Travel Insurance Tips and Tales

50 Tips For First-Time Travellers

Posted on April 12, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Sunglasses by Caleb Roenigk CC 2.0

Planning your first trip and feeling nervous? Don’t worry, we have compiled the ultimate list that should answer anything on your mind, and answer questions you haven’t even thought of.

Planning

Decide where you want to go based on what you want to experience
Go to Africa for wildlife
Go to Asia for food
Go to Australia for landscapes
Go to Europe for modern history
Go to North America for variety
Go to South America for lively culture
Go to Middle East for ancient history
Decide where you want to go based on your budget
Decide where you want to stay based on what you want to experience and your budget WARNING: SOME COMPROMISE MAY BE REQUIRED!
Couchsurfing is free and a great way to experience what it’s like to be a local
Staying in a hostel is cheap, friendly and a great place to meet other travellers
Book a hotel if you want privacy and to have someone clean up after you and provide fresh towels
Choose a rental like Airbnb if you want somewhere private that is a little more like home
Check whether you need a visa
Make sure your passport has at least 6 months left on it
Speak to your doctor about vaccinations
Get the right travel insurance because if you get ill or something goes wrong it could cost A LOT of money if you don’t have insurance
Tell a family member your travel itinerary
Store all passport and insurance info electronically in case you lose your belongings

Packing

Don’t pack what you can buy at your destination (toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant etc)
Only pack three of each thing – one to wear while one is in the wash, and the other is drying
Don’t pack more than you can comfortably carry
Make sure you can carry your bag up and down the stairs
Check the luggage weight limits
Leave space to bring back things you buy abroad
If you can’t decide if you’ll need it, don’t bother packing it
Pack one set of smart clothes for going out
Don’t bother taking anything that needs dry cleaning
Take earplugs, everything from plane journeys to hostel dorms are noisy
Eye masks are also great for ensuring a good sleep
Pack a spare set of clothes in your hand luggage in case your baggage goes elsewhere
Check you have your passport and tickets as you leave the house
Check you have your passport and tickets as soon as you get to any airport or train station

Pointers

Learn a few words of the local lingo
Familiarise yourself with local customs so you don’t accidentally offend someone
Make sure you are aware of the local laws about drugs, alcohol and exposed flesh to avoid heavy fines or imprisonment
Watch out for scammers
Don’t let watching out for scammers stop you from making friends while travelling
Smile
Don’t carry all your money with you
Always keep your passport safe
Use your guidebook as a guide not as a bucket-list
Have a list of emergency numbers because…
Things will go wrong! No need to panic though, keep calm and sort it out
Eat the local food
Visit the local attractions
Don’t rush your experience
Keep family updated, but don’t spend all your time online
Don’t be uptight on your adventure, learn to relax and…
HAVE FUN!

Take a little bit of stress out of travel planning by making sure you get the right travel insurance. Call us on 01892 833338 or get a travel insurance quote online.

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Stay. Review – Travel App Of The Month March 2016

Posted on March 25, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Stay.com is a social city guide where enthusiastic and talented local chefs, baristas, and artists share their insider tips on where to go and what to do. Now the intrepid traveller can access all this info, and build customised guides using the Stay. app on a smartphone.

What does the Stay. app do?

It provides a quick and easy way to create a “to do” list at your chosen destination. Encompassing an amazing array of activities such as eating, drinking, partying, dancing, shopping, sightseeing, visiting tourist attractions and leisure facilities, it is possible to make sure you don’t miss out on the best a city has to offer – whatever you are into!

• Cafés, bars, pubs and restaurants

• Attractions, sights and landmarks

• Live music, theater and shows

• Fashion, style and shopping

• Art galleries, museums and exhibitions

• Sports, wellness and outdoor activities

You can pick individual elements to create your own customised guide, or you could just follow a guide created by a like-minded individual. If a fan of our recent blog post Find Inner Peace On A Healthy Holiday was holidaying in Helsinki for example, they might like to follow the Health and Mindfulness in Helsinki guide created by Tiina Vainio, the inventor of Sauna Yoga.

