Ski-ing on your travels
Posted by: charlottec | January 24, 2012 | No Comments
Many backpackers go off round the world seeking sun and the sea, but there are plenty of winter sports you can do along the way as well.
Take ski-ing for example. You can do it in countries as diverse as Brazil, China, Japan and New Zealand, not to mention the many countries in Europe where ski-ing is a weekend pastime during the winter months for many people.
Including some ski-ing in a bigger trip is often a cheaper way of doing it, too. Ski holidays pure and simple are expensive, but a day here or there while you’re passing through can work out to be quite low cost. The only thing you lose out on is the cheaper hire of equipment over a longer period – hiring skis costs the same for a week as for two days.
On the other hand, while you’re going around on your travels if you find that you get a taste for ski-ing, there’s nothing to stop you spending longer on the slopes, whereas if you have booked a ski holiday you’ll always have a return date that might be difficult or expensive to change.
So, if you’re about to set off for a trip think about any stuff you might want to take with you. You won’t want to lug skis or ski boots around with you and you can buy or hire salopettes when you hire the skis and boots, but you might want to throw the accessories into your pack.
Some things will serve a number of purposes, of course. Thermal gloves are just as good for hiking and winter sightseeing as well as skiing – as long as you get ones that have a waterproof shell. In the same way, a decent pair of sunglasses can be just as useful on the ski slopes as on the beach, so you can make some savings by buying kit that will work for both summer and winter activities.
Outdoor pursuits in winter
Posted by: charlottec | January 23, 2012 | No Comments
A quick to any Regatta outlet and you’ll be kitted out in no time. The whole store is geared towards outdoor life – whether that be a particular sport like climbing or an activity like camping or hiking.
The best kind of clothing for outdoors activity in winter is layering – no matter what you’ve got planned. By wearing layers, you add cushioning layers of air between each layer of clothing – keeping your body warmth in, so that you don’t waste energy trying to conserve it.
Baselayers are those that fit close to the body, yet allow you freedom of movement. Thermal underwear is perfect for a base layer, and the fabric allows moisture to escape from your skin – preventing you from getting chilled by sweat settling on your skin.
You can even get the kids involved, as long as you get the same gear for them, as they’ll be even more susceptible to the cold than you. Outdoor stores stock a range for every age and there are so many bright colours to choose from that you’re bound to find something that every child likes. And if they’re not into bright colours, black or blue is always an option.
Don’t forget to get some accessories for your extremities – thermal hat, gloves and socks will all add to your overall comfort.
Once you’ve got yourself and your family kitted out, all you need to decide where you’re going and what you’re going to do, while everyone else you know is languishing on their sofa!
Go green and hire
Posted by: charlottec | January 16, 2012 | No Comments
The romantic image of the backpacker walking many miles over deserts, through rainforest, half-frozen tundra or hacking through dense undergrowth just doesn’t really apply in practice.
Yes, it’s a nice image and you almost always do end up doing a lot of walking and hiking when you’re traveling around the world.
But the truth is that – more than anything else – you also do a lot of hanging around in places and a lot of moving from this place to that place.
And as the corners of the world without transport infrastructure become fewer and fewer so it becomes harder to travel in the traditional backpacking style. Also – there are many places where you just can’t get a train very easily whilst the bus rides are a little sporadic and, shall we say, “hair-raising” to say the least. And if you get a taxi over a long distance; well, you may as well have hired a car.
And if there are a number of people traveling together – hiring cars can actually be an environmentally friendly option – particularly in those parts of the world where you’re able to rent eco cars.
So don’t write this off as an option, and please don’t pigeonhole other travellers who choose hire car as an option. The fact is that many “green” cars like the Honda Insight, have now been around for quite some time; the environmentally-friendly technology from these hybrid vehicles is nothing new. But what is is their availability to hire. And it’s so often the greenest of all options.
Tags: backpacking > car travel > green cars > hire a car > modern backpacking > motoring holidays
Scottish government urged to go green
Posted by: charlottec | January 6, 2012 | No Comments
Just 14% of the Scottish government’s cars are green. From a total cohort of 208 cars, just 26 are hybrids whilst three are all-electric. This is surprisingly low considering how many of today’s new car offers include alternatives to petrol or diesel, from some of the main car makers such as Honda andToyota.
The disappointing environmental figures were given in response to a parliamentary question from the Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Jim Hume.
Mr Hume said: “The SNP love to say that they are world leaders on climate change, making the most of every opportunity to talk the talk on the environment. However these answers reveal that the SNP are not taking enough action in Government to back up their warm words.
“With only 14% of their fleet either hybrid or electric, they are not setting the example that we would hope for from a government that has set significant climate change targets.
