Woof! The Country has gone to the Dogs!

Bernard: anyone for shots?

As the excitement of this week’s budget wears off and the EU referendum debate enters its final 100 days, it’s hard not feel envy towards the country’s dogs who live in blissful ignorance of such matters. Indeed the dog world has been focused on last weekend’s Crufts, the largest dog show in the world. Or in the case of the contestants, the after show plate of sausages. Whether you are a dog owner or not, it is clear the dog has an important place in society which is celebrated in different ways around the world. If you want to see how other cultures celebrate the dog, then these are your must see destinations.

Chateaux Chillon: not made out of chocolate 

Famed mountain dogs the St Bernard originate from the region of the same name in Switzerland. Renown mountain rescue dogs, they even have a museum dedicated to them in Martigny which is in the spectacular Valais region of Switzerland. Fortunately the St Bernard Pass is a road over the Alps to Italy rather than the contents of one of its namesakes.

GET THERE: The Valais region is best accessed from Geneva which is served by flights from across the UK. If not driving then use Switzerland’s clinically efficient train system to travel the length of Lake Geneva to stunning Montreux which is well worth a stop and is home to Chateaux Chillon. Martigny is the next main town on the road which turns off to ski resort Verbier or continues towards Zermatt, home to the mighty Matterhorn.

Mush-y please: The dogs are after Rudolph’s job

If you prefer dogs as a form of transport in cold weather then you cannot go wrong with a dog sledding experience. Traditionally found in snowy environments, you can experience this in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia amongst many others but for a trip with a difference, try Iceland. The country not the shop. In summer you can visit the Langjokull glacier during the day or day (it’s the land of the midnight sun during the summer) by husky power. 

GET THERE: Fly to Reykjavik from a number of UK Airports. The 3 hour flight makes this an ideal short break destination with the city itself worth visiting along with the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The Langjokull Glacier is accessible as a day trip from Reykjavik but leave the summer clothes behind - summer or not, it is still a large chunk of ice covered in snow!

De la Seoul: Me, Myself and lots of dogs.

The concept of the Cat Cafe is of course now well established but the Bau House cafe in Seoul, South Korea has put dogs on the menu. Not literally, of course but it has created an environment where you can spend some time with various varieties of pooch. Reviews suggest you really need to be a dog fan for this one as it can get, how can I put this, rather aromatic inside. There is plenty more to see in this small country from high tech in Samsung-centric Seoul to spectacular scenery and mountains in the countryside which will host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

GET THERE: Seoul is accessible daily from London (make sure you book to South Korea) and makes an alternative stopover on the way to Australasia. It can be twinned with a trip to neighbouring Japan (to compare the cat cafes?) to which it is linked by air and sea (from southern Busan port).

Point Bark: Who let the dogs out at Surf City? 

If you prefer your dogs outside and active in warm weather then the only place to go is the town of Huntington Beach in California. The unsurprisingly named Dog Beach hosts an annual dog surfing competition in the last week of September. Hilariously described as 'surfing unleashed' and 'doggone fun’ it certainly draws in the crowds. Fortunately there are a number of other beaches nearby for you to go swimming afterwards and these ones even have surfing classes for humans.

GET THERE: Huntington Beach is south of Los Angeles in Orange County. Handy for Disneyland too. Or should that be the other other way round? Take one of the daily flights to Los Angeles, visit the theme parks then hire a car and explore California. Keep heading south for San Diego or north to San Francisco.

Keen to unleash yourself into the World and need more ideas? Please visit my Website and Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.

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e: david@eyelinetravel
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Barking up the right tree!

David Sutherland
EyeLine Travel (ABTA L3832)

18 March 2016   

City Brakes: Cost Saving in the World’s most Expensive Cities

Heading for a night out in Singapore

A list of the most expensive cities in the world has just been published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (a sort of MI5 for accountants). Out of 133 countries, the top ten comprises (in reverse order) are Los Angeles (10), Seoul (9), Copenhagen (8), New York (7), London (6), Paris (5), Geneva (4), Hong Kong (3), Zürich (2) and Singapore (1).

Now we all like a city break to experience the energy of a different city but are some cities just too expensive to visit as a tourist or is there a way to cut down on costs? 

You could opt to visit the cheapest cities in the survey but, to be fair,  Bangalore and Lusaka don’t feature too highly on most city break wish lists. Where to then? Let’s look at some of the top ten cities that you might want to visit and how you can get more for less.

Copenhagen: Paint the town red. Or orange or...

Copenhagen ranks at 8th on the list.The Danish capital is a great short break destination. It can also get you through your Danish Kroners quicker than you can say Hans Christian Andersen. So on arrival, buy a Copenhagen Card which offers discounted entry to a number of attractions as well as use of public transport and free entry to Tivoli Gardens. 

Follow the locals and hire a bicycle to tour the area and steer well clear of the 20 Michelin starred restaurants including world beater, Noma which should in any case be fully booked for it’s final year. 

HOW: Copenhagen benefits from a very competitive flight market with direct flights from all five London airports (i.e. not Southend), Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Newcastle. Fans of seasickness will be disappointed to learn that the UK/Denmark ferry service has been discontinued. 

Zürich: surrounded by giant Toblerones

Switzerland’s reputation precedes it so unsurprisingly, Geneva makes 4th on the list whilst Zürich is 2nd. It’s as if the streets and lakes are paved with gold. 

German speaking Zürich is well worth a visit. Buy a Zürich Card which offers discounted entrance to museums and night clubs (order a drink at your financial peril) and access to boats, cable cars and public transport in the city. There’s also a sinister sounding 'culinary surprise’. 

