Fifth of parents aged 50+ have visited children living or holidaying abroad Parents aged over-65 most likely to ‘gatecrash’ their child’s gap year or holiday Post Office Travel Insurance extends its annual multi-trip insurance policy to the over-65s.

With many young adults expected to take a gap year to avoid the credit crunch, research from Post Office Travel Insurance reveals they could be receiving some unexpected guests. A fifth of parents (21 per cent) aged50+ with children that have lived or holidayed abroad, said they had visited their child to broaden their own horizons.
Most intrepid are those parents aged over-65 with almost half (48 per cent) admitting to ‘gate crashing’ their child’s gap year or holiday.

With economising at the heart of many travellers’ plans at present, one in five (19 per cent) of people from all age groups said they plan to holiday with friends and family abroad this year. Once again it is the over-65’s who form one of the biggest groups – 32 per cent said they have already taken advantage of a family member living abroad or in the UK, or plan to so later this year.

Despite their willingness to travel, it’s not always easy for over-65s to get travel insurance, with many providers simply not offering policies to this age group. The Post Office’s research reveals that 14 per cent of those aged 65+ have struggled to get insurance in the past. To make life easier, the Post Office has recently extended its annual, multi-trip insurance policy to cater for over-65s.

Rachel Croft, Post Office head of travel insurance, said: “Many children may use their gap year as a chance to get away from their parents, only to find mum and dad have plans of their own to tag along! For parents, being able to stay with their child whilst they are living abroad means they can holiday for less, but often leads to them travelling to new places and holidaying for longer, making it even more important to have adequate travel insurance in place.

“We understand that finding affordable travel insurance can prove difficult for older travellers and can lead to people having to take out policies that impose high costs or heavy stipulations, which is why we are extending our multi-annual travel insurance policy to the over- 65s.“We hope this move will signal the end for seniors to have to buy expensive single trip policies every time they go on holiday. Instead they can now buy one simple policy to cover all their trips for the year, including trips to stay with children living abroad on gap years.”

Issued by Post Office Ltd:0207 250 2468100 Victoria EmbankmentLondonEC4Y 0HQ www.postoffice.co.uk

Notes to Editors
All figures are from Yogi Plc. Total sample size was 2024 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd – 6th July 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

About Post Office Travel Services: The Post Office offers single trip policies (no upper age limit and cover available for a maximum of 90 days) and annual multi-trip policies (age limit 74 years). A range of great value extras is also available, including extended baggage, excess waiver and golf cover. The annual multi-trip policy provides cover for any number of trips in a 12-monthperiod, up to a maximum of 31 days’ per trip. The Post Office was voted Best Travel Insurance Company for the third year in a row at the 2008British Travel Awards.
The Post Office is also the UK’s largest bureau de change provider offering over 70 different currencies with 0 per cent commission on all foreign currency and travellers’ cheques. The Post Office pre-paid Travel Money Card offers customers a secure and convenient way to carry their holiday money and the Post Office Credit Card is one of the few to offer 0 per cent commission on overseas purchases,
The Post Office also provides a range of other great value travel services including EHIC forms, passport check and send service and photos and international money transfers.
About Fortis: Fortis Insurance Limited is a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK. As the fourth largest travel insurer in the UK, insuring in the region of 3 million travellers, Fortis boasts a highly skilled team who on hand 24/7/365 days a year, to provide the very best service to their travel insurance policyholders. Over nearly 30 years Forties’ Assistance International and its team of multi-lingual staff have built an enviable and solid base of experience in managing a network of agents worldwide. Forties is consistently recognised for delivering high-quality customer experiences and links quality of service to speed of settlement. Fortis Insurance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Tags: British Gas, Gap year, Holiday, Holiday Activities, The Post Office, Travel, Travel Insurance

You drive off the ferry, full of love for your European cousins, desperate to enjoy that once a year driving in France experience, only to be cut up by your first Clio, and you’ll soon be swearing like a trooper and gesturing in such a fashion that Entente Cordiale had drained right out of your car.

Okay, lets get one thing straight right away. If you’re heading off across the Channel, then get car breakdown cover in France. Don’t risk it. The cost of taking out good cover will not only give you peace of mind, but it could also save you a fortune.

