Summer Holiday Tips

The first time I had decided to go mountain biking was, believe it or not, at the tender age of 23 years old! It is unfortunately true that during my childhood I had missed the fun and joys of riding a bike down the streets and even more thrilling doing the paper round! Furthermore, I had never experienced the joys of going on mountain biking holidays with my family, more so because no member in my family (with the exception of one or two) could ride a bike!

Now, this is not to say that I had a deprived upbringing. Far from it, I was simply always afraid of doing something that will risk breaking or injuring my limbs - thus my family opted for safer sports such as golf, badminton and (contrary to fears) swimming! However, this never did stop me from learning to ride a bike, and then fifteen years later actually begin to ride a bike - all in an attempt to prepare myself for the dreaded first timers’ mountain biking holidays experience.

Until a few years ago, I did not know that such a holiday existed. In fact, other than skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping and skydiving, I was not aware of any mountain biking holidays in France - nor was I aware of the mountain biking championships held every year. Clearly, mountain bikers’ right now are probably thinking I had not yet lived until I have at least been involved in one biking holiday!

However, I did learn that places like Les Gets (France), riding the Andes (Chile and Argentina), Cuba and even as far as Ethiopia accommodated space for mountain biking. An adventure like this seems too good to be true for avid biking fans; many would place this on the same par as bungee jumping or skydiving. This is the thrill junkies dream, but also a sightseer’s experience of a lifetime. This is certainly something I am looking forward to experiencing.

Holidays in places like Ethiopia for some people, may conjure up an image of an impoverished country with dusty plains and bumpy rough roads. Far from this misconception lies a colourful history, friendly people full of pride in their country and living in a country, which has some of the highest plateau peaks in the continent. As well as the 6500m of descent, there is still an awful lot of climbing and the odd rocky road tracks and mountain trails to keep you busy.

The French Alps is famous for all it sporting versatility, more specifically skiing. However, when the snow melts down and the sun beams through it is a relaxing yet stimulating mountain biking haven. The high mountain peaks caters for bikers of all levels, from avid professional mountain bike enthusiasts to first time free riders. There are chalets nearby that accommodate for people of all ages and these offer French and English speaking guides to provide people with a tour of the land.

For those looking to relax on the beach Spain, try taking a trip to the Marina Alta Mountains in Valencia whereby people can spend a week following the winding trails whilst enjoying the beautiful scenery beside them. These mountain tracks were originally carved out for donkeys and over the years, these side trails became over grown. However, this mountain trail is almost hidden from tourists; thus making this an uninterrupted riding experience.

People planning a holiday should consider the prospects of mountain bike holidays, this is not something that should be approached hesitantly but more for the joy of experiencing something new. Not to mention a cheaper and ideal way to keep fit whilst enjoying a relaxing holiday abroad. Holidays does not need to involve copious amounts of alcohol and beaches; the option for taking part in something is thought to be uplifting, stimulating and even refreshing.



By: Anna Stenning

About the Author:

Everyone seems to be feeling the pinch of the credit crunch, frantically trying to save every penny here and there. It seems we are all cutting back and trying to minimise expenditure, however the savvy saver should be thinking long term. Since everybody is doing the same thing, in this case not spending, corporations have been forced to drastically slash prices, to entice the public into loosening the purse strings a little. We are being seduced with the most attractive deals ever on luxury consumer items, such as new cars, flat screen televisions and, of course, holidays.

Is it working? Well, not just yet, it appears people still cant quite justify splashing out on non essential treats. Therefore seemingly crazy bargains are still to be had. Why not consider giving an alternative Christmas present this year and take someone special, or the family on a winter holiday? It is a loving gesture, very generous and will mean you can beat the manic Christmas shoppers.

Spending Christmas away from home and the monotonous, usual routine is exciting and adventurous. With a white Christmas pretty much guaranteed in most ski resorts, a magical and festive atmosphere enchants all in the warm, mountain top, towns that sprinkle the majestic mountain surrounds.

