The Purple Passport

Seasoned advice for British Travellers

Travel Tips

How to Prepare for a Hiking Trip: 5 Essential Tips

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Whilst many of us love nothing more than to jet off an annual holiday for some sun, sea, and relaxation, many others like to do something a bit more exhilarating. If you’re the adventurous type and looking for your adrenaline fix, you may be interested in going on a hiking trip. Before you head off, it’s important that you’re well prepared, so here are five essential tips on how to prepare for a hiking trip.

Define Your Trip Style

First and foremost, you must spend time deciding on what type of hiking trip you wish to go on. There are all sorts of questions to ask yourself first, such as whether you want to camp out at night, stay in a luxurious lodge, or go hiking in the Adirondacks. Deciding what type of trekking is right for you is crucial, to give you a clearer idea of where you want to go.

Choose Your Trip

Once you’ve decided on the type of hiking, walking, or trekking you want to do, you need to find a trip that’s right for you. For example, if you want to stay put in the UK, HF Holidays offer a range of guided hiking holidays which allow you to explore stunning walking locations. Whether it be the rolling Cotswold Hills or the granite cliffs of the Cornish coast, you are bound to find an area that’s suitable for you.

Assess Your Fitness Level

Unlike a beach holiday where the most exercise you will likely do is going from your sun lounger to the pool, a hiking holiday requires stamina and energy. To get the most out of your trip, it’s only natural that you will want to see as much as you can, so walking mile after mile can take its toll, especially if you’ve put health and fitness on the backburner. Before you head off on your trip, you will need to assess your fitness level. If you aren’t sure how to do this, your tour operator will be able to help.

Train for your Trip

Once you’ve established your level of fitness, you will be able to begin training for your hiking trip. It’s best to start a month or two before you head off, so whether it be spending time at the gym build your muscles and stamina levels, or even working out from the comfort of your own home, remaining consistent and focused is key. We all know how important regular exercise is for our health, so staying active will help you get the most out of your hiking trip.

Bring the Right Equipment

If you haven’t got the right equipment with you, your hiking trip won’t be one you’ll want to remember! There are all sorts of weather conditions you will face, so knowing what to pack for your adventure is crucial. Wearing the right books to support your feet, and the right clothes to wear is important, so don’t hesitate to contact your tour operator for more information. The last thing you want is to find yourself in torrential rain with nothing but a flimsy jacket on!

To get the most out of your hiking trip, it’s important to establish your level of fitness first. The more training you do, the better! Also, bringing the right equipment along with you is crucial, so if you aren’t sure where to start, make sure to ask your tour operator for help.

One Day in the Northern Valley

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Are you looking at checking out what’s beyond the bright lights of the big Perth City? With the help of the friendly team we have put together a great itinerary for this escorted day tour, exploiting the Northern Valley and travelling away from the hustle and bustle of the Perth City for its veiled beauty is where our journey begins.

Heading North West of the City is an untouched and lush region that stays hidden to the average tourist, this day tour with its varied experiences from untouched bushlands and wetlands, vineyards, orchards, spectacular wildflowers and stunning scenery.

Sightseeing through some beautiful countryside through Gingin with the sampling delights that will tantalise even the most discerning of taste buds as we onwards travel to the ‘Nectar of Gods’ – The West Coast Honey Farm. With its golden liquid of plenty and the humming of bees in its fully functional hive inside for all to view, is a truly remarkable visual experience.

Lunching at a character pub is a must do on any travel and with this day tour out of the Perth City is no exception, with a generous serve of country hospitality the Scottalian is a true cosy eatery. Though continuing onwards only 60km out of Perth into this lovely area with rolling hills is the Citrus Orchard with its multiple varieties of lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges and mandarins where we sample more produce that is grown in this amazing state.

Though if you are missing the sweet tooth component of the afternoon, that will soon change as the tour proceeds into the indulgence of the Margaret River Chocolate Factory in the Swan Valley, with its free samples of their melt in the mouth drops of white, milk and dark chocolate is worth its weight in gold.

Though for the savoury tasters the Providore right next door is the place to stop and taste the huge range of preserves, chutneys, olive oils, award-winning wines and not to be missed chocolate liqueur.

With this, all-absorbing trail and delectable samples through the Northern Valley with its unspoilt beauty is a perfect day out for all ages and with a guided day tour is the perfect match.

Top Reasons You Should Experience Travelling Alone

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Everyone knows that travelling is one of the most worthwhile experiences a person can have. Taking your family on holiday, visiting relatives abroad and going on a business trip all have one thing in common – they involve travelling with other people. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with bringing people along for the journey but taking the plunge and travelling by yourself is an important step. Whether it’s for a few days or a few months, here are some of the top reasons you should try travelling alone.

Making Decisions

When you’re young, it’s easy to let life guide you since many people have more control over your environment and activities than you. As you get older, however, learning to make good decisions for yourself becomes vital. People in their twenties, people in their seventies and everyone in between can gain much-needed experience by travelling alone and forcing themselves to make all the important decisions on their own. When you return from your trip, you’ll have a new self-confidence that you can trust yourself and the choices you make in life after surviving all by yourself.

Independence

The freedom to make your own choices gives you a better appreciation of your independence. Being able to take care of yourself and avoid relying on other people is a valuable quality to have and one that can be earned by travelling alone. Every step of your journey is decided by you and nobody else. You choose which accommodation you prefer; you choose the restaurants you want to eat at, you choose what time you go to bed. Take a look at some accommodation for single traveller holidays to inspire you. Being on your own doesn’t mean you have to be bored.

