Kerry included in ABTA Travel Trent Report 2017

Recently came across a number of excellent but brief reports from that ABTA
One of these caught my eye in relation to Kerry in the south west of Ireland.  Kerry in particular  Killarney is a must-see holiday location.   The visitor accommodation provided is sophisticated from excellent Killarney serviced apartment, holiday rental, to luxurious hotels.  Here is a look at the report.

County Kerry

Feel the force in the gorgeous West of Ireland

The world’s eyes will be on the beautiful County Kerry in 2017 as the latest Star Wars movie features the stunning County’s Skellig islands. So come and feel the force and share the craic in one of the most magical and hospitable spots in the world.


County Kerry has long been regarded as one of
– if not the – most beautiful spots in the Irish Republic. The intense greens of the landscape, the tranquil beauty of its lakes, soaring mountains, sweeping golden sands and dramatic sea cliffs, once seen are never to be forgotten. Travelling around the county is best done via two drives; the Ring of Kerry which travels through the Iveragh peninsula, and the Dingle peninsula whose wide sandy beaches have already featured in the film in David Lean’s epic, Ryan’s Daughter. The island of Skellig Michael was home to early Christian monks whose beautiful beehive huts still dot the island. This rich cultural early Christian

‘DID YOU KNOW’ FACTS & FCO ADVICE

The currency of Ireland
is the Euro.

New drink driving limits were
introduced in 2011.

Visit www.gov.uk/foreigntravel-advice/ireland
for more information
heritage is reflected throughout the county
with ancient churches and Celtic crosses.
On top of all this overwhelming beauty,
the warmth, humour and hospitality of the
Irish people is legendary, as is their ability to have a good time.

Tags: Kerry, golf, holiday rentals, Killarney serviced apartment, holidays Ireland, wild Atlantic way, Ring of Kerry,

How to discover the mouth of the Douro

I arrived in Porto one bright May evening with no huge expectations of the place or the people.  I was on route from Dublin courtesy of Ryanair.   My final destination was a villa in Lagos in the Western Algarve.   I planned to stay two nights in serviced apartment in Porto and learn a little about  Camino  Portuguese "The Portuguese Way".

Finding my way.

I had book a nice apartment Porto on www.golidaylets.com in the centre of the city.   My only challenge was to get there quick as my host was waiting and it was getting late.  In the end, the journey into Porto was uncomplicated.   There is a Metro do Porto station at the airport and once you figure out the station you want it's straightforward.  A word of caution at certain times ticket purchasing is by machine only.

When you finally arrive in Porto it will all be worth the effort.   Its an amazing beautiful city sitting on the side of the Douro.  Here the Douro river pushes into the cold Atlantic and the city on one steep river bank.  The steep city landscape is dotted with churches and palaces long since abandoned.

Very quickly I abandoned my quest to discover the start of Camino do Portuguese.   Instead of turning my attention to this ancient hug of the world port trade.   I set onto on foot heading down the steep sloped of terraced 3-storey buildings.   Occasionally stopping to reflect on the ingenuity of the skilled craftsmen that built such structures on such difficult terrain.  I stopped the watch the ongoing renovations of the city using modern cranes.

I eventually got to the scene of the regular photo you ll see of Porto,  The Meccano bridge built by the famous Gustave Eiffel.  For me a sight to behold it was well worth a visit just to walk across this magnificent structure.   Twice in the one day,  I know I am sad.

On the other side of the bridge, you enter Vila Nova de Gaia.  Quickly you ll relaise you in the heart of the cities port industry.  Names Cockburn, Grahams Croft and Sandeman appear in the distance.

My attention was drawn to a cable car running the length of the quayside to the top of the Eiffel bridge.   Needless to say, I used the occasion to take my trip on one.   For €6  and a visit to a port house excellent value. All in all a great city to visit.   If you're staying in a holiday rental Lagos old town or a villa in Vilamoura.   You can easily fly to Porto from Faro for as little as €40 return with Ryanair. Worth considering just to get a feeling for this city.

