FARES TRAVELLER

In the southwest of Ireland lies County Kerry with the largest town being Killarney. Steeped in history, ancient castles, forts and abbeys, Killarney has many attractions to capture the attention of visitors both young and old. Sightseeing can be enjoyed from walking tours to special jaunty car rides that are actually horse drawn carriages or carts. The name Killarney comes from the old Irish for ‘church of sloes’.

Killarney National Park is home to many major attractions, one being the Lakes of Kilarney. This park encompasses 26,000 acres growing out of a donation to Killarney by the Muckross Estate in 1932. The park is home to a large herd of native red deer. Within the park , lies Muckross House with 65 room once visited by Queen Victoria in 1861. This massive manor was the home of the renowned watercolor artist, Mary Balfour Herbert. The tour begins passing through the entrance way where Irish Elk antlers are displayed. The rooms are filled with massive oak furniture. On the grounds of Muckross House is an Abbey dating back to 1448 built for the Franciscan Order of Monks. Though most of the structure lies in ruins, it is still a favorite attraction for many visitors. Another attraction not to be missed is Aghadoe Cathedral believed to date back to the 11th and 12th centuries.

Within the cathedral are ogham stone inscriptions thought to be an ancient 5th century Irish alphabet that was used to disguise communications from those who understood ancient Latin used at that time by the Holy Roman Empire which controlled all of Ireland. Another castle within the national park is Ross Castle that was the 15th century home of the O’Donoghue clan. This castle which sports square shaped medieval stone towers was captured by Oliver Cromwell during the wars between England and Ireland. For those who desire more modern attractions and activities, Killarney is home to the world’s largest model railroad layout. This railway features 50 trains all of which operate at the same time. The layout which occupies 1000 square feet features scale models of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and the town of Killarney. A visit to Dingle Peninsula affords visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins, one of which is believed to be approximately 20 years old.

Lake Eyre is located in Southern Australia and at 49 feet below sea level is at the lowest elevation on the continent. It was named for Edward John Eyre, the first European to discover the lake. The depth and salinity of the lake is dependent on how much rainfall occurs. As the water level rises, it comes into contact with and dissolves a salt crust that increases salinity of the lake. At a depth of 13 feet, Lake Eyre is no more salty than the ocean but evaporation quickly causes it to become the world’s saltiest lake. Although the instances of Lake Eyre filling to its maximum depth are rare, on these occasions it is Australia’s largest lake. Lake Eyre National Park, South Australia’s first arid zone reserve, surrounds the lake and was established to protect its wilderness. Among a few of the many activities that can be enjoyed in Lake Eyre are nature watching, rowing and off road driving.

The vast expanse of the Lake Eyre Basin allows for fantastic off-roading opportunities. The area is fairly flat and generally dry, which makes it ideal for off road driving. In 1964, the basin’s near perfect driving conditions helped Donald Campbell set a new world record for top land speed when he reached 428 mph in his modified Bluebird.

Groups of sailors make use of Lake Eyre’s flooding episodes by hosting regattas. During the lake’s latest wet season, participants journeyed from all over Australia for the chance to boat on Lake Eyre. The event was so popular that it garnered world wide publicity.

Flooding in the Lake Eyre area sparks the growth of wildflowers and attracts congregations of millions of birds and other animals. As the lake fills with water, pelicans, cormorants, ibis and other birds assemble to breed. The Lake Eyre Dragon, a small comb-bearing reptile, also returns during rainy seasons. Even wild camels come to the lake, drawn by the presence of water. Because the lake fills so rarely and the filling episodes are unpredictable, the chance to observe the animals that flock to the lake can be a once in a lifetime activity.  Leslie from allpro.com

At Virgin Holidays, we believe amazing service should come as standard. That’s why Virgin Holiday’s magic touches are made available to all Virgin Holidays customers – not just the VIPs!

We realise that you want to make the most of being on holiday, so we came up with Check in, Chill out, so you can check in for your flight without leaving the beach…or bar.  Airports are a drag.  The holiday only really starts when you get to your destination.  And if you’ve got kids, then airports are living nightmares.  So, to perk up the airport experience, we came up with the VRoom. And when you’re on holiday, you want to make sure it’s as good as it can be.  That’s where Virgin Holidays’ Concierge service comes in – a concierge actually tuned in to the buzz of your destination, not a guy in a suit on kick backs from rip-off restaurants. This belief is what sets Virgin Holidays apart from the competition. That’s why we actually encourage our customers to ‘Ask For the World’.

But how do you express that exclusive treatment in a single thought.  What do Virgin Holidays offer that no-one else does?  We think it can be described as…

“ROCKSTAR SERVICE”

It’s a level of care you’d normally associate with the glamour and excitement of the entertainment elite.  Made available to every Virgin Holidays customer.
 
The Rockstar Service campaign is the latest creative expression of this belief. With Virgin Holidays, you can rest assured that you’ll get intuitive, imaginative typically brilliant twinkle-in-the-eye Virgin service, every single time you travel with us.

You can call it wilderness adventures, you can call it self catering holidays, but in the end, it’s all camping. And camping is one of the most unique holiday experiences in this life.

People go camping for different reasons. Some people do it to try out something new, which is pretty cool. If you’re feeling tired of going on holidays to stay at hotels or hostels and are looking for a new experience, camping is the way to go. Others go camping for monetary reasons, which is just as good a reason as any other. It is, in fact, pretty cheap to stay at a camping ground instead of being at a hotel. But there’s other things that you need to take into consideration, namely that there is a lot more work involved in camping than there it in simply going to a hotel. Even myself, and I have been camping for years, still hate to have to assemble and disassemble the tent, especially if it happens to be raining. But there are also a lot of people that go camping because it’s their passion. It may be strange to realize this for people who don’t like camping, but for some people out there, camping is in their blood.

