It’s the spookiest date on our calendar: 31st October, when the kids dress up as skeletons and witches to go Trick or Treating, pumpkin sales go through the roof, and the TV channels are filled with re-runs of classic scary movies. But do any of us really know what Halloween is all about?

Read the rest of this entry »

Bookmark to

For my mum’s birthday I decided to treat her to a girls’ day out, just the two of us, to celebrate. By which I mean I finally gave in to the constant nagging that we never did anything together just the two of us anymore. That’s my mum: guilting people into doing what she wants since 1961.

I picked a car hire in London cause I knew I’d have to listen to a lecture about the inconvenience of public transportation if I didn’t (like I’m to blame for that…), but that earned me a lecture about how a woman my age should own a car of her own. I tried to point out that if I had to drive around London every day, sooner or later she’d end up short a daughter, but I don’t think she accepted my point as valid…

Read the rest of this entry »

Bookmark to

With all roads leading into London for the 29th of April, instead of presenting you with a guide on how to get there, we’ll just give you a few tips and pointers on how to avoid the Royal Wedding while holidaying in the UK!

If you’re thinking about hiring a car in London but are not really attracted to weddings in large scale, there is still lots to see. Also Royal but not affected by the Wedding, the Kew Gardens have been put on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site and are a must-see for those who want to avoid the pandemonium yet stay close to the city. It’s really one of my favourite spots in London to forget the city’s hurly-burly.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bookmark to

Easter season is approaching and along with it comes a great opportunity to strengthen your family bonds. Not having the luck of a few weeks vacation during this period, I will nonetheless take some days, book an economy car hire in London and, from there, head on to my hometown, Birmingham.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bookmark to

Today sees the start of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which is on until 30th August. The festival has been a spring board for many famous faces such as Alistair McGowan, Al Murray, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Monty Python and Rowan Atkinson.

It is the largest arts festival in the world and attracts performers and audiences from all over the globe. To give you some idea of how big the event is last year there were 1.8 million tickets sold to see 34,265 performances of 2.098 shows in 268 venues (an average of 1,300 performances per day!). 2009 was the biggest festival to date, but it is likely to be overshadowed this year with the number of venues increased to 389!
Read the rest of this entry »

Bookmark to

It’s that time of year again where we watch the worlds best slog it out in the hope of becoming Wimbledon Champion 2010. With over 130 years of fantastic tennis being played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club it’s hard too pick our favourite matches and memories.

Who could forget John McEnroe’s outburst at the umpire in 1981 ” you cannot be serious!”. How about the longest final in Wimbledon history between Federer and Nadal in 2008? After a gruelling four hours and 48 minutes Rafael Nadal got the win. Of course, no sport is complete with a streaker, and Wimbledon got theirs in 1996 when Krajicek took on Washington in the final.

Wimbledon has many great traditions that have been upheld throughout the years. The ball boys and girls quietly blending into the background ready to pounce, and, of course, the tradition that we all love to indulge in is eating strawberries and cream washed down with a refreshing cool Pimm’s.

Who will win the trophy this year? Will it be another Federer and Nadal marathon? Are we going to see the Williams sisters battle it out on centre court? Or will Justine Henin get the comeback she is looking for?

Let’s hope that the sun shines over Wimbledon as we enjoy two weeks of racket slamming matches!

What are your guesses on this years winners? Do you have a favourite Wimbledon moment?

Bookmark to

Whilst Cambridgeshire may not be the first place you think of for a short break, it has many historic and interesting places to see.

Cambridge itself is mainly known as being a university town. However, the city has much more to offer. In July the Cambridge Folk Festival takes place at Cherry Hinton Hall. With 3 stages, music and craft workshops and street theatre there is something for everyone. This year some of the acts you can see are Seasick Steve, Kris Kristofferson and Natalie Merchant. There are still tickets available if you fancy going.

Huntingdon racecourse is a great place for a day out. On August Bank Holiday Monday there is a family fun day. Experience the excitement of the action on the racecourse whilst sipping a glass of wine and enjoy the off track entertainment in between races..

Visit the cathedral at Ely. A magnificent building which dates back to the 11th century. The stone used in its construction was quarried from nearby Northamptonshire. The nave is over 75m (250ft) long and is the longest in Britain. There is also a large collection of stained glass windows, with some as old as 13th century and some as recent as 1933.

Discover this often forgotten part of Britain and be pleasantly surprised by its charm and character.

Bookmark to

Did you know it’s Easter weekend next week? From the 2nd – 5th April, you have a wonderful long weekend to spend with the kids and your loved one. Not booked anything yet? Don’t fear! We give you our top places to go for a city break this Easter; and if you want to stay a little closer to home, why not consider some great days out with all the family?

City Break Ideas:

There are so many places you can go this Easter if you fancy a getaway, lets have a look at some of the top places you can visit.

Paris: What a wonderful city to visit on Easter weekend. In Paris you can enjoy 4 days of arts, culture and great food in this bustling city. If you want to venture out of the city, hire a car and visit Reims which is only 144kms (89.4miles) away. It will take you about 1 hour 30 minutes to get there but there is plenty to see such as the Notre-Dame de Reims and the Palace of Tau. There are also many other cities you can visit outside Paris such as Rouen, Troyes and La Mans.

