http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/index.cfm?c=3546 Auto Europe offers great deals on car rental at over 4000 locations worldwide and on discount airfare to Europe. We also specialize in chauffeur drives, transfers, camper rentals and luxury car rentals. rss@autoeurope.com (RSS Manager) http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/index.cfm?c=3546 http://www.autoeurope.com/images/autoeurope-rss-logo.gif 31 144 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:20:23 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/tax-drivers-more-to-help-save-the-planet http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/tax-drivers-more-to-help-save-the-planet Is the latest headlines hitting our papers today. The Dailymail, The Times and The Telegraph are all covering the story that drivers should pay by the mile on some of the UK's busiest roads depending on what time they drive to work. We could be paying as much as £1.50 a mile! In 2004 a similar scheme was announced by Alistair Darling but over 1.8million people signed a petition against this green tax. Read more... Added: 14 October 2009 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:20:02 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/city-breaks/discover-donana-national-park-in-spain http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/city-breaks/discover-donana-national-park-in-spain We all want something different to do when we choose to have a short city break, so we have chosen Doñana National Park as our destination that is a must see for anyone. This World Heritage Wildlife refuge in Southern Spain is located between Seville and Huelva. Being a park with many streams, marshland and sand dunes, it is the ideal location for migrating birds to stop over, as well as many other species of animals such as red deer and wild boars. Read more... Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:15:18 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/gig-guide-and-concerts-in-march http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/gig-guide-and-concerts-in-march Is it February already? January seems to have flown by everyone! I hope you have all had a nice start to the year! This week on our gig guide, we are taking a look to see what's going on in March this year. There seems to be a lot of tours and concerts going on, so we picked the best ones we found and hope you'll be able to get to some of them to see some of your favourite artists! Read more... Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:50:22 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/car-makers-emission-data-not-clear http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/car-makers-emission-data-not-clear Can you find the CO2 emissions for the vehicle you are thinking of buying on the manufacturer's website? Neither can a lot of others it seems. According to The Guardian, a report has been carried out by the Energy Saving Trust, Friends of the Earth Europe and We Are Futureproof that says car companies are confusing their consumers on their website. An online survey that was carried out on members of the public found that only half (52%) were successful. Read more... Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:14:28 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/moroccan-cuisine http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/moroccan-cuisine The Arabic country of Morocco is situated on the North West coast of Africa. Its cuisine is indicative of the many outside influences which have shaped its history over the centuries: Berber, African, Mediterranean, Arab and Moorish. Spices such as saffron, turmeric, ginger and cumin are abundant in Moroccan cuisine. The most famous Moroccan dish is cous cous, traditionally made from semolina which is rolled into small pellets. Read more... Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:13:40 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/safari-in-namibia http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/safari-in-namibia Looking for some excitement and thrill during your next holiday? Why not consider going to Namibia and experiencing a safari tour. There is so much to see that it will be a great adventure for you and all the family. Namibia is home to Etosha National Park, Namib Desert and Namib National Park. There are many attractions that you can explore if you choose a holiday here. Read more... Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:16:58 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/events-in-australia-during-march http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/events-in-australia-during-march Whenever you visit Australia during March there are a plethora of events to keep you entertained, whether you like the excitement of Formula 1 or just prefer to enjoy listening to classical music in the park. Listed below are some of the highlights. Victoria: Australian Grand Prix ? Melbourne 25th to 28th March. Can Jensen Button win here again like he did last year and go on to win the title? Albert Park in Melbourne hosts the second race in the F1 2010 season. Read more... Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:16:11 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-49 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-49 Brita Bevis! Well done it is in fact true! The name Madrid comes from the Arabic "magerit" which means 'place of many streams' is absolutely right! Now for this week's question. Can you tell me what this is a picture of, and where it is? Read more... Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:25:15 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/romantic-destinations-in-italy http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/romantic-destinations-in-italy Stuck for something to do to show that special person in your life how much they mean to you on Valentines Day? Why not surprise them with a weekend trip to the most romantic country in the world, Italy. From the beautiful beaches of the Amalfi Coast to the more cosmopolitan city of Rome, there is something for everyone. Why not hire a car and really experience the magic of this beautiful country. To help you decide where to take your loved one here are some suggestions. Read more... Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:24:16 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/gig-guide-and-concerts-in-february-3 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/gig-guide-and-concerts-in-february-3 This week we are looking at the last eight days of February. There are so many wonderful bands playing around the world, I really wish I could go and see them all. Here are our recommendations for you if you can get yourself there! AFI, Panamore, Placebo, HIM + many more (21st Feb) ? Eastern Creek Raceway, Australia ? The Soundwave Music Festival is a great place to enjoy a vast array of artists and will be great day out for all those rock lovers! Read more... Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:48:06 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/costa-rica-sea-turtle-project http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/costa-rica-sea-turtle-project One of the most beautiful creatures in the world are sea turtles. The Leatherback Sea Turtles are the largest living marine reptiles and the majority of their lives are out at sea. The one time of their lives that they are on land are when they are laying eggs on the beach. The name Leatherback comes from their shells which are not the standard hard shells, but softer. The Las Baulas National Park is on the Pacific Coast in Costa Rica, about 100km from the border of Nicaragua. Read more... Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:47:12 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/city-breaks/best-golf-weekends-in-portugal http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/city-breaks/best-golf-weekends-in-portugal During the cover of the snow the majority of golf courses around the UK were closed. Some people don't fancy playing golf in the rain, so why not consider taking a weekend away with your friends and playing a few rounds of Golf in the sunshine? Here are some of our top Portuguese Golf courses that you should consider playing on. Read more... Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:15:54 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/city-breaks/best-road-trips-from-toulouse http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/city-breaks/best-road-trips-from-toulouse Toulouse, the capital of the Mid-Pyrenees region, enjoys a privileged location to explore the Mediterranean or the Pyrenees.The city offers unique architecture, charming streets with imposing churches and stunning parks. Take your car hire and head out of Toulouse to explore some of the towns and surrounding areas. During your holiday in Toulouse, be sure and visit places like Carcassonne (96 kms to 60 miles). Read more... Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:14:26 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/bargain-ski-destination-bulgaria http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/bargain-ski-destination-bulgaria The slopes are still going strong even though we are nearing Springtime. If you are looking for a bargain ski holiday, Bulgaria is the ideal skiing destination to head off this year. Only 10km from Sofia is the highest skiing resort in Bulgaria, Vitosha. Being 1800m above sea level, it is great for skiing in Winter and trekking in Summer. There are many different types of ski runs within this mountain for all ages and ski levels. Read more... Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:13:42 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/gig-guide-and-concerts-in-february-2 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/gig-guide-and-concerts-in-february-2 This week we are going to look at the gigs and concerts going on in the middle of February. There are some great bands touring the world next month, I wish I could list all of them. In fact, if I am wishing, I wish I could go to all of them! Here are our top recommendations for some of the best gigs and concerts around the world. Read more... Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:12:54 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/the-winter-olympics-are-coming http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/festivals-events/the-winter-olympics-are-coming From February 12th ? 28th this year, Vancouver, Canada will be host to the Winter Olympics! It is a very exciting time of year with many events being held on the snow and ice. It's going to be exciting, thrilling and a wonderful experience! The event is going to be officially opened by Governor General Michaelle Jean. There are so many wonderful sporting events to enjoy, here is a low down on some of them. Read more... Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:12:08 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-47 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-47 Well done Mel! The 4 official languages spoken in Switzerland are indeed German, French, Italian, and Romansh! Well done for getting our last question in 2009 correct! Let's start the New Year with some great Trivia. Where are we going this week? A Hint: Hola! Our Destination of the Month is Spain. It has an area of 504,030km squared making it the second largest country in Western Europe after France. Read more... Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:28:12 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/european-capital-of-culture-2010 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/european-capital-of-culture-2010 In one calender year, a city is chosen to showcase it's cultural life and development. The candidate is selected by the European Union and this gives the city a chance to transform itself into something truly amazing. It was created by Melina Mercouri in 1983 who used to be the Greek Minister of Culture and it finally launched in 1985 giving Athens the first title holder. Read more... Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:26:56 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/new-year-celebrations-around-the-world http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-experiences/new-year-celebrations-around-the-world It is party time! The New Year Eve is getting close and people around the world are almost ready to celebrate the start of 2010. Here are the New Year's celebrations and festivities on the biggest capitals of the world. Sydney (Happy New Year!) - The fun starts with the firing of the Harbour canon on Fort Dennison at 1 PM, and then fired every hour until midnight. Read more... Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:40:20 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-46 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-46 No one got the answer last week! The answer to last week's, Every year, a new President of the Confederation is elected in Switzerland. There has only ever been two women presidents in Switzerland so far, can you tell me the name of the first one and what year she was elected? Was Ruth Dreifuss in 1999. Let's see if we can do better this week everyone! Read more... Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:39:03 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/a-holiday-tradition-at-christmas http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/a-holiday-tradition-at-christmas Santa Claus has to see the world to deliver presents to all the good children. And now you can follow him as he makes the journey in his sleigh and reindeers. The Norad (North American Aerospace Defense) in the US has a satellite and radar technology to track Santa's fantastic flight around the world and children worldwide can get updates on Google Maps and Google Earth. Read more... Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:38:15 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/travel-trivia-tuesday-45 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/travel-trivia-tuesday-45 Oh Tobi that's not the right answer, the right answer was in fact Lake Geneva better luck next time! Let's see if you can get this week's question... Every year, a new President of the Confederation is elected in Switzerland. There has only ever been two women presidents in Switzerland so far, can you tell me the name of the first one and what year she was elected? Read more... Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:38:00 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-the-best-of-2 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-the-best-of-2 I hope everyone has all their presents under the tree and just can't wait to open them! I thought I would save this Friday Drivetime will this time because Christmas is only around the corner! With only 1 week to go until the big day of ripping open presents, too much food and useless TV programmes which have been aired since 2000, but hey, it's a great holiday, let's just hope for a White Christmas! Read more... Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:58:42 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/unwrap-a-sunny-christmas-in-the-galapagos-islands http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/unwrap-a-sunny-christmas-in-the-galapagos-islands Winter is on the way and many of us will already be thinking of our next holiday abroad. But why wait until summer? If you are looking to escape the winter blues and want to find an exotic place the Galapagos islands might be the answer. The Galapagos islands are one of the great natural wonders in the world. They are located in the Pacific Ocean formed by 13 volcanic islands (and more than 40 smaller islands). Read more... Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:52:11 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-41 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-41 Well done Sven! Rene Laennec did indeed invent the stethoscope! Now for this week's question: Today there are many expensive fashion and perfume brands out there, Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Prada and Armani just to name a few. The French have some of the most influential fashion designers and perfume makers today, such as Christian Dior, Jeal-Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton. There is one famous lady who I have missed of that list, can you name her? Read more... Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:42:47 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-the-best-of http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-the-best-of It's 5 weeks until Christmas today! For the next few weeks we are going to look at some of the biggest bands/ artists in the world today. For this week, we are going to start with none other than Queen. The English rock band formed in 1970 consisting of Freddie Mercury, Brain May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor. They were voted the greatest band of all time in 2007 in a national BBC poll. They have sold more than 300 million albums worldwide as of 2009. Read more... Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:41:52 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-40 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-40 Well done Charlie! That was indeed correct. The highest mountain peak in France is Mont Blanc in The Alps at 15,781ft! And yes, the First Winter Olympics were held here too! Now for this week's question. Having done some research I was very surprised at what the French actually invented! Did you know the Statue of Liberty was a gift from France by French sculptor Bartholdi? Or that Louis Braille invented Braille Printing. The French even invented the Diesel engine and the bikini! Read more... Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:22:40 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre-4 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre-4 This week on Friday Drivetime we're getting rocking! Rock music entered mainstream in the mid 1960's and revolves around guitars, bass guitars, drums and keyboards. There are many sub genres of rock music but this week we are going to look at the Harder side of Rock because some great artists came from this genre. Read more... Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:21:35 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre-2 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre-2 This week were are going to get on the dance floor with some funky Disco! The roots of Disco come from African American Psychedelic clubs which catered for them as well as other communities in New York City and Philadelphia in the late 60's and early 70's. It was a form of black commercial music, popular among gay men but soon caught on to white gay clubs in New York. Read more... Added: 23 October 2009 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:35:02 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-36 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-36 Now to this week's question: Orlando is the perfect place for a family holiday, Disneyland, Universal Studios as well as being able to drive through Florida to see many other cities. Walt Disney is one of the most famous motion picture producers this world has seen, co founding Walt Disney Productions with his brother. His most famous creation, Mickey Mouse, is, and always be the main symbol of Disney. Read more... Added: 21 October 2009 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:36:35 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/holiday-ideas-%E2%80%93-tour-venezuela http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/holiday-ideas-%E2%80%93-tour-venezuela Do you love the thought of a new and exciting ?Holiday ideas' then tour Venezuela and find out what this amazing country has to offer. Venezuela is a tropical country with a fascinating variety of landscapes, from the snow-capped peaks of the Andes to a splendid Caribbean coastline. Discover the wildlife-rich savannahs where table-topped mountains or ?tepuis' rise vertically from the plains and then lead to numerous