Archive for the ‘Extreme travel’ Category

Not enough thrills with the World Cup? Time to go on a real holiday.

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

So it’s over. The phone ins are talking about nothing else, the Fabio will he/won’t he resign or will he be pushed debate is in full swing and there’s just a general hungover feeling. We can blame rotten defending (John Terry, what were you doing? You’re supposed to be able to clear up a route one ball punted from one end of the pitch to the other), shaky self-belief or over paid prima donas, the World Cup dream (for England at least) is over for another four years. It’s time to turn back to more mundane things like going on holiday to forget all the depression of this Tuesday morning. Why not do something truly unforgettable and go on an extreme holiday? Here’s a few ideas: (more…)

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Would you stay in these hotels?

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Let’s face it, international hotels can be pretty bland. They’re just like a high street, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. It’s Tuesday, it must be New York. But a long away from corporate blandness, there’s a whole range of different hotels across the world that offer something different for the, let’s say, more intrepid traveller. (more…)

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Word First gets a new look

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

The new World First web site is to be launched this weekend. It marks the completion of first stage of a new era for us with a new emphasis on building our reputation across the Internet with a variety of social media outlets, this blog being one of the main ones.

Insurance doesn’t have a very good reputation. Insurers are only about one rung up on the interesting chain from accountants. But there’s more to us than you might think. Travel insurance is part of the travel industry. That’s already more interesting isn’t it? So we’re going to be talking about the travel industry, not just insurance. (more…)

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Extreme travel – are you insured?

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Travelling off-piste is very much in vogue these days. You can do some pretty extreme things in the pursuit of pleasure like flying a MiG jet over Moscow, swimming with sharks or going to the edge of space where the sky above you is black and below you is blue.

You don’t have to go that far though, thrills are still to be found on mountain sides, down fast torrents, on the snow of in the sea. And then there’s all the more exotic places you can go without placing yourself in sporting danger. A recent survey by ABTA has highlighted a trend towards visiting former war zones. (more…)

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Silver surfers? Going down the piste for the first time

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Never mind police constables and teachers getting younger by the day, it seems that now the population on the snow slopes is getting older and older. Increased life expectancy and improved pensions have meant that baby boomers that have reached the age of retirement are increasingly unwilling to sit in front of the fire waiting for the grim reaper to come along to tell them there time’s up.

So, do you fancy a slide down the piste for the first time but you’re more enthusiastic about the après-ski than the activity that precedes it? Here’s a few tips to help you: (more…)

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The worried parents guide to back-packing

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Every so often, there’s a story in the press about a back packer going missing. The way these things are reported, you’d think it was a dangerous thing to do. Of course nothing in this world is completely safe, but the fact is that tens of thousands of teenagers set off every year for anything between two weeks and a year and come back fully enriched by the experience. I only did it for three weeks in 1977, but came back completely different for what happened.

The worried parents guide to backpacking

So parents, what should be on your kids’ to do lists?

1. What research have you done? Have you got a good guide book,? The amount of information available these days even on the most obscure places in the world, is staggering. The Internet and mobile devices make it possible to store stuff electronically. Why not ask ask friends who have already travelled for advice. (more…)

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