In-flight essentials

26 August 2009 at 9:03 am (transport)

Whether you’re on a low-cost cheapie or a classy national carrier, a few onboard extras can make your flight more comfortable.

SHORT-HAUL

  • Earplugs – ever been stuck in front of a screaming baby for an hour? I have.
  • Sleep mask – I often catch 40 winks on short flights, esp on early-morning cheapies. I like the look of the Bucky (http://ow.ly/lfU0), but I haven’t tried it.
  • Hand wipes or alcohol gel, plus some tissues – I’ve seen too many dodgy in-flight loos
  • Book, magazine, portable DVD player or iPod – there’s lame in-flight entertainment on short-haul (er, except for the many oustanding in-flight mags I write for, of course)
  • Food and drink – rip-off prices and grim choices on most short-haul flights. Pick up your own after security.

LONG-HAUL

  • All of the above, minus food and drink (although I always pick up a spare bottle of water after security), and if I know the in-flight entertainment is good (i.e. Video on Demand on BA or similar), I’ll leave the DVD player at home.
  • Neck pillow – I’ve tried many, but still yet to find one that I absolutely adore. I’m considering these: Travel Nook Inflatable Pillow (http://ow.ly/lfR2) and Komfort Kollar Memory Foam (http://ow.ly/lfSe/). Anything’s better than the pathetic ones they offer onboard, though.
  • 1st class sleeper – my husband mocks me for bringing this (http://www.1stclasssleeper.com/), but I love this inflatable seat-improver, especially on night flights. It definitely makes Economy seats more bearable. Probably not ideal for very tall people, though, as it takes up a tiny bit of leg room.
  • Water face spritz and moisturiser – skin dries out in the air, so I spritz and moisturise often. I put lavender in my face spritz to help with sleep and to make the plane smell a bit nicer!
  • Slippers – I don’t like walking around on planes in my socks, but if I’m half asleep, I don’t to faff about with proper shoes.
  • Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hairbrush – many planes don’t provide amenity bags any more, so take your own.
  • Noise-cancelling headphones
  • Compression socks – to help avoid DVTs (plus stretch legs, bend knees, walk around frequently)
  • Loose-fitting clothes – to sleep in. More comfortable, plus keeps your proper clothes fresh.

That might seem like a lot, but I do sleep well on nearly every long-haul flight I go on now. I arrive ready to hit the town, which is essential in my line of work, but also for most travellers as few people have unlimited time on their hands. Or maybe I’m just high maintenance.

Here’s what some other frequent travellers take onboard.

Via Twitter: @Brunehaut_Beer Mag-safe seat power adapter (for Mac laptop) + the requisite power port!

Via Twitter: @salleeann, @ sarahmagnetic & @OdysseyGuides Pashmina-type-wrap to protect from the fierce in-flight air-con

Via Twitter: TravelMetro Booze

A travel mag staffer: ‘Deodorant, hand wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, a little make-up, hairbrush, book’

By Jill Starley-Grainger
http://www.stgr.net
Twitter: @uktraveleditor

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Five cities to skip – and five to try instead

20 August 2009 at 1:12 pm (Cities, London)

Blue Gate

Lose yourself beyond the Blue Gate in Fes' authentic, chaotic souk

Working on a travel magazine today with an article about Florence, it reminded me how much I disliked the city. I thought others might like to avoid it, too, so here’s my list of cities that were overhyped and underwhelming – as well as alternatives that are well worth going out of your way for.

  1. Skip: Florence. It’s packed with tourists (literally shoulder to shoulder in many places), massive queues (two to five hours for the Uffizi) and rip-off prices. Only worth visiting if you’re seriously into Italian Renaissance art.
    Try: Siena.     Just down the road, this has that laid-back Tuscan feel and architecture most people like. Sure, there are tourists (where in Italy doesn’t?), but only a tiny proportion compared to Florence, and as long as you avoid eating on the main square, you will get excellent local food and decent prices.
  2. Skip: Venice. Italians don’t even live here any more. It became far too expensive for them years ago, so they come in just to work in the restaurants and cafes. By 8pm, most restaurants are closing (unheard of in other Italian cities) as the staff hop on boats to go back to Treviso and other nearby cities.
    Try: Rovinj, Croatia.     Across the Adriatic from Venice (a mere ferry ride away), this beautiful town was once under Venetian rule, and the architecture reflects this. Beautiful meandering streets, with lovely views of the Adriatic and nearby islands. Drive out into the surrounding Istrian countryside, too, which looks very Tuscan. (PS Stay at the Monte Mulini Hotel, and visit the red island.)
  3. Skip: Bruges. Like Venice, this chocolate-box canal-strewn city lacks a soul. It is, mostly, authentic, but again, few Belgians live here, and don’t expect to get a feel for the real Belgium here. Worth a short 1/2 day visit, but don’t bother staying.
    Try: Amsterdam.     The red-light district is only a tiny part of this beautiful city and easily avoided. Spend days wandering miles and miles of picturesque canals, hanging with locals in the gorgeous, laid-back brown bars (like pubs), shopping for fantastic modern and vintage design – clothes and homewares – eating delicious food and visiting world-class museums and parks. Bliss.
  4. Skip: Dublin. Unless you like Guinness and getting pissed with tourists, there’s little to do here. Chances that you’ll meet locals are slim, no matter how much you hang out in the mostly disappointing pubs.
    Try: London.     OK, I’m probably biased since I’ve lived here 15 years, but this is one of the world’s great cities, and you MIGHT meet locals if you go to the right pubs. As a general rule, avoid pubs on busy main roads (there are a few notable exceptions to this), and wander the backstreets until you find a busy, but not too noisy, one. Don’t go in if it plays loud music, has huge TV screens (unless you just want to watch the footie) or gambling fruit machines. Order a drink and hang out by the bar, and before long, someone will start chatting to you. Plus, there are about a million things to do when you’re not in the pub.
  5. Skip: Marrakech. Actually, I quite like Marrakech, but in recent years, it’s lost its authenticity thanks to its soaring popularity. The souk here is the big disappointment – smaller than you’d imagine and with more tourist tat. If you just want to hang and not see much in the way of sights, Marrakech is still good, though.
    Try: Fes. A three-hour train ride from Casablanca, or seven-hours from Marrakech, a visit here is truly like stepping back in time, more than any city I’ve ever been to. The souk is a vast tangle of Middle Ages architecture, and you will get lost and confused almost instantly. Few people here speak French, and even fewer speak English, but immerse yourself in the mayhem, and it will be an unforgettable experience. The souk walkways are so small, no cars or motorbikes are allowed in, with only donkeys (sad, overworked creatures) to carry the loads. Stay here for just two nights (try Dar Seffarine or Riad Maison Bleue), and you will truly feel like you’ve gone back to the Middle Ages in the TARDIS. An unmissable experience for anyone who can handle the chaos.

