2 days ago
Where should we book for a hot, lazy September trip?
Q My partner and I are planning a September trip to somewhere hot, lazy and quiet – but interesting. We are always happy with a scooter bombing about. Any ideas?
Sarah Fairclough
A One word: Greece, and in particular, one or more islands. September is the perfect month for exploring the Aegean Sea. The water is at its warmest, having been cooking gently over the summer. The crowds have ebbed away, yet there is still enough of a clientele to keep the tavernas buzzing while you sip a coffee or beer and watch the fishing boats bobbing in the harbour.
For a single island holiday without a large British clientele, I commend Thassos. It is the northernmost Greek island, tucked in close to the mainland in the Thracian Sea, about halfway between Thessaloniki and the Turkish border. You reach it by flying to Kavala, from which it is 10 miles by road to the ferry port of Keramoti. Pause here for the first of many Greek salads before taking the 40-minute ferry ride across to the town of Thassos. Its main cultural attraction is an archaeological museum of surprising scale and depth.
Thassos is more verdant than the archetypal Greek island, draped with thick pine forests. The peak in the middle of the island is higher than any in England. There are some excellent beaches – of which Golden Beach, about five miles southeast of the main town, will provide all you need. The coastal circuit is rewarding – though the island's perimeter road is tricky and dangerous, so I suggest you take the bus rather than bombing about on a scooter.
To combine an island with a few days in Athens, there are two obvious choices. The first is Poros, just off the Peloponnese, 75 minutes by hydrofoil from Piraeus port; the second, Kea, southeast of the southern tip of Attica and an hour by ferry from the port of Lavrio. Each offers easy tranquillity, in the company mainly of Greek holidaymakers, and the essence of Mediterranean bliss.
Q Can you explain why some airlines do not allow name changes on ticketed flights but budget carriers do?
Andy West
A In short, because easyJet, Ryanair and others judge it to be in their commercial interests to do so, while many traditional 'legacy carriers' do not.
Intuitively, you might imagine that once you have bought a seat on a flight it belongs to you to do with what you wish. After all, if you were unable to use a theatre ticket you could happily pass it on to me.
Unfortunately, that is not how the airline business works. The carriers want to maximise their income using the dark art of revenue management – filling every seat on the plane, at a range of different fares. For example, I am travelling today to Denver. I bought from British Airways three months ago at £621 return. The fare now is over £2,000. Were I able easily to change the name on a ticket, I could speculatively buy early and sell on to someone else at a higher fare – perhaps twice what I paid for it. In the 20th century, this sort of thing happened rather a lot, which is one reason many airlines imposed a strict rule banning name changes.
Low-cost airlines, though, are generally happy to allow changes – at a price. Ryanair, for example, charges £115 for the privilege. As you will know, that is considerably more than the average fare on Europe's biggest budget airline, and in many cases it will simply not be worth contemplating. EasyJet is a relative bargain at £60 – though bear in mind these are per flight, which means that you would pay £120 for a round trip.
There are two ways to circumvent the general expense and restrictions: first, book a package holiday. You are able to transfer this to another person for a nominal £50 if you give a week's notice. Alternatively, some people have been known to change their name legally to match that on the ticket – and obtain a passport in that name. The latter is worth doing only for a particularly expensive ticket.
Q My wife and I have booked a trip to Cape Verde for next February. We have since found that there have been many severe outbreaks of gastric illnesses. We are older travellers and are concerned about the possible problems if we continue with the holiday. The travel company will not let us switch without forfeiting our deposit, and our travel insurer will not commit to covering us at this stage. Can you advise?
Terry Page
A This volcanic archipelago, about 300 miles off the coast of west Africa, has landscapes ranging from barren desert to misty mountains. Cape Verde's people – a convivial blend of African and Portuguese – are said to be exceptionally friendly. Cape Verde has many new flights this year, and I hope to visit at the start of the dry season in November.
For your trip, the weather in February should be ideal: sunny but not too hot or humid. Having said all that, you need not look far for evidence of a high incidence of gastric illnesses. The law firm Irwin Mitchell says it is representing more than 1,400 British holidaymakers who have suffered from E coli, salmonella, shigella and cryptosporidium. One lawyer, Jatinda Paul, says: 'Illnesses like E coli are serious and can lead to long-term health complications.' Older travellers, as you realise, are particularly susceptible.
Almost all the problems appear to stem from all-inclusive resorts, and in particular the buffet – a 'microbiological nirvana', as the writer and scientist Rob Ryan memorably described such spreads. Even with the most meticulous care, keeping infections in check in tropical locations can be extremely difficult. I studiously avoid any food that I do not see cooked in front of me, and steer clear of salads, mayonnaise and seafood. Bluntly, the safest policy is to eat outside the resort – at local cafes and restaurants with a high turnover of customers, where everything is cooked fresh for you.
I appreciate that may not be what you want to hear, but it will prove the best insurance against infection. If you are unconvinced, then sadly you must either forfeit the deposit or transfer the holiday to someone else, which you will be able to do for a payment of about £50 per person.
Q My husband and I have time off from 16 to 21 August. We would love to go abroad, but want to stick to a budget. Can you suggest anywhere affordable and hot with a beach, ideally flying from Luton or Stansted?
Julie A
A You will get excellent value (and strong consumer protection) from a proper package holiday – including flights with checked baggage, transfers to the resort and accommodation. I have surveyed the deals on offer from the two top providers, Jet2 Holidays and Tui. From both companies, the lowest prices for departures on Saturday 16 August are for the Greek island of Rhodes. Both deals offer outstanding value for the peak summer month. The accommodation is fairly simple and includes no meals; fortunately, in Greece, eating out is always a pleasure.
For the best deal on your exact dates, you will have to head some distance northwest from your preferred airports to Birmingham, which has excellent rail connections. Jet2 will take you from there to Rhodes for £387 per person, staying in the Filoxenia Apartments in Theologos. The beach is reasonable but the location is close to the airport, so noise can be a nuisance. Still, Rhodes Town – one of the most atmospheric locations in the Mediterranean – is a quick bus ride away.
Perhaps you can stretch to a whole week: out on 16 August, back seven days later? If so, Tui has an even more appealing package holiday, flying from Stansted. The price is just £438 per person for a property called Nimar Villagio in Afandou. This is a village on the east coast, a comfortable distance south of the lively resort of Faliraki. Afandou has an excellent beach and is also well located for exploring. Rhodes Town is close enough and beautiful Lindos is a short distance south. Besides being a thoroughly charming fishing village comprising a huddle of whitewashed houses, Lindos also possesses the archaeological highlight of Rhodes: the ancient Acropolis, perched high above the village. A 14th-century castle of the Knights of St John comes as a bonus.
