If you’re one of the millions of Brits planning a low-cost holiday at home this year, you’re probably not banking on catching much of a tan. But look on the bright side – at least you’ll never be far from a decent cup of tea or an NHS doctor.

Those lucky enough to be travelling abroad for a break will no doubt be looking to make savings wherever they can. So you’ve scoured the internet for the lowest priced flights, you’ve bartered with the travel agent for a half-price hotel, and naturally you’ve taken advantage of the amazing hire car rates offered by Auto Europe (sorry, couldn’t resist the plug) but all this hard work could be for nothing if you forget to renew your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Introduced in August 2005, the EHIC fully replaced the old E111 healthcare form from January 2009. It gives the carrier access to free or reduced cost state-provided medical treatment in the country they are visiting, and all UK residents are entitled to one. But BBC News has reported that, although nearly three out of five people claim to have an EHIC, 68% don’t know it will expire at the end of March (according to a poll by the Department of Health).

If you fall ill or have an accident in Europe and fail to present this card, you could be landed with a bill for thousands of pounds – and that’ll definitely blow the budget. It’s really easy to get an EHIC or renew the one you have. Just log on to www.ehic.org.uk or phone 0845 606 2030. It will arrive within a week or so, and can cover you within the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus (not northern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal , Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Combined with comprehensive travel insurance, the EHIC will give you peace of mind and financial protection to cover all eventualities. Forget to pack it at your peril!

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We have just one winner of last week’s quiz. Jamie quite rightly answered that the ingredient used to give Port wine its unique taste is brandy.

Now here’s the last of our Portuguese-themed questions. Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is well established on the tourist map as a lively and cosmopolitan destination. Its vibrancy marries historic and modern across a beautiful natural backdrop. Spread across seven hills and the banks of the river Tagus, the city abounds with pavement cafes, riverside restaurants and many cultural attractions.

Perhaps slightly less well known is Lisbon’s sibling second city in the north of Portugal. Boasting a beautiful centre protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and 1.9 million inhabitants, this city was the European Capital of Culture in 2001. It also took part hosting the Euro 2004 football championships. Our question to you is: name that town?

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Recent reports in the Times Online and The Guardian, announced that India has just launched the world’s cheapest car.

The new ‘Nano’ rolls out of the plant with a price tag of only 100,000 rupees (£1350). It will exported to richer nations, starting with Europe by 2011 by which time, after Europe safety standards are met, it is anticipated it will cost around £4500. This wonderful low-cost 4 door family transporter is a great development from India that has been five years in the making during which time the manufacturers have overcome many setbacks.

The car specifications are as follows:

Engine: 623cc, four-valve, all aluminium twin-cylinder unit, fed by cheap Bosch fuel-injection system.

Power: 33bhp @5250rpm

Torque: 35lb ft @2500rpm

Transmission: 4 Speed Manual

Fuel Economy: A whopping 67mpg

CO2 Emissions: 110g/km or less. That may not sound very impressive but it’s claimed to be 12% less than any motorbike in the country.

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 35.1 sec

Top Speed: 65mph

The great thing about the Nano is that it is a city car. It is simple and cost effective enough to bring a smile to our faces. Going to get your weekly food shop? Hop into your Nano. Going to pick up the kids from the local school? Hop into the Nano.

The Times says that this is going to be “the biggest small car in the world”. Lets hope it lives up to expectation.

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After a long chilly winter of discontent, Easter will be a welcome break this year. Frankly I think we all deserve a bit of sun, and for the sake of the five million Brits choosing to holiday in the UK (if media predictions are to be believed) hopefully the good weather will stick around for a while.

