photo: Coco Palm Hotel, Bodu Hithi Island, Maldives.

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I thought I’d been quite brave zorbing in Rotorua, but nothing prepared me for the next activity!!
The Kaituna River is located on the North Island of New Zealand, flowing northwards and emptying into the Bay of Plenty.  The upper section of the river here offers some of the best White Water rafting in the world and includes the highest commerically rafted waterfall at 7 metres high called the Okere Falls.  I had tried white water rafting before travelling to New Zealand in Colorado and enjoyed it, although I rapidly realised that the white waters of Colorado were nothing compared to Kaituna!

You can kayak or go rafting along the river and there’s a few companies to choose from.  We chose Kaituna Cascades for our rafting trip.  I wasn’t sure what to expect to be honest as I let my husband book the trip.  Had I known I possibly would have had second thoughts!!.  Don’t let this put you off however.  If you want to experience a high adrenaline white water rafting journey then I’d highly recommend this activity.  The guys at Kaituna Cascades were excellent and very chatty and funny, which definately helps if you’re nervous.  They also give you a full safety briefing beforehand and give you the option to bail out before the large waterfall if you really want to.  I think the best way to describe my experience is through the use of photos……..

After a few smaller rapids and a smaller Waterfall we hit the 7metre one…..

At the top….before the drop!…

At the top.....

Going....

Going…

Going....

At the bottom……

At the Bottom!

Underwater (eek)!

Underwater... 7 meters down!

Surviving…..just!

Surviving! On the other side!

Celebrating the fact that we made it over the highest commercially rafter waterfall in the world on the Kaituna River!

Kaituna River White Water Rafting - Celebrating

I would highly recommend this activity and the company we chose.  Although I was slightly nervous before the big drop on the large waterfall and although I did swallow quite a lot of water after going underwater at the bottom, I loved it! I’d love to do it again and wouldn’t hesitate to encourage anyone else to experience it!!

The pictues above are a shortened version of the whole sequence, if you want to see more photos please visit my holiday insider flickr page to view my New Zealand photo sets including the Kaituna River White Water Rafting.

…………………..

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Cuba Holidays Image: Cuba Tourist Board

I’ve always wanted to go to Cuba, and the recent(ish) series ‘The Secret Caribbean’ with Trevor McDonald made me want to go even more! I’d like to experience the stunning beaches, coastline and scenery, but mainly I’d like to experience the culture and authenticity of Cuba… the colonial history, the rich culture and heritage, the artistically faded buildings and old cars that you get a glimpse of in many TV programmes and videos on Cuba and of course the music and dancing!.

For more information on Cuba:
Great Cuba Travel blog with info on things to do and see in Cuba
I love this video below from AutenticaCuba.com (on you tube) (6 mins long)

Search for Cuba Holidays on Holidayholiday.co.uk>

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dubai holidays - burj al arab

Please don’t be offended dubai fans but up until recently I’ve never actually been that bothered about Dubai… it’s one of those places I always thought I should go to experience it but it never really called me like Sri Lanka or Africa or South America does.  However, a few friends have visited recently and have absolutely raved about their dubai holidays… from the shopping to amazing hotels to the fab weather.  So now it’s joined my list as one of the places I’d like to go to in my lifetime.  I’ll let you know what I think when I’ve finally been there!

I was sent an amazing video today of the Burj Al Arab, with music from Adam Young (Owl City).. have a watch of it below and tell me what you think!

Dubai Holidays – Adam Young Burj Al Arab

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old town square prague

Svařák (mulled wine), intricate ornaments and the sight of sparkly Christmas trees adorns the Czech Republic from late November to the end of December each year, with visitors seduced by the scent of pine trees, sweet pastries and all things Christmas.  If you haven’t been, now is the time to book as the Christmas Markets in the Czech Republic are a wonder to experience and will undoubtedly get you into the Christmas spirit.  Who knows you may even pick up a few Christmas pressies along the way.

This month marks the start of the famous Christmas Markets in Prague, commencing from the 26th November. Open from 9am until 7pm there are hundreds of stalls selling Christmas items and decorations for your to buy.  Make sure you are in the Old Town Square at 5pm on the 26th November if you want to see the central Christmas Tree being lit!  There are Christmas markets here from the 26th November in the Old Town Square and in Wenceslaus Square from the 27th November.

