Holiday Planning
Airlines
Aer Lingus
(0870 976 5000/ www.aerlingus.com).
BMI
(0870 607 0555/ www.flybmi.com).
BMI Baby
(0870 264 2229/ www.bmibaby.com).
British Airways
(0870 850 9850/ www.ba.com).
Cheap Flights
(www.cheapflights.co.uk).
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Easyjet
(0905 821 0905/ www.easyjet.com).
Ryanair
(0871 246 000/ www.ryanair.com).
Virgin Atlantic
(0870 380 2007/ www.virginatlantic.com).
Grown-up gap years
Gap Advice
An indispensable independent website that offers heaps of sensible, impartial tips for prospective gappers, whether they plan to go on their own or pay to go with a group. Features a useful downloadable budget calculator.
(www.gapadvice.org).
Gap Guru
Specialises in volunteer trips to India. It aims to ‘create placement opportunities where they will do most good’, matching individuals with projects.
(www.gapguru.com).
Gap Work
A sensible advice site with plenty of links to resources explaining how to apply for jobs or get visas. The emphasis is on turning your trip to your CV’s best advantage.
(www.gapwork.com/careerbreak).
Gap Year
A comprehensive site that says it’s a ‘one-stop shop’ and the ‘UK’s largest gap-year community’. Buy round-the-world tickets, rucksacks, travel guides, as well as tracking down potential travel mates .
(www.gapyear.com).
Gap Year for Grown-ups
Linked to Real Gap Year, this site for older travellers (that is, non-students) tells you where you can go and what you can do. The company’s team of 20 experienced travellers are on hand to get booking for you.
(www.gapyearforgrownups.com).
Insurance
Columbus Direct
Often comes up with the most competitive quotes.
(0870 033 9988/ www.columbusdirect.com).
Endsleigh
Cheap suppliers of insurance for students.
(0800 028 3571/ www.endsleigh.co.uk).
Worldwide Travel Insurance
(0870 112 1100/ www.worldwideinsure.com).
Information sites
Association of National Tourist Offices
(www.antor.com).
Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel
(www.fco.gov.uk/travel).
XE.com
International currency converter.
Weather sites
(www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ www.weather2travel.com/ www.wunderground.com).
Passports & visas
Passport Office Applications
Renews and issues passports for British Nationals.
(0870 521 0410/www.ukpa.gov.uk).
Post Office
Provides EHIC (the new E111 for European Healthcare). Also come here for Passport application forms and commission free currency, and foreign driving permits.
(08457 22 33 44/www.postoffice.co.uk).
Travcour
Arranges visas for worldwide travel.
(020 7223 5295/www.travcour.com).
Travel companies
Ebookers
(0870 821 4000/www.ebookers.com).
LastMinute
(www.lastminute.com).
Opodo
(www.opodo.co.uk).
STA Travel
Cheap travel for under-26s.
(0870 160 0599/www.statravel.co.uk).
Trailfinders
Trailfinders is an independent travel company with 35 years of experience that will help you tailor-make your ideal trip and then book it all for you.
(www.trailfinders.co.uk).
Wellbeing Escapes
Online company specialising in pampering holidays from yoga retreats to spa breaks across the globe
(www.wellbeingescapes.co.uk).
Travel tips
Barcelona Week
Written by expats living in Barcelona, this is an informative, weekly updated cultural guide to the city.
(www.bcnweek.com).
Chowhound
Guide to eating in the five boroughs of New York.
(www.chowhound.com).
Hostel World
Excellent resource for finding budget accommodation.
(www.hostelworld.com).
Just Off the Fast Track
Lists places to stay near UK motorways and main routes if you need to bed down mid-journey.
(www.justoffthefasttrack.co.uk).
National Geographic
For serious travellers, this has some exciting blogs about amazing trips.
(www.nationalgeographic.com).
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride specialises in surfing gap experiences. Like Patrick Swayze in ‘Point Break’, you get to follow the waves – and gain a teaching qualification.
(www.ttride.co.uk).
Villarama
Rent villas directly from owners worldwide for cheap rates.
(www.villarama.com).
Vehicle hire
Car Rentals
Online booking discounts and price comparison service
(0845 225 0845/ www.carrentals.co.uk).
Easy Car
No-frills hire service.
(0906 333 3333/ www.easycar.com).
R&A Van Hire
Self-drive vehicles, starting at £35.25 for 24 hours.
111 Shakespeare Rd, SE24 (020 7737 4737) Herne Hill rail.
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17 comments
your phone numbers for detal hospitals above are incorrect
I.want.to.lean.tailor.work
I have used Designer Alterations for over a year now, but my last experience with them was disgraceful and I do not recommend using them. I have suffered enormous upset from this incident, and am taking legal action to get a refund for two dresses. I have spent over £10,000 with them for about 9 made to measure items.