But for those of us not prepared to risk rainy bank holidays, cheap breaks abroad are in plentiful supply at the moment. This Easter’s later date makes it perfect for catching some early deals in popular summer resorts before the crowds descend. Here’s five of the best spots to visit over the Easter period, if you get the chance:

• Crete, Greece: Enjoy pleasant temperatures along with the festive spiced biscuits and candlelit processions held outside the many Orthodox churches. Deals include these: www.greatdeals.co.uk.
• Mallorca: Spring is a great time to visit Mallorca. The weather is just right to enjoy the country’s rugged landscape and explore its picturesque villages. The gothic Palma de Mallorca cathedral is a must-see monument. Try www.lowcostholidays.com.
• Rome: Visit this breathtaking destination outside the busy season for the best view of its amazing sights. You can witness the Easter Vigil and Easter Holy Mass at Vatican City, or just take in the museums, Coliseum, Roman Forum and Spanish Steps without the tiring heat of midsummer. Teletextholidays.com has some good offers.
• Larnaca, Cyprus: This is the perfect place for you if summer just seems too far away. The great temperatures will satisfy sun seekers, bring colour to pasty cheeks and make everyone at home jealous of your tan. Check out Directline holidays.
• Florida: Famous for some of the world’s best theme parks, Florida is hard to beat for a family holiday, but summer can be very hot and extremely busy. April weather is much more comfortable for kids and the queues for attractions will be significantly shorter. www.ocean-florida.co.uk is one of many websites offering great prices right now.

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Jamie and Justin were spot-on with their answers to last week’s travel quiz. Nine countries have Portuguese as their official language.

Now to this week’s question. Port wine is Portugal’s most famous product, with a history dating back centuries to the Douro Valley. With a sweet taste it’s commonly served with desert. But it is a little-known fact that Port is in fact a British phenomenon.

In the 17th and 18th centuries Britain outlawed the import of French wines and looked elsewhere to find a supplier. When merchants travelled to Portugal in search of good quality booze they came across some deep, astringent tastes along the Douro river.

In order to stabilize the barrels for shipping home, a special ingredient was added that made a typical red wine into the Port we know and love today. But what is that ingredient? Submit your answers in the comments box below, and I’ll reveal the answer next week.

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Here at Auto Europe we like to keep you up to speed on motoring news and the central London Congestion Charge is always a hot topic. Well, the latest news is that our new mayor Boris Johnson is considering making motorists pay different congestion charges depending on the time of day they go into the city, according to the Times Online and The Guardian.

Since his election last year, Boris Johnson has scrapped the proposed western extension of the Congestion Zone after research showed that although traffic inside the central zone decreased since the charge in 2003, congestion has been on the increase. Now, he is preparing to abolish the fixed daily rate of £8 between 7am and 6pm everyday excluding weekends. The proposed new ‘intelligent congestion system’, pioneered in Stockholm, registers the time of day drivers enter the congestion zone and charges more during peak hours and less at other times.

Johnson is also reportedly thinking of fairer payment methods such as direct debit or an electronic chip that picks up a car’s entry into the zone. Currently, drivers must remember to pay each day and face very steep fines if they forget. Stockholm’s system has reduced traffic in the city by 25%, twice as much as in London, and has also reduced carbon emissions by 15%, yet motorists there only pay an average of £2 a day.

The computer technology company IBM that implemented the system in Stockholm will take over the charging system in London this November. They plan to introduce some of the most successful features from the Swedish capital such as drivers being charged each time they cross the city boundary up to a maximum charge. What the maximum charge will be for Londoners has not been announced as yet. In Stockholm this system actually results in most drivers paying much less than the maximum fee when they only cross the boundary twice, once to go into work and once to come back home again. Stockholm also runs a “cordon” system, where drivers pay in and out of 18 series of islands on the city boundaries. In London there are too many road crossings and intersections for this to be implemented, but there is potential for drivers to be charged each time the cross the city boundary.

How you do you feel about the congestion charge zone? Do you think this method will make your life much easier? Please let us know.

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According to the Petrol Price’s Blog, fuel duty is set to go up in 2 weeks time. The total amount per pound to go on tax will be 71 pence, despite the Prime Minister Gordon Brown promising to freeze fuel duty, at 69 pence, in July last year.

