Luxury Travel Lifestyle

A short hard hitting video featuring polar bears falling from the sky to drill home the message that short-haul flights are having a massive impact on the climate.

Much has been written recently about the cost of university, and the increasing number of young people put off by higher education due to the thought of so much debt after graduation. However, as the new term kicks off this month, it is clear that the recession has made the application process even more competitive as more mature students enrol, at the same time as jobs are cut, pay is frozen and more people find themselves without work. So what are the other options after college or sixth form?

Of course, a gap year has long been an acceptable way to spend time after secondary school in order to build up your ‘life experience’ and to enjoy some well-deserved freedom. But with so much concern about debt, can you really afford one? The easy answer is probably yes, but you must plan and budget carefully.

Whether you decide to volunteer close to home, or want to fly to the east coast of Australia, it is likely that you will need to save up some money for the experience. Of course, earning is one thing, but saving is quite another and it is important that you are taking enough money from your monthly pay and putting it somewhere safe. The more research you can do on this at the moment the better as the best savings accounts available tend to be fixed term – meaning you are more likely to get good returns if you leave your savings alone for a certain amount of time.


Another positive boon to your funding could come from tax. If you are only working for a few months before leaving and not working for the rest of the year, you may be eligible for tax back. If you earn £6,475 or less over a year you do not need to pay tax.

Once your funds are in place you need to estimate how you want to access it, and the currency (or currencies) you are likely to use. Internet banking is a great way for travellers because it is free and is available 24 hours a day. After you know what currency you will need and where, it may also be worth considering a prepaid credit card – despite the bad reputation there are certain credit card options available that are free of debt risk and allow you to take out foreign currencies abroad for no charge.

The next plan is to budget the trip. If you are travelling abroad it is becoming increasingly important to take out travel insurance – and it is a good idea to research specialist gap year cover. If you are planning any special activities such as extreme sports, ensure that these are included on your policy also.

Be crowd-free as much as carefree in the expanse of unspoilt coast and countryside that is North Devon.

This spacious chunk of the West Country offers shores lined with broad, far-reaching beaches, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve dune system of Braunton Burrows. The Taw and Torridge estuaries stretch inland towards the greenery of Tarka Country while Exmoor National Park provides a wilderness rich in both natural beauty and cultural heritage.

By Sarah Maple

When it comes to American holidays, the modest northern state of Vermont is usually associated with the winter season instead of the summer. But whilst the state is an excellent ski destination when the snow arrives, during its continental summers, Vermont becomes the land of summer camps, swimming holes and country hikes. So what does The Green Mountain State have to offer?

Vermont is located in the north east of the country and borders with New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Canada. Making up around half of its western border however, is Lake Champlain. Named after the French explorer, the founder of Quebec City stumbled across the Lake from the north exactly 4 centuries ago this year. Consequently, 2009 is the perfect year to visit the inspirational lake and the islands scattered upon it that make up Grand Isle County.

The flavour of Vermont is multicultural and diverse, with an unsurprising French influence. Yet, one of the most intriguing resort options has its roots in Austria. The Von Trapp family (their story made famous in The Sound of Music) fled to Vermont in 1942 and opened a ski-lodge eight years later. Today, the Trapp Family Lodge near Stowe offers mountain biking and hiking trails, a fitness centre, and tours for the whole family - all amidst the wholesome nostalgia of their legacy.

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With research recently published by Post Office® warning of the costs of ‘must have’ items for UK holidaymakers, it might be that ‘staycationers’ will need to save money on other areas of their holidays. Travel is likely to be a big cost to some, but the Gower Peninsula in Wales is conveniently located to get to efficiently and cheaply from many parts of the UK, yet is far enough away to offer a uniquely new experience – and it is beautiful to boot.

The research published by travel insurance specialists, Post Office®, shows that in order to keep summer car journeys peaceful and stress-free, parents are set to spend hundreds of pounds on travel toys, neck pillows and iPods – leaving little money left over for the travel itself. However it is fair to say that the journey to the Gower Peninsula is anything but boring. If the kids aren’t awe-struck by the three-mile long Second Severn Crossing, then they may well be impressed by the impressive southern Welsh countryside and the hard-to-pronounce town names.

Take a look at this collection of the world's coolest most expensive homes. This is sourced from Cool Pictures website featuring most expensive homes

Southhampton, Village Oceanfront Sanctuary New York - $80m
The interior space of this 13,500 square feet home runs across four stories and contains nine bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, four powder rooms and a movie theatre.

The home is situated between a pond and the ocean giving it a unique position, and there is 1,000 feet of shore front and 1,000 feet of pond front.


Villa La Leopolda - $500m
Formerly the home of Bill Gates, but now belonging to really rather rich Roman Abramovich, the Villa La Leopolda in Nice, France would set you back roughly £250,000,000 ($1/2 a billion).

Its 10 acres of lush, garden-filled grounds require an astounding 50 gardeners to look after it along with the best home insurance that money can buy.


Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia’s richest man had to pull out on the much reported deal to purchase Villa Leopolda, a $750 million estate in Côte d’Azur, the South of France after seeing a good portion of his amassed fortune lost in the current global recession.

