Sounds of Great Britain

Have you checked out the latest video where the British Tourism board uses ‘Sounds’ to promote Britain across the world? The pouring of a cup of tea, the disturbance of the waves while surfing, the cycle bell, the chimes of Big Ben, the sound of a Wimbledon tennis match, a music show and a black cab beeping are all being used in this short video to woo tourists to mark Britain as their next holiday destination. This video features a whole range of landmarks, people, locations and experiences, including a Dartmouth Steam train, the sound of a Wimbledon tennis crowd, the glamour of the Goring, the buzz at Lovebox festival and the striking medieval fortification at Caerphilly castle.

And the best part about this video is that it is just 30 seconds long and it still manages to show so much. What are you waiting for…check out this video. 

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The Busy Airport Guide - Luton Airport

When heading off on your annual summer holiday, a hectic, stressful airport is probably the last thing you'd ask for. With long queues, large crowds and little time to spare, a crowded airport is, sadly, part of most Brits' summer holiday journeys. This  unique guide gives you the best advice, tips and tricks to conquer the journey, and make it that little bit easier to handle.

Getting to the Airport
London Luton Airport is in more of a central location than Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted, and is easily accessible from all parts of the country, whether it be the North, South or the Midlands. If you do live in Central London, great. There are regular rail services operated by First Capital Connect from London Bridge, City Thameslink, Farringdon, Blackfriars and St Pancras International. If you live elsewhere, don't worry, as trains to Luton Airport operate from all over. Take note that there will be a bus transfer from Luton Airport Parkway train station directly to the airport after you get off the train. Travelling by coach is also a good idea, because there are plenty of services run by National Express and Stagecoach from some key towns and cities and Central London itself to the airport. It's a good idea to check this information on the National Express website.

Airport Parking
Many people going on holiday each year prefer to get to the airport using their own car, mainly for the added sense of ease, reassurance and convenience. Airport parking at Luton Airport is renowned for its good value for money and low prices when booked early - this is especially the case with parking specialists ParkBCP. If you do this, you'll save 50% or more, and pay significantly less than you would if you chose not to pre-book. If you're going away for 1 or 2 weeks, the Long Term Parking option is suitable for you. The car park is situated just 10 minutes from the terminal and Luton Airport Parking offers a 24-hour bus transfer service after you've parked your car. The Luton Airport website offers more detailed information about prices and the locations of the car parks, so it's important to check this out before you book!

Things to do at the Airport
There's lots to do at Luton Airport while you wait to board, all of which will be sure to make the waiting time run a little smoother for all the family. For those of you who enjoy a spot of shopping, Luton will provide you with a range of stores including MAC, Pandora, Kurt Geiger, Victoria's Secret, Accessorize, plus the duty-free shops with plenty of items on offer. If you'd like a bite to eat pre-flight, you can choose from Luton Airport's variety of restaurants and chic bars; Frankie & Benny's, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, The Real Food Company, Est Bar, Bar 10 and more. No matter how you choose to spend your waiting time at the airport, your journey from Luton is sure to be an enjoyable experience.

Now that you know a little more about Luton Airport, you'll probably feel more at ease about the upcoming journey. With its central location, good airport parking facilities and variety of restaurants, bars and shops, your journey at Luton Airport will fly by.

About the Author: Lucy West is a 27 year old creative writer. She loves words and the power they can have. She thrives on knowing her work is being read and enjoyed. After working for years in a job she didn't enjoy, she decided to travel, which in turn lead to a major career change. Upon returning she enrolled at Westminster University to study Creative Writing and so her new found love began. If you don't find her writing, she'll be in a yoga studio.

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The best things to do when in London

Huge, energetic, historic, beautiful and edgy – London remains one of the world’s most fascinating cities. You can visit again and again, and never have the same experience twice.

Unless you have many months to spare, the best way to see London is to go for variety, selecting just a few areas. Here are some ideas:

Notting Hill
Fridays and Saturdays show Notting Hill off at its best, if you can stand the crowds. Portobello Market is a heaving treasure chest full of antiques, street food, vintage clothing and flea market fare. Colourful cottages line the streets and chic boutiques sit happily alongside the market stalls. When your legs are tired you can sit in one of the hundreds of cafes, bars and pubs and watch the passers-by.

 
Soho & Chinatown
Soho is an excellent place to observe London in all its diversity. Self conscious media types in skinny jeans rub shoulders with market vendors in streets packed with cafes, bars, restaurants, pop-up shops and fringed by the city’s red light district. Old Compton Street is a vibrant slice of London’s gay community, and the theatre land of Covent Garden is a stone’s throw away.

Step over Shaftsbury Avenue and you are hit by the exotic, pungent flavours of Chinatown. Streets hung with red lanterns are packed with windows full of glistening crispy ducks, ancient Chinese medicines and unusual foods to take home. Feast yourself on dim sum and take in the aromas and colour.

Brick Lane
Brick Lane and the surrounding Spital fields, Shoreditch and Whitechapel shows off London in all its artistic, cosmopolitan and eclectic glory. Steeped with history and yet constantly developing, the area is perhaps best known for its Bengal community and its top quality, cheap curry houses. Once haunted by Jack the Ripper, winding alley ways lead to open spaces and covered markets. The street food is excellent and urban art covers the crumbling walls.