By Jill Starley-Grainger, travel journalist and web editor
www.stgr.net
twitter: uktraveleditor

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2010 Ski season tips and news

13 August 2009 at 3:30 pm (Fitness)

Val d'Isere ski trip 2009

Val d'Isere ski trip 2009

As a travel journalist, I’m generally thinking six months ahead for story ideas, hence my exceptionally early excitement about the 2010 northern hemisphere ski season. Having crawled ski websites, blogs and tweets recently, this is what I’ve learned about planning for this year’s trip.

  • Fewer ski packages and chalets will be on offer this  year, so…
  • It’s best to book early if you have a big group or set dates to take advantage of early booking discounts. There are likely to be fewer late deals for big chalets and school hols, but…
  • If there are just two or three of you, and you’re totally flexible with dates and resort, book late, and you’ll still probably get a super deal.
  • Freshers Ski Week (free lessons, equipment and passes for beginner skiers) will be 16-23 Jan and 20-27 Mar 2010, with resort details on the website by early Sept 2009.
  • Custom-fit ski boots coming down in price, but…
  • Loads of airlines, including British Airways, will now be charging for ski and snowboard carriage.
  • Warren Smith is the best ski instructor for intermediates up (based on his excellent instruction of some friends last year.)
  • Most gorgeous new ski hotels are Chalet Royalps in Villars and most chic is Hotel Avenue Lodge in Val d’Isere. I’ve seen both, and they’re stunning.

    • By Jill Starley-Grainger, travel journalist and web editor
    www.stgr.net
    twitter: uktraveleditor

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London’s best summer cocktails

3 August 2009 at 10:00 am (Food and drink, London)

On a grey day in London, I was thinking of my recent sunny trip to Ponta dos Ganchos in Florianopolis, Brazil. The bartender there had created a glorious cocktail for a day at the beach – a Beer Caipirinha (see below for recipe).

London doesn’t have any good beaches, and this summer’s temperatures have rarely reached 30, but pop along to one of the city’s fantastic cocktail bars to be transported to the other side of the world. Here are three cheery concoctions for warm summer days in the city.

Amaro Dolce, Met Bar, London

The always trendy Met Bar (Leonoardo DiCaprio practically slept there on his recent visit to London) on Park Lane has just started serving its zingy new summer cocktail collection. At the launch party, I fell in love with the zesty Amaro Dolce. Met Bar kindly shared the recipe.

  • 40ml Aperol (an Italian aperitif)
  • 20ml Grapefruit juice
  • 2 large wedges of grapefruit, chopped in half
  • 25ml lemon juice
  • 15ml citrus gomme
  • Half an egg white

Muddle the grapefruit, and add the rest of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add a generous amount of crushed ice. Shake vigorously. Pour entire contents into a large tumbler or high ball glass. Best enjoyed through two straws.

Bramble, Lab, Soho, London

Lab bar on Old Compton Street has long had one of London’s most inventive cocktail menus – with bartenders who really know what they’re doing, using fresh fruit and top quality ingredients. They make the most delicious Bramble in town, full of blackberry and lemony goodness – perfect for August’s blackberry harvest.

  • A large measure of Plymouth gin
  • Sugar syrup
  • Lemon juice
  • Crème de Mure
  • Lemon wedge and blackberry garnish

Plum Plum, Shochu Lounge, Fitzrovia, London
The Plum Plum at  Shochu Lounge on Charlotte Street is smooth and light, with just the right hint of sweet. As it’s a mix of Shochu Lounge’s own blended shochu, you’re unlikely to be able to recreate it. Still, here goes.

  • Ume-shochu (shochu is a Japanese spirit. This one is infused with plum.)
  • Plum vodka
  • Plum tzu (whatever that is)

With such unusual ingredients, you’ll just have to pop in one evening to try it. The Hello Kitty (made with milky Japanese soft drink Calpico) is also worth a try here, for its unique flavour.

And for that rare boiling hot day on a British beach:

Beer Caipirinha, Ponta dos Ganchos, Florianopolis, Brazil

If you’ve ever tried a proper, full-on Caipirinha in Brazil (very different from the weak European version) and nearly passed out after half a glass, you’ll appreciate this less alcoholic option – plus it’s ideal on a baking hot day at the beach. Created by Carlos ‘Popo’ at Ponta dos Ganchos.

  • 2 lemons (without the white center), split in 4
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • Half a 375ml beer bottle
  • Cachaça to taste

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