There are several people that find the whole idea of flying and being on a plane in general quite a scary thought, you haven’t seen anything yet! There are airports around the world which even the most experienced pilots find a challenge, that’s not something you want to know as a passenger believe me. Here are the top 5 scariest airports in the world… (more…)
Top 5 Scariest Airports
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Top 5 Most Popular Hire Cars
There are so many options when it comes to choosing hire cars but it’s often the case that a lot of people request the same cars. Here at Indigo we get many requests for different cars however these are our top five most common requests by a long shot.
#5 VW Passat
The Passat is a very tidy business like car. A comfortable interior and a smooth drive it comes as no surprise that the Passat is the 5th most requested car. The car comes with such a variety of options to choose from such as a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, or the optional 3.6-liter V-6, which includes 4-motion all-wheel drive there’s a Passat for everyone from business too family.
#4 Ford Focus
A casual front wheel drive car suitable for most occasions, it’s quite an average size car and its quite compact giving it the easy travel through cities and towns making it a popular option for customers. It’s a five door hatchback suitable for most journeys and it also has a good miles per gallon ratio making it cost effective and a popular choice.
#3 Vauxhall Corsa
The Vauxhall Corsa is an exceptionally easy drive and great for parking and driving in small spaces as it’s a fairly small car. This 3 door hatch back is a quick comfortable option if you’re going for a three door, it’s not very spacious as it’s a small car however when hiring it is a very affordable option which shows in its popularity.
#2 Ford Fiesta
Coming with tens of different options the ford fiesta is pretty much fully customisable from 3 door hatchbacks to 5 door, both manual and automatic options it’s a great choice so it’s not surprising it’s the second most popular rented vehicles there is a constant stream of requests for ford fiestas.
#1 VW Golf
I can’t begin to tell you how many requests there are for golfs; it is by far the most requested vehicle beating the ford fiesta by a long shot. A great small car with a comfortable ride and beautiful exterior it can be used for absolutely any kind of drive, smart enough to be a business car and fast enough to put a smile on anyone’s face the golf is the only truly all-rounder. It’s hard to fault the golf in anything making it the number one most popular hired car.
Wacky Driving Laws From Around The Globe
I had a customer on the phone the other day that advised me it was illegal to drive in Spain while wearing flip flops and that the police tend to wait in supermarkets to catch unsuspecting holiday makers out, bit harsh i thought! But it did get me thinking, what other wacky driving laws are there around the world.
In Luxembourg all cars must have windscreen wipers fitted, even if they do not have a windscreen!
In Spain if you wear glasses, you must carry a pair of glasses in the car even if you are already wearing some!
In Thailand it is illegal to drive while not wearing a shirt!
In California it is illegal to jump from a car travelling at 65mph!
In Massachusetts you will get a ticket if you are driving with a Gorilla in the back seat of your car!
In Denver it is illegal to drive a black car on Sundays!
In Manilla it is illegal to drive on Mondays if your number plate ends in 1 or 2!
In Cyprus it is illegal to eat or drink anything while behind the wheel of a car!
In Britain All Hackney carriage taxi’s must carry a bale of hay and a bag of oats at all times.
In Sweden it is illegal to drive without your headlights on, 24 HOURS A DAY!!
FYI, these have been gathered from internet research. I have no idea if they are true or not but either way, they are still pretty funny.
Best Carnivals Across The World
Carnival season has finally started in Europe with the carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The Carnivals are held in areas with a large Catholic or Orthodox tradition before the Easter fasting.
Even if the carnivals started as a Christian tradition, they became huge tourist attractions all over the world. There is no better place for a tourist to understand a country traditions and culture than at a carnival.
Best Carnivals Across The World
If you are looking for a reason to go on a holiday or a break and you’re wondering where to go or which carnival to attend, we made a list for you with the Best Carnivals Across The World.
Mardi Gras, New Orleans – USA
Mardi Gras is an annual Carnival celebration in New Orleans, United States. This year the parades will begin on February 6th and will end on February 17th. The parades in New Orleans are organized every day, sometimes even several daily. Most of the tourist activities are organized in Bourbon Street and in the French Quarter.
Carnival of Venice, Italy
The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival held in the beautiful city of Venice, Italy. It starts on 31st of January and end on 17th of February. The Carnival of Venice is one of the oldest in the world, it started in 1162 as a celebration to honour the people’s victory against the Patriarch of Aquileia.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival, Spain
The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is held every year in Santa Cruz the capital of the largest of the Canary Islands: Tenerife. It starts on 21St of January with the presentation of the candidates and ends on 22nd of February.
