CD Traveller » Travel Advice & Contacts

Air passenger advice

Editor — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:22:33 +0000

Early last year, responsibility for consumer complaints passed from the old Air Passenger Users Council (AUC) to the CAA – Civil Aviation Authority. Last week they announced a more user-friendly website that gives the answers to most questions you should have when you fly including what to do if there is a problem.
They suggest that you check it before you book.
Basically there are six sections that lead from the home page plus a further one on the environment.. The first deals with the ATOL bonding scheme and takes you to the ATOL website where you can check whether a tour operator is bonded. The second takes you through the various things you should do before and after you’ve booked to make sure you have the right documentation, the necessary health information for the country concerned and what you can and cannot take with you on the plane. The third deals with what to expect at the airport
When you are on the flight the fourth deals with seating, safety and what happens if you have a disruptive passenger. Screaming at the passenger that he has reclined his seat too far is not one of the suggestions made! But if problems occur and can’t be resolved during the trip it suggests in the fifth section what you should do next. The sixth covers airline safety and what the requirements are
The website is to be found by clicking here or pasting www.caa.co.uk/passengers into your browser.

Real (French) Men Eat Quiche

Editor — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:10:09 +0000

The number of people who move to France and embrace the French way of life, the countryside or cities as well the people can be counted in hundreds of thousands. As we draw towards the end of France Week, here is news of just one. Kate Rodde writes a blog on her website which covers eco-friendly holidays in France.
She sees life in France though a visitors eyes but the blog is more than just a commentary. It combines food, wine and travel as well. Take the story she wrote last Easter about quiche lorraine and a visit to Metz for the weekend. Her weekend is described better than a journalist would do becuase she only writes about interests her. She has no editor or company to pander to, no advertisers to please. Whether real French men eat quiche she never explains but the recipe she gives is very different from those horrible, chilled food lumps you get in supermarket cabinets.
She sums up France as “…a fascinating, varied country and all of us can find something to please. There are beautiful, wild places to experience, fantastic beaches, azure blue sea or wild ocean rollers, culture by the bucketful, historic towns and cities, some of the best cuisine and finest wines, the list just goes on and on…”If you are interested is France and fancy a regular diet of the travels and thoughts of a resident then you could do a lot worse than subscribe to her (free) e-mails.

