Insurance against natural disasters?

The flights are finally booked, the hotels have been reviewed to death, my credit card bill has plenty of reading on it and I can almost smell the sun cream.

There is plenty of build up time between now and holidays to get excited, but there is also one small issue (or large depending on your outlook): travel insurance.

For some, travel insurance is a must, it is essential and is booked at the same time as flights are booked and hotels reviewed. And it makes sense of course, because things can go wrong and you could be left paying a whole load of money for that 'budget trip'.

But still I ponder.

If I was to take a short trip to the UK or Europe (under 5 days) there is no way I would take out travel insurance. I would think of insurance as a silly additional cost.

Flights are of course delayed – but only by a few hours usually and there are always plenty of flight options available. Medically as an EU citizen I know I will be treated without question. I don't have medical insurance at home – so why should I panic just because I am travelling?

I have of course taken out travel insurance for holidays before – because it make sense, it is a fail safe, a peace of mind – a fall back.

But when travelling to Cuba a few years ago I was told I would not be covered there. The trip went ahead successfully, with no problems.

Then last year I went on a cruise to Israel. It was only at the last minute I remembered travel insurance, I was sitting in the airport about to depart and it sparked with me. I consulted with my travel partner and we decided to go on ahead. Nothing bad happened. We enjoyed the trip. We didn't need travel insurance.

I know I have been lucky, I have never been stranded for days in an airport, left in hospital with serious injuries or had all my stuff stolen. I also know the other stories the scary ones about thousands of euro of legal fees, medial treatment.

Some insurance companies are now covering against natural disasters. But I feel like travel insurance is putting a downer on my hols:

Passport – check

Money – check

Suncream – check

Insurance in case my boyfriend dies in a horrible complicated accident – check

Is travel insurance essential. Pic: telegraph.co.uk

So travel insurance – is it really essential?

Flight cookies - not very yummy

My heart was beating fast, my sweaty palms held my credit card and I was about to explode with excitement as I finally got around to booking my flights to Egypt.

magic-horizon.com

But then, wait.

That's not the price - €30 jump in a matter of minutes. 

But I checked the price last week and twice today – just be sure.

Despair.

This is not God smiting me for my indecisiveness, this is for being too frugal, too careful. This punishment is for checking the flights costs, times, etc too many times.

I just want to board a plane.
(c) fifiheavey

My techie friends tell me that of course the more I search a certain flight on a particular date and time, the more demand it creates – putting the price up. 

That is fair enough, but:

“Some booking sites save your previous flight searches to figure out how badly you really want that flight – the more you search it , the more they increase the price.”- How cheeky.

The same sites can also increase prices after the date you have searched for to pressure you into thinking the price will increase if you wait to buy.

Outraged and a little sad that I had not just purchased the flight a week ago, I asked for help. 

The only tips I got were:

(A) Be more decisive – a personal weakness.

(B) Clear browser cookies each time you search a flight – making the sites think it is your first look every time.

Aeroplane cookie ...

To do this using Google chrome:

1- click the wrench icon on the tool bar

2- Select settings

4- In the privacy section, click content settings

5- In the cookies section – open the cookies and other data dialog

6- Remove all.

I did this and hurriedly checked the price again – no change. 

So maybe leave it a few days?

The flight is for October 1 – any advice on whether I should put off till later or just cave and buy now??

Guinness: Pure Genius

  Guinness is disgusting - There I said it.

Guinness Storehouse, St James Gate, Dublin
(c) fifiheavey

I feel sorry for poor souls who think they have to drink a whole pint in order to really experience Ireland.

You don't have to – we understand. It is an acquired taste.

You wouldn't eat a whole jar of Vegemite to get the Australia experience so don't do it here - if you must order a glass!

Saying that I love Guinness, I love the two tone colour, the complicated skill of pouring the perfect pint, the symbolism, the creative ads and the name brand. So when my my friend returned home from OZ on hols and suggested we visit the Guinness Storehouse, I jumped at the chance.

Indoor waterfall, Guinness Storehouse
(C) fifiheavey

Seven story's high and surrounded in a glass atrium shape in the form in a pint of Guinness, the storehouse is a superb look at what goes into the legendary stout. Stepping over the precious 9,000 year old lease signed by Arthur Guinness (the genius behind the black stuff) you start on your journey through the main ingredients of water, barley, hops and yeast. The indoor waterfall gives a lovely background for photos as well as a surreal visual display.

An interactive digital man takes you through the process of mixing the ingredients, roasting, boiling and settling the liquid – and all the rigorous tests that the Guinness undertakes before it hits the road in the barrel.

