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Day 8
Last night was bizarre. A little lost trying to find a hotel some friends were staying at, a tuk-tuk driver (a bicycle one, not motorized) decided to try and help. He was a crazy old man who spoke little English and clearly did not know where he was going. Instead, with a personality that I can only describe as Rafiki from Lion King, he took me round in endless circles with numerous promises of finding me “boom boom”.

Thankfully the next day’s experience was a little more straightforward and definitely a memorable one. I had a morning to kill before getting the sleeper train back to Bangkok so I decided to head to the Tiger Kingdom. It was an amazing experience. Tigers up to one years old live at the sanctuary and are well cared for. You have a choice of 4 different ages groups which you can pay to join in their habitat. Firstly, I opted for the tiger cubs. The attendent advises you not to let them bite or scratch you but the little critters don’t give you much of a choice. But their cute faces make them all too easy to forgive. We also spent time with the more formidable one-year olds who, despite their awesome size and power, are quite happy to let you chill with them.

In the afternoon I made the trip back down to Bangkok on the sleeper train.

Day 9
Arriving early in Bangkok I had a whole day to kill before flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia the next day. Unfortunately, over breakfast I heard someone asking about troubles at the airport. I thought nothing of it at the time, thinking that any protests at such a major airport would be quickly disbanded by the afternoon.

So blissfully unaware of the problems ahead, I finally got to make my way around the Grand Palace. This was by far my most rewarding experience in Bangkok. The grandiose style of temples in the complex and the palace itself were impressive and it was great to finally see the emerald Buddha. The complex also houses a miniature version of Angkor Wat and the sight of it was giving me goosebumps about my upcoming visit to Siem Reap. Exiting the palace, I also visited the nearby Wat Pho – home of the enormous reclining Buddha.

Looking to kill some more time I used the opportunity to visit some of the nearby markets where there was not a tourist in sight. Finally, I thought I’d check the status of the airport. Horrified I found that all was far worse than I was expecting. Absolutely committed to making it to Siem Reap the next day I sought to find transport overland across the border. I overlooked this when I booked the flights as I heard that there is trouble at the border. But another traveller I was speaking to, who had made the trip before, reassured me it was fine. So I went ahead and booked the minibus/taxi combo, saving myself £100 in the process.

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In order to keep things new and interesting on the Select Series, we will be introducing a number of new cars throughout the year that will be available for a limited time only. We will be calling these “Select Series: Limited Edition” cars.

The first of these, I am delighted to announce, will be the iconic Fiat 500. The Fiat 500 was launched last year to a wave of excitement and anticipation. It’s not the most powerful car around but the engine is lively and the steering is light (the steering felt like that found in a bumper car when I gave it a go).

But isn’t it such a cool looking car?!. Throw in a quality chic interior, good fuel economy and it’s rating as one of the most safest super-minis around and you’re on to a winner. Oh and did I say how cool the car looks!

Auto Express are spot on when they rated it as “a triumph of pure Italian design”. Even Jeremy Clarkson has given it the thumbs up (and I have to admit I thought he wouldn’t buy in to the 500), describing it as an “instant classic”. Personally I’m such a fan of the 500 that, if Avis hadn’t provided me with a company car, this is what I’d be buying.

The Fiat 500 will be available to book from today for pick-ups between the 13th of December and the 31st of January 2009. Remember it’s available for a limited time only. And if you’ve already tried the Fiat 500, let us know what you think!

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Day 5
I was up early enough to be collected for our 3 day jungle trek and we were quickly in the countryside typified by dirt roads and markets sheltered by wooden huts. Having made a quick stop for supplies, we made our way to the first part of the adventure: a ride down the river on a bamboo ride. A nice tranquil ride was followed by a precarious slide down some mild waterfalls and rapids. With no harness or regard for health and safety, I was loving it!

We then had our first experience with a hill tribe for lunch before setting off on our trek through the jungle. Predominantly up-hill, the trek was exhausting but our destination made it well worth it. We set up for the night at a camp that consisted off a couple of huts, a shelter for a cooking area, a shelter for a dinning area and some benches that surrounded what would be a late night camp fire. All this to a back drop of the jungle and a gorgeous pool and waterfall. Hot and tired everyone went straight for the pool where the waterfall provided the best power shower I’ve ever had! Our hosts then put together a great Thai feast before we settled round the campfire for some well deserved cans of Chang.

