The United States is today facing its first Government shut down since 1995. The US Congress has failed to agree a budget by the annual deadline as Republicans hold government services to ransom in an attempt to halt President Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms. You may ask what this has to do with travel as this is a political argument but if the shutdown goes ahead the impact on tourism will be immense. Continue reading
Category Archives: Discussion
Holiday Packing Nightmare Part 2
I have written about holiday packing on several occasions, mainly regarding the difficulties of confining yourself to your luggage allowance. This can be a major issue if you are travelling with hand luggage only or if you are on a sporting trip which requires equipment. I have often struggled to squeeze all my hiking gear into a small case and skiing is a total nightmare but I have now discovered a bigger one! Continue reading
How to Improve the Experience of Flying
Flying has become much cheaper in real terms over the last few years and it would appear that we are all doing a lot more of it. I take several flights each year and whilst things mostly go well, sometimes I find myself desperate to get off the plane! When you can fly across Europe for less than the price of a train ticket to Manchester it seems a bit churlish to complain but there are some things which could be done to improve the overall experience. The trouble is most of the problems are caused by the passengers! Continue reading
Discovery Through Global Trade
For millennia communities have been trading in prestige items simply for the economic benefits or to affirm power and social position. We’ll be taking a brief look at a couple of commodities that have been the prized objects of certain traders and even nations and continents throughout history. Firstly we’ll begin with spice, a commodity with one of the longest trading legacies.
Photograph of the Cutty Sark by Karen Roe via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Why Go Shopping on Holiday?
Speaking as someone whose ideal holiday is a getaway in the mountains with no crowds and wonderful scenery I am shocked to find that for many people it is shopping that tops the list of things to do whilst away. Despite the global recession many travellers can’t wait to part with their cash on a trip to the shops and I find this astonishing! For me shopping is a generally a chore especially as these days most high streets and malls have exactly the same brands on offer and are largely interchangeable but it would appear that I am an exception. Continue reading