The Rugby World Cup kicks off tomorrow. If you’re joining the scrum of rugby fans from the UK who are heading out to New Zealand to get involved, you’ll want to spend a couple of minutes reading the travel advice that the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office have put together especially for rugby revellers.

Alcohol-free zones are strongly enforced, amber means STOP and under no circumstances should you pack honey in your luggage. And if it’s in a crocodile-skin bag, well, forget what’s happening on the pitch – it might be you that’s in for the shock of the tournament.

As ever, the FCO’s advice is bang on the money. A few of the key points they have raised are listed below. But it’s seriously worth taking two minutes to read their full advice. New Zealand has some quirky local laws and customs and knowing about them could potentially save you a lot of hassle.

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Yesterday’s bomb explosion at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow has left Russia in a state of shock and questioning a serious breach of security. Russian media have reported that the suspected suicide bomber detonated around 7kg of TNT, killing 35 people and injuring more than 100. One Briton is among the dead.

There has been a concentrated global effort to tighten airport security in the last ten years. But it’s clear that, while extremely rare, acts of terrorism still represent a genuine danger for international travellers. And the disruption of a terrorist attack extends beyond the immediate impacts. Flights get delayed, re-routed and cancelled; thousands of passengers can end up having to make hasty amends to their holiday plans.

So it’s extremely important to make sure that your travel insurance covers acts of terrorism. But figures from the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) suggest that as many as 40% of travel insurers do not cover terrorist acts. Is it worth the risk?

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Away from the world of fast cars, high-speed trains and large-capacity aircraft, trekking is a slower way of getting around. Best suited to difficult terrains like mountains, deserts or jungles, it’s the travel equivalent of slow food. Time to see the world, meet people and digest everything slowly. Yet it’s also a type of travel that isn’t well known and is thought to be the preserve of young, sturdy types. Whilst it’s certainly not for everyone and a minimum level of fitness is required, it’s a great opportunity to see the world a different way. And such a wide variety of ways of doing it! Here’s just a few of them: (more…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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…)

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.

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 friends who have already travelled for advice? (more…)