Chaweng beach

How far can you travel on GBP 50? Part one

What a challenge to see how far GBP 50 will take 2 people….The hotels below have rates starting from GBP 50 or below and are all based on 2 people sharing a room

First stop is Sydney Australia

Sydney is a high contender for the title of the world’s most ideal city. It is slick and smart, the streets are clean, the neighbourhoods and busy pedestrian precincts pristine, the parks sublime, the water in the huge harbour blue, and the landmark buildings breath-taking. Sydney’s population is approaching five million, but it is easy to leave the frenetic urban pace behind with just a simple ferry ride to the North Shore for a bush walk, enjoy a stroll along the harbour beaches or take any one of a number of daytrips to explore the ‘real’ Australia on the city’s doorstep.

Just like its characteristic white-sailed Opera House, Sydney seems to cruise effortlessly through nights and days filled with myriad entertainment opportunities, sophisticated shopping, memorable museums, and strings of beautiful beaches. Visitors find it exhausting to take it all in, even though the tourist precinct where most of the interesting attractions are to be found is concentrated in quite a small area around the downtown waterfront and the famous darling harbour

Sydney Opera House

In Sydney 2 people can stay at the Nomads Maze  for GBP 37 in August and they even have Free nights over certain dates which makes your stay all the more economical!

Nomads Maze is a funky hostel offeering cheap backpacker accommodation right in the centre of Sydney

http://www.otel.com/hotels/nomads_maze_hotel_sydney.htm

Lets travel along the coast to our second stop of  Cairns and see what bargains we can pick up here!

The cosmopolitan, colourful city of Cairns in far north Queensland is a tourist-orientated centre because it is the gateway to two of the world’s most awesome World Heritage Sites, the Great Barrier Reef and the 110-million year old Daintree rainforest.

In Cairns 2 people can stay at the Nomads Cairns Beach House for GBP 46 in August. This is a popular property for backpackers as it is a short walk from a good choice of bars and restaurants as well as being a short boat ride form the Great Barrier Reef

http://www.otel.com/hotels/nomads_cairns_beach_house_hotel.htm

For more hotels in Australia please click the link below;

http://www.otel.com/hotels/australia.htm

If Australia is too far for you then what about getting a bargain hotel in Thailand?

Lets stop off first in Bangkok

Thailand’s capital is divided by the Chao Phraya River and is nestled in one of the world’s most fertile rice-producing deltas. Bangkok’s 579 square miles are criss-crossed by a series of canals carrying passengers and cargo, its roads clotted with endless traffic jams, while the city sprawls in all directions with a hodgepodge of urban, commercial and industrial buildings. A new overland metropolitan railway speeds above the city, providing visitors with a relaxed and efficient way to observe the hustle and bustle below.
Of the 30 or so temples in Bangkok, the largest is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, which houses an impressive statue of the deity. The famous Floating Market is a delight to visitors and well worth a visit. As the sun lurches towards the horizon in the west and the sweat cools, this city of royalty and religion comes alive with a palpable decadence. Music and dazzling neon advertise a miasma of trendy bars and nightclubs, as well as the notorious ‘girlie joints’ that have ensured the Patpong district its reputation for hedonism.

In Bangkok 2 people can stay at the Sawasdee Inn for GBP 10 in August.  Stay here and it really is a case of you get what you pay for. Accommodation is basic but you are in the centre and just a 5 minute walk to Khao San Road. If you just want a base before you get out and explore vibrant Bangkok then this property can be suitable.  If you are fussy then stay away!

http://www.otel.com/hotels/welcome_sawasdee_inn_hotel_bangkok.htm

After the hustle and bustle if Bangkok we head to Koh Samuai which is Thailand’s third largest Island and its main attractions are its unspoiled beautiful beaches. The Island is relatively new to tourism as it was not until the 1970’s that any roads were built on the island. Tear yourself away from the beaches and visit the Big Buddha statue or the Mu Ko Ang Thong marine park

In Koh Samuai 2 people can stay at the Choengmon Beach Hotel Koh Samui for GBP 14 in August. 
Chaweng is an excellent place to have clothes made by local tailors and where it’s possible to find good quality western-style shops.

http://www.otel.com/hotels/choengmon_beach_hotel_koh_samui.htm

Its surprising to see how far your GBP will go and we will check out some more far aways destinations  for you in part two

Oahu is only the third largest of the inhabited Hawaiian islands, but it is home to nearly three-quarters of the state’s residents, most of them living in the ultra-modern capital city, Honolulu, and its adjacent beach resort suburb of Waikiki, on the south coast of the island. Beyond the urban bustle of the south, Oahu is quiet and enchanting; flaunting 23 state parks and punctuated by ancient stone heiau (temples). The island’s most recognisable landmark is the 761ft (232m) tall Diamond Head to the east of Waikiki. This mountain is a ‘tuff cone’ formed 100,000 years ago when an eruption of volcanic ash hardened into solid rock. The extinct volcano is traditionally believed to be the home of Pele, the fire goddess. Oahu means ‘gathering place’, and the island certainly lives up to its name in its ethnic diversity, which becomes evident at a glance at the annual festival calendar. From the Chinese New Year in late January to King Kamehameha Day in June and the Aloha Festivals in September there is barely a dull moment and always a reason for celebration.

Arizona Memorial Museum

The USS Arizona was one of several United States battle ships that were sunk by the Japanese Imperial Navy during its surprise historic attack on Pearl Harbour, Oahu, on December 7, 1941, causing the US to enter into World War II. Visitors are carried by Navy shuttle boats to the unusual memorial centre, which has been constructed over the sunken hull that lies six feet (2m) below. The Arizona sank in about nine minutes, along with 1,177 sailors and marines who were on board. The names of the dead are inscribed in stone inside the memorial. Visitors are shown a documentary film and can view artefacts and exhibits explaining the tragedy. The memorial is open daily, but there is always a large queue for the free tickets, which are issued on a first-come-first-served basis, so be prepared to wait. Bookings are not taken.

Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu; Website: www.nps.gov/usar. Interpretive programs, including a documentary film about the attack on Pearl Harbour and the boat trip to the USS Arizona Memorial, begin at 8am (7.45am in summer). The last program each day begins at 3pm; Admission: Free, tickets issued on a first-come-first-served basis

Beaches

The main attraction for visitors to Oahu are the range of 139 beaches which, from the pounding waves of the north shore to the gentle swells of Waikiki in the south, offer the chance to bathe and soak up the sun, or tackle a variety of active watersports in water temperatures that never fall below 75ºF (24ºC) all year round. The south shore is favoured by families, offering picnic spots and opportunities for snorkelling, tide-pooling and swimming. Magic Island near Waikiki is a peninsula where the beach is protected by a man-made breakwater offering safe bathing and a stretch of shady, grassy areas on which to picnic. At Ala Moana Beach a half-mile of white sand is protected by a reef, washed by calm shallow waters. Hanauma Bay marine sanctuary is located in the crater of an extinct volcano and is an ideal snorkelling spot while Waikiki Beach, the most famous stretch of sand in the world, draws about four million visitors a year to its sands where sun worshippers can buy fast food, snacks and cocktails to enjoy under their rented umbrellas. On the West coast the Ko Olina Resort and Marina offers seven crescent shaped sandy beaches with palm trees and views of the Waianae Mountains, and Yokohama Bay is a quiet, beautiful spot away from the madding crowds. The North shore is favoured by surfers, particularly during the winter months when waves can reach heights of 25 feet (8m) at beaches like Ehukai with its famed Pipeline, Sunset Beach and Waimea Beach. The East shore boasts lush tropical beach settings with conditions ideal for windsurfing and sailing. Kailua Beach Park is picturesque and usually in the ‘top ten beaches in the United States’ lists. Lanikai is even better. Sandy Beach is popular for kite-flying, and Waimanalo offers four miles of uninterrupted white sand framed by palm trees.

Bishop Museum

The Bishop Museum in Honolulu is the largest museum in Hawaii and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognised worldwide for its cultural collections, research projects and educational programmes. The museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop, in honour of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family of Hawaii. Originally the museum housed the extensive family heirlooms of the royal family, but now the collection includes millions of artefacts, documents and photographs relating to Hawaii and other Pacific island cultures. It also has one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world. All these treasures are housed in the former Kamehameha School for Boys in Bernice Street, Honolulu, established by the princess, which moved to a new location in 1940.
Address: 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu; Website: www.bishopmuseum.org

Honolulu’s Chinatown

Enter Honolulu’s Chinatown neighbourhood through the Gateway Plaza on the corner of Bethel and Hotel streets in the city’s downtown business district, and you step into an exciting and exotic world made up of a colourful and eclectic blend of Southeast Asian cultures. Here Vietnamese, Laotian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Filipino, and a myriad of other ethnic groups work in harmony to sell their wares, serve their delicacies and perpetuate their cultural traditions. The market sells an array of delicacies from noodles to duck eggs, and tantalising smells issue from the numerous inexpensive speciality restaurants in this 15-block area. Visitors can also consult a herbalist, view an art exhibit, watch a dragon procession, make an offering at a Buddhist temple, or perhaps buy a precious jade memento in this rich and memorable part of town.

Website: www.chinatownhi.com

Polynesian Cultural Centre

Hawaii’s top tourist attraction, the Polynesian Cultural Centre, is situated on the Kamehameha Highway in Laie on the scenic north shore of Oahu island. This remarkable venue, visited by more than one million people a year, consists of seven Polynesian ‘islands’ in a beautifully landscaped 42-acre setting, representing Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti, the Marquesas and Tonga, all sited in a freshwater lagoon. The centre gives visitors a holistic insight into the culture of the different Polynesian communities, employing students from the nearby Brigham Young University-Hawaii campus to bring various activities, from pageants and ceremonies to tribal tattooing demonstrations, to life. A highlight of a visit to the Centre is the evening show spectacular, ‘Horizons’, presented in the 2,770 seat Pacific Theatre with its multi-level stages allowing for fiery volcanoes and brilliant fountains to erupt as special effects in this huge Polynesian song and dance revue.   Address: 55-370 Kamehameha Highway (83)Website: www.polynesia.com

Honolulu International Airport (HNL)

Location: The airport is located on Oahu Island about six miles (10km) west of downtown Honolulu and nine miles (15km) west of Waikiki Beach.

Book your Oahu hotel online with Otel.com and get the best rates for your Oahu accommodation

http://www.otel.com/hotels/honolulu_oahu_hi.htm

 Once a small fishing village in the south-eastern corner of Cyprus, Ayia Napa is now a hotspot for holidaymakers looking for a lively vacation – over 250,000 clubbers swarm into this party capital each summer and the phenomenal atmosphere in its scores of bars and nightclubs is nothing short of explosive. Located in the centre of the market garden area of the island, Ayia Napa also boasts a string of superb golden sandy beaches and vestiges of its cultural heritage – there is a Venetian decorated monastery fronted by a 600-year-old Sycamore tree, and a quaint harbour filled with colourful fishing vessels.

Just a few miles from Ayia Napa, the resort of Protaras is more restrained and is much more suited to family holidays. Both resorts have excellent beaches, the most famous being Fig Tree Bay. Other popular beaches include Nissi Beach and Nissi Bay, two miles (3km) west of Ayia Napa; Cape Greco to the east, where the challenge is to leap from the rocks into the sea; and Konnos Bay, just past Cape Greco, where there is a beach café and speedboats for hire. Shopping: Shopping in Ayia Napa is pure pleasure for locals and holidaymakers alike, with real bargains to be had particularly on designer goods. Top name watches, sunglasses, clothing, cameras and jewellery are available at prices up to 30 percent cheaper than in the United Kingdom. Shops and boutiques are generally small and friendly, opening until 11pm every night except Sundays. The local handcrafts make for good souvenir shopping, including beautiful embroidered Lefkara lace, original ceramic pottery, artistic silver jewellery, baskets, woven and silk goods and high quality leatherwear.
Variety is the spice of dining out in Ayia Napa, where countless restaurants specialise in a host of cuisines from around the world, everything from the romantic and traditional, to fast food and pub-grub being on offer, holidaymakers won’t be disappointed. Whether it is a Big Mac, fish ‘n chips, a Chinese or formal French you fancy, you won’t have to go far to find it. Visitors are well advised to try the Cypriot fare, however, particularly in the delightful, traditional tavernas clustered around the harbour. Highly recommended is the typical Cypriot ‘meze’, made up of between 15 and 30 island dishes. Other local specialities include taramosalata, tsatsiki, moussaka, stifado (beef or veal stew), aphelia (pork and red wine), and loukoumades (doughnuts dipped in syrup).