Day 6
I slept ok but waking up on wooden floors and a thunderous waterfall that, at 4 in the morning, I found not at all tranquil, I felt tired and not at all excited about the trek ahead. The day was spent hiking and was pretty uneventful. But the reward was the night we spent at the hill tribe. Bar the constant stream of travellers which I’m sure interrupt them on a daily basis, the hill tribe remains completing uninfluenced by the western world. There was no evidence of electricity, with cooking performed over a fire and a shower little more than a tap in a wooden shed. But the people appeared happy and the children laughed and played without a care in the world – and without the need of a TV or playstation. It was really quite humbling. The tribe cooked us dinner and again the evening was spent around a campfire where the children gathered and sang for us.

The evening was also memorable for a Thai local that was known simply as “crazy man”. He asked if anyone would buy him a beer. I obliged. As some kind of twisted reward for doing this, “crazy man” beckoned me to the middle of the group. There I had to embarrass myself by joining him in a sing and a dance of the “elephant song”. Trying to copy his Thai words and dance moves that included way too much thrusting, I managed to make a complete fool of myself!

Day 7
Again a shocking night sleep. Sleeping on wooden floor boards again, this time it was a relentless rooster that woke me at 4am in the morning. By 11 we were on the road again for some more trekking. After having some lunch we made our way up for one of the highlights of the trip: the elephant ride. It was great to be so close to these amazing animals and it was a brilliant experience (despite feeling like my seat was going to fall off). The ride finished with the opportunity to feed the elephants bananas which was just reward for their hard work.

That marked the end of the jungle trek. In hindsight I do think I could of get a better deal than going through the travel agent. If you do decide to make the trip to Chiang Mai, make sure you book the train in advance as tickets can quickly sell out and, trust me, you do not want to be in 3rd class on what is a 14 and a half our trip. You can easily book all your excursions when you are up there. Would I do the 3-day jungle trek again? The total experience was something that I might never do again and it was totally worth it. I could’ve done without the 2nd day trekking but then going to a 2 day trek would have meant missing out on either the hill tribe or the night by the waterfall.

To be honest there is so much to do in Chiang Mai that I could’ve done with a few more days. There are plenty of extreme sport activities plus Flight of the Gibbon, the snake farm and the Tiger Kingdom (which I will talk about in my next update) which have been recommended. It would have been good to have gone to the elephant sanctuary as well where you can be confident that the elephants are enjoying a good life. A work colleague also recommended taking a scooter up Doi Suthep. There is simply too much to do and too little time!!

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Day 1
First day of my travels and I reach Bangkok with trepidation. I touched down at Suvarnabhumi Airport accompanied by a couple of other lonely travellers who, by sharing a taxi into the city, helped relieve my initial fear of loneliness in a foreign city I’d never visited before. But this feeling of comfort would subside for a few hours as we split to find our individual hotels in the area of Khao San road. Bustling with bright lights, bars, markets and hounded by promises of cheap suits and croaking wooden frogs I struggled to find my hotel amongst all the glowing signs. Enlisting the help of a number of tuk-tuk drivers and of the promoters of the cheap suits I was initially trying to avoid I find my hotel, off-load my bags and make my back out into the lights.

Reaquinted with my new found friends, and filled with Pad-Thai costing less than a pound (despite the unfavourable exchange rates), we set ourselves up in a make shift bar comsuming Chang beer. Being new to the backpacking environment I was amazed by how quickly fellow travellers descended around our location and I was quickly mingling with others from Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. We were also joined by a couple of Thai children who were trying to sell bracelets and other cheap goods. Not interested they decided to take me on at rock-paper-scissors. If I lost I’d have to cough up. Admiring the girl’s confident, fearless attitude I decided to take on the challenge. I lost. I coughed up. But she deserved it!

Day 2
It was highly recommended to me that I make the trip to Chiang Mai but in all honesty I had no idea what I was really heading up there for. I booked a 3 day jungle trek including a stay with a hill tribe and an elephant ride. I couldn’t help feeling that, without the opportunity to shop around, I could’ve got a better deal. But being on my second day I was still feeling a bit naive and anxious about everything. I guess if you’re going to get ripped off then do it in Thailand where the implications are a mere couple of quid.

Now for some sight-seeing. Armed with my Lonely Planet guide I was quite committed about what I was going to see. That was until I made it to the end of Khao San Road where I was bombarded by promises of cheap tours of the city. For just 100 Baht (approxmately £2), we were promised to be taken to a number of “must-see” temples as well as some “Thai fashion”. I was aware of these “deals” where you could organise a cheap tuk-tuk because, by taking you to these stores, the driver would be rewarded with a fuel voucher. A quick stop at the tall standing Buddha and the marble temple were followed by the inevitable stops at 3 suit-makers and a jewellery store. We arranged to be dropped off at our final destination (the one I had really wanted to see): the Grand Palace. Unfortunately, the palace was closed due to the death of the king’s sister: Princess Galyani Vadhana. The temple, I was told, would be open again tomorrow so I would return then.