“The technology for electric or hybrid cars is improving and the cost of electric vehicles has dropped significantly so it would be good to see this SNP government making more use of them.
“By opting for vehicles with cleaner emissions they could be setting a real example for the rest of the country to follow.”
Hear hear!
Although the Liberal Democrat transport spokesman is clearly trying to make a little political capital out of the SNP’s policy, he still makes a very valid point of course. If the public sector doesn’t take the lead in adopting more environmentally friendly motoring habits – then who will?
Nevertheless, the Scottish government isn’t doing too badly in what are, after all, very troubled times economically speaking. A spokesman for the Scottish government pointed out that its car fleet includes both hybrid and electric vehicles – saying: “The typical vehicle now purchased for use by Ministers has CO2 emissions that are 31% lower than the vehicles used by ministers before 2007.”
Tags: eco friendly cars > green cars > green motoring > Scottish government > travel by car
The shiny and new Honda Civic
Posted by: charlottec | December 23, 2011 | No Comments
The title of “icon” is often glibly claimed, but few cars deserve it more than the Civic. It’s been around since 1972 ans has sold more than 650,000 models in the UK alone.
The new civic 2012 will rival Britain’s second best-selling car, the Ford Focus. Design-wise, there’s nothing to compare; the Civic is an altogether sharper looking ‘blade’ of a car. But the new design is clearly an evolution from its eight generation predecessor rather than a departure.
Still, it’s a little lower, it’s a centimetre wider, and three centimetres longer than its predecessor, but still has a shorter wheelbase.
Setting the new Civic apart from previous models are the high tail light clusters, the daylight-running LEDs and the active grille shutter on all the diesel models.
Meanwhile, the Civic’s trademark light-strip spoiler is a couple of centimetres lower and there’s a rear wiper on all new models.
Internally, Honda’s flexible seat layout remains; this allows owners to fold the rear bench flat or to fix the seats vertically, to maximize the boot space when the need arises and to place large objects in the car via the rear doors.
There are also soft-touch materials throughout (barring the top of the instrument panel).
Overall, the new Civic is a little more refined, with improved liquid filled suspension, and lower noise levels thanks to the reinforced door sills and thicker front windows; smoother than its predecessors altogether.
There are 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines and a 2.2-litre diesel option; with the latter delivering around 60mpg, the new Civic looks set to clean up.
Tags: car journeys > eco-friendly driving > green motoring > travelling by car > UK travel
Travel-friendly driving
Posted by: charlottec | December 13, 2011 | No Comments
But it’s very true that the car is one of the most practical means of travel for people taking off on a long travel adventure – one which isn’t going to involve crossing any oceans anyway.
You aren’t waiting around at train stations, getting your timetable wrong, then walking or taking taxis continually on arrival at various destinations.
Even a group of students on a budget may find that a cheap but reliable second hand car with a tent in the boot is the cheapest way to ‘do’ Europe in the summer, for example. My advice is to get a cheap second-hand Honda, purely because the manufacturer’s cars have been shown to be the most reliable for UK drivers in a number of independent surveys including the “What Car?” reliability study.
It actually works out a lot cheaper than a rail card – depending on how many travellers are in the vehicle. And it’s a lot easier if you don’t mind driving.
And it needn’t be environmentally un-friendly. If you can afford a hybrid car, for example, then your conscience can be a whole lot clearer.
But even if it’s a conventionally-fuelled vehicle you’re travelling in, you can still drive a lot greener.
- Avoid short trips, drive steadily (never going too quickly), keep your tyre pressures at the optimal levels and avoiding revving the engine too hard.
- Also- try not to carry any excess weight and ensure that your car is free of any clutter contributing to drag – so avoid a roof rack if you can. Also remember that even having the sunroof and windows open will increase the drag.
- Finally – invest in a satnav; not getting lost will also help cut fuel consumption and emissions.
Drive safely and have a great trip!
Tags: driving abroad > driving for travel > driving holiday > eco-friendly driving > holidays > Honda
Winter in Lakeland
Posted by: charlottec | December 9, 2011 | No Comments
Each season brings its own charms. But there’s nowhere on Earth quite like the winter wonderland the Lake District is capable of becoming in heavy snow.
And if the whole place really gets a deep freeze as it does most years, you can be forgiven for thinking you’re in the northern reaches of Scandinavia – there really is a full blown Nordic atmosphere about the place.
Any activity in the Lake District under such conditions is fraught with danger – so watch out. But it’s also a spectacle not to be missed. So if you have any possibility of visiting this part of Cumbria when the snows fall and the temperature drops through the bottom of the gauge – just do it. You won’t regret it as long as you have the right gear; it’s simply stunning.
