Swine flu upsets travel plans

One group of people who probably don’t have much chance of a holiday at the moment are those staffing the phones at NHS Direct, where leave has been cancelled due to the mounting torrent of calls in relation to swine flu.

A few weeks ago the words “swine flu” would have meant very little, but now you can’t open a newspaper or watch the news without being faced with them.

The first British people to catch the disease were Scottish honeymooners Dawn and Iain Askham from Polmont, near Falkirk, who were in Cancún, Mexico, and at the time of writing it looks as though some 18 people in the UK have contracted swine flu, with there now being about 800 cases of the disease in 17 countries.

A number of travel companies have cancelled all outbound holidays to Cancún and Cozumel for the next couple of weeks, until it is clear what the situation is, and some travel companies are offering to fly holidaymakers home early from Mexico, should they wish to leave.

Thus far it seems that the swine flu is no worse than regular flu, though there are worries that the virus could mutate and become more virulent. Let’s hope that this does not happen.

In some cases there has been an unreasonable backlash against Mexican travellers with more than 70 Mexican people being quarantined in China, although they show no sign of the disease.

So has the swine flu forced you to reconsider your travel plans? Would you rather stay at home than travel at the moment? Or do you feel that you are just as likely to catch the flu in your home town as anywhere else? We would be interested to read your comments!


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Egypt - Land of the Pharaohs

With the pound not doing terribly well against the euro, holiday locations outside the eurozone are suddenly becoming remarkably popular. One country outside the zone that has always been well-loved, regardless of the state of play of international finance, is the fascinating and sun-drenched country of Egypt, which has attracted generation after generation of tourists. If you are intrigued by ancient history, and have always wanted to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx, then now is a good time to head for the Land of the Pharaohs. If along with your interest in history and ancient monuments you also enjoy fine beaches, with swimming and snorkelling in clear blue seas with wonderful coral reefs, as well as windsurfing, sailing and yachting, then Egypt wins hands down. Here you can enjoy sun, sea and sand, deserts and oases, the wonders of the Nile Valley, and some monuments that are not just world-class now, but were must-sees of the ancient world too. In fact the Great Pyramid of Giza is all that remains standing of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Head for the Red Sea Riviera and you will find top resorts such as El Gouna which is built on several islands connected by bridges, and is regarded as an Arabian Venice. You will also find resorts such as Hurghada with its great nightlife, Marsa Alam which is renowned for its natural beauty, and the top quality resort of Port Ghalib with its fine marina. On the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula is Sharm El-Sheikh which offers some of the best diving in the world.

So if what to do this summer is proving to be a bit of a riddle, let the Sphinx provide the answer and tempt you to Egypt.


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Grand Hyatt Doha - a lavish Arabian-style retreat

It is interesting to see that Hyatt Hotels & Resorts have opened the new Grand Hyatt Doha, an impressive hotel and residential complex, and the first Hyatt hotel to be built in Qatar.

Located in Doha’s new West Bay Lagoon district, Grand Hyatt Doha is situated in its own thirty-eight acres of grounds with 400 metres of beautiful private beach, and offers 249 guest rooms as well as 91 private residences. Despite its idyllic and peaceful location the hotel is actually only minutes away from the city’s financial and commercial centres, and places of cultural and historical interest, which include the newly launched Museum of Islamic Art. Another convenience is that the hotel is only 12.5 miles/20km from Doha International Airport.

The hotel combines a beautiful old-world exterior design with modern and artistic interior design. Key features include a huge atrium and a grand lobby featuring a floor-to-ceiling, 17 metre high glass window. The hotel has three outdoor swimming pools, one indoor swimming pool, a fully equipped fitness centre, and, very much in keeping with modern hotel trends, a large spa.

The hotel has some fabulous restaurants too: Issan serves authentic Thai cuisine prepared in an open kitchen, where the diners can see the spicy food being freshly prepared. The Grill has indoor and outdoor seating, and here you can enjoy grills of the finest meats and seafood.

Qatar itself has an interesting range of leisure activities on offer, including desert safaris, deep-sea fishing, various water sports, equestrian activities, and falconry. So if you would like to see something of this beautiful, warm Arab emirate, Grand Hyatt Doha could be just the place to head for.



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