Travelers stories

Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

Facts About Paradise Island Barbados

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

Barbados is a truly beautiful island which offers you a near perfect holiday location, it is an island unlike no other place in the world. For those that visit, I can assure you, that you will want to return again.

Facts About Barbados:

Barbados is the most easterly Island in the Caribbean, covering 166 sq miles, which is divided into 11 parishes. It is 21 miles long by 14 miles at it’s widest point. As Barbados is primarily a coral island the rainfall filters through the limestone and collects in Underground reservoirs giving the island extremely pure and delicious drinking water.

Barbados was originally discovered by the Portuguese in 1536 and named it “Los Barbados” after the bearded fig tree’s that grew on the island. In 1625 the English claimed the island and in 1627 arrived with the first 80 settlers.

Barbados has a population of around 286,000 with tourism as the main source of income. There is also sugar and light manufacturing which also contribute to the gross domestic product. The island also boosts a thriving offshore sector.

Barbados is an island which has over 100 practising religions and faiths, with Anglican being the predominant religion.

Barbados became Independent on the 30th of Novemeber 1966 and is ruled by a democratic government that maintains a well developed and financially stable island. The current party in power is the Barbados Democratic Labor Party and the Prime Minister is David Thomson.

Barbados is a renowned wedding destination and the island provides a number of beautiful locations for those seeking to get married. Whether you are looking to get married on a fantastic beach, in a luxury hotel, a historic great house or in a beautiful old church Barbados has it all.

For those of you looking to get married Celebrations Caribee will make sure all your wedding needs are of.

Don’t just take my word for it, why don’t you head to Barbados and find out for yourself what this wonderful Caribbean Island has to offer. Barbados is an island which is not only for the super wealthy people of the world, it is an island which is becoming ever more affordable, especially due to the strength of the Euro. Visit Barbados and you will not regret it.

Further Reading:

1. You Should Consider Barbados as an Events Destination!

2. Chose Barbados For Your Dream Wedding Location!

3. Barbados the Perfect Wedding Location!

4. 20 Bajan Words That Will Make Your Trip to Barbados More Fun!

5. Braveheart Sir William Wallace Following in the Legends Footsteps

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: Barbados, caribbean, destination, facts, married, Weddings
Posted in Travel | No Comments »

5 Scottish Camping Locations, Which You Will Fall in Love With!

Friday, July 4th, 2008

It is summer time and for me there is nothing better than loading up the car with my camping gear and heading to a beautiful location, where I can escape the rat race and for me there is no better county to go camping in than Scotland.

For me I like to camp in places which offer outstanding natural beauty and I must stay in a camp site which has first rate facilities. I’m not one of those back to basics campers that will pitch their tent in the middle of nowhere and dig a hole to use as a toilet. NO THANKS, when you have a family on tow that is just too complicated. I love heading out into the beautiful Scottish countryside to enjoy the natural beauty that my country provides.

I just cant stand those back to basics camp sites which have second rate facilities, as much as I enjoyed the Carry on Camping film, I don’t want to be part of it. I’m living in the 21st century and I demand up to date facilities when I go camping.

Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and has 100’s of campsites which are situated in beautiful locations, sadly many of them are stuck in the dark ages and the toilet, shower and laundry facilities are a disgrace, I wouldn’t let my dog use many of them, let alone my family!

Here are 5 of my personal Favorite Scottish Camping Locations, which I fell in love with:

1. Grantown on Spey Caravan Park, Seafield Avenue, Grantown on Spey, Highlands, Scotland: A campsite set in a great location, surrounded by wonderful scenery, great toilet and shower facilities. The icing on the cake is that there is only a short walk into the town.

2. Milarrochy Bay Caravan & Campsite, Balmaha, Near Drymen, Glasgow, Scotland: An amazing location on the east shores of Loch Lomond, excellent toilet and shower facilities, great walks and a small beach to relax at. There is only a short walk to Balmaha if you want to escape the camp site.

3. Ballater Caravan Park, Anderson Road Ballater, Aberdeenshire, Scotland: Modern facilities, level pitches and a great location on the outskirts of village with a short walk of 300m to shops, hotels and services.

4. Auchnahillin Caravan Camping Park, Daviot EastInverness-shire, Scotland: Great location, excellent kitchen and shower facilities, a great base for exploring the Highlands.