It is considered the second most popular carnival in the world after the Rio Carnival.
Cologne Carnival, Germany
The Cologne Carnival is held every in Cologne, Germany. Also called “fifth season of the year”, Cologne Carnival first took place in 1823. The carnival celebrations start early in November, but the “crazy days” start takes place between the Fat Thursday and ends on Ash Wednesday.
Carnaval de Quebec, Canada
Carnaval de Québec or The Quebec Winter Carnival is a festival held every year in Quebec City, Canada. Carnaval de Québec first took place in 1894 and is one of the largest winter festivals in the world. It starts on 28th of January and ends on 15th of February. All the parades are led ny the carnival mascot called Bonhomme.
Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the most famous carnival in the world. It is held every year and dates since 1723. The carnival starts on the 13th of February and ends on the 17th. The carnival is famous for the samba schools parades and they are broadcasted in several countries. People who want to take part, should book the tickets at least 4 months before.
Rijeka Carnival, Croatia
The Rijeka Carnival is held annually in the city of Rijeka, Croatia. The carnival first took place in 1982 and is the most famous carnival in Croatia. The carnival starts on 23rd of January and ends on 15th of February with an international parade.
Ivrea Carnival, Italy
Ivrea Carnival or the Battle of the Oranges, is a festival in northern Italy where organized groups throw oranges between each other. The festival first took place in 1808 and at first the battle was fought with beans. Now the battles take place in the city squares between orange throwers and teams on carts.
Convertible Car Hire
TOP DOWN, SUN ON YOUR FACE, WIND THROUGH YOUR HAIR-SOUNDS GOOD? -WHY NOT RENT A CONVERTIBLE?
There are not many better feelings than those driving a convertible can give you- weather permitting of course!! Although the weather in the UK is not often condusive to open top driving, if you are jetting off to sunnier climes and are thinking of renting a car, you may be surprised at the range of convertibles we have to offer at Indigo Car Hire, at very competitive prices.
You work hard all year, and your holiday is the time to pamper yourself and let your hair down, and you can do both in a fabulous convertible which will make you feel like a film star as you make the most of your well-deserved break. Maybe at last the kids are older and not going with you, so you dont´t have to think about a “sensible” car any more. Or maybe you don´t have children yet so have a little bit more budget to spend on yourself. Or perhaps you just feel like showing off a bit and why not.
At Indigo we can provide most types of converibles, from low end to prestige, both in the UK and abroad. Audi, Opel, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and even Porche and Jaguar convertibles and coupes can be rented from us if your heart so desires and your budget allows.
Some destinations are just made for convertibles. Make your American road trip Thelma and Louise Style, or meander through the pretty villages of Europe with the top down, sky over your head and a good view of everything. Even if your holiday is more City based, show off in a convertible as you drive around. Night time driving in a warm country after the sun has gone done with your music loud will certainly attract romantic attention if that is what you are looking for!!
The Costa Blanca in Spain is another perfect destination for driving a convertible. Heavy traffic is unlikely even in the peak season, so it is the perfect place to make the most of your ultimate driving experience. Driving south along the coast road from Alicante airport the view is fantastic of the beaches, the salt lakes, and you can make the most of this with an unrestricted view. Other ideal convertible destinations are Italy, France, Greece, Cyprus – all are ideal holidays with picturesque views for you to really enjoy driving while you are there.
A Peugot 308 convertible will cost you approximately 400 euros for six days in August, the peak season, from Alicante airport, and a Fiat 500 covertible only 295, which is excellent value for the time of year. Remember also that in Spain convertible weather probably starts May/June time and continues through to October, and the same Peugeot car would cost you only around 240 euros in September.
Why not treat yourself? If you don´t, who else will?
If you are interested in hiring a car and need some guidance in terms of convertibles then our reservation agents will be happy to assist you. Contact us directly by calling +44 (0)113 880 0748 or emailing us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk and we will get right back to you.
Friday The 13th, The Cheapest Day To Fly
Today is Friday the 13th is the most economic day to get on a plane, an airline booking site has said, suggesting that superstition keeps some of the general public from taking to the skies.
The average price of a domestic return flight during June was £233, according to the well known flight booking website but, for those brave enough to travel today, this fell by £52, with tickets on June 13th costing just £181 on average. The website claims it is the cheapest day to fly this month.