The much reported sale was widely speculated over around August last year and now it seems that all the excitement has been for nothing. But the saga continues as the current owners of the villa simply refuse to hand Prokhorov back his initial deposit of €44 million.
Even though his lawyers are seeking a refund, they might be out of luck since the French law states that purchasers lose their deposits if they pull out after the sales agreement has been signed.

Since having set new property records with this deal last summer, the French Riviera went nuts with the news leaving many property owners excited at the prospects of selling their own nearby homes.
However, much has changed since then and the latest development in the Villa Leopolda story clearly indicate that even billionaires suffer from the current financial situation, leaving them with millions of dollars in losses.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the wealth magnate denies all the stories as gossip saying that Prokhorov is refusing to do any business unless the French authorities apologizes to him for accusing him of procuring prostitutes for a party in 2007.

Ira Rennert House, New York - $170m
The billionaire found of the Renco Group, Ira Rennert, owns a place in Sagaponack, New York, and at 63 acres of grounds, is considered by many to be the largest residential compound in the whole of America.

The house itself has 29 bedrooms, 39 bathrooms, as well as the usual gigantic dining room, sport courts and bowling alley and contents insurance to cover it all. The property is valued at roughly $170,000,000-180,000,000.



Updown Court, Surrey, England - $140m
With neighbors like Elton John and the Queen of England, Updown Court in Surrey is going to be a rather decadent household. Launched with a price of £70,000,000 (roughly $140,000,000).

Containing 24 bedrooms, each with a marble en-suite bathroom, and an underground garage, the property is estimated to cost around £250,000 ($500,000) a month to run, not to mention the cost of the house insurance!

This property even has it's own website: www.updowncourt.com

And check out the video of this amazing home:


Donald Trump House, Florida - $250m
Donald Trump owns this 18-bedroom waterfront palace, which is listed as costing £125,000,000.

Situated in Florida, Trump says it’s location in Palm Beach is “the richest community in the world” and it doesn’t seem like he’s joking! We also doubt that he's one to settle for cheap building insurance, either!

Check his house out...


Tree Ponds, New York - $75m
In Bridgehampton, New York, there sits a $75,000,000 estate that has its own golf course!

Called “Three Ponds” due to the fact that it has, er, three ponds (each stocks with an ample supply of fish, which are hopefully included in the home insurance), and the expansive grounds also house 14 different gardens, each with their own theme!

Fleur de Lys in Beverly Hills, California - $125m
This $125 million estate was modelled after Louis XIV’s palace at Versailles, France. It encompasses 45,000 square feet and took five years to build in all. It all came to fruition when Suzanne Saperstein accumulated five acres in the 1990s.

What was once a dream became a reality and today Fleur de Lys features a 50-seat screening room, an nine care auto garage with a treasured collection of automobiles and a library filled with first-edition books.



Jacobean Manor, Greenwich, Connecticut - $90m
The manor sits proudly on 40 acres of rolling green hills, broken only by lawns and meadows to provide ample privacy for the owners.


The 14 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms are spread over 21,897 square feet. Features such as marble floors, vaulted ceilings, limestone walls, bay windows and wood panelling impress the ficklest of visitor.

There is also a 52-foot long indoor swimming pool. Ah yes, the manor is priced at a hefty $90 million. It is advertised on LuxuryRealEstate.com


Tranquility” Lake Tahoe, Nevada - $100m
Situated on the tax-free side of Nevada’s Lake Tahoe, this 210-acre property is owned by Joel Horowitz, the co-founder of fashion label Tommy Hilfiger. He built the property from scratch.



The house is made up of 20,000 square feet of living space and modelled after a northern European mountain home. It also has a 3,500-bottle wine cellar, an indoor swimming pool and atrium, as well as a 19-seat movie theatre, ensuring constant entertainment, even if snowed in. It is worth $100 million.


Eurasia Estate, Moscow, Russia - $100m
No list is complete without a bit of Russian flavour.

This property consists of an 11,700-square-foot manor house, as well as two 4,000-square-foot guest houses and a massive 91,000-square-foot recreation centre that features a pool, Turkish and Russian baths, a gym, sauna and lounges. Eurasia is worth $100 million.


Hillandale, Stamford, Connecticut - $95m
You will be forgiven to think you are looking at an English country manor when you see Hillandale. With a stone construction, hedged and manicured gardens, a grassy tennis court and distinctive chimneys, this 20,000-square-foot residence has eight bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
Hillandale is so big that the property straddles the New York-Connecticut border. The grounds also include four guest and staff residences and two barns, all connected by five miles of private roads. The price tag is $95 million.

BootJack Ranch, Pagosa Springs, Colorado - $88m
The ranch includes a massive 3,100 acres of land. This luxury property is much more than a working ranch. The main house alone is 13,800 square feet and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Further, outlying guest cabins and lodges can host up to 50 people and bring the total interior space up to 77,000 square feet.

In addition, there’s a 12,000-square-foot spa and aquatic centre. Just the right thing to soak your weary feet at the end of a long working day. That is if you can part with $88 million.