For many households up and down the country this is reason alone to move abroad and start a new life in the sun, but where? The island of Cyprus just off the Turkish coast is a popular destination for ex-pats to set up home, but what should you consider before making the move?

Cyprus by NASA

Check Out the Island First

When planning for a move abroad it is essential that you do your homework on the prospective destination. You can find out a lot of information via the internet and by speaking to other Brits who have moved out there, but without doubt the best thing to do is to book a week or two in the country in which you can really discover all you need to know.

If you’re planning a move to Cyprus it may be that you have a particular place in mind, and if so you will want to research the town or city thoroughly. If you’ve got a young family then you will need to investigate the schooling options for example, while you may also need to look into employment opportunities if you aren’t going to have a job waiting for you.

Learn the Language?

Cyprus has two official languages – Greek and Turkish – however with an estimated 76% of the population speaking English the emphasis on learning the language is not quite the same as in other foreign destinations.

Despite this, it always helps you to integrate into the culture more effectively if you know the local lingo, so you should give serious consideration to learning the language that is most widely spoken in the region you’ve moving to.

The Cost of Living

When a British family moves abroad permanently it is often the case that they will enjoy a lower cost of living than in the UK. However, Cyprus is the exception to this rule, and you may be surprised to learn that many everyday goods are significantly more expensive than in Britain.

White electronic goods are one example of this in particular, and with this in mind it is essential that you do a full appraisal of your income and expected outgoings to ensure you will be able to afford the cost of living.

Taking Your Car?

One consequence of this higher cost of living is that you will have to consider how many of your possessions you wish to take with you. It may be that after analysing the cost of living in detail that you need to take more with you than you originally planned, but can you take your vehicle with you?

Car shipping by Kirsten

This is actually a lot simpler than you might think, as there are a number of companies who can provide reliable car shipping services to ensure you don’t have to buy new transport once you’ve made the move. Roll-on/roll-off car shipping is one particularly efficient method, where your car is simply driven into the hold of a ship, strapped securely in place and transported to its destination. It is then driven straight off again without the need for any additional packaging or preparation.

Starting a new life in Cyprus is an exciting time for any family and a dream come true for many. To ensure it doesn’t turn into a nightmare prepare as fully as possible by following the above advice.

This guest blog was written by John Rooney on behalf of Auto Shippers, providers of reliable roll-on/roll-off car shipping services.

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Cruise ship by Thomas Quine

The influencing factors

In addition to the above geographical factors, you might also have your personal reasons such as the summer holidays or escaping the cold chilling winters at home. Each of these answers would further influence which season is the best for sailing.

The cruise regions mostly have peak seasons, moderate demand seasons and seasons during which demands are the lowest. Earlier the peak season seemed to be the ideal time when the weather used to be at its best in certain regions. But with cruise turning out to be more of a family event, the summer months have now become the peak season period regardless of the weather around or back home. Prior bookings are encouraged for those of you who are looking to book a cruise in the peak time, as most cruises have a limit on the number of children per sail. Each ship would also have a limited number of cabins that would accommodate not more than the specified number of people.

The off seasons can yield some of the best bargains. With the off season being comparatively longer, it also serves as the ideal time for cruising for those who can make it at that time. Alaska and Bermuda have six to seven months of peak period and off season would be at the time of end of the peak season. Panama and Northern Europe, on the other hand, have peak season all the year round.

Below are some popular destinations and the right time to go there:

Alaska: June to August is considered the peak season. This is when the temperatures are at their warmest best. This comes with an added advantage of spotting wildlife too. But with popularity comes a hitch. Higher demands mean prior bookings, almost a year in advance. You might also be surprised to witness congestion in small towns. The low-season periods are May and September.

Australia: The ideal time to cruise in Australia would be from early December to March. This is when the climate is favourable. The least demand would be from May till September. But these being the rainy months carry high chances of cruise cancelation.

Europe: April up till October is the right time for an ideal Europe river cruise. With the spring in full bloom, you could be in for a pleasant surprise too. The low season, on the other hand, is the cold and bitter winter months.

Mediterranean: The best time to cruise here would be between May and September. Most cruises would offer a culture mix of travellers with a plenty of on-board events. Nearing September, you can even avoid the school crowd and still manage to enjoy the warm temperatures.

So, by carefully analyzing your idea of the perfect holiday on a cruise, you should be able to make a favourable choice.

Penny is an expert associated with Boating Hub, a company that provides training on boating. You can view courses at https://www.theboatinghub.com to make your choice.