Holidaymakers in Ayia Napa soon learn that it is essential to plan an afternoon siesta, if they are to make the most of the sensational nightlife for which the resort has become world-renowned. The Cypriot’s appreciation for the good life and good times comes to the fore after the sun sets, with bars, discos, nightclubs and bouzouki clubs open well into the early hours of the morning. Most hotels have their own nightly entertainment with a resident band, and Greek nights with folk dancing are offered. The resort’s clubbing scene is legendary with big name DJ’s appearing frequently at some of the popular clubs.

The extensive, silvery sandy beaches along the coast of Ayia Napa are washed with warm waters that provide a myriad of opportunities for watersports, including water-skiing, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, pedal boats, motor boats, parasailing, scuba diving and snorkelling. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation supervises the beaches, many of which have Blue Flag status. Holidaymakers can take excursions from Ayia Napa to places like Agia Thekla, four miles (6km) to the west, with a small offshore island, Makronisos Beach, a cluster of three sheltered bays, or to the historical city of Larnaca, 25 miles (40km) along the coast. Jeep safaris around the island itself are popular, with attractions like the Caledonian Falls and the Byzantine Monastery of Kykkos waiting to be explored. The island’s position in the Mediterranean also lends itself to making excursions to other countries, even Jerusalem or Cairo, for a night or two of sightseeing.

 Generally Ayia Napa is clean, well ordered and favoured by all types of holidaymakers. Those who do not enjoy noise and bright lights, however, are advised to stay clear of the central monastery square area, which is where most of the popular nightclubs are situated. The main clubbing season is between June and September, and during this period the resort is packed with young people from all over Europe. Older holiday makers may prefer to enjoy the resort during the ‘shoulder’ months (April, May, October and November), when the weather is still good, the sea relatively warm, but the tempo quieter. The island can be windy, but the geographic locations of the surrounding beaches means that it is possible to find a sheltered beach even on windy days. Nissi Beach tends to be overcrowded, but there are other beaches within easy reach where it is possible to enjoy peace and quiet.

Well it has been a long time coming but I finally made it to Greece. Somewhere I had wanted to visit for a while but had let my head be filled of stories about Athens dirty streets littered with prostitutes and wild animals so I was very pleasantly surprised when my Easy Jet flight landed and Upon I easily hopped onto the metro and made my way to my hotel located in downtown Athens. My first impressions of Athens were pretty good and I did not see these images that I had previously been told about.

The metro in Athens was finished for the Olympics which were held in the city in 2004 so much of the metro is relatively new.  I have to comment on the fact that this is one of the cleanest subways and subway stations that I have ever been in.  After reaching my stop I made my way to the street and luckily the hotel was about 5 minutes from the stop. So I checked in and was taken aback by the most amazing views of  the Acropolis from my balcony.

Once I was all settled I decided to head out for some dinner the Athenians eat dinner much later than us but it was near midnight and I was pretty hungry so I made my way down the street to a restaurant that had been recommended by the hotel staff as the restaurant was closed at the hotel . I had a feast of a dinner and felt extremely full but couldn’t resist the kebabs which are nothing like they are in the UK and was extremely tasty. Probably not the best thing to eat so late at night but by the time I got home I was knackered and just passed out.

The next morning I headed to the Acropolis for a close up view.  The metro takes you close to the site and then its just a short walk up the Acropolis where you walk past  ruins along the way up to the main site. The Acropolis sits high above the city and is an intimidating place to visit and it is no wonder that people fought over it for more than 5000 years. It is also the place where the Greeks first practiced their new form governance form of democracy. For the political junkie this place is like Mecca. Most of the building and what was in it was destroyed in 1687 when a Venetian shell hit a supply of Turkish gun powder being stored there. Much of what wasn’t destroyed was taken to London by Lord Elgin in the early 18th century. It was a massive thrill to see the Parthenon close up however they no longer let people walk inside so my admiration had to be done from several feet away but it was still amazing to be that close to the iconic structure. 

After touring the site of  Acropolis I headed back down into the Plaka area to check out the Ancient Agora. The Plaka is the oldest section of Athens and most of  the streets here have been closed to cars etc. This was the central marketplace of ancient Greece and home to their civil and social structures. There were Churches, temples, courts, and markets which bought everyone there. The main market building has been transformed into a museum which is home to much of the 5000 years of history of the Agora. They even had the old “voting ballots” which are shards of broken pottery that the Athenians would carve peoples names into and they would vote for the person that they liked the least and if your name had the most votes craved into it you had to leave Athens for 10 years.

The Plaka area is well known for its dinning and shopping.  I wandered around until I found a great restaurant were I stopped to have some lunch. The food in Greece is pretty amazing.  The produce is so ripe and full of lots of different flavours the fruit and vegetables are much cheaper than in the UK so nothing comes from a jar or tin so its all cooked fresh.  After lunch I had a walk through the gardens and then back to the hotel for a rest.

Tonight’s dinner was an item I was dying to try. Its called Souvlaki and I had been recommended a souvlaki stand down the street.  So off I went with my mouth was watering more and more the closer I got. Souvlaki is meat of some sort, beef, lamb or pork that is placed on a giant vertical rotisserie. The souvlaki man slices off the meat as it becomes cooked and puts it on a round pita bread with lettuce, tomato and sadziki, a cucumber and yogurt  sauce. I had lamb souvlaki and it was very good, so good infact that I went back for seconds.

The next morning I headed to the National Archaeological Museum. The museum was spectacular. I have seen plenty of museum collections but this one has to be one of the greatest. Here I saw Frescoes, bronze statues, and enough marble sculptures to fill numerous museums around the world !!  it was amazing. I though the most impressive artefacts were probably the gold pieces which were found in various graves in Mycenae. They are golden masks, jewellery, breastplates and they even have full golden body covers for children that had died, the children were covered head to toe in gold.

After wandering the museum for some time my legs started to ache so I set out to explore more of the streets in the Plaka district. You could shop here for days and find just about everything you need. I found myself lost in the meat and fish markets which were both massive but luckily I managed to find my way out and made it back to the hotel.

My long weekend in Athens was a most pleasurable experience and I have decided to go back for my two week holiday so that I can discover more of this wonderful country and visit the beautiful islands as well.

Book your Athens hotel onlne and get the best rates for your Athens accommodation

 http://www.otel.com/hotels/athens.htm
 

Going to Galway was one of the trips that I imagined would be one way but actually turns out 100 times better than you thought. I had spent a few days in Dublin and from there we took a train to Galway, which with our student travel cards cost us about 50 euros for a return ticket. If you book your hotel earlier enough you can get some great places really cheaply. Our hotel was in the centre of Galway about a few minutes walk from the train station.

