Good to know about Ryanair

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Even before the recession and certainly nowadays, people like to find great bargains and no more so than when it comes to flights. Due to the fact that airline tickets often are expensive, finding a better value deal means a lot to most of us. The entering of low-cost carriers to the airline market certainly gave many budget-minded travellers the opportunities to fly more frequently. In Europe, the budget airline Ryanair has proved to have the touch and has conquered this highly competitive marketplace. To some, a great thing but to others, it proved to be the end of and era when the customer was treated with respect.

Ryanair has a clear strategy. They want to be the cheapest airline and frequently advertise flight tickets that cost nearly nothing. This no-frills airline must however make a profit and they have cleverly created several strategies for doing so. Every year they seem to sneak more and more hidden fees and opt-ins in order for them to get paid. They seem to want to be able to say that they have the cheapest ticket but still make a high profit on their flights. This is how it is done.

When Ryanair first launched their business they used to promote their amazingly cheap tickets without showing the cost of taxes and fees. As most of us know, you cannot actually buy airline tickets without these charges so in the end, the Ryanair flight ended up costing a good bit more than the advertised price. After several complaints and investigations by the consumer groups and EU, it was ruled that all airlines need to show these taxes and fees as soon as you tried to find out the price of a ticket.

For Ryanair however, this was not the end. They started promoting flights where they took care of these taxes and fees and consumer was tempted by nearly free flights yet again. In order for them to recoup a profit, other charges were brought in. You now have to pay for luggage to be checked-in, the actual check-in cost you a good deal, even if you do all the work yourself online. In addition to this, they charge hefty fees to pay for these flights. In true Ryanair spirit, they don’t charge per transaction, but per person per flight. You used to be able to avoid these credit card charged by using the VISA Electron but as of January 2010, they have closed this loop-hole. As they need to provide one free way of paying, they have cleverly joined forces with MasterCard and promote their prepaid card as a free alternative. The only trouble is, it doesn’t only cost you money to charge this card, it also cost you a percentage of the transaction price.

Additional way for Ryanair to make money is to have the voluntary opt-in pre-checked. Instead of asking if you would like travel insurance with your flight, Ryanair has ticked the yes box for you and it becomes your responsibility to un-tick if you do not require this insurance. In order for you to get a good seat, you can pay an additional fee to be able to queue in the priority lane. Whether or not this is worth the money is highly debatable as many do pay for this privilege.

As Ryanair seek out the very cheapest alternatives in order for them to keep their flight tickets low, they usually only fly to smaller airports far away from where you really want to go. They do provide transportation for a cost to the main destination, but it could be hours away. The best thing is to go on the Internet and check out transportation prices and times before you book a ticket to a remote location. They also usually fly very early in the mornings or late in the evenings as this are off-peak times.

There have been many rumours about what Ryanair is trying to do next. Charging for toilets on the plane or having the back of the plane remodelled so that you could fit more people in, standing, are only a few of them. One thing to be sure of, Ryanair will not stop trying to find ways of squeezing money of their passengers in sneaky ways.

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Ryanair's 250% increase in luggage fees

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The low-cost carrier has done it again. They have made it to the headline with yet another incredulous announcement. The fees for checked-in luggage will rise steeply, in some cases up towards the 250% mark.

In an attempt to make passengers travel with hand-luggage only, Ryanair is raising all their fees for checked-in baggage. If you only carry hand-luggage, weighing less than 10 kilo, you will not notice any differences. However, if you want to check-in your bags, the following will now apply;

Checking in 1 bag online: will rise from €10 to €15 per flight from next month, a 50% increase.

Checking in 1 bag at the airport: will rise from €20 to €30 per flight from next month, a 50% increase.

In an attempt to profit further, Ryanair is doubling the checked-in baggage allowance for each passenger. From having allowed each passenger a weight allowance of only 15 kg, you can now bring with you 30 kilos, as long as no single bag weighs more than 15 kilos. A strange turnaround from an airline that says that they want to get rid of checked-in baggage.

Checking in 2^nd bag online: will rise from €20 to €35 per flight from next month, a 75% increase.

Checking in 2^nd bag at the airport: will rise from €20 to €70 per flight from next month, a 250% increase.

If you bag weighs too much, you will now have to pay even more for the extra kilos as the excess bag fee is being increased from €15 to €20 per kilo. So, do note that if you have more than 1 kilo too much, you are better off paying the 2^nd bag charge online.