Create a personal travel guide
Collaborate with friends or family to create shared guides
Access offline maps with no connection or roaming charges
Easily add places you visit during travel, even if you are offline

The app has customisable guides for 150 cities worldwide, so this is very much for the urban traveller. It is also possible to create collaborative guides, which is great if you are travelling in a group and have shared interests.

Other notable features include offline map access, and a sync function that uploads places after you’ve added them offline.

What do the Stay. app reviews say?

At the top end of the scale users are hailing it a great app with great functionality, and some are rating it better than the TripAdvisor app too. The offline capabilities are a winner and it seems that the mix of info really hits the spot for urban globetrotters. The users on the other end of the spectrum however have highlighted glitches and bugs, but this may be all sorted now as Stay. had an update late last month. Other comments were about the number of cities featured, but this is obviously an ever-growing platform, so give it time!

Overall, based on Google play reviews, the majority of users are very happy. As for Apple customers, we’ll need to wait a bit longer to gather enough info after the latest update.

Get it on iTunes

Get it on Google Play

Visit Stay.com

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Top 10 Adrenaline Fuelled Activities For Your Bucketlist

Posted on March 18, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Looking for a way to put the excitement back into your out of office adventures? You won’t go far wrong with these extreme sports and activities on your bucketlist – as long as you have a head for heights and frights!

1: White Water Rafting

White Water Rafting in California. Image by Kaydin Carlsen CC by 2.0

2: Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata Image courtesy of honister.com

3: Sandboarding

Sandboarding in Namibia. Image by Luke Price CC by 2.0

4: Canyoning

Canyoning in Utah. Image by Cyril Bele CC by 2.0

5: Bungee Jumping

Bungee Jumping in Switzerland. Image by Alan Light CC by 2.0

6: Ice Hiking

Ice Hiking “Wolverine”, Helmcken Falls Spray Cave in British Columbia, Canada. Will Gadd and Brit Tim Emmett discover a new universe of ice climbing where a 500 foot waterfall sprays the underside of a gargantuan cave with fantastical ice formations.

7: Skydiving

Skydiving. Image by Philip Leara CC0 1.0

8: Zero Gravity Flight

Zero Gravity Flight in the USA. Image by Steve Jurvetson CC by 2.0

9: Bull Riding

Bull Riding in California. Image by Peasap CC by 2.0

10: Shark Diving

Shark Cage Diving in Hermanus. Image by Hermanus Backpackers CC by 2.0

GET SPORTS TRAVEL INSURANCE! We cover loads of activities including Shark Diving, Via Ferrata, Dude Ranching, Canyoning, Sandboarding, White Water Rafting, and Bungee Jumping in the UK and overseas. Call 01892 833338 if you’d like to know more, or get an online quote.

Posted in Fun, Ski Insurance, Sports and Activities Abroad, Travel Advice | Comments Off

Find Inner Peace On A Healthy Holiday

Posted on March 11, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Image Courtesy of FayeYoga.com

If you are looking to give your inner self some much needed TLC, and want to get away from it all, you should consider jetting off on a mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or detox retreat. We have picked out three of the best places to head this year.

Detox in Malta

Whether you are detoxing for weight loss, wellbeing or just want to kick-start a period of change in your life, doing it in the sun is much more fun! Amchara have a retreat in Malta, on the beautiful island of Gozo, as well as a place in the UK. Here you have the support of a specialist detox team, and you can enjoy yoga and meditation classes as well as go for walks, cycling, a dip in the pool, or swim in the sea. Visit AmcharaMalta.com for more info.

A week-long yoga retreat in Ibiza with Reclaim Your Self Healthy Holidays starts from £1250 per person.

Yoga in Ibiza

Unify your mind, body and soul with Vinyasa Flow Yoga in a sun-drenched Spanish finca in the heart of the north Iberian countryside. Reclaim Your Self specialise in healthy holidays in Ibiza, Iceland, Zanzibar, Italy, Mongolia & UK, and this year owner Jools Sampson will be welcoming Faye Riches, yoga teacher extraordinaire and Emma Fountain and Radha Kuhnert, holistic health nutrition experts, to deliver a superb yoga and health retreat in Ibiza from 24th September until 1st October 2016.

