Travel writing has always been a passion of mine. So when I created Travel Spells it’s been on the spur of the moment. I just added a subdomain to my business site and started posting tips, stories and photos. Later on I discovered the subdomain would limit my site, as it was no longer just a place to share travel logs with my friends and family,  and it will need to move to its own domain to reach it’s full potential. People don’t usually remember complicated links and the move needed to be made.

Due to my postponing this project, the domain names I was interested in were no longer free. So we have decided to go for a complete rebranding option. Travel Spells will become Travel Tweaks. On a cool new domain, with a fresh theme and a larger team to cover travel news, tips and fun stuff for you. Our Twitter account will still be there, but under a new name. The Facebook page however will have to be created all over again, as Facebook has no exceptions to their rule of never, ever allowing users to change their page name.

All the content from the Travel Spells site will be moved to the new one and we will redirect links to make sure all travel enthusiasts following links, bookmarks or other recommendations reach the content they wanted to read.

As we move and settle in, we’ll keep you posted! Thank you all for your constant support, lovely comments and fun company!

If you’re planning a beach holiday in Sardinia, there are a few things you should know. Most of the smaller, quieter, private beaches are hidden, or at least they seem so. No signs pointing you in the wrong direction, minuscule entrances that you’d hardly know lead you in the right way, few people walking by to give you directions, they’re already sun bathing or swimming!

Yet you know they’re there, you’ve heard of them and feel like spending an afternoon on a semi-deserted beach where it’s quiet enough to have a pleasant conversation, read a book, or fall asleep to the sound of the waves.

So what can a tourist do to reach these pieces of heaven?

First off, you need to say away from the hyped up beaches that are overly crowded with tourists. Rent a car, get a map or a local guide (if you’re lucky enough to have friends there) and go exploring. You can actually go beach hopping – meaning you never have to come back to the same beach while you’re there!

TUI Travel will be the first British ariline to introduce the Boeing 787 Deamliner, a next-generation plane they expected to boost their business and turn them into top players of the long-haul package holiday market. The company will introduce thirteen such planes, the first one being scheduled for January 2012 and set to fly under the Thomson brand. TUI Travel is expecting to be running 4 planes by the summer of 2013, but their hopes are high, and they actually wish for six.

The plans however do not depend on TUI’s cleverly crafted business plan, but on Boeing’s ability to deliver them and have pilots trained to fly such cutting edge planes. They are already 2 and a half years behind schedule as of now!

TUI believes the plane will give it the edge over rivals Thomas Cook, which has not ordered a 787 yet, and Virgin, which will have its first plane delivered later, because it will attract families to the long-haul market. The 787 can fly to destinations such as Hawaii and Vietnam without stopping, and will fly from around the UK not just London airports.

What is so special about the 787 Deamliner? According to Boeing and TUI, the plane will reduce that awful jet lag feeling all those taking long flights experience and unanimously hate!  The benefit is powered by some fancy fuselage made mostly from carbon composites, less pressurized than a regular metal plane, which actually tricks the body to think we’re flying at 6,000 feet when in fact the journey takes place at 8,000.

The dehydration feeling you’re left with after a long flight will also be reduced, as the new structure will allow for more moisture in the plane atmosphere. Metal planes cannot afford such luxury as moisture also means rusty plane parts. Add a more leg room – 33 inches per passenger – and you’re in heaven!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to try such a plane for myself!

Photos courtesy of Boeing.com

Guest post by Cristina Banu

Last year I went to Bali because I had been fascinated by the photos I had seen of this island. I was impressed by its natural beauty, its great food and wildlife.

This is the land of contrasts: natural richness of landscape, impressive 5 star hotels and sheer poverty of the inhabitants living in huts.

Don’t be tricked by the tourist shopping centers, they are expensive and do not express the real local flavor. I chose the smaller local towns instead which have very good and cheap food.

Also stay away from hotel restaurants, they charge way too much for food that is not as good as that served by local restaurants.

My favorite place is on the Jimbaran beach where you enjoy your fresh seafood dinner right on the beach next to the ocean. You watch the sunset while trying out the local cuisine and looking at the amazing high and low ocean tides.

A must do in Bali is the elephant safari. You can watch elephant shows and ride the elephants with a local guide. Beware of the fact that the elephants don’t go to toilets, as nature is right there

Another great experience is going to Kuta, home of many pubs, restaurants and shopping malls. The food is good but before entering the restaurants, you have to prove that you don’t carry guns or bombs. So it’s a bit scary but you get used to it after a nice cocktail

About the Author – Crsitina Banu
I am a 28 year old SAP consultant that’s generally highly optimistic and cheerful. I enjoy traveling, long walks and listening to Pink Floyd. My favorite quick trip spot is the beach of Vama Veche (on the shore of the Black Sea, Romania), the perfect place to linger in the sun and listen to rock music.