If you are travelling with checked-in luggage, the other airlines start to look like a more appealing offer, and possibly even a cheaper one.

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• Where to find cheap flights
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Backpacking in Europe; What you should know before you go.

Going on a trip is always fun and exciting; backpacking through Europe isn't an exception, it's a great adventure. You will see many different places and meet plenty of fellow backpackers. As with most trips, careful planning and some research of the areas you are going to visit is a must.

If you decide to backpack your way through Europe, you need to decide whether to do this by train, flight or a mix of both. You need to decide where to go, and roughly how long to stay. Make a list of must-do things and places to see. It's important to realize that Europe is a large continent, and that every country is different.

Before you go, look at a map of Europe and decide on a possible route. Your destinations might decide your way of travel. For example, if you are staying on mainland Europe, the train might be the best choice, but if you want to visit Ireland or the UK, you might consider flying or taking the ferry. There is a great rail pass called the Interail for European citizen, and Eurail for non-Europeans which make train journeys cheaper and a lot easier.

Once your route is decided upon, it's a good idea to read about the countries that you plan to visit. Most countries have some level of English, but as it wouldn't be their native language, it is important to understand that you might not be able to make yourself understood at all times. However, in most guide books there are small dictionaries with simple phrases to use.

A good chapter in the guide books describes dangers and annoyances. Here you can read about places to avoid, and what lever of crime an area has. It's important to know that every place might have its bad spots, and it would be wise to avoid these. If you follow the tourist trail and don't go off the beaten track, you should have no worries though.

A good thing to do is to check out what various accommodations there are on offer in different countries. Some would have hostels, motels and hotels, whereas other countries only have hotels. In the latter cases you are likely to be offered a bed in someone's home for a fee. Make sure that you don't go alone with someone, but join up with other solo travelers.

When it comes to money, most EU countries use the Euro, but there are still those that don't so it is important to know what currency you need in order to pay for yourself. In most places, a debit or a credit card is widely accepted. Don't let them walk off with it though, as they could potentially copy your card and collect your details.

Before you go, you should write down emergency numbers and phone numbers to your embassy in the various countries. That way you know where to call if something were to happen.

Apart from that, keep an open mind and you will meet lots of friendly people who will help you find your way around.

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Top 10 cities or towns to visit in Europe

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Europe is a continent with a lot of diversity, both when it comes to history, religion and culture, and that makes these countries all the more interesting to visit. There are so many different places that everyone will find a spot that they like and can relate to. Below is a list of 10 cities or towns well worth a visit.

1. London; the capital of Great Britain is one of the most exciting cities in the world, and has plenty to offer a tourist. It does not matter what your interests are, you can be sure that you will find something that suits you. With a wide variety of attractions, historic buildings, museums and outdoor entertainment there are many ways in which to spend your day. The city comes to light in the evening and some of the highlights are the opera, a musical or theatre in theWest End, a fancy dinner at one of the top-notch restaurants or just to stroll around Leicester Square and Covent Garden.

2. Paris; known as the city of lovers, the French capital has a lot to offer. Visit the famous Louvre, climb to the top of the Eiffel tower, enjoy the little French cafés or make your way to the area of Montmartre, famous for its artist and small shops. Some of the highlight of Paris includes the fantastic Notre Dame and the white, candy like church Sacre-Cur as well as the Luxemburg Gardens.

3. Prague; situated in Eastern Europe and rich in historical areas and buildings. It is a city to walk around and soak up the atmosphere. It is relatively cheap and the beer is good. A must is Prague Castle with the amazing St. Vitu's Cathedral. The Jewish quarters with all their synagogues gives a testament to the impact of the Jews before the Second World War.

4. Vienna; this is a city rich in culture and historic buildings. This is a city that will give you everything you need and more. The most visited attraction is the Castle Schonbrunn. It is situated outside the city centre but well worth the visit. If you like amusement parks, the Prater is a place for you. It boosts with one of the oldest Ferris wheels of its kind.

5. Barcelona; soak up the sun in Spain on one of the out-door cafés in this bustling city. The famous shopping street, Las Ramblas, lies in the heart of the city and many events take place here during the day. One of the highlights has to be Gaudi's cathedral, Sagrada Familia.