waterfalls. Read more... Added: 21 October 2009 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:35:20 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-news-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-news-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow According to Travel Weekly The Alps have seen heavy snowfall which predicts the start of a great ski season. The Pistes have already opened up to the public in Austria as a metre of snowfall fell on the glacier and snowstorms have been reported in France, Italy and Switzerland. The Managing Director of TUI, Matthew Prior has said "It was around this time last year that the snow started, and I think it is a very good omen. Read more... Added: 19 October 2009 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:38:02 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre This week were are going to look at Grunge Music. It emerged in the 1980's as a sub genre of Alternative Rock in Seattle, Washington. It is mostly inspired by heavy metal, hardcore punk and indie rock and there are lots of distorted guitars and angst lyrics about social alienation, confinement and the huge desire for freedom. The name for Grunge music originally was a slang term used in 1965 to refer to words such as "dirty" or "filthy". Read more... Added: 16 October 2009 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:19:26 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/inspiring-minds-ski-holidays-in-the-usa http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/holiday-inspiration/inspiring-minds-ski-holidays-in-the-usa As skiing season hits us and the Metro Ski and Snowboard Expo comes to the London Olympia, we thought we would see if we could find you some great skiing holiday ideas in the USA. Skiing for Luxury: Killington is the largest Skiing Resort in Eastern USA and also is the one that is closest to the UK. There are six mountains that all connect with each other so are ideal for all levels. Read more... Added: 16 October 2009 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:18:10 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-35 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-35 Well done Steph! The answer was in fact Douro Valley! We are Surfin' the USA this month! I get around California in my hire car, it's a great place to surf and pick up some good vibrations while enjoying drinks in the sunset. With the vast array of shops and one of the most popular beaches in California, Santa Monica Bay is where you can have lots of fun, fun, fun and learn to surf, but make sure you don't get wiped out in those waves! Read more... Added: 14 October 2009 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:43:05 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre-2 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre-2 This week on What's Your Genre, we are looking at some of the new music that has recently been released or is due to be released. As we come nearer and nearer to the end of a decade it's great to see that there is still great music coming out. Music has changed over the decades as we have seen in Back to the Decades and it will ever change and keep evolving as things change and move on. Let's see what new songs are playing in our airwaves today. Read more... Added: 9 October 2009 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:52:32 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-your-ultimate-driving-songs-whats-your-genre After a great run of Back to the Decades where we went from today all the way back to the 1940's and have seen some great artists emerge that have influenced music today, we thought we would look at the different Genres that music fits into. There are hundreds out there, but we'll be looking at some of the best such as Rock, Pop, Metal, Grunge and Dance, just to name a few. Read more... Added: 6 October 2009 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:39:18 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-34 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-34 Portugal is famous for it's port wine. Primarily served as a dessert wine, it is from the Northern Provence of Portugal. It is the third oldest protected wine region in the world, but can you tell me where in the Northern Provence are the grapes grown, which is now listed as a World Heritage Site, to produce this tasty drink? Read more... Added: 1 October 2009 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:05:45 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-back-to-the-decades-40%E2%80%99s http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-back-to-the-decades-40%E2%80%99s This week on Friday Drivetime we are still going back in time, to the 40's! We've covered every decade up to today, the 40's will be no different. The first half of the decade saw the Second World War which effected most of the world. But there was also plenty of great music in the 1940's, such as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and many more. Let's see what great music we can find in this week's Friday Drivetime. Read more... Added: 1 October 2009 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:05:00 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/knight-rider-could-happen-stockholm-invents-crash-free-car-future http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/knight-rider-could-happen-stockholm-invents-crash-free-car-future According to The Telegraph at the Intelligent Transport Systems Congress in Stockholm a new technology has been unveiled where cars will be able to talk to each other of dangers in the road. The technology is used by sensors which are able to detect danger, then transmit an automatic message to other vehicles of the danger on the road, for example, a pedestrian about to cross the road. Read more... Added: 1 October 2009 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:02:57 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-32 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-32 Within Portugal there are many writers and poets that are famous. There have also been many famous quotes from these writers such as "The church says the earth is flat, but I know that it is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in a shadow than in the church" by Ferdinand Magellan who was the first person to lead an expedition across the Pacific. This was also the first attempt to circumnavigate the Earth. Read more... added - 16 September 2009 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:54:54 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-31 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-trivia-tuesday/travel-trivia-tuesday-31 No one got the answer last week! Here's me