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Photo by secretpizzas

Protection for Your Health

Medical benefit is probably the biggest advantage of getting a travel insurance. When you are traveling abroad without any insurance, you will not be covered for any medical bills incurred. On the unfortunate event that you fall sick or suffer an accident, you have to pay for all the expenses yourself. Sometimes, these medical bills and holiday accident claims can run into the thousands. Those who are traveling abroad tend to fall sick more easily simply because they are not used to the food or the weather there. Insuring oneself before going abroad is the best form of defense against unexpected medical expenses.

Protection against Trip Cancellations

Travel insurance can also protect you against trip cancellations. Sometimes, things are beyond your control. Accidents, home events and adverse weather can severely impede your travel plans. Without an insurance to cover you, the expense of canceling a trip can be huge. It is better to spend some money to purchase a good travel insurance than to lose money on flight and hotel booking minus the enjoyable travel experience. All the stress and unnecessary costs of trip cancellations can be avoided by simply having a good travel insurance policy.

Protection against Delays

While trip cancellations are not common, trip delays are. Imagine flights being delayed for hours or even days and you are stranded on a foreign land. During this time, you would have to pay for food, transport and maybe even hotels. These things can easily set you back by a few hundred dollars. Getting a good travel policy protects you against flight delays. You can even enjoy the extra few days on your holidays.

Protection against Theft and Holiday Accidents

Getting a travel insurance can also protect you against unexpected theft and holiday accidents. Many small accidents can happen when you are traveling abroad, such as damaged baggage and loss of personal items. Theft is common, particularly when you are traveling to areas with high crime incidence. Some travel insurance even cover legal fees, which will be helpful if you are involved in any instances which involve fine or court attendance. You will also be protected should you be involved in holiday accidents such as road accidents. It is not uncommon for tourists to rent a car for sight seeing purposes. A good travel insurance will cover you for any damage to the rental car. However, in most policies, the insured must be the person driving the car. Nevertheless, theft and holiday accidents can be expensive without a good travel insurance.

Most people refuse to take travel insurance when they go abroad because they deem it too expensive. However, after taking into consideration all the costs above, taking out a policy can actually be a prudent investment.

David a retired UK teacher advises using irwinmitchell.com for any holiday accident or illness that happens whilst traveling abroad.

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Porthcawl, South Wales, UK by Andrew Evans

Safety first!

First things first, wild swimming is nothing like a few lengths in your local pool and there are a few things to consider before you make a splash. Firstly, never swim in the wild alone. Unlike a 25m pool, there are no signs which tell you about depth or potential dangers like sharp rocks, thick weeds or strong currents. Ensure someone is on hand to provide help just in case you get into trouble.

Secondly, do your research. Learn about currents if you are swimming in rivers, find out about tides if you’re planning an offshore dip. If you are not a confident swimmer make sure you choose a spot where the water is relatively clear and free of currents and tides. For beginners, lakes are often a safer starting point.

Finally, prepare for the cold. You may like to take a wetsuit along if you’re particularly prone to the chills. Ensure you have warm towels and clothing with you too so that you can warm up as soon as you get out. In the spirit of bravado it can be easy not to take the cold seriously yet very cold water can be a serious hazard.

Got that? Great! Now let’s take a look at some of Wales’ most spectacular wild swimming spots…

Lakes

If you’re new to wild swimming, lakes are the best place to start. Wales has an incredibly diverse selection of lakes for you to cool off in, from high altitude tarns with spectacular views, to wooded glens in secluded spots.

Llyn y Fan Fach is a stunning lake, high up close to the Black Mountain in the Brecon Beacons. At high altitude you should expect cold temperatures but you should also expect incredible sunsets, mountain views and true escapism.

Meanwhile, for a very different Welsh wild swimming experience, try the Blue Pool at Golwern Quarry close to Fairbourne on the West coast of Wales near Cardigan Bay. Surrounded by steep rock faces, this inviting pool is accessed through a short tunnel.

Llyn y Fan Fach Lake, Wales, UK by SNappa2006

Rivers

River swimming can be challenging if you’d never done it before, especially if there is a current to contend with. However, make sure you’re prepared for this and river swimming in Wales can be a truly liberating and exhilarating experience.

The best rivers to swim in are those which slow to river pools. Here you will be able to enjoy plunge pools and lakes without a strong current, but still swim for a distance if that’s your thing! The Upper Wye is a popular river with wild swimmers. Close to Bulith Wells, you’ll find the Pen-doll Rocks where the Wye is transformed into a long formation of rapids and river pools – perfect for a cooling dip or a real swim. With rock gorges upstream and sandy bays downstream there’s plenty of varied natural beauty to enjoy too.

Swimming Pool on the Upper Wye, Wales, UK by Graham

Sea swimming

The Welsh coast is renowned for its beauty, from the stunning Pembrokeshire coast and Gower Peninsular in the South to the wide white sands of Cardigan Bay, there are hundreds of incredible sea swimming spots in Wales.

