Last week I found an interesting email in my inbox from a long lost friend. This friend wanted me to propose, or rather help them decide, where to on holiday this summer. The email went like "Buddy really want to see new things and go to new places this summer. I need to get out and experience new things! Where do you go? The other problem is that with Knight gone, I don't have anybody to go hangout with. I would love to meet new people. Can you help out?"



This email has kept me thinking the whole weekend. I have reproduced below the abridged version of the notes I sent to my friend in distress, for the benefit of those British tourists running late with plans for their summer holidays.

How many times have you felt like you haven't really taken advantage of living in your very own beautiful city? Often we get comfortable in our routine and hang out at home or down the pub. We have done the zoo a few times and stuff like that. The often-recited reason is the rhetorical question, but what other things are there to do in this city? Perhaps, spooked by horror tales of tourists being attacked abroad, we have tended to stay within our comfort zones.

Summer can be long if you do not plan ahead. Clearly, this summer will be more expensive than the last for travellers. In fact, some experts think that travelling this summer will be pricier than at any time in the past decade since the euro was introduced. About four million Britons go on holiday in the eurozone each year. The prediction is that due to recent changes in the value of the pound versus the euro, trips to eurozone will cost extra. No wonder British holidaymakers are looking at the US this summer, where the pound still buys two dollars. Travel operators are hinting that non-euro destinations are getting a fair share of British tourists this time round compared to last summer.

So for those going to the USA and Canada, the pull factor is that the pound will give more.Tthe exchange rate is good: almost 2 dollars to the pound. So what is the pound likely to buy you in the USA or Canada? The cities are buzzing, there are parties everywhere. You can generally get to a beach for little money, or the mountains; hiking is relatively inexpensive.

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of locations have free concerts. Get the local paper; it is a good source of information for cheap entertainment. If you like good food and beautiful surroundings, these two destinations will offer you the best. If you are looking for fun and adventure, then you will need to consult more travel web sites for both last minute cheap flights and hotels and also for less packaged trips. Over-packaged trips can tend to be boring and restrictive if you are adventurous.

Lastly, don't forget an African safari holiday. The pound is very strong here and you will get a lot out of your holiday money. A trip to Maasai Mara national Park, Tsavo Park, and Serengeti National Park all in East Africa are good destinations. Especially this summer because beds are half empty due to tourists staying away early in the year after the political crises in Kenya. But now the situation has gone back to normal, check all relevant web sites.