Its always nice to take a break every now and again, we all need it – a little time away from work, a little time to just relax and exhale the stress of day to day life. Luckily, you don’t have to travel outside the UK to be able to do that.

I say ‘luckily’ – don’t get me wrong, it is NICE to travel outside the UK, but it gets pretty expensive pretty fast. So for a short break, it’s generally more convenient and affordable to stay a little closer to home. Torquay, on the southwest coast is statistically the warmest place in the UK, so you’re already off to a good start by going there, but the real bonus comes when you discover (as I did) the stunning quality of the accomodation and activities in torquay.

Torquay hotels like the victoria hotel, derwent hotel, and carlton hotel are all top places to say and boast a wealth of luxury rooms, resteraunts, bars, and lounges. Locally there are great things to keep you entertained like bowling, ballroom dancing, and a very nice golf course. Certainly my kind of weekend away!

Recently the Aztec Spa has also opened near by, really making hotels in Torquay that little bit much more appealing! Personally speaking, I’m not really a spa kinda-guy but after visiting the Aztec Spa, I am a little ashamed to admit that I vey much enjoyed it. Soaking in the jacuzzi for 20 minutes, followed by a 20 minute sauna session and a 50 minute massage… I honestly cannot remember the last time I’d felt so relaxed – I wish I could go every week!

The rest of the time was admittedly spent only doing a little bowling, because I was feeling lazy and spent a good deal of time just sitting in cafe’s and doing a fair amount of reading. (I had a lot of books that were mounting up and needed reading, so this was the perfect time to capitalise on that opportunity)

Overall my weekend in Torquay was amazing, and I can’t wait to go back. Highly recommended.

For those seeking something a bit different, an Alaskan Cruise is a great experience, offering you the opportunity to experience some truly beautiful landscape.

The largest state in the United States, Alaska offers many geographical interests, including the tidewater glaciers found in the Alaska Panhandle, extensive forests home to bears, wolves and deer and coastal Alaska where you have the opportunity to spot seals and whales.

Experience the breathtaking sights of Mount Sanford in the Wrangell Mountains or take an Alaskan Cruise along the Inside Passage – an area rich in wildlife with some truly spectacular sights, or marvel at the beautiful fjords whilst searching for humpback whales.

Whether you choose to hike across glaciers or decide on a cruise to Alaska, there is something to suit everyone, and this majestic state is a must see place for nature lovers.

A long haul flight to beautiful Abu Dhabi £650, a week at a top 5 star hotel £830, the smile on my face when I see your view outside the hotel window – PRICELESS

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You have to love the holidays from hell programs that are on the TV a lot. Seeing someone’s poor misfortune when they arrive on holiday and end up having some kind of traumatic experience always gets a giggle. Definitely makes great watching, and here is the top 10 we have dug out for you. Above was number 1 – the old building site on your hotel doorstep nightmare was always going to get a mention.

In at number 2 we have the hotel room from hell, a video taken by a guest staying in the hotel Sara in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zWm0jyOy8I&rel=1]

Number 3 has to be the severe misfortune of arriving on your luxury Caribbean holiday at the exact same time as Hurricane Dean:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJjNgDIKPkU&rel=1]
Next at number 4 we have your mishaps experienced whilst on holiday in the USA. Your first baseball game ruined as a plane decides to crash just meters from where you are sitting!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_M7FjjBA5I&rel=1]

Last but not least, your fishing trip ruined by that pesky shark biting your hand after you dangle it around in front of it’s mouth – clever!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G79ByhftQjA&rel=1]

Travel is by no means cheap, and the price of a long haul holiday alone can leave you in financial hard ship for many months after you have returned from your luxury holiday.
But surely the expense is worth it? The chance to jet out to tropical climbs, and unwind for a fortnight in absolute bliss. Not always – those who have endured economy class aircraft seats for a 15 hour stint will know that the flight itself can eliminate any rest and recuperation, and instead leave you feeling more tired and drained than you did before you left.

So what are the other options apart from a few thousand pounds per person to upgrade to business class? There is always the free upgrade, considered the holy grail for travellers; the chance to experience the well equipped, comfortable lounges whereby you can spend your check-in and transit in premium comfort with refreshment and entertainment before you board the aircraft and relax in a roomier seat that reclines into a fully flat bed, allowing you the chance to really relax before you arrive at your destination.

All good in theory, but just how often do you actually get upgraded from economy class on your holiday to the Caribbean? Chances are the answer will be never. Okay, so it isn’t a frequent occurrence, but yes, it does happen. So are there any measures you can take to boost your chances of being upgraded – you bet there is. Are you ready? Read on.

First off you should look into becoming a member of the airline’s frequent flier program and receive airline miles, your chances of being upgraded will be greatly increased. This can, however, be difficult if you are not a frequent flier, but a way around this is to sign up for a credit card with a mileage earning component which would award you air miles for credit card purchases, but at the same time be wary of annual fees and steep interest rates associated with these types of cards.
Failing this, if you can travel with someone who is a member of the airlines frequent flier program, this can also often help your quest for the ever elusive upgrade.

Flying on the larger aircraft such as the Boeing 747 will offer more availability within business and first class, thus increasing the chances of seats available and your ability to be upgraded. Of course, many of those occupying business seats will be business people flying away on business, so choosing a destination that does not carry high business traffic will benefit you more. Flying to a busy city destination such as New York will not make your chances of being upgraded as easy as if you were flying on holiday to St Lucia.

You are more likely to be upgraded if you are not flying out of your carrier’s main airport. For example a flight on a British Airways aircraft departing from London Heathrow will typically see you flying with many other frequent fliers and will greatly reduce your chance of being upgraded.

Booking a flight which has a high likelihood of a full economy class section can also boost chances of airlines needing to upgrade passengers. Check the availability of business and first class seats on your scheduled flight by completing a fake online booking. The availability of these seats on a busy flight will mean there is a chance of an upgrade happening.
Empty flights provide the same opportunities, with weight issues meaning that to balance out a load on an aircraft, and airline carrier may be forced to upgrade individuals. Those sitting in the middle of the aircraft face the best chances of being upgraded in these circumstances.

The old rule of ‘dress to impress’ doesn’t hurt either. In order to fit in with first and business class clientele you are best advised to dress smart casual, and avoid shorts, flip flops and backpacks!

With all this in your upgrade arsenal, a few words of warning. At no time should you ask to be upgraded. This will most likely kill any chances you had of being upgraded.
The best thing you can do is follow the above rules in a hope that you may get upgraded, be as polite as possible without being pushy – after all, a smile does go a long way!

Recent violence in Kenya has lead tour operators to cancel all holidays to Kenya until this Saturday after the Foreign Office issued a statement advising against travel to Kenya except in essential circumstances.

The violence, which erupted as a result of a dispute over alleged fixing of election results, has led to more than 300 deaths and at least 700,000 driven from their homes since Sunday a report on the BBC has shown.

The suspension of holiday travel to the country came after the Federation of Tour Operators met to discuss the situation and it is expected that the ruling will affect hundreds of UK tourists who are due to fly out to Kenya over the next few days. A decision regarding what will happen after the initial suspension will be announced after the 5th of January.

Those affected will be offered an alternative holiday or will be fully refunded the price of their existing holiday.

It is estimated that there are currently approximately 6,000 British on beach and safari holidays in Kenya right now, with half of these in the country on a package holiday of some description.