Many countries have taken on the Euro and this tends to be quite easy to convert back in to pounds and pence but others can be a bit confusing. Then of course you have the tricky task of trying to find out exactly what currency it is you need for a country. Many of these are quite straight forward, but for smaller countries it can be difficult knowing exactly what you need. For these countries it is often worth taking travellers checks which can be cashed in once you arrive at your destination in to the correct currency.

Of course many countries will now accept American Dollars as well as their own currency so it is often worth keeping a few of these tucked away in your luggage to allow them to be used if you haven’t brought the right currency.

So what do you need to look out for when buying travel insurance? Well there are a lot of different types of policies out there so you first must decided upon the type of holiday you are going on. If you are partaking in an activity based holiday you will need a higher level of cover than a beach holiday. You then have to decide how many holidays you are having that year, this includes everything from an over night stay to three month cruises, often it can work out cheaper to get annual travel insurance instead of two or three separate trips.

Before buying any travel insurance it is important to do a bit of research, make sure you are covered for all you want to do and that the policy has some basics in it. Any policy you take out should cover the following.

Emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation which means they return you to the UK. This should be covered by all travel insurance policies, if it isn’t do not buy it. Your policy should also include 24 hour emergency phone assistance.

Liability insurance may not be the first thing that comes to mind with travel insurance but it is important to have incase you damage anything while away. It is also important to make sure your travel insurance covers you if you have to cancel your trip or cut it short due to circumstances outside of your control.

Make sure any policy you take out covers the replacement of any items lost, stolen or broken while you are away including documents and money. There will be a limit on the amount you can claim with the policy. Finally make sure your travel insurance covers you incase your airline or holiday company becomes bankrupt before or during your holiday.

The first of these is the size, how big do you want your suitcase to be? If you tend to go on weekend breaks then you won’t need one of the large suitcases, these tend to be for holidays which are over three weeks. The vast majority of people need a medium sized suitcase to start with and you should buy larger ones as and when you need them. Also consider the inside of suitcases when looking at them, is there enough compartments, can you store dirty and clean clothes separately. Are there spaces for shoes?

Baggage allowance is becoming even stricter at the moment so you want to choose a suitcase that is solid and sturdy as well as lightweight. This allows you to pack as much as you need without having to take suitcase weight in to account. A heave structure to the suitcase means less items can be taken. You should also look out for suitcases with wheels and a handle, this will make it easier to move about and you will be less likely to struggle with it.

With more people travelling by plane the likelihood of someone picking up your bag by mistake is at an all time high. Because of this you should, if possible, pick a suitcase that is distinguishable. Bright pink or purple may not be to everyone’s taste but you’ll be able to spot your lime green suitcase from amongst all the black ones on the luggage belt.

The first of these unusual vineyards is the Ukraine, forget all you think you know about the bitter, cold winters, vast quantities of vodka and dubious politics. Monks in northern Ukraine have been making wine since the 4^th Century BC and they have got pretty good at it! Once upon a time the Ukraine was the Soviet Union’s largest wine supplier, however in an attempt to put a stop to the drunken stereotype over 800 square kilometres of vineyards were set on fire. Thankfully for us when communism fell the Ukraine went back to making wine. This tends not to be available in local supermarkets but is well worth a trip to discover it.

Egypt has a long history of producing wine, dating all the way back to the Pharaohs in fact tombs have been found with wine containers in them. At the moment Egypt imports wine for tourists but a relatively new producer, Karim Hvaidak, has established vineyards in the deserts north of Cairo. Again this may not be found in the local supermarkets but if you can get hold of a bottle or two it is well worth it.

Thailand may not be the first place you think of when you think of wine, due to the stifling heat and humidity it isn’t the best environment to grow grapes. But they have come up with a very clever solution, floating vineyards. Canals of water run between the vines to keep the grapes alive. The workers at The Siam Winery, the largest producer of Thai wine, are sent to learn the secrets of European wine making drinking wine day and night, lucky them!

One of the most confusing parts of organising a trip to America is filling out the visa form. There are a number of countries which you have to fill out a visa form for but in the most part these are handed out on the plane. With America you can apply for a visa form in advance and to save time at the airport it is advisable to do so. But it is important to choose the right visa as part on the American migration process, choosing the wrong one means you can delay your entry in to America or even be denied entry.

If you are looking to go across to America for a short holiday, that is for three months or less and are a citizen of a Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) country then you need to apply for an ESTA application. ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation and it logs you as being allowed to enter America. This is a quick form to fill out and will just ask you about your history and on which you need to declare any criminal convictions you have had. This only takes a few minutes to complete. While this is not a US visa it is essential that you have a completed and approved ESTA form in order to enter the country.

If you are looking to go for a longer holiday in the US you will have to apply for a visa to stay over three months, the longer visa allows you to stay up to six months but you will be unable to work while out there.

One of the fun and fabulous UK hotels is the delightful Crab Manor in Yorkshire. This elegant hotel has a number of rooms and lodges each of which have a different theme to them with use of a communal hot tub and spar and the lodges each having their own private one. Attached to Crab Manor there is the delicious Crab and Lobster Pub with gourmet dining. Even if the weather doesn’t hold there is something delightful about sipping champagne in a hot tub in the rain.

Spa hotels are big business in the UK and they are a must for anyone looking for an elegant and luxurious retreat. Set in the beautiful setting of Lake Windermere and the Langdale Fells, Holbeck Ghyll hotel is idyllic in any season. It has a number of relaxing activities including walking, golfing and boating. The spa is a must for any guest with a number of packages that have to be undertaken.

