Letter from France: May 2013

Whether you’re a novice or seasoned traveller, France will steal your heart. Each month, Frederic – our French correspondent – gives us the low-down on what to see and do across the channel

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

Consumer Council (Northern Ireland)

From the website:

“The Consumer Council represents consumers and gives them a voice. We ensure that the policy makers in Northern Ireland hear that voice and take it into account when they are making decisions that affect us all.”

Remembering Pompeii

You probably remember from lessons at school, Lord Lytton’s novel “The Last Days of Pompeii”or even the Frankie Howerd film, “Up Pompeii” the story of the city that was mostly covered in volcanic ash. Now the site is one of the great tourist “must-do’s.” But the way things are going it might be a “must don’t.”

Staffordshire Hoard Saved

It has been announced this afternoon that the National Heritage Memorial Fund will give £1.285 million to save the Anglo-Saxon Hoard that was found last year in fields in Staffordshire. (see CD-Traveller 15/1/2010 and 30/9/2009) This, together with the money raised by the councils and the public donations, will enable the hoard to be kept in the area. As such it will form a considerable visitor attraction in the years to come.
It has also been announced that there will be an archaeological dig in the area to see if it is possible to decide why the hoard was left there or whether there are other finds in the area.
For the full details of the announcement see http://search.hlf.org.uk/NHMFWeb/LatestNews/

Does the Train take the Strain?

Last week, ATOC (Association of Train Operating Companies) announced that there had been a surge in people using rural lines. On the railways overall last year, the growth was 6.9%. How, then, do you marry this with the results of a survey that seems to show that extortionate rail fares (their words, not mine) are deterring people from taking short breaks in the UK?

Where the Experts Holiday: Nabeel Shariff, marketing manager UK & Ireland for Sri Lanka Tourism

Sri Lanka Tourism’s marketing manager, Nabeel Shariff, on China, Chile and why Sri Lanka – the island formerly known as Ceylon – is everyone’s cup of tea