5. Faichemard Farm Caravan and Camping Site, Invergarry,Highland, Scotland: EXCLUSIVELY FOR ADULTS (18+) site, great if you want a child free camping experience, the facilities are maybe not the most modern in the world, but they are adequate.If you want peace and quiet, fresh air and beautiful surroundings this is the place be.

Camping is a great way for a family, or a couple to bond and spend some quality time together, having fun and enjoying themselves. Pack up your camping gear and go and explore the natural beauty that Scotland has to offer. Camping in Scotland is a fun filled adventure which will enhance your life.

If anybody knows of any more high quality Scottish Camping sites let me know, they must be in an area of outstanding natural beauty and have fantastic facilities?

Pictures of Iconic London Attractions

Friday, June 27th, 2008

Pictures of London from top left:
1. London Routemaster red double decker bus.
2. Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
3. Tate Modern.
4. Sir William Wallace Memorial outside St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield.
5. West Minister Abbey.
6. Admiralty Arch
7. London Eye.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: london, pictures
Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Slain’s Castle, the Inspiration Behind Dracula!

Friday, June 20th, 2008

Infamous Slain’s Castle helped to provide Bram Stoker with the inspiration to create his masterpiece called Count Dracula. Nowadays it is a ruin, which has been left for nature to run its course, it may not be the prettiest of ruined castles to visit in Scotland. But never the less it is worth visiting, it has for some inexplicable reason been left to slowly erode by the local council, and all the other agencies which should be doing a lot more to save this historic ruin.

Slain’s castle is located beside Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire, which is of course in Scotland. It is a majestic ruin which sits atop sea facing cliffs looking out to the wild North Sea. Slain’s Castle was originally built around 1597, by the 9th Earl of Errol. The castle was sold in 1916 after over 300 years of occupation by the Errol’s to a shipping tycoon, who took the roof off it in 1925 to avoid paying taxes.

If you dare to visit Slain’s Castle when it starts to get dark, you will understand why this eerie place provided the inspiration behind Count Dracula, Bram Stoker referred to Slain’s Castle as “the castle of the dead”, and for a very good reason!

It may be overgrown with weeds and grass, but as you walk along the ruined corridors, you still get a sense of the great grandeur which this vast place once had . For the truly adventurous you can still easily climb up one of the towers, but you have to brave and sure of foot. The dramatic views from the edge of the cliffs provide some fantastic scenery.

Slain’s Castle had the potential to be a top drawer tourist attraction, but through the short sightedness of the Local Council and various agencies such as Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland who all decided to forsake it, its true potential has never been released.

Unbelievable the blind local councilors have allowed this famous ruin to be turned into holiday apartments, it could only happen in Scotland! Maybe Count Dracula will have the last laugh and there will be a lot of blood sucking late at night.

Go and visit this infamous ruin while you can and see where the legend of Count Dracula began. A story about one man and his accounter with the Prince of Darkness at Slain’s Castle, Most Haunted Slains Castle, I Swear That I Could See Dracula Watching Me!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: count, count dracula, Dracula, legend, ruin, slains, slains castle, visit
Posted in Travel | No Comments »

10 Great Places For Tourists to Visit in London

Saturday, June 14th, 2008

London is a fantastic city, which offers an amazing choice of things to do and places to visit. It also is a fairly easy city to find your away around, and the bus and tubes systems are fairly easy to understand, if you just take a little bit of time and effort to figure out how they operate.

I cant believe the amount of times I have been on a tube and you see someone rush on, and then ask is this tube going to Heathrow, “No,” It only takes a little bit of common sense, a map, and a little bit of brain power to navigate your way easily around London! Take your time, stay calm, relax and you will probably get to wherever your trying to, a lot quicker.

Great Places to Visit in London:

1. Tour Bus: My advice is to take a tour bus tour of London, there cant be a better way to see what the city has to offer than via a bus tour. It will also take you to most of popular attractions that London has to offer. A great article discussing the merits of the tour bus, Why I love Going On City Bus Tours So Much, I Was So Wrong!

2. Tower of London: One of my personal favourites, you will easily spend at least half a day here, unless you’re one of those mad Japanese tourists that rushes around like crazy! I would definitely recommend taking one of the Yeoman Warder Tours, which are part of your admission ticket, they are informative, well presented and not to be missed!

3. Thames Cruise: There is a huge choice of different variations of Thames Cuisses to chose from. My personal favourite is one, which offers afternoon tea. I find it a great leisurely way to enjoy some of the sites of central London.

4. London Eye: You quite simply cannot visit London and not go on the London Eye, it’s a crime and you will be sent to the Tower of London. At 135 metres above London, it is the world’s tallest observation wheel, with 40km panoramic views on a clear day.

5. Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms: The unique historic Cabinet War Rooms, secret underground headquarters used by Winston Churchill, the greatest Briton and his British Government during the second world war. The Churchill Museum is the first national museum dedicated to Sir Winston Churchill.

6. Tate Modern: This amazing building displays the Tate collection of international modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present day. It is however more than just an art gallery. The vast and amazing space of the Turbine Hall - has housed a succession of installations, which have caught the public’s imagination, and unbelievable it’s free.

7. Natural History Museum: This amazing museum houses one of the greatest and most important collections of natural history in the world. I know its hard to believe, that in a city such as London where everything seems to be so expensive, this is another free gem.

8. Westminster Abbey: A truly amazing place to visit, you can experience the grounds, cloisters, museums and gardens of one of the most famous Abbeys in the world.

9. Houses of Parliament: A fascinating place to visit, if you get the opportunity, you can even walk on to the floors of the House of Lords and the Commons. An amazing amount of history has passed through the walls of the houses of parliament. Even if you find politics the most boring subject in the world, you will be impressed with the tour of the Houses of Parliament. The full access tour is only available at certain times of the year.

10. British Museum: Founded in 1753, this museum houses the world’s greatest collection of world antiquities from ancient Greece, Rome and Asia, plus items from prehistoric Britain The British Museum houses an incredible collection of artefacts that will literally astound you.

Visitors to London will never run out of places to visit, there is a huge array of sites, attractions and things to do in this city. You will never get bored in London, even though you may run out of money! For some people living in London isnt quite as good as being a tourist, Seeking Inspiration, Its Not Easy in London

When the sun is shining, I love finding a nice spot down by the Thames and having a cool bottle of lager, 10 Fantastic Bottled Lagers to Drink, When the Sun is shining and the World Aint Such a Bad Place!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: attractions, london, museum, museums, places to visit, visitors
Posted in Travel | 1 Comment »

5 Not Quite so Well known, Scottish Places, You Must Visit!

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Scotland is a country which offers travelers, tourists, holiday makers or whatever term you want to use, an abundance of wonderful places to visit. Some places are better known and more popular than others and as result attract all the attention.

The five not so well known Scottish places, which I have listed are maybe not well known, but they are all fantastic places, which are worthy of your attention, effort and time.

Nigg Bay & The Balnagask Headland: Aberdeen, a 2.5km walk around Aberdeen’s Balnagask headland gives an insight into the processes that formed the coastal landscape. With breathtaking views, the area is also abundant in a variety of wildlife.

You will take in spectacular views of Aberdeen harbour, lighthouses, an old fort, and rugged coastline, a pretty shingle beach and much more. At the Balnagask end there is a nice wee pub overlooking the harbour, waiting for you to quench your thirst.

Burn O ‘Vat: Near Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, Situated on low-lying ground, Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve (NNR) consists of extensive Birchwood, wetlands and heather moor. In its centre are two large lochs, Davan and Kinord, which provide a winter home for thousands of geese. To the west, you can find the hidden Vat, a spectacular geological feature famed for concealing the 18th Century outlaw, Gilderoy Macgregor.

There are many fine circular walks through the NNR, passing by such features as abandoned settlements and an ancient Celtic cross. There is an excellent visitor centre at the Burn O’Vat, to help you make the most of your visit.

Craigievar Castle: 6 miles south of Alford. This is an almost fairytale like looking castle which exemplifies Scottish baronial architecture. This great tower stands much like it did when it was built in 1626 by William Forbes.

Craigievar Castle is one of the best preserved tower houses in Scotland and is a great castle to visit and to take the tour of.

Cruden Bay Beach: Cruden Bay, a beautiful 2 mile arc of pink sands that form the bay of Cruden. Access to the superb beach is via a white wooden foot bridge, across the water of Cruden.

There is so much more to Cruden Bay than just the beach, it is a pretty enough village, with a golf course ranked in the top 100 in the world, the internationally know castle Slains Castle, which provided Bram Stoker with the inspiration to write Dracula is a short distance away.

Loch Muick: Lochnagar, This is a very popular walk round Loch Muick, in the shadow of Lochnagar. It is in an area where it is quite common to see large wild red deer.

Most of the walk is on fairly flat ground and part of it may be suitable for the disabled.It follows a route close to the Loch side with good views of the hills all around. After reaching a royal lodge there is a short wooded section. The walk then continues round the western end of the loch and goes past a sandy beach and a cascading stream, before rising slightly on the south-eastern side as it makes its way back to the start.