Other must-visit Cristmas markets in the Czech Republic include:
Náměstí Svobody (Freedom Square), Zelný trh (Vegetable Market) and Radnická (Town Hall) street in Brno from the 25th November to 23rd December
Náměstí Přemysla Otakara II (Ottokar II Square) in České Budějovice in South Bohemia from 12th to the 18th December.
Český Krumlov Christmas Markets are also open in the Náměstí Svornosti (Square of Concord) from the 27th November and include gingerbread decorating as part of the programme here.

A strong tradition here is the baking, and of course eating, of Christmas pastries which taste wonderful.  Versions of these pastries include the traditional strangely named Beehives, Linzer cookies, vanilla crescents  and bear paws.

Just in case you can’t make it to the Czech Republic this Christmas to experience the Christmas Markets for yourself I’ve found a Mulled Wine recipe for you below to see if you can recreate it (taken from ‘where there is love there is life’ blog).

Mulled Wine Recipe:
1 litre red wine
1-2 cinnamon sticks
6-7 cloves
lemon slices (can also add orange slices)
sugar to taste

Simmer/warm on stove for a bit. Enjoy!

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7 New Wonders of Nature:
The first count of votes is in as of the 11th November and the provisional results for the new & Wonders of Nature have been announced, with the

Iguazu falls argentina

confirmed winners due to be announced in early 2012 at the Official Inauguration Ceremonies.  The provisional list consists of:

• The Amazon (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela )
• Halong Bay (Quáng Ninh province, Vietnam)
• Iguaza Falls (Iguaza River, Argentina, Brazil)
• Jeju Island (Volcanic Island, South Korea)
• Komodo (National Park, Indonesia)
• Puerto Princesa Underground River (Palawan, Philippines)
• Table Mountain (South Africa)

Have you ever been to any of these 7 Wonders?  I think I’d love to visit them all!
Let me know what it was like if you’ve been? Reply on the comment form below or tweet me @holidayinsider
More information link:  7 New Wonders of Nature

Essex sees boost in Tourism thanks to TOWIE:

Sugar Hut Brentwood

Brentwood in Essex has apparently seen a boost in visitor numbers due to the hit series ‘The Only Way is Essex’ with visitors flocking to the Sugar Hut, Minnie’s boutique, Brentwood’s Travelodge and the Little Hut Cafe (for breakfast).  Visit England have a page on their website advertising the different ‘TOWIE experiences’ you can enjoy whilst in the County as well as ideas for exploring other parts of the area such as Burnham on Crouch.  As an Essex gril myself and one who has both worked and lived in Brentwood, I can safetly say that there’s more to the county than the manicures and spray tan’s that are shown on TV! There’s some lovely countryside in Essex, aswell as historic market towns and great coast lines to enjoy, trust me. Don’t believe me? Just have a look at the VisitEssex website for ideas of things to do

Easyjet launches flights to Iceland:
Easyjet is to commence flights to Reykjavik in March 2012, flying from London Luton with tickets already on sale starting from £32.99 one way.  Holidays to Iceland have historically been expensive so it’s hoped that the new flights will prove popular with business and holdiay customers.  The flights will operate 3 times a week initially.  Iceland is an ideal location to see the ‘Northern Lights’, which will be reaching the peak of an 11 year cycle in 2011/2012.  If you want to see the Northern lights it’s thought that between November and April is the best time to visit.

El Hierro Volcano may create new Canary Island:
The recent undersea volcanic eruptions on the small island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands may create a new Canary Island according to some resports this week.  El Hierro has been experiencing earthquake swarms for a number of months, with the eruption finally taking place last month.  Now magma can be seen at the surface of the sea, and the residents of nearby La Restinga have been evacuated whilst the eruption continues to take place.

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The world travel market in itself is a specticle to experience, some of the stands from various destinations around the globe are works of art in themself.  Last year we expeirenced live birds of prey and stilt walkers….. what are we to expect this year?!