Riverboat
If you fancy sitting back and taking in the view, the riverboat is a novel and relaxing way to get your bearings. Get on at Embankment and ride all the way to Greenwich to enjoy a winding river ride which takes in many of London’s famous landmarks as well as a fascinating combination of historic and cutting edge architecture: the Houses of Parliament, Tate Modern, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf, to name a few.

Tip: When it comes to accommodation, the best way to absorb the atmosphere of these areas is to avoid the big hotels and ‘stay local’. There are various beautiful boutique hotels, and for a truly authentic local experience, onefinestay.com provides quirky vacation apartments (complete with local tips) with all the comforts of a hotel.

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Guest Post: Five Highlights of the 2011 London International Horse Show at Olympia!!

One of the undisputed highlights to the Equestrian year is the London International Horse Show at Olympia which this year runs from 13 to 19 December 2011.

Over 7 days of competition and display, hundreds of horses and riders will ply their art in the arena whilst adjacent, in the National Hall, over 200 shops make up the biggest ever International Horse Show Shopping Village with a wonderful array of equestrian-themed goods - from horse blankets to earrings (for you - not your horse!).

Here are 5 highlights that are guaranteed to knock your socks off.

Extreme Carriage Driving - everything seems to be extreme this year, but few extreme events will live up to the spectacle of Indoor Carriage Driving. On Thursday evening and Friday afternoon the world’s top four in-hand drivers (including Boyd Exell, Ijsbrand Chardon and Koos de Ronde) will compete with their teams of four horses in a speed carriage driving competition. Flying the flag for Great Britain is plucky Pippa Bassett with her team of Lipizzaners.

Dressage Highlight: The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Qualifier on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 December is the fourth of nine qualifiers leading up to the finals in Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands next April. Horse riding does not get more technical that dressage and dressage doesn't get tougher than this. Cheer the Brit: Richard Davison currently lies in 5th.

Jumping Highlight: The Rolex FEI World Cup™ Qualifier presented by H&M on Sunday 18 December. This is my top moment each year: incredible riders on incredible horses jumping incredible fences. Brit Michael Whitaker won last year and is back to defend his crown, but Nick Skelton and Scott Brash are having a storming season this year too. I can't wait!

The Lusitano Ride from Portugal - This promises to be the picture postcard moment from this year’s show. The Lusitano Ride from Portugal includes some of Portugal’s finest horses and riders. Actually managing to look cool in traditional dress, ten riders on ten Lusitano stallions will take part in this captivating display, reflecting the traditional horsemanship that still exists in Portugal today.

Lorenzo The Flying Frenchman - this is Lorenzo's third visit to Olympia. What a display of horsemanship, trust and courage - including flying over jumps whilst standing on the back of his horses. The bond with his horses (a team of beautiful grey Lusitanos) is incredible. Although the Horse Show site actually boasts that in 2000 Lorenzo fell off! Yes you too can see a grown man cry!

Of course there is the Shetland Pony Grand National and the Dog Agility Competition and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Father Christmas makes an appearance - as if he wasn't busy enough! All in all a cracking event when the horse world goes mainstream!

London International Horse Show at Olympia, London 13 - 19 December 2011. Tickets available from theatre breaks.

This guest post has been written by Nick Pratt.

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Guest Post: Enjoying Cardiff at the weekend

Cardiff, Wales’ capital, is fast becoming one of the best loved alternative tourist cities in Britain. Attracting an estimated 18 million tourists in 2010, Cardiff offers a vast array of attractions and must-dos to suit all interests, and hotels like the Ibis Hotel Cardiff Gate lie well enough in the heart of it all to provide a decent base from which to explore the city. If you’re thinking about visiting the city soon, here are a few places you should definitely try and squeeze in while you’re there.

Cardiff Bay
Home to a large freshwater lake and the Wales Millennium Centre in which lies the glorious Welsh National Opera, Cardiff Bay is the largest waterfront development in Europe, and offers a fantastic selection of top quality restaurants, bars and cafes in addition to all the fun water sports there. So whoever’s in your party, the more sedate can relax and use the amenities, and the thrill seekers can join in the water-based excitement before you return to your Cardiff hotel to freshen up.

 
Llandaff Cardiff Ghost Walk
Cardiff History and Hauntings’ Llandaff Cardiff Ghost Walk is the only way to get right under the skin of Cardiff’s paranormal past. The guided tour will take you around the capital city’s spookiest alleyways, where you’ll be told about the chilling history and hauntings of each of the stops on the, and all for under £10. In fact, Cardiff History and Hauntings’ Llandaff Cardiff Ghost Walk has been hailed as one of the best things to do for under a tenner in all of Britain!

Millennium Stadium
Built in 1999 to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup and one of the newest big attractions in Cardiff, the beautiful Millennium Stadium is situated on the water’s edge and lies at the heart of the city, it’s a real feat of architecture and engineering. Home to Wales national rugby union team, Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium also stages games of the Wales national football team as well as a plethora of other big ticket events, for example the Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain, Super Special Stage of Wales Rally Great Britain, boxing and many music acts including the likes of U2, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Madonna, Stereophonics and Paul McCartney. Visitors are able to take a stadium tour with prices starting from £4.95 for concessions and £19.50 for a family, so it’s well worth checking out.

National Museum and Art Gallery
Free to enter and bursting with culture, Cardiff can offer visitors the likes of the National Museum and Art Gallery where they will learn about natural history, geology and archaeology.

This guest post has been written by Joseph Griffiths.

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