Tags:  Ryanair,  Metro do Porto, Camino do Portuguese, villa Lagos, holiday rental Lagos, serviced apartment Porto, villa Vilamoura,

Can Ireland still host the Rugby World Cup 2023

Rugby World Cup

Ireland has spared no effort in trying to attract the Rugby World Cup 2023.   According to Kevin Potts, the IRFU chief operating officer and the Ireland 2023 bid director, the show goes on. Even though he did admit to “initial disappointment”.  It appears the powers that grant permission to host the world cup are aware Ireland is capable of hosting this competition.  Albeit they gave the green light to South Africa. Ireland overall score of 72.25 percent which, when you look at it, is a good score, but South Africa got 78.97 percent.   It appears primarily because of stadia and experience.  They must have done well to have a stadium better than Croke Park.  In their place for the bid was  France with a score 75.88 percent.

Irelands bid involved many people from all sections of Irish society ex-Labour leader Dick Spring chaired the process  Brian O Driscoll and both the present Taoiseach Leo Varadar and the past Enda Kenny.  The late First Minister in Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness was also involved.

The GAA also put their substantial resource behind the bid.

From reading the Irish Times and other Media sources there is a glimmer of hope.  Our world location is excellent and accommodation is excellent.   Fabulous hotels, serviced apartment, and holiday rentals.

In the Irish Independent  Sports minister, Shane Ross and Minister of State Brendan Griffin said it is a "setback" that can be "overcome".
The Rugby World Cup Board has made an initial recommendation that South Africa would be the most favoured country to be awarded the hosting duties.

A final decision will be made on November 15 when the World Rugby council convenes to cast its vote.
A technical review group scored each of the bids from Ireland, South Africa and France on five criteria which consist of; finance and tournament guarantees; venues and host cities; tournament infrastructure; vision and concept; and tournament organisation and schedule.

So let's wait and see dont book the flights yet.

Tags:  Sport, holiday rentals, serviced apartments, hotels,  rugby world cup,

Guide Dogs for Algarve Trained in UK

Recently in the Portuguese News there was an interesting story about guide dogs being trained in UK for visually impaired children in the Algarve 
Two guide dogs are to be delivered to 2 visually impaired children living within the Algarve in early 2018.  The dogs are presently undergoing their final stages of coaching and assessment within England.  If your stay in a holiday rental in Portugal if you see a collection for Pawistive Dogs Algarve please support it's a worthy cause.


The project to coach the guide dogs for the Portuguese Republic in the Great Britin was launched last June by dog behaviourist and help dog trainer, Karin Holmström Forster, UN agency has lived within the Algarve for eighteen years.
Karin and her 2 dogs – a 15-month-old greyhound poodle cross and a young geographic area cross - began their 12-week coaching amount on 21st of August 17 in Devon, with Alan Brooks, one among the foremost  British seeing-eye dog trainers.  Fundraising for the project went on in places like Lagos, Alvor and Albufeira.

Each dog has 2 daily coaching sessions, whereas Karin additionally has got to bear intense theoretical work, involving reading articles and observation videos regarding guide dogs’ coaching and animal welfare.

During her keep in England, Karin has had the chance to witness the distinction between the mixing of the visually impaired in the Portuguese Republic and within England and says the united kingdom appears to have the advantage.
As well as blind folks and their guide dogs being a typical sight within the GB, Karin noted that “all cities have loud or unsmooth crossings to assist the blind feel with their feet wherever they must cross the road.”

She adds that the govt “supports the medical expenses also as facilitate with instrumentality for the blind to be able to live as traditional as a visually-able person”, and summarises that “being blind doesn't mean staying at home”.
With the abilities and skill noninheritable throughout her coaching with Alan Brooks, Pawsitive Dogs Algarve intends to start out a seeing-eye dog coaching project within the Algarve region.

In Karin’s words “having worked all my life with folks in health and rehabilitation then latterly dogs and their house owners, I feel the approach I will best pay to society is giving independence and a fan to somebody UN agency otherwise could ne'er be able to leave home on her or his own”.
Her vision for this project has many specifics: “My vision is to start out a programme, coaching dogs in would like of homes, giving homeless dogs a purpose. it might facilitate the shelter dogs get a much better standing and therefore the visually impaired get an opportunity to want they belong in our society too”, Karin explains.
Being a licensed help dog trainer, Karin are going to be able to train combination dogs which will, not solely guide the blind, however even be a medical alert dog or assist them in different disabilities like being wheel chair certain.
Karin intends to coach half-dozen to eight dogs every year, and so as to try to to therefore she seeks partners UN agency will support Pawsitive Dogs Algarve and facilitate build a novel project within the region become a reality.
In addition to resource, essential to the property of a project of this nature, Pawsitive Dogs Algarve seeks partners in medicine and pharmacy also as animal food.
To contact Pawsitive Dogs Algarve, email: pr.pawsitivedogs@gmail.com, tel: 917 076 040, or see website: WWW.pawsitivedogsalgarve.com