There are even beautiful swims to be enjoyed close to the capital. Just 30 minutes outside Cardiff you’ll find Ogmore by Sea and nearby Southerndown where, beneath the beautiful Dunraven Castle, you’ll find rugged beaches and bracing, scenic swims.

If you prefer your beaches sandy and endless try Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsular or Amroth in Pembrokeshire. Aberdyfi in Gwynedd, meanwhile, is famed for its watersports. Keep an eye on the tides and soak up your beautiful surroundings.

Author: Best of Wales scour the Welsh countryside to bring you the most inspiring properties in the most incredible locations. To find the perfect base from which to experience Wales, browse our stunning West Wales Holiday Cottages today.

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Los Cristianos, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain by Mrs Logic

Relaxing Time

Even the most avid of partygoers needs some relaxation time during their holiday and with a cheap Tenerife holiday, you will find plenty of ways to relax and soak up the sunshine. Los Cristianos is an ideal resort for those who are looking for a quieter holiday and you can always travel into the noisier Playa De Las Americas for some partying at night. There are lots of golden beaches in Tenerife, where you can unwind and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Santa Cruz is an ideal destination if you want to enjoy some of the culture of Tenerife. If you want to get the most out of your holiday, you can also go walking or dolphin watching.

Adventure Holiday

If you want to indulge your more adventurous side on your cheap Tenerife holiday, there are plenty of activities to choose from. There are plenty of water and theme parks, which are ideal for families and groups who are looking for something fun and interesting to enjoy during the day. Destinations such as Playa De Las Americas offer a range of water sports such as wind surfing, so you can try out something different on your holiday. You could also try out some rock climbing if you want to embrace your adventurous side.

Nightlife

Tenerife is buzzing with nightlife, so if this is what you are looking for from your holiday, you can’t go wrong with this destination. Playa De Las Americas is the main place for nightlife, with plenty of pubs and clubs to choose from. If you are looking for a relaxing place during the day but want to party hard at night, you may want to consider staying at Los Cristianos, as it is just a short taxi ride to Playa De Las Americas.  There are pubs and clubs to suit all tastes and you can pick up drinks at some really cheap prices, depending on where you go. There are lots of PR people around Playa De Las Americas, looking for new customers, so you can find free passes to clubs and offers on drinks.

Scenic Views

Tenerife is a holiday destination which offers some stunning scenic views. The good weather of Tenerife means you can really get the most out of the views and soak up the sunshine as you do it. There are plenty of gorgeous beaches and blue skies to embrace and you can also enjoy the architecture of some of the nearby buildings. If you are interested in learning about the history and culture of Tenerife, there are many ways to do it. Tenerife really has something for everyone to enjoy and can offer a real mix of activities if you want to embrace all aspects of the island.

No matter what your interests are, a cheap Tenerife holiday will be sure to cater for all your needs.

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Photo by admin

All of this has opened the door for a lot of moving abroad and relocation. When it comes down to it, there are many reasons why people decide to move abroad, but in general when they are asked they will give the same few reasons over and over again as the driving forces behind their move.

It may sound obvious, but the main reason for many who are looking to move abroad is simply due to job opportunities. With the economy still in a bit of a rough shape, some areas of Europe are just not performing as well as others. Thus, some quite talented workers, in Greece for example, who want to work but are having trouble finding a position, might explore relocation to Germany, a place with a robust economy.

Another popular reason is quite simple, it’s due to retirement. Once retired and with the children grown and out of the home, many couples look to do a bit of travel and exploration, they might have always dreamed about a little beach house on the coast of Portugal that was the spot for many family holidays over the years. Now will be the time to make it a reality.

Hand in hand with that is the weather. As we all know, some places in Europe can be a bit dreary during parts of the year, winters in Norway, or the rain in the UK, for example. Many dream of being able to wander about during the winter in the warmer climates of Spain and Italy whenever they feel like it. So, they decide to move to a new place to experience that.

Quality of life is another consideration for many. A person or family could just be growing tired of a stressful fast paced life and long to live in a place that has much less hustle and bustle, yet at the same time still provides some nice career options. Or, they could be looking to downsize, practice less in the way of consumerism and just have a much more simple existence.

Finally, many also cite looking for a fresh start or a new experience as a reason for moving abroad. An investment banker in London who has grown quite tired of his job can take the opportunity to follow his lifelong dream of opening up a snowboarding lessons shop in Switzerland. The opportunities to start fresh and change careers or passions are quite appealing to many when they consider moving abroad.