Building Character

Not everything will necessarily go to plan while you’re taking your solo trip. You might lose or forget something important, eat something that makes you ill, overspend on your budget. These are things that are incredibly stressful at the time but can teach you valuable lessons. Being the only person responsible for your circumstances is a great way to build your character and learn more about yourself. How do you handle being in a crisis? Do you still treat other people politely when under stress? Are you reliable when a stranger needs your help? These are all useful lessons to become a better, more well-rounded human being and travelling alone challenges you to do just that.

New Experiences

No matter your initial reasons for travelling on your own, the new experiences you have along the way will be priceless. You can never fully predict what will happen and so being able to embrace the unexpected and go with the flow will open you up to people and places you might never have dreamed of. Sometimes travelling with family or friends can be restrictive in that you must act as a group. Travelling alone lets you experience the world on your own terms and at your own pace.

How to Have the Perfect Staycation

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Source: Unsplash | Le Creuset

Although you might associate holidays with trips abroad, due to time allowances and your budget, this may not always be possible. However, this does not mean that you cannot have a fun and relaxing holiday in the UK. All the activities that many tourists enjoy abroad, such as sunbathing on the beach and sightseeing are available in the UK if you choose the right destination.

Choose Relaxing Accommodation

Firstly, the accommodation that you choose for your holiday can be the difference between the holiday of your dreams and wishing you had rather stayed at home. When searching for accommodation in the UK, there are many options to make your holiday feel just as special as if you had gone abroad, from resorts with lots of entertainment and activities to keep the kids occupied to camping if you want to get up close and personal to nature.

However, if you want a relaxing holiday to recharge for the next year of work, you should think about hiring a self-catered holiday home for the duration of your stay. Amberley House Cottage Holidays in Sussex are a great option for people looking for a staycation as they allow families to enjoy their holiday at their own pace at the same time as enjoying spectacular views and some of the best of the English countryside.

Pick a Dream Location

Although the UK is much smaller than many other countries that you have dreamed about exploring, the UK’s holiday destinations are vast, and each provides tourists with something different to enjoy. For instance, for a traditional beachside holiday where you can relax on the sand and take part in water sports, Devon and Cornwall are great options, but if you want to experience a new city, Liverpool, Chester and London are hubs of diverse and thrilling entertainment.

The UK is also home to many potential locations for island holidays where you can indulge in nature, such as the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Skye. If you have always wanted to visit somewhere in the UK but never got the chance, this is the perfect opportunity.

Consider Your Travel Options

You might be used to catching a plane to go on holiday, but holidaying in the UK gives you an array of options to choose from. This is especially important for individuals who go on holiday in the UK because of a fear of flying. Cars are the ideal vehicles to take around the UK, because the different places are within close proximity of each other, and these allow you to visit anywhere you want, including rural destinations, stopping off at spontaneous destinations and going at your own pace.

However, the UK also has great public transport options such as trains and coaches, which can take you all over the country to some of the most popular destinations like Brighton and Weymouth. Additionally, trains and coaches also have a wide range of travel cards available which may be able to reduce the cost.

Look Up Local Events

If you need an excuse to go away or are unsure which destination to choose, you should look up events nationally to find one which interests you. During the summer, the UK hosts many music and culture festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe and Hay on Wye Literature festival in which you can combine with exploring a new area.

How to Make the Most of Your Trip To Africa

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If you’re planning a trip to Africa, you’re going to want to make the most of your time there and enjoy every minute of your adventure. Africa is such a diverse continent with a wide variety of climates, landscapes, and lifestyles, so choosing where to go can be something of a challenge, but in truth, there aren’t any wrong choices to make.

If this is your first trip to Africa, you might feel more comfortable taking a more well-trodden path and going to one of the well-known tourist destinations. However, if you’ve been a few times before, you might decide it’s time to spread your wings and explore a bit further afield.

Going on safari has got to be on most people’s bucket list, and for good reason. The choice of places to go on safari has never been better, and you can take your pick of some of the world’s most breath-taking landscapes and wildlife on an African safari.

Tanzania has got to be one of the premier locations, being home to the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Zanzibar Archipelago to name just a few highlights.

If you’re considering a Tanzania safari or one to any other African country, be sure to check on the times of year that are best for seeing the wildlife you’re most interested in. There are certain times when you stand a better chance of seeing specific animals and other times when you’ve got virtually no chance. If you don’t mind what creatures you see, then it might be more economical to go outside of peak times.

There are innumerable other ways to get the most from a visit to Africa, so if you fancy trying something different, have a good browse online. You could visit Uganda and see the mountain gorillas, or take a trip to a vibrant city like Cape Town, depending on whether you prefer wildlife or culture.

Wherever you choose to go, make sure you have a successful trip by following these guidelines:

  1. Make sure you have travel insurance that covers you for every eventuality on your African trip.
  2. Make sure you’ve got all the vaccinations you need in good time – some, like yellow fever, are compulsory and without them, you won’t get back into the UK.
  3. Check with your doctor whether you should take malaria medications before you go.
  4. Follow the advice of seasoned travellers about what to pack. You’ll find plenty of helpful websites that provide detailed packing lists based on real people’s real experience of the holiday you’re taking.
  5. Make sure you can take high-quality photos and videos while you’re away. If you’re happy with the kind of results you get from a smartphone – some of which are now very good – that’s the most convenient way to record your trip, but don’t economise on your recording equipment when you’re going to be witnessing such incredible sights and events.

Last but not least, be sure to approach your African adventure with an open heart and mind, and embrace the experience to ensure you make the most of your time on this extraordinary continent.