But back to the French roads. The French do generally give a wider berth to cars with foreign number plates. It’s almost as if they know the average foreign driver does not have a steel stomach and a brain which seems to weigh up dangers with a different mathematical formula than most.

Take the average French driver along one of their ‘A’ roads. Not a motorway, or a dual-carriageway, but a straightforward road that links say two towns, with a couple of sleepy villages in between.

Firstly, the speed limit of 90 kilometres per hour (kph) – that’s 56 mph in old money, note some 4 mph slower than the national British speed limit) is only there so that some French people are employed making, erecting and maintaining speed signs. After that, it has no purpose.

Secondly, a long line of cars, with the odd lorry thrown in, all behind a lost Dutchman pulling his 75 metre caravan in first gear, is seen as a challenge by the average French driver. It is something to be overcome. This is best done by revving the old Peugeot up to 100 kph, pulling out once there’s nothing coming for at least 20 metres, then hurtling down the long line of traffic on the wrong side of the road, whilst lighting up the fifth Gauloise in four minutes, chatting animatedly to the passenger about the meaning of life and trying to stop the dog in the back licking the baguette.

It’s also best to ignore flashing lights, blaring horns and gestures, and once pass the caravan, swerve majestically across to the right side of the road and gun the Peugeot a bit more, because if you take the village at warp factor six, you’re going to get through quicker.

As for foreigners, don’t ignore the speed limits (or take a suitcase of bank notes instead), enjoy the motorway speed limit of 130 kph (81 mph), unless its raining, when it is 110 kph, and remember to take the warning triangle with you, just in case you do break down. And nowadays, you need a fluorescent jacket as well. It’s so that bloke doing warp factor six can see you and hopefully miss you.

All very French and oddly, quite charming. And the reason why you need good car breakdown cover in France.

Tags: Car Breakdown, Car Insurance, Cars, France, Holiday Activities, Holiday Transportation, Holidays, Overseas Driving, Travel, Travel Insurance

Most parents have their own horror stories when it comes to travelling with children and when you decide which car breakdown service to use, when it comes to your offspring, make sure you get one which offers the full recovery service.

Kids and cars don’t always mix that well, because usually the former don’t really comprehend the complexities of driving. Most kids don’t understand the tensions and passions that can be aroused by getting behind the wheel.

They see their parents up front, turning a black round bit of plastic in their hands, kicking their feet at something underneath their seat and pushing backwards and forwards the strange knobbly thing in their hands.

They might hear their parents shout something strange at a taxi driver, question a pedestrians parentage, or indulge in strange gestures at people outside.

It’s a good job that when it comes to comparing rescue and recovery services, there isn’t an option for a reduced price when a child in involved.

Then of course there’s that attention seeking thing, when kids get a tad jealous that the car is getting a bit more of mummy’s attention than it should. A child usually corrects this by either picking up their Mummy’s handbag and emptying the contents all over the inside of the car, or taking the top off their juice drink and pouring the contents over Mummy’s head. The child quickly learns that this tactic tends not to work with Daddy, who immediately pulls over, bellows like a lion, jumps up and down outside, and threatens his offspring with the orphanage.

Then there’s boredom, which is why God invented that great phrase: “…are we there yet?” It is, for the average child, guaranteed to get a rise from their parents so it must be used liberally throughout a journey. Firstly, it can be fired off when the car is still in the drive, just when the parents are going through their pre-flight checks, including “…I thought you switched the gas off.” The phrase can then be used at each stress point, including when the map reading goes wrong, just after the policeman has finished lecturing Daddy about a 20mph speed zone and when the tail-back has lasted ten minutes. At this stage, it’s best to keep repeating it over and over, and over, until the parents turn a funny beetroot colour.

Which is why of course many children nowadays get their way and as soon as the journey starts, are either given an iPod, or a Nintendo to wile away the hours.

But, apart from making sure that the kids seats are of the proper type and quality, and that they are firmly strapped during the duration of the nightmare, there’s little you can do to alleviate the stresses of travelling with children.