After checking in we headed out to go and see the sights. Galway is a pretty small city and everything is within walking distance so you don’t have to take any public transport which means you save money on taxis etc. It doesn’t take long to see all the sights. If you head to the centre of Galway there are plenty of places to eat for a reasonable price and there are a lot of pubs and nightclubs for your evening entertainment.

Eyre square in Galway is the main focal point of the town and the square is still the place to hang however it was also where JFK gave a speech a few months before his assassination in Dallas. In 1965 the square was actually re-named the Kennedy memorial Park, but we have never heard anyone calling it that. In 2004 when they were renovating the area some skeletons were found and they were carbon tested and they were medieval which was quite interesting

Galway has a very pretty little Cathedral which was opened in 1965, and is named the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas and is situated on the site of the former county jail which was closed in 1939 and was renowned for its cruel treatment of prisoners. The Cathedral is definitely the largest and possibly the most impressive building in the city of Galway. You can see the copper domed roof for miles around and the massive site on where the cathedral stands is one of the largest in the city centre. Nearly all of the materials used in the building of the cathedral were supplied from the local area and is a great example of Irish workmanship. Inside the cathedral are great cut stone and wood carvings as well as some beautiful wall paintings. The style of the building is Hiberno Romanesque which is unique eleventh century native Irish and pre-dates the Norman invasion.

The Galway Bay is a very nice place for a walk and if you just head for the Cathedral, you will soon come across the River Corrib and the small canal that runs along the side of it. The Corrib itself is a Salmon river and was originally called the Galway river, meaning “short stony river”. It is also the shortest river in Europe at only 2 miles long and apparently the most powerful. If you head to the Salmon Weir bridge you should try and spot the small wooden sculpture of a leaping Salmon.

If you head to the far end of tow buy the river then you will stumble across the Spanish arch stands at the far end of town by the river. The arch was built as an extension to the city walls in 1584 where it provided safe shelter to unload the boats and keep it safe from thieves. You can see the architectural remains which include a matrimonial fireplace stored in one of the arches.

The next day very early in the morning we decided to take a bus and go and visit a place called Doolin. It took us about 3 hours to get there after the driver navigated us through the twists and turns of the roads and the constant going up and down but seeing some of the amazing sights of the country side we reached our destination.

Doolin is a very small village and is very tourist orientated. There are plenty of hostels, restaurants, pizza places and lots of pubs. pubs serve food. There is also a small food shop where you can stop for supplies before heading to the Cliffs of Moher.The people there were really nice and we asked a local for directions to the Cliffs of Moher and not only did he give us directions he told us the best route to take to get the best views etc etc.

So we started walking at about midday. Just one small suggestion for all those who are going the same route we did. Make sure you bring waterproof shoes, preferably high boots and that you are not scared of heights and electric fences.

We started walking from sea level and the walk to the Cliffs took us about three hours. It was a long walk but it was definitely worth it. On the way we saw an ancient abandoned village, a waterfall were the water didn’t go down into the sea but went up and back into the river. We had to climb over lots of fences and a few electric fences which was not fun because the walk along the edge of the cliff is getting pretty dangerous and in some places farmers have even been pulling their fences back because there is virtually nothing to step on there may be 30cm of space and then cliff and then you hit the ocean. The tourists are all directed to a certain point and once we had almost reached this place the wind picked up and was getting stronger. A person there insisted that we went into a nearby field instead continuing to walk along the edge of the cliff luckily we did because the minute we stepped into the field the wind got so strong that we fell onto our backs by this time we were pretty scared.

After there despite the wind we continued to another place to see the remains of a tower. This was a fair trek away and luckily the walk was a little easier. Once we reached the tower the views were amazing however we realised that if we didn’t hurry we would miss the last bus back to Doolin from the Cliffs of Moher view point by this time is was getting pretty dark so we decided to go back a different since going along the edge of the Cliff in the dark didn’t sound like such a good idea.. We came across a road and decided to go and walk on it.

So after climbing a couple more fences and running away from some cows we finally reached something that looked like a road. The only problem was that neither of us had any idea where we were and there were no sign posts luckily we saw a local women and she directed us towards the road which lead us back to the Cliffs of Moher view point. We tried to hitch hike to get there quickly but only three cars wet past and none of them stopped. We just about made it to get the bus ad the driver stopped when he saw us running and waving. Thank god he did otherwise we would have been stuck out there all night !!

Finally we got back to our hotel and decided to go to a local pub for a dinner. There is always live music bee played in every pub in Doolin so if you want to hear some good Irish folk music then just head for the pub.. The food was pretty good and we also met lots of people from different countries who were exploring Ireland.

In the morning we headed back to Galway. We wandered around the city centre for the afternoon and did some shopping before heading back to Dublin.

If anyone is thinking of going to Ireland you really should go and see the West of Ireland. The West Coast of Ireland is absolutely beautiful and there is plenty to do and see.

 Book your Galway hotel online and get the best rates for your Galway accommodation

http://www.otel.com/hotels/galway.htm

After a very early start I finally arrived in Stanstead Airport to board my plane with Ryan Air the No Frills Airline. After going through all the security checks which there are plenty of and grabbing a croissant and a coffee before going through to the departure lounge. I finally boarded the plane and off we set for Frankfurt Hahn Airport and after a an hour or so flight we arrived in Germany

Once we had arrived at the Frankfurt Hahn Airport we all had to line up outside, to get through the passport control as quickly as we could because it was absolutely freezing and much colder than England. The reason that we had to wait outside is because the airport is so small. However once we were through everything else went fine and we got our bags made our way through the airport and found the Bus/Coach that went to Frankfurt City. Frankfurt Hahn airport is pretty cool and is filled with old buildings and it also had its original watchtower. The trip to Frankfurt City took about 1 hour but it was great to drive through the German countryside. Germany is covered with little villages, spaced about 10 miles apart and on the way there are power windmills everywhere. You cant miss the huge white windmills in groups of about 7 or 8 all dotted around the green fields, hopefully they are supplying power to the local villages.

