Top 10 Valentine’s breaks

Boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith have sifted through the schmaltz to find Valentine’s packages that will really set hearts aflutter (and won’t involve soggy petals clogging the plughole). Here are 10 hot properties that offer something a little bit different…

A day in… Dundee

Dundee is transforming its waterfront, to draw visitors in. Adrian looks at what there is for the short break tripper

Department of Transport

From the website:

The Department for Transport’s aim is transport that works for everyone. This means a transport system which balances the needs of the economy, the environment and society.

The Other Stirling

Trapped by not having a return flight back home,(volcanoes again)) I took myself off to Stirling today to see some more of the youngest city of Scotland. That might surprise you, given its long links with key events in Scottish history, but yes, it is Scotland’s youngest city.
When you think of Stirling, the first thought you might have is the castle. This monument to the Scottish past sits astride a hilltop with commanding views over thee surroun ding land. Nearby is Bannockburn, famed for the success of Robert the Bruse over the English and, of course, thre is the national monument to William Wallace. But what else should you see if you go there?
Easily accessible from both Glasgow and Edinburgh by rail (from Glasgow it takes about 25 minutes by fast train and from Edinburgh about 55 minutes.) it would help if you wore stout, comfortable, walking shoes. In the old part there are cobbled streets and if you head up to the old prison or the castle it is a steep walk. Coaches take day trippers up there, or should do but today some idiot parked on a double yellow line which resulted in a coach being unable to make the corner.

F.O Modifies its Advice on Going to Thailand

UPDATE: 14 MAY
The headline stays the same but the advice has changed. Last night the FO advised against all travel to Bangkok in view of the increased tensions and the decision by the Thai government to remove the protestors. The British Embassy will be closed on 14 May and it’s reopening will be reviewed daily.

Our Foreign Office (FO) has modified the overall advice it gave to us not to travel to Thailand. There are still some parts that it is suggested we don’t visit but these don’t apply, in the main, to the main tourist areas. The Thai government has been at pains throughout recent weeks of demonstrations in the capital, Bangkok, to say all is fine and tourists would be unaffected.
Should we believe them?

Laurel and Hardy in Co. Durham

We all like a wry laugh when things don’t go to plan. I’m the same and it was amusing when I saw the BBC story about County Durham which said that the county’s tourist office had printed 50,000 leaflets all saying that Stan Laurel was born in the county. (It didn’t claim Oliver Hardy was [...]

Raising the roof

If you or your son or daughter has secured a place at university this year, congratulations for many missed out after a record A level year. Now comes the next challenge: finding accommodation as wherever you’re studying – be it London or Liverpool – you’ll need somewhere to live. Unfortunately finding affordable accommodation in the UK isn’t easy – especially as a student. CD Traveller considers your options…