One of the best items to have in your suitcase is the humble leggings. These are a great all weather essential, they can be used as light tights for nippy days or thicker versions can be used in colder days. It is important to remember that leggings are not trousers or jeans and should be worn with long tops or dresses.

Strap tops are another holiday essential; these are great no matter the weather. If it is cold they can add an extra layer of warmth to any item of clothing or can be worn as tops in warmer weather. On this topic the strapless bar is needed in case of warm weather and the strap tops.

Another great item of clothing for all weather is the cardigan; this can be great when there is a nip in the air and when it gets colder. Cardigans are fantastic especially if you pick a couple to take which can go with every outfit.

These are just a few of the important items of clothing to take with you on every holiday, look around your wardrobe and there are other items of clothing that can be adapted to any weather.

It is important to give a trusted neighbour or family member who lives close by a key to your house. This way they can go in and collect up and post that has arrived, water the plants, look after pets you have and generally keep an eye on the place. This also means they can deal with many of the minor situations that arise without having to disturb you on your holiday and you have someone on hand should you have forgotten to throw the milk away or turn off any electrics.

That leads us to another must do before any holiday. Make sure you switch off any electrics that do not need to be on and clear out the fridge. No one wants to come back to the smell of rotten food which you forgot to throw out before you left.

Before you go make a note of all emergency contact numbers, one for you and one for the person looking after your house. Yours should be anyone who you may need to get in touch with in an emergency such as parents, children, card companies and travel insurance companies. For the person looking after your home give them the telephone number of where you are staying and also someone to contact in an emergency.

Lastly it can be easy to forget to do these things so create a list, this may sound simple but many people forget to do it and miss important items off it. Plus it has the added satisfaction of being able to cross off the items you have done and with each item crossed off you are a step closer to your holiday!

It is important to remember that essential medical equipment is excluded from these restrictions as long as it is supported by a qualified medical professions such as your doctor, although it will be thoroughly screened to make sure it safe.

You can take certain amounts of liquids and gels on flights as long as they are in containers which hold no more than 100ml. These containers have to be placed in a single transparent and re-sealable plastic bag. This bag should hold no more than a litre and should measure a maximum of 20cm x 20cm. Each passenger should only have one such bag in their hand luggage and this must be presented separately at airport security.

It is important to note that containers can only be 100ml, anything larger than this will not be allowed through airport security even if they only contain 100ml of liquid or gel.

It’s important to note holiday stress can begin long before you even set foot on foreign soil. It can occur just as you book the holiday! To avoid this make sure you read around the areas you want to visit, check reviews of the hotels and perhaps most importantly, just go for it! Booking a holiday can be stressful simply because you don’t know if you have made the right choice.

Leave enough time between booking your holiday and actually going in order to get and vaccinations and visas you need. You don’t want to get to the airport only to discover you need a visa in order to go. On this note check your passport and make sure it is well within date or you may not be allowed to travel.

Make sure you buy holiday insurance before you leave the country. This will give you peace of mind and also be cheaper if you book it in advance. The same goes for exchanging money, do this before you arrive at the airport and make sure you compare prices to get the most from your money.

When the day of departure finally comes around make sure you have packed your tickets and passport, don’t be one of those people who have to race home to try and find them. Make sure you are at the airport early, the check in desks open 3 hours before the flight for a reason. Leave plenty of travel time and you can relax in the airport lounge safe in the knowledge you will be on the flight.

The most famous of all American foods is burgers. The term hamburger actually comes from the German city of Hamburg where the snack originated, the traditional hamburger is a piece of roast pork in a bun served warm. In America the traditional idea was built upon in to the form we now know it as which is basically everything you could want in a bun!

BBQ Baby Back Ribs are as American as you can get, what other country would come up with this idea? There are hundreds of ways to do these delicacies but in restaurants they tend to be cooked in large brick or mental ovens. Barbeques originated back in 1800s when cowboys found a way to cook the stringier cuts of meats, cooking them slowly over heat for hours.

Buffalo wings might sound confusing but buffalo wings are actually deep fried chicken wings lightly tossed in hot sauce. These are so popular there are now restaurant chains specialising in just these! But what buffalo wings are most famous for are their use in eating contests.

Chilli con carne is one of Americas favourite dishes, many states have claimed to have invented chilli but it is widely agreed Texas with its cowboys is the true home of chilli. There are a number of different versions of chilli, with or without meat, with or without beans, venison chilli or turkey. In fact the extent of variety of chilli is limited only by your imagination.

Mac and Cheese is quintessentially American, flick through any American TV channel you will find reference to this iconic dish. Traditionally mac & cheese is prepared as the classic French sauce, Mornay sauce which consist of butter and flour cooked in to a roux with milk and cheese added. The pasta is then added and baked as a casserole.

