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The way the British pound is going abroad right now means that many Brit’s are simply unable to afford a nice holiday overseas. The pound buys barely over 1.20 euro’s at the moment which has to be a major turn off.

But most of us still need a holiday - right?

With the advent of those cheap holiday packages to Spain, Cyprus, Portugal and the like, the average British family abandoned the English seaside in their droves because basically a holiday on English soil simply became too expensive compared to the Costa’s and the Algarve. Those charming family-run B&B’s and small hotels which attracted the working man and his family to places like Blackpool years ago changed from offering good budget accommodation to 4 star luxury establishments sporting ’we do not cater for children’ signs.

Also those charming country cottages now charge the equivalent of a stay in a five star hotel - who on earth can afford that!

Little wonder many of those places sit empty throughout the year…

I have some great news. A holiday in Britain in a self-catering property actually is an affordable option; why not check out this site : Our Holiday Rental Homes - there’s a good list of properties around the UK many of which are under £400 a week and all in very nice locations.

Have a holiday at home and be a tourist in your own country for a change!

Popularity: 10% [?]

We recently met some folk from around the Myrtle Beach region of South Carolina in the United States and from what they told us about the place it sounds like a brilliant place to go for a vacation.

Many Brit’s head off over to the US for their holidays and usually take the DisneyWorld option but I did some research and looked at Myrtle Beach myself and I have to say it looks really wonderful. It is on the Atlantic and has a huge range of family activities; the beaches look great and are well patrolled. The locals have laws in place to protect the coastline (no glass/bottles on the sand) and have certain dress regulations for around the towns and beaches (no topless sunbathing and no thong-like swimmers). If you have ever been to the Spanish Costa’s and seen the tourist fashion sense there you would agree that the Spanish should consider introducing the same dress codes…

We like the look of it there so much that we are considering a trip to Myrtle Beach ourselves and I thought I would suggest it here if you are looking for somewhere more quality-wise for your trip to the US. It happens to be one of the top destinations for Americans themselves and that’s a good tip as they are quite discerning in where they spend their valuable vacation time.

If you are interested take a look at the Myrtle Beach tourist guide. Maybe we’ll see you there sometime soon.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Holidays are a time for fun, relaxation, new experiences and a general recharging of the batteries. However they are also synonymous with accidents, tummy bugs, long miserable hours on the loo and in some cases ‘the worst’.  As a Mum who holidays with small kids I stick to a course of action which sees us safe and healthy throughout our trip - a few other tips here could help do the same for you.

Health Insurance:

Need I say more? don’t tempt fate and go without it - just don’t risk it - and if you travel to the USA without health insurance then you deserve everything you get.

Start off on the right foot:

Going away next week or soon after…? deal with any coughs, runny noses, temperatures, eczema outbreaks, etc NOW!  I always pack a supply of child paracetemol (the box of individual sachets of calpol are great) as I am a bit sus of buying foreign medications for the kids. My young son suffers from eczema flare-ups so I bombard his skin with creams in the weeks before we go; and I make sure I have a fresh supply of his cortisone and moisturiser cream from the doctor to take with us - once again I prefer to use our own familiar medications.

Girls - buy your tampons/pads from your usual outlet and take them with you; some countries have very inferior alternatives.

A bit of advice from a mother in the hotel industry: if you or hubby, or especially one/all of the kids starts with a fever, temperature, severe cough within 48 hours of getting on the plane then have a really good think about things. Is it wise to go at all? - now I understand that many would say “what about the money we would lose if we cancel?” - I prefer to think about it this way. Such symptoms can take on epic proportions once on a plane/train or in a new environment and the results can spell anxiety and sheer misery for everyone concerned. I have seen this happen believe me - parents arriving with fevered distressed kids who were already ill when they left home. If it were me I would prefer to postpone/cancel rather than risk a hospital stay in a foreign country. The kids matter more than the money.

Girls (once again) and guys - pack those contraceptives; the one’s you know and trust.

Vaccinate:

Update those tetanus shots and I’d be inclined to consider a hepatitis shot as well - do this at least a month before you leave, not at the last minute.

Fill those cavities and treat any problems:

Ever wondered what it would be like to visit a dentist in far-eastern Turkey or Bangkok…no? thought so. Get to the dentist in good time and ensure any little issues are fixed before you leave, that goes for the kids too. I am not talking about major reconstruction of course, but just one abcess or cracked tooth could spoil your entire trip. Given the NHS waiting list though spend some money and go private if you can - could save you a lot of hassles when you are away.

Popularity: 14% [?]