Two Minute Guide to France

Editor — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:14:40 +0000

As a brief introduction to France for future visitors, here is a short guide to each of the 22 French mainland regions.
Alsace: capital Strasbourg. A new museum, the Musee Lalique opens this month in Wingen-sur-Moder, the place where Rene Lalique chose to build his factory after WWI. Known for its vinyards, Alsace borders Germany and Switzerland. The Northern Vosges park has been given World Biosphere Reserve status. Gastronomy is a strong attraction on two grounds; it has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other area outside Paris and Alsatian food, such as Munster cheese and Alsatian beer has strong traditions. Chocolate-box type scenery with medieval castles and small wooden house villages abound. Good walking country for those fit enough.
Aquitaine: capital Bordeaux, the area will forever be linked to fine wine and Armagnac. It has Europe’s largest forest and stretches alongside the Pyrenees on the Spanish border. Surfing is popular and the area is known for its wide beaches. The Lascaux prehistoric cave is a big visitor draw. Biarritz on the Atlantic coastline was a hugely popular destination for us last century and there you’ll find the Musee del la Mer which has just had an extension added to it.
Auvergne: capital Clermont-Ferrand, sightseeing is a major draw. Midway between Paris and the Mediterranean, it is dominated by the peaks and 80 old volcanic craters of the Massif Central. There is a theme park, Vulcania which draws all the appeal of volcanoes ( and earthquakes) together. This year celebrates the 50th anniversary of Super-Besse, the ski resort in the Monts d’Auvergne. The area attracts France’s motorbike enthusiasts for the terrain and views. At Moulins there is the world’s only museum dedicated to the costumes and sets of the performing arts, National Stage Costume Centre, which holds over 9,000 costumes.
Brittany: capital Rennes, the part of France in the west that has strong ties, through its language and past trading links to Cornwall and Wales. Has 1,700 miles of coastline, a Celtic culture and is one of the most visited areas by us. There are standing stones and heritage to see wherever you go but at Carnac there is one of the largest complexes of megalithic stones dating back to about 4,500BC. Much more modern – and just beginning today – is their answer to Glastonbury, Les Vieilles Charrues at Carhaix.
Burgundy: capital Dijon. If the region means wine and the capital means mustard to most people, then good food and gastronomy sums this region up. Located south east of Paris, this is the area of Chablis and Mersault, Pouilly-Fuisse and Maconnais. 200 million bottles of wine are produced each year. As well as wine, there are 800 miles of canals with 450 boats to rent on both canals and the rivers. Now promoting itself as a golfing destination.
Centre: capital Orleans. This has the most boring name for a region but boring it is not. Chartres, 60 miles south west of Paris, is known the world over for its stunning mediaeval cathedral which has world heritage status. Tours, called the garden of France, (has a cedar tree planted by Napoleon) with its old mediaeval district of wooden buildings and lanes and pavement restaurant culture is the largest city in the region. Orleans will be linked to Joan of Arc – known as the maid of Orleans – for all time for here she was burnt at the stake 580 years ago.
Champagne-Ardennes: capital Chalons-en-Champagne. In the north east of France abutting Belgium it has two names that all of us know. Champagne from our favourite French import and the Ardennes being a reminder of the battlefield sites from two world wars. It was in the ancient city of Reims that Germany surrendered after the second world war. Prior to that, this was the city in which French kings were crowned. But is also is where Renoir (born in Limoges) lived and died and his village, Essoyes – has a €2 million project that has turned it into an artist’s village.
Corsica: capital Ajaccio is the island in the Mediterranean from where Napoleon hailed. There is a 1000 kilometres of coastline ranging from sandy beaches in the west to wilder areas in the north. It has a culture distinctly different from France not only in heritage and language but in food as well. Scandola, a national marine reserve, is a UNESCO heritage site.
Franche-Comte: capital Besancon. Bordering Switzerland, it is a mix of Swiss and French culture and traditions. As such it is skiing country and the Jura Mountains provide that in winter and hiking and walking trails in summer. From the summit of Haute Jura you can see Lake Geneva. Besancon describes itself as a town of art and history and it has been claimed that it has one of the most beautiful town centres in France
Ile de France: capital Paris. Say no more. To write anything about Paris would be superfluous. It has to be seen in anyone’s lifetime.
Languedoc-Roussillon: capital Montpellier. Stretching from the Spanish border to the River Rhone it is easily reached from the UK having five airports;- Nimes, Carcassone, Montpellier, Perpignan and Bezieres. A large winegrowing area, we liked the wines so much we bought and bought without remembering we had come by plane! The Roman history is to be found everywhere ( see the huge amphitheatre in Nimes) and Carcassone is not to be missed. It even has an English teashop. Then there are the wild horses of the Camargue, the birds and the spectacular light not to mention the climate. And the Canal de Midi flows through it as well.
Limoussin: capital Limoges. Located in the south west of France in the Massif Central your first thought might be of porcelain (50% of all French porcelain comes from here) but this is an area to enjoy outdoors. There are lakes, rivers, forests, (where wolves still roam) wide open spaces and a valley that has been reclaimed as a botanical garden, the Arboretum de la Sedelle. For the rainy day, the cathedral in Limoges took 600 years to build and the Jacques Chirac Museum is to be found at Sarran. Then there is the Musee de Beaux Arts de Limoges which houses one of the finest collections of the city’s main industry.
