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Archive for November, 2011

global travel

November 29, 2011

How To Adjust Your Snowboard Technique In Deep SNow

Powder days are ahead, so here are some quick techniques for snowboarding in powder.
1) Unless you are aiming to make a sharp turn, try to use gentle pressure while turning in powder. Turning too rigorously produces a sharp edge angle, which basically means your snowboard will burrow into the snow and you’ll find yourself beneath 30 cm of powder, compared to above.
Aim to have a gentle touch when turning.
2) A common slip-up made when turning in powder is to lean past your snowboard’s nose, employing your upper body to make a turn. Don’t do this. This may dig your snowboard’s nose into the powder and end up with you flying the wrong way up.
You should always aim to keep your body weight in the middle of your snowboard or a little bit towards the tail of your snowboard. Make use of your hips, knees and ankles to accomplish the majority of the turning. Deep powder resembles surfing on water, your goal is to be riding on top of the snow while trying to keep your nose from digging in.
3) Speed will be your friend. Powder will slow down your snowboard, so aim to keep your speed up. Speed will enable you to slice your way through the powder, and also stop you getting bogged down on flat runs.
Extra pointers for gladed ski runs:
Snowboarding in deep powder in gladed runs is very hard. It’s one of the hardest skills to learn, so don’t be disheartened if you find yourself getting bogged down. Here are some ideas for snowboarding in gladed runs.
1) Your whole body follows anywhere your head looks. This simply means when you look at trees, you’ll end up riding straight into a tree. Due to this fact, you will want to always be looking at the gaps in between the trees.
2) You shouldn’t go fast within a gladed run, unless you know the area. Always do a slower run to understand the area first. Gladed runs are fast and require that you are aware of the route, so take some time to explore the run first.
3) The reason gladed runs are extremely tricky, is because you’re blending sudden, rapid turns in powder, with an obstacle course. When you’re inside the gladed run, attempt to plan several turns in front of where you are. The more tightly packed the trees, the more you have to be sure you know the best places to turn, so as to steer clear of running right into a tree.
4) Gladed runs can be full of ‘tree wells’, that are deep chambers of snow along at the base of each tree. They could be especially deadly should you get wedged inside them, especially if more snow drops from the tree branches and covers your head.
Always try to ride gladed runs with a companion and strive to keep within sight of one another.
Look for more snow travel tips at snowtravelhelp.com

global travel

November 27, 2011

The Best Motorway Stops for Your Next British Drive.

There are several ingredients that make up a great British road trip. Beautiful scenery and fresh country air are a must as well as crumbling historical attractions and quaint villages but a lot can be said for a well located pit stop to refuel, stretch the legs and grab a bite to eat.

Thankfully, Britain’s motorway services are no longer simply a place for fuel and a dash to the loo. Some of the best offer quality meals, accommodation, places for the kids to run around and more making them a blessing for the weary motorway traveler.

One of England’s favourite holiday spots is home to Tebay, the UK’s most loved motorway stop. Located in the pristine Lakes District in Cumbria, between junctions 38 and 39, the locally owned service is well deserving of its reputation, thanks to its top quality food made from local produce, a BBQ area (try the homemade Galloway beef burgers!), an award winning farm, a caravan park and a signed dog walk trail plus more. A stop off at Tebay is a delightful addition to any Lakes District getaway.

If you are exploring Southern Scotland, be sure to stop off at the picturesque Annandale Water, Scotland’s favourite – service stop. Halfway between Moffat and Lockerbie, this popular motorway service area has all the modern amenities packed with rural, rustic charm. Known for its helpful staff, cleanliness and excellent facilities plus beautiful views over the Annandale Water Loch and the Scottish landscapes, this is the perfect place to spend an hour or two away from the steering wheel.

If you are escaping London for the weekend and heading southwest, then break up a long journey at Fleet Services, on the M3 near Basingstoke. Tucked in the middle of the forest, this unique Scandinavian style motorway service is hugely popular with holiday-makers and regular M3 travellers alike thanks to its variety of facilities including fast food outlets, McDonalds, KFC and Burger King.

At the bottom of the M40 in Buckinghamshire, you’ll come across the relatively new Beaconsfield Services, only open since 2009. Sitting directly underneath Heathrow’s flight path, this area is a hit with plane fans. A good range of restaurants, shops and picnic and play areas makes it popular with families. It’s also great if you are travelling with the dog, as there’s plenty of green fields around, safe from the busy motorway for them to run around.