The search engine processes more than one billion queries annually and has concluded that prices have been driven back by superstition based on search trends from around the world.
Today is the only Friday 13th in 2014.
The day apparently worries fliers in other European countries too, with prices on Friday 13th being the cheapest over the whole month in France, Austria and Sweden also.
The average price of domestic return flights in France dropped by £53 on Friday 13th and in Austria by £24. Swedes seem to be the most nervous fliers, with the average price of a domestic flight on that day there falling by £89.
For domestic return flights in the UK, the average prices either side of this Friday were £258 on Wednesday 11th , £239 on the 12th, £203 on Saturday 14th and £223 on Sunday 15th.
Fear of Friday 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia as we have discussed on our blog before.
Some hotels don’t number their 13th floor but give it a name instead, such as the “pool floor” at the Radisson Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Just how superstitious are travellers? Not enough to convince airlines to do away with row 13 in their cabins.
“A lot of the rumours are simply urban myths in the aviation industry,” a British Airways spokesman said. “All our aircraft have a row 13.”
He went on to suggest that British Airways flights do not follow the booking pattern that the flight booking website discovered either.
“Prices are not cheaper on Friday 13th,” he added, “if anything they usually go up slightly at the end of the week due to demand.”
What do you think? Would you be worried to travel on Friday the 13th or would you be happy to save a few pounds and have the plane to yourself?
Best US Destinations
The USA is a massive place and there are many sites to see within each state, with each city being extremely unique. Are you planning a holiday but can’t decide where to go? Well here are our Best US Destinations.
Las Vegas, Nevada
I’m pretty positive you would have heard of Las Vegas in the past as it’s almost a household name, often considered the best nightlife I would disagree, why? Because Las Vegas is open 24/7 the same things that happen at night happens in the morning, a popular place for Casinos, Nightclubs and infamously quick marriages. This holiday is suitable for 21 years old or over.
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is a huge city with several distracting bright lights, its main attraction is through historical means with several museums including Science and industry, it also is home to the largest Science museum in the Western Hemisphere, pretty impressive. The city is beautiful with several things to do, it’s the largest city in Illinois. This holiday is suitable for everyone but young families as it’s a large and busy city.
San Francisco, California
Don’t let the always foggy San Francisco put you off there is just so much to do in San Fran you will never run out of things to do. During the day you can explore the Aquarium of the bay or even ride a cable car, stroll around the presidio or explore Fisherman’s Wharf. By night? Explore the variety of Michelin-Star restaurants then after your stomach is full you can hit some of the best clubs that America has to offer. This holiday is suitable for both families and couples with the day and night offering such variety of things to do.
Orlando, Florida
You would of heard of Orlando and most likely in the same breathe as the word theme parks because well there’s tons of them. Walt Disney has designed his little empire of theme parks in Florida along with several other none Disney related ones. Not into theme parks? Oh there’s more, hot balloon rides, indoor skydiving, Parasailing or just visiting the city. Orlando is perfect for everyone it’s got so much to offer and that’s why it has made second in the list.
New York City, New York
You knew it would be, it’s always first and for valid reasons. New York is truly the city that never sleeps with something always happening, but what can you do in New York? Well… Visit the Statue of Liberty or tap into history through Ellis Island, get scared of heights on top of the Empire State Building or see the iconic Times Square, not enough yet? Well you could also go down the world famous shopping high street with shops like the original Adidas and Macy’s or visit Planet Hollywood for a bite to eat and then travel round the corner to Broadway. You just simply won’t have enough time in New York City, I lived there for a year and still never went to the top of the Empire State Building, which I very much regret.
For more information about Car Rental in USA, please contact us over the phone on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or via email on sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk
UK Top 5 History Attractions For Children
Do you have a child that is interested in learning about history? There are several interesting attractions right on your doorstep here in the UK that will provide a great experience. As we step back in time to the historical sights ranging from the Dinosaurs to the Canterbury Tales Chaucer’s masterpiece pilgrim stories. Let your child live the experience rather than being stuck in a classroom reading the words of a piece of paper.
5. The Titanic, Belfast
Live the experience of the Titanic, we’ve all heard the story or watched the film but not many of us have been to actually see the ship the hit movie was based upon. The story from the creation to the demise of the Titanic is shown to you through a mixture of amazing special effects and actual parts of the history of the titanic, this is available for £7.25 per child and £14.75 per adult.