Just ensure, when considering car breakdown UK, that you go for the complete works. You’ll certainly need it, should the worse happen, and you’re stranded with the kids somewhere, the Nintendo battery flat and the iPod stuck on a Britney classic.

Are we there yet?

Tags: Car Breakdown, Cars, Child Safety, Children, Holiday Transportation, Travel, Travel Insurance, Travel Sickness

Valid on ALL holidays departing for travel between 1st November ‘09 and 30 April ‘11

Book early for some of our best prices!

This offer will end at 10pm on Tuesday 23rd June 2009.

Some of our great deals include:

7 Nights in St Lucia from £799pp – Save £250pp

Escape for 7 nights in St Lucia with Virgin Holidays, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic. 7 nights accommodation at the 4V Coconut Bay Resort and Spa on anAll Inclusive basis including transfers, starts from just £799pp! Flights are on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from London Gatwick and are based on departures between 01 Sept – 30 Sept 2009…so hurry and book online now!

7 Nights in Barbados from £539pp – Save £110pp

Escape for 7 nights in Barbados with Virgin Holidays, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic. 7 nights accommodation at the 3V Silver Sands on a Room Only basis including transfers, starts from just £539pp! Flights are daily from London Gatwick and are based ondepartures between 01 Sept – 09 Oct 2009…so hurry and book online now!

3 Nights in Boston from £459pp – Save £96pp

Escape for 3 nights in Boston with Virgin Holidays, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic. 3 nights accommodation at the 3V Boston Midtown on a Room Only basis, starts from just £459pp! Flights are daily from London Heathrow and are based on departures between 25 Aug – 31 Aug 2009…so hurry and book online now!

5 Nights in Dubai from £555pp

Escape for 5 nights in Dubai with Virgin Holidays, including scheduled flights with Virgin Atlantic. 5 nights accommodation at the 5V Hilton Dubai Jumeirah on a B&B basis including transfers, starts from just £555pp! Flights are from London Heathrow and are based on departures between 15 June – 06 July 2009…so hurry and book online now!

For full details of all our great offers visit:

http://www.virginholidays.co.uk

Terms & Conditions:
Book online at www.virginholidays.co.uk  between 6pm Thursday 18th June and 10pm Tuesday 23rd June 2009. Offer applies to new direct bookings only for travel between 1st November 2009 and 30th April 2011 only. The discount cannot be used against accommodation only bookings, car hire bookings or in conjunction with any other special offer, promotion or discount including the Frequent Virgin Club discount. The discount will be automatically applied to the booking and excludes APD and fuel surcharge supplements. This offer is not applicable on holidays that require booking via telephone. All holidays are subject to availability and Virgin Holidays full standard terms and conditions apply please see www.virginholidays.com  for full details.

Tags: Holiday, Holiday Transportation, Holidays, Package Holidays, Travel, Virgin, Virgin Holidays

The beautiful country of Mexico is situated in the North American continent and boasts of various exotic tourist destinations. Grasslands, high rugged mountains, exquisite desert locations and tropical rainforests are perfect examples of nature’s beauty and are sure to have a spellbinding effect on you (tourist).

There may be some unpleasant and unsafe places in Mexico that may have a high crime rate. These places may also witness thefts, rapes and drug-related violence quite often. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid traveling to such places.

You may also have apprehensions about traveling to Mexico due to the recent Swine flu outbreak. Many parts of Mexico have been affected by the flu. The Pandemic Threat Alert Phase of the WHO has been kept at level five. Also, hundreds of people have fallen prey to this H1N1 influenza. It has also affected the natives of other nations who had visited Mexico and this way, the Swine flu has spread to other countries such as the U.S. and Canada. All these facts may make a serious dent in your plans to visit Mexico.

However, you need to know that, not all places in Mexico are unsafe to visit. There are many other places in Mexico that you can choose as your destination. You can prefer visiting ‘Sun and Sand’ resorts that are situated in Mayan Riviera. Some of these resorts are as follows:

Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita Resort:

This place is one of the safest and fascinating resorts in Mexico. It boasts of excellent features such as reflective pools, fountain-laden walkways and open courtyards. You can also spend away your time in a huge luxury spa situated inside the resort.

