Spanish Travel News - August Edition

Dear {!firstname_fix},

August has arrived here with its usual searing heat and nowhere is noticing it more than the Canary Islands. The news has been full of the raging fires there and holiday-makers are being urged to check with their tour operators before they travel.

The current situation is that crews have now managed to control two huge forest fires that forced the evacuation of 14,000 people from homes, hotels and camp grounds in Tenerife and on Gran Canaria fire razed 25,000 acres of land and caused 5,200 people to be evacuated

Smaller fires have also been burned on the islands of La Gomera and La Palma, and locals report that this was the first time all four of these islands - out of seven that make up the archipelago - have been on fire at the same time.

On mainland Spain and the Balearic and Canary Islands the majority of car hire companies are getting fully booked over the peak season so if you haven't booked your car hire yet get in quick! (Free Car Hire Quote Here).

With the schools now broken up and August the busiest month of the year for travel to the Spanish Airports, we thought it would be useful to publish some travel tips. These include details on how to treat a jellyfish sting which is something I have experienced personally and believe me is a good thing to know about!

So we wish you a safe and trouble free trip and hope you do not find the Spanish Airports too busy and experience any flight delays.

Gary Ingram.

Winter flight times are now available on the Spanish Airport Guide for Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Lanzarote and Tenerife North and South Airports

Due to the airport expansion works, the suburban train stop is accessed by crossing the P-2 car park, at Departures level (opposite the T2 check-in lobby).The new seven storey car park which provides 2,500 spaces (1800 for private vehicles and 700 for hire cars is now open. New access roads have been built with a new coach station still under construction.

The new T1 terminal extension has opened with 9 new check in desks (making a total of 29), three new boarding gates and an additional luggage carousel.

Those who use Jerez airport would have noticed some expansion going on, and as a result aircraft are now parking further away from the terminal . A bus is now in action for the first time there to take passengers from terminal to aircraft . Those paying for priority boarding get on the bus first but getting off the bus and on to plane first is free for all .

One of our readers has sent some details of a new long term car park which has just opened outside Jerez Airport. Information is available in Spanish, German, Swedish & English and can be found at olofpark.com.

To save you the trouble of bringing your wheelchair to Spain or trying to locate other special needs items when you are here, Wheelchair Hire in Spain tells you where you can hire wheelchairs, mobility; scooters, hoists, walking frames, commodes and bath lifts on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, Costa de la Luz and the Canary Islands.

We frequently get asked questions from passengers with special needs and it would be great to hear from any travellers who have passed through Spanish Airports and found it particularly easy or difficult as the information provided by some of them is rather limited to say the least! Your advice and help could really make a difference to someone else's holiday!

Please email me with your experiences: gary@spanish-airport-guide.com

Alcohol consumption:  Spain has by far the highest number of tourist arrests for alcohol related incidents not just in Europe but all over the world, so please remember that the measures in Spain are much larger than in the UK and that with the heat the alcohol dissipates into your bloodstream very quickly.  The Spanish police tend to arrest first and ask questions later!

Duty free goods: As a general guide duty free goods are cheaper if you buy them in Spain, and if you opt for local spirits or cigarettes then you will be amazed at how inexpensive they are here compared to the UK.

Lost luggage:  An article has just appeared in the Daily Telegraph saying that on average 10 bags go missing on every flight (this is not just for Spain but all over the world!)  If there are two or more of you travelling a good tip is to split your clothes/belongings and put some in each suitcase.  If you are unlucky and one of your bags goes missing at least you will have something to wear. 

Jelly fish stings: With the Mediterranean Sea heating up this is the time of year when jellyfish have a nasty habit of appearing along the beaches.  They are usually very small and swim in shoals, but often you do not realize they are there until you are among them.  The stingers are located at the ends of the tentacles and contain poisons that can be toxic to humans, but in most cases only cause injury to the part of skin that comes into direct contact with the tentacles. If you do get stung then rinse the affected area with salt water (not fresh because it will worsen the reaction) and head for the nearest chiringuito (beach café) for some lemon juice or vinegar which will take the sting away when applied.

Medical treatment:  Make sure you have medical insurance and carry and European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to ensure that you can get any treatment required in Spain and be able to pay for it.

Passport:  It is a good idea to make a couple of photocopies of your passport and leave one at home and bring one with you.  In Spain a passport goes missing every 90 minutes and if yours if one of them then at least you can produce a copy of it.

Sun protection: I know that there are campaigns in magazines and on television stressing the importance of using sun tan lotion.  But remember that the SPF (sun protection factor) denotes the amount of time you can spend in the sun without being burnt:  i.e.: SPF 30 means you can stay out in the sun 30 times longer by applying it, and UVF (ultra violet factor) is the amount of protection it gives against the damaging rays which can cause skin cancer and premature ageing.  Also remember to drink a minimum of two litres of water every day to avoid dehydration.

Tipping.  When you are out and about and receive the cuenta (bill) you will see IVA added to the total.  This is the Spanish equivalent or VAT and not a service charge, which is usually at your discretion and the normal tip is 10%+.

Travel guide:  We have written a Travel Guide for Spain which includes information on local attractions/sightseeing, golf courses, restaurants, shop/markets, beaches and where to go for family days out.

Travel insurance:  Our tips on lost luggage and medical treatment should have already convinced you the importance of taking out travel insurance cover. 

Water: You can use the local water to boil the kettle to make tea and coffee and brush your teeth, but use the bottled water for drinking

It's our busiest time of year and we are being inundated with requests for information on our message board - some of it for people travelling on the same day! This is a FREE help and advice line which we have to fit it in with other work commitments on the Airport Guide, so please give us as much as notice as possible if you need information on bus and train timetables in order to plan your journey as they can sometimes take some time to find for you.

And please carry on sending your travel tips or advice as we can pass them on to other travellers and include them in our monthly newsletter: a couple of this month's items have been sent in by newsletter subscribers..