TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, launched its new Dublin route earlier this month. It is the third new route to be added to Emirates’ flight network in the opening days of 2012, following the launch of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Buenos Aires in Argentina. The Irish capital took its position as Emirates’ 118th destination, opening up a new efficient channel via Dubai to key markets such as Australia, India, Thailand, China and the Philippines. Emirates will serve Dublin daily with an A330-200, providing First Class, Business Class and Economy Class travel. EK 0161 leaves Dubai at 0700hrs daily and arrives at Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 at 1130hrs. EK 0162 departs Dublin at 1255hrs landing in Dubai at 0025hrs the next day. It is estimated that more than 68 million people of Irish descent or 15 times Ireland’s population, live overseas, including around 5,000 Irish nationals in the UAE and approximately 80,000 in Australia, a key market for Emirates. More than 70 passengers on the 237-seat inaugural flight came from bookings in Australia. Emirates has 70 flights per week to Australia, including an A380 service to Sydney, offering the popular Onboard Lounge, where passengers can meet and chat over a drink at 43,000 feet. www.emirates.com
Holiday Hotspot
Bilila Lodge in the heart of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania is one of the world’s most exciting and romantic destinations. As expected of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the property has been built in keeping with the landscape. Not only does the arc-shaped building follow the natural contours of the land, but as far as possible only local materials have been used in its construction to ensure that it blends into its surrounds. Bilia Lodge boasts 62 rooms, 12 suites, 4 villas which all have direct views over the Serengeti. It is beautifully and stylishly put together, with lots of high quality fittings from Africa and is the closest that you will get to natures finest animals against a truly five star backdrop. Wooden walkways raised off the ground lead you between the main areas and the bedrooms. These include deluxe rooms, Club rooms, Corner suites, one Presidential suite and
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two Family villas. They are all spacious, and the suites are some of the largest rooms in the Serengeti. Each is decorated with local artworks and textures, so you do have a sense of your location but they remain quite minimalist and very smart. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning, satellite TV and radio, a DVD player, hair-dryer, a mini-bar, tea/coffee making facilities, high speed internet access, and a private teak deck with a telescope for game viewing. In addition, the suites and the two Family villas have their own private plunge pool, offering panoramic views over one of natures most exciting places on the planet. The main facilities include a comfortable lounge and bar furnished with huge sofas and armchairs. There is a vast indoor dining area and restaurant serving international cuisine with an outside deck with tables and chairs. The infinity swimming pool has plenty of sun loungers where you can sunbathe and look out across the Serengeti at the same time. Bilila Lodge also has a stunning spa which offers a range of treatments by trained Thai therapists. There is a relaxing library and a beautiful wine cellar which stocks a vast array of South African wines. Bilila Lodge does its own game-drives into the National Park and you would normally share these activities with other guests. Whether you start a game drive early in the morning, middle of the day or set out to watch the beginning of the sunset, luxury four wheel drive’s are available to take you on an animal discovery.Serengeti National Park is the best-known wild-
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n Bilia Lodge
life sanctuary in the world. With the greatest concentration of plain game in the world, the Serengeti National Park has become a favourite amongst safari enthusiast’s world wide. Once you have visited the mystical place you will know why. On a safari here you will see wildebeest, zebra, impala, warthog, gazelle, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal and giraffe to mention but a few. The majestic black-maned lions of Seronera are one of the parks most glorious sights, once hunted and very nearly extinct they can now be seen in prides of up to 20 members. Undeniably one of the best times to visit the Serengeti is during the annual migration when thousands of wildebeest and zebra make their way from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya. Although the exact timing of the migration changes with each passing year the best time to take in this magnificent phenomenon is between June and August. The herds then usually spend 2 months in the Masai Mara and then begin their long journey back to the glorious Serengeti. Bilila Lodge blends in well with its natural surroundings and offers a smart and chic experience of the Serengeti. It is strategically positioned in the north of the Serengeti National Park. 390 km from Arusha, approximately 7.5 hours drive or 50 minutes flight with 45 minutes drive from the Seronera airstrip to the lodge. www.bililalodgeserengeti. com Coastal Airways developed the “Scheduled Flying Safari”, offering the opportunity, to small parties and single persons, to join into an adventure which would otherwise have prohibi-
