One size fits all in Australia

Australia accommodates everyone’s idea of a perfect holiday -from four-year-olds to grannies, reports Pippa Jacks

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

Consumer Focus

From the website:

“Consumer Focus is the statutory organisation campaigning for a fair deal for consumers in England, Wales, Scotland, and, for postal services, Northern Ireland.

Advice for individuals on energy and post is given by Consumer Direct (08454 04 05 06).”

Serene Switzerland

Switzerland has been awarded the ‘Favourite European Country’ title at The Guardian’s Travel Awards 2011. Lonely Planet’s Kerry Christiani is seduced by Switzerland’s chocolate box beauty

Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards

The county is on a bit of a roll at the moment. Last year it was named by National Geographic Magazine as having the second best coastline. Not in Wales, not in Britain, not even in Europe. No, the magazine said in the whole world. Which must have buoyed the 570 members that make up a group called Pembrokeshire Tourism. Especially since the county had done so well in the National Tourism Awards as well.

Airline Baggage Charges & Injuries

UPDATE: Air France-KLM have announced that as from 28 March that they have extended their policy on hold baggage so now you can carry up to 3 hold bags at no additional charge. Each can weigh up to 23kgs.
In the last couple of years, putting your luggage in the hold has begun to be charged. On charter and no-frills flights it is not unusual to pay anything between £8 and £14 or so for a case and maybe more for a second case. And that is for each part of the journey. In America even the traditional carriers such as American, United, Delta, Continental and US Air charge for the first bag (and any other bags) on domestic routes. Over here, BA, Virgin Atlantic, Aer Lingus, Aer Arann, Air Southwest, Eastern Airways, Logonair and BMI haven’t reached that stage though flybe charges.
The obvious way to avoid paying hold luggage charges is to only carry hand luggage, the result being that some hand luggage is beginning to resemble the size of the kitchen sink. Some airlines limit hand baggage to 5, 7 or 10 kilos, others go by size. Some airlines turn a blind eye to the size of a bag and if you can lift it and place it in the overhead bin, that’s acceptable. But will that continue?

On the ground in Kuala Lumpur

A few days in the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (KL) convinced us that all one hears is true.