Airline weight restrictions: what every traveller needs to know

Dion Wick    ash, Travel Gear     airlines, budget airlines, flights, travel advice, travel tips, weight restrictions

You’ve searched far and wide for a bargain flight and saved enough pennies for a decent trip away. But if you’re not careful, airline weight restrictions will sting you with a host of scary charges for overloading your suitcase.

Weigh everything beforehand, and watch those fluids. Image: Flickr/ Robert S. Donovan

Packing for a flight is increasingly difficult: there’s a minefield of  regulations to traverse, and even once you are through security you’ll need to have space set aside for any duty frees as carriers are  tight on what you can take onboard.

According to recent research by Amadeus, the total revenue airlines receive from ‘extras’ such as baggage charges etc. is expected to rise by 44% this year.

Gulp! But heed our advice when it comes to baggage restrictions and you’ll beat the budget airlines.

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James Cracknell’s adventures on Discovery Channel

Mark Pawlak    ash     Adventure, adventure Adventure Holidays, adventure holidays, explorer, travel gear, trekking

Discovery Channel is about to start a series of shows which take celebrities up close and personal, right into the heart of adventure. If you’re between expeditions, having a break from training or just an armchair explorer, these shows are for you.

Doing away with all modern creature and adventure comforts, James Cracknell’s going back to basics in ‘The World’s Toughest Expeditions’. Starts 24th May 2012 on Discovery Channel. Starts 22nd April 2012.

Discovery Channel recently ran the ‘Alone in the Wild’ and has again recruited Freddie Flintoff for more adventure travelling. We’ve a show preview for you.

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British Cycling: The Sunday Ride

Mark Pawlak    Cycling     buying a road bike, cycling, Evolving Cyclist Project, Halfords, hybrid, Road Cycling, scott

In British cycling, the Sunday ride really is an institution: Clubs meet outside coffee houses for an early start, weekend lycra lovers dust off their road bikes and families set out in mini bike trains.

Why Sunday? Well, for the cyclists who need to get the miles in, it’s often the day of choice.

Before 9 a.m. most town centres are empty. And other than the walk of shame’rs and road cleaners, you’ve pretty much got the streets to yourself.

British weather is ‘changeable’ but year round you get great cycling conditions. Spring and Autumn serve up crisp, clear mornings and even through winter there’s plenty of glorious days.

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Adventure Travel and using Visa Agencies

Mark Pawlak    ash     adventure holidays, Adventure Travel, passports, Travel, Visa

You’re increasingly likely to come across visa agencies if you love adventure travel and book trips off the beaten track. But what are they good for? why might you need a visa anyway? and which countries are likely to insist you have one?

Visas: the further you travel, the more you need them Pic: Flickr/ Dr Aek Muldoonr

A visa is simply permission for you to enter a foreign country, often with rules and restrictions as part of the deal.

Countries grant visas for several reasons, but commonly so they can monitor immigration. As a traveller, it takes some effort to decipher the bureaucracy around applying, and this why you’ll find number of agencies prepared to work on your behalf to help you get in.

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Top 10 travel apps for iPhone, iPad and smartphones

Dion Wick    ash, Top 10s, Travel Gear     Adventure Travel, iPad, National Geographic, Technology, Travel, Travel apps, travel gear, travel technology, trekking

When travelling, technology is sometimes a lifesaver. And now with web enabled phones, it’s really easy to get travel apps for your iPhone, iPad or smartphone that help point you in the right direction. Some work like modern day maps, others just show you where to find great food.

Travel Apps: there's one for every journey. Image: Flickr/John.Karakatsanis

Travellers are increasingly looking to pick up languages skills and destination advice long before they’ve packed their bags. And there are travel apps for these too.

There’s even an app that turns your phone into a flashlight. And if you like to write as you roll, we’ve sourced a travel app that lets you upload your own destination reviews.

If you are already using an app not featured, let us know and we’ll check it out and add it to our list.

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Buying a road bike and living with it

Mark Pawlak    Cycling     buying a road bike, Carrera Virago, cycling gear, Cycling Holidays, Evolving Cyclist Project, road bikes, Road Cycling

With a little over a month of the Evolving Cyclist Project gone there’s been much learned, lots eaten, no weight lost but a great start made. Last month I made a plan: Ignore training plans – and so far it’s worked well! For March, I decided all I needed to do was get out more, get the miles going and enjoy every minute.

It’s an approach I’d strongly recommend to anyone buying a road bike or starting to take their cycling more seriously.

But at some point if you’re aiming to get fit, you’ve got to get on it and get riding further and faster – and that’s what’s happening this month.

So here’s 10 things I’ve learned that should help cyclists who are thinking about buying their first road bike.

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Buying Bike Lights: Knog Blinder Reviewed

Mark Pawlak    Cycling     bike gear, Bike lights, Buying Bike Lights, cycling gear, Safety tips for cycling

If you are out buying bike lights you’ll soon spot Knog products. Having reviewed the Knog Blinder, I’d liken a pair of Knog lights to a Mac: A PC might be cheaper and do the job just as well, but you’ll want to own the Mac.

New 'Blinder' by Knog

So far, design and innovation have set Knog apart in a field of very ‘samey’ bike lights. Out went cheap plastic clips; in came gummi bear silicone wraparounds.

Earlier products have inspired, yet the company’s new Blinder is still a rare sight – and may remain so if its styling is not to cyclists’ liking.

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