12 Dec 08 Taking Your Pet on Holiday with you
Some people prefer to board their pets when they go out of town or hire someone to either house sit or visit their home every day to take care of their pets. However, some people like to take their dog or cat with them when they travel. There are some issues to this, but if you’re serious about travelling with your furry friend, it can be done.
First, you have to book lodging that will take animals. Not all hotels accept pets, and those that do may charge you extra to have your pet stay in the room with you. Make certain you know exactly what the pet policy is before you book the hotel. You may actually want to call the hotel and find out all of the regulations concerning pets in the room, including noise, where you can take them, and how you should go about dealing with their bathroom breaks.
Transportation is also going to be an issue if you aren’t driving. Often, you have to place your pet in some sort of pet carrier, and they generally have to travel with checked baggage or in a special section of the plane, bus, or train. Again, there’s a charge to transport your pet, and you should know all of the procedures before you arrive at the airport, train station, or bus station.
Finally, you want to think about what your pet will do while you’re travelling. If you’re going to be out and about to plays, conference events, meetings, or at other events, you may not be able to take your pet with you. If you’re going to be doing things that aren’t dog or cat friendly, you may actually want to consider leaving your pet at home. There’s no real reason to pay extra if you’re just going to leave your animal in your hotel room all day. Also, if you’re going to be visiting relatives or friends, you should make certain none of them are allergic before you arrive with your pet.
Tags: airport, baggage, hotels, travelling
04 Dec 08 Travelling with Young Children
Everyone loves a holiday, but there’s a large difference between holidaying with adults and holidaying with young children. In fact, there are some holidays you really can’t even take with small children, such as backpacking adventures or extended camping trips. However, just because you have young kids, it doesn’t mean your travelling days are over.
The first thing to remember with young children is that you may have to pack differently. If your child is under a year old, you’ll need to pack nappies, baby formula, baby food, bottles, bibs, a pacifier, and more. In fact, you may even need to take an entire carry-on bag just for your baby. You’ll have to take that into account when packing and preparing your baggage. You’ll also need to find out what the airline, bus, ship, or train regulations are regarding young children. While you may not have to pay for a separate seat for babies, you may have to purchase a ticket for some children.
You will also need to check with your hotel about young children. Again, very young children generally get to stay for free, but there is usually a fee for older children and teens. Find out what the age limit is so you know exactly how much you’ll be spending on your lodging.
If you’re travelling by bus, train, or car, you’ll probably need a car seat or some form of bed for your baby. If you’re taking the bus, you might not need a car seat for a young child, but you should check with the bus line. If you’re travelling by car, a car seat is required.
Finally, plan a few events for your young child. While there may not be much for babies to do on a holiday, there are some interactive museums and amusement parks for young children around five years old. Just don’t expect young children to enjoy going to events like operas, music performances, plays, or art museums. Those events should best be left to trips when your kids are older or when you have a baby sitter.
Tags: holiday, travelling
03 Dec 08 Dublin Travel Guide
Dublin is a beautiful city full of history and culture spanning back one thousand years and just walking through the city will allow you to see some of the magnificent buildings while enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.
The world famous Guinness Storehouse is Ireland’s number one visitor attraction with a history that began over 250 years ago. Obviously, you cannot come to Ireland without having a taste of the black stuff that the land has become so famous for, but why not find out all there is to know about Guinness while you are there?
Following on the alcohol theme, there is a wonderful Traditional Irish Music Pub Crawl on which you can participate, starting at Temple Bar. A combination of drinking and music is a winning one and when you work out that this is almost a part of Irish tradition, this tour is bound to attract your attention!
Once you have woken up the morning after stumbling to one of the fine hotels in Dublin, the first thing that is bound to cure that hangover is some food, and thankfully there are plenty of places in which you can dine in Dublin. The Tea Room, also set in Temple Bar, is reportedly the most elegant and finest of its kind in Ireland. Serving more traditional dishes with a little bit of a twist, you are guaranteed to keep the hunger pangs at bay while enjoying some of the finest Irish delights.
The Mermaid Cafe is also a popular eating place in Dublin with its fantastic reputation for simple, yet first class food. It has a warm atmosphere with an open planned kitchen which is bound to keep you warm on even the coldest if days!
Once you have eaten and are fit for bursting, you may want to consider burning off those calories with a leisurely stroll around Phoenix Park, one of the world’s largest parks. Here you can really get back to nature with deer roaming around you and there is also a zoo in the beautiful gardens. Of course, if you are feeling slightly delicate after your drinking tour of Dublin, you could always consider being chauffeured by a horse drawn carriage!
There are plenty of things to do in Dublin, no matter what your tastes but it can be guaranteed that you will leave with some very fond memories of the Irish!
Tags: Dublin, Guinness Storehouse, Ireland, Phoenix Park, Temple Bar
