Articles by Erick Johnson on ArticleSnatch.com

Sightseeing in Brussels

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:04:31 -0400

The historic capital city of Brussels in Belgium is a great place to visit on holiday, with many attractions for the tourist. Here are a few things that you will not want to miss while you are over there. During the summer months, the town square and the surrounding buildings are illuminated at night to the rhythms of classical music. It only happens for around fifteen minutes per night, but it is quite a spectacle, so it is worth finding out when these sessions are. The Bruparck, near the Heysel metro stop, is a reconstructed Belgian village complete with traditional restaurants and cafes. There is also an indoor beach at the OceadeOceade swimming complex, and the Kinepolis, one of the biggest cinemas in Europe. If you get off at the Heysel Metro stop, you can visit Mini Europe, which is a recreation of all the major monuments of the European Union in miniature form, such as the Houses of Parliament, Brandenburg gate and the Eiffel Tower. While there, you can also visit the Atomium, the site of the 1958 Brussels world fair. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfers]]> Stansted Airport]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfers when travelling to and from Stansted Airport

Your holiday planning made easy!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:58 -0400

Planning for your holiday, especially with the family in tow, can be a lot of work. To make things simpler, we’ve compiled a list of tips for you to follow before you jet off to ensure that your holiday goes as smoothly as possible. Once you have the planning out of the way, you can sit back, relax and look forward to your trip. Organise your documents - the most important travel document that you will need to sort out is your passport. Make sure that this is up to date, and check if you need any further passport documentation to travel to your destination - a visa may be required for example. Getting a new passport or visa sorted out can take time, so make sure that you arrange all of this at least 1 month before your trip. Arrange your travel insurance - travel insurance is a must. If your flights are cancelled, or you have to cancel your trip for a valid reason, then the chances are that you will not be entitled to any kind of refund unless you have travel insurance in place. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> London Stansted]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfers when travelling to and from London Stansted

Remembering what to pack for your trip

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:53 -0400

When it comes to successful holidays, planning in advance is the way to go. Working from your own list or a checklist like ours will help you to remember everything that you need. Simply tick off each item as it goes into your luggage. The paperwork - your passport is obviously essential! Make sure your passport is up to date before travel. It is also a good idea to scan your passport and send a copy to your email inbox in case it gets lost. Remember to pack your travel tickets, printed directions and maps, and a copy of your hotel details. You may also need your driving licence and visa. Before your flight - many holidaymakers are so busy packing and booking flights and hotels that they forget about how they are going to get to the airport! Plan your route in advance, taking note of any planned road or rail works. If you are travelling on a budget then Easybus do direct bus transfers to all London airports for just a few pounds per ticket. Check their website for details. Spending money - remember your spending cash. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> London Luton]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfers when travelling to and from London Luton

Tourist attractions in Helsinki

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:47 -0400

The Finnish capital of Helsinki can boast hundreds of spectacular tourist attractions. Here are just a few of the best: Temppeliaukion, the Church of the Rock. This stunning modern church was built in the 1960s. It is built into solid rock, with not a brick in sight, and boasts a stunning metallic dome ceiling with over 180 pieces of glass and exceptional acoustics, making it a great venue for musical events. Senaatintori , The Senate Square. This attractive neo classical square, situated in the heart of Helsinki, is home to the main building of the University of Helsinki, a statue of Emperor Alexander II, and the palace of the Senate. Tuomiokirkko, The Helsinki Cathedral. This beautiful building is one of the greatest examples of Finnish architecture. Designed by Carl Engel in his trademark neoclassical style, it can seat over 1300 people and can boast the biggest zinc statues to be found anywhere in the world. Soumenlinna, The 18th Century Sea Fortress. Once known as the Gibraltar of the North, this fortress was constructed in the 1740s in an attempt to fend off Russian attacks on Helsinki. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> London Gatwick]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfer when travelling to and from London Gatwick

How to plan a safari trip

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:42 -0400

If you are planning to head to Africa for a safari holiday, here are some tips to help you make the most of it. Find out about it first. Get a book or two out of the library and maybe watch some safari videos to give you an idea of where you want to go and what you want to do on safari. This will whet your appetite for the trip as well as letting you know what to expect in certain areas. Look for bargains. The market for safari holidays in Africa is highly competitive, and they can vary widely in cost. Sometimes a desirable area will be cheaper to visit than it would be normally due to political and economic factors, so keep your ear close to the ground for bargains. Pick somewhere good to stay. Accommodation in Africa can vary widely in quality, so seek out reliable recommendations from people who have been there before. Also, check travel guides and internet sites, as these can provide a wealth of information about the best and worst places to stay on safari. Find a convenient spot. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> Gatwick Airport]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfer when travelling to and from Gatwick Airport