Vinyasa flow yoga
Restorative meditation classes
Lush green gardens
Private swimming pool
Island hikes
Sunset walks on the beach
Delicious meals designed to support your yoga practice

You can also hire bikes, go horse riding and book yourself a massage and facial treatment!

This idyllic, week-long retreat starts from £1250 per person and includes: accommodation, meals, drinks, snacks, 11 yoga classes, plus a health and cooking day. Flights, treatments, and other recreational activities are not included in the price. To book visit ReclaimYourself.co.uk

Image courtesy of FayeYoga.com

Mindfulness in Portugal

The simplest way to find inner peace is to practice mindfulness through meditation. It also has the added benefit of improving your health, and helping rid oneself of self-limiting beliefs that might be holding you back in life. Akanista Mindfulness Retreats in Portugal combine mindfulness meditation, yoga, and other therapies to ease physical and emotional stress. The result is that you’ll come back home blessed with the laid back energy of this sensationally sunny retreat. To find out when the next holistic holiday takes place visit MindfulnessRetreat.net.

Image courtesy of FayeYoga.com

DON’T FORGET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE! Call 01892 833338 if you’d like to know more, or get an online quote.

Posted in Destination Guide, Travel Advice | Comments Off

How To Travel Long Term, And Excuses To Extend Your Stay

Posted on March 3, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Image by Jason Priem CC BY-SA 2.0

Backpacking your way around the world, or at the very least across a continent is on most people’s bucket list – but how do you turn the fantasy into a reality? We share three seemingly simple steps to help make your dreams come true!

1. Find Time

First, you need to find the time to take a long break. Most round the world trips never start because they will always supposedly happen “one day”. You need to choose which day that one day will be. It doesn’t have to be soon, but it should definitely be soon enough to get your pulse racing from excitement! Consider that you will need to save some money, hand your notice in at work, give up your rental, and maybe even sell off some of your belongings… all of which takes time!

2. Save Money

Having given yourself a departure date, you need to plan what you need to save by when to make sure you can fund your trip. It is at this stage you might find that your targets might be difficult to meet, so you might need to take drastic action to protect your finances:

Sell belongings
Take a second job
Move back home/get a roommate
Stop going out

3. Commit To A Plan

The first step may be the hardest, but without taking it you won’t get anywhere! So you need to book your first place to stay. Some people plan an entire trip before they leave, others just book a room ready for their arrival and take it from there. Either way, buy the ticket so you can’t back out.

Hooked on backpacking and don’t want to go home?

Once you are on the road less travelled, or a well-worn path of international interest, chances are you won’t want to hurry home. If you are coming to the end of your journey and want to stay longer, you can extend your travel insurance, even while you are still travelling. That just leaves telling family, friends and colleagues that you won’t be home as soon as you thought. Here are some almost plausible reasons you could give for extending your stay abroad…

I am still working on my tan.
My backpack broke so I can’t get my stuff on the plane.
I am only half way through my bucket list.
I still have some sunscreen left, and I don’t want to waste it.
A camel ate my map, and now I can’t find my way to the airport.

We provide longstay travel insurance for trips from 3 to 18 months, with option for extending travel insurance while you are still abroad. Call 01892 833338 if you’d like to know more, or get an online quote.

Posted in Longstay Travel Insurance, Travel Advice | Comments Off

HappyCow Review – Travel App of the Month Feb 2016

Posted on February 26, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Previously we shared some essential veggie survival tips just in case you were planning to go to one of the Top 5 Toughest Places to Be Vegetarian (which you may be interested to know were Argentina, Central Asia, Germany, Philippines, and Portugal). Well, blogs like that are a thing of the past thanks to HappyCow – a worldwide vegetarian and vegan restaurant guide available online and in App form!

What is HappyCow?

HappyCow is a company dedicated to making healthy, vegetarian, and vegan food easy to find – wherever you are! This includes finding suitable yummy delights at restaurants, bars and cafes as well as shops and delicatessens, all over the world. HappyCow also encourages likeminded people to get together in its own online community.

What does the HappyCow app do?