Despite the crowds, heat and long days on my feet, I’m looking forward to travelling up to WTM again this year (at least it is only half an hour in the car for me not hours on the trains!).  I’m planning to attend the STM2011 and meet up with a few travel industry people whilst there.  If you want to meet up at all let me know – email me or contact me on twitter @holidayinsider

For pictures and videos of the WTM2011 view my holidayinsider posts on Flickr and You Tube

Relevant links:
WTM London – http://www.wtmlondon.com/  @wtm_london and #wtm2011 on twitter
STM2011 -    http://www.socialtravelmarket.co.uk/      @socialtrav and #stm2011 on twitter

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Hollywood Los Angeles

Well if it’s good enough for the X Factor it’s good enough for me!  I’ve been to a few places in the USA but only ever to New York as far as cities go.  It’d be fantastic to experience the sights and sounds of L.A., there seems to be so much going on there and it’d be a great conversation starter to say I’d been to Hollywood wouldn’t it ;-) !  Did you know there are even museums there focused on Sci-Fi Monsters and Neon Art?!  Hopefully one day I’ll get to visit the ‘City of Angels’…. let me know if you’ve already been I’d love to hear your experiences.

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If your holiday packing style consists of bulging baggage or last minute changes follow the handy guide below to help you to pack more effectively and squeeze more in without incurring extra baggage charges at the airport.

First, work out what you’re going to take:
This is perhaps one of the hardest parts, well I find it hard anyway.  The temptation is just to throw everything in, “in case you use/wear it” but making decisions on what to take can have paramount importance on not only the weight of your luggage but also on the enjoyment of your holiday once there.

Think about what type of holiday you’re going on.  If you’re going on a cruise for example, some cruise lines have a formal evening such as a ‘Captain’s Dinner’ where you’ll need a suit or nice dress.  If you’re spending two weeks on a beach holiday, are you really likely to wear those 4 inch platforms that you love?  Be decisive and try to plan out outfits for each day, including underwear, you’ll find it reduces the amount you take.  Most people always overpack and end up with items they don’t wear that they have packed so don’t lose valuable space by doing so.  Making a ‘packing list’ beforehand of all the things you think you’ll need will help you to ensure you don’t overpack.  Items such as floaty kaftan’s are a godsend as they provide cover up during the day around the pool/on the beach and take up litle room in your suitcase.

Minimise your Toiletries:
Toiletries and beauty items can take up so much unneccesary room just because of packaging.  Decant your shampoo/conditioner into smaller bottles (you can buy a set of them in Boots) therefore minimising the amount of space they take up.  If you choose see through bottles of 100ml and under you can even place them in your hand luggage if you’re tight on room in your suitcase.

Divide between Suitcases:
If you have heavier items you need to take e.g. straighteners, hairdryers, shoes, travel iron - then divide them between the suitcases if travelling with others so that the weight is spread out between them.  This makes them easier to carry and avoids extra baggage charges.  Before taking items such as a hairdryer it’s also worth a call ahead to your travel agent or hotel just to check if they already have them in the rooms.  It is a good idea to divide items up like this just in case your luggage goes missing, you may think it’ll never happen to you but unfortunately it sometimes does! You can read about my experience with losing luggage on my post on this blog.

Then Pack!
Rather than just throwing everything into your suitcase, you can get more in and avoid crumpled clothing by packing in an orderly manner.  Place the heavier items in first, such as shoes, then put everything else in by outfit order.  Put the first day’s clothes in last so they are at the top plus perhaps a swimsuit and suncream (just in case your room isn’t ready when you arrive?).  Remember to put your suncream in plastic bags just in case the suitcase gets thrown around and some of them leak.  Some light tops and vest tops that don’t need ironing can be rolled up rather than left flat and fitted into small spaces or inside of shoes to help save space.  If you don’t want to be ironing whilst on holiday then definately don’t take anything linen or anything likely to need ironing!

Lastly, Don’t Forget…..
Essential items such as passport, travel insurance, mobile phone etc etc. For a full list of everything you must remember to take read my Holiday Checklist post.

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Customer and Revenue Director of Easyjet, Catherine Lynn said “By making travel easy and affordable for French passengers we’ve firmly established the easyJet brand in France. With these two new bases in Nice and Toulouse – the 21st and 22nd in our network – we will offer more choice to our French leisure and business customers.”

This announcement follows other statements from Easyjet in the last month about other new routes including from Gatwick to Kefalonia and from Bristol to Naples.  New adverts have recently been viewed on television for the airline, reinforcing a new tag line “Europe by Easyjet”.

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