RYANAIR VOTED WORST AIRLINE

Online comparison website GoCompare recently surveyed 3,000 adults in the UK with the questions of who are the best and worst airlines?

Ryanair came out on top and not in a good way! 19% of the votes took them to the number one spot for worst airline. Next down the list was EasyJet with 12% of the votes.

Old time favourite British Airways won the Best airline with 19% of people recommending them, and also making the top ten list were Thomas Cook, Thomas Airways and Monarch.

I think this just shows going with the renowned cheaper airlines isn't always the way to go, and sometimes paying that little bit extra is worth it for the overall service, comfort and value for money that all this airlines were surveyed on.

Just out of interest have you ever flown with Ryanair? And what was your experience from it?

STRAIGHT TALKING PLANS FOR CHATTY TRAVELLERS

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

The getting richer effect has expanded... by LittleBard95

Wouldn't you like to have The power of Android in your hand with all the apps and games you can think of, unlimited talk and texting for just $45 a month? And all this with a no hassle no contract plan?

People are saying you can Feel Richer with Android with a Straight Talk plan and its cut some of their phone bills in half. Why go for a contract when you can get deals like that? I'm already thinking in my head what I can spend the extra cash savings on. I am a woman after all and what we do best is shop and bargain hunt!

The phones on offer are not your cheap unknown makes either. Think Nokia, Samsung. Kyocera, LG and Motorola. On the smart phones you can enjoy voice navigation, a music player, video recording, a camera, bluetooth capabilities and touch screen access.

The International Long Distance plan is ideal for travellers as you get a flexible prepaid calling service that allows you to make calls from your mobile, home or office phone at reduced rates and with great reception and connectivity.

There are other plans to suit people who are missing home and like to stay in touch with their loved ones too like the All You Need Plan giving you 1,000 minutes, texts and 30MB of web data. Or if you know you are going to be chatting more or less every day you can have the $499.00 a year plan that gives you unlimited calls, texts, picture messaging and web - Potentially saving yourself a bucketful of cash!

PLAN YOUR PERFECT DAY: Fiji Wedding

We all have the idea in our heads of the perfect wedding. Some of us like to go traditional with the full works like the church, horse and cart and the big white dress. Some prefer a quick party wedding Las Vegas style and others like to jet off to an exotic location and enjoy their honeymoon over there too.

You hear a lot about Fiji weddings at Fiji all inclusive resorts which sound great for people who want a no hassle relaxing service and time away. Imagine being set in idyllic surrounds with champagne on arrival, walking down the aile to be greeted by a beautiful floral archway with an acoustic guitar player or choir in the background.

Then afterwards enjoy a special candlelit dinner with your loved one and/or watch some traditional Fiji dancing with friends and family. And of course there is no need to leave your guests early to jet off to your honeymoon location either because you are already there in the luxury surroundings. Plus if you have all inclusive you don't have to have the worry about needing money or how much you are allowed to spend etc.

Namale is Fiji's number 1 resort and Spa and a good place to look at if you want to have your wedding in Fiji.

FLY IN STYLE: Private Jet Charters

Example of a private jet interior

Have you ever tried to plan a family holiday or business trip abroad, only to have changed your mind last minute because you're put off by the hustle and bustle of the airports?

There is the long checking in process, potential delays, waiting in a queue to board or being sat next to the most irritating person ever on the aeroplane!

Sometimes I feel like going on my own private jet charter instead. And its probably not as expensive as you may think. Plus if you weigh up the options you would be getting compared to public flying you would be getting your own space, choice of air crafts, guaranteed pricing and a service tailored to your needs instead of someone elses.

One private jet charter company in particular that caught my eye is Plane Clear. Whether you're a family looking for some quality time away or a business person looking to fly solo in style or treat their clients the Program Management Membership is a great option. If you already have a similar programme in place Plane Clear's could save you 30% - 50% over your existing one so it's definitely worth looking into.

IDEAL LUXURY ROMANTIC HOLIDAYS

Are you looking for a romantic holiday for an occasion such as a honeymoon, valentines day or anniversary etc, but want something that little bit more special than just a standard break away?

Online holiday provider www.onlyexclusivetravel.com have a fantastic selection of couples getaways such as Thailand, Maldives, Bali, Vietnam, Barbados and more exotic destinations.

And of course with luxury locations like these you can expect the best accommodation and surrounds. Imagine unspoilt sandy beaches with clear waters, high standard dining experiences, top of the range facilities such as the spa, swimming pool, bars, entertainment. Take this tree pod dining experience pictured above found at the Soneva Kiri by Six Senses in Vietnam. How cool and exciting is that?