As you can see, there are many personal reasons that go with thinking about a move abroad. But there are many singles, couples and families doing it now, with plenty more to come over the next decades as well.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Hector Garcia

If you should head to the Canary Islands then you will be certain to have a great holiday and there are many things that bring visitors to them time after time. First of all, these islands boast incredible weather. Being just off of the coast of Africa they are very hot as you can imagine, and this makes them ideal for beach holidays and for relaxing in the sun. At the same time as islands they also have lots of beach, and many of these are great for surfers.

The tourism on many of these islands is very pronounced meaning that there is a lot laid on for anyone wanting to visit including great nightlife and clubbing, and lots of places to eat and relax. However the islands are also known for their unusual and often stunning scenery – these islands feature volcanic terrain that looks sparse and desolate and almost like the surface of the moon or Mars.

If you want to visit the Canary Islands then you have several options of places to visit:

Tenerife

Of the Canaries, Tenerife is perhaps the best for night life and the one most associated with clubbing holidays and nights out drinking. To this end it has a fantastic strip of clubs and activities and a hugely bustling nightlife. At the same time though it also has plenty to do in the day and has great beaches and places to eat. One of the sites of most interest for tourists is undoubtedly Mount Tiede which is a volcano you can travel to the top of. Here the volcanic terrain is perhaps at its best – and interestingly this was actually the site on which the original Planet of the Apes was filmed.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Bill

Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is another great spot if you’re after a good nightlife and the best spot for that is the YUMBO center which has everything you could need for a great night out. Again the island also has brilliant beaches for relaxing and even a small desert that you can trek through and get some great photos.

Lanzarote

Lanzarote is similar to both Tenerife and Gran Canaria in terms of climate and night life, though it enjoys a slightly more muted evening out with a little less drunken debauchery (though some of that still goes on) and a marginally cooler climate due to an ever-present breeze. This makes it the Canary island of choice for those who want to relax and kick back. At the same time it is also the island with the most impressively varied landscape of all – with more volcanic terrain, as well as mountain ranges, another desert and even caves. At the volcanic region of the island you can also enjoy having your dinner cooked for you by the heat of a volcano.

Nick Ball is a web enthusiast and maintains a Lanzarote Guidebook for all his travel queries which he likes to share through his blog. The latest column added to his guide are the list of Flights to Lanzarote.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jean & Nathalie

Those who visit Madeira and hike through the island, soon discover that everything on the island is either downhill or uphill. Plane landscape can not be find here. However, Paul da Serra will surprise you. It is a huge plane. Another World.

If the weather is nice, you can see both a northern and southern coast of the island. But it is very occasionally and rather do not expect to be so lucky.

Do not underestimate the clothes, as here on the plateau may be a lot colder than at the sea. Also fogs can be formed very quickly and remain long enough. Therefore, be prepared for those natural changes. It is also recommended to go on guided tours.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jörg Schmalenberger at wikipedia.com

Paul da Serra attracts tourists by its unusual landscape and beautiful scenery. At the road to Porto Moniz you can get into a nice valley of Rabacal. Here you can choose from two popular hiking trails leading along the irrigation canals Levadas. The first route is easy, it’s more comfortable for walking. After fifteen minutes you get to the Risco waterfall. The second route is more challenging. The steep climb takes you to 25 Fontes (which means to 25 springs). The whole tour takes about three hours. Both routes are very attractive and should be included in all the maps of Madeira.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Luciano

Exploring Naples, Vesuvius, and Pompeii would be in the itinerary. What’s so special about sightseeing here is that you don’t just view the sights and attractions. You will actually get to explore these natural and historic places. One of the most memorable family activity holidays in Italy that you will probably have is exploring the various Roman ruins of Herculaneum or the preserved ancient city of Vesuvius. The past and present atmospheres mix so well in these ancient sites that you can’t help but wonder how it is to live during those times. If the weather permits, you can actually arrange to climb Mount Vesuvius.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by ivana

During the trip, you can choose to have your accommodations at a Agriturismo or working farm that accepts visitors. Here, everyone will get to experience first hand the typical life in rural Italy. While this is exciting itself, the fun part for everyone perhaps is when the whole family attends pizza-making lessons held by a local pizza chef. With this type of family activity holidays in Italy where you get to experience history, nature, and local culture, every moment of the trip will be exciting. And, once you are in Naples, do not forget to visit an island of Capri, which is a favourite place of celebrities. So you and your kids can have more fun when meet some of them.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by leoplus

Pena National Palace was built in 19th century but its history started already in the Middle Ages when a chapel was built here and later in 1493 also monastery, however it was severely damaged by lightning and later by the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. After that only ruins remained here for many decades. King Ferdinand started reconstructions and rebuilt the place into a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family in 1847.

Pena National Palace is now a place of Portuguese government and president officials. Around the Palace there is 200 hectares large vast forest with lots of paths.

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