Calling all Scandophiles!!

I love schnapps and herring. I mean, I REALLY love schnapps and herring, so I was delighted to find out about the Scandinavia Show, to be held at Olympia on the 9-10 October 2010.

It promises to be a great day out, featuring everything Scandinavian from food to homeware, style to travel, with live entertainent, music, kid's section and the latest fashions.

We have free tickets for two lucky people to go and spend the day there and absorb all those lovely Scandinavian ideas. All you have to do to win is email us at girlstravelclub@ gmail.com and tell us your favourite Scandi recipe by 31st September and we will enter you in the draw.

Not only your groceries, but now you are buying your cars online!

When it comes to buying a new or used vehicle women do not feel as comfortable about the car buying process as they do about other high value purchases. Recent research highlights the issue of women often feeling under more pressure in the showroom or at a dealership than men (What Car? Magazine).


Leading economist Linda Babcock and author of “Women Don’t Ask” claims that women are 2.5 time more likely to feel “a great deal of apprehension” about negotiating than men, especially when it comes to purchasing a car, which may lead to women putting off going to a showroom or car dealership altogether.


However, as the Internet continues to grow and people are increasingly purchasing high value goods online, there are further signs that it is also changing how people buy cars. Ford Retail, the UK's largest dedicated Ford dealer group which is wholly owned by Ford Motor Company, has launched ‘FordOnline’ (www.fordonline.co.uk/social), a new easy-to-use car buying website that offers both convenience and value for Internet shoppers looking for new or used Ford cars as well as commercial vehicles. Most car buying journeys start with browsing the Internet for information. Surprisingly, FordOnline has found that a large proportion of Internet shoppers (37%) are now prepared to purchase vehicles without a test drive, removing one of the final barriers to online selling of cars. The convenience of the process is becoming increasingly important.


New research carried out by FordOnline.co.uk shows that motorists believe the benefits of buying a car online are convenience and a hassle free process, especially with today's busy lifestyles.

Steve Hood, Managing Director of FordOnline.co.uk, commented: “We know that with the growth of the Internet there are car buyers out there who want to search for and buy a car without visiting a dealership. We have specifically designed FordOnline.co.uk for those people, offering them great choice, low-prices and high levels of customer service. What you see on FordOnline.co.uk is exactly what you get. Our customers only need to visit a dealer to pick up their vehicle.”

FordOnline.co.uk aims to make car buying simple and straightforward, it is also 100% owned by Ford Retail, so users can be confident in using the website – it is the trusted, quick and convenient way to buy a Ford vehicle. They are now also to be found with the latest stories and updates on Twitter @FordOnlineUK. To find the best deals on your next Ford, visit www.fordonline.co.uk/social.

Those lovely people at Ford have provided us with some very handy in-car accessories as a prize.

Win this handy organiser, that consists of a pink 4-sectioned boot tidy that can be expanded or collapsed to suit any boot size, plus 2 x shopping bags that come in their own case and clip to the end of the Boot Buddy for storage when not in use. Also includes a shopping trolley token on a key ring clip.

PLUS keep yourself looking in tip-top condition with a pair of in-car hair straighteners!

All you have to do is tell us the most useful thing you keep in your glovebox by October 1st and you could win this handy prize! Email us at girlstravelclub @gmail.com and let us know your top in-car item!

Employees of Ford and their families may not enter, the judges' decision will be final. Winner will be notified by email by October 31st.

Becci wins the BT Best Home Business Award 2010!!!

We are all chuffed to bits here at GTC as last night following a glittering ceremony at London's Grand Connaught Rooms, Becci won the BT Best Home Business Award 2010!!!

Apparently the competition for this category was ferocious, but the judges were impressed by her "determination and motivation" and thought that "GirlsTraveClub is an excellent example of an internet home business born out of expediency, necessity and the motivation of its founder."

The BT Home Business Award is aimed at finding the most innovative business that demonstrates how remote working and home working has made a beneficial impact on their business and home life. The Remote Worker Awards in association with BT Business aims to highlight how home working increases business mobilization.

Becci said: "I am absolutely overjoyed to win! Not only is my business benefiting from the raised profile such a prestige award nomination brings, I am also proud to be a champion of the burgeoning home working community. We are all driven, motivated, creative and happy to be at home - even more so if there is a constant supply of tea!"

There were also very nice salmon fishcakes in the finger buffet, which Taba particularly enjoyed....

DEC and the Pakistan Appeal

I am sure that you have all seen the footage of the floods in Pakistan on the TV over the last few days, and read about the DEC's concerns about cholera. Frequent travellers will know the dangers of this horrendous disease, but many people I have spoken to have no idea what it is or how it kills.