6. Amsterdam; the nicest and most interesting of all the Dutch cities has a lot to offer. It is an easy city to visit as the public transport is frequent and brings you right to the heart of Amsterdam in no time. Once in the city centre, it is a fabulous place to walk around with all the old houses, the river and the bridges. A trip on one of the ferries is a must as is the Anne Frankhouse. Here one of the world's most famous diaries really comes alive. If you have an interest in diamonds, you can visit diamond factories and try a ring or two.

7. Berlin; the capital of Germany is another city that will welcome you with plenty of attractions. This is a place where east truly meets west, as this once divided city comes together as one. Alexander Platz and the TV tower in the former east, Checkpoint Charlie on the boarded between the two former countries and Brandenburger Tor in the west.

8. Copenhagen; a delightful city in the Nordic hemisphere. The amusement park Tivoli is one of the oldest in the world and has an outstanding Christmas market. The stories of H. C. Andersen come to live with the statue of the little mermaid by the sea. The shopping street Stroget is a bustling place and the castle is rather impressive.

9. Helsingborg; a stunning Swedish town situated in the very south of the country. The town stretches alongside the sea and boardwalks by the beach makes it easy to give for a stroll to feel the atmosphere. There are a few places of interest, the medieval tower from which you have a fabolous view, the heritage park and the Sofiero Castle. You can take also take one of the ferries across to Denmark.

10. Bamberg; this German town is so beautiful and old that it has made its way to the UNESCO world heritage list. The town is famous for its beer, the quarter called Little Venice and it has a lovely town hall situated in the middle of the river.

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5 amazing countries to visit

Most of us have favourite places which we return to frequently, or places that we dream of going to. What make a town, country or even a continent special to me, might be exactly what you hate about that place. It is very individual and it is a perfect subject to start a debate here on the blogg. Below I will start off by listing my top 5 countries and explain why they made it to my list. I will of course love comments on the matter and perhaps get your input as to what countries should be in the top five.

1. Sweden - it has to be up there as it is my home country and in all honesty, isn't too bad of a place to be living in. Naturally, the weather could be a bit milder, the winters a lot less dark but on the whole, it is an easy life, that feels rather secure. There are plenty of things to see and do, many of which I'm sure I will be mentioning in other posts. The people are friendly and it isn't at all as expensive as you think it is.

2. New Zealand - the land of the Hobbits, the Maoris and the amazing nature. If ever there was a heaven on earth, I would like to think it is here. Whether you go glacier walking, canoeing or sailing the Marlborough Sound, you will love this place.

3. Thailand - a favourite beach retreat when the European weather just doesn't do it for you. Miles of miles of sandy beaches, cocktails, Thai food and friendly people is all you require. If you feel a bit adventurous, there is always the potential to go trekking and sightseeing up north. The list of sports that you can enjoy is endless and it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg to try it either.

4. Australia - what a country and what a continent. You will find most of what you need down under. The people of OZ are friendly and good natured, the climate variable depending on where you are and there is always an adventure around the corner. This is a place to go sightseeing, do trekking and canoeing or why not try the outback for a while.

5. Ireland - as I currently reside here, I could not leave it off this list. I came here because I was fascinated by the history, the scenery and the people. Although it has changed a lot in recent years, there is a beauty here that is hard to forget. The weather makes it hard to see through the grey, cloudy curtain that hangs over the islands more often than not, but if you do, you will be surprised at it's beauty and tranquility.

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Where to find cheap flights

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Cheap flights are available from many vendors and there are a few options to search for these. We all want a bargain flight and with a lot of research on the Internet, you might just be lucky.

So, one of the first things to do after you have decided that it is time to take that next trip is to book your flight. As this often is one of the more expensive parts of travelling, it is important to find a good deal. Where would you buy your tickets? Do shop around but more often than not the following conclusions are worth taking into consideration so that you don't have to spend too long finding that bargain.

1. If you are travelling within Europe andRyanair will take you to your destination, it is without a doubt the cheapest option to book with them directly. That is if you buy your ticket well in advance, mind you not too far away though as that can prove expensive too, don't travel with baggage and hold a VISA Electron. Travelling with Ryanair deserves a few blogs on its own so I will return to the subject.

2. If you are planning a trip further afield, then it will be cheaper to go trough brokers or travel agents rather than buying directly with the airlines. Shop around little but as there aren't that many good cheap sites out there, it won't be too much work. The standard brokers that I would use are Expedia, Ebookers, Lastminute and Gohop. There is one Irish agent however that always come up trumps for me and that is Travelpaths. I have booked many of my flights with them simply because they offer me value for money.

