Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio Network & Travel Editor for River Newspapers Ireland & Lifestyle Northern Ireland Online - www.robertwalshe.com
TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer, has helped develop technology which could eliminate the problem of missing baggage, which costs the aviation industry nearly €2.34 billion a year. According to the latest industry figures around four pieces of luggage will be lost on the average Boeing 747 flight. Passengers are at greatest risk when changing flights especially if the connection time is short. One of the major reasons for luggage being lost is when the paper tags carrying the bar code are ripped off as cases are shunted along conveyor belts to the aircraft. The prototype technology, known as Bag2go, entails embedding a satellite tracker and a bar code display onto the suitcase. Using a smartphone, the passenger sends details of the flight to the airline which in turn sends back a bar code which is shown on the display unit of the case. Each bar code is unique carrying details of the traveller, flight and destination. A passenger can, shortly after boarding the aircraft, check that the bag is in the hold and alert the flight crew if it is not there. Meanwhile closer to home the Culloden Estate & Spa has unveiled a new herb garden in the grounds of the 5-star hotel. Hastings Hotels is dedicated to using the freshest local produce and you can’t get any fresher or more local than growing herbs in their own garden! The Culloden’s chefs pick a range of culinary herbs daily to meet their needs for flavouring and garnishing and in the creation of aromatic oils and vinegars to complement the seasonal dishes served in The Mitre restaurant while bar staff use some of the herbs for the cocktails in the new Crozier Lounge. Guests are free to visit the herb Garden at any time, but a stroll at dusk or in the early morning will
Living
awaken the senses as the fragrant herb aromas fill the air. Meanwhile the Everglades Hotel is celebrating after two of its staff picked up prestigious awards at the Institute of Hospitality’s 2013 Janus Awards which recognise the top talent of Northern Ireland’s hotel and catering industry. Sheila Morton was named Front Office Manager of the Year and Soulef Bounaaja won Housekeeping Manager of the Year. The Janus awards identify individuals and companies who exemplify excellence and make an outstanding contribution to the industry which Soulef and Sheila strive to do. www.hastinghotels.com
free wifi access. There is a restaurant called LJ’s which s e r v e s breakfast and dinner, with a juice bar open all day. The Louis Fitzgerald is specifically designed to fulfill a business traveler’s needs, so in addition to the usual Hotel Dublin. amenities you n Louis Fitzgerald also find Weekend Hotspot – will conference The Louis Fitzgerald rooms and a n Culloden Exec business center. Even beHotel Dublin Chef Paul Mc Manager Joan Knight & Hast yond that, the hotel also has ne Harvey. ings Group M arketing The Louis Fitzgerald hotel an on-site fitness center. The Temple Bar & is definitely a property to journey between the Louis the new Abconsider for your next trip to Fitzgerald Hotel and down- ercrombie & Dublin. This four-star prop- town Dublin takes between Fitch store on Dawson Street. Located on Fade erty southwest of the city 20 and 30 minutes, and if To the east of the docklands Street, just off South Great is well-connected via public you are driving you will find you can explore Grand Canal Georges Street, next door to dents, Al Gibbs, George transportation, so it is very secure on-site parking. The Square, home to many of the trendy Hogan’s Bar the Fitzgerald, Dave DeValera, easy to get to and from all the hotel is 11.5 km from central the world’s most innovative menu varies from French John Gibbons, Borgore, Monmain attractions and sights. Dublin, and 1 km from the companies such as Google, onion soup to slow roast rare sta, Ayah Marrar and Danny plus you will be enjoying a nearest LUAS tram stop. The O2 and Facebook, and show- breed pork belly. All dishes Byrd. A three day weekend four-star experience without helpful reception team offers casing the Bord Gáis Energy are impressively presented camping pass costs €149.50 paying city centre prices. the latest on what to do and Theatre, a touring theatre here. This trendy spot is or a two day weekend, nonThe Louis Fitzgerald hotel see with a long list of sug- for ballet, opera, musicals only three minutes walk from camping pass at €129.50. . has 190 rooms, all of which gestions including Guinness and concerts. L’Gueuleton Grafton Street. There are www.ticketmaster.ie For have en-suite bathrooms, Storehouse, Dublinia, Kil- is my favorite Dublin dining many great value packages best hotel rates visit www. flat-screen cable TVs, and mainham Gaol, Dublin Castle, experience at the moment. at the Louis Fitzgerald hotel louisfitzgeraldhotel.com including an overnight B&B stay for two adults including Home & Away Deal