This rise will put 66 pence per pound in the Treasury’s pocket which can be spent on anything, NHS, housing, pensions or even bank bailouts.

Brown had already broken his promise to freeze fuel duty back in December 2008 when he added 2 pence per litre to fuel duty to offset the reduction of VAT to 15%. This angered hauliers who were able to claim VAT back on fuel but not duty. He is now going to be breaking his promise again on April 1st when he raises duty on petrol and diesel an extra 1.84 pence per litre. including the 15% VAT on top will make all pumps raise prices by 2 pence per litre.

Do you think this is right? Is it fair that 71% of a litre of fuel goes straight to the government, let us, and them, know your thoughts.

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I’m one of thousands, or maybe even millions of Brits yet to book a summer holiday this year. I’d like to say it’s because, as the dark clouds of recession don’t look set to clear for a while, I’m avoiding large purchases and keeping tight control of my budget. In reality, I can’t even contemplate the hideous thought of not escaping for a week or two, so I’m just waiting to bag a truly amazing never-seen-before last minute bargain.

But is that the best tactic? Are we all planning to hold our nerve for as long as possible, only to enter into a frantic bun-fight to book breaks at our desired destinations? Recent predictions from travel pundits are rather contradictory and more than a little confusing, but you only need to scan the newspapers to see that travel agents and tourist boards are already taking some drastic action to tempt us. Here are some of the deals I’ve spotted today:

• According to a report in the Daily Mail, Thailand is waiving visa fees for three months (from 5th March to 4th June) in a bid to boost tourism.
• Cosmos holidays is offering a seven-night break in Cyprus in June for two people for £1,091 – that’s a saving of £470.
• Travel Daily has featured a deal today from Aerolineas Argentinas, which is offering savings of up to £110 off standard prices for flights from Gatwick to Buenos Aires via Madrid in April, May and June.
• A Telegraph article claims that British hoteliers are also being forced to cut rates substantially this year. Travelodge is offering rooms from just £19 per night this Easter.

These sorts of deals, plus the reassurance of knowing you’ve got the right holiday might actually be a better option than the risk of disappointment. After all, if you’re spending money, it may as well be for something you really want, even if it costs a little bit more.

It’s very unlikely that you won’t be able to book a cheap break late on this year, even in the peak of the season, but will it be what you really wanted? My advice would be to decide how specific your holiday requirements are, and just like any other year, if you decide to book last minute, prepare to compromise.

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Congratulations to Kristen Whale, Amy and Sarah, who all submitted the correct answer to last week’s quiz question – the name of the bridge depicted was the Vasco Da Gama Bridge.

Now see if you can answer this one correctly. Portugal has a rich culture dating back to prehistoric times. From Celtic folklore to Moorish influenced ‘Fado’ music and the stunning architecture – ancient and modern – that reflects eras of innovation and discovery. Its welcoming people have spread their influence in art, language and design across the world since the 15th century.

Portuguese comes sixth in the top ten languages spoken in the world, but how many countries have Portuguese as their official language? Put your guess in the comment box below, and the answer will be given next week. Good luck!

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Dried chilli peppers are being given away free in China at service stations. It is hoped that munching on these spicy treats will help keep long distance drivers alert and awake. According to the Times Online, Chinese police in the Southwestern Chongqing region have come up with this novel idea to help drivers stay awake on the most deadliest roads in China because they fear in Spring people are more likely to fall asleep.

China is ranked first in the world in terms of traffic deaths with 2008 unfortunately seeing 73,500 people losing their lives. The main fatalities are pedestrians, closely followed by cyclists and motorcyclists. These deaths have been due to the high increase in cars on the road from 1985 to 2005 with the death rate increasing a staggering 95%!

So all you tired drivers out there need to get some dried chilli peppers and keep them in your car, I think I may settle for some spicy hot sauce! (And a bottle of water, ouch!)

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