The last two dresses I received, one which was for my cousins wedding ,was two months overdue and thrown together by what I suspect to be poorly trained outworkers. At the wedding in the dress I was left humiliated as many of the flaws were pointed out to me . The dress did not fit me despite many fittings, the skirt not the same measurement around the hem, the lining a different length through the chiffon, uneven, visible and the hems edged by what looked like a three year old. THe other one I did not wear it was so badly made and unfinished.
This company is obsessed with an overlocking machine, which cheapens the garments when it is used on a such a level.
Words cannot describe how awful this company is. They exploit and take advantage of anyone looking for a made to measure service and alterations. Their prices do not reflect the service they provide and are cynical. Their customer service is rude and harassing.
I will happily spend embarrassing sums on a dress, but I expect to receive a good quality and well fitting item that I may see as a classic heirloom in my wardrobe. I might as well as gone to the local community college textile class and made a student very happy with a good thousand pounds in their wallet.
All in All Designer Alterations is on par with Emperors New Clothes. They will let you walk around naked and tell you how wonderful what you are wearing looks.
(Hazel Diamond Semi-Permanent makeup Specialist)
I have been researching for so long semi-permanent make-up but not knowing who to trust! At the end of the day, to have my brows tattooed it's a big thing and I needed an Artist who would be able to Create my ideal look... You have to see Hazel Diamond, artist by nature and meticulous with every 3D brow hair implanted into the skin! I'm so so (HAPPY) with my new eyebrows, I've actually got my confidence back and I also had my latino eyeliner done (AMAZING) I need a holiday now...
Hazel is at Bliss beauty room 5-6 marble arch.London.W1H 7EL
07535353369
The best threading we have had is at Jannat The Brow Studio in Boots Kensington High Strret, just off the Kensington High Street Station. The therapists are fabulous and we had the most fantastic eyebrows. They also have a location near Baker Street Station which we intend to go to when we go shopping on Oxford Street.
Their Therapists are simply the best, very professional and seem to know what shape your eyebrows have to be.
Wow.
Thanks Jannat
excuse me? I went here and my eyebrows cost me 8 pounds. I must admit I went in with an already nice shape but came out with a thin line which I didn't like at all and was actually upset as I HAD mentioned to them that I DO NOT want them too thin, so I dont know if this is an advertisement by this salon or if this is an actual review by the magazine?
I have to recommend Semi Permanent make up. The absolute best technician is Hazel @ the Urban Retreat @ Harrods.
Semi Permanent make up is basically cosmetic tatooing, designed to help those who have lost their brow hairs due to over plucking, definitely life changing for those who are unfortunate to have Alopecia or under going chemo therapy. Hazel has creatively etched fine hair strokes through my non existent brows and once it has healed over, it really looks so natural.. May get my eyeliner done next... AMAZING!!!
I've tried out soo many diff places for eyebrow threading, but I found the best eye brow threading expert to be at naushaba hair and beauty salon in leyton. but I don't like the fact that their lack of advertisement doesn't help a lot of people because its just by chance if you find something as good as this. reading all of the above again today made me put in my two cents .
I'd like to recommend London's First Class Apple Mac Repairs Service - MacEmergency in London handle all types of Apple Macintosh laptop repairs and have an excellent customer focused track record in Apple Mac Support for London's MacBook, MacBook Pro and Powerbook G4 users.
Their website is at http://www.macemergency.co.uk and they can be contacted on 08448 121 999 - 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
They recently repaired my accident damaged MacBook Pro within hours and it's just like new.
I went to Jannat at 101Crawford Street London W1H 2HP for having my eyebrows threaded and they are simply the best at £12 per session ou cannot beat them for quality and value. Telephone 020 7723 1163.
I am surprised that they have not been included in the review above and they definately should be. Try them out and you will not be disappointed.
i would like to take this time to recoomend the best place for waxing and facials using the catio dermie and the non surgical facials.It is in mayfair, in mount street, one of teh most secretive paces that lot of celebrities goes. i had an hour and a half on my face with fabulous facial techniques, she did half of my face and i felt like i had a stroke on the other half, i would recommend this to all women. she does wonders, Duleesha is also well known dfor her hot waxing.She is the best
Carcraft list above now have a website
www.carcraftmerton.co.uk
Carcraft
Friendly and reliable family business which deals with crash and body repairs.
Unit 4, Station Rd, SW19 (020 8543 4278).
Hello,
I would like to quickly ask you how I could get a copy of the time out magazine of last week, as I am one of the dancers who were photographed when we filming the Brazilian film which was shot last month about Jean Charles de Menezes.
many thanks,
Flavia
I have purchased from Jonathan Quearney's tailoring shop and was very pleased. I have now moved away from london and purchased a bespoke shirt from www.mytailoredshirt.com and was very suprised with the fitting since it fitted like a bespoke shirt is supposed to. I cannot fit into a standard shirt since I have had a few beers too many in my time. Its amazing what technology can do these days.
Shirt stream listed above, I must disagree with the reviewer. Unless (s)he by "local values" mean bad service and rude manners. They have ruined a shirt of mine and did not do anything about it, and even insisted on my paying for the cleaning! There are much nicer alternatives in the south ken area.