After a long exhausting year it was eventually time for a break. Feeling totally drained and absolutely stressed because of work, the mere idea of a holiday sent chills down my spine, but even better, it was the Christmas holiday season and I was in Mozambique.

Good old friends
Christmas is usually the time spent rather with family than friends, but this year our group of friends, the fifteen of us, decided to head off to Mozambique. So while everybody was lying on the beach, getting a tan and enjoying some small talk, some of the boys decided it would be a good idea to learn how to sail a hobie-cat.

As it turns out, it was fun for the guys more so for some of the girls. A hobie-cat looks something like a catamaran, but instead of some rather big engine steering it, it's mostly controlled by the wind and easier to tip over. And as it turned out, it turned completely upside down. I blame Graham for that though, because he was the one standing across from me trying to see-saw the hobie-cat on rather quiet water. They say small things amuse small minds, and I have to admit that I agree. I was furious with Graham, but then again, I should've known better. There hasn't been a holiday or party where the guys didn't do something stupid, it's part of their charm. And Graham seems to be the ring leader in all of this.

Benguerra Lodge
So after much chaotic play, and actually learning how to sail the hobie-cat while doing so, we headed back to the hotel. It was that time of the day when everybody got lazy and either slept or read. We were all lying on the beach, working on that holiday tan, with the sound of the waves breaking behind us and a slight breeze was adding to a very relaxed atmosphere. It was perfect and exactly what the doctor ordered when you need to getaway for awhile.

The lodge was perfect. All the couples shared double beds and the rest of us twin beds. Not that we got much sleep in during the night anyway because after dinner we usually stayed up chatting until the early mornings. On one of these occasions we stayed up until the sun came up and everybody was still pretty much awake. Everybody except Angela, her life is like clockwork, get up in the morning at seven, breakfast usually at the same time everyday and then by ten, at latest eleven o'clock in the night already in bed. But while we were all still so much awake it was time for a game of touch-rugby on the beach. I don't think the rest of the tourists and staff appreciated our energy, but we didn't really care. Eventually after eight in the morning we all passed out exhausted from the night's debaucheries and rugby game.

A lazy afternoon...
When the clang eventually woke up in the afternoon, it was with great difficulty. Nicole had already organised a big platter of scrambled eggs, bacon and coffee for us and by the time we had finished our meal, I was ready to hit the beach for a day in the sun. And that is exactly how our day was spent.

Mozambique is the perfect destination for any kind of traveller. Our group of friends who are so diverse in personality and needs all had their bit of something to do. Whether it was a lazy day tanning under the warmth of the African sun, or an adventure filled day snorkelling, each got his own bit of fun. After our week of holiday, Nicole made the comment of not just feeling well rested but that this holiday gave her new energy for whatever was waiting back home. I understood what she meant. It's not so much that life back home was unsatisfying, but after a good well enjoyed break, thinks tend to seem easier to handle, life seems to be happier altogether.

Holidays on the Costa del Sol in Andalucia are ideal for those interested in holidaying, playing golf and boating on the Costa del Sol region, SouthernSpain. Package holidays and half-board holidays on the Costa del Sol combine fine beaches with affordable seafront dining and nightlife. The mild climate makes winter holidays on the Costa del Sol a popular choice, while low-cost flights ensure Costa del Sol holidays are a great option for last minute holidays and low season weekend breaks. One of the major criticisms of golfing holidays on the Costa del Sol over the past couple of seasons has been that of five or six hour rounds.

Golf

Golf in the Costa del Sol has undergone a boom in the last 20 years, with around 20 new courses constructed. Golf has played a great part in turning the Costa del Sol from a summer holiday destination to a year round resort, with many northern Europeans escaping bleak winters to come to the Costa's mild winter climate to play golf. The Costa del Sol is the only destination in Europe with over 60 golf courses along the coast where you can play fantastic golf courses in every season of the year.

Holidays

The Costa del Sol offers outstanding family holidays and excellent value for money. The mild climate makes winter holidays on the Costa del Sol a popular choice, while low-cost flights ensure Costa del Sol holidays are a great option for last minute holidays and low season weekend breaks. Costa del Sol holidays are extremely popular with golf fans, with a fantastic choice of quality courses and resorts like Guadalmina. Costa del Sol holidays offer water sports of every description, walking in impressive natural parks and first-class skiing in the Sierra Nevada near Granada. All Costa del Sol holidays should include a trip to one of the amazing Andalusian cities of Granada, Cordoba or Seville. We advertise our apartment on the Internet for Holiday in the Costa del Sol Spain.

Families and couples, the young and the old have been spending their holidays on the Costa del Sol's stunning coast line for decades. If you want to see how the jet-set spend their holidays, head off down the coast to Marbella and Puerto Banus where you can happily spend a day strolling through designer shops and chic boutiques, dining in one of the harbor front restaurants or simply taking in the view of those magnificent yacht's whilst sipping a nice cool glass of wine. The Costa del Sol is not only an ideal place for beach holidays: a rich cultural life takes place here.