3. There is a 3rd option to consider if you don't mind being kept in the dark about the flight operator etc and that is to go and check out Hotwire. Hotwire provides flights, hotels and car rentals cheap but the snag is that you don't find out all the details until you have actually paid. I haven't yet tried it for flights but the hotel option works brilliantly.

Do you have any other recommendations? I would love to find out...

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• How to avoid paying Ryanair's credit card fees.
• Why only one piece of hand lugguage?

Road trips; why is road tripping so great?

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Road trips conjure up a feeling of freedom and adventure. It is not something you do everyday, but plan for and anticipate for months. Great road trips are the ones that you have dreamed of driving, talked about and read extensively about. They are roads that have been driven before, but will still feel new and exciting. To go on a great road trip is one of lives best moments.

Road trip planning:

Before venturing out on a road trip you need to plan the trip. There are plenty of great road trips around the world and the first step is to decide where to go. The most famous ones are the great American road trips, but there are a lot of other drives. Narrow your search down to a specific country and a specific area. Depending on the duration of the trip, more than one area can be included.

Read up on the route, the sight and the possibilities of accommodations, car rentals and the weather. Even though one of the best things about road tripping is that you don’t need to plan too much ahead, it is still advisable to plan an itinerary and to book a few nights accommodation from home. Don’t over-do the route, you will find sights along the way and you probably won’t have as much time as you think.

Before you go, let people at home know where you are going and give them a rough plan of your trip. It is always comforting to know that you will have family and friends looking for you if you get lost.

Hitting the open road:

The road is yours, take it. There is no greater feeling than hitting that open road and knowing that you have made it, that you are on your very own road trip. Be aware that as a road tripper, you are in charge. The car will take you anywhere you want to go and you will be experiencing impulses as you pass interesting sights and smaller roads that lead off the beaten track. Go with flow, enjoy it to the fullest and don’t follow your pre-arranged plan too rigorously. A little detour is nearly mandatory.

Give yourself time to take in the sights. Driving all day isn’t great and you will miss out on so much if you pass out on all the stops along the way. Take a break for a day and do something else before you head back to the open road. Sometimes the unplanned stops will be the most memorable.

Why is road tripping so great?

Once you have been on a road trip, you will know the answer to that question. It truly is an experience of freedom. You are one with the car and together you will venture out on a long adventurous journey. As you drive along the planned route you will have plenty of time to soak up the surrounding atmosphere, scenery and sights. If you change your mind, there is no hassle. You just pick up your map and re-route your trip a little or a lot.

One of the greatest American road trips has to be Route 66 and perhaps there is no greater freedom for a road tripper that to cruise along this historic land mark. All other road trips around the world have a hard act to follow. Wherever you decide to go though, you will nevertheless be one with the car and steer your own adventure in the direction that is of your liking.

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Tips for using E-tickets

Some years ago there was only the one option to buy your travel ticket. You had to go to the travel agent and they then booked the trip for you. Whether you went in to their shop or gave them a call, the travel agent was the point of contact for your holiday needs.

With the Internet came a huge shift in the holiday and travel market. There was now a bigger, fiercer competition than ever before as the Internet sites were offering cheaper deals at a click of a button.

Rather than having a travel agent doing the booking for you, you were encouraged to take active part in the booking process and search for the bargain of your life.

For these Internet deals to be even cheaper the old reliable paper tickets, that came in the post, was soon dispensed of and the e-ticket emerged. An e-ticket works the same way as a standard ticket would, it just looks different. You will get a reference number and all the details of you particular hotel stay, flight or car rental will be described on the ticket.

Before you make that purchase, make sure that you have researched the market properly. A good advice is to check the travel agents and get a quote there. Then browse the Internet for better deals. Most search engines have reviews from customers and although they are not always telling the truth, they do give a general advice. Talk to friends and family and see how they got one and if they have any tips.

Once you have decided to make the purchase make sure that you read everything properly. As you are the one making the booking, you will be the one to pay for any misunderstandings or mistakes. A common mistake is to spell a name of a passenger wrong and then it can, at best, be dear to have the name change, or catastrophic if the passenger is declined the trip.