Children love frolicking in powder snow, making snowmen and just harnessing the beauty of youth, whilst adults are never short of things to do and fun to be had. Obviously skiing and snow boarding are the main attraction of a winter holiday, the lure of making fresh tracks, surrounded only by nature and breath taking scenery is enough for most. However for those less inclined, there are many less extreme activities to be enjoyed by all, such as cross country skiing, sledging, hiking, igloo building and snow driving to name just a few.

Another great thing about a winter holiday is the apres ski element, simply a chance for everyone to socialise, get together and be merry, after the last ski lifts have finished for the night. Mountain resorts come alive and take on a new dimension in the evenings, spectacularly illuminated and buzzing with energy, everyone is out maximising every second of their winter adventure holidays. Additionally many adults relish the opportunity to have a few drinks without worrying about driving home and working the next day.

If you are planning a winter holiday this year definitely think about celebrating the new year abroad, an excuse for a all out party. Having been lucky enough to spend a few new years eves in winter resorts, I can not emphasise enough what a different, exhilarating and explosive night it is, the Europeans certainly know how to have a good time and put on a great show. Everyone gets in on the action and combined is a thrilling night of celebrations which is fantastic for all the family.



By: John Mce

About the Author:

While Barbados is considered by many to be a winter destination, and can see approximately seventy-five percent of its tourist arrivals during the winter months, the island can also be a highly desirable summer travel destination.

The average daytime temperature on Barbados is between 28 – 30 degrees celsius throughout the year. There are two major differences in temperature between the winter and summer months and that is the nights of the winter are considerably cooler than the summer months as the cold fronts from the north pass over the island and although the official daytime temperatures throughout the year change little, the summer months appear to be hotter because it is less breezy.

For those who have always dreamt of a Barbados holiday but always thought that it was out of their budget, summer is the perfect time to fulfill that dream.

Summer travel to Barbados can be considerably cheaper starting with airfare, as the airlines drop prices to fill flights. Hotels are greatly discounted at this time of year with some of them as much as fifty percent cheaper. While this may not apply to all, many of the smaller holiday apartments and guest houses may sometimes even drop their low summer rates even further for large groups or longer holiday periods. Car rental companies also offer special deals, either in the form of extra days thrown in or lower prices, you can pay the same price for a five day rental in summer as you would have paid for a three day rental in winter.

Watersports and other activities companies do not officially drop their rates but like the small apartments and guest houses, it is sometimes possible to negotiate cheaper rates for groups or booking multiple activities.

While the summer months are the official rainy season, the island still averages 9 hours of sunshine per day even then. Rain showers tend to be heavy and brief giving way to blue skies as suddenly as the showers appeared. Making days that start of dismal turn out bright and beautiful.

The official start of hurricane season is in June and it runs through November. While the hurricanes invariably travel through the Caribbean on their way westward, the individual chances of Barbados receiving a direct hit are small. Barbados has only suffered direct hits three times in over 170 years and has been brushed by the edges a few times. More often than not these brushes consist of heavy tropical showers and gusty winds, all in all less intense than a Florida thunderstorm.

Barbados is so far east that most of the systems that pass through the Caribbean have not had time to develop into hurricanes and they are so far south that those systems that do develop tend to travel north of the island and the rotation tends to give the system a northward track. While they are exceptions these tend to be extremely rare.

To put your mind at ease you can check the satellite maps of the Atlantic before your trip as these can show storms or waves in the Atlantic days before before they even reach the Caribbean.

It is amazing that visitors fear the Caribbean in the summer months for fear of a hurricane but will flock to Florida and Mexico that have a higher chance of being hit.

As this period is the low or off season a far as tourist arrivals go the island is more peaceful and there is less chance of the activity or event that you are interested in being sold out, with the exception of activities that facilitate smaller groups of people like surfing lessons and scuba trips which tend to have small groups, and can also make for a more enjoyable holiday.

In terms of people looking for a family holiday destination choosing Barbados is ideal with the beaches swarming with kids on summer vacation from schools as well as a higher number of kids related activities being offered including more kids oriented movies in the cinema and at the Drive In.

The ocean tends to be calmer and warmer in the summer months and this translates to better conditions for many watersports activities including surfing for beginners as well as scuba diving and snorkeling.



By: emmlee

About the Author: