Everything You Need to Know About Retiring Abroad

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Ella Mason

So, you’re thinking of leaving the UK to retire? A new life at a new pace. Sounds great. But consider all the issues. The friends and family you’ll leave behind. The fact that no climate is ideal, no place perfect. The upheaval involved. The home comforts you’ll miss.

Still set on it? Well, this quick guide will help make sure you’ve got everything covered.

Choosing a place to live

If you’ve set your heart on a place to settle down, go and visit several times, at different times of the year. Get a feel for the place. And make sure you view the properties in person, not just over the internet.

Buying property overseas

Foreign exchanges companies, such as World First, can help you make the most of your money if you’re buying property abroad to retire, or want an overseas investment property.

They transfer money from your home bank account to your overseas account, and if you’re selling, they can send money in the other direction. It’s worth considering forward contracts where you can fix a rate for a point in the future or explore currency options that enable you to benefits from rate changes in your favour.

Your pension

If you qualify for a UK state pension, you can claim it wherever you live. The money can be paid into a UK bank or directly into an overseas account in the local currency. Private pensions can be transferred from a home account to a foreign bank, and by using a broker you’ll tend to get a better rate, and save on fees.

Paying tax

If you move abroad for good, your income tax liability moves with you. But you may still have UK tax to pay on investment or rental income in the UK. Pension income is normally taxed in your country of residence. They are not taxed twice, but may push your other income into a higher overseas tax band. Income from savings is generally taxable in your country of residence. Once you’re resident overseas, you’ll need to check whether you’re liable for capital gains tax.

Healthcare

This is an important consideration. You may get NHS-style free healthcare depending on where you retire, but in the United States, for example, medical insurance is essential. South Africa is another place where you’ll take to take out cover. Healthcare payments may also be required in France, Spain and Italy.

For more information about retiring in a new country, visit Retirement UK

Pitchup.com Launches Interactive Tour de France Map

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Frostie

Follow the Tour de France route and stay in holiday parks and campsites along the way using Pitchup.com’s new interactive route planner
Outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com is gearing up for this year’s Tour de France with a new interactive Tour route planner on its website. The planner details the 2,000-mile route the Tour de France will take, as well as a comprehensive list of bookable campsites, holiday parks and lodges for every stage of the race.

The route planner covers all 20 stages of the Tour, beginning with the Grand Départ in North Yorkshire, on Saturday July 5, right through to the finish at Périgueux, on Saturday, July 26.

The interactive planner is in the form of a map, with the Tour route stages clearly marked. Users can click the map anywhere along the route to find details of each stage, the dates they take place, the nearby towns and the route itself. Clicking on the map will also give details of up to 10 nearby holiday parks and campsites along the way, which can be booked on Pitchup.com.
Users simply need to click the name to go to its listing page, add in the dates they want to stay, pick their accommodation and book – all done!
The map also has a ‘Find out more’ section for a lowdown of other attractions in the vicinity.
Stage No 1: Leeds/Harrogate. Saturday July 5

Campsite directly on the route – £12 per person per night

Spen House is a family-run site in the village of Minskip, two miles from Boroughbridge, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire and is directly on the Tour de France route. Bookings are coming in quick, but there is still plenty of space on the farm’s second field, for caravans, motorhomes and tents not requiring electricity. The owners will charge batteries at no cost. Dogs are welcome and there’s an off-lead exercise area. There is a combined shower/toilet block with hairdryer and shaver sockets, ladies-only shower, separate washing-up area with hot water and a fridge/freezer for campers’ use.

Price: £72 per pitch for three nights (July 4-7), based on two adults, which works out at £12 per person per night.

Stage No 20: Périgueux. Saturday July 26

Holiday lodge with swimming pool and breakfast delivery – from £19 per person per night.

Camping L’Hermitage des 4 Saisons is set in four acres of countryside, surrounded by the forest and farmlands of Périgord Vert in the Dordogne, 13 miles from the Tour de France’s finish town, Périgueux. Accommodation is in two-bedroom holiday lodges, which sleep up to six. There’s a swimming pool, jacuzzi, pétanque court, table tennis, archery and pony rides on site. During high season the owners organise Perigoudin meals, barbecues and local produce tasting sessions. As an added bonus, breakfast is delivered to your door.

Price: Two weeks in a two-bedroom lodge for four people costs £1,069 (£133.75 per person per week/£19 per person per night).

Travel trends: Hot Tips For 2014 Plus 2013 Best Performers

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Frostie

Morocco, Barbados and Kenya were the big success stories for 2013

Montenegro is hotly tipped for 2014, while Spain and Portugal continue to perform well

Morocco has outperformed any other worldwide holiday destination in terms of increased bookings for 2013, according to loveholidays.com

Data from the online travel agency reveals bookings to Morocco are up a staggering 1,100% year-on-year. Barbados and Kenya have seen bookings soar, by 800% and 700% respectively, while regular favourites Spain and Portugal also report big increases.

Montenegro, meanwhile, is being tipped as the next big destination in 2014, after it too showed a healthy increase in bookings last year.

Morocco holidays: up 1,100%

Morocco has been boosted in recent years, partly since easyJet launched flights to the destination. Since then, UK holidaymakers have started to realise what great value it is, and because it’s only a three-hour flight away, it’s possible to nip over for a short break.

loveholidays.com founder Alex Francis says: “Morocco is a very decently priced option for people who want to set foot on exotic soil and experience ‘Africa’ from as little as £150 per person.”

“Air capacity from the UK is increasing by 60% this winter with easyJet, for example, further expanding with the launch of a Bristol-Marrakesh service last month. It’s not surprising the Moroccan Tourist Board is predicting double-digit growth in travellers to the country. We think Morocco has still further to go.”

Barbados holidays: up 800%

Barbados is served with a great selection of flights from UK airports and transfer times from the airport to resort are shorter than some of the other Caribbean destinations.

Francis says: “It’s relatively safe and very “British” – you could say it’s got a ‘faraway familiarity’ about it, which is why it’s a firm favourite among Brits. This year, the Barbados Tourism Authority ran a promotion in conjunction with selected hotels giving tourists ‘free spending money’, redeemable at restaurants and attractions, to boost low-season bookings – and this definitely helped raise the island’s profile as a value-for-money destination.

“In addition, Barbados’ best-known export, Rihanna, is never far out of the media spotlight, ensuring regular publicity for the island.”

Kenya holidays: up 700%

Tourism to Kenya reached record levels three years ago, with British travellers making up the biggest proportion of its one million visitors. Political unrest, terrorism and rare instances of attacks on holidaymakers since then have kept the destination in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. But Kenya is so unusual that it never takes long to bounce back. Hence a 700% increase in demand.

Francis says: “There really is nowhere on earth like Kenya and safari holidays combined with a few days on the beach are really popular. Prices remain keen, so a bargain safari and beach holiday in Kenya is perfectly possible.”

Montenegro holidays: up 300%

“Our money’s on Montenegro as a hot destination for 2014. It’s a tiny country, but it’s going to be huge this year, with tourists flocking to the resort of Becici and the nearby Medieval town of Budva. Upmarket accommodation providers, such as Regent Hotels and Resorts and Kerzner International’s One&Only, are opening new properties in 2014; however, even on a smaller budget, it’s easy to experience Montenegro in style and comfort.”

“The four-star Hotel Montenegro Beach in Becici has proved really popular this year. As far as value for money goes, it’s hard to beat – and that’s why we’re tipping Montenegro as one to watch this year,” predicts Francis.

Spain and Portugal holidays: up 571% and 616% respectively

The original summer holiday destination for Brits – Spain – has been back in favour for a few years now. It’s not surprising, since it’s got brilliant flight links, offering the convenience of flying from a local airport in the vast majority of cases. Its neighbour, Portugal, is also a staple favourite and both destinations have a loyal repeat visitor clientele.

“In addition, these are two destinations that, even throughout the economic downturn, still represent great value for money, especially holidays to Spain,” says Francis.

“It’s just over two hours away and has stayed relatively ‘cheap’ while other destinations have shot up in price. Spain is consistently our big seller.”

Other high-performing destinations during 2013, and expected to prove popular next year, are: Tunisia (up 408%); Canary Islands (up 340%); Egypt (up 317%); Aruba (up 300%); Jamaica (up 289%); Balearic Islands (up 267%); Turkey (up 271%) and Slovenia (up 250%).

Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

In the run up to Christmas we got sent a lot of books about being calm. Rather aptly when you think of the stress and craziness of Christmas. Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World is a different type of book, it takes inspiration from cultures around the world to add to your life. A smart and great idea. The book has fifty calming cultural secrets as well as the methods for applying them at home. Each one brings a new idea to bring to your life. Unlike other books on being calm, this one is actually calming to read. You just have to relax and learn, then implement what you learn into your life.

The book is easy-to-read and fun. Each cultural calming secret comes with the secret, the tradition, the date to try it and the country it originated from.