Guest post by Tina Romano

London is a vibrant city, but don’t assume your kid is going to share your enthusiasm for discounts at famous shops or for long strolls in the museums. I took my son to London for his 8th birthday and I tried to find things that he would find enjoyable. Kids love toys, no surprise there, so naturally Hamleys and Harrods (4th floor for the toy section) proved very successful destinations. I also wanted to take the pressure off as soon as possible so that we could focus on the rest of the journey, so we started with toy shopping soon after making it to London and checking in at the hotel. If your kid is anything like mine (and something tells me chances are 99% so), it might be a good idea to talk to him/her in advance about the maximum sum you’re willing to spend there, or the number of toys you’re willing to pay for. It makes them think, analyze and choose rather than run amok among shelves and throw tantrums when you refuse to pay for the entire store. You have been warned… A couple of hours later (and a hundred pounds lighter), we hid the stash in the hotel room and went out to see the city.

London has many great parks, and feeding the birds or the squirrels is always a major hit with children. Make sure you have bread for the ducks and pidgeons and nuts for squirrels and arm yourselves with patience and nicotine. You’re going to be there a while. On a second thought, forget the nicotine and take your shoes off.

If you are fond of nature, Kew Gardens is a great destination. It opens at 10 am and kids get in free. Adults pay 13 pounds, but there’s a lot to see and do inside. There’s the Kew Explorer, a 40-minute tour with commentary, the Treetop Walkway, the Climbers and Creepers and so much more.

If you want to visit the London Zoo and you can’t avoid the weekend, do yourselves a favour and buy the tickets online in advance. You’ll avoid spending a couple of hours waiting in queue, while people with tickets get in…

Don’t take the poor kid to Madame Tussauds unless he/she takes unexplainable pleasure in staring at still, unknown people. Try the Science Museum instead, where you can admire a wide range of machinery from steam engines to space shuttles, plus many exhibitions. Entrance is free. Also free and cool to visit: The British Museum. I took my son to the Egypt section to see the mummies and cut short the entire visit. Kids have short attention spans and would rather spend time outside than staring at “interesting stuff” inside.

London Eye is a great thing if the kids (or the parents) are not afraid of heights. Price may vary according to the packages bought (discounts with complementary boat rides, tickets for museums or for musicals etc). The ride itself lasts 40 minutes, but be there early if you want to wait decent time in queue. Or buy the tickets online.

Now if you really want to make your kid love you, plan a day trip to Legoland. Legoland opens at 10 am and I recommend leaving London with the 9 am coach. Green Line 701 (or 702) leave from Victoria Station (Collonades) and drop you right outside the park (Main Entrance) in about 90 minutes’ time. If you are coming back the same day buy return tickets.

Legoland

Week days Legoland closes at 5 pm, weekends at 6. From my experience, a whole day is not enough to see it all. On our first day we tried almost every amusement ride (from merry-go-rounds to train rides). Everything is free once inside, but the tickets are quite stingy: 38 pounds for an adult and 28 pounds for kids. You can upgrade those tickets for year long passes with only a couple of pounds more. On our second trip we spent the entire day in Lego City, looking at miniature lego trains going back and forth. My son learned the whole schedule while I almost hit my head against the pavement for not bringing a book along. There are restaurants, cafeterias and vending carts, so don’t bring any food unless the kids have special diets. Trust me, you don’t want to run around with a heavy bag.

Back to London, kids travel free of charge up to 11 years old but they need to be accompanied by an adult. If you travel by tube, use the gates for people with large luggage or for wheelchairs. It gives both of you enough time to go through the doors without getting trapped by closing doors.

These are just a couple of things I came to do with my kid in a short period of time. For more ideas try this, this, and this.

Ummm, that’s all. Now go get some fun!

About the author – Tina Romano
I am a daydreamer, moon watcher, music junkie. Bit of a voyeur with a tendency to write. Hopeless romantic with no recipe for love (if it tastes good, I’ll have a bite). Interests include: music, short animation movies, web design, architecture, poetry and men who get me worked up with imaginary pancakes. When inspiration strikes I write here in English and here in Romanian.

If you’re visiting the beautiful island of Sardinia and are looking for a green retreat that’s quiet, relaxing, breathtakingly gorgeous, friendly, inspirational and also has donkeys and a cool pool, Ca’ La Somara is just the place for you.

Friendly staff, enough grounds to loose yourself and let your thoughts fly mixed with a communal dinner table allowing for fun and light conversation with the other guests, a modern spa and an authentic barn and farmhouse design and decor, this hidden treasure (yes, literally hidden, as the local taxi driver had a bit of a hard time finding it) suits almost everyone.

