Travel pack by Nick Gray

1. Keep it simple: The best tip anyone would give you for taking a trip is to always travel light particularly if you are flying to a foreign land. Travelling light means taking as little luggage with you as possible. This is to avoid waiting for too long in the luggage claim area especially if you have kids with you. People have had terrible experiences when they carried too much luggage with them; they either lost their bags or had to spend the whole day searching for them at the airport.

2. Take care of your travel documents: This one again is for those who are going for an international journey. Keeping all your travel documents in one place, usually your backpack or hand carry, is a great idea to save a great deal of time and trouble while travelling. Also make sure you take along a phonebook or address book to have all the important numbers handy in time of need.

3. Pack well for kids: If you have kids travelling with you, it is advisable to make a checklist of all the items you are going to need when it’s time to change their diapers, clean their hands and face, give them something to eat or drink, and keep them busy while the journey is underway. Kids make a lot of mess particularly if you forget to pack up necessary items for them, such as baby wipes and tissues, extra diapers for babies, activity books for older kids, playthings, warm clothes, etc.

4. Don’t forget the cash: It’s always a good idea to keep some extra cash with you while travelling in case of an emergency requirement. Credit cards are good but remember they are not accepted everywhere. If you are travelling to a foreign country, convert your local currency into the currency of that country to save time.

5. Arrive at the airport early: It’s not going to help you if you arrive at the last minute. In fact, you will be running here and there and will be exhausted before the journey has even begun. So, always arrive at the airport early.

6. Protect your health while you’re away: It’s going to be a terrible experience to fall sick while you’re travelling. People may have food allergies they are not aware of or may become a victim of a foreign disease. It is therefore important to get vaccination shots before flying and keep important medications with you like pain killers, flu relievers, cough syrups, and the like.

7. Plan a safe travel: Imagine how dreadful it would be to get into some sort of serious trouble in a foreign land. It is therefore advised to stay as safe as possible. Dress up according to the culture of the country you’re visiting to mix up with the locals. Take care while renting cars, never accept anything from a stranger, don’t fall prey to local deals that appear to be very attractive, and avoid going into strange areas and narrow alleys.

8. Tips for travelling with pets: Animals are just as important as your own kids while you’re travelling. Pack for them according to the duration of your stay and take along anything you’re going to need.

9. Do not pack too many clothes: If you want to enjoy your trip, always take a few clothes with you with matching accessories and shoes. Try to carry only washable clothes and the ones that dry quickly. For children, it’s always best to carry disposable and inexpensive clothes to come back light and easy.

10. Use guidebooks whenever you can: It’s not a good idea getting lost in a foreign country. Particularly if you are travelling to Europe, it is advisable to buy guidebooks of areas you are going to visit to make the best use of your time.

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Summer

If you love the sun then this is the ideal time of year to head off to continental Europe. Any country in Europe is beautiful during summer time. The main problem with travelling at this time of year is that the prices tend to be at their highest level. You can get around this by looking for last minute deals or by checking out self-catering holidays. If you choose to go self-catering then the money you save by cooking in your accommodation might be enough for you to make more of your time there and enjoy an unforgettable trip.

Sunset in Sicily, Italy / Photo by admin

Winter

There is a lot to be said for getting away during the coldest months of the year. For a start, if you head off from the north of Europe to the southern part then you will feel a pleasant rise in the temperature once you get there. Apart from that you can usually get hold of cheaper European holidays in winter. Finally, this is a great time for anyone who is interested in seeing some traditional Christmas markets, going skiing or taking lovely strolls around snowy streets while wrapped up in warm clothes.

Spring

The warm weather comes early in places like the Mediterranean coast, so if you want to avoid the really high temperatures and the big crowds then this can be a fantastic time to head to somewhere like Spain or Italy. Prices are often reasonable during the spring season and it is an especially good time to go camping. If you have a look at a specialist site like Keycamp then you will see the variety of things you can in and around a campsite at this time of year.

Autumn

This is when the summer usually starts to die out in places like the UK, but the sun tends to still be shining brightly in more the southerly countries of Europe.  A smart move can be to soak up some sun at home during the summer and then go abroad to places like Berny Riviere in France, Lake Garda in Italy or Catalonia region in Spain to enjoy even more of the good weather when autumn comes knocking. If you hate the thought of the cold weather starting to bite again then this can be a clever way to extend your summer a little bit longer.

Which European country would you really want to go to and on which season would it be best to go there? Share your thoughts!

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Eden Project, Cornwall, England

Ok, this one is a bit of a cheat as you’ll be able to whip off the winter woolies as soon as you step inside the giant Biome domes, which transport you into the humid climate of a tropical rainforest, surrounded by the flourishing plant life that thrives in such conditions. Plus, the outdoor gardens look stunning all year round as well.

Eden Project, Cornwall, England, UK by Cayetano

Snowdonia National Park, North Wales

As the name suggests, the peaks of Snowdonia offer a snow-capped winter wonderland for much of the season. While the weather can be hostile at the highest peaks, choose a clear and calm winter day and you will enjoy spectacular views across the park while breathing in the fresh, crisp air. The mountains are dramatic and the scenery is awe-inspiring with walking routes to suit all abilities taking in the mountains, cliffs and coast, while hardy souls will be able to refresh with white water rafting or kayaking in the chilly waters.