Tag:

Algarve, holiday rental, algarve guide dogs, Alvor, Lagos,

How to set up your travel First Aid Kit

A family necessity when travelling aboard it a well equipped first aid kit.   This requires a little bit of thought and planning.  A lot will depend on where your travelling with who and for what duration.

Consider the following details.

1. Number and age profile of those on the journey trip.

2. Where are you going?  What activities are involved.? What is the level of risk. ? What type of pharmacy or medical facilities are available.? 

3. How long is holiday?.  What is accommodation like.? If its a holiday rental Lagos or a serviced apartment in Birmingham you ll find a first aid kit will be supplied.

To start with organising a solid container

 The most important thing is that it’s made of hard plastic, not a cloth bag. You need something durable that can be jammed into your backpack or luggage without fear of breakage. However, rather than going on a mission to find the perfect plastic container, I find it much easier to buy a premade travel first aid kit and then customize it. Last time, I bought the Medique 40061 First Aid Kit from Amazon.com and it has held up very well.

Stock up on the essentials.

Now that you’ve got a worthy container, it’s time to fill this thing with some serious medical goodies:

Standard Strip Bandages – These are pretty obvious and straightforward. The most common injuries you are likely to get are small cuts, so you really must have strip bandages with you. Having bandages of various sizes is always useful.

Antiseptic Wipes – Antiseptic wipes serve as an extra sterilization and cleaning method for you to apply to your cut just before covering with a bandage.

Antibiotic Ointment – Most of the time if you properly wash, sterilize, and dress a wound, antibiotic ointment is not necessary. However, it is wise to use a dab on larger wounds as an extra precaution against infection.

Gauze Pads – These act as bandages for very large wounds. Have a few large pads in your travel first aid kit, such as size 4in by 4in (10.2cm by 10.2cm). For medium-size wounds, you can always cut these large gauze pads down to size.

Medical Adhesive Tape – Adhesive tape is used to secure gauze pads to your wound. You can also use the tape to keep a standard bandage in place, as the humid weather of some countries can cause bandages to come off.

Tweezers – These are useful for removing splinters from your skin or for taking out foreign debris while you are cleaning a new wound.

Scissors – A small pair of medical scissors, such as iris scissors, are useful for cutting medical tape, trimming down gauze pads, or removing dead skin from a wound.

Painkillers – Chances are that at some point during your trip, you’re going to deal with pain. Having a tiny travel size bottle of your favourite painkillers is always a good idea.

Stock up on some awesome extras.

Now that you have the essentials, you can add a few more items depending on your own personal needs. Here are a few other extra items that I find handy:

Oral Rehydration Salts – When you travel in developing countries, you have a high likelihood of catching a stomach bug. If you experience bouts of diarrhoea or vomiting, your body will lose key electrolytes and you will feel horrendous. To feel better (and to prevent a potentially deadly situation of dehydration), it is essential that you drink an oral rehydration solution. I use Drip Drop hydration powder, but any brand will do splendidly.

Anti-Diarrhea Tablets – The most famous kind is Imodium. Normally, when you have diarrhoea you should not take this medication. These tablets actually prevent your body from cleaning itself of microbes in your stomach, meaning that your episode of stomach illness will actually be prolonged. However, sometimes you need to stop diarrhoea for a few hours while taking a train, bus, or plane. So it is worthwhile having a few of these pills handy.

Water Purification Tablets – Normally while travelling abroad, it is best to avoid drinking the local water – not because the water is dirty, but because it may contain foreign microbes that your immune system is not used to. So, if you want to play it perfectly safe, you should drink only bottled water or boiled water. If you plan on doing some serious trekking or otherwise going well off the beaten trail, you will not have the option to drink bottled water. In this case, it is wise to bring along some water purification tablets. I use Katadyn MicroPur Purification Tablets because they kill a resilient microbe called cryptosporidium.

