Firstly, I would like to apologise to all those concert goers for not posting the guide last week. So many changes have been going on with the blog and I feel terrible! So, to make it up we are going to look at a few extra dates this week! So let’s see what exciting things are going on next month!

Muse (April 9th) – US Airways Center, Arizona, USA – This UK alternative rock band are just absolutely amazing live. With their crazy lighting and electrifying concert it is definitely not one to miss. Oh, and I love Matt Bellamy!

Scorpions (April 10th) – Lotto Mons Expo, Belgium – This heavy metal band originally from Germany, have had a hit with possibly one of my favourites song ever (also because I am awesome on Guitar Hero) is Rock You Like a Hurricane.

Jethro Tull (April 11th) – Weser Ems, Oldenburg, Germany – Another British rock band with the hit Sunshine Day are great fun live. Formed in 1967, and are still around today? Seems to be like a band who know what they are doing.

Owl City (April 12th) – The Great SaltAir, Utah, USA – This Synth-pop musical project was created by Adam Young who is from the states. His single Fireflies hit the US Billboard Hot 100 straight in at number 1 as well as the UK single chart. His sound is great and is well worth a see live.

The xx (April 13th) – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, Canada – a 3 piece band from South West London are quite new to the music scene. Only formed in 2005 their latest single VCR is really good. I haven’t seen them live, but I quite like their music so I’m sure they will be great!

Behemoth (April 14th) – Billboard The Venue, Melbourne, Australia – A Polish metal band are considered to have played a role extreme metal underground.

Saosin (April 15th) – Melkweg Oude Zaal, Amsterdam, Netherlands – An Alternative Rock/ Screamo band from America and will be great to see live.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre (April 16th) – Zenith, Strasbourg, France – A different type of rock band classed as neo-psychedelic, I think it will be great because it’s something different.

Florence and the Machine (April 17th) – Mezzanine, San Francisco, California, USA – I just love Florence and the Machine, wish I could go see them live!

Lady Gaga (April 18th) – Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan – Rah rah rah ah ah, roma rom ma ma, Gaga Ooh La la, want your bad romance. She may have a crazy style but I love Gaga!

Editors (April 19th) – Seifenfabrik, Graz, Austria – Brilliant band to see live, they really put on a good show. I really like their music style. Kind of 80’s and electro-pop!

Who are you seeing this year? Have a nice weekend!

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A really interesting question and answer page I found in The Times by Dr Mark suggests a pillow that can ease your backache while driving.

The question posed to him was “I have always been prone to backache, but the problem has become noticeably worse since I changed my car. Can you suggest a cushion that might help to ease the discomfort on long journeys?“ and I think that is a really good question. Car seats are ergonomically designed to fit around us and make our journeys more comfortable and everybody adjusts their cars seat due to different shapes and sizes, but sometimes this just isn’t enough.

I, for one, sit quite far back in my car because my upper body is a bit longer than my legs. It almost looks like I am laying down while driving! While my partner has to sit quite far back because he is very tall, but has to keep the seat almost upright so he can reach the wheel! But would a cushion help ease the gap between the lower back and the seat? Not forgetting that our spines have a slight natural curve in them.

Dr Mark says that car makers spend a lot of money trying to make the perfect seat, but it is very difficult catering for all different shapes and sizes. I reckon, in a perfect world, we should have a car seat made to measure!

The suggestion Dr Mark makes is that before you go spending thousands of pounds on cushions like lumbar ones, try and adjust your seat again. You may be sitting too far away so your arms and legs have to stretch to reach the wheel and pedals, this can really put a strain on your back because it has to stay in one position the whole time. If this is the case without any support, then no wonder you’ll be getting back pain! I personally suggest that Yoga would be a really good way to increase back strength, as well as adjusting your seat so you aren’t over stretched.