I have been there in May, off-season. It was not fully booked, but there were enough people to make it all fun, it was hot enough to get a nice tan by the pool and the sea water was warm enough that you could actually swim in it.

Donkeys play a big part in the Ca’ La Somara scenery. The female half of the pair running this venue, Laura, told us she’s always loved donkeys. So when they opened the place, they got a couple live ones (which are very fun to watch and know how to properly act when cameras are around).

Rooms don’t have boring numbers. They are each associated with a colorful donkey. Which makes it all fun! If you’re having dinner at Ca’ La Somara, you can go for a meat or vegetarian meal and to specify it, you must go to this cool board with all the colorful donkeys stuck on it, take a round shaped magned (red for meet, green for veggie) and place it on the one donkey corresponding to the room you’re staying in.

Dinner is a feast! Everything is so delicious! And they do their best to accomodate guests with special culinary needs. They made sure they made not only vegetarian, but also gluten-free meals for someone in our group. By the way, if you must now (and I did, cause I am curious like that), gluten-free pasta is excellent. 4 courses, local wine and some stronger local spirits, deserts to die for, in a word, I could barely walk afterwards!

And the breakfast! The morning equivalent of the evening delights! Actually if you have breakfast and dinner at Ca la Somara you only need a very light lunch in between! Nothing more, otherwise you’ll explode!

Those seeking for space to think and find inspiration, be it for their work, art or just life in general, are bound to find everything they need here. This for example was my favorite spot to write (awsome for lunch as well):

I felt free, at peace and thought I could do anything while I was staying at this Sardinian marvel. I hope I’ll return soon enough, maybe next spring! Who else is comming with me? Not decided yet? Here are some more photos to convince you:

As getting to Bulgaria is extremely easy for those of use fortunate enough to be living in Bucharest, a lot of the short gettaways I have been on included a place in Bulgaria. Their lovely beaches when I was in mood for a few relaxing days spent sunbathing and diving into the Black Sea, and Veliko Turnovo when I was in the mood for a mountain top sceneray.

Every time I go to Veliko Tarnovo, I stay at Hotel Concorde. I felt so great the first time I stayed there, I just did not feel the need to try another one! Only a few minutes away from the colorful center with the town hall, purring bikes, great looking cars and delicious ice-cream that I never seem to have enough of, Hotel Concorde is a chic and small venue, with only 18 rooms, all extremely big and all looking chic, a restaurant, a bar on the top floor where you can enjoy an amazing view, conference rooms and a small and intimate breakfast room.

If you’re like me and just can’t breathe without an Internet connection, don’t worry, they have both wireless and wired Internet, all free, but the wireless might play a few tricks from you if you stray from the lobby.

The rooms, especially the three VIP ones, are perfect for romantic gettaway. Bold colors, sparkling wine, great decorations and a jacuzzi, let’s just say it’s enough to keep you inside for a long time! If you get hungry, you can go downstairs to the hotel restaurant or take a 5 to 10 minutes walk and try out one of the many restaurants in Veliko. Main street tarraces, hidden treasures on narrow streets with artisans seeling souvenirs, wherever you choose to eat the portions are huge! Make sure to ignore anyone else eating around you, allowing yourself to get distracted by what they are having usually leads to ordering way too much!

Hotel Concorde has great personnel! They are friendly, they all speak English and they are always doing their best to help. So are the hotel partners – we’ve enjoyed a great chat with the guy who takes hotel guests on helicopter tours of the city!

VIP Room - Hotel Concorde

Try to avoid dropping in without a reservation, especially during summer! You might get lucky, but it’s safer to book at least a week in advance!

Luxury room - Hotel Concorde

P.S. The room photos I chose are of the ones I actually stayed in and I can wholeheartedly say that, in real life, they look better than the pictures.

I imagine it is hard to top the travel to the outer space promise when it commes to innovative vacation and travel ideas. But is it really appealing to be captured without notice, blindfolded and made a prisoner for 4 to 10 hours? Judging by the travel concepts presented at the Tourism Futures conference in Brisbane, it seems this is the next big thing!

Tourism Queensland and a French company are offering such tourist delights: people actually pay “to be abducted without warning, bound, gagged and imprisoned for between four and ten hours.”

How does this work when compared with this far more innovative and less frightening experience:

Nick Talbot, who is director of UK-based design and innovation company seymourpowell, said in the next 15 years you could see “air hotels’’ like cruise ships in the sky in which you spend a week floating from Australia to London, stopping off at various destinations along the way.