Lorraine: capital Metz. To be found in the north east of France it joins Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg but has a strong French identity. Lorraine has two memories; the cross that was the symbol of the free French in WWII and the quiche. Believe you me a quiche in Lorraine is nothing like our product. And Lorraine is known for its contribution to gastronomy; its pate lorraine, (which is in a puff pastry) potee Lorraine ( a stew of smoked meats and vegetables) and its tripe sausages. Then there’s the beer and the wine.
Midi-Pyrenees; capital Toulouse. As the largest region in France may be it is right that it has one of the greatest of appeals to the visitor. Be it modern (the Airbus factory in Toulouse) or ancient; (the prehistoric Niaux caves) there is plenty to see from a heritage standpoint. Or for those preferring the landscape, there are the river valleys of the Garonne, Lot, Dordogne, Tarn and Aveyron or the mountains in the Pyrenees Mountain Park. Then there’s the food (this is the home of Roquefort cheese, Toulouse sausage and Query Lamb) for here you can find truffles and foie gras. There is something for everyone
Nord Pas de Calais; capital Lille. The area of the day-tripper in many cases. Across the channel to Boulogne, Dunkirk or Calais in the old days to stock up on wine but nowadays you can go there for culinary schools, the fantastic beaches, the new Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (LAM) in Villeneuve d’Ascq or the numerous festivals. At Braderie de Lille, there is Europe’s biggest flea market with 10,000 stands (September 3-4th this year) where you can buy almost anything. Lille was the European capital of culture back in 2004 and the Palais des Beaux-Arts is considered to be the second best general museum after the Louvre.
Normandy. Split into two regions, Basse-Normandie ( capital Caen) and Haute-Normandie (capital Rouen.) We all know this area because of the link with William the Conqueror and the record on the Bayeux Tapestry. He was born in Falaise and buried in Caen. William was, of course, Duke of Normandy and this year there are celebrations for the 1100th anniversary of the creation of the Duchy. Normandy is also linked to the WWII landings in 1944 so there are many military museums and monuments to be seen. And who can miss Mont-Saint-Michel, the monastic island just off the coast. And there’s food. Normandy is linked to butter, cream, and brioches as well as being the home of camembert, boursin, neufchatel and pont I’eveque to name just four cheeses. Is it any wonder that the earliest French cookery book was written by a Norman, Taillevent.
Pays de la Loire: capital Nantes. The attraction to us may be the Le Mans 24 hour race but there is much more to see. Sandsail on the beaches of the Vendee. Follow the 88 kilometre Loire wine route. Go where the Tour de France started this year or visit the free, evening light show, La Nuit de Chimeres, which lasts all July and August. Visit Nantes, renowned as a centre of art and culture with its many museums and, in particular the Nantes History Museum (a prosaic name given its location) in the magnificent Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne. This fortified castle was the centre of the old province of Brittany and then a residence of French kings.
Picardy: capital Amiens. The newer region of Picardy (unlike the old ducal area) covers much of the area of the Somme battlefield of WWI and stretches from near Calais eastwards and then buts Belgium in one corner. Apart from the obvious visitor appeal by schoolchildren so that they are reminded of the heroism of their ancestors, Picardy is known from its wide range of standout churches and cathedrals; its food and its countryside. Amiens with celtic and roman heritage has had large renovations in the last twenty years so there is a combination of old and new for the visitor to see.
Poitou-Charentes: capital Poitiers. Sliding down the Atlantic coast south of Pays de la Loire, there are warm sunny beaches and islands to explore in summer making it an ideal family holiday destination. This is where Futuroscope is to be found, that modern theme park with 25 different attractions. Nearby is Poitiers, the site of a famous battle in the Hundred Years War but today a town that has a carefully preserved heritage area. And if you want something less mind-taxing try one of the many country walks or go to La Rochelle the old harbour which is one of the most visited tourist attractions.
Provences-Alpes-Coted’Azur: Capital Marseilles. We all know of the Riviera with its expensive feel of Antibes, St-Tropez and Cannes. We all know of Provence from the Peter Mayle book, the TV series and the large numbers of Britons who moved there. The two form one region that spans 900 kms of the Mediterranean coastline, ski resorts in the north and vineyards sandwiched between. And there are places like Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Avignon, Nice and Toulon to see. Spend some time upon the old fortified village of Hautes-de-Cagne and the Grimaldi Castle and Museum that’s there.
Rhone-Alpes: capital Lyon. Combining the Beaujolais vineyards with the 110 ski resorts that are to be found here, the attractions of this region are obvious. What skier has not heard of Chamonix or Chambery, Val d’Isere, Val Thorens and Tignes, Meribel or Corcheval? But this is also the area of spa towns like Aix-les-Bains for there are 16 thermal or spa resorts here. It also has the three largest lakes in France and 7,000 kms of rivers for anglers and boat enthusiasts to enjoy which makes it an attractive summer destination as well. It was an Englishman who publicised the Mer de Glace, near Chamonix in 1741. Since then we‘ve been going back time and time again for the skiing and the natural wonders of the landscape.