The traditional ‘Gateway to the North’ is Britain’s oldest service stop, Watford Gap. The service is accessible from both the north and the south, between junctions 16 and 17 in Northamptonshire and offers a wide choice of good facilities. Somewhat of an institution, in the 60’s and 70’s Watford Gap was a popular stopping area for bands such as Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones on their UK tours.

Glamorgan in Wales is a great choice for a drive as not only is it beautiful countryside; it’s here you can find the highly rated Sarn Park. Easily accessed when heading eastbound on the M4, at junction 36 this motorway stop is incredibly convenient with friendly staff plus a wide range of quality eating, shopping and washroom facilities.

With these excellent facilities conveniently located along popular routes, free your weekend, grab a map, make sure your car insurance is up to date and hit the open road to escape on a great British drive.

The author of this article is a part of a digital blogging team who work with brands like Admiral. The content contained in this article is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions.

holiday travel

November 26, 2011

How to Get the Best Deals on Last Minute Flights

Everybody loves cheap deals for quality products and services. Cheap airline tickets are no exception in the bargain to grab the cheapest flights on reputed airlines. Finding cheap last minute flights is not a difficult task if you search patiently and also if you are willing to compromise certain preferences. You may not get your preferred seat in the plane or you may have to be flexible about your departure time; as long as you are focused on the point of grabbing cheap last minute flights, you can get it by browsing through feasible alternatives. Mentioned below are some tips that can help you to get highly discounted last minute flights.
Search online
Back in the days when there was no internet, it was extremely difficult or almost impossible to get good deals on last minute flights. However, with the advancement of technology and the presence of internet, it is now possible to search for deals on leading online travel agencies. As soon as you find a suiting deal, you can book your seat instantly at the click of a button.
Call up the airline helpdesk
Airlines always look for ways to sell tickets of available seats before flight take off. They do not necessarily update or advertise the sale of last minute flight deals on their website. Hence, it is a good idea to call the helpdesk of the airline to inquire if the airline has any deal available for last minute flight booking.
Book with online travel agencies
There are many online travel agencies that offer highly discounted flights on domestic and international airlines. These sites also offer great deals on last minute flights. You can search for preferred flights and compare the rates offered by different agencies. In this way, you are sure to grab the best deal available in the market.
Be flexible with your options
You need to consider various aspects while searching for cheap last minute flights. Choosing connecting flights instead of direct flights can make a in the overall travel budget. Also, late night departures and early morning arrivals cost less. As far as possible, try to schedule your flight on a weekday and skip weekend flights. Weekday flights are much cheaper than weekend flights.
Sign up for Last Minute Travel Clubs
If you wish to skip all the efforts of searching for the best bargain, you can also consider becoming a member of last minute travel clubs. There are many benefits of being a member of last minute travel clubs. These clubs can offer highly discounted last minute flights and also present special perks along with the offer. You can earn loyalty points with your travels and redeem the points to get extended discounts. In this manner, you are sure to save considerably on your travels as well get the opportunity to grab the best deals. Generally, travel clubs also have tie-ups with hotels and resorts. Hence, you can also stay at hotels at discounted rates. So, if you wish to become a member of a travel club, choose the one that offers discounts over an extensive network of accommodations in major cities across the world.
For a stress-free holiday and none of the planning hassles, log on to Flightnetwork.com and find vacation packages that include cheap flights, hotels, tours, and more!

european travel

November 25, 2011

Newcastle Hen Weekend Can Be A Pleasant Enthusiastic Escape

Your wedding day is just around the corner and there are several things you need to look after. However you don’t want to leave the planning of your hen weekend to your friends and want to take matters in your own hands. Many hens commit the folly of not thinking beyond the regular destinations like London, Manchester and Bristol when it comes to their big weekend. However you will be pleasantly surprised if you plan a hen party Newcastle weekend for several reasons.
Firstly, this city is full of energy and has a lot going on at any time of the year. Hence there will be no dearth of activities for you to indulge in when you come here. Of course, you will have to take your friends’ opinion into consideration but when they realize that shopping here is a lot cheaper than most parts of the country, they will be sold instantly.
And there are other attractions like spas and state of the art salons that will be absolutely irresistible for them. Often these facilities are attached to hotels that you could stay in and get handsome discounts, which will also make your Newcastle Hen weekend extremely affordable.
You can spend a day walking around town and getting all the attention you deserve. In the evening you will have plenty of options to eat out as some of the restaurants here are on par with the best in the country.
You could visit the local pubs if you wish to and mingle with the friendly Geordies and then go out partying to some of the fanciest nightclubs you will ever find. And you can have all this without splurging, which is why Newcastle Hen weekend might be just perfect for your gang of girls.