However, now a new and unique driving experience allows visitors to coastal Victoria to explore Australia’s Great Ocean Road by Porsche, Lamborghini and Aston Martin - or even a mini cooper! Moonlight Head Private Lodges offer the ‘Let’s Drive’ packages, which include two nights’ stay at the luxury eco retreats, all meals and beverages, airport transfers and a top of range car with an allowance of 1,000 km.

Located at the mid point of one of the world’s most scenic roads, a stay at Moonlight Head is the ultimate in decadence: there is a personal butler to draw your bath, your own chef preparing organic meals and a masseuse and yoga teacher on stand-by. Private guides can take you horse back riding out across the coastal dunes and down to the beaches to picnic at the Twelve Apostles, ecologists are on hand to escort you through the bush and introduce you to the unique Australian wildlife or you can spend the evening with a wine connoisseur for a fine wine tasting.

The lodges are world-class in eco-design and responsibility towards the environment in all aspects of operation and each enjoy uninterrupted and panoramic views of the Southern Ocean. 

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The World Airport Survey rated more than 190 airports over a ten-month period (from August 2007 to May 2008) on 40 product and service categories including airport accessibility, terminal cleanliness, shopping and dining options, Internet services, staff efficiency, baggage delivery and wait times at security.

Annual UK visitors to Hong Kong in 2007 totalled a record 601,168, an increase of 16.4 per cent on 2006, which was itself a record-breaking year from the UK. Overall, Hong Kong received last year a record 28,169,293 visitors from all markets.

Simon Mills, Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Director for Northern Europe, said:

“Both in terms of business and leisure, Hong Kong is an increasingly popular destination for the UK market and it is a great honour to see Hong Kong airport repeatedly recognised as the world’s finest.

One of the key attractions for visitors is the ease and convenience of transferring into the very heart of the city - in less than 25 minutes with the Airport Express Link (AEL) service - enabling them to make the most of their time in Hong Kong.”

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The three people, included two Israeli tourists, who were accidentally electrocuted at the foam party in a luxury hotel in southern Turkey, the Anatolian Agency reported on Wednesday.

Apparently, the power leak that caused the deaths occurred when the foam machine operator slid and fell, dropping the device, Mehmet Yilmaz, manager of the five-star hotel in the southern province of Antalya, the agency said.

I think this incident throws up an important point. Are safety standards the same at popular tourist destinations as they are at home. The answer is quite blatantly no. Although, poor safety regulations do not appear to have played a part in this incident, you do wonder if things would have been conducted differently elsewhere.

One of the saddest stories of recent years was a couple who lost there two children to carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty boiler. The boiler had not been serviced or checked for some time. Under UK regulations boilers in rented accommodation have to undergo regular safety certification.

I suppose the point here, is that you need to be vigilant to slack safety standards. In the case of carbon monoxide, you can buy testers for a few pounds. In as far as foam party’s, water skiing, jet skiing, para sailing, scuba diving etc - just be aware of potential dangers like no certification, poor equipment and such like. 

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The Montenegrin Ministry of Tourism announced that tourist arrivals grew six percent on the same period last year. And according to estimates, 1.3 million tourists will visit Montenegro before the end of the year, a 13 percent increase on last year’s 1.15 million total. The number of visitors in 2007 was already up 20 percent on 2006.

Montenegro is not somewhere I have visited, but if anybody wants to tell us about their experiences - either leave a comment or send us an article via our contact page.

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Having dragged my own daughter through the airport on a bright pink Trunki, the concept kind of clicked in my head. It quite simply converges 3 common problems that you will encounter with children in an environment like an airport. These are:

1. Carrying enough toys and books to keep your kids occupied.

2. Having somewhere for your kids to sit during long waits in lengthy cues.

3. Transporting your kids from A to B without wrenching your back.

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Here are some reminders:

1. If you’re carrying any form of liquid in your hand luggage, this has to go into a plastic bag for presentation at security.

2. You will be asked to sip the liquid if it’s a drink for you or your baby. To be honest, all other liquids are better off going into hold luggage.

3. I was surprised to learn that things like lipstick, creams and pastes also have to go into the plastic bags before security.

4. Some airports insist on belt buckles being removed and x-rayed.

5. Some airports select passengers for checks on shoes. I can’t imagine that this is a pleasant job......

6. You will always be asked to take your laptop out of it’s bag before being x-rayed. This may well apply to other electrical devices.

7. Be careful not to pack objects that are sharp and that might be construed to have malicious purpose. For instance, I purposely avoid packing sharp scissors in hand luggage.

8. For the smoker - you must remember to not take a lighter on board.

9. Be sensible. If you think that an item may cause an issue - double check security guidelines for the airport your flying out from and don’t forget the airport you’re flying back from. Security measures can differ from country to country.

10. If you’re acting nervously or suspiciously - don’t be surprised to be pulled to one side for a thorough check over.  Try and act normal and keep calm for a smooth ride through security.

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Decanter magazine’s 2008 “Man of the Year” Christian Moueix is bringing these and other impressive vintages from his private collection for the $1,300 per person event, available for just 14 discriminating guests.

Throughout the evening, Moueix, who oversees his family’s French estates in Saint Emilion and Pomerol and owns the Dominus Estate in Napa Valley, will guide connoisseurs on the fine nuances of each selection.

“To enjoy these extremely rare wines and to have the personal guidance of an expert such as Mr. Moueix is an amazing treat for one’s senses,” says Toni Neumeister, vice president, food & beverage. “For even the most discerning palates, this is a once in a lifetime experience.”

Three Michelin starred chef Heinz Beck of Rome’s acclaimed La Pergola is collaborating to prepare a menu that perfectly pairs food with the wine.
Among the multiple courses are Beck’s signature Fagottelli “La Pergola,” Carpaccio of Scallops on Amaranth Grain and Black Corn with Ginger Oil and Crepinette of Lamb.

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It’s coming to London’s O2 Arena on Sunday 24th August 2008 and includes other stars like Amitabh, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Riteish Deshmukh.

The tour is set to visit eight cities across the globe and subtly draws attention to the global issue of climate change.

Says John Digwa, Founder of Showbiz International and the London show producer, “The Unforgettable Tour will certainly be an affair to remember! Not just the UK, but the entire world has never seen or experienced a Bollywood show of such a mammoth scale, uniting on stage Bollywood’s most iconised brand – the Bachchan dynasty – with the industry’s other top billing names and stars.

And going beyond that, there is an important issue that this show is highlighting – the unavoidable issue of global warming and climate change. The Unforgettable Tour will be rallying public awareness of this global pandemic and highlighting what we, as individuals and societies, can do to make a change, before it is too late.”

Date: Sunday 24th August 2008 at London O2 Arena
Tickets: From £38.50
For Tickets Log Onto: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

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