dinner on one evening from of the Week €120. They are also running a special Bed & Breakfast deal Joe Walsh Tours has inThe Irish Sea will be alive with the sound ute’ on July 26, ‘Elvis Tribute’ on August with Transfers to Oxygen at troduced new travel packof music during the summer and autumn 16 and a ‘Johnny Cash Tribute’ on October Punchestown Racecourse ages aimed at choirs, vocal months as Stena Line has launched a pro- 18. www.stenaline.co.uk/cruises Searches on 2nd; 3rd or 4th August groups and individual music gramme of evening cabaret cruises giving for the city of Kilkenny rose in the month for only €69.00 per person enthusiasts alike. Highlights music lovers the opportunity to enjoy a full of May according to the latest Hotels.com sharing. Example and Pitbull of this year’s season include evening of entertainment on the non-land- hot list. The monthly list, which compares are the latest acts to be an- the Zêzere Arts Festival of ing cruises with everything from country destinations experiencing the largest pernounced for the event. Opera, Song & Singing | Festo disco on dates every month from now centage increase in searches compared to They will join Calvin tival Choral Week in Tomar, to October. For country fans Derek Ryan the same period the previous year, shows Harris, Rizzle Kicks, Jack Portugal | 4th-10th August, will be performing on August 28 or those that searches for Kilkenny were up 251% Beatsand Duke DuMont in 2013, the Munich & Salzburg who prefer the original country sound can in May. This rise can be in part attributed Punchestown. Other acts Choral Workshop | Mozart’s join the ‘Legends of Country’ cruise on to the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival which include Erol Alkan, Crook- Coronation Mass |1st-6th September 27. A number of tribute acts took place in Kilkenny over the June bank ers, Jack Beats, Fake Blood, October 2013 departing for will provide guaranteed entertainment for holiday weekend and attracts thousands of Congorock, Jacob Plant, Gin 5 Nights, from €720pp + €75 all music fans with a ‘Neil Diamond Trib- visitors each year. www.hotels.com ‘N’ Juice, The Dead Prezi- tax. www.joewalshtours.ie
Home and Away Extra
Pet’s Corner...
with Kathleen Murray
Do you compare your old dog to your new one? I have often heard people say that their new dog is giving them a lot of bother compared to their old dog. Maybe it was an older dog that had died and this new one was got after that or maybe the older dog is still there and the new one is playing up a bit. Whatever the reason, it is important to remember a couple of important things. When your old dog was young you may have had the same bother but you were younger then too and it might not have seemed so bad. Next up it’s good to remember that your new dog is not your old dog. It is young and has a lot to learn. It is doing many things for the first time in it’s life and the old one has it all nailed down at this stage after years of learning how. When you get used to a dog’s ways
and they get used to yours life is easy and predictable. Along comes a new dog and the work begins again. The new dog will have a different personality, a different way of picking up information and a different way of expressing themselves. They will have their own little endearments and ways and after things settle down, life will become calm again. It takes a young dog some time to bond, to learn important things and to trust that you know what you’re doing. If your old dog was a very easy going dog by nature then a new lively natured, fun loving, through-going dog will be quite a challenge for a while. It’s not that it won’t work out but it will need a different approach and way of handling it until you work it out be-
tween you. The basics are the same for every dog but personality, and other influences can make for a little bit more work in the early years for more wilful dogs. Exercise needs also vary from one dog to another, so the old one may never have looked for, or needed, as much exercise as the new one. If your old dog was a big old laid back Newfoundland and your new one is a wired to the moon, Siberian Husky then you will no doubt see a change in exercise needs. What do you need to do to make it work? You need to inform yourself as much as you can about the breed of the dog and it’s needs and fulfill them. You also need to look at how it picks things up around the house. Does it watch you and show interest in you
and what you are doing or do you mostly see the rear end of the dog. How does it get on with the family? Who does it listen to and who does it not listen to? Why is that? Is it easily scared or is it full of confidence? What do you think it needs to make sure that it grows into a responsible, responsive and respectful dog? If you don’t have these answers yourself then you need outside help from a trainer. You can never compare one dog to another. They are all different, that’s the beauty of them all. There’s a place for them all. They’re all worth it so don’t give up.