WORLDWIDE DECORATIVE SOUVENIER DISH TOWELS

Have you ever visited somewhere in the world and wished you had bought or kept some sort of memorabilia for that occasion?

There is an online shop called Tiddle E Winks Vintage 5 & Dime who actually sell beautiful 100% cotton hand embroidered Decorative Dish Towels, as well as other nostalgic items.

The tea towels are all themed by different countries, cities and states. You will be able to find anything from Alabama to Yellowstone.

This would make a perfect gift for someone to hang on their wall. Or even just something for yourself to keep and use and enjoy whilst you are doing your cooking anyway. You could have one for each day of the week!

CELEBRITY PUBS IN THE UK

Chris Evans' Mulberry Inn, Surrey

You always hear about rich celebrities with their holiday homes, yachts and cars, but who would have thought that a setting trend amongst the world of the stars would be owning a pub!?

The celebrities featured here have all bought pubs in the United Kingdom for sentimental reasons. And of course it drums up business with local tourists and ones from afar just by the owners names. Maybe the visitors think it must be the place to be or live with the hope they may bump into their idol perhaps?

Pier's Morgan's Hansom Cab Pub in Kensington, London

Sir Ian McKellen's The Grapes Pub in Limehouse, London

Ant and Dec's The Lodge Pub in Newcastle

Guy Richie's The Punchbowl Pub in Mayfair, London

Sir Michael Parkinson's The Royal Oak Pub in Berkshire

Have you ever been to one of these pubs or do you intend on visiting in the near future?

PET FRIENDLY HOTELS VS PET HOTELS

This post is a highlight of Dog Fence DIY helping you with your dog containment systems.

We have all heard of pet friendly hotels before, but what if we don't want to take our dog away with us and we haven't got a family member or friend to look after them for that time?

There is always the option of kennels but some people see even the nicest ones as a bit of a prison for their pets. Just stuck in a large kennel for their winding down times with the majority probably having a cage on the front of the enclosures.

But there are some fantastic luxury hotels for pets that have some dog containment systems that would probably be fit enough for people to reside in too.

We're are talking their own private room with an actual bed instead of a typical dog bed, a full grooming service, access to a doggy swimming pool to have fun with the other dogs, a flat screen TV, Outdoor dog gym/play area, high end dog treats, food and for the little dogs with celebrity owners a change of designer dog clothes each day.

The idea of these hotels is the pets are spoilt that much that they won't pine for their owners as they are having so much of a good time. Maybe some at the end of it won't even want to come home who knows!

From what I have saw though with regards to the cost of these places it probably works out the same to take an extra person on holiday with you! But that is the downside to having a pet I suppose. There is always something you need to pay out for them isn't there whether its vets fees, food etc? But for all you dog owners out there would you be without your 'mans best friend' as they say? What ever happened to being a woman's best friend too that's what I want to know?

CONSIDERING TAKING YOUR DOG ON HOLIDAY?

This post is a highlight of Dog Bark Collar helping bark control made easy wherever you are in the world.

Having a dog myself I often ponder with the idea of taking my boy with me or leaving him at home with family.

But most of the time if I do take him with me the activities I want to do and places I want to visit aren't really suitable for a tourist dog to be passing through! Either that or you get stood outside somewhere because of the dogs not allowed sign.

Then you have hotels. Do they accept pets? And the ones that do are they actually habitable!? I have been in places in the past that have suppose to be especially for pets but are definitely not for human occupation! And I don't even know how they managed to stay open to be honest. You're talking torn bed sheets, ripped wallpaper, stained carpet and a strong animal odour like someone had let their dog live in the room 24/7.

But look out for the ones with actual policies in place. At least then you know they have pride in their establishment if there are some rules to be followed.

These policies can be things like a maximum size or weight, must be fully trained to do their business as you might say in the right place!, not to be left unattended and some might even ask for the pet to have a dog bark collar. After all hotels are there for people to be able to relax pets or not. And constant barking at any time of the day is not good for anyone trying to get some peace and quiet.

The policies can vary with different hotels really but the ones I mentioned above are probably the more typical ones which is fair enough really isn't it? You expect your dog to act that way in your home so why does a hotel have to be any different?

THE BENEFITS OF A TRAVEL JOURNAL

This post is a highlight of Grammarly the most powerful grammar checker and a great place to learn English grammar rules

Whenever I go away on holiday as well as taking my camera with me I always like to take a journal also and use it a a diary of my daily thoughts and what I've been up to.