This day was also typified by my first attempt at haggling. Khao San road is renowned for it’s market stalls offering the cheapest t-shirts, hats, bags and flip flops you’ll ever find. My Lonely Planet guide suggested that the opportunity to haggle in these markets is something I should enjoy. Unaccustomed to acquiring goods in this way, I picked up a bag and asked the price. Floundering, I suggested an alternative price. She accepted straight away. Clearly, I’d gone in too high and the failure compounded my unease at trying to barter. Feeling embarrassed I quickly took my goods and made a hasty exit.

Day 3
The plan for today was to check out the Grand Palace during the day before taking the overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai in the evening. Unfortunately, by the time I made it to the Grand Palace it was closed again. Apparently, on it’s first day of re-opening it was only open to the tourists in the morning. I had not got there in time. Instead I checked out the nearby National Museum which taught of the origins of the Thai people and of the conflicts with neighbouring countries in addition to displays of impressive throwns and Thai artefacts.

In the evening I caught the sleeper train to Chiang Mai. Your seats fold out to provide a surprisingly comfortable bed and the addition of a curtain and a personal light somehow conjured childhood memories of camping. 3 days in, it was the highlight of my experience so far!

Day 4
I have to say that I was much happier to get to Chiang Mai. Much quieter and tranquil than Bangkok, I was relieved to get away from the constant hassle I received every time I made my way to my hotel on Khao San. I spent most of the afternoon visiting a number of temples and I found more impressive than the ones I visited in Bangkok. My recommended temples are Wat Chiang Mun (the town’s oldest), Wat Phra Singh and Wat Jedee Luang.

Also, Bangkok had made me unfairly suspicious of anyone local who wanted to help me. But there was no hint of an ulterior motive here and I find the people of Chiang Mai approachable and extremely helpful. One of the locals I struck up a conversation with was a Buddhist monk (pictured left) at one of the temples at Wat Phra Singh. He asked if I had any questions about Buddhism. Typical of many people of my generation, my complete ignorance of the Buddhist religion meant that I had no question I could ask as I had too little knowledge. Kindly, he started from the beginning.

In the evening I decided to hit the Night Bazaar in preparation for my jungle trek the next day. Perhaps finding myself acclimitising to life in Thailand I had found a new-found confidence in my bartering skills. Finding what I needed I got a bit of banter going with the street seller. After a series of exchanges I managed to squeeze every last Baht out of my opponent. Buoyed by my success I got a little carried away and, for the fun of it, found myself buying a number of goods that I really did not need. I did pick up a t-shirt sized medium. I should of known that a medium size in Thailand would work out ridiculously tight on me. Oh well, it will make a good present for my 14 year old brother who I’m sure would be more than happy to don a t-shirt promoting Chang beer!

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I read an article from the Environmental Transport Agency (ETA) a few weeks back suggesting that “green” cars are too expensive. The example they used was of a VW Polo 1.4 TDI BlueMotion, a diesel car fitted with advanced filters. The technology benefits the driver with increased fuel efficiency and a lower CO2 output (just 99g/km). However, the report calculates that for Polo owners to re-coup the cost of paying for this version over a standard Polo, they’d have to drive 78,000 miles over 6 and a half years.

For those looking to buy a green car there is a good buyers guide on the ETA website which will help you assess a car’s green credentials. But it does beg the question, would you pay more for a “green” car?

[poll=13]

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Last year, I visited Amsterdam, home of Van Gogh, Anne Frank and many, many canals. People talk about the liberal attitude of the city but when you visit, there is so much more to see and do. In fact, in terms of popularity, Amsterdam is the 5th busiest tourist destination in Europe with more than 4.2 million international visitors a year.

One of the highlights is definitely the Van Gogh museum. This is where the permanent collection is shown to the public. Some of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings are present in the collection and this museum is the most visited museum in Amsterdam.

The one thing you can’t avoid is the canals. It seems that round every corner, you are crossing a bridge! However, get on a river cruise and you will see another side of Amsterdam. Most take you round in huge glass topped boats but if you’re lucky enough, try to get on a smaller one with a private operator. You really do explore the sights of Amsterdam most people don’t get to see.

Driving is tricky in Amsterdam, with one way streets to contend with, as well as the numerous bikes and trams. However, if you do need a car, Avis has a location in central Amsterdam as well as one at Schipol Airport, located 11 miles outside of Amsterdam.