thinking the questions were far too easy! The answer to last week's question, What was the name and when was the first county of Portugal founded? Was 868 AD and the county was Condado de Portucale. For the Extra Point: Who founded the county, I was looking for Vimara Peres. Let's see if we can do better this week everyone! Read more... added - 11 September 2009 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:52:14 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-back-to-the-decades-60%E2%80%99s http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/friday-drivetime/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-back-to-the-decades-60%E2%80%99s This week on Friday Drivetime we are going back to the 60's. Some amazing artists came from this wonderful decade, including one of the most influential bands of all time, The Beatles, who have recently released a discography of all their studio albums. The 60's are most famous for the Summer of Love when in 1967 as many as 100,000 people flocked to Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood in San Francisco to join the "hippie experience". Read more... added - 11 September 2009 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:49:04 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/products-services/summer-holiday-season-stretches-into-september http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/products-services/summer-holiday-season-stretches-into-september Here's our latest update from Auto Europe's Commercial Director for the UK and Ireland, Peter McAree: 2009 has been a strange year for the car hire industry. We'd anticipated a change in our customers' habits during the recession, but instead of a slowdown in sales, it's actually been lack of availability in many of the most popular destinations that has kept us awake at night. Read more... added - 11 September 2009 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:47:50 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/products-services/the-complete-guide-to-car-hire-part-six-car-hire-insurance http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/products-services/the-complete-guide-to-car-hire-part-six-car-hire-insurance This week sees the final chapter in our serialisation of The Auto Europe Car Rental Roadmap, the online guide to every aspect of hiring a car. They key point to remember about car hire insurance is that it is not the same as car insurance policies for private vehicles. This means it's very important to read the terms & conditions carefully to see what is and what is not covered by the standard car hire insurance policy provided with your vehicle. Read more... added - 11 September 2009 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:46:36 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/destination-reviews/saint-tropez-on-a-shoestring http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/destination-reviews/saint-tropez-on-a-shoestring We are happy to introduce a special guest travel article from Jo Kessel - freelance travel writer for the national newspapers: St. TropezSaint Tropez on a shoestring ? it's not possible. Or so I thought. Until I found a French self-catering specialist, Pierre & Vacances, with studios in their holiday village Les Restanques from just £367.00 for a family of four. Flights were booked, a car hired from Toulon airport, and off we set. Read more... added - 22 May 2009 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:31:12 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/renewing-your-photocard-driving-licence http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/renewing-your-photocard-driving-licence Photocard driving licences were first introduced to the UK in July 1998. Now thousands of motorists are at risk of being fined up to £1000 because they don't realise that it actually expires after ten years and must be renewed. The cost to update your photocard is £17.50 (which, according to an article in the Daily Mail, will earn the Treasury an estimated £437 million over 25 years). Read more... added - 18 February 2009 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:26:45 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/sell-outs-predicted-for-summer-hot-spots http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/sell-outs-predicted-for-summer-hot-spots Here's another of our monthly updates from Auto Europe's Commercial Director for the UK and Ireland, Peter McAree: After a cold winter of financial discontent, it's been a difficult time for everyone, but we've been encouraged by the general determination most people have to find money in the budget for a holiday. Most of us are willing to cut back on lifestyle spending, but to sacrifice those few precious days away from it all is for many a step too far. Read more... added - 27 May 2009 Wed, 27 May 2009 05:56:21 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-16 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-16 Nicky Faux, go to the top of the Spanish trivia class! Antoni Gaudi did indeed create the building depicted in last week's quiz (along with lots of other amazing structures). Now here's the last of our Spanish-themed questions. The building pictured below is the official residence of the King of Spain ? King Juan Carlos - who makes use of it for official ceremonies. Read more... added - 27 May 2009 Wed, 27 May 2009 05:55:16 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/friday-drivetime http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/friday-drivetime Hello everyone, it's that time of the week again when we get talking tunes. Driving tunes that is, and this week is quite pertinent as we are about to have a beautiful bank holiday weekend. If the weather-men can be believed. Prepared by Seetal and posted by me whilst she is, hopefully, enjoying a fantastic trip to Cuba, we bring you: Holiday Driving Songs. Read more... added - 22 May 2009 Fri, 22 May 2009 10:35:53 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-holiday-cash http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-holiday-cash If you have had to save a little harder than usual to enjoy a summer holiday this year, then spending money is probably more precious than ever. That's why a new survey from Which?, the consumer watchdog, on how to cut the cost of your holiday cash is so very timely. The Which? team of researchers contacted 21 foreign currency providers regularly during February, March and April 2009. Read more... added - 21 May 2009 Thu, 21 May 2009 09:21:32 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-15 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-15 Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is a cosmopolitan Mediterranean