For those of you that are visiting Scotland and in particular using the Granite City Aberdeen as a holiday base, each of these great places are within about an hour’s drive of Aberdeen. For those of you thinking about or are heading to Aberdeen, here is my must read article, Aberdeen, Why Not Visit the Granite City?

I don’t think any country in the world can match Scotland for natural beauty, history and unpredictable weather, but for the truly adventurous that is one of the joys of travel.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: aberdeen, burn o vat, Craigevar Castle, scotland, scottish, visit
Posted in Travel | 1 Comment »

Why I love Going On City Bus Tours So Much, I Was So Wrong!

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

Whenever I travel to a major city on holiday, the first thing I do as a tourist is book myself on the city bus tour. I find it the best way to see what a city has to offer; it gives you a feel as to what the place is really like, and of course it takes you to most of the tourist attractions. I must admit I use to be a cynic and would mock the city bus tour as it went past, I couldn’t see the point of them, I preferred to do it my own totally independent way and I thought they were a complete waste of money.

My viewpoint changed when I was in Madrid about 10 years ago, I got dragged on to a city bus tour, I was literally dragged on kicking and screaming. In fact the only reason I got on the bus was because I knew it would take me to the Bernabeu Stadium, and I was planning on going there.

That first time city bus tour in Madrid was a new awakening for me; it was at that moment when I realised I had made a decision about not liking something without even giving it a try, I assumed it was naff and that it wasn’t for me. Here I was sitting upstairs on the open top bus, with the headphones on happily listening to the commentary, watching the beauty and chaos of Madrid pass me by.

I normally try to avoid bus travel like the plague, but it was nothing like taking a normal commuter bus, full of riff raff. I love the fact that they take you right to many of the major tourist destinations and you can then jump on and off the bus when you’re ready and go to the next place of interest. If it’s a well run service, they run on a fairly frequent basis and especially for a city break, when you are usually their for only a short period of time, they give you the opportunity of not wasting time and effort finding where places are and then how to get to them.

Since that first bus tour experience, I’m not ashamed to admit I have been on a bus tour in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Barcelona, Madrid (2nd time), Berlin, Paris and New York. They are defiantly worth the money you pay, even the extortionate overpriced ticket prices you pay in London!

Sitting on the top deck of an open top double decker bus lets you see a city from a different and unique viewpoint, which alone is worth paying for! I would recommend to anybody that hasn’t been on one before, to give it a try. If you are a cynic like I use to be, you could be in for a very pleasant surprise!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: bus, decker, double, double decker, madrid, open top, tours
Posted in Travel, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

5 Amazing Scottish Beaches That You Must Visit!

Sunday, June 8th, 2008

Scotland is a Country of outstanding natural beauty; it has amazing hills, mountains, rivers and countryside that will quite literally take your breath away. It has also got an amazing number of beautiful beaches that in my opinion will equal anything in the world.

Admittedly in Scotland we don’t get the regular warm and sunny weather that many other countries receive. But never the less they are still fantastic beaches where you can have a fantastic time, no matter what the weather is like, as long as it isn’t raining!

For me beaches aren’t just for lazing around in the sun, getting a sun tan or sunburnt! I find them great places for relaxing, just sitting watching the waves, or going for walks, or even indulging in more strenuous activities such as beach games with the kid!

I have put together a list of 5 of my favourite beaches in Scotland:

Balmedie Beach: Balmedie, near Aberdeen. A huge expanse of beautiful golden sands and sand dunes, which stretches for over 23km.

Lunan Bay: Montrose: Is a broad east facing 10km beach of beautiful sand backed by dunes and framed by cliffs to the North and South.

Sanna Bay: Sanna, The Ardnamurchan Peninsula. Located at the most westerly point of Great Britain, it is one of the most isolated beaches in Britain with amazing white sands, dunes and rocks which will truly captivate anybody.

Sandwood Bay: Blairmore, Sutherland. One of Scotland’s best beaches, what makes it even more special is that you have to walk over an hour to reach it, an amazing stretch o 1.6km of golden sands and dunes, there is also an impressive sea stack called Am Buchaille

Scarista Beach: Harris, Western Isles. A fantastic stretch of fine golden sands, which stretches for almost 10km and it never, gets crowed.