By the right gear, we’re talking about a top notch North Face jacket or something just as able to withstand the extremes in temperature, wind and rain. You will need this level of protection even if you’re just ambling around the lower fells and visiting the towns and villages.
Of course, if you’re feeling more adventurous and thinking about a little full blown mountaineering and taking on Helvellyn via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, Blencathra via Sharp Edge Hall’s Fell Ridge, or Scafell Pike – then you really are going to see some Alpine-like conditions so it really is necessary to take your snow boots with you.
But don’t let the dangers put you off. It’s well worth the extra effort and safety precautions to see the Lake District at this magical time of year.
Get the right gear to go travelling
Posted by: charlottec | November 25, 2011 | No Comments
If you’re going backpacking, you’ll want stuff that’s light and easy to carry. Fortunately most of the clothing produced by outdoor brands like Craghoppers answers both these requirements. The clothes are also highly travel proof. You can stuff them in a backpack and when you want to wear them, you just need to pull them back out – they’re not the kind of things that need ironing.
Living in and out of a backpack and not having access to the usual home comforts like washing machines means that you’ll want easy care clothing that you can simply wash by hand and allow to drip dry.
The advantage of having a number of outdoors activity garments in your back pack is that they are generally made of manmade lightweight materials, so they dry really quickly. Some of them can be really handy if you’re stuck without washing facilities for a few days as they are made of odour-resistant materials. The nature of base layer clothing allows sweat to wick away from your skin, so it evaporates rather than settling into the fibres of the garment.
Taking some good base layer garments will serve you well in colder climates, especially if you get ones with thermal properties.
If, for example, you’re going off hiking for a day, you can wear a base layer of thermal underwear, with thermal socks to keep your feet warm but sweat free in your walking boots. Don’t forget to buy accessories like thermal gloves as things like this aren’t always to find once you’ve started your travels.
And once you’ve got on the move and start to get a bit too warm, you can always peel off the shell middle layers, stuff them in your pack, and just leave the base layer garment on.
Holiday cheaply in your car
Posted by: charlottec | November 24, 2011 | No Comments
As a small tip – try and get a decent second hand Honda CR-V; they have plenty of space, the mark one models are incredibly cheap to buy, there’s a load of boot space and each one came with a convenient camping picnic table as standard.
Any other Honda car is reliable as well – which is certainly what you need when buying cheaply. Unfortunately, in a lot of the places you might choose to sleep – there’s the small problem that it’s, well …., illegal! The extent to which that bothers you is a matter of personal choice! Motorway service stations, though, and other service areas will usually let you snatch a few hours’ kip without anyone bothering you too much and there are, of course, reasonable facilities.
A quick trip to the swimming baths will let you get a shower now and again and the cost is purely down to petrol and food.
One step up from this absolute baseline model is using campsites, of course. And these days small tents are so cheap that it’s easy. InFrance, every town local authority musty have a “Camping municipal” buy law. These are very cheap with excellent facilities.
If you want to keep moving on, it’s very easy to keep all the equipment in your car these days – you can even get microwaves and fridges that plug in to the lighter socket. Just make sure your battery is up to scratch before you set off!
La Dolce Vita
Posted by: charlottec | November 14, 2011 | No Comments
Of course, September is also school time, so you’ll benefit from not having to share the magnificent countryside with lots of other holidaymakers.
If you have a car you can fit a lot of Italy into a short trip – even if you’re only there for a week.
Tuscany is the most visited region of Italy, always popular for its scenery and of course, its amazing food. Sights not to miss are picture perfect towns like Sienna and San Gimignano with its famous towers, and bustling cities like Florence and Bologna.
The further east you travel, the more space you will have to yourself, in the hills of Umbria and the rolling countryside and Adriatic coastline of Le Marche.
Italy is a great place to backpack, with excellent train networks across the country. Be careful not to be caught sleeping at a station though – police have been known to wake sleeping travellers with a cold jet of water! Depending on where you’re travelling from, you can start your trip from a choice of different airports – such as Rome, Pescara, Pisa, Perugia or Ancona. Budget airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet have opened up a huge variety of Italian cities to backpackers and family travellers alike.
Some areas like the Sibillini mountains and their national park in Le Marche are harder to reach by public transport, so you might want to hire a car for some of your trip. If you’re conscious about the effect your travel will have on the environment, consider hiring one of the low emission cars that most hire companies now keep in their fleet.
Driving cars like hybrids also saves you money as you’ll use less fuel than in a conventional car.
Tags: car journeys > car travel > eco-friendly travel > low-emission travel > travel
Backpacking with a car
Posted by: charlottec | October 21, 2011 | No Comments