The normal car hire companies have several low and middle range rental options that are good enough for the average person looking for a rental car, but don’t do much for the high class costumer that wants a little more of an edge in their rented cars. This is the kind of costumer that prefers comfort and style over the economic options, or even just the safe and roomy cars that so many people opt to rent during their holidays. Normally, this kind of costumer is also in town for reasons other than just a holiday or a normal business meeting. In many countries, upper management conducting important negotiations will want to be seen in a high end car as a sign of prestige.

For this reason, many car rental companies have started an executive car hire program, or have added “executive class” to their rental car tiers. This provides a much larger array of options for the executive on the go, but will also give more options for the average individual renting a car. If you’re already renting an expensive car, why not upgrade to a luxury class car? Often, the advantages are great, as those cars are very well kept.

It’s raining outside as I write this article, but apparently summer sun is right around the corner! A statement us Brits are unfortunately all-too-familiar with. Regardless of this, increasing numbers of Brits are neglecting the traditional jaunts abroad and opting for the slightly more old fashion ‘stay-cation’.  Indeed, many more will be packing their bags and heading for the hills this summer with tent in-tow.

But packing for camping when the weather is as unpredictable as the quality levels of grub cooked up on your portable stove, it is important to get it spot on.

Below are some handy tips suitable for first timers or know-it-all pros (could maybe don’t quite know it all)

• Designate a packing area. Set aside a corner of your bedroom/living room and pile your camping gear there prior to packing. Do this several days before you leave, as it gives you plenty of time to add/remove things are you remember them.
• Pack your clothing with the weather in mind. Have a look at a detailed forecast. If it is scheduled to rain but not for a few days, pack your waterproofs deeper in your bag. Try and avoid cotton and whites, remember an outdoor fleece for the chillier nights, and pack some synthetic long underwear.
• Test your ‘hardware’ before you go. Make sure you know how to operate the camp stove and don’t forget fuel.
• Purchase a good sleeping pad. A popular trick is to stack a full length pad on top of a shorted one. The extra warmth and comfort makes the extra carrying baggage worth it.
• Decide your luxuries and your absolute necessities. Depending your camping experience levels, a handheld GPS may be all well and good, but a map and compass also work just fine.
• REMEMBER A TORCH!

The weather can be a cruel mistress, so make sure you are prepared for all eventualities. This way you’ll all set to enjoy your camp whatever the weather

Conveniently located less than 30 minutes away from Lisbon (much less if you have use of a car), Sintra is a small town full of history and beauty. Its location always made it a haven for Lisboners to go and rest, either walking around town or the beautiful scenic hills around it. Sintra was also the refuge of the upper-class until the 20th century, which makes it perfect for anyone who drops buy.

But to fully experience Sintra you have to take a trip uphill to the Palace. Getting up there by public transport is fine, but if you want to check out the nearby hills it’s best to do it by car.  Sounds expensive, but car hire prices in Portugal aren’t too pricy.

 Built over ancient ruins in the 19th century, the Pena Palace was the Royal Family’s summer residence and the first Romantic palace in Europe. If the stylish castle and the beautiful interior where you can see the setup that the Royal Family used to have isn’t enough to make you take the trip to the Palace, then maybe the gardens will. The whole area surrounding the Palace is one huge Romantic style park, with an English style winter garden and a forest which holds the richest and most unusual set of plant life in Europe, brought to Portugal from its many colonies at the time.

A package holiday is every thing that you will need in a vacation. They are usually sold through travel agencies and are a very affordable way to get a great trip with everything that you need for one price. These package deals will usually include hotel stay for however long you will be there, tickets or admission to events or amusement in the area, and airline tickets to get where you are going. Some of these package holidays will even provide you with food for the length of your stay and arrangements for you to have a rental car to get around in. these can be the easiest way for you to get the getaway of your dreams. it takes all of the guess work out of trying to plan a vacation.

Many people will spend a great deal of money, simply because they do not make reservations and plans before they get to their destination. Many hotels and amusement parks will actually charge you more if you have not paid in advance. This is also a great option if you are not very familiar with travel. The agency will make all of your plans for you and you will not have to worry that you are leaving something important out. Package holidays are a wonderful way to have a great time without the stress of having to make the plans.

- How far away is your vacation? If you have a date set, depending on the season, you will narrow down your destination possibilities.

- How much time can you get off of work, or be away from home? This can make the difference between an exotic island get away in a remote corner of the world, and short city breaks to nearby capitals.

- What is your budget like? This has a similar effect as the last point. If you have been saving for an elaborate vacation, you will have more options than just budget travel. However, travelling on little expenses has growing possibilities as it becomes more and more common. You will find that many facilities, such as hostels, budget airliners, and trains are catering more and more to youth backpackers with little finances. You can take advantage of these deals as well, and save money to spend elsewhere on your vacation.

It is quite helpful to assemble all these things in a large zip lock bag. When you get into the plane you can haul the whole bag out of your hand luggage so that you don’t have to go back into the cubby hole again. Once it is stored in the seat pocket you can get to it easily. Or pack it back into your hand luggage just as it is when it is time to land.

There are numerous movies and series to watch, if you are lucky enough to get a monitor and sound system that works. It is a huge plus to fly with one of the airlines that allows you to choose your own movie, and change it if you get bored.

Taking along your lap top is great. It gives you hours to catch up on all the stuff you have been meaning to do, like sort photos.

You can plot revenge on the guy behind you that keeps jamming his knees into your back.

There are people that use the opportunity of free booze and attentive staff to get themselves well and truly drunk. This is not an advisable exercise. It guarantees a miserable couple of hours in the next airport and a lulu of a hangover for your next flight. It also alienates all the people around you.

But it would appear that the all time favorite thing is sleep. Have you ever noticed how many peoples eyes close the moment the plane takes off?

It is very important that you become update on the things that are currently happening in the country that you want to visit. You can also check out other countries as well to see what they have got to offer. Just be open to visiting different countries as well as in experiencing new things as this is the best way for you to be able to enjoy your journey. While doing things free and easy, you also need to be very responsible of how you go about on your trip. Make sure that you do not take all sorts of things from strangers and that you don’t give out too much personal information. Aside from taking care of your money, you should also look out for your passport, cameras, phones, and other small but important items as these are the things that usually get stolen from tourists.

Here are some practical tips to help you deal with any kind of travel emergency in the future:

• Whether you are going to travel alone or with a group, make sure that you have a list of important numbers and addresses that you can call or go to in case of emergency. Important numbers such as your country’s embassy, a hospital, your hotel will definitely come very handy. Also, if the people in the country you are staying could not read nor understand much English then it’s also best if you have your hotel address, the airport address etc. written down in their own language. This way, in case you get lost and you don’t know where to go, all you need is to bring out your list and point to the translation of your hotel etc., and they’ll have an easier time understanding where you want to go.
• Don’t forget to always have loose change ready. If you are going to commute a lot during your trip, it’s always best to carry loose change in the local currency of the country you are staying in. This way, locals will not get tempted to try into tricking you of your money. Carrying large bills just attracts a lot of unwanted attention no matter where in the world you go.