Escencia Resort:

If you are on a honeymoon, this may turn out to be the most ideal destination for you. You will surely be able to enjoy some precious personal moments with your spouse or enjoy the luxurious treatment at the spa that makes use of only organic ingredients in all its products.

These places are sure to intrigue your senses and provide you with a fascinating experience. Also, considering the present Swine flu outbreak in the country, it is advisable to pack some important items with yourself. Do not forget to include some Swine flu medicines and extra vitamin supplements. You may also include other useful products such as soaps, hand sanitizers, masks and a pair of gloves. You are also advised to have your medical and travel insurance papers in place.

By undertaking few precautionary measures, you may surely have an enthralling experience in Mexico.

Tags: Mexico, N1H1, Package Holidays, Swine Flu, Thomas Cook, Travel, Travel Insurance

Has your plan of visiting Mexico for spending your holiday is canceled after hearing about the high crime rate? You need not worry then, as not all parts of Mexico are unsafe. One such place is Mayan Riviera. It boasts some of the Mexico’s best and safest boutique hotels and beach resorts. The climate is also very idyllic.

However, at present, you might have to think again before visiting Mexico due to the present swine flu pandemic.

You may also consider certain countries apart from Mexico that will surely make your vacation a pleasurable experience.

Europe:

Europe consists a number of places that you can choose to travel. Countries such as Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy, Denmark and Finland are considered as some of the safest holiday destinations on the planet. Besides having a pleasant climate, these countries also have low criminal rate. Also, the people here are very friendly. In fact, Helsinki, the capital of Finland is often referred to as the ‘friendliest city’ of the world.

Many European cities have got very narrow lanes and so driving can be a tough task for you if you are not used to driving on narrow roads. Therefore, it is good to use the metro, bus or subway transport medium.

Australia and New Zealand:

Australia and New Zealand are two of the world’s most safest places to visit. The crime rate in New Zealand and Australia is negligible and corruption is almost zero in New Zealand. Also, both Australia and New Zealand have stable governments. The law and order of these countries is also very commendable.

Hong Kong:

Thousands of people fly to Hong Kong every year due to its hospitality. Moreover, the economic condition of Hong Kong is very stable and the city is secure even for single women. The people of Hong Kong are of very amiable.

Japan:

The list of ’safest places in the world’ cannot be completed without the inclusion of Japan. It is considered to be a country with the lowest crime rate in the world. This proves the friendly and disciplined attitude of the Japanese people. The chances of you getting duped by a local are marginal.

Thus, you may travel to any of the above mentioned places as per your convenience to treat your loved ones with a pleasant and safe vacation. In fact, you may even look to get settled in any of thee places.

Tags: Holiday, Holidays, N1H1, Package Holidays, Swine Flu, Travel, Travel Insurance

Travelers around the world are in a state of panic, because of the number of increasing swine flu cases. In fact, many tour companies, airlines and cruise lines are rescheduling their flights and reducing fares, as travelers are delaying their trips.

The airline industry have been affected due the series of problems including terrorist attacks, the respiratory syndrome, high rise in fuel prices and the SARS occurrence. The result of the industry may rely on the how much fear the travelers have.

Due to the flying fears, travel analysts have found that fares have reduced tremendously. The fares are ranging from an average of less than $300. In spite of the decrease in fares to Mexico, travel agents are striving hard to re-book the travel trips of people. However, the agents are having a real tough time, as travelers are either changing their destinations or are rethinking on their travel plans.

In fact, people are so panicked by the swine flu that they avoid to go for shopping or going out of their houses.

In addition, there are travelers, who are canceling their trips not due to the fear of catching the H1N1 virus. Instead, they are canceling their trips because of the assumptions that, they will find all the resorts vacant and the restaurants closed.

These travelers are even worried that they would get stuck up in the airport due to the outbreak of swine flu. Therefore, they are planning their trips to some other places, which are free from swine flu.

It is also found that the hotels, which are providing services in Caribbean and Mexico are shifting their guests from Mexico to other places. Due to the fears of swine flu, Alaska airlines is keeping all the planes sanitized by cleaning each surface and ascertaining that the seat buckles, knobs and overhead bins are hygienic.