Spare Syringes – If you need to make an unexpected trip to the hospital, it is worthwhile having spare syringes in your travel first aid kit. This is because the cleanliness of hospital syringes from poor countries is often questionable.

Cold Relief Capsules – Due to exposure to foreign microbes, there is a good chance that you will get a cold at some point during your travels. Having a few cold relief capsules handy is always a good idea. If the capsules also induce drowsiness (think Nyquil), then the pills can also be used to aid sleep.

Motion Sickness Medicine – If you have a history of motion sickness, you should really carry some motion sickness medicine such as Dramamine. This is especially true if you plan on travelling in countries with poor road systems or horribly crowded buses.

Anti-itch Cream – When you’re travelling, there are many new things that may cause your skin to itch, bug bites being especially common. An anti-itch cream like hydrocortisone will help to relieve you in this department.

QuickClot – If you receive a deep cut that bleeds profusely and is difficult to stop, applying a QuickClot sponge can stop the bleeding very quickly and can serve as a great temporary fix until you can receive proper medical assistance.

Moleskin – If plan on doing some serious trekking or are otherwise prone to foot blisters, this is a great preventative measure. Whenever you feel a hotspot on your feet, you can put on a moleskin and this will stop friction and pressure from transferring to your skin.

Butterfly Closures – When you receive a small but deep cut, there is a risk that the wound will continually re-open. Applying a butterfly closure to the cut can help keep your skin tightly held together.

Tags:  holiday rental Lagos, Lagos holiday rental, holiday villas Lagos, apartments to rent Lagos, 

How to improve the quality of your guest experience and their reviews

1. Make it your top priority to provide an incredible experience  to all your guests that stay in your holiday rental.

2. Set guest expectations before they arrive at the villa or apartment to rent by making sure all information is up-to-date and clear on your website listing.

3. Check that your photos on various websites accurately display the experience you offer

4. Do everything you can to be welcoming, responsive, and fulfill and exceed expectations for every customer, right from the very first point of contact

5. Make sure your guests to have a quick and hassle-free booking experience online or on mobile

6. Be the local authority on your company's niche to give your guests a memorable experience they couldn't get elsewhere

7. Provide photo opportunities during your tours and activities and encourage guests to post these.
8. Respond to your reviews to show prospective customers that you value feedback and want to provide the best experience possible

9. Act on feedback from reviews as soon as possible, especially if it's a recurring issue, to continually improve your customer experience

10. Make sure every review is an authentic opinion of a guest; do not ask friends or employees to write reviews for you

Tags:  holiday rentals,  apartment to rent Lagos, villa to rent Albufeira,

Have you a cure for Sea sickness

I was recently writing about Marina s in the Algarve.  Lagos marina was the main focus of this article.  Listing out facts about the 462 berths and security entrance to the pontoons.  Talk about the holiday rentals and the stunning Lagos villas with pools.
Then it suddenly dawned on me I cant sail if I walk on a pontoon i could end up getting dizzy.

So I decided I do a little research and see if there is a remedy or solution to this common problem
I was in luck I came across a great blog called  OneMedical

It outlined the various scenarios where motion sickness can come about.  They start off by offering good news immediately so of course, I got interested.   They went on to say if traveling by car, train, plane, or boat makes you queasy, there’s good news: Not only can you take steps to stop motion sickness before it starts, you may actually be able to conquer it for good.

Research hasn't actually discovered why motion sickness occurs.  This was a surprise to me as I actually thought it had to do with the inner ear and the ability to hold your balance.
The blog further stated, researchers believe it’s caused by incongruence in our body’s sensory systems.  It was now making sense to me.
For instance, on a slow-moving cruise ship, your eyes may tell the brain you’re not moving at all, but the systems in your brain and inner ear that control balance and posture (vestibular and somatosensory systems) say, “Yes we are!” This mismatch confuses the brain and causes a variety of symptoms, including:

Dizziness
Headache
Nausea
Salivation
Sweating
Belching
Acute awareness of the stomach
Vomiting
Hyperventilation (in extreme cases)
You certainly can take medications to help relieve these symptoms. But if you’d like to try overcoming motion sickness for good, here are some techniques.

