Issue 9 - June 1997

As it is now summer, I shall take you around the world within the confines of this column. Travel and tourism is what is at stake for many of you this vacation, whether you are between academic years, or are embarking on one last year of travelling mayhem before the inevitable slip into the normality of a career.

I'll give you thirteen big sites to start off on, which will merely scratch the sunburnt surface of what is out there to tantalize you. Each site has been picked to help you on your way, from whether you have had all your jabs, to booking a flight online.

Let's start with the preparation, like where you want to go. Ah, wait a minute, what about money? Being the end of the year, funds must be a little on the desperate side. Never mind, the web comes up with the goods by taking you on virtual excursions. The Jason Project takes you on an annual expedition to a far flung distant country, complete with Quicktime VR movies (try finding a machine with that installed!) for you to actually look around, complete with surround sound. And for more research on alternative holiday destinations, then there are the jointly superb Lonely Planet Guide and World Travel Online Guide.

Now that you've picked your destination, you will want to know what the weather is going to be like. For this purpose, the Met Office will suit your needs. Then for the latest travel health information, you will find nothing better than the World Health Organisation, global purveyors of all things anti-bacteriological. My, that's a long word.

A great place to find holiday bargains is at lastminute.com. This site brings together all of the great deals being offered by tour operators, air carriers and so forth. The site design is rather haggard, and if you purchased shares recently in them, you probably want to drive sharp spikes through the owners eyes anyway, but it is arguably a top spot to grab a last minute holiday.

You now need to book your holiday and flights. Campus Travel are there to provide you with the cheapest student flights and holidays possible. Cheapflights will search through all airline systems for the cheapest flight to your required destination, as well as provide you with specific links.

You could go directly to the airlines themselves for flights, such as British Airways and Virgin Airlines, although you may have to pay through the nose to get them. And I might as well mention the inevitable Club 18-30 website, designed to visually describe what you would expect from one of their holidays. If, however, backpacking is more your thing, then try the web based electronic journal Backpackers.com.

Once you've booked your holiday and chosen which airport you are leaving from, then book a coach ticket with National Express, and you are all sorted out for a great summer holiday.

© Stephen Scott May 1997 [tweaked April 2000]

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