Spring in Kyoto

For centuries cherry blossom time has been celebrated in Japan, so it was with excitement that I found myself bound for Kyoto, cultural centre of Japan. It is great gardens for which Kyoto is famous and the first anyone wants to see the Zen dry garden Ryoan-ji.

In the footsteps of Jean Cocteau

One of the appeals of Menton on the French Riviera is the largest museum dedicated to the works of Jean Cocteau (1889-1963), a famous French artist who died fifty years ago. Frederic exolores the museum and the three towns forever linked with his work.

Irish Passport Office

From the website:

“The Passport Office, which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs, issues passports to Irish citizens.

All Irish citizens are entitled to apply for an Irish passport. Services are provided by the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork and by Irish Diplomatic and Consular Missions overseas.”

Travelling to Estonia

No-frills airlines have opened up opportunities for us to visit countries we might not have otherwise thought about. Take Estonia for example. Before the no-frills airlines went there, not that many people travelled from Ireland or the UK to the country. Now they have just announced that there has been a 90% increase in visitors going there.

No New Runway and APD Changes

The new coalition government has already signified two differences from its predecessor that will affect travellers. Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats were opposed to another runway at Heathrow so it is no surprise that that has been confirmed. They have also announced that there will be no expansion at Gatwick or Stansted airports.
But already the new Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, can expect that he will be lobbied to change his mind. This seems unlikely given that both parties agreed this as part of the coalition agreement. What will go ahead is a push for high speed rail
Airport Passenger Duty is currently paid by each passenger regardless of the size of a plane or whether the plane is full or not.

Wicked Westminster

You’d think Westminster would want to encourage people to visit the capital during the 2012 Olympics (and help boost Britain’s economy), but the evidence suggests otherwise.

Explore, discover and save in the second English Tourism Week

The second English Tourism Week is in full swing and, according to organisers, promises to be bigger and better than 2012. Running until 24 March 2013, the week will see events and activities take place across the country from free guided walks to music and theatre events, 2 for 1 offers and free entry to attractions