Camping is Romantic – Five Tips to Convince your Reluctant Partner

If you’ve always loved camping but your partner isn’t convinced then you need to make sure that their first camping experience goes as well as possible – a rain drenched weekend in a leaking tent with soggy food is likely to put them off for life! Here we have a few ideas to help you plan a trip to impress. Forget the wild adventure camping for the moment and take the time to persuade them to love camping as much as you do by proving it’s not all sunburn and spiders.

Check Your Destination

Make sure you know where you’re going and how to get there and, if your staying on a camping site check the facilities – cold morning showers and long, dark walks to a cold toilet block in the night are not going to be persuading your reluctant partner that camping is the best way to spend their vacation.

Plan Your Meals

Camping food needn’t be all baked beans and burnt sausages. With a decent camping stove you have a lot of flexibility and could whip up a gourmet evening meal of you make sure you plan it in advance (a trial run might not go amiss if you’re trying to impress!).

Make it Comfortable

Waterproof your tent and check your sleeping arrangements. A thin and restrictive sleeping back, with little else protecting you from the hard and lumpy ground, is hardly conducive to a good night’s sleep and more likely to inspire complaints that romance. Get yourself a foam sleeping pad (or even better, an air mattress) and a double sleeping bag to make the whole experience warmer and more comfortable.

Know Your Stars

One of the best things about an evening spent outdoors is time spent gazing at the stars and speculating about the universe. If you take the time to learn a few of the constellations, and perhaps some of the myths and legends associated with them, you’ll be all ready to impress with your knowledge and get more from the experience.

Bubble Tents

Taking this idea further for the ultimate luxury campers are the recent innovation of Bubble Tents. Unfortunately, only available in Europe at the moment, the bubble tents are completely clear so that you can view the night sky from the comfort on your tent, perhaps over a glass of champagne which suits the beautiful set-up of the interior. Luxury camping at it’s most luxurious – this one can’t fail to impress!

Even if you don’t take it this far then you can see from the ideas above that it really isn’t too hard to make your camping experience comfortable and fun. Just try to see their point of view and stop any possible objections before they become and issue, and you might convert them for life!

Categories: Elsewhere

Cheap European holidays

Europe is a continent not exactly known for rock-bottom prices.  However, not all cities are made equal.  These three European gems will provide great value for you and your family.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is a wonderful city for walkers.  Chalk-full of canals, there is rarely a time when you won’t be awestruck by the view in front of you.  For some reason, this city is often overlooked by many tourists.  There is no doubt Bruges is among the best of the cheapest holiday destinations in Europe.  It is also fairly easy to get to, as it is only about 3-4 hours from London, Paris, and Amsterdam, and only an hour from Brussels by train.  The city is well-known for its Gothic architecture.  World-famous chocolate is sure to tempt any foodie while on vacation in Belgium as well. (Not to be confused with the Granada in Nicaragua).


Granada, Spain

Granada is often overlooked in Spain due to cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville.  However, this wonderful city has a major sight going for it: La Alhambra.  This massive complex is called a “palace city”, and is part castle/part monument/part garden/part temple.  The views in the complex and from on top of the complex are absolutely breathtaking.  The whole area takes many hours to sift through, so be sure to allow ample time for exploring.  Apart from La Alhambra, Granada is an extremely walkable city full of shops and tapas bars. It feels like no one is ever working because of the massive amount of people just sitting around enjoying life outside in the parks.  For a taste of Spain, go to a tapas restaurant and drink some Spanish wine.

Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn isn’t the cheapest holiday destination, but it is quite a bit more affordable than a city like London or Rome. Staying in budget accommodation will allow you to spend more money on great food and attractions.   Tallinn is known for its stunning architecture and cool monuments. There are a number of view platforms that are great for viewing the city in a different light.  Be sure to head to the one on Toompea hill and bask in the picturesque views.  Tallinn food is quite different than food Westerners are used to, so be a little daring and try some marinated eel or jellied meat. I advise going to Tallinn sooner rather than later, because tourism is up and coming very fast.

Categories: Europe

Santa Ynez Wine Tasting

A great California destination spot is Santa Ynez Valley along the central coast. About 125 miles north of Los Angeles and 200 miles south of the Bay area, Santa Ynez Valley is an ideal vacation zone to help you get away from the big-city lifestyle and all of its headaches and stresses. “The Valley,” is known for great wine with a signature that is unmistakable. Santa Ynez Valley is one of five world famous American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the county of Santa Barbara.