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tive costs. The operation offers air charter services in East Africa and flying safaris to various destinations in Tanzania. Numerous airlines fly into the countries capital city Dar es Salam and onward connections are easily organised www.coastal.cc
Weekly Best Buy
Visit the 4 star Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore, Co Offaly this February for a spa pampering break which includes two nights B&B, dinner on one evening in the hotel’s Michelin Guide recommended restaurant, a choice of a 60 minute spa treatment or two 30 minute treatments and a session in the spa’s Relaxation Chambers – from just €149 per person sharing midweek, or €199 per person sharing at weekends! www.bridgehouse. com Explore the world of Titanic at TITANICA: The Exhibition at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, Co. Down. The exhibition brings the history of the magnificent Titanic to life with information on the skills used in the local shipyard, real artifacts from onboard the liner and stories from passengers and their families. Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s special accommodation offer of two nights’ accommodation, breakfast and one evening meal at Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Bangor, Co Down is only £85pps. www.discovernorthernireland.com Robert Walshe is a freelance contributor / broadcaster and guest travel writer for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland
Home and Away Extra One of Ireland’s leading supplier of “Gadget insurance” has seen sales of their gadget insurance jump by 1000% in recent weeks. The product provides Worldwide Accidental Damage (including water) and Theft cover for various gadgets including iphone/android phone/ mobile phones, Ipads/Tablets, Laptops, Net books, Sat Navs, Digital Cameras and hand held game consoles. Gadgetinsurance.ie has two cover levels to select from, Premier and Premier Plus. Spending on gadgets is at an all time high with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reporting that worldwide annual spending on mobile phones, ipads, computers, television sets and other items is expected to rise 10% in 2011 to €964 billion. www.gadgetinsurance.ie
with Kathleen Murray
Is your dog overweight? Are overweight dogs a symptom of a human problem? Why do dogs become overweight? They get fat by eating too much. Who is feeding them all this extra food that they don’t need? Dogs are being indulged now to a level that is unhealthy. Putting our emotions and thinking onto our dogs is causing trouble for the dogs. If we are eating and the dog is sitting looking at us, some people cannot ignore the dog. They have to give in to the demands of the dog… that is what the dog is doing… he is demanding your dinner. He doesn’t care if you have a dinner or not. He just wants what you are having and if you give it to him then you are telling the dog that he is more
important than you. The dog won’t feel guilty. He won’t be thinking “My owner has no dinner, I’ll give them half of my dinner”. Dogs think in a very simple and straightforward way. If they want something they let you know. It doesn’t mean they have to get it. If they want to run across the road in front of a car would you say “Oh, go on then, enjoy”. Dogs need boundaries to ensure their safety. Giving in to all their demands does not ensure their safety. Feeding them too much is not ensuring their safety, it is putting them at risk. It will put too much strain on their joints and organs and shorten their life. That is not being kind to your dog, that is killing your dog. If
you are really thinking about your dog then only give it what its body needs to function properly and if you want to be kind to it then take it for a walk. If your dog is already overweight then start to help it by cutting out the in-between snacks and treats. Have the amount of food that it requires for a daily portion set aside and then you can feed it to the dog in one feed, or two smaller feeds. Adult dogs only need one feed but if you are not able to stick to that then make the overall daily amount into two portions. A little in the morning and a little in the evening. If you don’t know how much your dog should be eating then read the portion sizes on
the bags of dried dog food. That will give you a measurement to go by. If your dog is still looking for food after its had its dinner then this is normal. If it has been used to more food then it will need time to adjust.
Exercise can help with this. Play a game or teach your dog some new things to distract it. If you are not sure if your dog is overweight then take it to your vet and they will tell you. 0863192247