The bus stopped at Frankfurt’s Main Airport which is a huge airport! We could easily see why this is the biggest Airport in Europe. We then had to go down the Autobahn to enter Frankfurt City HauptBahnhof which is the Main Train Station. We then had to catch a Tram as our Hotel was in an area called Alierheligentor which is on the Trams direct route so a few minutes later we were on the tram heading East to just past the city Centre. Upon arrival in to the city centre I was hoping to see a monumental hotdog or even a string of cocktail sausages hung across the street. Unfortunately, the tourist boards of Frankfurt city doesn’t share my humour of tacky commercialisation for cities with amusing names. .

Our hotel was the Luxor Hotel and although it was quite basic it was great for what we wanted. It was close to the city centre and once we had dumped our bags we headed off for a walk to explore the place. The only information we had about Frankfurt was the little map that we picked up at the airport unfortunately we did not realise that it was entirely in German but at least it gave us the basics…. We continued just walking not knowing where we really were but luckily we turned down a side street and found ourselves looking at River Rhine! This helped us quite a bit as we were now able to see where were on the map! We strolled along the river and followed the tram lines which run along the river towards a small docking area. The docking area had some big cruise liners docked there and they all looked pretty fancy ..

We continued to walk and decided not to cross the river but to head back into the City area. We crossed the road and behind a building and happened to come across the main square which if I remember correctly is called Rommer Square. The square has some of the old traditional German house styles there which are white with a kind of a cross hatched design there is also a Church with a basement, souvenir shops, a few restaurants and an Art Museum. We decided to go and have a look at the Art Museum. Luckily for us there was an exhibition of many pieces of work done by Picasso. The entrance was pretty cheap about 6 Euros per person but was definitely worth The paintings and drawings by Picasso are just hung there in front of you without any barriers or security. There were some really great paintings plus lots of other random pencil drawings, like pictures that he had been planning before his next painting. There was also lots of information and it was great to be able to read about him and see exactly how he though out his creations.

After the Art museum we decided it was time to stop and try some German food!. We headed back through the main square and away from where we had been until we found the most traditional authentic looking German restaurant we could find. As we went in it looked pretty impressive at the front of the bar they had big cakes and cheeses and people walking around trying to seat you. The waiter greeted us and even asked what language we spoke and then sat us down. We took a look at the menu and the only thing they had were hamburgers, pastas and salads and no actual proper meals! So we quickly left as we didn’t fancy junk food..

After the dismay of the so called traditional restaurant we just continued to walk up one road which led us to this enormous shopping mall which happens to be on the main road of Frankfurt city. No cars can drive along it and it was huge. Here you can find almost any shop you can think of including McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Starbucks and Burger King these chains really do get everywhere!!! The shopping mall had lots of glass windows and walkways with lifts and escalators through out the building. At the very top of the mall was a Cafe where you can go and stand outside to see the view of Frankfurt City. We made our way to the top and the view was of concrete and brick and went on for as far as we could see. Frankfurt is massive and for a city so big it felt like there was hardly anyone living here it is not a heaving city like London or New York.. After leaving the mall got even colder and we decided to make our way back to the Hotel after trying to work out exactly where we were on the map. It turned out that we were only about a 10 minute walk away which was pretty convenient

The following morning we were up and in the hotels restaurant before 10 so that we could have some breakfast… It was pretty busy with lots of other guests from different countries chatting away… After breakfast we decided to go and have a look at the main centre again and wander from there. Once we reached the main area we carried on walking and and went through a city park where there were some great sculptures. From here we cam across the Tower of Frankfurt. This is the biggest building in the city I had heard that it had an observation deck with a restaurant and bar at the top. So we entered the tower and after some security checks we got in the elevator which included having a Speedo in it. We then quickly sped up to 22km per hour and we were at the top of the tower in a few seconds. Once we reached the top we realised that people were coming down the stairs from an even higher point. So we went up to the actual rooftop which was really windy which was pretty scary as you are extremely high up and there isn’t much to stop you being blown over the edge However the view is magnificent. We stopped for a drink in the bar which also has great views..

After there we headed back towards our Hotel way but decided to cross to the other side of the river and see what was over there. We walked for about an hour just taking everything in before finding a small Pub/Restaurant. Once we found a table a waitress came over and said something in German luckily we looked at her a bit stupid and she then spoke in English which was a bonus…. We each ordered a traditional German beer each and then a pizza each which were massive! After food we headed back towards the other side of the river and towards our hotel.

The following day we decided to go on a guided tour of the city by both boats and bus. We headed for the first place that we could arrange a tour and that was back to the main train station and managed to get a phone number for an agent to contact the people who organise the boat trips down the Rhine directly. It was too late by this time to do the bus tour so we booked the bus tour for the afternoon which got us back in time so that we could do the boat tour of Frankfurt.

We left for the tour at about 14:00 with about 20 other foreigners we were the only English speakers though which was a bit of a shock!!
The city tour included a stop at Romerberg the old town centre as well as the newer part of town including the banking centre and a visit to the Main Tower’s rooftop observation platform 200 m above Frankfurt which we had already done but didn’t mind doing again.
We learned from the guide that the city centre was pretty much destroyed from bombing during the Second World War an area of over half a kilometre between the Rathaus City Hall and the Kaiser Dom Cathedral was flattened. The Rathaus has served as Frankfurt’s City Hall since 1405 and it is the official seat of the mayor. The Kaiser Dom was dedicated to St. Bartholomew in 1239. It was also selected as the electoral site for the kings of the Holy Roman Empire in 1356 and the venue for several imperial coronations between 1562 and 1792. From what I can remember the Rathaus and Kaiser Dom are the only two buildings of any age in that area. . One good thing which came out of the reconstruction of the city was that remnants of a Roman encampment which included thermal baths as well as Carolingian artefacts were discovered during the excavations in 1952.

We also saw, during the tour the amazing variety of eating places ( not that we had found many ) and a bit of their history, such as the Apfelwien bars which have a long history in Germany, a Carmelite monastery, a 1749 Goethe-Haus which is where Goethe spent much of his early life, writing literary works such as “The Sorrows of Young Werther” and “Faust”. The Hauptwache which is the historic guard station opened in 1671 and has been a café since 1901, the Borse Stock Exchange, the Bankenviertel Banking district including the Main Tower headquarters of Hesse State Bank where once again we had to go through all the security to go up to the observation deck.
After the city tour, we were taken back and we were shown how to get to the Mainkai or Eiserner Steg, which is where the boats go from. We walked back through the market and stopped and ate a chocolate covered pretzel which I loved it was very sweet. Sticky and and full of chocolate. . The boat trip is an unusual view of Frankfurt: and the skyline of the city seemed much more impressive. While we plodded along the river you are able to see sights that you could never on land. The cruise is a good idea for anyone visiting Frankfurt especially if you are looking to take some good photos. We headed out to the west of the city and it was an interesting trip.