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The Lake District is a beautiful place to go either for a relaxing weekend or a longer family holiday. There are many wonderful things to see and do whatever time of year you go. Not many people know that there is in fact only one lake in the Lake District and that is Bassenthwaite Lake. All of the other water expanses are called either meres or waters

Windermere is the largest of the lakes and the most famous. It is 10 miles long and 220ft (65m) at its deepest point. Ambleside, at the top of Windermere, is a perfect base from where you can easily drive to many of the main areas of the Lake District. The town itself is a lovely Victorian place which has some great pubs and a rather good Thai restaurant. It is also one of only two towns which are directly on the lake, the other being Bowness-on-Windermere.

The town of Windermere is actually about a 15 minute walk from the lake, a walk which is much easier going than it is coming back according to some people! There are several ways to see the lake from here. You can hire a motor boat or a rowing boat and see it at your leisure or there are big cruise boats that stop at Ambleside, Bowness and Lakeside which is the southern most point of Windermere. In Bowness you can visit The World of Beatrix Potter where you can meet Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Jeremy Fisher. In Lakeside the Lakes Aquarium has a wonderful underwater tunnel and a pair of otters called Mia and Smudge who entertain visitors with their pretend fighting and darting about. When we visited there were owls from the World Owl Trust outside the aquarium that you could have your picture taken with. The smallest one was about 6 inches high and and so cute and soft! Also at Lakeside is the steam railway where you can step back in time and ride in authentic carriages that date back to at least the 1950’s. They have several theme days/weekends throughout the year including a Thomas the Tank Engine weekend and a wizards and witches week in October.

Coniston Water is where in 1967 Donald Campbell died in his attempt at the water speed record. He managed to reach 320mph at which point his craft, Bluebird, began to break, eventually lifting from the surface and plunging back into the lake nose first. The wreckage was only retrieved in 2000 and a year later his body was recovered. He was finally laid to rest on 12th September 2001. If you take a boat trip around Coniston Water you can see where all this happened and the guides are very friendly and knowledgeable and will give you a detailed account of this historic, but tragic event. Also from Coniston, should you be so inclined, you can do one of the best walks, in my opinion, in the Lake District. Old Man of Coniston is some 2.634 feet high, has several waterfalls and the views from the summit are just stunning!

William Wordsworth is a favourite son of the Lake District. At Grasmere you can visit Dove Cottage where he, his wife Mary and his sister Dorothy lived. It was here that he wrote much of his poetry and had many notable visitors such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Walter Scott. There is a museum next to the cottage where learn about Wordsworth’s life and that of some of his friends and listen to poetry such as Kubla Khan and The Tiger.

For me, the best time to visit the Lake District is around April/May or late September/early October. I love this part of the country, it is peaceful, un-rushed and, if you go with that special someone, very romantic!

Why not hire a car and discover the tranquility of this wonderful part of England. Have you been to the Lake District? Where are your favourite places to visit?

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Spain has some wonderful food and is most famous for the dish known as tapas. Now the only tapas I have eaten is La Tasca in London and I must say it was so delicious! Lots of little portions of many different types of food which you can taste and share with your friends!

Another famous dish in Spain is known as Pinchos which means spike in English and this refers to the toothpick or skewer that holds the food together. Originating in the Basque country, which is in the north of Spain, these wonderful snacks are eaten in many bars or taverns while people are hanging out with their friends and family so this delicious food largely revolves around socialising. Food is always good when out with friends!

Pinchos have many similarities to tapas, in that the portions are smaller than a main meal, but the main difference is that pinchos are ordered for the individual served with bread where as tapas are ordered to share.

Pinchos are made from local produce such as seafood, cured mates, cheese and vegetables. Almost any ingredient can be put on the bread for a great starter, the most popular being pincho moruno made of marinated pork, lamb or beef.

So if you are heading out to Spain this summer for your holidays, why not venture out into some bars with your friends and enjoy a few drinks and some pinchos! Have you tried it before? I’ve only eaten tapas and would like to know what pinchos is like!

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Krakow is on of the oldest cities in Poland and its old town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Once the capital of Poland, it is rich in history and has become a popular tourist destination in recent years with Ryanair and easyJet both servicing the city.