For example, Reap What You Sow has the secret: Be self-reliant, the Tradition: gardening for self-sufficiency, Date: Any time, Originated in: Chartreuse Monastery, France. It then goes into detail.

Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World is a very good book, a great buy that is a step up from most of the self-help books out there: one with real, helpful advice and great cultural secrets: self help whilst learning about travel and culture? Enlightening and entertaining. I loved it.

Calm: Secrets To Serenity From The Cultures Of The World can be bought here.

Digital Detoxes to Celebrity Chefs, Experience Next Year’s Biggest Travel Trends

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Frostie

Digital detoxes, farm-to-fork cuisine and opulent spa treatments are just a few of the travel trends predicted to attract holidaymakers in 2014. With travellers demanding more than ever from their well-earned holidays, Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.’s luxury hotels, trains and cruises offer a range of on-trend experiences and packages to cater to the 21st-century traveller’s every whim.

Holidays are no longer seen as an excuse to over-indulge, with an increasing number of travellers looking to maintain their exercise regime during a ‘Fitness Fusion’ break. Guests at Napasai on Koh Samui, Thailand can discover the ancient art of Muay Thai in the hotel’s authentic Thai boxing ring; La Residencé Phou Vao in Luang Prabang, Laos has introduced archery lessons in its UNESCO World Heritage garden; and golf enthusiasts can improve their swing during a golf tour on The Royal Scotsman, the UK’s only luxury sleeper train. Athletic types can discover local sites during a jogging tour with a personal trainer at Hotel Caruso in Ravello, Italy or take on even tougher fitness challenges such as the Angkor Wat Half Marathon at La Residencé d’Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia and the Madrid Marathon at Hotel Ritz Madrid in Spain.

Given that many people now sleep next to their mobile phones, it’s unsurprising they crave a ‘Digital Detox’ to escape the demands of modern technology while on holiday. Luxury river cruisers Orcaella and Road to Mandalay in remote Myanmar offer the ultimate switch-off experience, with no Wi-Fi or phone reception to distract guests from the spectacular backdrop of golden temples and remote villages. Limited internet access on board the barges of Afloat in France also encourages quality family time, as children abandon their iPads to help the crew navigate through scenic Burgundy.

The public’s passion for ‘Celebrity Chefs’ shows no signs of waning in 2014 and travellers can now engage with their favourite culinary masterminds on holiday. Next year, some of the UK’s most celebrated chefs including Marcus Wareing, James Martin, Tom Kerridge and Raymond Blanc are set to create pop-up dinners on board luxury UK day train the British Pullman, while Ken Hom will front a new Pan Asian restaurant at the iconic Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.

Travellers are increasingly eager to broaden their skillset on holiday with ‘Brain-Boosting Experiences’ led by experts. Next November, acclaimed author Alexander McCall Smith will lead an intimate six-day safari through the setting of his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series at Eagle Island Camp, Savute Elephant Camp and Khwai River Lodge in Botswana, Southern Africa. Guests at Jimbaran Puri Bali in Jimbaran Bay, Bali can create their own scent during a perfume making workshop, while drink connoisseurs can meet winemakers during Afloat in France’s week-long Grands Crus Cruise and take a four-night whisky tour on board The Royal Scotsman, partnered with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Back in the UK, budding chefs can spend a day in the Michelin starred kitchen at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire.

People have never been more conscious of what they eat, with an increasing focus on locally produced, ‘Farm to Fork’ cuisine that extends to their holiday. Guests at Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa can experience the trend first hand during an urban foraging experience, collecting culinary treats from the local landscape which are then prepared by the hotel chefs. In another nod to sustainable produce, El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California produces branded cheese using milk from the hotel’s own cow, Ellie, and prepares restaurant dishes using ingredients from an on-site organic garden.

Spas are getting even more creative with their treatments, with a focus on opulent and unusual ‘Treasure Treatments’ in 2014. Charleston Place in South Carolina, USA offers an exclusive 24-carat gold facial, guests at Reid’s Palace on Madeira, Portugal can indulge in a luxurious body treatment using caviar and the spa menu at La Residencia in Deia, Mallorca includes a purifying treatment containing diamond dust.

Once-in-a-lifetime experiences are more popular than ever as travellers strive to make the most of their time away with ‘YOLO’ (‘you only live once’) and ‘FOMO’ (‘fear of missing out’) activities. Guests at La Residencé d’Angkor can capture the ultimate Kodak moment during an open-sided helicopter ride over Cambodia’s world-famous Angkor temple complex. Hotel das Cataratas in Iguassu, Brazil, offers a thrilling flight over the spectacular Iguassu Falls and luxury sleeper train, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, evokes the golden age of travel during an unforgettable journey from Venice to Istanbul, passing through Bulgaria, Bucharest, Budapest and Vienna.