Barcelona: A really beautiful cultural city to go to with all the family. You can enjoy the city life and see attractions such as the famous Sagrada Familia and other Antoni Gaudi masterpieces or relax on the beach and let your kids enjoy the sunshine. If you want to explore outside the city Tarragona is a great city with Ancient Roman ruins which are now a World Heritage Site. There are many other Roman buildings which include the walls and two gates, the Palace of Augustus and many more.

Orlando: A great place for all the family to enjoy. Beautiful climate and lots of things to do with the kids, Orlando, Florida is a brilliant place to be! Disneyland and Sea World, along with Universal Studios, the possibilities are endless! From here you pick up your car hire and drive to many places in Florida as they are all nearby such as Miami, Tampa and even the Palm Coast.

Closer to Home:

If you don’t fancy going away for whatever reason that may be, there are plenty of things going on in the UK for you and your family to enjoy too. There is so much going on, hopefully your little ones will tire out before you do! So let’s see what’s going on in the UK this Easter.

Theme Parks: Seeing as Spring is here, all are open! Go to Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington, Legoland, Drayon Manor plus many more for a great day out with for everyone. Enjoy rides, Easter themed weekends, picnics, animals, the list is endless!

London Eye: Let your kids see London in all it’s glory. Take a trip on The London Eye and see if you can spot places such as St Paul’s Cathedral. Once you have finished, why not take your kids to Namco station for some arcade gaming, or The London Aquarium, both which are just around the corner.

Madam Tussauds: The famous Wax Museum will be going crazy this Easter! Robert Patterson will be joining the other celebrities in the museum! Ok so we can’t have the real thing, but hey, the wax statue is just as good! With many other famous people there, it will be so much fun for you and your children!

This is just a small taster of what is going on around the UK. There is so much for you and your children to do, so why not get planning because it’s only around the corner!

What are you doing for Easter Weekend? I plan to have a BBQ with some friends and hopefully enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

Bookmark to

Festival season is going to be upon us very soon. It is going to come around faster than you think! Isle of Wight Festival will be taking place on the weekend of the 11th – 13th June and it is set to be great! The Festival has been blessed with sunshine for the last few years, and I remember working there a few years ago and it was amazing. I saw the Foo Fighters live which was so awesome as they are one of my favourite bands. I also saw Primal Scream, Prodigy, Coldplay and possibly one of the best moments was when The Proclaimers came on and sung 500 miles with the crowd jumping up and down singing as loud as they could. It was a great 2006 festival and I would love to go again! But this year’s line up is going to be hot hot hot!

Calvin Harris: He’s done some really catchy dance songs an d who can forget his appearance on the X factor stage during a Jedward number, with a pineapple on his head?

Florence and the Machine: Her voice is amazing! If you haven’t heard Florence and the Machine then it is definitely an album worth listening to. Live she is just brilliant.

Friendly Fires: Fun and kooky and I am a big fan of their song Jump in the Pool and Kiss of Life!

Jay-Z: Who doesn’t know the famous Jay-Z? With hits like Empire State of Mind and Encore he is going to be a great hit.

These are just a few of the wonderful acts that are playing, there are many more which you can check out at http://www.isleofwightfestival.com and there are still some tickets available so book them before they are gone!

You really must plan ahead if you are thinking about going, as you need to book a ferry spot to get over to the island! So pick up your car hire from anywhere in the UK and get yourself down to Portsmouth Harbour or Southampton where you catch your ferry to get you to the festival.

Is anyone going? Who are most looking forward to seeing this year? I’d love to see Calvin Harris and Florence and the Machine again!

Bookmark to

When the Easter Holidays come around (not long until April!) You will have a wonderful 4 day weekend to spend with your kids. But what are you going to do with them? There are many events going on in London so your little ones will not be bored! There are many places in London doing Easter Egg Hunts and lots of other things so let’s take a look at what is going on in London.

1. Kew Gardens: They are opening a new outdoor play area called Treehouse Towers! It has giant swings, zip wires, scramble nets and slides. Great for your kids aged between 3 – 11 years old! That’s a shame, I wanted to go! There is also a free Easter egg hunt on 4th April from 9.30am – 12.30pm.
2. Kenwood House: With an Easter egg trail throughout the ground you’d be mad not to take your kids to this beautiful English Heritage site. This runs from the 2nd – 5th April and children only need to pay £1 for a trail sheet. After they have found all the wooden eggs they can trade them for a chocolate prize! After this why not take them around the house and gardens which is free entry!
3. WWT London Wetland Centre: Now I know for a fact you will not be able to resist this season at the Wetland Centre. March and April are possibly the cutest month as there will be little ducklings wandering around the ground. They can also take part in Easter egg hunts and storytelling sessions.
4. The Foundling Museum: This Easter egg hunt takes place on Saturday 11th April. It is free entry for children with an accompanying adult and doors are open from 10.00am – 5.00pm. You can follow the Easter trail and get a yummy chocolate prize at the end!
5. Victoria and Albert Museum: This museum is doing something different for Easter. Create your own Superhero! With 2 weeks worth of workshops from 6th – 10th & 13th – 17th April your kids will be able to take part in a whole range of activities! Become a master of disguise, write your own story, track down Superheroes with the trails.

All these activities going on make me wish I was a kid again, hunting for chocolate, making crafts and having loads of fun! What are you doing for Easter?

Bookmark to