For the best Frankfurt hotel rates book your Frankfurt accommodation online

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Not everyone wants to spend go abroad for their holiday some people don’t want to sit by the beach, in a foreign country or eating foreign foods. There are actually many lovely places to visit in the UK.

I recently made my first trip to go and visit the city of Glasgow. I had always believed that as a city it would be inferior to Edinburgh. Well how incorrect I was. Glasgow has really invented itself into a city of culture and style. The cities campaign ‘Glasgow’s smiles better’ has definitely worked!

Glasgow is easily accessible from England by either road where you go straight up the M6 motorway or by rail however both are quite long journeys compared to under an hour’s flying time from selected airports in the UK. I flew from the East Midlands airport with BMI Baby a cheap budget airline who still allocate seats to its travellers. Once I had landed I took a short taxi ride took to the excellent Radisson SAS hotel which was directly opposite the Central Station. The central station of Glasgow also deserves a mention as it is an architectures dream with its ornate ironwork decoration and was opened in 1879.

It was a blustery day in Glasgow. A little bit of sun, a bit of wind, and of course a bit of rain….I took a walk around the city. I stopped for some lunch and had a very yummy scone roll! which is like a potato pancake but it’s fried and put between a roll very tasty indeed. I then made my way to Glasgow Cathedral which is the only mediaeval cathedral in the Scottish mainland to have survived the 1560 Reformation virtually undamaged.

Glasgow has a great selection of museums and galleries far to many to mention them all in detail. Here are some of the ones that I visited and the ones most worthy of seeing is the Gallery of Modern Art which is the second most visited modern art gallery outside of London. The McClellan Galleries, the Burrell Collection, the Museum of Transport and the Science Centre.

The following day I walked up a hill nearby called the Necropolis which has a massive old cemetery located on the top. Once you reach the top the views are pretty good. The cemetery has many old gravestones, tombs, markers and some beautiful celtic crosses. Once I had explored the Cemetery I then walked back down to Buchanan street. Buchanan Street is the main shopping area in Glasgow and it is a wonderful experience just wandering around. The Buchanan Galleries are also worth a visit. It may not rival Princes Street in Edinburgh for shopping but it comes in very close. If you walk up to the top of the street you can see the impressive Royal Glasgow Concert Hall and the statue of Donald Dewar which looks down at the passers walking by..

I did some shopping and then decided to make my way to Queens Park by train. So I headed back to Central Station and then took the Cathcart train which stops at Victoria Road. I then went for a walk through Queens Park which is a beautiful park.

I then decided to stop for some dinner and I ate a fried pizza with chips and then decided that I would go for the local speciality for dessert and tried a fried Mars Bar !! .It was very very sweet. I think I have learnt from being in Glasgow is that if it can be battered and fried then they will do it! For example they take the Mars bar and dip it in a batter and then chuck it into the oil which then melts the chocolate, caramel and nugget very tasty.

My overall impression of Glasgow was pretty good the city is surrounded by huge Victorian edifices which have all been cleaned and restored over the recent years creating a grand city centre. The city also had a real Italian feel to it. There is definitely some Italian influence in the architectural styles and there are lots and lots of cafes with a big cafe culture for a city that is so far north.

If you are using Glasgow as a starting point before heading to the Highlands and Islands you will be very lucky to visit this great city and you will be certain to have some great retail therapy. I would certainly recommend Glasgow for a short break without leaving our own shores of the UK.

 Book your Glasgow hotel online and get the best rates for your Glasgow accommodation

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For my anniversary my husband decided to take me to Kuwait city.. Why he choose here I will never know.. I was not sure what to expect from a city that had been ripped apart over the last 20 years and is slowly recovering from war. After my 5 days I was pleasantly surprised. The city is very wealthy and pockets are lined with gold just from oil alone however, tourism is booming here as well and Kuwaiti’s are finally starting to get out and live their lives, without fear or fighting.

I knew the instant I got off the plane that I was in a different world. Many western countries can now apply for a visa on arrival, and we were whisked through immigration quiet fast. We then went over to the luggage area. The soldier on guard waved me through to the front of the customs line and my partner was at the very end so I went through to look for our luggage. I spotted one of our suitcases coming around on the belt so I attempted to lift it off and immediately dropped it back onto the belt due to the fact that I was being screamed at. I was surrounded by 4 or so official looking Indians who all dressed like bell boys were and stood there shaking their heads at me and trying to pull my suitcase from off the belt where I had dropped it but it was my luggage so tried to take it back from them, but they wouldn’t let me. Luckily I could see my husband rushing towards me and he had that angry look on his face and he yelled at these Indians and eventually they ran off to bother someone else. We found out later that these Indians come to Kuwait from India desperate for work, and they try to handle your luggage to get tips and once they get hold of a piece of luggage, apparently they become very aggressive and won’t let go until they are paid. Thank god my husband turned up when he did….

Kuwait airport is very impressive its very modern with plenty to do here. We walked around a little before heading off to look for a taxi to the hotel. If you have never been to Kuwait, then be aware that the heat here is completely unimaginable. From the minute we set foot out of the air-conditioned airport onto the street, it was like stepping into an oven that was turned to full heat. It was hot hot hot and extremely heavy and intense.

We then jumped into a taxi for an half hour drive into central Kuwait, where the downtown area is. We saw many interesting buildings and houses on the way. We were booked to stay at Movenpick another surprise from my husband. The Movenpick is located on the banks of the Persian Golf and the hotel itself was beautiful and I felt very spoilt staying here. I was also very grateful that it had a pool. The Movenpick is located in the Salymia area which is also known as the entertainment area where we wandered around but not for long due to the heat but we found some shopping malls and of course Starbucks I shouldn’t of been but I was surprised that they had quite a few Starbucks here.