Below is a copy of the DEC's cholera factsheet; children are often the worst affected, yet treatment can be as simple as giving them oral rehydration salts costing as little as 3p a sachet. Please visit the DEC website to read more, or call their donation line on 0370 60 60 900.

Thanks,

Becci

CHOLERA FACT SHEET

What causes cholera and why is it so dangerous?

• Cholera is a bacterium that spreads through infected water or food.
• The disease causes acute watery diarrhoea, which can lead to life-threatening dehydration within hours.
• Patients can lose up to 10 litres of fluid a day.
• Where people are living in cramped, unsanitary conditions without proper toilets or clean drinking water, the disease can spread incredibly quickly.
• The incubation period is very short which means people start to become ill very quickly after being infected.
• People with low immunity - such as malnourished children - are at greater risk of contracting the disease and succumbing to it.
• If cholera takes hold in an already vulnerable population it can kill up to 50-60% of those infected if they do not receive prompt treatment.

How can cholera be prevented?

• Adequate sanitation - ensuring toilets don't leak and are a safe distance from drinking water sources.
• Delivery of safe drinking water.
• Good food and personal hygiene.
• Chlorination of contaminated water sources where possible.
• Public health education and promotion.
• Oral vaccines are also available but are not the best first line of defence against the spread of cholera during an emergency.

How is cholera treated?

• Speed of treatment is the key to survival. If cholera is treated quickly and effectively, the mortality rate is less than 1%, but if left untreated the rate can jump to 50-60%.
• Most cases can be easily treated with Oral Rehydration salts, costing just 3p per sachet.
• Intravenous drips can be used to rehydrate patients in the most extreme case.
• Antibiotics can also be used but are not necessary for most patients so long as they are receiving rehydration treatment.

Bex on ITV Meridian News!

Well, we've all just got back from an amazing weekend at Vintage at Goodwood, a weekend of frocks, eyeliner, music and lovely flushing loos...... and waiting for us was an email saying that Becci was being interviewed on Meridian News about being a finalist in the BT Remote Worker Awards.

If you missed it, and would like to witness the glory of her bomb shelter, please click here!

Remote worker awards

Rather flatteringly, we have been nominated in the Remote Worker Awards, and last week a camera crew came and filmed Becci working from home... click here to see how tidy she made her caravan look :O)

Now we just have to wait and see if we are shortlisted.......

A insight into the FCO with Alice Draper

Alice Draper works at the FCO, managing their Go Gap Year and Know Before You Go Campaigns , aiming to keep all travellers safe abroad. She kindly offered to answer a few questions for us about what it is like to work there.

What services do the FCO provide to travellers abroad?

If you're sick we can contact your family, liaise with your insurance company and come and visit you in hospital if needed. If you've been arrested we can put you in touch with local lawyers and interpreters and give you information about the local legal system and if you are being ill treated or your personal safety is at risk we can take it up with the police or prison authorities. We will also help you out if you've been mugged or assaulted, and if you run out of money we can help you arrange a transfer of funds from the UK

Are there common misconceptions about the amount of help the FCO can give travellers in trouble?

We sometimes find people think that we are able to release them from prison or that we can enforce UK law overseas - we can't! Travellers also mistake us for an emergency bank - unfortunately we can't pay for your hotel bill and travel tickets. We even had one Brit who had escaped from prison and turned up at the embassy expecting us to help him get home!

What is the most useful advice the FCO provides to travellers and how can they access it?

Our advice varies from country to country so the key thing is to do your research into the country and any local laws and customs which may affect you - www.fco.gov.uk/travel is the place to start. Wherever you are going you need to arrange suitable travel insurance, check that your passport and any visas are valid and make sure someone knows where you are going (Go to www.fco.gov.uk/locate and at least tell us!). It's also useful to take copies of all your important travel documents and ensure you have access to backup funds to tide you over in case there is an emergency.

How did you end up in your current position working for FCO and would you recommend it as a career?

I'd definitely recommend it! Its hard work but very rewarding and of course there is the chance to work abroad. We move jobs every two or three years, taking our new skills from one job onto the next, so if you want to try something completely different, you can.

What are your must-have items when travelling?

I guess it depends on how long I'm away for, and what I'm going to be doing. We've got a list of essentials on GoGapYear www.gogapyear.com/gap-year-essentials. My number 1 essential is baby wipes - they really come in handy for cleaning up, removing make up etc. One lightweight little black dress that you can dress up or down always goes in - you never know when you might need to look a bit fancy!


Finally, where do you go on holiday and why?

I tend to stay pretty close to home, so Europe mostly, I love a summer holiday on one of the Greek islands. I like city breaks too - Rome in particular was amazing. My dad lives in France so I like to pop over there for the weekend when I want fancy a last minute break from the UK.

Thanks Alice, and we'll remember to pack the baby wipes next time!