Passengers on Mexico flights are getting individual sanitizing wipes. It is also found that more than half of the travelers are reconsidering to postpone their international travel bookings. However, some of the travelers even say that all the flights towards Mexico need to be canceled.

Hence, the fear of flying to and from Mexico and the places around has been forcing travelers to stay indoors. This fear has forced many travelers to cancel and/or postpone their trips that have resulted in huge losses to the airline industry.

Tags: Caribbean, Mexico, N1H1, Package Holidays, Swine Flu, Travel, Travel Insurance

There’s on thing you should know straight away about The Pet Travel Scheme, or, as it’s commonly known, Pet Passports, and that’s you should plan well ahead.

Basically, you can’t bring your pet back to the U.K. within six calendar months of its rabies jab. So if you plan to take Fido with you out of the country on your annual hols, say in July, then you have to get it jabbed in January. And if you want to be doubly sure, then get it jabbed in November of the year before.

Right, more of the timing issues later. Let’s get the official blurb out of the way first.

The system which allows you to take your pet out of the country and back again, is The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). But, another thing to note, when it says pet, it actually means a dog, cat, or ferret. Quite why a ferret is covered under the scheme, rather than your pet Orangutan (maybe its too big to get into the child seat), this writer isn’t sure. Maybe it’s because ferrets are particularly keen travellers, or maybe, more sensibly, a dog, cat, or ferret, has a greater chance of projection from the existing rabies vaccine. Anyway, suffice to say that your pet crocodile has to stay at home while you’re enjoying the water park in Malaga.

The PETS scheme allows pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) to travel to other European Union (EU) countries and come back to the U.K. Some other non-European countries are included in the scheme as well, but for a full list, go to defra website which has all the information.

So, start early if you want to avoid disappointment.

Next thing to bear I mind, it’s not cheap, because as with most Government initiatives, it basically creates wealth for everyone but you and in this case, a recognised vet. And oh yes, just in case you think you don’t have to bother with such a thing as a pet passport and you think hiding Fido under a blanket in the car is a bit of a wheeze, you should bear in mind that’s against the law and both you and your pet could be doing time (although not in the same place).

Smuggling a pet back into this country without it being inoculated, or doing it secretly, is about as heinous crime as you can commit in this country. The U.K is officially rabies free and if you change that situation, then you’ll go down in history alongside Jack the Ripper.

And even if your pet has had the jab and is brought back earlier than the stipulated six months, you’ll be fined personally and then you’ll foot the bill – some hundreds of pounds a week – for your pooch to be incarcerated at her majesty’s pleasure for the full six months. In short, don’t do it.

Right, so you want to take your dog, cat, or ferret on a trip out of the U.K.

You have to book an appointment with a vet who will take you through the process. At the time of writing, the Pet Passport costs around £138 to administer. Expensive, but when it first came out it was around £200, so we can be grateful for small mercies.

Your vet will give your pet an examination and pass them fit for travel. Firstly, if your pet doesn’t have an identity chip, it will be fitted with one. About the size of a grain, the chip is usually implanted behind the animal’s neck and with a receiver, allows the user to identify the dog with it’s unique number. Even if your dog is not going on his hols, this is a good idea anyway, as it allows your pet to be identified easily if it’s lost.

Next, your pet gets the rabies jab. Then you have to wait 30 days before you take your pet back to the vets for a blood test. A blood sample is taken from the jugular (in the neck; not an easy thing for the vet to do, so maybe wait outside) and sent to the labs for testing. The result should be back to your vet in seven days (leave 14 days to be on the safe side, unless its Christmas, when the post usually goes awry and you might have to wait weeks). If the test is positive (i.e. there are enough rabies antibodies in your pet’s bloodstream to protect them against rabies), the you will be issued a pet passport with all the details. This must be taken with you on all the trips – it’s as important as your passport.

And remember, your animal can’t come back to the U.K within exactly six calendar months. It can leave of course, once it has the passport, it simply can’t return for those six months.

