Travellop – Travel Blog

For British travellers, 2010 has been a bit of a nightmare year. First there was the Eyjafjallajöku volcano eruption in Iceland. It spewed out a giant cloud of ash along with magma, which resulted in flight cancellations and delays across European air space.

Next was the British Airways strike, ruining many an Easter holiday. Flights were cancelled, others were delayed and Heathrow’s Terminal Five seemed rather superfluous.

Summer this year was actually rather good, or parts of it were so many Brits that decided on a ‘staycation’ actually got to enjoy a good old British summer. But elsewhere, extreme heat ruined some holidays as Southern Europe witnessed temperatures in the 40s.

The northern hemisphere then enjoyed a somewhat balmy Indian summer, with mid-20 temperatures even in late September. However, those bound for other parts of the world were shocked to find overbearing temperatures. LA for example was so hot parts of it caught on fire and new records were broken.

Fast forward to November and December and the weather has been causing even more disruption. Not because of heat, the opposite in fact. Freezing temperatures, snow and strong winds turned Britain into a Russian colony with -17 and -18 or so reported in Wales and Scotland. All airports closed for a time, which caused more travel misery.

At the same time, rail transport boomed and the popularity of cross-channel ferries and the Eurotunnel grew beyond all expectations. But, has the extreme weather, people power and random acts of nature turned travelers against air travel? Continue Reading »

Far from the hustle and bustle of Sweden’s busy cities, are its National Park System. Sweden’s national parks number 28, located from the north to south. The northern part of Sweden, is mountainous and offers a fascinating view of the hot springs, geysers that shoot hot water high into the air from beneath the earth. The terrain is similar to that of the moon. In fact, film makers often film on location in this area as a result.

Swedes believe strongly in being environmentally responsible and place a high standard on natural parks that provide protection to wildlife and plantlife. Of these, Abisko, a national park in the northern Lapland province of the country, near the Arctic circle is spectacular for its sweeping stretches of land that climb upward into mountains. Not only is it one of the 28 national parks of Sweden but it is also the site of a research center used primarily for environmental, biological and geological research.

Dalby Soderskog in southern Sweden is smaller and believed to be the remains of a primaeval forest. It is a lush, green area that contains the ruins of an ancient fortress.
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If you will be traveling this year, you need make sure you know all there is about being safe. Traveling can be fun as long as you plan ahead and play it safe. Following these top 10 safe travel tips will help you along the way.

1. Keep your cash stashed away in different places. Stash some in your luggage, some on you and anywhere else you can think of. If someone robs you, you don’t have to give them every single stash. Just give them the most obvious one. This is probably your most important safe travel tip to know.

2. Pay attention to your surroundings. You should always know where you are at. If you driving note the mile markers and the exits you have past.

3. Keep expensive items at home. Don’t ware your most expensive jewelry while on vacation. All you’re doing is telling everyone that you have lots of cash. So you run the risk of someone taking your items from you.

4. Tell a trusted family member where you are going, what way you are driving, and what time you expect to get there. Call them when you get there and make sure they know you will be calling. In case you don’t show up where you should be, your family knows exactly where to start looking.

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