Here are our top five thing to see in Krakow:

1. The Wieliczka Salt Mine – The mine produced table salt from the13th century until 2007 and is now a tourist attraction. There is a wooden staircase 64 metres down to the first level of the mine, 378 steps. It is a labyrinth of passageways, chambers and sculptures all carved in salt The chapel of St. Kinga is magnificent and the Warsaw Chamber, which is 122.5 metres below ground is a great place to experience a concert because of the unique natural acoustics.
2. Wawel Cathedral – Situated on Wawel Hill this Gothic cathedral was built in the 14th century and is Polands most important national sanctuary. There are eighteen chapels around the cathedral which display many art treasures. The Chapel of the Holy Cross has Russian Mural dating back to the 15th century and the Sigismund Chapel is Renaissance art at its best.



3. Wawel Castle – One of the most beautiful and romantic royal houses in Europe. The State Rooms have magnificent tapestries and painted ceilings to admire. The Renaissance courtyard is impressive and the Royal Audience Hall with its sculptured heads in the ceiling is also worth seeing. The Treasury and Armoury houses a wonderful collection of swords and weapons many of which are either jewel encrusted or oriental.
4. Ethnographical Museum – The museum is in the old 14th century Town Hall which has a lovely Renaissance facade. There are regional costumes from all over Poland and a wonderful display of painted Easter Eggs. The ground floor has a chain of rooms which are authentically recreated interiors from different regions around Poland.
5. Market Square – The square is the largest Medieval town square in Europe. Here you can see St Mary’s Basilica, a Gothic 14th century church with its fabulous wooden altarpiece and lovely stained glass windows. Every hour a trumpet is sounded which breaks off mid-stream in remembrance of the 13th trumpeter, who was shot in the throat whilst sounding the alarm when the Mongols attacked. There are plenty of cafes in the square where you can sit, relax and soak up the atmosphere.

Have you been to Krakow? What are your favourite places to visit?

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Bucharest I hear you say? Where is this? Romania! In Central Europe, Romania shares border with Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria. In fact, there are lot of places you could see if you picked up a hire car at Bucharest Airport. So let’s take a look at some of the things you can enjoy while you are on your travels!

Seeing as you are starting your drive in Bucharest, why not visit this beautiful city while you are here! There is a very diverse cultural scene here, with lots of visual arts, performing arts and great nightlife. Did you know that Bucharest was once nicknamed Little Paris? This was because of the French influence in the architecture. Visit the Palace of the Parliament, built in the 1980s (still young like me!) and is the second largest building in Europe and the World. Another monument, built in 1935, is the Arcul de Triumf, modelled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

There are also many museums to enjoy within Bucharest. See the National Museum of Art, located in the former Royal Palace and for something different, visit the National bank of Romania which houses a beautiful coin collection from Romania’s history.

Only a 2 hour drive south of Bucharest, you can reach Bulgaria and visit the city of Ruse. This beautiful port attracts many tourists every year. It has a vast array of stunning Baroque and Rococo architecture so be sure to see the Battenberg Palace, which now houses the Rousse Regional Historical Museum. Also visit the Dohodno Zdanie, which is a gorgeous old theatre and be sure to see Rousse TV Tower, the tallest in Bulgaria and one of the tallest in the Balkan Peninsula.

Another 2 hour drive south east of Ruse you will find Shumen. A great city which houses a Monument, built in 1981 to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of the very First Empire of Bulgaria. You will definitely be able to find it as it can be seen from about 30km away! Also be sure to go to the Madara Rider, an early medieval rock near the village of Madara in Shumen. The reason for the name is that there is an engraving of a horseman, a dog and lion on the rock. Dating back to around 710AD it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. What a beautiful piece of nature.