And although nearly all animals pass the blood test, it’s not guaranteed and if it fails, it has to start over again, meaning another 37 days at least to see if it has enough antibodies. Some older animals might struggle, or ones that have been ill, so bear that in mind with your timings. But, it shouldn’t cost you the whole £138 again, as the vet should just charge you the cost of the rabies jab (around £60 at the time of writing) and the test (around £30).

So, there you are. Is Fido worth £138, or possibly £198? Depends on you really. Mind you, how much does two weeks in a kennels cost these days?

For more related pet information visit http://www.pet–insure.co.uk/

Tags: Pet Care, Pet Guide, Pet Insurance, Pet Passport, Pets, Travel

• New Post Office® City Costs Barometer makes Budapest a best buy
• Sterling still strong in Turkey and Poland, as well as Hungary

Eastern European cities outside the eurozone are the places to head off for a bargain break this spring, according to the new City Costs Barometer from Post Office® Travel Services (postoffice.co.uk/). 

As the euro continues to fly high against sterling, the Post Office report into non-euro city destinations shows that Budapest, followed closely by Warsaw and Prague, are the cities where thrifty tourists will get more for their money.¹ 

The three eastern European capitals emerge as cheapest of 10 ‘alternative’ cities outside the eurozone where UK tourists, daunted by the idea of sky high prices in traditional favourites like Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona, can bag a bargain break.   

And, despite the bad press for sterling, UK tourists will actually get more for their money than a year ago in three of the cities surveyed – Warsaw, Budapest and Istanbul – as sterling has strengthened against their currencies.² In the case of the Polish zloty, the UK pound is over 10 per cent stronger, making city breaks to Warsaw and to Krakow much cheaper than in 2008. 

The Post Office City Costs Barometer examined the price of typical tourist items like drinks and meals out, together with three-star city centre hotel accommodation, airport transfers and sightseeing costs.  It found that all five eastern European cities surveyed – including the Baltic duo of Tallinn and Riga – are much less expensive than those in Scandinavia. 

Individually, Warsaw rates as cheapest for weekend accommodation – so independent travellers can expect a great deal if they travel while the Polish zloty remains weak.  Budapest and Prague are best value for eating out, while return transfers between airport and city centre, a cost that tourists cannot avoid, is cheapest in Riga.  

The Post Office also surveyed the costs of visits to art galleries and top heritage attractions, finding that culture comes cheap in Warsaw, Tallinn and Budapest – but costs nothing at all in Oslo, where the key visitor attractions are free.³ 

However, while costs on the ground may be significantly cheaper in eastern Europe – at under £130 for 11 items, the Budapest shopping basket weighed in almost half the price in Copenhagen – the Post Office report also established that flight costs to Scandinavia could be significantly cheaper than elsewhere in Europe. 

Andrew Spice of Post Office Travel Services said: “There are lots of factors for consumers to consider when booking a city break, including the cost of getting to a destination.  Our ’snapshot’ of flights available in late April⁴ showed that Copenhagen actually had the cheapest weekend price of just £41.98, so there are definite benefits to considering a Scandinavian break. 

“The exchange rate is another crucial factor.  With sterling’s continuing weakness against the euro, doubts have been expressed as to whether the traditional spring getaway to popular cities in the eurozone will survive this year.  However sterling is holding up well against several European currencies and our costs barometer of non-euro cities shows that there is great value to be had for UK holidaymakers. 

“Capitals like Budapest and Warsaw are extremely cheap places to visit at the moment and have attractions to rival those of the traditional city break favourites.”    

Over 1,600 Post Office bureau de change branches offer the most widely requested European currencies on demand, including all those featured in the Post Office City Costs Barometer, except the Hungarian forint and Estonian kroon, which can be pre-ordered.    

All currencies can be pre-ordered for next day branch collection at all 11,500 Post Office outlets or online at postoffice.co.uk.  Home delivery can also be requested online.  Travellers to the eurozone can obtain euro currency over the counter at more than 8,000 Post Office branches. 

