one place why not join several courses, language? Why not actually learn the language of the place you’re staying, this could help you make conversation with the locals! 

10. Go on organised tours; going on tours will enable you to meet other people and will give you a chance to relax, let someone else take care of all the details for you.

11. Always have the essentials; when travelling alone it is best to be a lot safer, meaning you’ll need to make sure you remember where you’re staying, so write it down on a piece of paper and make sure you pack it in your bag for the day, have a copy of emergency contacts just incase and any important documents you may need.

12. Save on phone charges; think about buying an unlocked phone and then buy a SIM card for the phone in each country as you travel, as this will save you heaps! 

13; Skype; when you find free wi-fi why not use Skype, its free and will allow you to keep in contact with family and friends whilst you’re away, and will also ensure them that you’re safe. 

14; Be safe; steer clear of dark alleys, being seen and in a public place is always safer than a private place.

 

 

Top Tips on how to Stay Safe Abroad

Firstly, decide where you’re going on holiday and then get it booked! Perhaps you decided to stay in a luxury villa or just fancy going all inclusive at a hotel with water slides perfect for children, whatever takes your fancy, once you have booked your holiday you’ll need to think about what it is going to be like abroad…

Being abroad is completely different to the UK (but don’t worry about any of this, just safety precautions to ensure you enjoy your holiday!), so here are top tips on how to stay safe abroad:

1) Keep an eye on your possessions- make sure that you are not displaying anything valuable, as this will attract unwanted attention.

2) Plan routes to and from where you are staying so it is easier to find where you are looking for and avoids mistakes, therefore less wrong turns will be made, which could potentially lead to danger.

3) Know local customs There are many gestures that you may be accustomed to, but are frowned upon in other countries where they may be seen as offensive.

4) Dress appropriately- learn how the locals dress. If the locals are dressed in a moderate way, you should dress the same, as you do not want to cause offense to the local community and culture.

5) Before leaving for your travels, you should make copies of everything before you leave, such as; your passport, travel tickets, driver’s license, and any other important documents. If anything unfortunate were to happen, having additional copies can make it easier for you need to recover any of your documents if they were to be stolen.

5) Make sure that you get the addresses and phone numbers of your country’s embassy before your arrival to the foreign country as this can help you if you end up in trouble with the law or if you have any important documents stolen.

6) Check if you can drink the tap water- you want to be safe and healthy whilst on holiday; not in bed and unwell because you didn’t know that the water was undrinkable!

Making sure that you prepare for your holiday is a crucial aspect of the planning process before leaving to go abroad! Being safe is usually taken for granted and people over look the idea of being in a situation abroad where they are not safe, however being prepared for worst case scenarios has many benefits which are hugely important if anything bad was to happen.

Culture

Travelling to a country the other side of the world may be an exciting prospect, however getting your head around the time differences and cultures may be a little more confusing! 

Making sure that you can fully prepare for any jet lag you may encounter can be a tough task, however it may be essential if you are planning anything to do the first few days you are in the country.

If travelling abroad whilst on a business trip, if you are in need of a skype meeting, you need to be aware of the time difference of the other individual, as you do not want to miss the meeting! Luckily if you’re just crossing the channel to go to France they are only an hour ahead, however, you don’t want to turn up to that meeting an hour early, its always good to look keen, but that keen!?

Not only do you need to consider the time differences, you also need to adapt to the cultural differences, understanding if it is a low or a high context culture. If you are travelling to a country that is of a high context, there are certain aspects that need to be respected, for example, changing the clothing you may wear to adapt to the culture- not showing as much skin, as it may be considered offensive, must be thought through. This may not necessarily just apply to those who are on a business trip, this could also apply to those taking a vacation.

Another cultural aspect may be how you approach situations, for example in one culture, eating a whole plate of food may be seen as challenging the generosity of the host, therefore may be taken offensively; however in other countries, finishing a dish just suggests they have enjoyed the meal and is considered polite.

Understanding different aspects of etiquette and tradition of other cultures needs to be thought through by the individual visiting the country, and can often be overlooked by many travellers.

Travel Insurance

Going abroad and don’t know the benefits of getting a reliable travel insurance? 

Although getting travel insurance may not be the most important thing on your list of things to do, it can be essential. Here are some reasons why it can make or break your holiday:

1) With some travel insurance, if you fall sick, you could have some of your medical needs covered, although you have to be careful that your insurance does cover you on this as there are some that have limits and are not covered for everything.

2)  If you have to change the dates of your trip due to an unforeseen circumstances, the travel insurance may cover these changes.

3) If any of your personal possessions such as luggage, your passport or money is stolen or lost during your trip, travel insurance covers this to a degree. Although, like anything, there are limits with how much can be covered, there is usually some sort of compensation for the items that have been lost or stolen. If your passport is stolen, having travel insurance ensures a replacement in a timely manner. All of the small print must be read properly, as there can be large changes which you may not notice.

Making sure that you have gone through all of the information with what is covered and what is not is vital, as if you get injured on holiday, you may automatically assume you are covered with the insurance, however with most insurances, this is not the case if the accident was taken place whilst taking part in a sport which is considered to be extreme. This is a trap that many people fall into, therefore; small print is something that should always be double checked, and then checked again!