Many Cyprus holidays are taken on this beautiful island located off the southern coast of Turkey and off the western shore of Syria.  The highest mountain peak is called Mount Olympus with its highest point being six-thousand-four-hundred feet.  At this time it is a Republic but the United Nations continues to reunify the Turkish and Greek sides so that it is under a federated system of government.

Over time the rule of this island went through many hands with Greek and Phoenician colonies being the earliest of its inhabitants. In 1517, it fell into the hands of the Turks and so a large Turkish colony then settled there. The land area a bit over thirty-five hundred miles and the population is estimated in 2010 to be 1,102.677. Life expectancy on this island is 77.6 years. The capitol and the largest city is Lefkosia and the monetary unit is the Euro.

On August 16, 1960, this island became an independent nation once the Turkish Cypriots and the Greeks agreed on a constitution. In April of 2008, an important symbolic step toward reunification took place when the Ledra Street crossing was torn down. It was here where the checkpoint that divided this island was located, in the capitol city of Nicosia. 

Nha Trang is often spoken as the most important tourist hub of Vietnam. Here the scuba diving is excellent and the beaches pristine where the biennially Sea Festival is held and tourism is what the economy relies on.
Most of the five-star Nha Trang hotels are located on the coast where one of the most amazing is the Six Senses Hideaway. This hotel is accessible only by boat and located on the Ninh Van Bay which is quiet and unique. Here you will find coral reefs, white sand beaches and impressive rock formations. The architectural style if traditional Vietnamese which is reflected in the dining pavilion.
Dining options here are varied and all are a unique experience in themselves. Customers have trouble choosing which they like the best but the private BBQ does stand out. They offer fresh from the sea dining caught everyday like prawn and lobster and  shipped in from three hours away is organic produce from Dalat. Two hundred and fifty wines are on site from all over the world.  They offer massages with burning incense and essential oils to bring serenity to the mind and soul.

Everything you have heard about the red light district is most likely true and in Amsterdam, whether it is a sex shop, brothel or museum of the erotic, there is little left for the imagination.  The locals call it Rossebuurt, and it is where sexual fantasies were born and no place else on earth is like it.
It is in this area that you will see men in packs carousing the streets while others point their fingers in amazement. Even the older ladies can be seen out on the town for a night and tourists from Japan will have their cameras ready, as they always do for a quick photo at a chance encounter.  There are hotels here as well and priced lower than you might expect.  All Amsterdam hotels carry a star rating to let the visitor know how they pricing ranges. There is a three star hotel in the Red Light District called the Hotel CC Amsterdam and is a brand new boutique hotel in the heart of the city.
There is certainly something for everyone in the Red Light district of Amsterdam, whether it be the music or classy eateries, they all keep lingering a little longer than maybe they would have.

The second largest city in Spain is Barcelona, located on the Mediterranean coast between two rivers called the Llobregat and the Besos. This area offers a Mediterranean climate with humid winters and wary, dry summer months. Along the coast are many Barcelona hotels from which to chose and so it can be a tough choice.
The rainy season here is Spring and Autumn where winter and summer will be dry. It is said that here you will find the most irregular climates in the world, the Western Mediterranean climate. Similar to London is the Barcelona annual rainfall although London is more regular.
Temperatures can range from the highest in the city being 101 degrees and the coldest being just 19 degrees but that was way back in February of 1956. Sitting on top of the Tibidabo hill is the Fabra Observatory which is at 1,351.71 feet above sea level. Here, the record summer heat reached 104 degrees in July of 1982 with the lowest ever recorded was 1956. Annual rainfall at the airport is 650 mm and the city center gets about 600mm.

Good family vacation destinations are hard to come by. There needs to be plenty to do to keep the kids busy, and at the same time you need to have something to make the trip worth while. New York is the perfect place to take your family, where you can have just as much fun as the kids.

New York Hotels have a lot to offer families, there are all of the biggest names, as well as some smaller hotels that offer great service. There are facilities such as pools, spas, gyms, game rooms and other diversions to have some entertainment at the end of the day. This is a good alternative if the weather doesn’t permit sightseeing, or if you want to stay close to your room for a peaceful moment while the kids play.

There are museums not just full of the art you appreciate, but hands on science museums that the kids love. There are plenty of family friendly shows, as well as restaurants and shopping. There are amusement parks, as well as outdoor spaces with play grounds and other facilities to enjoy the good weather.

Hotels are an essential part of traveling. They are the home away from home you will need after a long day of sight seeing. Next to your plane tickets, they will also be the most expensive part of your entire vacation. However, this depends entirely on your preferences when traveling. Everyone has different priorities, and this can significantly change your overall expenses.

For example, many people see a Hotel as a necessity, and nothing more. It is a place to sleep at night, and that’s about it. Most travelers spend the majority of the hours of their day sightseeing and experiencing restaurants and socializing, so the place they sleep doesn’t have to be the fanciest. This can save you lots of money.

On the other hand, some prefer to have a relaxing, cozy, catering atmosphere to unwind on their long needed vacation. If you’re traveling in England, for example, you’ll find that London Hotels will be able to provide you with a variety of services that can help you get the most out of your vacation. After all, you should be comfortable on your holiday, and your every need should be met, so you can have a stress free vacation.