The full results of the Post Office City Costs Barometer can be viewed online at: postoffice.co.uk/citybreaksreport.�
�

Ends 

CBPR     Post Office Press Office 

Christine Ball    Hayley Fowell

01798 874177   020 7250 2417

cball@cballpr.co.uk    hayley.fowell@royalmail.com

Notes to Editors:

¹ Post Office City Costs Barometer 2009 of cities outside the eurozone.  Prices supplied by tourist offices of participating countries. Hotel prices were researched independently and are based on two adults sharing a double/twin room in a three-star city centre hotel over a weekend. Where possible, these were verified by tourist offices.

POST OFFICE CITY COSTS BAROMETER 2009: NON-EUROZONE CITIES

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Source:  Post Office. Data relates to 25 March 2009 exchange rates. 

² Post Office year-on-year currency comparison: 

³ Heritage attractions and leading art galleries suggested by tourist offices of participating countries: 

�

⁴ Post Office research into the cheapest weekend flight prices available for travel over the weekend of 24^th-26^th April at the time of research (March 2009).  Copenhagen had the lowest return fare of £41.98 (low cost carrier departing from Stansted).

Tags: Eurozone, Holiday, Holiday Transportation, Hotel, The Post Office, Travel

Travel jabs; who needs them? Well, we all do actually, especially if you don’t want to end up with something nasty that is.

Firstly, a true story. This writer once went on a business trip with a number of well-heeled commercial guys to Bangkok. Everyone thought they had got fully immunised and after the trip was over, one of the party fell ill. Not just ill mind you, but very ill. In fact, he was incarcerated in a hospital isolation ward for over four months. After weeks of testing they discovered he had a particularly nasty bug which is not uncommon in Asia, but very uncommon in this country. And although not life-threatening, if not spotted quickly enough, it can certainly ruin your social life for a while.

But the point is, that an innocent trip to the commercial centre of Thailand which, afterall, is not the Third World, turned into a nightmare for a guy who, said the hospital, if he hadn’t had some form of protection with his jabs, might have suffered even more. 

So, don’t take risks, but also appreciate that getting fully tanked up with the recommended vaccinations can be a very expensive business. Most crucially, it could invalidate your travel insurance and leave you with a big bill for getting treatment and then getting back home.

And you have a choice between private clinics, which can do things in a rush if need be, but are generally more expensive, and your local GP, which are cheaper, but do need some warning.

A quote for getting say rabies, yellow fever, hepatitis A and typhoid jabs at a private clinic could cost you well over £200, whereas a GP might be able to shave over a £100 off that bill.

Bear in mind that anti-malaria tablets alone can cost, for a box of 50 tablets, around £25.

GP’s will usually provide free jabs for hepatitis and typhoid, and are more competitive with shots for yellow fever and rabies. And the NHS will also offer you, sometimes at least, free meningitis and polio jabs. 

Of course, you might think it wiser to use a private clinic, especially one which specialises in travel vaccinations, as they hold bigger stocks, tend to have rarer vaccinations and have a greater knowledge, and one which is updated regularly, on the changes and developments.

So, when you are planning your exotic holiday, remember a key things regarding your travel vaccinations.

Firstly, get plenty of advice from the NHS, The Department of Health, The Foreign Office and the National Travel Health Network and Centre. Do a bit of research and find out what you need for the countries you intend to visit.

Secondly, plan way ahead. Some jabs might need to be taken three months before you intend to travel.

Thirdly, even if you intend to use a private clinic, or vaccination centre, have a word with your GP. He can chat you through a few things you need to know and if you have an issue in your health history, might advise a course of action relevant to you. He will also give you an idea as to what they would charge for the jabs.

But finally back to the Thai example at the start of this article. To give you an example, if you wish to travel to this country it is recommended (some more strongly than others, depending on the current opinion of the day) that you have jabs for the following, a certain number of days before you leave:

• Diphtheria (three months before travel);
• Hepatitis A (two weeks);
• Hepatitis B (two months);
• Rabies (one month);
• Tuberculosis (three months);
• Typhoid (ten days).

Mind you, nothing for Dengue fever, which might suggest there’s not a lot you can do about catching that, apart from avoiding those pesky mosquitoes.

Tags: Holiday, Holiday Activities, Holiday Transportation, Holidays, Package Holidays, Thomas Cook, Travel, Travel Insurance