Learning the trade, Guinness Storehouse
(c) fifiheavey

As a past bar maid in Ireland, I can let you in on a secret the reason why Guinness tastes so good in Irish bars is of course that we know how to pour it, but also because more people drink it here the pipes are cleaned religiously. In other countries the Guinness may not be as popular and so will not need the same amount of cleaning and maintenance.

One of the best exhibits in the storehouse for me was the adverts. You can go all the way back to the very first Guinness ad and keep watching as the creative brand makes a name for itself all over the world using wacky ideas.

There is a new drinking responsible quiz and tips and a new find your Guinness roots part as well as a short film on the amount of events Guinness sponsor around the world.

Views from the Gravity Bar, Guinness Storehouse
(c) fifiheavey

If you have never had a proper pint of Guinness or are intrigued by the pouring process I recommend you enter the Guinness Academy and learn how to expertly pour your own pint (you get a keep sake cert too to show your friends back home). As I obviously know how to pour, we moved up to the Gravity Bar for some stunning views of Dublin's Fair City. We got our complimentary pints and after using them as photo props we passed them on to those more grateful for the "distinctive" taste.

Good things come to those who wait!
(C) fifiheavey

Tip: Buy your ticket on line – it is a little bit cheaper (€14.50 compared to €16) and prepare to leave with a Guinness moustache!

All countries great and small

The 2012 Olympics are on. London is shining. Hard working athletes are taking centre stage.

Medals are being won and lost, countries around the world are celebrating and commiserating.

But despite the 24/7 coverage of all things Olympic, my attention has been seized by all the countries taking part. 205 to be exact. 

205 countries have contributed 10,000 athletes to compete in over 300 events.

The symbol from The Hunger Games

The opening ceremony,  felt  a bit like the Hunger Games, or indeed something Victorian, something in a twisted fairytale or novel. A sort of war without weapons, battles without deaths. 

But still a contest between countries, nations - Democratic states, Republics, Dictatorships and Communist identities.

During the opening ceremony I looked on with awe as countries, nations carried their flags with honour – and many of them were unknown to me.

Arbua, Benin, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kiribati, Lesotho, Micronesia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Tuvalu were some of the countries that did not spark with me. 

I couldn't place them on a map, I didn't have a handy fact to hand nor could I spell or pronounce them.

So while my partner stares and ooh and aahs at the nightly commentating from the London Olympics I am researching these 'new' countries, looking at histories, stats and checking out the price of flights!

So here are a few handy facts about those less well known countries – have these at the ready when the Olympic chat dies down or if your hairdresser asks you 'Any holidays this year':

Aruba - Aruba is one of the four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands just north of Venezuela.

Benin- Officially the Republic of Benin, West Africa and the birthplace of Voodoo

Burkina Faso - Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta, it is one of the safest countries in West Africa.

Djibouti – One of the smallest African countries - you can snorkel with whale sharks there!

Eitrea National Flag

Eritrea - One of the most secretive countries in Africa, the capital boasts the most shining collection of colonial architectural wonders in in Africa.

Kiribati - Located in the Pacific ocean,  it was the scene of a number of the bloodiest battles fought in World War II.

Lesotho- It is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 meters in elevation, skiing is a big draw here.

Micronesia – Found in the Pacific Ocean close to the Philippines, it is a group of islands Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Yap.

Saint Kitts and Nevis – Also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, it is a federal two-island state in the West Indies.

Tuvalu – Sitting midway between New Zealand and Australia with a population of just 10,554, it is the fourth smallest country in the world.

The island of Tuvalu

Fascinating.

Egypt: To drive or not to drive?

I am in holiday planning mode and the destination is Egypt.

Obviously the pyramids and sphinx will need to be visited, as will some amazing museums in Cairo. 

After a week of sightseeing we are hoping to retire to Sharm el Sheikh to while away the hours on the beach, scuba diving and relaxing.

It sounds very pleasant doesn't it? No real adventure there.

That was until I goggled “Driving in Egypt.”

The more I read on the dangers of driving in this north African country the more I want to do it! 

If I survived Casablanca – this cant be too bad can it?

“Cairo is one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world with more than 25 million inhabitants. Roads in the centre of the city can have up to 8 lanes, although the lack of actual marked lanes is what makes driving here quite difficult," explain Rhino Car Hire.

Traffic in Cairo  http://erinsjourney.blogspot.co.uk

Ah the old 'lack of marked lane' issue. I drive on an 'unmarked' country road in Ireland most days – would that experience help?

“Not only do you have to deal with unruly cars but you can often see livestock and donkeys in the middle of the road.” - Ah so my country driving will come in handy. Livestock pouring onto the road will be no challenge. That is of course unless the said livestock is also combating the eight 'marked lanes' in the city ...