image and thanks go to Atout France for their help

Postcard from Beijing… no 10

Editor — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 06:01:56 +0000

Illegally blonde

Oh Beijing brunettes … how I envy you. I’m a blonde (albeit a heavily assisted one) and in Beijing, life as an artificial blonde is not without its problems.

A year ago in my PB – pre Beijing – life, I was a perfectly passable enhanced blonde with a head of top notch, regularly replenished highlights. Fast forward 12 short months and my hair is the colour of custard.

I hadn’t, of course, deliberately set out to get this hair but achieving the right shade of blonde in Beijing isn’t easy. Since arriving in the capital, I have alternatively been too brassy, too white and now, thanks to last week-end’s debacle, too yellow.

A quick survey in Sanlitun (Beijing’s entertainment mecca) one recent Saturday afternoon revealed that I am not the only blonde who has hit a highlights wall. I saw many varieties of blondes: the hard blonde (think jet black eyebrows and jet black roots), a group of 50 year olds who resembled the Duchess of Cornwall with a solid wall of corn yellow colour, wannabe models with their arctic blonde hair and a gaggle of teenage girls with their identikit three shades of highlights dressed in a uniform of distressed denim but not one of looked like they had been a natural blonde – the ideal that every artificial blonde save Hugh Hefner’s playboy bunnies is striving for – since kindergarten.

True, I did find one affordable salon (Beauty World in Liangmaqiao) which managed to achieve the perfect shade of age appropriate blonde; a softer shade that’s more flattering to the skin tone of a woman out of her twenties. However the highlights started half way down my head and dark roots a la Courtney Love are not a good look.

So how to achieve a glossy Grace Kelly shade of blonde at a hair salon in Beijing, without breaking the bank? One year and nine salons later, I’m sorry to say: you can’t. What you can do is stop shopping at the Silk Market every week, survive on a super cheap diet of jian bing and baozi and spend the money you’d save on Calvin Klein copies and eating out at a swanky, upscale salon like the European-esque Eric Paris (as L’Oreal would say, you’re worth it). Not appealing? The alternative is to stock up on hair colourants the next time you go home or take a deep breath and face up to the fact that budget blondes in Beijing are fighting a battle that we just can’t win.

Make no mistake the prevailing hair colour hierarchy here is brown whereas blonde, by comparison, is toxic; it’s time consuming, costly and invariably catastrophic. Still rather than getting browned off about it, perhaps we should instead ditch the blonde and take our cue not from Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, but from Britain’s beautiful new princess Kate and her sexy sister Pippa Middleton. With their brunette locks, the Middleton sisters look less try hard, more elegant and – it has to be said – so much better than Beijing’s artificial, overdone blondes (I include myself in this category.) Blonde? It’s over.

Cambodia: the comeback kid

Editor — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 08:08:33 +0000

The years of fear and loathing are over: Cambodia has been catapulted onto the world stage as a tourist destination and is slowly rebuilding for the future. Andy Booth, owner of travel company ABOUTAsia whose profits support the education of children in rural Cambodia, gives us the local low-down on the country’s capital: Siem Reap

Name: Andy Booth
Age: 46
Occupation: Owner of ABOUTAsia Travel – specialist help for discerning visitors to Cambodia. Founder of ABOUTAsia Schools – converting tourist dollars into rural education.

Are you a local?
No I am a Brit, but I have been living in Cambodia since 2007.

What’s it like to live in Siem Reap?
Siem Reap (the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat) is a pretty relaxed and safe town to live in. Tropical monsoons provide wet (May-September) and dry (October-April) seasons but it is typically hot and humid here, only 13 degrees from the equator. Tourism dominates the town with a collection of good hotels, restaurants and spas, a young and vibrant population and a fascinating surrounding province of temples, countryside, lake and mountains.