That evening instead of opting for food at the hotel we went out for dinner and tried some authentic Kuwaiti an food which was ok. You also have to do your daily activities such as shopping and getting groceries during the evening because everything is closed from 13:00 in the afternoon until 17:00 because it is so hot, and then everything opens again from 17:00 until 22:00

The following day we jumped in another taxi and although they are expensive it is far to hot to walk anywhere. Our taxi driver was awesome and gave us plenty of information about the city as he drove us past various buildings and sites. We saw the Liberation Towers which represents the Kuwaiti liberation from the Iraqi invasion( and are closed to the public) we were then dropped off at the Gold souq here you can buy gold ranging from 9K to 24K for relatively cheap prices and my husband wanted to get me something and who was I to say no. After that we decided to check out the fish markets. There was a small area for fruit and vegetables and stinky live chickens crammed into cages, ready to be killed and plucked for the customer. However the smell coming from the fish market was something else all together…It was fantastic to wonder around each stall, with each fish monger trying to grab your attention for a sale. It was really something else and it was a huge place…

The following day we headed to the Kuwait Towers, the 3 tower water storage towers with round observations decks over looking the Gulf. We had a great 360 degree view over the city and there were also photos on display of the devastation that the towers went through during the Iraqi invasion it was very interesting to see a city that had been ravaged by war to becoming the city that we were seeing today. After the tours we took a tour around the ports and various buildings before we headed back to relax and replenish ourselves.

That evening we sat and watched the sun set into the Gulf before heading out for a meal at another local Kuwaiti restaurant. The restaurant was very nice and decked out in traditional decor. We ate Fattoush and pickles and also opted for a local dish of something I think was called Moutabath which was a stewed dish of lamb and bread dumplings which was delicious all served with fresh chapatti style bread…..I still don’t understand how they can get used to heating such heavy meals in the heat I would have though that all they would have eaten was salads but this is not the case..

The next day we decided to soak up some culture and went an had a look at the mosques and cathedrals located in the city. We saw the Grand Mosque in Kuwait, the Lady of Arabia Church and the Holy Family Cathedral. All were very different and very interesting . The Grand Mosque is decorated with Islamic designs and calligraphy both on the inside and the outside. The gardens of where the Mosque sits were also beautiful with a huge variety of flowers, palm trees, fountains and waterfalls. I m amazed at how the flowers don’t whiter in the heat. Our Lady of Arabia Church was built by the Carmelites and it has the honour of being the first Catholic Church in Kuwait. The modern Holy Family Cathedral which is known for its unique architecture began being built in 1956 and was finally finished in 1961 when the Cathedral was blessed and sanctified. After some culture things we headed for the new Marina Mall and had dessert in The Chocolate Bar, which was a funky cafe selling all kinds of chocolate which was very yummy…

The day before our last day we visited Failaka Island. We had to obtain a special pass to go there in Kuwait even though it is the most visited tourist destination in the country. The island is situated in the northern part of the Persian Gulf and is about 20 kilometres away from the Kuwait city. The island is situated opposite of the Failaka Bay which is 50 kilometres away from the southernmost tip of Iraq. Failaka Island is a magnificent islands which combines the ancient history of Kuwait which dates back to the early Stone Age and the modern history of Kuwait. It is the home of Kuwait’s main archaeological site and Failaka’s history goes back as far as the Bronze Age Dilmun civilization. It is assumed that there was inter-Gulf trade between 2200 and 1800 BC. The Greeks landed on the island in the 4th century BC in the form of a garrison sent by Nearchus, one of Alexander the Great’s admirals. A small settlement existed on the island before this, but it was the Greek town of Ikaros when the settlement became a real city. The Greeks lived on Failaka for two centuries. The remains of a temple can be found on the Island which was interesting.

That evening from the safety of our hotel room we witnessed a sand storm. The storm comes in from the dessert and slowly descends over the whole city it was very eerie and I was grateful to be indoors at that point.

Kuwait is an amazing city and it was a great experience going there and seeing its development from the war.. The only down side is the heat which I was glad to escape after our five days had finished…

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One of the most interesting tours we did was to the Cave of the Seven Sleepers: Cave of the Seven Sleepers. The cave is mentioned in the verse of Al Kahf in the Al Quran. It is the story of seven young men during Roman times pre-Byzantine who escaped persecution and found refuge in a cave. They slept in the cave and when they finally woke up they had no idea that they had actually slept for 300 years. The young men thought they had only slept for a few hours. After their story was widely known that the ’sleepers’ had died. Centuries later, during the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW, the Jews of Medina asked him to tell the story of the ’sleepers’ knowing that none of the Arabs knew about it, however the Angel Gabriel revealed the story to Prophet Muhammad through the verse, Al Kahf. It was a really interesting site.

We then drove south to the city of Madaba which is about 40 km from Amman for a couple of days. From there we visited Mount Nebo, which is a biblical site where Moses died after seeing the promise land. . The summit of this site has spectacular views over the Dead Sea to the West Bank and Jerusalem. You can also see the springs where Moses struck the ground to bring water. Also located in these extensive ruins is a small church which is home to some beautifully preserved sixth century mosaics which are still being uncovered today.

Madaba city has a long tradition for mosaics. The major aspect of the city is that underneath almost every house lies a fine Byzantine mosaic. Many of these mosaics have been excavated and are shown on display in the town’s museum, but it is said that many more lie hidden and are waiting to be discovered. The finest mosaic that was found is still in its original place on the floor of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. This huge preserved piece of art comprises of a map of the entire region from Jordan and Palestine in the north, to Egypt in the south. Many towns and cities are depicted in picture which is complete with walls and pitched re-roofed houses, and shows fish in the Nile swimming.

Whilst on our travels we were lucky enough to experience the joys of the dead sea, which is the lowest and saltiest point on earth. The locals are fascinated and amused to see us foreigners in our swimming costumes coved in mud, in Jordan the women bath with their clothes on, so it was no wonder that the whole family that was there were muttering away in Arabic but they were more amused than anything else.

After we then went south to Karak to see a fortress which is located in a beautiful and unusual green valley. The fortress was built in 1142 by Payne Le Boutellier the lord of Montreal so that he could control the traffic coming from the north and south..The fortress has underground galleries and secret passageways and has some great views of the country.

Our next stop was Dana and we were surprised by the size of the village. The village is made up entirely of dry stone houses with around 100 inhabitants. It is situated right on the edge of the cliff and the view on the canyon below is awesome. We spent a full day trekking in this natural reserve, enjoying the bedouin campsite set up in the middle of the park, which allowed us to rest during the hottest hours of the day.