Further details or to book, please call the UK Reservations team on 0845 077 2222 or visit www.orient-express.com.

19-year-old Explorer to set World Record on Antarctica Adventure

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Frostie

Earlier this week, 19-year-old explorer, Parker Liautaud made the announcement that he will attempt to set the record for the fastest journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on skis. Parker will begin his journey in December and will be spending Christmas Day in freezing conditions.

On his journey to the South Pole, Parker will be undertaking three distinct scientific research programmes to contribute to a better understanding of how climate is changing; including testing a lightweight weather station, the ColdFacts 3000BX for the first time in Antarctica.

On Monday, The Willis Resilience Expedition brought a taste of Antarctica to London as Parker Liautaud tested his camp and equipment for his world record attempt in front of the iconic Tower Bridge. The ambitious teen froze London with 500 square meters of snow; a full polar camp with a true expedition breakfast on offer so passersby can understand what a day in the life of a polar explorer would be like, giving the public the ultimate survival experience. In preparation for his expedition, Parker set up camp in his expedition tent inside the Antarctic Chamber: a large glass box filled with snow, set beneath the iconic backdrop of Tower Bridge.

At the young age of 19, Parker has already debated climate change with Al Gore at the UN’s Social Good Summit, as well as studying at Yale University and has already completed three trips to the North Pole. We’re impressed.

Jamaica and Cuba touted as the top selling Caribbean destinations for 2014

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Frostie

Sales up 50% year on year

Want an idea for your next holiday? Following a recent report from the Post Office which positions Jamaica as the cheapest Caribbean island to visit for travellers on a budget, online travel agent loveholidays.com has conducted its own research into top selling Caribbean holiday destinations:

Research shows the majority of Jamaica holidays booked are all-inclusive holidays so the price of a holiday is not significantly affected by falling costs of food and drink in resort
Jamaica bookings are up by 50% on 2012.
An average seven night holiday to Jamaica in winter 2013/14 costs from only £893pp
Jamaica is the fastest growing Caribbean destination for loveholidays.com, growing at 50% year on year. However Cuba is still the most popular Caribbean destination accounting for 70% of bookings to the region.

COO of loveholidays.com Jonny Marsh concluded: “Jamaica was once considered unsafe by many but our customers are seeing it as increasingly desirable.

After seeing a 50% increase this year and with the added incentive of our low deposits from just £49pp, we expect our sales of Jamaica holidays to continue to grow, in particular, our all inclusive holidays for 2014. This growth represents Jamaica’s exceptional value compared to some other Caribbean resorts, so the spike in bookings is due to a combination of great value prices and an improving image. At present we offer luxury all-inclusive holidays to Jamaica from as little as £893pp. This compares to other Caribbean destinations where a seven night all inclusive break can reach as much as £1299.

The Post Office report is interesting but as many of our clients book an all-inclusive break many remain unaffected by falling prices of food and drink.

Cuba holidays also represent fantastic value for money but until recently they have remained off the mainstream tourist radar. It’s only a matter of time before flights resume from Miami so now is the time to go if customers want to experience a true taste of Cuba. With the price of a 5 star all inclusive package, coming in at £529pp, Cuba is another Caribbean island representing terrific value.”

Richmond Park | London Gems

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Richmond Park is one of my favourite places in London. I have spent a lot of time there. Anyone who thinks that London is just a concrete jungle has to spend some time in this fantastic Royal Park. Beautiful and green, it is a real London Gem in South-West London. It is easy to get to and is vast with lots of wildlife; Squirrels, deer, rabbits, owls…it is the perfect green getaway for stressed-out Londoners and tourists alike.

Every year millions of Londoners and tourists visit Richmond Park, the largest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks and the biggest enclosed space in London. It is London’s largest Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation. It is home to the beautiful Isabella Plantation, Pembroke Lodge and herds of Red and Fallow deer.

Perfect for; walks, picnics, weddings (at Pembroke Lodge), fresh air, get-togethers, wildlife watching, exercise, cycling and getting in touch with nature. children: has two playgrounds. Conveniently has six car parks and a cafe. A must see.

Richmond Park Opening hours: 07:00 – 18:45 Phone number: 0300 061 2200

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