It is a while since I have been but Tenerife is a great place for a holiday if you are looking for virtually guaranteed sunshine, but for those that want to spend their holidays doing more than just getting a tan there is a lot to do on the island, apart from the obvious relaxing by a pool or on the beach. When looking for a Hotel in Tenerife one great buzzing resort, which is where we stayed, is Playa de las Americas in the south of the island. It is within easy access of the airport, and boasts great nightlife and a huge choice of amenities.

Even the best travel plans can be waylaid by a transportation disaster. Between rigid security requirements, canceled and overbooked flights, and undependable, cramped public buses, the potential for your dream vacation to turn into a nightmare is endless. But travelers-in-the-know have another option to get where they need to go – booking a jet charter, bus charter, or limousine charter. Chartering is a flexible, convenient, and sometimes even affordable way to bypass the complications and hassle of going on vacation or traveling for business.

Advanced smartphones, such as the Android, Blackberry and iPhone, have become an essential accessory in our daily lives. These units are very nice to look at and yet exhibit a high functionality essential in any gadget. Those who are always on the go rely on their smartphones for an assortment of functions with large storage phonebooks with easy phone number search, GPS Tracking, MP3/4, and a multitude of applications to download. Below are 5 essential applications that will help maximize the potential of the smartphone as a travelling companion.

If you are visiting Spanish shores and looking to find car hire that will make your trip as hassle-free as possible, then it’s important to choose the right deal.

A couple of decades ago or more, flying to Spain would have been a nerve-racking affair for one major reason.
Once you’d landed, cleared customs and the passport check, it was time to head to the car hire desk – and for many people that was where the problems started.

If the British winter is getting you down, and you long for the sight of the sun, then the Canary Islands may be the perfect holiday destination.

All year round, the Canaries offer an ideal climate – long hot days in summer and cooler but still pleasant in the winter.
The Canary Islands, located just off the northwest coast of Africa, are autonomous from Spain and receive a combined 12 million visitors per year. The four largest islands are the best known – Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

The Basque Country boasts some of the most iconic landscapes in Spain, with its beautiful mountain ranges and stunning coastline.

This area of Northern Spain has plenty to see and do with its vibrant cities and picturesque countryside, a far cry from the bustling streets, cloudy skies and expensive London Hotels of back home.

Bilbao is the largest city in the region and is a must-see if you are lucky enough to be in the area, as it harbours some cultural marvels.

Tenerife is a Spanish island that boasts diverse attractions, but few visitors can resist the Teide National Park.

Teide is the most visited national park in Europe, with some 3.5 million visitors each year, even though it is hardly ideal in terms of transport options.

When it comes to tips on visiting Spain, though, be sure that this is a trip that will live long in the memory because although some of the accommodation may not match the luxury of some Dubai Hotels, the spectacular scenery and activities around the park more than make up for it.

If you’re considering a trip or an even a permanent move to Spain, you’re not alone – it’s one of the most visited country in the world.

In 2007, almost 60 million foreign tourists visited Spain, putting it behind only France as the destination of choice. If offers the visitor luxurious accommodation that rivals even the finest of Dubai Hotels yet also boasts spectacular scenery, great weather, a glorious coastline and delicious cuisine.

Have never been on a cruise, primarily because the thought of being in one place for so long with the same people fills me with dread, but I have to say that I have a number of friends who have been on Royal Caribbean cruises and loved them, and I can’t think of anybody that hasn’t become hooked on them and gone on at least one more.

Not good news for expats and regular travelers in Spain who travel tourist class with Iberia as they have announced they will be charging for second suitcases checked into the hold from 1st March 2010, in an attempt to lighten the planes, save fuel costs and speed up operations ….. no mention of making more money or reducing costs to passengers you note!

Although many are warning that Britain is at risk of plunging back into recession based on the remarkably low growth figures (0.1%) compared to an expected 0.4%, the 18 month recession has officially ended and early indications are that it is good news for the travel industry, and therefore one hopes for expats living in Spain hoping to see the tourism related business that so many depend on for their income pick up.

Spanish Air Traffic Controllers are threatening to disrupt flight plans for thousands of expats living in Spain either wanting to fly back to the UK to spend time with their families and take advantage of the current exchange rates, or wanting to fly out to their holiday homes and get some sunshine over the Easter break.

Passengers who fly with no-frills carriers leave a softer “carbon footprint” than those on full-service airlines, new research has shown

Apparantly the combination of newer fleets, direct flights and a higher ‘seat density’ means that the budget airline flights can produce 35% of the carbon emissions per passenger of the larger ‘full-service’ airines.

The Telegraph has an excellent article highlighting the best routes by air, rail, and ferry to Sain for 2010, and explains how to save money on car hire. With more and more flights getting cut, and ferry services scheduled to stop later in the year this is a pretty comprehensive guide.

Unfortunatley it doesn’t say if flights are winter, winter and summer, or just summer but it does list the web sites and phone numbers for the various companies.

British Airways is to train ‘scab’ aircrews from the rest of its workforce in a bid “to keep as many planes in the sky as possible” in the event of looming industrial action.

Many expats living in Spain will no doubt be interested to read that BA are considering training up non-cabin crew staff to act as aircrew to maintain services in the event of a strike. Although the threat of a strike has been ruled out for Easter, BA seem keen to ensure that in the event of a strike they can continue to fly to Spain, and all other countries.

British Airways (BA) cabin crew today ruled out striking over Easter in their dispute with the airline over jobs and working conditions in a move to quash a public backlash against workers.

The decision move comes amid widespread horror from passengers at the prospect of having their Easter holidays disrupted, so soon after flights over Christmas were put in danger because of the cabin crew’s earlier strike threat.

The much anticipated merger between the British Airways and Iberia could take place as early as next month, according to a statement by Caja Madrid, the bank which is also Iberia’s largest shareholder.

The bank’s chairman Miguel Blasa said that February could prove to be a decisive month for the deal as things were on track and did not feel that threats of strikes by the British Airways’ cabin crew would have any kind of impact on the merger.

Overweight passengers who cannot squeeze into a single plane seat are to be charged double to fly with Air France.

People who cannot fit into a standard seat will be asked to pay for two seats, or not be allowed on board for “safety reasons”, according to the airline.

Air France spokeswoman Monique Matze said: “We have to make sure that the backrest can move freely up and down and that all passengers are securely fastened with a safety belt.

Ticket sales and passenger numbers rose at Eurostar in 2009, despite the breakdown of trains in December that left thousands of passengers stranded.

Sales at Eurostar last year reached £675.5m – an increase of 1.7% on 2008.

The cross-Channel rail service carried 1.2% more passengers, with total traffic rising to 9.2 million people.

On Monday the company admitted it expects to pay up to £10m in compensation to passengers affected by the travel chaos before Christmas.

Flights to Ireland’s main airports are to be disrupted tomorrow after air traffic controllers announced they are to strike in a dispute over new working practices.

Members of the Impact union said they are to stage a walkout in protest against the decision by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to suspend 15 air traffic controllers who refused to co-operate with new technology.