I understand social media being a part of traveling and the rise of custom vacationsm, designed to fit lifestyle and enormous budgets – think space tourism and the air hotels here, but when exactly have we switched from visiting tourist attack sites as part of Dark or Black tourism to actually wanting to experience the life changing trauma of kidnapping victims?

Would you actually pay for something like this?

Guest post by Tina Romano

If you like organized chaos, cloudy skies and people calling you “love” every 5 seconds, then London is the perfect city for you. I first set foot there 3 years ago, on what I called then a “hit and run”. I didn’t book a hotel, I didn’t have a map, I didn’t know where I was going either. All I knew was that after a long, long time Warrior Soul was playing a gig and I wanted to attend.

Nevermind the clueless “what now?” moment after getting off the bus in the Victoria Station… London has to be one of the best cities when it comes to getting around. Seriously, all you need is a map of the city center and the tube layout. Almost every street has an information booth, all streets are all properly marked, street signs are everywhere and the underground is absolutely wonderful: if you can’t read the instructions then you can just follow the color code. Y’know, same as when you’re hiking in the mountains…

Travelling by bus is also very easy, each bus stop has the timetable and the route of the buses available, so it’s never hard to find your way. The London leaflet one can pick up from any tourist information office has every attraction marked down and numbered on the map, next to the tube stations.

Money wise, it’s better to purchase an Oyster card and put some money on it for the fare, instead of purchasing single tickets from the bus stops or from the driver. If you’re staying more than a weekend, choose the weekly pass; it’s 25 pounds and you can travel unlimitedly on every mean of transportation (boats – with a slight extra charge, tube – zone 1 and 2, and buses).

Something I found the hard way: while regular buses have card readers on every access door, so one can hop in anywhere and touch in, double deckers have one card reader only, next to the driver, so one must get in on the front door. Only the front door. I used the door in the middle, looked for the damn thing and located the only one next to a very angry driver. I was making my way over there, going against the stream like a trout, only to be asked to “get off his bus”. Thanx, “love”… Also, buses only stop if you hail them, so look out for them and stay sharp. The same goes for wanting to get off. You have to alert the driver by pushing the stop button, otherwise, if no one else wants to get on or off, he keeps driving. Now you can’t say you didn’t know…

Back to my hit and run, it turned out ok, managed to get hold of my friend near Westminster, got the concert tickets and found my way to the venue, all safe and sound and without running into any trouble. Every bar has warning posters in the loo, advising young women to call for a cab rather than pick one from the street, as there have been incidents of fake cabbies abducting and abusing women in the past. This I find particularly disturbing and eye-opening.  They say go to the bar tender and ask them to call you a cab. I did that and the bar tender sent me out in the street to look for one myself. Thanx, “love”…

Also, whether you’re getting to London by bus or train, the return ticket is always cheaper than buying two one-way tickets, but be careful when asking for return tickets, as there’s a difference between returning-the-same-day tickets, and valid-for-3-months return tickets. If you do want to plan ahead, maybe just a little, this is a great resource.

As for the attractions the city has to offer, that’s a different post in itself. And coming soon too

About the author – Tina Romano
I am a daydreamer, moon watcher, music junkie. Bit of a voyeur with a tendency to write. Hopeless romantic with no recipe for love (if it tastes good, I’ll have a bite). Interests include: music, short animation movies, web design, architecture, poetry and men who get me worked up with imaginary pancakes. When inspiration strikes I write here in English and here in Romanian.

It’s extrmely hot in Bucharest. Somewhere around 40 degrees Celsius. It rained a bit, but the positive effect was short lived. So I started looking for places to run away from the heat, at least temporarily. And I am proud to say I found the perfect solution!

What do you think of when hearing Absolut Icebar? Nothing sounds chillier to me! A tiny bar with a constant temperature of -5°C where everything is made of ice – the bar, the chairs, the entire room, even the glasses you drink Absolut cocktails from! And not just any ice, but natural frozen Swedish Torne River ice! Usually part of a complex, together with a hotel and restaurant, Absolut Icebar welcomes a limited number of bar goers for only 20 minutes at a time. It is too cold to stay longer, on one hand, and there are lots of people that want to get in on the other. The friendly staff will prodive warm coats to you, to make sure you don’t catch a cold or freeze while visiting them

What I find extremely cool is that you can go to the very same Absolut Icebar year after year and still think you’re visiting a new place. They change the ice design every year to create a whole new experience.

In terms of where, you can find Icebars in Jukkasjärvi, Stockholm, Mojave, London, Oslo, Copenhagen and Tokyo.

So, who else needs to cool off and hide from the heat? Let’s meet at an Icebar!

Photos curtesy of the very friendly Press section of the Absolut Icebar website.