Finally the time had come to see what had brought us to Jordan in the first place: The ancient site of Petra. We found our hotel which was beautiful and blended in great with area. We were booked to stay three days in Petra which was an extremely wise choice as the site at Petra is massive

Petra is probably the most touristy site in Jordan with lots of little shop stands and street vendors selling their local goods. Petra is hidden behind rugged mountains and the rock carved city of Petra is full of mystery. The main entrance is through Siq which is a long narrow gorge which rises steeply and then suddenly opens into a natural square dominated by the most famous monument of Petra the Khasneh, whose carved facade glows in the suns rays… The city is massive and the quality of the carved facades is amazing and makes you reflect on the creativity of the Nabateans who made Petra their capital more than 2,000 years ago.

We saw the Obelisk Tomb, carved out of the cliff and Petra’s most fabled achievement, El-Khazneh (the Treasury), We also walked up to a high point where there is an

ancient Nabatean sacrificial site with an Altar cut from the rock. For those who can stand doing the climb in the scorching heat the view of Petra is well worthwhile.

If you walk past the altar the track continues and leads to the garden Tridinium (the garden temple complex). There are two free standing colonnades, which are a remnants of a shrine. If you continue on you pass dozens of wall niches, before arriving at the Roman Soldier’s Tomb, and a little further is the Triclinium.

After exploring the ancient site for a few days we arranged a trip the desert of Wadi Rum which is about an hour drive from Petra. The Wadi Rum desert was one of the most interesting sites that we visited during our time in Jordan. The is the desert that Lawrence of Arabia took refuge in and the film with Peter O’Tool was filmed there. Our guide took us to all the highlights of the site the Nabatean rock inscriptions and natural rock bridges, We visited Lawrence of Arabia’s spring and house, big canyon and nice sand dunes. Then we went and watched the sunset, There are no hotels here so we had to camp out in the desert for the night where we could lie on the sand and watch the beautiful sky and plenty of shooting stars.

We ended our time in Jordan in Aquaba which is at the southern tip of Jordan. Aquaba is a proper town. It is located by the sea but unfortunately we didn’t find the long and sandy beaches that we were expecting from a so called beach resort. The public beaches were dirty and unwelcoming. Luckily our hotel had its own private one which was small but clean and quiet. We also found a good driving spot which was about a 15 minute drive south where we were able to do a spot of diving.

After Aquaba we headed back to Amman do get our flight home. Jordan was a gentle country and a good introduction to the middle east and I am looking forward to visiting some other great countries located here.

For the best in Jordan hotel rates book your accommodation online

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We sometimes just need a weekend away with girls no guys just lots of gossip, shopping, drinking and dancing the night away…

So where are the best places for some great girly fun..

Here are some choices from a few of the places I have been with my gang of girls..

London..

London has everything you need for a truly amazing experience some of the best nightclubs in the country , hit the fabulous streets of London for some great shopping opportunities such as Oxford and Regent Street and of course plenty of hot men to tempt you on your weekend break. Soak up some culture with a visit to the London Eye here you can admire the wonderful sites of London or relax on a Thames river cruise where you can casually see the sites of London whilst enjoying a glass of wine or town. London has some of the best nightclubs in the country why not head to the super cool and super glamorous Pacha Nightclub for some great music and a great atmosphere. After partying the night away you may want to relax and rejuvenate before heading back to work on Monday so why not take a visit to the Elemis Day Spa where you can indulge in one of the many de stress treatments available why not try a hot stone facial or a well being massage what better way to spend the afternoon.

New York City..

Why not do it in true Sex in the City style and visit the city that never sleeps.. Flight times from the UK are around 5 hours and a weekend here is certainly one for the ladies.

For some great shopping you really must take a trip to Bloomingdale’s one of the best places in New York where you will be able to get some great bargains and plenty of good clothes another great place that is full of good bargains is the Chelsea Market which is located on the Ninth Avenue. For some exclusive shopping then visit Fifth Avenue there’s nothing like maxing out your credit card with your favourite friends. For some first class pampering then head to one of the finest health places in New York the Eden Spa here you can have any kind of massage that you want and relax in style. In the evening you can hit the town and there are thousands of bars to choose from who not try the 55 Bar which is on Christopher Street here a group of girls can enjoy a great evening whilst gossiping in style. If its something a bit more lively that you are after then why not try the famous Karaoke Bar known as Karaoke One located on West 17th Street why not get up and give the song of a lifetime !! After all the singing and dancing what better way to spend the day with a horse carriage ride around Central Park or why not book yourself a place on one of the Sex in the City Tour a perfect way to finish a girly weekend away..

Barcelona

Why not visit the beautiful city of Barcelona with its amazing Gothic architecture and beautiful streets… Take a walk along the lively streets of Las Ramblas before making your way to the wonderful beach of Barcelona which is lined with great beach bars where you can enjoy a large jug of Sangria whilst watching the guys play volleyball on the beach. Head to the Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel which caters for day visitors and relax with their wonderful heat and water therapies and and have a soak in the

beautifully designed 12 metre vitality pool. Barcelona has a great nightlife scene however do remember that the Spanish like to eat late and party late and don’t be surprised if the clubs don’t get busy until around 02:00am why not try the Razzmatazz nightclub which is 5 clubs under one roof here you will find everything from disco to trance and punk..

Ibiza

If its just fun and partying you want then why not try a weekend away in the beautiful Isle of Ibiza.. Flights are reasonable cheap to the Island and here you an sit back and chill out on the beach at Cafe del Mar and watch the sun set and then party away all day and night in one of the major clubs such as Amnesia or Pacha there is a huge choice of clubs and you will be spoilt for choice. After a wild night out why not relax on the beach whilst sipping a cocktail. Ibiza also has some fantastic shops and night shopping in the Old Town of Ibiza should not be missed and if your lucky enough to be there when the hippie markets are on then you will find plenty of bargains..

Swansea

Many people head to Swansea for a great weekend away.. Here you have everything located in on place.. Swansea may be a City but its a very small city and you can drive the length of it in about 10 minutes…Swansea has some great shops and head to the Mumbles where you can get great local products as well as lots of surfy style clothes.. If its pampering you are after then you can visit the Towers Hotel and Spa. Here you can enjoy a great range of treatments and take advantage of the Jacuzzi and swimming pool. Do take a walk along the beach whilst enjoying a bag of fish and chips before heading out for the evening. Start your evening in the Morgans Hotel in Swansea Marina the boutiques hotel in Swansea . Here you can enjoy a glass of Champagne in the bar before heading to la Brassiere the most famous restaurant in Swansea where Catherine Zita Jones visits when ever she pops home.. Many of the bars are located on Wind Street and stay open until the early hours then many make their way to the Kingsway where you can find the larger clubs..