Spanish Car Hire Holidays

When going on a holiday to Spain's Costa del Sol, few people use Malaga as a base when they leave the airport, they usually continue onto their holiday resorts.

Malaga itself has a lot to offer - the old quarter is next to a Roman theatre and Moorish palace, in contrast to the shopping centre and vibrant social life. If hiring a car in Spain is your next holiday, then Malaga is an excellent choice for a base.

Art fans will love the new Picasso museum and the train from Fuengirola to Malaga also stops in Benalmadena and Torremolinos, perfect for days out. Getting to Malaga is cheap too, there are frequent flights from many European destinations, which can even be improved upon with a bit of hunting about and haggling.

Haiti Eartquake 2 Weeks Later

Two weeks after the Haiti earthquake struck, aid is getting through to the people, but reports are coming through that it is chaos - there are more needy people than food to feed them and aid agencies cannot control the queues in some instances and have had to deploy measures such as tear gas and rubber bullets.

The situation in Haiti is such that it if extremely difficult to distribute anything over non existent roads in absolute chaos. Haiti is an island. Getting supplies to an area within a mainland is easier. This is also a culture where people are permanently on the edge and order/civility consistently tested.
The thing about a natural disaster is that no one can really predict how it will take shape even though they happen with regularity. The elements of nature will always confound and test us. No amount of committed or concerted unity will actually result in instant magic results in Haiti or anywhere else subject to the larger forces of nature.

Flower and Garden Festivals

I didn't realise there were so many holidays and celebrations throughout the year to do with flowers and all things horticultural.Gregory McNamee's blog post on Britannica 'Holidays for Gardeners: Mark Your Calendar' features a comprehensive list of gardening festivals and events around the world, well worth a read.

The practice of giving flowers on Valentines Day dates back to the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced Europe to the Persian custom of the language of flowers. The red rose has become the traditional Valentines flower and is widely known as the the flower of passion and love.

Other popular Valentines Day flowers include lilies, alstroemeria, iris, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, carnations, tuberoses and freesias, just like buying lingerie, make sure your chosen bouquet is comprised of the recipients preferred flowers.

To take good care of any flowers you are lucky enough to receive on Valentines Day, it is important to store them in water in a cool place to prolong their life.

Interestingly, in Denmark, rather than fresh flowers, people send pressed white flowers, known as snowdrops to each other on Valentines Day.

Flights To India

Holidays to India are becoming more popular in recent times. What is it that attracts people there?

Flights to Chennai - Chennai is known as the "Gateway to Southern India". It was previously called Madras, established by the British and developed as the British Empire expanded. Today, Chennai is famous for its cultural events and Kollywood with a growing industrial base.

Flights to Hyderabad - Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh and is one of the largest cities in India. Hyderabad is also known as the City of Nizrams and is a mixture of ancient palaces and modern offices and buildings. The food can be spicy, derived from a combination of Mughlai and traditional Hyderabadi.

Flights to Mumbai - Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is India's largest city. It is a place of majestic skyscrapers and sprawling slums. The people in Mumbai are from a diverse range of backgrounds and speak over 12 different languages.


Flights to Thiruvananthapuram - Thiruvananthapuram, previously known as Trivandrum is the capital city of Kerala and built on seven hills on the west coast of India. Thiruvananthapuram derives from Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the city of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines.

Hire a Car in France

After the fuss about staycationing lately, it may be that holidaying abroad in somewhere like France could work out cheaper than the UK. Car hire in France has seen a boost lately with the traditional self drive French family holiday making a comeback, with many now utilising French airport car hire facilities.

To get the best skiing deals in the February half term, it is best to avoid resorts such as Courchevel 1850 or Val Thorens. Much cheaper deals can be found in outlying areas connected to the piste and ski lift network. The other alternative is to go somewhere where the half term doesn't coincide with our such as the US or Canada.

French summer holidays also have the advantage of more dependable weather over the UK, especially considering the past couple of summers we have had over here. Nice is always very popular, situated right by the sea, there is plenty to do whether you stay in one place or take a nice hire car to explore further afield. Nice itself boasts a number of must-see attractions, such as the Cours Saleya Flower Market, the Matisse Museum, ancient Roman ruins and the Russian Cathedral.

Whether skiing or catching a bit of sun, hiring a car in France is the easiest way to get around.

Christmas - Too Much Food

Christmas is over for another year and we are entering the brave new world of 2010. The furniture has survived the extra weight of Christmas food for the most part, but the sofas are showing signs of strain.

A week or so of mostly lazing about, trying to find something decent to watch on telly - I must say, I thought it was particularly dreadful this year. Doctor Who was about the only thing worth watching apart from reruns of Pirates of the Caribbean.

I'm not too bothered about presents these days, especially as this year we've bought several new toys - an LCD TV, new bike and a PS3, so we can't complain.

We did go to see the relatives in the New Year for a couple of days, and managed to come back with yet more food to eat before the diet starts. Its a good job this cold weather didn't kick in a few days earlier or it would have been a pretty horrid trip back. The recent weather has caused absolute chaos across many parts of the country and it looks like there is more to come over the weekend.

So, New Year, new challenges - first one is to lose the Xmas inches.