A long weekend in Lake Annecy: part two

Catherine Henderson enjoys high thrills and haute cuisine in Lake Annecy – arguably one of France’s most beautiful areas

Spotlight on San Francisco

Ahead of the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday on May 27, San Francisco has never looked more golden writes Kaye Holland. Read her guide to the city with its head in the clouds, here

Civil Aviation Authority

From the website:

“The CAA is the UK’s independent specialist aviation regulator. Its activities include economic regulation, airspace policy, safety regulation and consumer protection.”

French Fancies

The boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith are back, with a brand new guide to the most stylish and seductive places to stay across the Channel.

Holiday Trends

Perhaps the best indicator of how confident we are about taking holidays comes from the recently released half yearly figures from TUI (owners of Thomson, First Choice, Falcon, Crystal, Citalia, JWT, LateRooms.com and Austravel amongst other brands) and Thomas Cook (who own Airtours, Direct Holidays, Neilson, Club 18-30, Sunset and other brands.) Between them, these two move about 9 million holidaymakers per year so what they report is a pretty good guide given their dominance in the holiday market.

Delays or Damp Squibs Part 2

“It’s been very disappointing for you,” said my wife, “you’ve nothing to moan about.”
She was talking about the non-event. Where was the problem with all these people insisting on pat-downs?
It took 22 minutes from arrival to check the luggage (I’d checked in before I left the hotel to save time) and go through security. Yes I had to do the usual and take my belt and shoes off but I didn’t get invited to go through the body scanner machines. Of the four machines that I could see only one person went through them in the 10 minutes I waited there. I thought waiting any longer might arouse some comment from the officials. I asked one how it had been today and he said quiet. The busiest period since he started was the time now.
No demonstrations. No people refusing to go anywhere near the machines. No arguments with the officials. It all went very smoothly.
Apart from gateside. There must have been a dozen camera crews there all lined up ready to catch a sense of trouble. Some were randomly interviewing travellers to get their opinions I suppose but more were just drinking coffee and chatting to each other. They were the closest I’d seen to congestion as travellers tried to get past their kit. The story that was magnified by the press seems to have given them just one story. Or at least at Chicago it has. The airport chaos that wasn’t.
“Cheer up,” said my wife. “Maybe Heathrow will annoy you instead!”

Where the experts holiday: TV presenter, Sarah Cawood

The Travel Channel’s Sarah Cawood on staycations, the Scottish highlands and why she loves lying on a beach