Varna is only about an hours drive away to the east and what a great city to stop off at on your travels. This seaside resort town is very popular with tourists. Relax on the beach or see the city and enjoy sights such as the Sea Garden, the oldest park in the city, which houses an open-air theatre, an Aquarium, a Dolphinarium, Observatory and Planetarium, The Museum of Natural History, a Terrarium, a Zoo, a children’s amusement park and an ice rink… just to name a few! The beaches in the city (sea baths) have wonderful hot spas, swimming pools and public showers. Don’t forget to go to some of the food markets and sample a genuine taste of Bulgaria!

Dobrich is a wonderful old town in Bulgaria and only an hours drive north of Varna. Here you can just walk a long the old streets and see the Clock Tower. Stunning. Visit the Church of St George, a magnificent building and the statue of Vasil Levski, a Bulgarian revolutionary who was renowned as a National Hero as he liberated Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. Also be sure to take some time out in Dobrich park, beautiful and peaceful, a great way to just admire life.

Our last stop is back in Romania and we are heading to Constanta which is an hour and a half drive away. Now before you head off to the airport to drop off your car, explore the city. There are some wonderful things to see, such as Ovid’s Square, The Roman Mosaics where today, only a third of the face remains in this three level complex, The Genoese Lighthouse which was built in 1860 and is 26 feet high. Also see the House with Lions, a Pre-Romantic and Genovese style building with lions imposing four columns.

There is so much more for you discover with your car hire in Bucharest, this is just an example of the things you could see! A great way to do a fly-drive is to plan your holiday itinerary before you travel, so you can get the best out of your holiday and see more than one city! Maybe one day you will be able to travel around the world in 80 days!

Have you been to Romania or Bulgaria? What would you recommended your fellow travellers to see?

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The eagerly awaited F1 season got under way yesterday in Bahrain but did not live up to the high expectations of fans or the drivers.

Sebastian Vettel started in Pole Position, with Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso second and third respectively. Lewis Hamilton started fourth, Nico Rosberg fifth, Mark Webbersixth, Michael Schumacher seventh and Jenson Button eighth.

Vettel led for most of the race. By lap 29 Alonso was just 1.5 seconds behind Vettel. In lap 33 the Red Bull car lost power due to what was initially believed to be a problem with his exhaust. It later transpired that it was in fact a spark plug problem. Alonso took the lead in lap 34 and Massa went second in lap 35. Despite this Vettel managed to finish fourth with his Red Bull team mate Mark Webber finishing eighth.

Two of the three new teams didn’t get off to the best of starts. Both Virgin cars failed to finish the race with Lucas di Grassi not getting past lap 2 with hyraulics problems and Timo Glock retiring in lap 16 with gearbox issues. However, Richard Branson remained confident that lessons would be learnt and they would be better prepared for the Australian race in two weeks time. The Hispania Racing Team also got off to a bad start with Karun Chandhok spinning into a barrier after hitting a bump in the first lap and Bruno Senna having to retire after 18 laps when a broken water clip caused his car to lose all its water and overheat. Lotus however managed to do better with Heikki Kovalainen finishing fifteenth and Jarno Trulli getting 46 laps complete before experiencing hyrdraulics problems.

The new rules on re-fueling and tyres means it is a different type of race to what the drivers are used to. So whilst this may not have been one of the most exciting F1 races ever, the season should get better as the drivers adapt their driving style and techniques. Maybe the best race will be the last in Abu Dhabi.

Final top 10 positions were :

1 Fernando Alonso/Ferrari/1:39:20.396
2 Felipe Massa /Ferrari /+16.0 secs
3 Lewis Hamilton/McLaren-Mercedes/+23.1 secs
4 Sebastian Vettel/ RBR-Renault/+38.7 secs
5 Nico Rosberg/Mercedes Benz GP Ltd/  +40.2 secs
6 Michael Schumacher/ Mercedes Benz GP Ltd/ +44.1 secs
7 Jenson Button/ McLaren Mercedes / +45.2 secs
8 Mark Webber/ RBR-Renault/+46.3 secs
9 Vitantonio Liuzzi/Force India-Mercedes/ +53.0 secs
10 Ruben Barrichello/Williams-Cosworth/+62.4 secs

What did you think of the race? Have the new rules made the race to processional?