Depending on what kind of trip you book; flight, ferry, car rental or accommodation, you will receive an e-mail that confirms your booking. Make sure that you read this and that you are happy. Most booking is non-refundable and changes are very expensive. You will be issued with a booking reference number, print this number and write it down somewhere so that you have a duplicate. Today, most places go by your name and you don't need the reference number but you can never be sure. If there should be a problem, have a copy of the booking with you as proof of purchase.

It is easy to make the booking and most times it works without any hassle. At first it might seem suspicious and you might worry that you won`t end up getting the product that you pay for but once you have started using e-tickets, you will soon reap the benefits of cheaper holidays. If you are unsure, call the place or reservation centre and have the booking confirmed, but do check the rate at which these calls are charged as it can be an unpleasant surprise otherwise.

Booking online also puts you at risk as you pay with a credit card. Make sure that it is a secure transaction before giving away all you details.

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Backpacking in Europe - what to pack?

You are all excited about the trip, you have it all worked out and in your mind you are already on your way. Then you think of that big hurdle, the necessity that you have to do before you go and your enthusiasm dwindles. Well, packing can be bad but if you are organized and know what you are going to do on your trip, it shouldn't be too hard.

Start with your bag. It's the most important friend you have on the trip. You will be depending on this bag day in and day out and in all kinds of weather. The best thing to do is to by a proper backpack which fits your body size and has all the extras that will make the bag so much more comfortable. Choose a backpack that is big enough to fit your things but small enough so you can carry it for a few kilometers. Once you have the backpack, you are one step closer to your holiday.

Before you start putting things into the bag, write a list and place all the items on the bed. When packing a backpack you should place heavy stuff at the bottom and lighter stuff on top so that the bag won't drag you backwards. But first things first, start with the list and write down things you think you need and then you cross them out as you put them in the bag.

1. Necessities; Passport, travel documents, travel insurance, visas etc. Place all important documents in a plastic map so that they won't get destroyed. Hugely important is money and credit cards. Medicines if you have any, aspirins are always good to have. You will also find that maps and guide books are a necessity. Write down important phone numbers to family and friends, to your insurance company, hotels and embassies.

2. Clothes; Bring a pair of sturdy walking shoes, flip flops and sandals, light trousers and shorts. A few T-shirts and a couple of sweaters are necessary. Underwear, socks and PJ`s. A wind and rain proof jacket and a sun hat. Bring a pair of sunglasses too.

3. Toiletries; Bring only what you really need. Soap is lighter than a shower gel for example. Bring the 2in1 shampoo rather than 2 different bottles etc. Leave makeup and perfume at home. Bring a first aid kit and a sewing kit too.

4. Useful things; Sun lotion, mosquito repellent, a book (you can normally swap yours for another in hostels so no need to bring more than 1), a torch, your camera, mp3 player, a water bottle, a pocket knife, tin opener, fork, spoon and knife. Washing powder which works in cold water.

Once you have packed everything in the bag you might find that you have some spare space. If you feel tempted to put another pair of sweaters or jeans in the bag, don't. You have what you need, and the extra luggage will weigh a lot and the likelihood of you needing the extra items is slim. Often you buy things during your travels and then the extra space will come in handy.

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Why only one piece of hand luggage?

This week I travelled on the low-cost airlines Ryanair and EasyJet. I assume that most of you have heard of these no-frills companies that make their money from anything but the flight fare itself. To avoid having to pay the hefty baggage fees, we all have to make do with the 10 kilo hand luggage that we are entitled to. This didn’t use to be an major problem as your 10 kilo will see you trough a long weekend but in order to, I can only assume, make even more money, these companies decided that these 10 kg could had to be contained in one single bag.

So, rather than having one bag with about 10 kg and then a laptop bag, a hand bag and the duty free bag, they now want us to fit all that into the one single bag. A nearly impossible task. I tell you, there were many travellers with open bags trying to re-pack and reshuffle their items. I wonder what the duty free shops think about this? Especially with us buying less than before as it is with the recession.

I often buy a drink and a book to enjoy on the plane. I used to have it in a separate little bag so that I could easily place my luggage in the overhead locker and then sit down and let the rest of the passengers find their seats. But not this time. Now I had to fit that into my already overcrowded bag and once in the plane, I then had to open the bag and search for the items that I wanted. That took a while and the queue got longer and longer as more people had to do the same. I wonder what Ryanair and Easyjet accomplished here. Any thoughts?

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