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#7 in Tripadvisor’s hot spots for 2009 is Torre del Mar in Spain…

What’s the deal?
Torre del Mar is a coastal town situated in the Costa del Sol region of the south coast of Spain. Coastal Spain has long been a popular holiday destination for the Brits and with Torre del Mar, I see no reason why this resort would be any different. Think wide sandy beaches and a Mediterrean climate set to a backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. However, while there are a couple of “British pubs”, this resort has managed to retain it’s Spanish authenticity. So, if you’re looking for a bit of British familiarity in your Spanish holiday, perhaps Torre del Mar is not the place for you. But, for me, it’s this untouched Spanish authenticity that provides Torre del Mar with it’s appeal.

What are other traveller’s saying?
When I started reading about Torre del Mar I felt a little guilty that I was going to write about it. People have commented on the mystery of Torre del Mar and while it has been a popular holiday destination for the Spanish for some time , it remains relatively undiscovered by the Brits. I almost want to keep Torre del Mar a secret so that it does not lose it’s Spanish authenticity by pandering to an onslaught of holidaymakers. I can only hope this does not happen in spite of it’s growing popularity. I’ve also been reading that there are some great seafood tapas bars along the seafront with both Seafood Tapas La Cueva and El Yate recommended. The reviews also suggest that Torre del Mar is a great resort for all the family.

How do I get there?
Torre del Mar is accessible from Malaga airport where you can rent a car (Avis has a car hire office at the airport). Alternatively, you can catch a shuttle to Malaga bus station where you can catch a bus to Torre del Mar on one of the routes operated by the ALSA company.

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Avis, along with the other car hire companies, get extremely busy over Christmas. In fact, it’s one of our busiest periods of the year. With our busy periods, the demand for our cars can easily outstrip supply. So, we recommend that if you need a car for the Christmas period, book as early as possible.

Firstly, this will help you guarantee getting a car (because if the past few years are to go by we will sell out). Secondly, the earlier in advance you book, the better the price you are likely to get. As described in the blog post “Tips for getting the best price”, our pricing works similar to airlines with prices getting more expensive as the plane fills up (except of course we fill up cars not planes!)

Another tip is that if you need rent a car one way, look out for some bargains. To help us get our cars into the right locations, we are currently putting in place some good prices on one way rentals into Heathrow and Gatwick airports and into our busiest locations in Central London. These prices will be available soon from many of our locations in and around the Midlands, South and South East regions.

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I’m sad to announce that today I will be vacating my position for 4 months as Avis’ chief blogger. With my days of youth rapidly dwindly, I’ve decided to take a sabbatical and head off travelling before circumstances mean it’s too late. My travels will take me through Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and a couple of locations on the west side of the States. All very exciting (well for me anyway!).

I will still write on the blog from time to time to provide updates on my travels (if anyone is interested) and I’ll check up on what’s going on from time to time. In the meantime, Stephen will continue to be heavily involved with the blog as will a number of members from the Marketing team. I’d also like to introduce Chris Cox (or Coxy as I like to call him) who is our expert from our reservation centre. He’ll be on hand to answer all your booking questions.

I just want to say before I go what an absolute pleasure it’s been to work on the blog. It’s been a privilege having such a close dialogue with our customers (some who I am even now in regular email contact with). Your comments and feedback have really made a difference over the past year or so. Please keep them coming – it keeps everyone on their toes!

Finally, I just want to say how much I’ll miss all the team at Avis. They are really the best, most passionate people I could work with. Anyway enough of my garble… see you in 4 months!!

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#8 in Tripadvisor’s hot spots for 2009 is Hanioti in Greece…

What’s the deal?
Located to the North-East of Greece on the Kassandra Peninsula, Hanioti is a bustling village in the traditional Macedonian style. Being a coastal village, Hanioti benefits from sandy beaches and the blue waters of the Aegean sea. The combination of sun, sand and a plethora of bars and restautants have made it a popular holiday resort.

What are other travellers saying?
Having read a few reviews on Hanioti there seems to be mixed feelings. One suggests that Hanioti is the Blackpool of Greece (there is nothing wrong with that!) while another argues that Hanioti is not much to the resort without any sun (which, to be fair, could probably be said of a lot of holiday resorts). It’s also described as a bit touristy so perhaps it is a bit surprising that it has cropped up in a 2009 hot list.

That being said it must have a certain charm as I’ve read few reviews describing it as the best holiday ever. And a number of holiday-makers have visited a number of times and express a desire to continue to do so. If you’re looking for a fun resort where you can chill on the beach and catch some rays then this could be the place for you. If you’re looking for a cultural experience with something a little more authentic then you may want to try elsewhere.

How do I get there?
You can hire a car with Avis from Thessaloniki International Airport and make the 2 hour drive south to Hanioti. Alternatively, a taxi from the airport costs around €80 or you can a taxi to the bus terminal in Halkidiki and catch the bus to your destination from there.

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