With the app you can search for a place to get your food using a variety of filters to suit, including an interactive map. You can even organise shops and restaurants with an upcoming trip in mind – what a way to plan a roadtrip… around the food you want to eat! You can also access directions, reviews and the websites of chosen eateries, plus share your own views and photos with other community members. In a nutshell the app offers this:

* Search filters by location, type of food or type of store

* Browse popular cafes or restaurants

* View an interactive map

* Store your favourite places to find your favourite foods

* Plan where to go for food on an upcoming trip

* Get directions, phone numbers, reviews, and website information

* Share your experiences and photos

* Add reviews and advice for your other HappyCow users to find

HappyCow also have a simple mobile version of their website (with fast loading pages) available for those who don’t want to use an app – visit happycow.net/m

What do the HappyCow reviews say?

Easy to use, easy to understand and jam-packed with excellent information provided by the whole HappyCow community – that is the general consensus of the very happy and very large majority of users. To be fair to HappyCow, any negative points that have been raised in app store reviews have been fairly answered and explained, and they are actively using feedback to improve user experience. We think this app is fabulous for all foodies – anyone who likes to embrace a healthy way of living and eating – and an absolute gem for free from meat foodies who like to travel the world!

Get it on iTunes

Get it on Google Play

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Top Tips For The Mature Solo Traveller

Posted on February 19, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Courtesy of friendshiptravel.com

If you are single, over 50, and want to travel the world, you will love these essential tips, guaranteed to ease the anxieties of travelling alone, and make your holiday more enjoyable!

Spend Wisely

Travel off-peak when it is cheaper, but also be mindful of seasonal and extreme weather conditions for your own comfort and safety – you don’t want to get a cheap deal because you’re travelling during the monsoon for example!

Solo travellers should be aware of single rooms supplements – consider booking through a dedicated solo travellers website to make sure you aren’t paying over the odds just because you aren’t sharing your room!

Travel Lightly

Only take a few items with a view to doing washing while you are away, that way you can take a smaller bag. Using a suitcase with wheels will make lugging your luggage around much easier. A top tip from seasoned travellers is to invest in a luggage set so your hand luggage attaches to your suitcase making it easier to manoeuvre.

Stay Safe

Leave essential travel details with someone back home – insurance details, passport number etc. in case your property gets lost or stolen. Another good precaution is to take a pre-paid money card to avoid carrying too much cash with you. You should also make a note of the local emergency numbers and key phrases in the local lingo. Final safety tip: Update friends or relatives with your itinerary so they know where you planned to go should they worry about your whereabouts.

Don’t Ignore Health Issues

If you need medication, be sure to pack enough for the whole holiday and keep them in original packets to go through customs. It is wise to make a note of your medication’s generic name in case you need more while you are away. Other things to consider could be: backup batteries for hearing aids, a spare set of glasses. If you have mobility issues, notify your airline, cruise or tour operator well ahead of your travel date.

Work On Your Wellness

Stay hydrated to boost your energy levels and take regular short walks to aid circulation.If you are flying to your destination wear compression flight socks to reduce risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Is Accessibility An Issue?

Assess the accessibility of your accommodation – would steps be a problem, is it at the top of a hill? You should also consider the accessibility of the location – if you are out of town are you close to public transport? Another point to consider would be to tell a car hire company your age before you arrive in case they have limits. You could also consider staying at a resort that has everything you need to hand.

Get The Right Insurance

Check that you have adequate travel insurance, as if you are over a certain age there may be limitations on standard policies, and age-related conditions may need specific cover. You should also make sure you understand what pre-existing conditions your insurer needs to be aware of. We actually specialise in offering holiday insurance for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, and for the more mature traveller!

Travel With Other Mature Solo Travellers

No matter how mature you are, travelling solo can be a daunting experience, but it is in fact dining alone that causes the greatest anxiety. If this sounds familiar, consider booking a holiday where you can choose to socialise with other solo travellers without the fear of ending up on a dating-style “singles holiday”. Friendship Travel provide group dining in the evening, offering holidaymakers the feeling of safety, security and company alongside the freedom to be as sociable (or not) as you choose. One package that would appeal to the older solo traveller this summer is in Tsilivi, north of Zante town:

Friendship Travel has virtually exclusive use of a small hotel just 100 metres from the beach. Facilities include a swimming pool, bar and restaurant and a stroll of around 10 minutes leads to the heart of the resort. A seven-night holiday costs from £595 to £735 per person inclusive of return Gatwick flights, transfers, accommodation with breakfast, five evening meals, sole occupancy of a twin room and services of a Friendship Travel host. To find out more call Friendship Travel Reservations on: 0871 200 2035.

Posted in Medical Conditions, Travel Advice | Comments Off

Heli Skiing – Exposing The Thrill For First-Timers

Posted on February 12, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Courtesy of powderhounds.com

If you like living life on the wilder side, chances are heli skiing is on your list of Awesome Travel Adventures, and if it’s not – it should be! We caught up with a couple of heli ski operators to find out more about the tantalising temptation of pure powder.

What the Heli ski?

Heli skiing is pretty self-explanatory, it involves a helicopter and skiing. Contrary to many people’s ideas, you do not take to the slopes by jumping out of a helicopter (a la 007), the helicopter takes you to some of the best untouched powder snow out there, and lands safely to let you out. Heli skiing isn’t an extreme sport, just for daredevils or stunt skiers – it’s suitable for strong intermediate to expert powder riders, and there are even some heli skiing operations that are well suited to first timers.

Harris Mountains Heli Skiing www.powderhounds.com

Harris Mountains Heli Skiing Courtesy of powderhounds.com

How good do you need to be to heli ski?

If you’ve never tried skiing, you’ll definitely need to get a bit of experience under your belt to take on heli skiing. At a minimum riders should be able to ride a red run in any condition at a ski resort, although some operators say that experience on an ungroomed black run at a ski resort and feeling comfortable on tree runs is the best place to be before trying it out. If you aren’t sure, you could always take a soft approach by booking a day heli skiing as part of your wider ski holiday. Day heli skiing is a convenient and a relatively low cost introduction. Be warned – this teaser is likely to leave you wanting more!

“Heli skiing is for those who love skiing or boarding powder but are tired of the tracked out slopes at the ski resorts.” Lyndell Keating, Powderhounds

Get fit to get the most out of it!

A pre-season fitness regime focusing on legs and lungs will add to your heli skiing enjoyment, because guess what – if you are a powder virgin, you are going to find taking on the deep stuff pretty tiring! When you get there, and the conditions are perfect, nothing will be more frustrating than your body preventing you from making the most of an adventure you have spent years dreaming about.

Southern Lakes Heliski Courtesy of powderhounds.com

When and where to go

The heli ski season varies significantly depending on where you want to go. For Canada and the lower 48 of the US, the peak heli ski season is February, with operations generally running from December to early April. The main Alaskan heli skiing season is March to April, when there are adequate daylight hours. The New Zealand and South American heli skiing season is from July to September, with the peak season being in August. In Europe, January & February is usually colder, with more fresh powder about, but inclement weather can stop play. March and April on the other hand tends to have more ‘bluebird’ days and the alpine terrain is generally more accessible.

An adventure worthy of a bucketlist?

We believe so! Heli skiing should be on every serious skiers bucket list – it is a realistic aspiration that is easy to fulfil. This is what operators Powderhounds and Scott Dunn had to say on the subject…

“Heli skiing or heli boarding should absolutely be on the bucket list of every avid powder hound or adventurous skier or snowboarder. The helicopter rides are amazing in themselves. The spectacular vistas up high in the remote mountains are intoxicating and then the trip down in the virgin powder is often sublime. Heli skiing is the ultimate skiing or boarding experience.” Lyndell Keating, Powderhounds

“There comes a time in every skier’s life when you feel the need to try something new and experience something quite unlike anything you have ever experienced before. The adrenaline starts pumping with the sound of the first thud of the rotor blades and you are whisked off on an exhilarating ride to places where vast fields of beautiful virgin powder lie in wait. Gliding through blankets of pristine powder away from the crowds in the heart of the mountains is something that every skier should experience, at least once.” Kirsty Edwards, Scott Dunn

Harris Mountains Heli Skiing Courtesy of powderhounds.com

What are you waiting for? Book it!

