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A big plane. The Airbus A380

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The world’s largest aircraft, the A380 made its landmark debut with Singapore Airlines, carrying 450 passengers on its flight to Sydney from Singapore.

To prepare for the super jumbo jet’s arrival, Sydney Airport authorities spent $128 million to upgrade its infrastructure which included the widening of runways, the reinforcement of underground tunnels and the construction of special air bridges to accommodate the A380′s double-decker design.

Big fuss for a plane? Here are some facts to put it in perspective.
A big plane. The Airbus A380
This infographic is presented by the Baltic Travel Company.

How to stay fit and healthy when travelling

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Whatever your destination, travel health experts recommend that you start planning your trip at least eight weeks before you travel. Before you set off on a round the world trip, check out these tips to stay healthy on your travels.

Firstly, find out from your doctor which vaccinations you need for your destination. A full protective course of vaccination protects you against a range of infectious diseases, including hepatitis A, typhoid and yellow fever. These diseases can make you very ill or even kill you, so don’t be tempted to skip vaccinations.

Remember that vaccinations are just part of staying healthy while travelling. Infectious diseases can also be transmitted through contaminated food and water. Avoid uncooked fruit and vegetables, unpasteurised milk and other dairy products and any food that has been kept at room temperature in tropical or sub-tropical climates.

Avoid drinking tap water in any country with poor sanitation. Drink bottled, filtered or boiled water instead. Similarly, don’t brush your teeth with water that cannot be guaranteed contamination-free and avoid ice in drinks.

Remember that alcohol and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea and soft drinks, dehydrate you, so drink plenty of clean water to compensate. Dehydration can increase your susceptibility to infection and disease.

Good food and water hygiene practices can help you to avoid travellers’ diarrhoea and other illnesses. Nevertheless, you should pack some basic medications, including an anti-diarrhoea remedy, antihistamines for allergies and rashes, iodine, for cleaning cuts and grazes and painkillers.

Mosquitoes can transmit malaria, yellow fever and other diseases in tropical countries, such as Africa. Malaria can be prevented by taking a course of tablets, but can be fatal if left untreated.

Mosquitoes develop differing levels of resistance to anti-malarial drugs, so make sure that you have the correct tablets for your destination. Start taking them before you leave, take them regularly during your stay and continue taking them after you return.

Prevention is better than cure, so avoid the chance of being bitten by wearing loose, light coloured clothing that covers your arms and your legs. Regularly apply a good insect repellent and stay in mosquito-proof accommodation wherever possible.

When you’re travelling abroad, you may be tempted to consume all sorts of rich food and drink. However, there are many ways in which you can work off the extra calories without necessarily sticking to the same exercise routine you do at home. Some hotels have onsite gyms where you can work try and stay fit.

Try to walk wherever you can, but also look for other activities, such as cycling, swimming and water skiing, to vary your exercise regime. You can perform exercises such as press-ups or crunches anywhere, without equipment.

If you’re backpacking, the weight and resistance provided by your backpack can add difficulty to any exercise. Regular exercise will help you to relax, maintain your sleep pattern and keep you alert during your waking hours.

It’s also a good idea to research your destination, so you know how physically fit you need to be before you leave. If you travel to a popular beach resort with good public transport, you’ll probably need to be less fit than if you travel to somewhere more remote.

If you’re going backpacking or hiking, make sure that your boots fit correctly to reduce the likelihood of blisters. Blisters typically occur on the heels, toes or the soles of the feet, so you might also like to consider padded hiking socks.

If you feel a blister starting to form, stop immediately and apply moleskin – a soft, adhesive backed fabric – to the reddened area. If you don’t, it may develop into a full-blown blister than is very painful to walk on.

If you travel to sub-tropical or tropical regions, be aware of the effects of prolonged exposure to solar radiation. Apply high factor sun block to exposed parts of your body and wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face.

5 Ways To Earn Money While Travelling

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Ronan amongst the kiwis
[Kiwi picking in New Zealand]

Travelling can be an expensive business and it’s not always feasible to have all the money to fund your trip in the bank in advance. However, for most people, the option of paying for travelling on a credit card, or taking out a loan, and then coming back to huge debts running up scary amounts of interest, is a pretty unattractive one. If you’re looking to head off into the great blue yonder but you don’t have a trust fund and you’re not keen to get into debt to fund your adventure then here are 5 ways to earn money while travelling.

1. Teach

It’s an obvious option for those looking to travel and work, and one of the most common ways to pay for living overseas. Depending on the organisation you travel with, or the employers you are looking for when you arrive at your destination, you may or may not need a TEFL (Teaching English As A Foreign Language) qualification – you can get more information on this from the TEFL website (http://www.tefl.com). Make sure you check out the requirements in advance as sometimes simply being English, or having a degree, will not be enough. There are teaching jobs available all over the world, from the depths of India, through to cities like Hong Kong and Singapore, so this is a really flexible way to see the world.