Accommodation

Much of the eastern Costa del Sol's accommodation for tourists is found in Nerja, which is surrounded by tourist pueblos. All the Costa del Sol holiday resorts offer an excellent selection of accommodation for holiday rental, from quaint apartments to luxury villas with private swimming pools. In whichever Costa del Sol destination you choose to stay in; whether in Benalmadena, Mijas Costa, Riviera del Sol, La Cala, Torreblanca, Fuengirola, or Calahonda we are sure there is accommodation which will more than suit your needs. The mild climate makes winter holidays on the Costa del Sol a popular choice, while low-cost flights ensure Costa del Sol is a great option for last minute holidays and low season weekend breaks. And short flying times from the UK makes the Costa del Sol very accessible. This level of luxury accommodation and facilities sets the new standard in terms of self-catering apartment holidays on the Costa del Sol. Which ever type of vacation you choose our apartment on the Costa del Sol is always for a finite time unlike buying a home here. The apartment offers excellent value and in comfort for those wishing to spend their Holidays on the Costa del Sol.

Many people like to spend their Christmas break away from home, maybe being pampered during a relaxing hotel stay. Italy is a wonderful place to spend Christmas and the resorts around Lake Garda are truly spectacular.

The Lake Garda area has been a popular place to stay for centuries. Indeed, this region was once popular with rich Romans looking to flee the crowded cities.

It's a similar story today, with many Italians choosing to stay around Lake Garda, which has a considerably quieter atmosphere than the likes of Rome, Milan, Venice and Florence.

With its proximity to the Italian Alps, this makes a great base for walking or ski holidays. As you would expect from any region in Italy, the food is fantastic and the wines are of an excellent quality.

Would could be a more pleasant way to spend a Christmas break than by relaxing in a farmhouse, sitting by the fire and enjoying some wonderful local wines or cuisine?

Although Italy sometimes has a somewhat unfair reputation as being an expensive place to stay, hotels and apartments around the lake are reasonably priced, particularly during the festive season.

There are a number of lakeside resorts to choose from, each of which has its own unique atmosphere. If you're looking for a little bit of everything then the town of Bardolino has plenty to offer.

If you want to take a cheap flight to the Lake Garda region then you'll find that Ryanair offer some highly competitive flights to Brescia, which is a relatively short drive from many of the best resorts.

No mention of Lake Garda at Christmas would be complete without mentioning the village of Riva del Garda, which boasts spectacular views of both the lake and the mountains.

Given that I'm a big fan of all things Italian, it seems surprising that it took me so long to visit the Italian Lakes. I'd heard plenty about the beauty of the area but had simply not found the time to visit previously.

There are so many great things about being in Italy that it's often difficult to know where to start. Having a fondness for food and drink, it's these two items that often make me want to return to the country.

The use of fresh ingredients in Italian cooking seems to put the UK to shame. The joy of eating fresh tomatoes and wonderful olive oil is without equal.

It's hard to travel anywhere in Italy without also enjoying the fine wines that are on offer. Drinking wine with a meal is very much part of the culture here.

Having previously visited many of the larger Italian cities, I wondered how the region around Lake Garda would compare.

I'd read in my guidebook that the area is largely made up of relatively small villages, towns and resorts. This would be a trip that would be considerably different to previous visits to the country.

During my stay on the shores of Lake Garda, I opted to move around and visit as many of the lakeside villages as possible. I was delighted to find thriving markets and restaurants in many of them.

Fresh produce is as available here as it is in most of Italy, with a wonderful array of fish too.

Before arriving, I'd been concerned that Lake Garda might lack the historic sites that I tend to associate with much of Italy.

Spain, located in Western Europe, is one of the most popular holiday spots for British tourists, but why is it so popular and when did it all begin?

When the aeroplane became a viable transport option for UK residents the cost to fly was expensive and only available to wealthy citizens, however by the 1960's the price was steadily dropping and becoming available to an increased customer base.

As air travel became more affordable and available holidaymakers began to look to foreign destinations to spend their annual leave. Spain was one of the closest countries that offered the kinds of luxuries that aren't readily available in the UK. Hot weather and clear seas made Spain the ideal location to get away from the overcast English weather and hectic lifestyle.

The South coast of Spain quickly became a popular area to visit and has steadily become an area for expatriates to move away from England. This area has been given the name the Costa del Sol, which translates as the sun coast.

One popular location on the Costa del Sol is Malaga a port city with a population of over 500,000. The area has an average annual temperature of 19c making it comfortable for British holidaymakers looking for warm weather. Along with tourism the area also generates revenue from agricultural activity. The introduction of low cost airlines has made taking several annual trips to the area a real possibility, this has also been a key reason for the growing number of British citizens taking up a second home in the area. Car rental is both easily available but those who own property tend to own a car and keep it in Spain.

Another popular city is Marbella, home to 120,000 people and situation in the Malaga region. Marbella has developed a reputation for being a playground for wealthy British tourists, many of whom rent or own luxurious villas in the mountains surrounding the city. It's a regular sight to see some of the world's finest super cars driving around the area and wealthy visitors enjoy visiting the cities fine restaurants, bars and nightlcubs. The region is also very popular with keen golf players and is home to some of the world's best golf courses.

Algeciras is also a popular hotspot for British tourists who enjoy the beautiful local beaches and can take in day trips to the nearby British territory of Gibraltar. The region is home to over 110,000 residents and has the 16th busiest port in the world. These are just some of the popular areas for UK tourists visiting Spain, there are many more each offering fantastic sights and attractions.

Cheap flights are available from all major UK airports to a host of Spanish cities and upon arrival in Spain car hire is very reasonably priced. Many UK based car rental firms provide services in Spain so you can book before leaving and be assured you will receive a quality car.