Nantlle Valley, Snowdonia National Park, UK by Christopher Owen Jones

Loch Ness, Scotland

The Scottish Highlands offer picturesque winter scenes more consistently than many other other areas of Britain, with a consistently cold and snowy climate throughout winter. It can be unforgiving if you’re not prepared, but if you wrap up warm then you will be rewarded with some of the most inspiring winter landscapes anywhere on earth. Loch Ness is the largest lake in Scotland and one of its most popular and it glistens in winter. Too deep to freeze over, you can still hire boats or enjoy trips on the loch during winter, giving you a unique perspective on the frosty surroundings and historic sights around the banks of the water, or catch it on a frosty morning to see mystical steam rising from the lake.

Loch Ness, Scotland, UK by Lyn Gateley

National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Another attraction where you can escape the cooler climate and enjoy Mediterranean temperatures inside the balmy glasshouse which offers flourishing greenery and flowers in a warm atmosphere throughout the year. The outdoor gardens are perfectly maintained during the winter too and still a beautiful sight, while the glass-like lakes are mesmerising in the freezing temperatures.

National Botanic Garden of Wales, UK by Welsh

The New Forest, Hampshire, England

Walking through the historic New Forest you’ll be following in the footsteps of William I who used the forest as his private hunting ground back in the 11th century. Today you won’t come across many hunters, but you’ll hopefully encounter some tough local residents in the shape of the wild New Forest Ponies, which brave the chilly weather throughout the winter. A host of walks are available to enjoy the forest at its best throughout the winter and you’ll find plenty of pubs complete with log fires and local brews to help you warm up.

New Forest, Hampshire, England, UK by Jim Champion

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“If you want to take a shower before you go to bed, make sure to dry your hair, or they can get frozen. Do not drink too much alcohol and do not eat any heavy food. Make sure to change into dry and warm clothes,” says hotel manager Annet van Limburg to the visitors.

The unique hotel was opened in Zwolle on the occasion of the ice sculptures festival on 3rd December last year and will remain in operation until 29th January 2012. There are three rooms, the construction of which lasted ten days. Unlike similar projects, such as those in Canada or Sweden, the hotel is built inside a large freezer warehouse, not in the nature.

The dominant feature of the rooms, which are made of the giant block of ice, is a great double bed, coloured with pink, green and blue light from lamps, installed under the ice. Ice walls which are 1 meter thick, are decorated with abstract patterns. If you are interested in spending the night in such unique ice hotel, prepare €199 for one night with breakfast for two.

How to sleep in six degrees?
The temperature in the room is between six to eight degrees Celsius. “If you are healthy, it is not dangerous,” says Annet van Limburg assuring potential guests. However if the guests during the night change their minds and want to leave the room, they can use the nearby hotels, where the hotel taxi takes them to for free.

Ice Hotel in Zwolle is unique not only in the Netherlands, but it is also the first hotel of its kind, ever opened such a lot on the south of Europe. The greatest ice hotel in Europe and perhaps in the whole world is an ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi in Sweden, which boasts a total of 47 rooms.

View The first ice hotel in Netherlands – enjoy sleeping in 6°C in a larger map

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Author: dysiu

Mylna Cave is situated at an altitude of 1098 metres above sea level. Its total length is 1630 metres, but only 300 metres is open to the public. The temperature in the cave in summer is around 5 °C and in winter drop below freezing. The cave consists of several tunnels that lead into different cavities. Some corridors had to be artificially extended, so the visitors could pass through. There is a small stream flowing through the cavity, which is a home to a unique troglobite – a blind shellfish – Niphargus tatrensis.

It is possible to get to the cave by following the marked hiking trail that leads through the valley up to the cave entrance. If you plan to visit the cave, you must have a reliable flash light. The cave is not lighted, and it happened already several times that the visitors get lost in the dark. Prepare for the narrow passages (sometimes you even have to crawl), slippery rocks and mud in some areas. It is definitely not recommended to enter the cave with large backpacks. You should really wear good shoes and warm clothes. The tour is without guide and takes you about 30 minutes. The arrangement of the corridors is quite complicated, so they are carefully marked. You certainly should not abandon the route. Once you decide to visit a cave, you should also not enter alone or in such case at least let someone know that you intend to visit the cave.

Mylna Cave is accessible throughout the year.

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Perhaps the biggest reason why the Liechtenstein Gorge has become so popular, is that it is one of the deepest and easily accessible ravines within the entire mountain region. While there are countless gorges that are just as deep, if not deeper, many of them are not as easily accessed.

Liechtenstein Gorge, Austria by Heather (Gruber) Williams

It was back during the last Ice Age that towering glaciers more than 3000 meters above sea level sat above the location of the Liechtenstein Gorge. As the Ice Age came to an end and the glaciers began to recede and melt, the torrential water began to cut a narrow slit into the sides of the Alpine mountains as the water made its way to lower altitudes.

In many places, the Gorge is so narrow, and the walls are so tall that light is almost nonexistent within the Liechtenstein Gorge. Due to the dangers of crossing the Gorge, countless bridges have been built over the centuries to make access to the Liechtenstein Gorge much easier. Many of which can be accredited to the Prince of Liechtenstein who ruled over the region back in 1875.

A view from Liechtenstein Gorge, Austria by Heather (Gruber) Williams

For hundreds of years the Liechtenstein Gorge has been attracting people from all over Europe and the world. Today, it is estimated that more than 10 million people from around the world have visited the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the Liechtenstein Gorge.

And while there are countless gorges and regain second be found throughout the Alpine region, not one of them has been visited as much over the centuries. Millions of people have made their way to Austria in order to walk the length of the Liechtenstein Gorge and stare in awe at its breathtaking beauty.

You can visit the gorge from early May to end of October, openning hours vary on the season and the basic admission is €4,50. For more information visit liechtensteinklamm.at.

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