Hintlesham Hall Hotel in Ipswich is a beautiful 16^th Century building that is an idyllic location. To avoid the stressful journey Hintlesham Hall has a helicopter that can be chartered to pick you up and transport you to your get away and can be used during your stay for day trips of champagne flights. If this is not your cup of tea why not take a stroll around the grounds of the hall taking in afternoon tea.

Paris is of course said to be the most romantic city in the world, just imagine waking up to croissants and coffee in the mornings, a walk through the bohemian streets  popping in and out of art galleries and finishing off the day with a walk along the Seine or viewing the Eiffel Tower lit up in the moon light sipping the best red wine France has to offer. However, Paris can be quite expensive during the romantic period so there are many other options out there to whisk your loved one away to.

It might not be the first location that springs to everyone’s mind but Moscow can be a very romantic city. Cuddle up in bars sampling the many different types of Vodka the city has to offer with an amazing number of restaurants and bars, or talk a walk through the Square of Europe with its spectacular fountain display.

Lapland might seem like a place for children to go and visit Father Christmas in December but it can make a really romantic destination with its log cabins and husky sledge rides you can spend an energetic day in the snow and spend your evenings curled up in front of a roaring fire. Or why not take a night ride out to view the northern lights one of the most romantic trips anyone can take.

As everyone knows it is not the location but the company that really makes a trip but it doesn’t hurt to book a romantic location!

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is in the west of Berlin and has something for everyone. It contains the sandy banks of the Havel, the Olympic stadium and Charlottenburg Palace. This district also boasts the German Opera house as well as numerous shopping streets and tranquil squares with everything from boutiques to discount designer stores.

Another popular of Berlin is Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg placed in the heart of Berlin alongside the River Spree. This is considered to be one of the most interesting and diverse districts containing the listed Oberbaumbrucke Bridge and the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. The state museum of modern art, photography and architecture as well as the German Museum of Technology is also situated in the district. This vibrant district is a must for any visitor.

Marzahn-Hellersdorf is a district defined by its contrasting architecture; modern multi-faceted buildings sit alongside listed historical buildings from the 19^th century. This surprising district also has the longest green corridor in Berlin containing the Wuhletal valley. With its gardens and manor houses this is a relaxing district containing a number of cafes, restaurants and bars as well as golfing ranges.

Neukolln is seen by any visitors to Berlin as a bohemian village. This was once home to bohemian refugees and to this day is a melting pot of cultures containing the opera house, Britz garden and castle as well as the amazing Turkish market at Maybachufer which is a must see for any visitor. These differing cultures mean that you can find almost any cuisine in the Neukolln district and in addition to the cafes, restaurant and bars there is a vibrant creative scene which keeps on growing meaning each visit you’ll find something different.

Using your mobile phone abroad can be expensive, but it is something we seem to do on a regular basis even if it is just to check in with people at home to let them know you arrived safely. This christmas many are planning to go away so that quick ‘merry christmas’ text to friends and family could end up costing you a fortune. Luckily there are a few ways to help save when you use your mobile.

The first important thing to note is that it is free to receive texts, so if people want to chat they can contact you and you can find a cheap way to call them. If you do need to contact someone it is around 50p to reply outside of the EU so make sure you keep your texts short and sweet. Inside the EU it is around 10p/min to receive calls as costs are capped, outside the cost is much higher.

If you are a frequent traveler it can be worth asking your mobile service provider if they offer special packages that lower the cost of using your phone. Even if you only travel abroad once a year it is worth asking your provider what they offer. Many offer free ‘add ons’ for packages abroad where others charge monthly, if your provider is one of the latter always remember to cancel the package when you are home. If you are on a contract don’t assume your free minutes are included in use abroad, usually texts will cot up to 3 SMS worth per text, but it is worth checking.

It is often worth buying a pay as you go SIM and popping it in your phone once you arrive at your destination. This will allow you to make calls at the local call rates of the country you are in.

It is also important to turn off ‘data roaming’ when abroad, if you need to access the internet use the free wi-fi hotspots which tend to be dotted around but avoid downloading anything as this can cost a lot. If you are in a country with free wi-fi hotspots and to be honest there aren’t many out there that don’t have them you can use these to make free phone calls. Systems like Skype allow you to make free calls over the internet as long as the other person has Skype as well.

Having said that there are some really good moisturisers out there with suntan lotions in them, it is important when choosing one that you make sure it not only protects against both skin ageing UVA rays as well as cancer causing UVB rays. Many of the cheaper types of suntan lotion and moisturisers containing it do not protect against the latter. Here are a few of my favourite protecting fluids.

Ultrasun containing SPF30 is recommended by dermatologists, this is great for dry skin and is a no-nonsense sun block. Crème de la Mer SPF30 UV Protecting fluid is a bit of a mouthful and one of those most expensive at £52 for 40ml, but it has a great texture and make up applies over it wonderfully. This is great to apply over serum before applying moisturiser

Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream with SPF50 is a slightly cheaper cream at £30.50 for 50ml. This is a perfect base for make up. If you are one of those people who hates the feel of sunscreen on their faces the perfect answer comes from Shu Uemura Under Base Mousse with SPF30 is the perfect answer for you. This moouse is feather light on your face and is the perfect primer for your make up.