It is obviously a bit of an Arch de Triumph roundabout situation – so just push ahead I say. The speeding limit is 90kmph (about 59 mph) in Egypt so once we have out seat belts on we should be safe as ...

“By law you must wear a seat belt at all times, front and back. Hardly any of the local cars in Egypt have working seat belts so it would be extremely unfair if police were to punish you for not wearing yours.” 

-Great. Really reassuring.

A different kind of traffic (c) fifiheavey

And just in case, I dared think that out of the city we were motoring happily: “Due to the heat, water should be carried with you at all times. You should also have anti-dehydration medication. If you get stuck in the sand don't spin the wheels as this will make a car sink deeper. You should avoid driving at night at all costs as there are many hazards in the form of pedestrians and carts.”

Also parking is next to impossible. And driving is one the right hand side. 

On the positive side we would get to cross the historic Suez canal, get a taste of the open road, get to see things off the beaten track, stop and go where we please.

And it would be strange of me to take a big holiday that does not hold any risks, no concerns for loved ones to worry bout back home Though maybe the unstable political tensions might take care of that one. 

Should we hit the open road?? (c) fifiheavey

So do I take a boring flight or risk my life?

Any positive Egypt driving experiences out there?

The passage of time

I got my reward the other night for sticking with a hard book to read.

(No not 50 Shades of Grey shite)

For the past few months I have been struggling through Virgina Woolf's To The Lighthouse.

The draw to the book was not the title or the cover but the strange and mysterious author.

Now To The Lighthouse is not a difficult read, it is a small book. But the story line is certainly not gripping and so I find it difficult to lay aside time to dedicate to it.

But I was rewarded last night – the chapters entitled 'Time Passes' were jewels you do not find in contemporary books. Beautifully, lyrically, written it has been swirling around in my head all day. And it has me pondering on the general subject of time.

This weekend I will unite with a best friend who I have been separated from for over 18months as a result of her emigration. A lot has happened over the year and a half.

I started to think about how those changes have affected me and in turn our friendship.

Also what do you pick to talk about and what do you throw away. Do we keep the conversation positive, talk about the things that make us smile and laugh or do we tackle the things that make us cry?

Do we take the recap chronologically? Event based? Maybe go along with a theme – love/ loss/ embarrassing moments?!

Or do we just forget the catch up and live in the present?

For the love of music

I am still a bit groggy, continuing to find spots of mud on my body and unable to shake off that stale smell of muck, alcohol and urine.

But the music is still buzzing, my feet can't stay still and every few minutes I get the urge to throw my hands up in the air.

Phoenix Park Concert (c) fifiheavey

I am in post- festival mode.

Despite the rain, and mud (did I mention there was mud), the tiresome walk, and the crowds and queues the Snow Patrol/ Florence and the Machine concert in the Phoenix Park was a huge success.

Stuck in the mud (c) fifiheavey

Do you know why?

Because of the music.

I feel the need to explain why you go to a concert, because I am sick of the complaints, the moaning and the down right stupidity.

I cannot fathom why people turned up to the Phoenix Park in Dublin on Sunday in runners, flip flops and general silly footwear following two previous days of concerts, rain and muck. You may no longer watch the nine o clock news religiously but how on earth had the weather and geography of the land escaped you.

The queues: Ok lets start at the beginning – 50,000 approx people crowded into a field, many were drinking alcohol. So it would follow that a lot of people would need to use the portaloos. 

Tip – don't leave it until you are going to piss yourself to start queueing.

Anti-social behaviour:  If you go out on a Saturday night do you ever see someone acting unsociable? Now multiply that by 50,000. There will be some fights, some ejectile vomit and some falling, shouting abuse etc. **

The price of food: Shut up, you could have brought a packed lunch.

The price to drink: Ditto, loads of people smuggled in alcohol, you are just bitter you forgot to or drank it all really quickly!

The long walk: Number one - you are in Dublin – public transport is a joke in the normal 9-5 run of the day. The concert was in Phoenix Park – it has an 11km perimeter and over 700 hectares of land. There is no subway, no train or indeed inner city bus link to the concert. Yes the Luas had to be cancelled from Heuston Station - but walking is good for you, ya know!

Now ask yourself one question – did you enjoy the music?

You did not go to an outdoor concert for fine dining, for the comfortable facilities, for a relaxing stroll, or for VIP treatment.

Florence from Florence and the Machine at Phoenix Park, Dublin
(c) fifiheavey

If you had such a terrible time, just put it down to experience. Never ever put your head up for an outdoor concert again and stick to seated venues or just sit at home and grow old!

** Complaints about stabbings are legit – and I agree these are inexcusable.