The frustration that many holidaymakers have felt over the last couple of years has been immense as travellers have had to cancel or postpone special holidays that they were planning to take for anniversaries, birthdays and honeymoons. The fear of becoming stuck in a foreign country either because travel rules have been changed at short notice or because of infection has made people wary about booking holidays abroad. Hopefully, as countries increasingly get their vaccinations sorted out travellers will be able to confidently book these special holidays again.

Destinations that previously would have been ditched for beach resorts such as visiting the Taj Mahal in India or taking an Antarctica cruise are being chosen by more travellers as they seek to fulfil lifetime ambitions. It is true that the pandemic has made everyone more aware of their mortality and so they look for holidays that will be memorable.

Taking a safari holiday or combining it with a beach holiday has become popular for many honeymooners as they are getting the best of both worlds. Part of the holiday may be spent camping in one of the reserves and the second part of the honeymoon will be enjoyed experiencing the luxury of a top class spa hotel.

Visiting the Lake District in winter is an amazing experience for anyone who loves walking and enjoys the magnificent scenery that the Lakes have to offer. The weather in that area of the UK is usually going to be cooler the further north you travel but as long as you pack the right clothing this should not be an issue, remember there is no such thing as bad weather only inappropriate clothing.

The key to keeping warm in the great outdoors is layers and plenty of them. Thermal underlayers are a good idea both for the upper and lower body and remember that lots of thin layers are better than a couple of thick ones as body heat is trapped between the layers keeping you warmer.

A waterproof and windproof coat as a final layer is necessary as the weather can change quickly and you will be more comfortable if you are warm and dry.

Having the correct footwear is vital to the comfort of your experience. Walking boots or shoes should be worn in if possible before any long-distance walking is undertaken and should fit well to avoid rubbing. Socks should ideally be made from a natural fibre such as cotton or bamboo to prevent your feet becoming too hot and sweating.

Many safari parks are inundated with visitors during the summer months so why not visit your local safari park in the autumn instead? Many of the animals are still outdoors especially on a sunny day so can be viewed on the drive through as usual and the smaller animals such as meercats, monkeys and lemur can be viewed in their enclosures. You can often take advantage of special events in autumn when you can get closer to some of the animals and feed them under the supervision of a keeper.

One of the advantages of spending time at a safari park is that the majority offer play areas and rides for children so once your family have looked at all the animals the rest of your visit can be spent trying out the other amusements that are open.

Some safari parks offer special events during the autumn months such as Halloween trails and bonfires. The darker evenings with the possibility of illuminated amusements draws in a different crowd to usual and provides a unique opportunity to experience the safari park at night.

During the Christmas period many safari parks offer Santa specials where children get the opportunity to see the animals and visit Santa in his grotto, a truly magical experience for children and adults alike.

Numerous families have tried caravanning holidays this year for the first time and undoubtedly there will be some that decide it is not for them but equally there may be some families that have enjoyed their caravanning holiday but want to improve their experience for future visits.

Being well prepared is key to an enjoyable caravan holiday. Checking the caravan before each trip to make sure that external lights are working, and tyres are good will hopefully avoid breakdowns.

The interior heating and water systems should be checked and flushed out with a sterilising solution to prevent bacteria build up and possible stomach upsets from drinking water.

To avoid problems when travelling and arriving on site think about how far you want to tow your caravan as there will often be good caravan sites within a hundred-mile radius. It is wise to use a map or dedicated caravan sat nav when deciding on your route so that you do not get directed down narrow lanes.

If you intend cooking most of your meals in your caravan, make sure you take ingredients that are easy to prepare. Convenience foods such as tinned vegetables and packet foods will mean that you don’t have to spend time during your holiday preparing food, but most holiday resorts offer plenty of eating out options if you prefer to eat out instead.

With over 12 months of on and off restrictions and lockdowns, so many of us are just desperate to get away. People often used to say that you need a holiday or a holiday will do you good, but does it actually have a positive impact on your health?

In our day to day lives there is often a lot of stress. This may be from a job, money worries, relationship issues or parenting children. Often a holiday can help alleviate this by giving you some down time and time to reflect on what is important. Planning a holiday can also be stressful so you may find that initially you actually feel worse until you are away and can really switch off. If you feel that life is getting a bit too much and you need a break then try and plan a holiday that is going to be easy to enjoy. Go somewhere where you are going to be looked after.  If you are going with children, then make sure there is going to be plenty of things for them to do and too and possibly even a kids club so you can have some time for yourself. Do some research before you go and try and plan in a few activities that you can look forward to and give yourself plenty of time to plan and prepare for the trip.

Being prepared is the simplest way to avoid stress when planning a holiday. Make sure that you have all your documents in place such as passports and insurance and start packing in plenty of time. Making lists can also help to get your organised and ready for your trip.