My Travel Backpack

If you’re planning on heading off on a backpacking trip, there’s no doubt that good insurance is an absolute must. However, insurance can be extremely expensive for travellers, particularly those going to far flung, exotic places, so getting a good deal is an absolute necessity.

Thankfully, at the moment, there’s a lot of competition with big banks mixing it up with more traditional suppliers of insurance. This is great news, because it means there are deals out there to be found, but sometimes you have to do a little digging to find it.

These days, most people start their search with a comparison website, but these aren’t always a great idea. First of all, they don’t always have every deal on the market, and secondly, they often get paid through commission from the companies who sell policies through them, those commission fees are likely to come straight out of your pocket when you get round to buying the policy.

That’s not to say that comparison websites don’t have merits, just that if you’re prepared to put in a little extra leg work, you can turn a good deal into a really great one. Use the prices that you get from comparison websites as benchmarks to try and get under when you start negotiating.

The next thing to do is go to some of the companies directly, see whether they are offering special deals for comparison websites, or if they’re willing to negotiate with you directly, you might find that you get a real bonus.

Also, head into high street banks, sometimes it can be a little awkward negotiating with someone, but if you’ve found a better deal elsewhere, don’t be afraid to say so. If they can’t offer you a better deal, then there’s no harm in saying that you’ve found better elsewhere.

Ultimately, getting a really good deal involves legwork and being prepared to negotiate, insurance is often flexible if you can talk to someone face to face. Most importantly, make sure that your policy covers you for everything you might want to do (and that you know what it covers you for), when it comes to insurance, quality is definitely more important than getting the lowest price.

Now that autumn is upon with winter not far away, we’re already starting to feel the chill at home. While most people will no doubt stay at home and wait out the long, cold times ahead, there are still plenty of winter sun holiday destinations to take advantage of. There are many advantages to taking a break at this time of year, in particular the chance to escape the stresses of the main tourist season, with the added bonus of a cheaper holiday; this applies particularly toall inclusive holidays. Here is a selection of the best winter sun holiday destinations, all of which thomascook.com operate in.

Thailand: This is an extremely popular destination and it is no surprise as last year Thailand attracted 15 million international tourists. This beautiful country has so much to offer, from insane nightlife in the cities to the architectural and historic wonders in the country such as Phanom Rung; it is truly a humbling country. No wonder it is known as the land of a thousand smiles. Thailand can cater for just about any tourist whether it’s backpacking, sun seeking, adventure or just some relaxation you can find it here. However, prices are on the increase in Thailand so it is advisable to go sooner rather than later to make the most of your holiday.

Mexico: Mexico is catching up quickly with its big brother in the north and has seen an explosion in its tourist industry in recent years. Mexico boasts some of the world’s most stunning beaches such as Cancun and Acapulco, great food and an enchanting culture. This country has all the allure of the Caribbean but with probably the richest culture and history in the Americas. From Aztec and Mayan temples to more recent historical monuments it is truly an awe-inspiring place to see.

Egypt: If you want guaranteed sun, you can’t go far wrong with Egypt, this is a country that basks in the sun all year round. Much like the previous two destinations, this country is steeped with history, being home to some of the first centres of civilization and one of the few remaining ancient wonders of the world. With sandy beaches lining almost the entire country and incredible diving spots this is definitely a sun seeker’s paradise.

If you are looking for a cheap holiday at the moment then you will have noticed that the opportunities out there are somewhat scarce. It seems that the price of holidays is creeping up every year which seems so unfair when you consider that most people are not seeing a similar rise in their wages in terms of percentage gain. Of course, we are in a difficult economic time, and people have to cut their cloth to fit, but a family holiday can be good for so many reasons, and many people rightly feel that it is something that actually helps them when they return to work. Everyone needs to recharge their batteries from time to time, and it is hard to find a better way of doing that than with a holiday, so it is well worth anyone’s while to spend a little bit of time trying to find a way to get a holiday, even if it means dropping the normal price.

It is never straight forward if you are looking for an affordable holiday, but they are of course out there. Many people choose to camp when they don’t have quite as much money as they might be accustomed to, but this is not ideal for everyone. It takes a certain outlook on life to be able to actually enjoy camping, and if you don’t think that you are going to particularly enjoy traipsing to the shower blocks to go to the toilet in the middle of the night then it might be one to strike off the list!

It used to be that another option was to stay in Britain for your holidays. The thought being that you immediately cut down the cost of the holiday by removing the need to fly anywhere, but with petrol prices so high, and the cost of accommodation in Britain soaring, it is hard to see where the savings are going to come with this sort of holiday. Factor in the increasing cost of eating out in Britain and you are left with a potentially expensive holiday that could well be bettered abroad.

These days, one of the few countries that is still cheap to visit is Spain. On arrival you immediately notice the differences in prices. A quick stop to fill up a car or to buy a bit of lunch tells you that prices are a lot cheaper than the British Isles, and if you smoke or like the odd drink then the savings can be enormous. The benefits don’t stop here either. You will find that accommodation in Spain is as cheap as anywhere else in Europe, and considering the level of accommodation you tend to find, there are some real bargains to be had. The best way to find these deals is to search online for Cheap Hotels and you should find some great bargains show up for Spain. It’s worth a look even if you don’t think you are going to be able to afford it, because you might be really surprised at just how affordable some of the accommodation is.

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