2. Become an au pair

Unless you are doing this on an informal basis – a kind of ‘friend of a friend’ arrangement – for someone who already knows you, you’re likely to need a bit of experience and some references for this role. However, with the right CV becoming an au pair can be a great way to fund your travelling as it’s the kind of job for which there is a demand all across the world. You can use an agency to find work if you prefer to go through recognised channels, and this will also provide some support in the event that there are any issues with your employers.

3. Work in a bar

Bar work is relatively easy to get and rarely requires any qualifications or experience. Be prepared to be given a trial to see how you cope with the demands of customer service and don’t expect to be paid top dollar for a job like this. There are bar jobs for the taking in destinations all over the world, from the busiest holiday resorts in Europe, to the ends of the earth in South America. However, be advised that if you are looking for work somewhere like Ibiza or Majorca, you will be up against some pretty stiff competition.

4. Work on the land

Causal work with farms and growers is one option that is still very much open to those who are in the position of wanting a temporary job without much advance warning, or a glowing CV. In most cases, payment for this kind of work is either likely to be in the form of a minimum wage, or if you are picking fruit it may be based on weight, or you might be given a bed for the night and sustenance in the form of food and drink. Fruit picking and farm work are quite demanding and not for the faint hearted, but a great way to get out and do something physical in the open air.

5. Start a blog

Although this is a pretty competitive field, if you’ve got something of a way with words and you’re having some noteworthy adventures, you can make money out of this by writing about it. Attracting advertising to your blog is the best way to make money and to do this you need a big blog audience to make it worth an advertiser’s while. Update your blog regularly, post plenty of photos and link it to Twitter and Facebook to give yourself the best chance of success.

With these 5 ways to earn money while travelling no one needs to get into debt to fund an adventure. With a little forward planning and the will to get stuck in, you can work and travel your way right around the world.

Alexandra is a travel blogger from Deal Zippy who provide great travel deals and cheap hotel deals to make your money go further while traveling.

Exploring Benissa and Moraira on the Costa Blanca

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View from the Roof

Translated as the ‘White Coast’ in English, the Costa Blanca is widely regarded as one of Spain’s tourism gems. Situated along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, the Costa Blanca is dotted with fascinating cities and towns, many of which scream for tourist attention. The Benissa and Moraira municipality contains a splendid array of villages and towns, not to mention various landscapes to uncover.

Exploring Benissa and Moraira on the Costa Blanca will take some time, as the area is packed with an exciting assortment of things to see and do. However, don’t expect to be the only tourists here. The population of the municipality generally triples during the peak tourism season (June to August), so be prepared for crowds.

Nevertheless, the Benissa and Moraira region of the Costa Blanca boasts a plethora of intriguing spots, from the sun-drenched beaches fringing the Mediterranean, to the vast vineyards of Muscatel grapes. Tourists have a great number of options to keep their holiday rolling.

With more than eight kilometres of coastline, this area of the Costa Blanca is an ideal destination for beach getaways. L’Ampolla is the premier beachfront destination in the region, and one that is lifeguarded during the peak tourist season. It gets extremely crowded though, so get here in the morning for a good spot. Just north of Moraira’s main township is Platja del Portet, a small beach that is less crowded and quite peaceful.

If the beach thing gets old, travel to one of the rocky coves and inlets found along the coastline. These small, out-of-the-way places are great for scuba diving or snorkelling. In addition, they are perfect for those wanting to get away from the bustling bastions of tourism. Cala Punta Estrella and Cumbra del Sol are two hidden coves that need to be visited!

However, there is more to exploring Benissa and Moraira on the Costa Blanca than getting sand between your toes. The open-air market places are typically Spanish and can be excitingly cheap. Moraira Market, held each Friday morning, should be visited for its extensive clothing, shoes and accessories. The Old Town centre of Benissa also hosts a Sunday market which is worth exploring.

For a taste of history, head to the local fish market in Moraira. It operates daily and gives tourists an insight into the ‘traditional’ culture of this once small fishing village. Modern trends have seen the region become a delightful culinary corner. Cocas (savoury cakes) and local ollas (stews) come with a range of ingredients, and paella (a Valencia rice dish) should also be experienced.

Tourists should embrace the medieval centre of Benissa township. It is just a few kilometres inland from the coastal extravagance of Moraira, but seems a world away upon arrival. Walk the narrow streets, take in the stylish churches and bask in the historic beauty of Benissa’s ancient structures. Marina Cathedral and the Palace of Torres-Orduna are among the busiest sites.

Wine lovers will have reason to celebrate, as Benissa and Moraira contain plenty of vineyards. Of course, these terraced grape farms supply the region’s wineries, which are generally open to the public. It is possible to find large, country estate accommodation among these vineyards.

The predominant language used is Valenciano, which can make it difficult for tourists to communicate with locals. However, the increase in the expatriate population has seen other languages become more widely used, including English.

John is a guest writer from eHoliayCollection who provide a great choice of Costa Blanca villas to rent in beautiful resorts like Benissa and Moraira.