city that incorporates in its urban street pattern Roman remains, medieval districts and some of the world's most beautiful examples of Modernism and 20th century avant-garde art. Which famous architect designed a number of highly stylised structural masterpieces throughout the city (like the one illustrated below), which have now been declared to be World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Read more... added - 21 May 2009 Thu, 21 May 2009 09:02:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/airing-your-dirty-laundry-in-public http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/airing-your-dirty-laundry-in-public If you travel by air frequently, the chances are that at least once you've been left at the carousel waiting for a bag that doesn't appear. In the vast majority of cases (no pun intended), it'll turn up within a couple of days, safe and intact. Inevitably, a few unlucky lost luggage owners are parted from their possessions for good. When airlines are unable to trace these passengers, the items are auctioned off for charity. Read more... added - 13 May 2009 Wed, 13 May 2009 09:51:57 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-14 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-14 Well done to Nicky and Kristen for their seriously impressive knowledge of regional Spanish languages. I had four listed: Catalan, Basque, Galician and Valencian, but apparently Aranese is also spoken in the Catalonian Pyrenees, so I stand corrected! Now for this week's question? Spain's sporting prowess is seriously hard to beat. In 2008 Spanish teams and sportspeople won the Tour de France, European football championships, Wimbledon and the French Open. Read more... added - 13 May 2009 Wed, 13 May 2009 09:51:07 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/dirty-and-expensive-%E2%80%93-but-still-worth-a-visit http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/dirty-and-expensive-%E2%80%93-but-still-worth-a-visit Our nation's capital has been voted the dirtiest and most expensive city in Europe, by 2,376 travellers who took part in a recent TripAdvisor.com poll. For the second year running London was a clear winner in the grubby stakes, with 36% of those surveyed claiming it was dirtier than other cities. To add insult to injury, apparently it is also home to the worst cuisine, and the highest ratio of badly dressed locals. Read more... added - 11 May 2009 Mon, 11 May 2009 09:34:28 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-on-the-motorway http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/friday-drivetime-%E2%80%93-your-ultimate-driving-songs-on-the-motorway Being the young hip driver that I am, I like nothing better than to have a clear motorway in front of me where I can cruise at my pleasure and enjoy some great music on my journey. Every week we here at Auto Europe have been posting our Ultimate Driving Songs for different driving journeys. Last week saw us looking at that horrible time when you are Stuck in Traffic. Read more... added - 11 May 2009 Mon, 11 May 2009 09:33:03 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-3 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-3 We have three winners of last week's travel trivia question. Well done to Claire McCowan, Anji Langridge and SLV, who are all absolutely correct in guessing that the image posted of a well-known American tourist attraction is of the Lincoln Memorial. Now to today's quiz (I hope you know your rock n' roll history). Nobody could ever deny the enormous impact made on modern culture by Elvis Presley. Read more... added - 25 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/future-travel-is-out-of-this-world http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/future-travel-is-out-of-this-world The idea first came from Arthur C Clarke's 1979 novel ?Fountains of Paradise', which describes the construction of an elevator into space that orbits the Earth. Now, according to the Times Online, a team of British scientists at Cambridge University has taken the very first step into making this Sci-Fi fantasy a reality. Read more... added - 23 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/2009-holidays-and-travel-insurance http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/2009-holidays-and-travel-insurance By Peter McAree: Hello again and welcome to my monthly ?View from the Bridge' blog submission. Having worked in the car hire industry for many years I'm always interested in how booking trends vary. Currently we are seeing a surge of late bookings. Whilst this is as you may well expect in times of economic uncertainty, I can't help wondering if leaving holiday plans till the last minute will be a good strategy this year. Read more... added - 20 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/stay-positive-this-january http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/stay-positive-this-january Here is the monthly update from Peter McAree, Commercial Director of Auto Europe UK: According to experts, Monday 19th January was the most depressing day in history. This month is often gloomy but apparently the effects of the economic downturn make 2009 worse than ever.The next 12 months are certainly likely to pose many challenges - not least for the travel industry ? and staying positive can be one of them. Read more... added - 30 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/president-obama-looks-set-to-break-the-us-love-affair-with-gas-guzzling-cars http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/president-obama-looks-set-to-break-the-us-love-affair-with-gas-guzzling-cars I'm delighted to discover that President Obama has taken the first steps toward encouraging Americans to choose more fuel efficient cars in an effort to help combat global warming, according to the Times Online. Obama said "Year after year, decade after decade, we've chosen delay over decisive action, rigid ideology has overruled sound science, special interests have overshadowed common sense. Read more... added - 30 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/free-last-minute-booking-amendments-for-stranded-travellers http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/free-last-minute-booking-amendments-for-stranded-travellers It's not surprising that Britain's travel network didn't impress us with its response to the thick blanket of snow the South East woke up to on Monday morning. This kind of weather has been a rare occurrence over the last 20 years (particularly in the capital) so the heavy duty equipment needed to keep systems running probably hasn't been considered a worthwhile investment. Read more... added - 04 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/new-weekly-travel-trivia-quiz