Holiday

A Gypsy Caravan Holiday

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A Gypsy Caravan Holiday is an adventure!
It’s an escape from the busy every-day life: imagine living in a Gypsy caravan for a few days, handling a horse and driving through an unspoiled, idyllic countryside.
You can spend a holiday like this for example in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Hungary with different horse breeds and a vardos in variations.

How can I book, how does it work?

There are hire-companies and travel agencies that offer you a trip with a fully fitted and very practical Gypsy caravan for the holiday together with usually one horse, sometimes two.

Bow top wagons, made out of wood and stretched canvas are used preferably. These vehicles are about 5m long (without horse) and approx. 2m wide. They can weigh up to 750kg. In most places Irish Cobs or Gypsy draft horses are used, as they are very well tempered, calm and very good with children. In a lot of cases a collar harness is used.

What, if I haven’t got any experience with horses?

Everyone gets an initial thorough introduction into functionality of the vardo and handling and caring for the horse. It will be explained to you how to harness up and put the horse onto the caravan, how to feed and water it, how to groom and how to look after hooves and hoof shoes.

What do I need to bring with me?

Space is limited in a vardo, therefore you need to bring practical clothing and only gear you really need and dont forget the wet wear, as in some areas weather can be quiet unpredictable even during the summer: spells of rain can occur at any time. Most hire companies give you bedding, but ask you to bring your own towels. A good idea is also to bring your own sleeping bag. Take also a book or two and some games for the children. A mobile phone for emergencies is a good idea. Also, Bank facilities and ATM’s are usually not passed during the trip (the routes are quite well selected and you will travel on calm, more remote roads.)

You will drive along a fix route and check in at selected over night stops, where you will find grazing for the horse, electricity, shower and toilet facilities.

When is the best time to travel? How much does it cost approximately?

Gypsy caravan holiday operations are open from April to October, with a main season in the summer months July – August.

Prices in 2007 were around 500 (600 in high season) per week and caravan and they will usually ask for approx.10 – 15 % deposit. There will be surcharges for the compulsory over night stops, which might be between 15-20 per caravan. You can book short trips over 2 or 3 days or longer ones over 4 or 6 days. If you enjoy it very much, trips can be prolonged in most cases.

A Gypsy caravan holiday is certainly an adventurous vacation and you will experience life from a totally different point of view, in a slower pace. You might even want to take a longer break and organize your tour through different countries with your own vardo and horse/s.

Holiday cottages in Devon

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Devon is one of the most popular holiday destinations in England. Devon is situated in South West England, and offers plenty for tourists sandy beaches, open spaces of national parks, historic villages, bustling seaside resorts and rolling countrysides. There is much to do in Devon including attractions and activities, shopping and restaurants, stunning scenery and sandy beaches, making it the perfect destination for a family holiday.

In keeping with this, Devon offers several accommodation options for all your needs. You name it, from luxury hotels to camping sites, there is something for all in Devon. Holiday cottages are an excellent accommodation choice they are comfortable, self catering, affordable and most are baby friendly and even dog friendly!

East Devon is an ideal location for a break at any time of the year. It is composed of rolling farmland countryside, coastal towns and villages and the Exmoor National Park. Here are a few holiday cottages situated in East Devon.

Bothy, Spreyton: This is a gorgeous 16th century romantic hideaway that is buried in the glorious countryside. It has its own large private garden and even has an extensive library! It is close to the Dartmoor National Park, the Two Moors Walk and the glorious Teign valley which hosts the famous Castle Drogo.

Hannaford Quay, Topsham: This is a beautifully refurbished and comfortable holiday cottage situated on The Strand, close to the edge of the River Exe. It is a five star property, well equipped and set in a fantastic location.

Idehill Cottages, Colyton: These cottages are situated overlooking the Coly Valley and an 18 hole golf course, which is exclusively for guests to use. The cottages are located in a peaceful setting and provide an excellent opportunity to sport a wide variety of birds and local wildlife. The cottages are comfortable and have good views, and have their own personal patio/sitting out area with garden furniture and a barbecue.

The Mede, Topsham: This is a gorgeous self catering cottage set in a quiet residential cul-de-sac on the edge Topsham. It has wonderful views up and down the Exe estuary, and a recreation park nearby. This holiday cottage is suitable for those with walking disabilities, as it is all on one level and no steps involved. The area is famous for its birdlife, pleasant riverside walks and excellent shopping.