The valley offers not only great wine tasting opportunities but wonderful hillsides to sit and relax and drink that wine you just purchased. Picnic under an oak tree while you sip your wine and pass the time away. And when you are done with the day, you can get a revitalizing massage at a local health spa and prepare for a wonderful dinner at one of the valley’s great restaurants like the Ballard Inn or Los Olivos Café.

But for those intensely focused on the wine, the thing you will remember the most are the distinguishing tastes of local wineries. The many tasting rooms and wine bars are riddled throughout the valley. There is no way to miss tasting at least one of the most spectacular varietals you have ever tasted during the weekend you spend in Santa Ynez Valley.

But if you still don’t think you can make it to this beautiful valley right now, then you can always turn to the internet. Many wineries have online stores right on their websites. One of the more overlooked smaller wineries is called Sobriquet Winery, located in Los Olivos. Its wines have a great reputation with wine competitions and wine press alike. Visit the site to see some of the best red wines as well as the best Chardonnay wine the valley has to offer. That should give you your Santa Ynez fix – at least until you can visit it for yourself.

Categories: United States

Five Great Things to Do in London

The England capital is a tourist hot spot, attracting millions of visitors every year. To fit in with the quirky trends of the city some choose to stay in cool hotels London or unusual hotels London. There are hundreds of things to do in London ranging from funky shops to historical buildings. Although because of it’s size not many people know where to start. Here are five things to do in the city, some you may have thought of already, others you may have not:

1.Make the most of the Green Space – London is one of the greenest cities on the planet and it’s parks are the envy of the world. When here it would be a shame not to visit a few. If you like to be central try Regents or Hyde Park or if you fancy going a little further afield then why not head to Richmond Park? The park has it’s own collection of deer and is also great for cyclists.


2.Shop for Vintage – London has an amazingly varied range of shops and is rightly proud of it’s vintage stores. So whether you are into retro chic or one off period pieces you should find what you are looking for in London. Head to Brick Lane, Islington, Camden and Soho for the best choice.

3.Get Cultural – London has an abundance of art galleries, museums and photography galleries that you would be foolish not to try at least one of during your stay. If Modern Art is your thing you really must try the Tate Modern or try the Tate Britain for something a bit more traditional.

4.Step Back in Time – If you’re are a history buff or just want to entertain the kids then try the fantastic Tower of London or the London Dungeon. Both are like stepping back to a different time.

5.Just Relax – Don’t forget to take some time out to enjoy the city. Take a leisurely boat trip on the Thames, a stroll down lovely South Back or just get a deck chair in one of the parks and watch the rest of the world go by!

Categories: England

Negril – An Ideal Vacation Destination

Negril is a spectacular beach town situated on Jamaica’s western side. Negril Point and Negril Lighthouse are parts of the Westmoreland Parish, and the popular beach town extends to the Hanover Parish and Bloody Bay as well.

Crystal clear water, pristine white beaches and rugged cliffs are just some of the characteristics that make up Negril’s beautiful landscape. If a vacationer is searching for a getaway spot in which to simply relax and unwind, it can be found in Negril. Fondly called the “Capital of Casual,” the island still features the ambiance brought by the influx of hippies decades ago. Perfect weather, quiet relaxing beaches, and friendly people are just a few of the benefits of a Negril vacation.

Canopy tours boast immense popularity among visitors in this area of Jamaica. Negril, as seen from a birds-eye view, is stunning as one takes a ride on the zip-line for an amazing sightseeing experience. For those who are not quite so adventurous, tubing down the river is the perfect leisure activity. Off-road adventures such as ATV riding are also gaining popularity and guests can ride their ATVs through working plantations in order to catch a glimpse of daily life in Negril. With so many options to appeal to even the most discriminating vacationer, it is not uncommon to meet visitors who have been to the island multiple times.

Negril hotels can be found to suit any lifestyle and budget; including beach homes, apartments, condos, traditional hotels and villas. Whichever type of accommodations one selects, he or she will most likely be well satisfied with the outcome. The relaxing and rejuvenating tropical paradise welcomes those from all walks of life. The islanders enjoy making new friends and welcoming tourists back to the island again and again. Most people who visit the island agree that it is an excellent place to relax and forget the cares of the world in which they live.

Categories: Elsewhere, Jamaica

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