Colombia: South America’s most up and coming destination (part one)

Only a decade ago Colombia was a place for the hardy, or some would say foolhardy, visitor, but recent years have been ringing in the changes in this north-western corner of the South American continent

The English seaside

Photographer Peter Williams celebrates the peculiar eccentricities and quintessential charms – from helter-skelters to lighthouses, pirates, palmists and Punch and Judy – of this cherished and rapidly changing English landscape

Trading Standards

From the website:

“The Trading Standards Institute is a not-for-profit professional body formed in 1881. We have members in the public and private sectors in the UK and abroad.

TSI encourages honest enterprise and business and helps safeguard the economic, environmental, health and social well-being of consumers.”

Through the night on Amtrak

Adrian lets the train take the strain as he travels overnight from Virginia’s capital, Richmond, to Boston in New England. Read all about his adventure here

Crash course for BA frequent flyers

British Airways is planning to offer a new perk for its frequent flyers: a course on how to survive a plane crash.

Silver Anniversary of Capitals of Culture

It doesn’t seem that it has been 25 years since the Greek actress, Melina Mercouri, and the French culture minister of the time, Jack Lang jointly conceived of the idea of having, each year, a European Capital of Culture. Starting tomorrow, the European Union will be celebrating the idea with a conference in Brussels to consider the achievements and what might be done in the future.
This year there are three capitals of culture per year, Essen in Germany, Istanbul in Turkey and Pecs in Hungary. The idea has been copied in the Middle East, where Alexandria in Egypt is this year’s beneficiary, and the Americas where this year Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic is the winner. As British Tourism Week has ended what next to celebrate tourism? Margaret Hodge our minister for culture, has announced that we will have our own British capital of culture from 2013.

Fair Fares

Looking to escape to sunnier climes without forking out a fortune? If you want to get more than you paid for, you need to do your homework. Paris Hilton travel at Paris Travelodge prices? Here’s how…