Having a good understanding of your policy and exactly what cover you have before you leave for a holiday is a good idea, this will mean that it is a lot easier to make a claim should you find yourself in that unfortunate position while abroad and that you also have peace of mind that you are covered for every eventuality. This allows you to deal with any situation that could arise while abroad rather than spending your time worrying about whether or not your travel insurance will cover it.
While travel insurance will not cover you for everything that could occur while you are on holiday, all companies offering travel insurance will provide a list of unforeseen circumstances that they will cover you for. Typically these include your tour operator or cruise liner going out of business, or any emergency medical treatment that you might need while on holiday. They will also cover you if your trip is cancelled due to bad weather or due to a flight cancellation, if your luggage is lost, damaged or stolen or if any cash you have is lost or stolen.

Backpacking tends to be seen as a young person’s holiday with scores of students heading off each year before and after university. But this isn’t always the case, in recent years there has been a surge of ‘older’ people taking career breaks and backpacking around the world. On the other hand tours seem to be designed with older people in mind, they take in all the great sights of a country with comfort being a priority and holiday makers staying in some fantastic hotels. Though as with backpacking this isn’t always the case, many people are choosing to take their honeymoons as tours.

There are of course positives and negatives to both backpacking and touring holidays. With backpacking you get the freedom to do your own thing, you can see the sights of a country at your own packing picking out those that interest you and avoiding those that don’t. You don’t have to fit in with a tight timeframe taking as long as you want and need at each attraction, eating where you choose and sleeping in hotels that you want to stay in. However you can be limited if you don’t speak the local language and you can be seen as an easy target as a lone tourist.

With tours you get the security of knowing everything will be sorted for you, you get bussed around to the best of the local sights without having to wait in long queues to get tickets. You also benefit from local guides knowledge eating in the best restaurants and help spotting fake items at markets. However you don’t have as much freedom with tours, if it isn’t on the tour it is likely you won’t see the attraction and you can only eat in places the tour has authorised.

February is the month of love and because of this many people decide to get married around Valentine’s day, many of these choose a location abroad. This can often make planning a wedding a lot easier but you have certain unique problems such as transporting wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses.   Obviously they cannot go in checked in luggage just incase they disappear into the place lost luggage goes, the amount of horror stories out there with people having to try and buy dresses the morning of their weddings often means that any bride to be will never entertaining the idea. With many airlines only allowing you to take one bag as hand luggage it can also be tricky to take it in to the cabin with you, especially given the restrictions on the size of hand luggage allowed.

If you’re lucky enough to head to the vast and varied land of China this year, make sure you don’t miss out on these delectable treats.

Peking Duck

Beijing used to be known as Peking and there’s only one dish you need to try: the world famous Peking Duck. Crispy, succulent and downright delicious – you can’t really go wrong. Originally invented within the walls of the Forbidden City, this is defintitely a dish fit for a King (and us humble folk too)

Street Food

China is famous for its street food and there such a variety of it that you’ll be spoilt for choice. Crunch on some deep fried scorpions, break open some steamed dumplings or try some delicious broth made with Sheeps’ innards – mmm tasty! If you’re in Beijing, head to Donghuamen Night Market for some really tasty and cheap options.

Spicy Sichuan

Like your food spicy? Then head to the province of Sichuan – home of tastebud tingling cuisine. You’ll find plenty of chillis and the unique Sichuan pepper used in abundance and applied to all manner of foodstuffs. Personally I love the food markets with tasty, spicy treats served on sticks or in al-fresco dining areas – perfect for cooling down in. Wash it all down with some cheap chinese beer (you’ll find plenty of it)

Get your dose of sunshine at one of my top picks for a cheap beach break – sun, sand and sea – what more could you want?

Ibiza

Before you start thinking of mad raves and endless hen parties, let me tell you that there’s a lot more to this little island than parties. Tranquil bays, clear water and pristine beaches make this one of the most economical breaks from the UK. If you want to avoid the party scene, head north to Talamaca; quiet and relaxed but still close enough to Ibiza Town to do some exploring.

Egypt

There are plenty of resorts in Egypt so you should easily find one to suit you. Egypt is great for wandering around historical sights but it also has a fantastic array of marine life, so if you get the chance to snorkel or scuba dive then you should definitely take it!

Lanzarote

If you want sun and sand and plenty of it, hop on one of the many cheap flights to Lanzarote. You can easily get a flight from most UK airports and it’s one of the cheaper options ,but that doesn’t mean you’ll miss out. Lanzarote is packed with brilliant restaurants, secluded coves and a spectacular volcanic moonscape