http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/new-weekly-travel-trivia-quiz Welcome to a new addition to the Auto Europe blog. Log on each week for a travel brainteaser to test your geographical knowledge and hone your observational skills. This month each question will relate to our destination of the month ? the USA. Check out the first in the series below and then log on next week to find out whether or not you guessed right. Read more... added - 05 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/destination-of-the-month-usa http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/destination-of-the-month-usa The inauguration of president Obama in January marked what promises to be an exciting new era for the United States. According to a report compiled by the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) and ABTA, one of the positive outcomes anticipated this year is a 13% increase in Brits visiting the many attractions this vast and beautiful country has to offer. Read more... added - 10 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/ryanair-lets-rip http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/ryanair-lets-rip If you are looking for an airline with personality then look no further than Ryanair. So rarely out of the news The Times has a story entitled ?Ryanair: our favourite 40 headlines' and, very much like marmite, you either love it or hate it. We all love its ground-breaking no frills, in fact even less frills than its no frills competitors, low prices model when it works. Read more... added - 26 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday Congratulations to Kate Caveney for providing the correct answer to last week's travel trivia question. The seven rays on the Statue of Liberty's crown represent the seven continents. Time to put on your thinking cap for another question. Las Vegas is a city of extremes, full of breathtaking man-made structures, and surrounded by some of nature's own amazing architecture. Read more... added - 10 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/road-traffic-falls-for-the-first-time-in-30-years http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/road-traffic-falls-for-the-first-time-in-30-years According to the Times Online road traffic has fallen for the first time in 30 years due to the recession and rising fuel costs. It seems many people are deciding to leave their cars at home these days. In fact, Britain's 34 million vehicles travelled 3.1 billion fewer miles than usual last year. It's the biggest decrease on record. On average that works out as 90 miles less per motor. Read more... added - 11 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-2 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-2 Congratulations to both Claire in Southampton and Stephen Ireland for providing the correct answer to last Tuesday's travel trivia question. The Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas is indeed 1,149 feet tall.Now to this week's quiz. The so-called ?special relationship' between the UK and the USA has been in existence throughout my lifetime, but aside from our shared language and culture how much do we really know about each other's countries? Read more... added - 18 February 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://www.auto-europe.co.uk http://www.auto-europe.co.uk Auto Europe are happy to announce that further to our widely promoted worldwide programme offering over 4000 locations, has now increased to over 6000 locations. There was no sudden leap to get there we have been constantly increasing the number of locations offered across the programme. With more destinations to hire a car around the world now than we have offered before. Well it's time to start shouting. Auto Europe offer car hire in over 6000 locations worldwide and we are proud of it. Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/showspecial.cfm?specid=728 http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/showspecial.cfm?specid=728 Today is a fun one with the launch of our new luxury car hire service. Visit auto-europe and select Luxury London Cars from the Specials menu to discover a red carpet roll call of cars made by BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Lotus, Porsche, Bentley and Aston Martin! With free delivery and collection from London hotels or airports and pre-completed paperwork, you can simply collect the keys and power off on the drive of your dreams! The new service is ideal for business, pleasure and pure indulgence. Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://auto-europe.blogspot.com/ http://auto-europe.blogspot.com/ We know that our name occasionally throws people off track. After all being called Auto Europe does not immediately suggest an international car hire brokerage with more than 6,000 drop off/pick up destinations across the world. So why don't we change it? It's simple. We are just as proud of our history as we are of our service and our prices. It all started back in 1950s Ohio when our founder noticed how many US servicemen remained in Europe after the 2nd World War. Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/women-and-wheels http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/women-and-wheels I recently went for my annual M.O.T and service on my car and was asked "What kind of service do you want?" I was dumbstruck because I didn't know there were different levels of service for a car. I could have just had my oil and water checked and filter changed. The above plus my brakes checked. Both of the above plus some other jargon I didn't understand. So what is a young lady to do? Read more... added - 04 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-4 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-4 Amy, Laura and Claire, you really do know your Elvis history! As you correctly said in answer to last week's travel trivia question, the king of rock n' roll was born in Mississippi (Tupelo, Mississippi to be precise). Our destination of the month for March is Portugal, so here's the first of five brain teasers based on this holiday hotspot. Read more... added - 04 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/sweepsform.cfm?email=Your+Email http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/sweepsform.cfm?email=Your+Email Auto Europe are offering their Newsletter subscribers Exclusive online discounts through there Newsletters. So what are you waiting for, sign up now and get the Exclusive offers in the next Newsletter sent out. Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/destination-reviews/destination-of-the-month-portugal http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/destination-reviews/destination-of-the-month-portugal There are so many reasons why Portugal is such an enduring favourite for British holiday makers. With pleasant temperatures, long stretches of sandy beaches and golf courses along the Algarve coast, the natural beauty of the Minho, Lima and Douro Valleys and the fantastic architecture found in the capital city of Lisbon, tourists are very well catered for all year round. Read more... added - 04 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/1/smart-sat-nav-stops-at-the-lights http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/1/smart-sat-nav-stops-at-the-lights According to the Times Online the Government and car industry are joint-funding a project to develop an in car computer that can anticipate red lights and congestion and brake slowly and smoothly. The system does not require any input from the driver of the vehicle, his or her feet stay firmly on the floor away from the pedals, and should minimise fuel consumption as well as improve road safety. Read more... added - 09 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/newsflash-ski-monday http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/newsflash-ski-monday Great news for all snow sports fans ? there has been about 20cm of snow at Tignes and Val d'Isere over the weekend with a further fall of 77cm and 75cm respectively expected during the course of this week! It's something of a trend too with similar snowfall expected across Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Les Deux Alps is anticipated to top the charts with over 1m (111cm to be exact) expected. Read more... added - 21 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/know-your-limits http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/know-your-limits Did you know that plans have been drawn by ministers to lower speed limits from 60 to 50 mph on two thirds of Britain's roads? According to reports in the Telegraph and Times, it could happen as early as next year, and will probably be enforced with cameras that calculate average speeds. Drivers will still be able to reach 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways, but 60 mph will be allowed only on a small minority of the safest A-roads. Read more... added - 13 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/be-prepared-before-you-travel http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/be-prepared-before-you-travel Reports have revealed that the number of British holidaymakers going to Egypt has risen by 38% in the last year, while Mexico saw an increase of 23% in 2008 and the number of visitors to Turkey has increased by 32%. These figures are set to rise as many of us avoid the Euro and traditional popular destinations in search of a bargain break. Other off-the-beaten-track hotspots for travel this year are predicted to include Peru, Kenya and Malaysia. Read more... added - 21 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/get-power-walking-in-london-%E2%80%93-because-you-will-have-to http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/get-power-walking-in-london-%E2%80%93-because-you-will-have-to Under new plans by Boris Johnson, London pedestrians will be forced to walk faster at traffic light crossings in the city. According to the Times Online, the Mayor is favouring motorists in the capital by reducing the amount of time, by up to 6 seconds, until the lights go green at traffic lights. The new timings are set to be introduced across over 6000 sets of lights in the capital. Read more... added - 13 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/car-industry-set-to-fly-maybe http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/car-industry-set-to-fly-maybe Do you remember the old cartoon the Jetsons? How about Back to Future part II? Yes I hear you cry, well can you also tell me what they both had in common? I'll give you a clue, the flying cars and in particular the Flying DeLorean? Well these soon could be a reality according to the Times Online as the Terrafugia boss, Carl Dietrich says proudly "It's like a little Transformer". Read more... added - 16 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/stay-awake-while-driving-%E2%80%93-eat-dried-chilli-peppers http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/tips-and-advice/stay-awake-while-driving-%E2%80%93-eat-dried-chilli-peppers Dried chilli peppers are being given away free in China at service stations. It is hoped that munching on these spicy treats will help keep long distance drivers alert and awake. According to the Times Online, Chinese police in the Southwestern Chongqing region have come up with this novel idea to help drivers stay awake on the most deadliest roads in China because they fear in Spring people are more likely to fall asleep. Read more... added - 13 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-6 http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travel-trivia-tuesday-6 Congratulations to Kristen Whale, Amy and Sarah, who all submitted the correct answer to last week's quiz question - the name of the bridge depicted was the Vasco Da Gama Bridge. Now see if you can answer this one correctly. Portugal has a rich culture dating back to prehistoric times. From Celtic folklore to Moorish influenced ?Fado' music and the stunning architecture ? ancient and modern - that reflects eras of innovation and discovery. Read more... added - 17 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travelling-to-the-us-don%E2%80%99t-forget-esta http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/travelling-to-the-us-don%E2%80%99t-forget-esta On Monday (12th Jan 09) a new entry system for travel into the United States became mandatory, meaning British citizens could be detained and sent home by US immigration officials if they don't register online before their trip. The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) requires UK nationals to complete a form 72 hours before flying, which can be accessed via http://www.visitusa.org.uk/visitors/esta.aspx. Read more... added - 15 January 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/recession-busting-breaks http://blog.auto-europe.co.uk/travel-news/recession-busting-breaks I'm one of thousands, or maybe even millions of Brits yet to book a summer holiday this year. I'd like to say it's because, as the dark clouds of recession don't look set to clear for a while, I'm avoiding large purchases and keeping tight control of my budget. In reality, I can't even contemplate the hideous thought of not escaping for a week or two, so I'm just waiting to bag a truly amazing never-seen-before last minute bargain. Read more... added - 17 March 2009 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:59 GMT