1. Take control of the situation.

Not being in the driver’s seat can contribute to motion sickness when you’re travelling by car. The driver of a car is less prone to one-medical-travel-shots-one-demand motion sickness than a passenger, presumably because the driver’s brain is using its motor commands to control the car and can predict the motion. Putting yourself behind the wheel will keep the queasiness at bay. If you must ride as a passenger, try sitting in the front seat and looking at the horizon, which confers a sense of greater control than riding in the back. If you get stuck in the back seat, try conversation and distraction to alleviate the anxiety of not being in control of the situation. Open a vent or source of fresh air if possible and avoid reading.

2. Curb your consumption.

Watch your consumption of foods, drinks, and alcohol before and during travel. Avoid excessive alcohol, smoking, and foods or liquids that “don’t agree with you” or make you feel unusually full. Foods with strong odors, or ones that are heavy, spicy, or fat-rich may worsen symptoms of nausea or motion sickness in some people.

3. Get into position.

Try to choose a seat where you will experience the least motion. The middle of an aeroplane over the wing is the calmest area of an aeroplane. On a ship, those in lower level cabins near the centre of a ship generally experience less motion than passengers in higher or outer cabins. Isolate yourself from others who may be suffering from motion sickness. Hearing others talk about motion sickness or seeing others becoming ill can sometimes make you feel ill yourself.

4. Equalize your sensory cues.

If you’re getting seasick, lie down to help your sensory systems become congruent. On a train, sit in a front-facing seat so your eyes relay the same movement cues as the vestibules of your inner ear. Also, when travelling by car or boat, it can sometimes help to keep your gaze fixed on the horizon or on a fixed point. The more you enhance sensory congruence, the less likely you are to get queasy.

5. Talk yourself down.

You actually can talk yourself out of motion sickness. A study found that “verbal placebos” — simply telling sailors they won’t get seasick — have been effective in preventing seasickness. Set your own expectations before travelling by saying aloud, “I’m not going to get carsick this time,” or using other affirmative self-talk. Learning breathing techniques by using biofeedback can help in this endeavor.

Don’t miss 8 Ways to Treat Morning Sickness Naturally.

6. Get desensitized.

Desensitization therapy works for minimizing or even curing motion sickness. Expose yourself to short bursts of activities that cause symptoms, and then work up to longer periods. If reading a book in a moving vehicle makes you feel nauseated, try reading for five minutes and then putting the book down. Repeat the five-minute interval over several sessions, then increase to 10 minutes. Over time, you’ll find your body gets used to the activity.

7. Pre-treat with ginger.

Some studies support using ginger as an effective preventive measure for motion sickness. At the very least, it can’t hurt. Take one to two grams of ginger half an hour before traveling for best results. If you’re on prescription blood thinners, consult your doctor before supplementing with ginger.

8. Get in touch with your pressure points.

There’s conflicting evidence regarding the effectiveness of acupressure for motion sickness, but it’s worth a try — even if it’s just for the placebo effect. As mentioned above, simply convincing yourself you can get through a trip without motion sickness can help you avoid it. If wearing pressure point devices—such as wristbands with plastic bumps on them — helps convince your brain you’re not going to get sick, it’s worth a shot. On the other hand, don’t waste your money on magnets. There’s no evidence magnetic devices marketed for motion sickness relief do any good.

9. Ride it out.

Seasickness clears up on its own after about three days. Why? The human body possesses an enormous ability to accommodate situations like incongruence between the sensory systems. Again, in the “think it away” category, you may rid yourself of symptoms if you understand and believe they’re going to clear up sooner rather than later.

If your children experience motion sickness, be sure to let them know the condition usually starts going away after age 12. Sharing this medical fact may help your kids avoid feeling doomed to motion sickness for the rest of their lives.

10. When all else fails, medicate.

If you experience severe motion sickness, go ahead and take over-the-counter medications such as Dramamine or Meclizine for it. These are most effective 30 to 60 minutes prior to when you think you’ll be sick, and can be sedating. If you’re a healthy adult with severe symptoms, you can talk to your healthcare provider about a scopolamine patch to cope with prolonged episodes of motion sickness, such as during the first few days of a cruise. Be forewarned that it can cause drowsiness, dry mouth, and other side effects.

If motion sickness continues to be a problem, make an appointment with your provider to talk about your options.