4. National Maritime Museum, Cornwall
Regular story telling sessions of real pirates and treasures with a mixture of survival skills and how to survive on the sea. This fun filled event answers questions you may never need to know but could prove useful if it so happens that you are stranded on a boat in the middle of the ocean. The experience costs just £7.60 per child and £11 per adult.
3. The Canterbury Tales, Canterbury
Live the life of the famous English author Chaucer, don’t worry you won’t have to read the almost gibberish English. This is just a fun way that brings the school text book to life that your children will enjoy and love. You can get this experience for £8.50 adults and £6.25 per child.
2. Blists Mill Victorian Town, Shropshire
A town stuck back in the Victoria ages, everything is themed and tailed towards Victorian times with a pub for the adults, pharmacy, greengrocers, drapers, printers and candle makers with much more to do. Try the various Victorian rides and all for the small price of £15.95 per adult and £10.50 per child.
1. Dinosaur Isle, Isle of White
A look back into everything Jurassic, basically a look back into everything children love. A perfect day out for the children with several dinosaurs to see and fossils that will keep the children thoroughly entertained, there’s also a lab where the kids can ask the experts questions about the items that are up on display. This costs just £5 per adult and £3.70 per child.
Matt Runs The Leeds Half For St Gemmas
We feel this is worth a mention, Matt Carter one the Mangers here at Indigo Car Hire has again taken part in the Leeds Half Marathon raising much needed funds for St Gemma’s Hospice.
Matt commented ‘This is the 8th year running I have completed the event and can safely say this year was the hardest of all those years – I think with a combination of a 5 month old and 5 year old daughter at home, it has meant training was at a minimum, and my completion time of 2.09 reflected this. However it is the people at places like St Gemma’s (and there are many other places like them) that provide the inspiration to keep on running and simply get through’
Matt raised a total of £93.00 for St Gemma’s which adds to the company total which can be seen by clicking here.
If you would like to know more about the work Indigo does for St Gemma’s or indeed you would like to get involved please feel free to get in touch with us or visit St Gemma’s directly:
329 Harrogate Road
Moortown
Leeds
LS17 6QD
Tel: 0113 218 5500
Well done Matt.
Gadgets Take Over Holidays
Most people go on holiday to enjoy themselves, relax, kick your feet up and maybe catch some sun if you’re not holidaying in the UK of course. Like many others I often find bringing some of my tech gadgets on holiday with me, whether it’s my phone, laptop or iPod I always have some kind of technology with me, also like many others my holiday comes to an inevitable end and I’m sat almost upset that the holiday has gone so fast and it always happens and I ask myself the question “where has my holiday gone” as if I have just put my life in fast forward.
I believe I may have found the answer to my holiday blues. A survey on us Brits has revealed that on holiday we spend up to 4 hours a day on our tech devices without even really realising this accounts for the loss of two days if you have booked a week’s holiday, mystery solved. The modern travellers aren’t watching the landscapes go by or the culture around them they are merely just tapping away at angry birds on their IPad or checking emails or possibly even taking a few infamous “selfies”.
Just how addicted are we to our tech kit that is resulting in us missing out on our holiday? It has been revealed that 27% of Brits flat out refuse to stay in a hotel if it doesn’t offer free Wi-Fi with many that where surveyed saying that they would much rather choose to be virtually connected than have luxury surroundings. Going for a pint or even a chat at a bar near your holiday resort? By chat I mean on Facebook of course because 30% of Brits yes that’s nearly 1 third of Brits would choose restaurants and bars with Wi-Fi over those without, even if the food is better really? It’s becoming quite scary how connected people actually are.
Once upon a time if you arrived at a hotel and it had free Wi-Fi you pumped your first in the air with a little bit of a victorious smile on your face. Now that’s just simply not enough, its rare now a days that hotels don’t offer free Wi-Fi so us tech users are demanding more, of course. People are checking various things before they book hotel and its slightly more in depth than just free Wi-Fi, they are checking things like the speed of the internet, the quality and wireless capability e.g can they get a tan whilst browsing the latest tweets, no fibre optics? No deal!
Times are changing so fast people aren’t even making the most of their holidays and all down to a few apps and gadgets that they can just as easily use at home. Don’t forget to switch your devices off once in a while and get out before your holiday finishes and your back at home reminiscing of well, nothing.