If you like orange, stay at the EasyHotel and for a filling meal order the local delicacy, Rösti, which resembles a full english covered in potatoes and cheese. That should keep you going all day.

HOW: Multiple daily flights operate to Zürich from the London five, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Inverness. Geneva is similarly well served.

New York: the electricity bill must be huge

New York is one of our favourite short break cities. And bank breaking ones. At 7th in the list it is just below London and Paris. A poor exchange rate means NYC is not the shopping bargain it once was. There is however so much more to the Big Apple and the locals like a bargain. 

This is the place to load up on discount coupons. There is always a deal happening somewhere so be informed and avoid dining out or going to the theatre at peak times. Portions err on the large side, breakfast is always a bargain and the gourmet Food Trucks are legendary.  

Get around on the Subway -it is much faster than the iconic yellow cabs and has the advantage of knowing where it’s going. A New York City Pass can be bought to give discounted admission to a number of attractions such as the Empire State Building.

HOW: Fly to JFK or Newark from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Heathrow alone has an astonishing 30+ flights per day which keeps things competitive.

No need to be Singa-poor in this exciting city

So to the number one. Granted, Singapore is not generally a weekend destination but if you find yourself in that part of the world then it’s a stopover you will want to make. How then to do so without spending more on the stopover than the main event? 

The tourist office go out of their way to help people discover their city.There are good deals to be had so keep informed via the many wifi spots in the city about happy hours and restaurant deals. Get an EZ Link pass for the metro system and travel quickly and cheaply (although taxis are one of the bargains here). 

Eat hot fresh food in the street markets of China Town and Little India or in the vast food courts in the endless air conditioned shopping malls. Book a hotel deal before arriving - discounts are available for transiting Singapore Airlines passengers. Lay off the Slings at the Raffles hotel - just visit and take photos and enjoy the many outdoor spaces on foot given that the year round temperature is 30c. These include the botanical gardens, outdoor gardens at Bay South and the arts scene at the Esplanade for no cost at all. 


Thirsty for more knowledge and ideas, frugal or otherwise? Please visit my Website and Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.

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Break the mould not the Bank!

David Sutherland
EyeLine Travel (ABTA L3832)
11 March 2016

Don’t be a Fool - April Festival Destinations

Spring: it occurs every year

Apparently it’s Spring now. That means the cold winter weather is long gone as we head towards longer days and the prospect of a barbecue summer. Probably. But then again the weather in the UK just isn’t that predictable. 

Let’s turn our attention to April elsewhere when Spring should have well and truly sprung. With Easter out of the way, there are a number of amazing April Festivals where variety is indeed the spice of life.

Spring Skiing: Snow, Sun and The Prodigy  

Before we get too excited by the impending warm weather, April sees the end of the European skiing season with many end of season parties. Ischgl in Austria has an annual closing concert which this year is headlined by Muse on 30 April. Entry is free to lift pass holders as it takes place mid mountain. 

Staying in Austria and Mayrhofen hosts the legendary Snowbombing festival between 4-9 April. Nothing to do with the ski patrol, it is a huge week long electronic music festival on the slopes to fit around your daytime skiing. This year’s main headliners are The Prodigy.

HOW: Packages are available for either Ischgl or Mayrhofen (party included) flying via Innsbruck.

King’s Day in Amsterdam - not an EasyJet party

If dressing in Orange floats your boat then you can combine the two in a giant Dutch street party on 27 April to celebrate Koningsdag (King’s Day) in honour of King Willem Alexander’s birthday (formerly Queens Day prior to Queen Beatrix's abdication in 2013). Head to Amsterdam for the biggest celebrations involving the colour orange, barges and a huge inpouring of Grolsch. 

HOW: Fly to Amsterdam, stay central and buy some orange clothes. 

Seville: non stop partying in April heat

No month would be complete without a Spanish Fiesta and it’s the Feria de Abril (April Festival) in Seville. Falling two weeks after Easter it runs from 12-17 April this year to take place before it gets too hot (by then it will likely be 30c). A huge site filled with horse drawn carriages taking locals in Andalusian dress to hundreds of invite only casetas (tents) providing non-stop food, flamenco and dancing. There are public casetas available to join in the fun if your name’s not down. 

HOW: Fly to Seville and stay centrally (the Feria site is walking distance from the old town) 
or fly to Malaga and take the train (2h15m). 

Japan: the best place to find your cherries

Heading away from Europe and April sees the spectacular Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Festival throughout Japan. In a country where the trains really do run on time, the arrival of the blossoms is reliant on Mother Nature to some degree but events are laid on throughout the country in April. 

Hanami is the concept of enjoying the Cherry Blossoms with friends (and a cold Asahi). It is an amazing time to visit the country.Tokyo, Osaka and especially Kyoto are the places to aim for. With a favourable exchange rate it is also a much better value country to visit these days.

HOW: Fly to Tokyo or Osaka. Frequent Shinkansen trains from Tokyo (2h20m) or Osaka (15m) to Kyoto. 

April: it's Thailand not Dryland

Finally, if you really want to literally let off some steam and thought water fights were the preserve of students, head to Thailand for the Thai New Year Festival, Songkran. Held each year from 13-15 April the idea is to cleanse the soul (not always easy with river water).

With a calendar 543 years ahead of our one, the most enthusiastic celebrations are in 40c+ Chiang Mai in the north. Just remember to leave your phone in the hotel safe - you will get very, very wet!

HOW: Fly to Chiang Mai via Bangkok (1h) or an overnight train journey. Keep the taxi windows wound up on the journey from the airport if you want any dry possessions!  

For further inspiration, please visit my Website and Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.

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Time to put a Spring in you step!

David Sutherland
EyeLine Travel (ABTA L3832)
4 March 2016