Scottish beaches have a unique feel to them that you will not find anywhere else in the world; they are calming and have a definite sense of magic about them. I may have listed 5 but I could have listed many, many more, go explore for yourself the numerous great beaches that Scotland has to offer.

For some more great Scottish places to go and visit, 10 Must Visit Places In Scotland That Everyone Should Visit

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: beaches, dunes, golden, sands, scotland, scottish
Posted in Travel | No Comments »

Barbados the Perfect Wedding Location!

Friday, June 6th, 2008

The beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados is the perfect location for your dream wedding. Whether you are seeking a wedding on a perfect beach, a traditional wedding in an old church, a wedding in a historic plantation house, or on a private island, Barbados offers a wide choice of exotic and traditional locations for you to choose from for your dream wedding.

Why Choose Barbados for Your Wedding:

Barbados is a paradise like location with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world with crystal clear clean waters, which are perfect for relaxing in. You also wont have to worry about finding a space on the beach in Barbados to chill out on.

The natural beauty of the island provides a perfect location for a truly romantic occasion, and getting married should be the most romantic occasion of your life.

Barbados has an abundance of wonderful hotels to suit all budgets, requirements and tastes.

There is a fantastic choice of local and international restaurants, some great bars, clubs and music venues to suit whatever your mood is.

Whether you want to take things easy or indulge in water sports, shopping, excursions, Barbados has something for everyone.

Not only is Barbados the perfect location for your dream wedding, it is the perfect location for your honeymoon.

Barbados is a one of the safest islands in the Caribbean with almost year round sunshine with an agreeable temperature.

You wont find hordes of lager louts rioting through the streets at night.

It is very easy to get married in Barbados, as there is no required waiting period or minimum stay.

Barbados is the perfect choice for what will be one of the most beautiful and memorable days of your life. It is a unique island, like no other place in the world and once visited you will have strong desire to return again.

For those of you that are interested in getting married in Barbados, I will recommend a company called celebrationscaribee.com. I personally got married with this company, and they really will pull out all the stops to ensure you get a personalised wedding, as opposed to a conveyor belt wedding like so many wedding companies.

Barbados is an English speaking country, but like many other countries they have a local dialect, which is known as Bajan, 20 Bajan Words That Will Make Your Trip to Barbados More Fun!

”There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends”.
Homer

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: Barbados, beautiful, caribbean, location, marriage, wedding
Posted in Travel | 2 Comments »

5 Countries, Which Have an Abundance of Exceptionally Sexy Girls!

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

I have travelled to many different countries all around the world for the purpose of work and for the enjoyment of travelling. During my travels it has become apparent to me that certain countries seem to have a much larger and noticeable amount of pretty girls than others. I’m not trying to imply that there aren’t pretty girls in every single county in the world, because I know there are, I have seen countless pretty Scottish, English, Polish, Russian, American, Dutch, Aussie etc girls.

But for me the pure abundance of sexy girls in the following countries is truly amazing, it is like being sent to heaven, when you go to these countries.

Barbados: The beautiful Caribbean Island is more than just a fantastic place to go on holiday; it has also got an amazing amount of good-looking girls, with amazing bodies. If you like sexy black girls with nice big booties and pretty faces you will be in heaven.

Brazil: It doesn’t get much better than Brazil in South America, there are literally thousands of sexy beautiful woman of all skin colours, black, white, olive, and the beaches must be the best in the world!

Nigeria: I wouldn’t choose to go to a hell hole, like Nigeria unless it was through work, but there are so many beautiful sexy looking girls with near perfect bodies, which makes me hope that at some point in my lifetime that it becomes a safe country to visit.

Somalia: I have admittedly never been to this African country, but I have seen a few hundred sexy Somalian girls in London, beautiful faces, long legs, and amazing bodies. I think I can be pretty sure what I will find when I eventually make it too Somalia!

Trinidad: Again I have chosen the Caribbean for another hotspot for beautiful sexy woman, light skinned beauties, with near perfect bodies and faces, you have to visit the Island to appreciate what I’m saying.

For me these countries are like being in heaven as far as the local woman population is concerned. This is my list so far, who knows this may change as I continue on my travels.

I have heard people rave on about Asian, Filipino, Scandinavian, and Eastern European woman, but for me, they are not in the same league as the 5 countries that I have mentioned. But I realise everyone’s tastes are different and in the UK you are allowed freedom of speech, and I have made my opinion known.

I have recently read a great article about why the great Stewie Griffin should become the next President of America Stewie Griffen To Run For American President

Bookmark It