What is your favourite thing about Siem Reap?
The warmth of the locals; you’ll be greeted with a genuine smile wherever you go. I also like exploring Siem Reap and finding new temples and rural sites for our guests, especially demanding customers like professional photographers who give us a challenge.

Why should we visit Siem Reap?
Cambodia, as a country, had a troubled past and only achieved stability in the late 1990s meaning tourism is still relatively young. The scale and majesty of the temples is a unique visitor draw and we now see almost one million visitors a year to Angkor Wat. Crowds can be heavy at the key sights and you should visit before the rules change and

How long do we need?
It depends on what you want to do. I would suggest setting aside two to five days to explore the temples, the town of Siem Reap town, subsistence fishing communities on the margins of the great lake of Tonle Sap and the waterfalls of the Kulen Mountains. If you have a week, you can cover the capital, Phnom Penh, as well. To explore the best of Cambodia’s cultural and natural features allow 10 to 14 days.

Best sites?
For me, it’s magical and romantic rural spots at sunrise and sunset as well as hidden temple gems that are just yards from the beaten track.

Best bites?
When hunger pangs kick in, check out Sugar Palm Restaurant on the back streets of Siem Reap. Run by a New Zealand and Khmer couple, Sugar Palm serves up sensational Khmer food at a good price with a smile thrown in for free.

Top shops?
There are three stand out shops in Siem Reap. Jasmine @ FCC is great for clothing while Garden of desire @ The passage in the Old Market area stocks some unusual pieces of jewellery. For something a bit different, Smateria@ The passage in the Old Market area sells recycled bags.

Where should we stay?
Hotel de la Paix is arguably the hippest hotel in town while Samar is a smart bolt hole that has an intimate boutique feel. And of course if you’re feeling flush, there’s always Amansara – a favourite of the rich and famous.

Any insider tips for our readers?
Rise early and explore and enjoy the temples before the heat of the day. Consider employing a specialist local guide who can help you avoid the tourist crowds. Finally find a great spot for a G&T at the end of the day.

Anything else you want to add?
I’d urge CD Traveller readers and anyone intending to visit Cambodia to consider volunteering or giving a little back in other ways through ABOUTAsia Schools. Remember also that all ABOUTAsia’s profits are converted to rural education so why not help others while helping yourself to a specialist guide?

Thanks Andy! For more information on ABOUTAsia, please visit www.aboutasiatravel.com. For more on ABOUTAsia Schools, check out www.aboutasiaschools.org.

Defra Pet Travel Scheme

Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:54:44 +0000

From the website:

This site explains what you have to do to bring your pet dog, cat or ferret into (or back into) the UK through the Pet Travel Scheme (or PETS for short) without putting it into quarantine. It also explains the requirements for bringing many other types of pet animals into the UK. This site also tells you about quarantine in the UK for animals that don’t qualify for PETS. Printable factsheets are available for both vets and the public.

For more information: http://www.defra.gov.uk and http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/index.htm

Irish Passport Office

Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:50:37 +0000

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.

Passports are required for travel to all countries except the United Kingdom. (However, you should note that some airlines now require photo-ID for flights to the UK). With the exception of travel to the U.K., Irish citizens require a valid passport for travel to all other destinations in the E.U.

For more information: http://www.dfa.ie

National Travel Health Network and Centre

Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:46:43 +0000

From the website:

The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) promotes standards in travel medicine, providing travel health information for health professionals and the public.

NaTHNaC is funded by the Health Protection Agency.

For more information: http://www.nathnac.org

Identity and Passport Service

Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:45:08 +0000

From the website:

The Identity and Passport Service is responsible for issuing UK passports and identity cards and for the registration of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales. It is an executive agency of the Home Office.

For more information: http://www.ips.gov.uk

HM Revenue and Customs

Editor — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:43:44 +0000

From the website:

HMRC’s purpose is to make sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services. We also help families and individuals with targeted financial support.

For more information: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk