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Famed as the only city to straddle two continents, Istanbul offers a wealth of history and culture that befits its geographical location. As a city that was the capital of four empires (Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman) history lurks around every corner.

Dennis Jarvis – Bridge connects Europe to Asia. Instanbul, Turkey.

The city has been built on both sides of the glittering Bosphorus, which separates the European side and the Asian side. Most people visit the European side, which is arguably better equipped for the modern traveller, but the Asian side offers a great deal too. The Asian side tends to be described as calmer, with tourists receiving less hassle to buy the many goods that are on sale. Indeed, if you stroll around certain districts you’ll soon be of the opinion that Istanbul is one of the true shopping capitals of the world, with whole streets seemingly devoted to certain items – such as rugs or toys or sauce pans.

Despite eager shop keepers, wherever you go in Istanbul you’re likely to be struck by the friendliness of the locals, all the more surprising given the fact Istanbul has an estimated 13 million inhabitants – depending on which boundaries are used and indeed who you ask.

Untitled by Eric Borda

The must-see attractions of Turkey’s biggest city include Topkapi Palace, Hagia Siphia and the Blue Mosque. The focal point for most tourists is the Sultanahmet area, which boasts all manner of historic buildings, restaurants, cafes and the famous Grand Bazaar.

Get a sense of how epic Istanbul is by taking a boat trip along the Bosphorus, where your vessel will weave its way among the other boats and supertankers that move up and down this immense waterway.

You could easily spend a month in Istanbul and still have plenty left to discover. A truly global city whose friendly inhabitants and chilled out atmosphere will make it very hard to leave.

Untitled by Eric Borda

Tourism in Australia is booming – and it is a gap-year hot spot for many Brits, especially those who have a taste for adventure! If you are thinking of heading to Oz, the number one rule is to make sure that you have your journey planned – especially if you are thinking of heading to the outback, going bushwalking or hope to make the most of the country’s beautiful seas.

We have gathered essential information about visas, passports, health, safety and the law to give you an idea of what you should take care of BEFORE planning your itinerary.

by Annie Mullin

Entry in Australia

As well as packing your passport, which must be valid for the duration of your stay – you will also need a visa for entry into Australia.  There are lots of different types which you can apply for online from a simple visitor visa, to student visa, working holiday visa, sponsored workers visa and specific professional visas. It should be noted that if you are planning to continue travelling when leaving Australia, or will be passing through another country on your return, you passport may need to have at least six months left before it expires.

Health

Visit your GP to make sure that you are up to date with the usual vaccinations such as TB and Tetanus and if you are travelling to Australia from another country that is known for being a Yellow Fever risk, you will have to have a certificate declaring that you have been immunised. Apart from that pack plenty of sun cream and prepared with plenty of insect repellent.

Whilst in Australia, UK citizens are entitled to limited subsidised health services for urgent medical treatment as long as it is not from a pre-existing condition. However, it is strongly recommended that visitors take out adequate health travel insurance as services such as ambulances and medical evacuations are not covered. Some cases have been reported where bills in excess of £100,000 needed to be paid.

Classic Adelaide Sunset View by Mike Coghlan

The Forces of Nature

In Australia, summer runs from November to February, and brings with it an increased risk of bushfires. Bushfires break out unexpectedly, and can do so at any time of year if the temperatures are high and the winds are strong. Cyclones also occur in Australia in summer, notably in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. Recently, heavy rain has been the cause of flooding throughout the country, so keep a close eye on weather reports and remember that Australia is a big country, and weather conditions can get out of control.

Safety

Australia is well known for its fair share of dangerous animals from crocodiles, jellyfish and sharks, to venomous spiders, snakes and insects. Also, despite having some of the best beaches in the world, the rip tides off the Australian coast can be very dangerous indeed – so pay attention to the safety signs, never swim in unsupervised locations and don’t go chasing animals that might cause you harm!

Importing Goods

On a final note, it goes without saying that if you try and take illegal substances into Australia, you will find yourself in a lot of trouble indeed. However, there are other things that the authorities would like to keep out of the country too – such as pests and diseases. As such expect to be given a special card on the plane where you declare any goods that you may have with you of plant or animal origin, and also sports and camping equipment that you are bringing into the country (they can hold spores and seeds from other locations). You will also have to declare if you have spent any time in a rural area within the last month outside Australia, as such UK travellers can expect some delays upon arrival.

Beaches of the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) by Steven Young

This month’s destination of choice is Croatia, so we have rummaged through the trusty travel Vlog vaults to bring you a snippet of what you can expect when you visit the country. In this five minute documentary, we are greeted by the presenters of As We Travel who show us the sights, the sounds, the tastes and the traditions of Croatia’s capital – Zagreb.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWZTPP7gZv8&w=560&h=315]

We also have another excellent post about visiting Croatia – Our Croatia Travel Guide includes important information about passports, visas, vaccinations, and keeping safe in Croatia.

If you want to do your bit for the environment, but still fancy having a first rate holiday you might well decide to opt for a carbon neutral holiday; but what actually is a carbon neutral break?

The plain truth is that the definition is varied, and therefore what constitutes a carbon neutral holiday is too – and whilst some practices may be considered counterproductive, there are a few things you can do to make your break a little bit greener, and a lot more guilt-free.

Croatia 2010 by Anthony Freeman

Choose greener or cleaner transport

Unless you own a car that runs on LPG, biofuel or a battery – opt to travel by train to the airport, or to your ‘staycation’ location.

Staycation?

Avoiding a plane journey is a great way of keeping your carbon footprint down – so holidaying at home in the UK is one way to opt for a greener break.  However, if you still feel the call of the continent – catch a ferry then take to the road, or rails!

Eco Retreats

From holiday accommodation that has no more than a solar heated pool, to holiday resorts that are totally self-sufficient, there is a huge variety of places to take a break that are at least making an effort to cut their own carbon footprint as well as helping visitors cut theirs.

Carbon Offsetting

You can ease the guilt of a plane journey by donating money to plant a tree – but general consensus is that offsetting in this way is not actually a long term solution to the problem. Instead – why not donate your money to renewable energy projects. Whilst this still doesn’t cut the amount of carbon being put into the atmosphere, it does at least fund a way to find better alternatives.  To find out how much, use a carbon calculator such as the one at http://www.climatecare.org/home.aspx then choose a charity or cause to donate your money to.

How much does it cost to keep your carbon spend in credit?

Not as much as you would think. A return journey from London Stanstead to Split in Croatia is about £2.50; to travel the average annual distance in a car that does 30 MPG will cost you just over £37.

The Croatian cost is often regarded as being like the Med before it got overtaken by developers. It has to be said that it is indeed a spectacular destination, in general unspoilt and with a staggering 6000km of coastline (including the coast of the 1185 islands), offers plenty of room for sunseekers to sunbathe in peace.

When it comes to dishing out advice for those heading out to the Dalmatian coast, there are more hints and tips for having a great holiday than there are for staying out of trouble, or watching out for people trying to rip you off. In fact, it is noted that Croatia is home to an easygoing and friendly population where crime rates are low and violent crime is practically nonexistent.

Visas and Passports

UK travellers do not require a visa to visit Croatia for trips of up to ninety days within any given 6 month period provided that the visit is for business or pleasure – all you will need is a passport that is valid for the duration of your stay.

Health

Whilst there are no essential immunisations that you should get before you head to the Dalmatian coast, do make sure that you are up to date on your vaccinations. Also it is strongly recommended that you take insect repellent and bite/sting cream, as there are plenty of mozzies about, and don’t forget the sun cream during the summer months! As Croatia is not part of Europe, an EHIC card will not be of any use should you become ill or have an accident during your stay. Instead, you should ensure that you have adequate private travel insurance,  which as it happens is one of our specialities!

Hazards

Even though the troubles in Croatia ended nearly 20 years ago – land mines are still a danger in some isolated areas. If you are in the mountains or remote countryside it is advisable not to stray from well trodden areas without a guide. Forest fires are common during the summer months, and visitors are urged to exercise caution when smoking, and to avoid lighting campfires. Outbreaks are usually dealt with quickly and without disruption by the Croatian Fire Service. Finally, watch out for sea urchins! The spiny critters adore the rocky shores – pick up a pair of surf slippers for extra protection and what where you put your feet when you go in for a swim.

Local laws

Drugs are illegal, you must not have more than 0.5% alcohol in your system if driving, and there is zero tolerance on alcohol consumption for anyone in charge of a boat – important information if you plan to take to the water along with the many other tourists to explore islands in the area!

We discovered this fly on the wall documentary, the first in a series of backpacking adventures around India that combines some great tunes with fantastic footage of life in India.

This well shot ten minutes includes images of a real India – with everything from the Taj Mahal to sleeping rats followed by a group of backpackers arriving in Delhi and getting their bearings.

The Vlog, by avid traveller Monkeetime, contains some helpful tips to take on board for when you arrive – from taking off your luggage tags so you’re not an easy target for hustlers the second you leave the airport to dealing with transportation – including traffic jams caused by elephants and cattle!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YDjcdsDtuA&w=420&h=315]

If you are off on a backpacking adventure – you may be interested in our backpackers travel insurance