Safari Holidays – For An Adventurous And Exciting Vacation

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Safari holidays are a recreational activity, more popular with people who love adventure and excitement. These generate major revenue for several African nations, which are the most common safari destinations of the world. The primary goal of visitors is to watch animals in the wild, especially the Big Five which refers to Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, Lion and Rhino. They offer great pleasure and memories for a lifetime.

Safari holidays are an amazing travel experience. The rich wildlife and diversity make Kenya and East Africa, the best safari locations. They are famous for their scenic beauty, diverse cultures, abundant wildlife, beaches, and warm tropical waters completing a holiday experience. Usually safaris operate using 4-wheeler drive vehicles. It can also be on foot, horseback, elephant back or boat depending on the type of terrain.

Kenya safari provides a lifetime experience with its best game reserve – the Masai Mara. The dry winter and warm spring are the perfect time to visit. The rolling grasslands and wide-open savannahs are heaven to its vivid and finest wildlife. It hosts the spectacular annual wildebeest migration and the Big Five. Amboseli is another classic wild life destination with snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro in the background. Safari holidays at Lake Nukuru with its complete stretch of brilliant pink flamingos are another popular choice.

Tanzania, the land of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Serengeti, offer a huge array of game reserves and national parks. The natural abundance of wildlife and the annual wildebeest migration ensure a perfect Tanzania safari holiday.

South Africa boasts of the largest and most diverse game reserve, the Kruger National park. The most varied and enchanting countries of the world have a combination of landscapes, people, history and culture. The endless savannah grasslands, dense undergrowth and amazing wildlife provide the thrill to South Africa Safari. The Big 5 in a malaria-free environment at the Eastern Cape makes a perfect holiday for families.

Travellers can opt for adventure travel, luxury tours or beach holidays. Selecting the best game-viewing period to travel makes the safari holidays worth every penny. Tourists can opt for simple, shorter tour packages to longer, comprehensive ones depending on their affordability. The type of accommodation also varies a great deal. Expensive lodges with excellent facilities and game viewing opportunities are available. The luxurious lodges combine exciting game drives with superb cuisine and plenty of time to relax by the pool. Traditional houses with thatched roofs can also be opted for. Suites and standard rooms which feature a large living area and bedroom are the other choices.

The safari operators make Safari holidays easy, convenient and hassle free. Combined with beach holidays, they provide a relaxed laid-back vacation. The operators organize personalized itineraries as per the individual’s interests and requirements. A perfect all round schedule include safaris on full board basis, accommodation, return flights, transfers, taxes and park entry fees. With these, people can relax and enjoy their tours and safaris to the maximum.

Grand Canyon National Park – Helicopter Specials Throughout Memorial Day Holiday

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The Memorial Day holiday is right around the corner. Bookings for air tours on Grand Canyon helicopters are skyrocketing.

Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 26th this year. Since it is a three-day weekend, many people head for the Grand Canyon. So don’t wait until the last minute to book your trip. It is always a good idea to book your hotel and Grand Canyon tour at least one or two weeks ahead of time.

Tours of the canyon originate in Las Vegas, Sedona, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Scottsdale, and Williams.

Las Vegas Tours To The West Rim

First, it’s important to know that choppers flying from Vegas only do the West Rim. The South Rim is just too far for them.

However, that is certainly no problem, because the West Rim is a lot of fun. You can fly to the floor of the canyon at the West Rim, and that is the only place it is permitted in the National Park. The descent is a thrilling experience.

Las Vegas tours come in two types, one is air-only and the other lands at the canyon. Both of these tour types give you aerial views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Skywalk, and the Grand Canyon. The landing tours, though, also touch down at the top or at the bottom of the gorge (the latter is way more popular). Once the canyon floor, you can enjoy a relaxing lunch or add on a boat ride along the smooth waters of the Colorado River.

The Vegas chopper tours depart from an airfield in Boulder City, Nevada or from the Vegas Strip.

Strip flights are better for several reasons. It is certainly more convenient to your hotel and the tours even pick you up at your hotel and take you back. If you take a tour out of Boulder City, you will ride a van shuttle to the airfield. If you depart from the Strip instead, the tour operator picks you up in a limo. How cool is that? You also get to see the Strip as part of the tour.

South Rim Flights

South Rim helicopter tours are ideal when you depart from a city in Arizona. Just keep in mind, none of those tours can land at the bottom of the canyon.

The South Rim has its own claim to fame though, and that is its natural beauty because of the wilderness area it encompasses.

There are two tours available here too, one of them is thirty minutes long and the other one lasts fifty minutes. The longer tour is best because it flies you over about 3/4 of the entire National Park area.

Combo tours are also available at this Rim. Right now, the two most popular combo trips are the ones that include a ride on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and the ones that include a sunset Jeep ride (it’s not overly rough).

Look for a deluxe option when you book your flight. Why do that? These tours use the EcoStar 130 choppers and they offer an exceptional experience. These helicopters have huge windshields that wrap around the cabin so you have great views, plus you have lots of personal space and stadium-style seating for unobstructed sightseeing. EcoStars are really the only way to go.

To Summarize

The Grand Canyon will be much busier than normal during Memorial Day weekend. The date is fast approaching, so book your tour as soon as possible. If you plan to depart from Vegas, choose a tour that takes off from the Strip. Both rims offer tours on EcoStar choppers, so try to snag a seat on one of them for the best flight possible.

How to Choose the Perfect Family Holiday Accommodation

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Once you have decided where you would like to go on your family holiday, you will need to think about where you will stay. There are several factors which will influence this decision:

Taking the car?

If you are hiring a car, or taking your own vehicle then you might want to search for accommodation in a central location between the various attractions in the area which you would like to explore. This would ensure that these destinations are all within a sensible distance, and youll avoid any excessively long car trips!

Going green

Relying on local public transport? Look for accommodation near a train station or bus stop, and check out how regular the links are. If relying on public transport in rural locations you may want to plan your excursions in advance.

Raring to relax?

If you are planning to stay on-site for the duration of your stay, then you might want to look for a site which offers its own forms of entertainment especially if you have children who easily get bored. Some holiday parks even offer kids clubs, meaning you could get some quality time to yourself while they are busy making new friends.

The options

There are several options for your family holiday each with their own pros and cons. Here is our comprehensive summary below:

Holiday Park:

Holiday parks often offer a range of self-catering caravans or apartments, and sometimes offer a full or half board option. These can be good if you want to spend all or part of your time on-site, as there will usually be organised activities for the children, as well as quizzes, keep fit and cabaret for the adults.

Pros:
Full / Half board means you dont have to worry about cooking.
Self-catering gives you flexibility to eat what and when you choose.
Kids activities to keep them entertained.
Evening entertainment.

Cons:
More expensive than some other accommodation (without entertainment).
Kids activities could encourage them to stay on site, where you might want to go on day trips.
On-site food and drinks will usually be more expensive than the local town.
Full/Half board can be restrictive in terms of planning day trips away.

Bed and Breakfast / Hotel

Having a family room or suite in a hotel can be an option if you plan on taking lots of day trips, and can make sure that you get up and out.

Pros:
Having to leave the room at a certain time will make sure you get on with your plans for your holiday.
Many rooms will come with TVs providing some entertainment should the weather be disappointing.

Cons:
Family rooms may be expensive, and hotels will be more expensive than most other types of accommodation.
You may have to be out of the room at certain times, not allowing you to spontaneously do as you please.
Hotels and Bed and Breakfasts are not the most child-friendly places (usually).
You will have to pay for all meals either eating out or at the hotel / B&B.

Self-Catering apartment or cottage

Self catering allows you the freedom to come and go as you please, giving you a good base to explore from.

Pros:
Flexibility to do as you please.
Flexibility to eat what and when you like.
A larger space, so if you want to spend a day in the children would have room to play.
A cheaper alternative to inclusive holidays.
Somewhere to go if it rains.

Cons:
You will have to cook.

Camping

A cheap and cheerful camping holiday used to the quintessential British holiday.

Pros:
Cheap.
You can teach your children the basics of camping.

Cons:
Can be uncomfortable if it rains.
Not suitable for very young children.
Will have to cook without mod-cons.
Only really suitable for the summer months.