Canada, Alaska, US, New Zealand, South America and Japan heli skiing packages from PowderHounds.com

Heli for First Timers (Canada) from PurePowder.com

European heli skiing trips from ScottDunn.com

Scott Dunn offers a 7 night stay at Chalet Chinchilla in Val d’Isere, France from ￡1,985 per person based on six sharing and including return British Airways flights, luxury coach transfers, private chef and chalet host. 1 day heliski packages departing from Scott Dunn’s chalets in Val d’Isere start from £360 (€429) per person (based on a private group of four).

DON’T FORGET YOUR HELI SKI INSURANCE! Extend your worldwideinsure.com wintersports insurance to include heli skiing, and you can go play in the powder knowing that we’ve got you covered should your holiday not go to plan. Call 01892 833338 if you’d like to know more, or visit our homepage to get an online quote.

Posted in Ski Insurance, Sports and Activities Abroad | Comments Off

How To Have The Perfect Romantic Break

Posted on February 5, 2016 by worldwideinsure

Love by zelah_w CC BY-ND 2.0

Go Somewhere New

That means don’t book a break to a place that either of you went with an ex. A really romantic break is about making new memories that belong to only the two of you!

Keep It Short

The secret to getting on fabulously is to keep your romantic trip short. Any more than a long weekend, and you are upping your chances of spending too much time together and having a disagreement about something.

Book Somewhere That Is Beautiful ToYOU

Do you like the idea of a penthouse suite overlooking a city skyline? Or prefer the idea of a boutique shack for two on an empty beach? Or maybe a cosy B&B on the Pennines is a more appealing proposition! A picture of perfection is different for every couple, so before you book, make sure you are planning to stay somewhere that suits you.

Try New Things

Whether it is a new type of food, sport, art, craft, pastime or indulgence, the excitement and exhilaration of a new experience, shared with your loved one, will add to the overall romance of your break.

Splash Out On Something Special

Even if you like to “keep it simple”, plan at a least one fabulous indulgence as part of your break. One of the most luxurious and romantic ideas we could think of was to hire a private jet! Not only will this remove the stress and strain of airport travel from your break (thereby maximising fluffy feelings of love) it can be a totally romantic indulgence in itself. Private jet hire companies offer bespoke in-flight services where you get to choose your favourite music, wine, and fine dining menu en-route to your destination. If you opt for a long-haul private flight on a large jet there will be a private bedroom and bathroom, so it will be just like staying in a luxury hotel!

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Trover Review – Travel App Of The Month January 2016

Posted on January 29, 2016 by worldwideinsure

As the start of the year is all about inspiration, we chose Trover as our Travel App of the Month – it is “…powered by a joyful community of wanderers and photographers who seek share-worthy things to see and do all over the world.” Which just about sums up all that is joyful about discovering this wonderful blue planet for us too.

What is Trover?

Trover is a website which is just perfect for planning a trip. You search for a place, or explore the many types of adventures there are tagged, and you have an amazing album of photos which are hugely inspirational. Those with itchy feet – be warned! It is a visual wish-list of everything you have ever dreamed of seeing and doing, checking out Extreme Adventures was definitely one of our favourites!

What does the Trover App Do?

Quite simply it lets you share your experiences with others and explore the experiences of other travellers while you are on the move. Perfect if you are on a gap year trip, longstay holiday, round the world tour, or just making your way around the world upon a whim.

Post photos from your travels
Discover things to see and do near to (or far from) you
Meet like-minded travellers
Share travel tips
Save inspirational places and activities to your very own bucket list

What Do The Trover Reviews Say?

Everybody loves it! Well, not quite, but most think it is great – what’s not to love about beautiful pictures, tips and adventures posted by travellers tainted by wanderlust?

The Trover App is available on iTunes and Google Play.

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Worldwide Insure

50 Tips For First-Time Travellers

Stay. Review – Travel App Of The Month March 2016

Top 10 Adrenaline Fuelled Activities For Your Bucketlist

Find Inner Peace On A Healthy Holiday

How To Travel Long Term, And Excuses To Extend Your Stay

HappyCow Review – Travel App of the Month Feb 2016

Top Tips For The Mature Solo Traveller

Heli Skiing – Exposing The Thrill For First-Timers

How To Have The Perfect Romantic Break

Trover Review – Travel App Of The Month January 2016

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