But usually I write as I go whilst its fresh in my mind rather than at the end of the day. So you can imagine what kind of scribbles and bad grammar are in there! Its the sort where I am the only one who can read my own writing!

I'll take those scribbles and transfer them into a scrap book along with the pictures I've taken to really bring the memories back to life. As well as the things you actually do on holiday like activities, sightseeing etc I will always take pictures and write about the people I've met and buildings that have caught my eye and stuck in my mind too. That way It's like re-living the scene back through my eyes again.

Doing a scrapbook is so much better than just flicking through photo albums and having to explain each picture to everyone if they ask. If they are interested you can just pass them the book can't you?

Some people actually release journal style books professionally don't they in the sense of 'life story' writing where you can go out and buy them in the shops? If I did that I would definitely have to re-check my grammar or even better use an online grammar checker so it does all the hard work for me.

I plan to travel to plenty more destinations in the next few years so I think I'm going to have to stock up on my scrap books.

How about yourself? Do you tend to make a diary of memorable times? or do you just like to let a picture tell its thousand words?

RELIABLE PRIVATE OWNED MEXICO ACCOMMODATION

I have been on holidays in the past where the accommodation hasn't quite been up to scratch and its been owned by the resort group. This is no disrespect to all resort groups as some have been to are lovely. I just think when they are privately owned they get more of a personal touch and are a lot cleaner and homely as its that's persons own place isn't it?

I've never been to Mexico and was considering it for my next holiday destination.I came across a website called Sea side reservations that has superb properties in las palmas puerto penasco, San Carlos, Barra de Navidad, Rocky point, Riviera Nayarit and more - all of them privately owned but still with the convenience of a maid service and your own private lounge, kitchen bedroom, as well as access to the facilities within the resort. Plus there are always members of staff on site to assist you, so its not like you've just rented a privately owned place and then are left to just get on with it and find your own way!

On the website you can see where the local events are, the best activities to do and the most practical way to get there i.e walking or using transport.

HAVEN HOLIDAY REVIEW: Hafyn Y Mor, Pwllhei, North Wales

Accommodation:

We stayed in a 3 bedroom superior caravan. On entry the accommodation was clean, furnishings modern and the beds made up. The disappointments were the mattresses in our caravan could have done with replacing as the springs dug in your back! I've had this problem before with Haven so whether its an ongoing problem with all their caravans? They could do with replacing each year really. Also this may sound petty but we had no ice cube trays in the freezer either. Drinking without ice isn't the same!

Would have been nice to have a welcome pack and instructions as we had no idea how to work the oven on the cooker. It wasn't straight forward. And the heating was on full when we arrived which was a nice gesture but hit you when you walked in and we had to try and figure out how to turn it off!
Information:

As mentioned above it would have been good to have a welcome pack. The only guide we had was a park map and the Haven Holiday brochure. The lack of signage around our accommodation area made it difficult to get to the facilities on the first day. There was no mention of where the main bins were - we had to ask another guest!

The park map was OK but it never mentioned what times facilities were open so you would often get there for example the Fish and Chip shop and find it closed. It would have been useful to include prices of facilities too so you could plan the day a bit better. Also there is no doctors on site. I was told the nearest one was 4 miles away.
Facilities:

I won't go into detail of exactly whats there as you can see it all on the Haven website but the choice of things to do was adequate. I was disappointed to learn the bowling advertised in the brochure was no longer there and the Go Karts only catered for children aged 8 and above. If I had known this I probably would have picked a different park. It was nice to have direct access to the beach and hiring the pedal boats and Kart bikes were fun!

The food outlet choice was good with a dining pub, fish and chip shop, Burger King, Papa Johns Pizza and Starbucks cafe. An average to feed a family of 3 for dinner or tea would range between £9-15 each time so bear that in mind if you plan on eating out a lot. I would have liked to have seen a Chinese/Indian takeaway but that is just me being picky again! If I were to go on a Haven holiday again I would consider the half board option as it's just £12 a day per person for 3 meals.

Night Time Entertainment:

There were 2 show bars open out of the three which I thought was decent for the time of year we went (end September). During our time there there were some kids shows where they did dancing and magic which was great. The talent show was my personal favourite! Its a shame we were out of season as I would have liked to have seen a comedy act, wrestling and the circus. The shows started about 7 ish and continued through the night with adult only shows on at 11pm. But if you're out with the kids they'd probably be asleep by 10pm anyway if not before! Mine were anyway!

Price:

I was lucky enough to get a last minute £99 deal. The price was good value really and much better than the £200 + price we would have had to have paid for 4 nights if booked in advance. From the disappointments I have mentioned here I think I would have been a bit miffed to have paid that much!