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The Australian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday 28th March in Albert Park, Melbourne. It is the second race of the season and is the home venue of Red Bull’s Mark Webber.

As well as the main race there will be live music, rides and entertainment over the four day event. There are also other races featuring V8 Supercars and Formula 5000 to whet your appetite. If you are lucky enough to be going to the race then you should also visit the city of Melbourne. There are many lovely buildings and parks to visit such as the Flinders Street Station or Carlton Gardens.

Getting back to the Formula 1, the first race of the season in Bahrain gets underway this weekend. The first practice session took place this morning with Force India’s Adrian Sutil setting the fastest lap (1:56.583). Ferrari were second (Ferrnando Alonso) and Fourth (Felipe Massa), McLaren were fifth (Jenson Button) and sixth (Lewis Hamilton). Michael Schumacher in his Mercedes came tenth.

The circuit has been extended this year by about half a mile with 5 extra bends after Turn 4. Whilst not new, it is not used much and so won’t have the same grip as the rest of the track and in places is much narrower than other sections.

The second practice session saw the teams trying out some fully fueled runs. The Hispania Racing Team experienced problems with hydraulics but Bruno Senna managed to complete 17 laps. Mark Webber had a few problems with his car in the afternoon session and hence only did 12 laps and finished 17th. McLaren and Mercedes dominated the top 4 finishing positions. Not conclusive by any means as there is no way of knowing how much fuel the cars had on board when they set their fastest times. For the curious though, Nico Rosenberg was first (1:55.409), Lewis Hamilton second (1:55.854), Michael Schumacher third (1:55.903) and Jenson Button fourth (1:56.076).

Last year Jenson Button won, but Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher have all also won here previously. Who do you think will win this year at the Sakhir track?

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If you want something exciting to do with your kids over the Easter weekend, why not consider going into London to watch the Oxford vs. Cambridge boat race on April 3rd? The race comes from a great history of two friends who went to school together, Charles Merivale, a student at Cambridge and Charles Wordsworth a student from Oxford. In 1829, Charles Merivale sent a challenge to his friend in Oxford and thus, the race was born.

The first race took place at Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire where Oxford won. The event was such a huge success that the Henley Royal Regatta was born. During the first few years the races took place at Westminster in London, but as this borough got too crowded they moved six miles upstream to Putney. The race has taken place every year since it started, except for the war years.

Only students at either university can participate and whoever makes the team goes through gruelling training everyday whilst juggling their studies. The course is 4 miles and 374 yards (6,779 metres), can you imagine rowing that far? I can’t even run that far!

This year is going to be just as big as the last year. Cambridge with 79 wins and Oxford with 75, it’s anyone’s game! Will either be able to beat the course record of 16minutes 19seconds set by Cambridge in 1998? I think you should get your self down to London on April 3rd at 16.30, park yourself somewhere along the Thames between Putney and Chiswick, drink in hand and enjoy the race. I know I will be there!

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When planning your holiday to Germany, it’s great to know some useful things that will make your holiday run smoothly. Do you know the time difference? We’re here to help make all this easier so have a look at some of our advice before you go.

Time Difference: Being within the Central European Standard Time Zone (CET), Germany is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +1)

Entry Requirements: You need a valid passport to enter Germany. You will not need a visa if your stay is less than 90 days. If you are staying more than 90 days, then you can obtain a visa when you arrive.

Language: The official Language is German. Virtually all Germans speak ‘Hochdeutsch’ and will respond happily if you try your hand at speaking a little! English is widely spoken but where’s the fun if you can’t put your language skills to the test?

These are just a few handy tips for you, have a look at our other Tips for Travellers in Germany as well as Tourism Information is you are unsure of anything. You can also look at our Driving Information which will give you help on driving in Germany.

Most of all, enjoy your holidays!

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