Celebrate Semana Santa in Spain

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:34 -0400

No trip to Spain is complete without seeing the breathtaking mass displays that take place during Semana Santa. Every Easter the Spanish celebrate Holy Week in fantastic style. A celebration of the death and rebirth of Christ, Andalucia is famed for hosting the grandest celebrations in the country, but each city and province in Spain celebrates in its own special way. You will never have experienced a festival like it. From the ornate and sometimes frightening looking costumes, to the smell of traditional Spanish dishes and thick incense smoke that clouds the streets, it is a feast for the senses. Teams of men, sometimes numbering into the hundreds, carry vast floats from city churches, through the city streets and then back to the church at the end of each day. The floats are a sight to behold, intricately decorated with fresh flowers, wax figures and swinging bells that ring out with the swaying motion of the procession. Many tourists are taken aback by the traditional costume worn by the participants. Children wear large cloaks with pointed hoods that obscure their faces with the exception of two small eye holes cut from the cloth. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> Gatwick]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfer when travelling to and from Gatwick

Transport to Gatwick

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:29 -0400

Gatwick Airport is the busiest single runway airport in the world and the second largest airport in the United Kingdom. Despite the airport being put up for sale by current owners BAA, there are future development plans for Gatwick that could see it even outstrip Heathrow for passenger numbers in the coming years. As with any other airport there are many ways to get to Gatwick. Perhaps the most popular is to take the car. The airport is at Junction 9 of the M23 to the south of London and there are masses of car parking available. Of course, parking in an airport can be very expensive, so if you’re going to drive, it’s a good idea to book a berth on the internet before you head out. Alternatively, you can get a taxi. This is a very expensive option, and will cost around £70 from central London, as well as taking around an hour. A much quicker and cheaper route is to take the train. There are several train links running to Gatwick. The Gatwick Express runs to London Victoria and takes about 30 minutes, a ticket costs £28.80 return and £16.90 for a single. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> Luton Airport]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfers when travelling to and from Luton Airport

A Big Orange Bus

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:23 -0400

The rise in the popularity of air travel, driven in no small part by a plethora of low cost airlines, has seen a rapid increase in the number of international airports around the UK. It also means that you may have to travel across the country to get a flight, with only certain airports offering certain routes. London, as ever, is right at the heart of Britain’s air travel industry. With Heathrow recently expanding, and the likes of Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City Airport all transporting more customers than ever before, for most people, their holiday starts dealing with London’s transport network just to get to the airport. Whilst there are Underground or overland rail transfers to each of the airports mentioned above, and there is always the option of a taxi, the EasyBus is undeniably the cheapest way to get to any of London’s EasyJet airports: Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfer]]> Gatwick]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfer when travelling to and from Gatwick

Ways to get to the airport

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:17 -0400

We’ve all been there. You get off the train at Kings Cross, step outside and.... where are you? How are you going to get to the airport carrying your rucksack, two suitcases and a child? Can a taxi really cost that much? Why on earth did you decide to come on holiday? The stresses and traumas of transport to and from the airport can turn even the most relaxing break into a nightmare of screaming kids, aching backs and arguments. Many flights go from the main three London airports- Gatwick, Stansted and Luton- meaning you’ll have to work out a way to get to them which won’t break your back, your wallet or your mind. One, seemingly simple option is a taxi. Get a train to London, taxi from there to the airport and.... oh, hang on. If you’re happy to pay an extortionate amount for the privilege then it is an option, but if not you’ll have to look elsewhere. Drive from home to the airport? **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfers]]> Stansted]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfers when travelling to and from Stansted

Start your holiday the right way

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:33:10 -0400

Before you can enjoy the relaxation of a holiday you first have to suffer through the stresses. Insurance, booking flights, finding decent accommodation, keeping everyone happy- the lists of pre-holiday jobs are endless and stressful. One of the worst of these stresses is booking travel arrangements. Trains are awkward, especially if you have lots of bags; leaving your car at the airport itself is prohibitively expensive; and taxis are over-priced and often inconvenient. All these problems are exacerbated if you’re flying from one of the London airports. Luton, Gatwick and Stansted are all big, bustling airports buried in and around the capital city; this makes them extremely awkward and expensive to get to. It’s not getting to London itself which is the difficult bit, it’s getting to the airport itself and navigating the trains, tubes and taxis you’ll need to use to reach the airport, all the while lugging around your holiday luggage. Luckily, there is a solution. easyBus, a company run by the same people who brought us easyJet and easyCruise, has recently set up a service which provides low cost airport transfers to any of the three London airports and from anywhere within London itself. **End Summary** Topics: Airport Transfers]]> Stansted Airport]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Erick Johnson travel a lot on a budget. He regularly saves money on his Airport Transfers when travelling to and from Stansted Airport