Nearby Attractions:

There is only so much you can do on the on site facilities so we ventured out a lot. There are 3 beaches a short drive away from the park. You have got Barmouth Beach, Black Rock Bay near Portmadog and there was another towards Pwllhei. Harlech castle is a good attraction to visit as well although there is admission charges to look around.

There are other attractions that are suggested on the back of the park map. It all depends what you like to do really.

Overall:

It was an enjoyable holiday still with the 'disappointments' aside but not somewhere I would consider returning to again unfortunately.

Rating:

6/10

TIPS ON HOW TO PACK LIGHT

Five New Takes on Packing Light

The hot travel topic right now is the number one thing that makes travelers upset and angry: luggage fees. Forget about delayed flights, long luggage lines, problems with a prepaid cell phone signals in airports, or outrageous cab fares; it's all about the price you pay to check a bag.

There are probably some travelers out there that would rather pay higher plane tickets than have to worry about unknown fees when they approach the airline agent. It’s one thing if you are prepared to pay a certain amount in baggage fees, but with heavy weight charges and even carry-on charges, travelers feel like giving up.

Although there has been debate, most airlines are not mentioning the possibility of eliminating baggage fees or even reducing them. All they seem to want to convince people to do is either sign up for the airline’s frequent flyer programs or sign up for the airline’s credit card programs. Travelers need to think twice before signing up for any program and try to find alternatives to saving money from ridiculous baggage fees.

Here are the top five spins on common tips for packing lightly:

1. Pack Less

One of the easiest and simplest ways to reduce baggage fees is to pack less. For the most part, if you just pack one carry-on conducive to the correct size, then you have nothing to worry about. That is unless an airline actually charges for the carry-on itself. At least that is the only expense you’ll have. Try packing one color scheme and purchasing other clothing items once you arrive. Before you leave, you can either donate or leave the items in the hotel.

2. Understand all policies before purchasing a plane ticket

It is important to consult both the internet and speak to a live agent about the individual airliner’s policies. Make sure and inquire about the baggage fees and carry-on fees. You need to research how the fees could vary by airliner, destination, date of travel, number of bags, and the weight of the bags. Also, consider that when traveling internationally, requirements will most likely change amidst flight changes.

3. Refrain from joining any programs

Unless you are a business traveler traveling more than two times in a week, contrary to most advisers, reconsider the frequent flyer programs and credit cards. Usually the money saved on baggage fees and airplane flights will not be worth the fees and high interest rates of most programs.

4. Weigh your luggage

By weighing the luggage before entering the airport, you can avoid the stress of having to make adjustments, get rid of clothing or a bag although. Nothing is more daunting than realizing half the stuff you packed cannot go on the plane.

5. Consider purchasing new luggage

Look for luggage that meets the size requirements, but weighs less. Luggage made of ballistic nylon or the equivalent allows the carrier to pack more of items they want. Although this luggage tends to cost substantially more, the lightweight luggage tend to have high durability.

Bottom line though is that whether we pack lightly or not, it would make more sense for the airliners to change their ticket prices accordingly and get rid of those unnerving baggage fees.

Guest post by Wilson Chandler.

DISCOVER THE WORLD OF ZACAPA'S PREMIUM DARK RUM

This post brought to you by Diageo. All opinions are 100% mine.

You always tend have that one (or more!) bottles of best alcohol that you only keep for your special guests don't you? From the places I have been around the world I always like to have a nice alcoholic beverage to bring home for my collection.

I have heard recently about Zacapa premium rum that not only has a distinctive unique taste to it but has a fascinating story around the way it's brewed and aged too.

Take yourself to the town of Zacapa in Eastern Guatemala for moment where 34 years ago the brand was born. The sugar cane is grown in acidic soils from volcanoes that oozes sunlight. What makes this rum a cut above the rest is where other brands use a sugar making by-product called molasses, Zacapa's premium dark rum only uses concentrated first pressed virgin sugar cane honey.

If that wasn't enough to impress you with the time and effort that goes into making this masterpiece the aging process is done 2,300 metres above sea level on the Quetzaltenango highlands, where the airy mountain breeze helps slow down the aging process. And each bottle has a handwoven petate band attached to it that represents the unity of sky and earth time and space.

This premium rum is not something you will find in your local shop or budget supermarket. It even has its own Zacapa Society too that you can join here. All members will get the chance to see exclusive details and the possibility of getting fantastic gifts and prizes. This as well as finding out where to buy the rum near you if you don't fancy a trip to Eastern Guatemala anytime soon!