The most recent news to come from Etihad Airways is its joining with airberlin, another leading airline.

The joining of the two airlines has opened up new routes for both. As Etihad Airways is situated in the UEA, in Abu Dhabi, flights to parts of Europe such as flights to Germany are now more accessible through airberlin.

The mergeralso means a sharing of Frequent Flyer programs and codeshares. Air miles gained on Etihad Airways or airberlin can be used on either airlines.

airberlin’s inaugural flight to Abu Dhabi happened this morning, with the aeroplane being greeted with the tradition water cannons as it crossed the runway.

The prize consists of a night’s accommodation for two in a Four Pillars Hotel in Oxfordshire, dinner for two, tickets to Blenheim Palace and Broughton Castle, and a walking tour of Oxford.

You can enter the competition by completing the online form on the Telegraph website. Entries must be received by midnight on Tuesday, May 3 2011 and the winner will need to take the holiday before September 14 2011.

1. Méribel

Méribel is situated in the centre of the Les Trois Vallees (The Three Valleys) ski area, in the Tarentaise Valley, within the French Alpine region. If you buy a Three Valleys piste pass, you can use Méribel as a base and ski in the neighbouring ski areas of Courchevel, and Val Therons & Belleville Valley as well. The Three Valleys ski area contains more than 600km of piste and experienced skiers can also enjoy off-piste skiing.

Méribel also has two snowboarding parks and an ice rink, and you can take part in a range of other winter sports, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoe walking, tobogganing, husky sledding and piste-bashing.

There are also shops, restaurants and bars at Méribel, so you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained when you’re not on the slopes.

Image: Méribel Mottaret, France

2. Val d’Isère

Like Méribel, Val d’Isère is situated in the Tarentaise Valley, close to the French-Italian border. The ski area surrounding both Val d’Isère and the nearby ski resort of Tignes is known as L’Espace Killy, and includes more than 300km of piste. There are more than 150km of piste at Val d’Isère, and there are ski runs for both beginners and more experienced skiers, as well as plenty of areas for off-piste skiing.

Val d’Isère’s ski area is divided into three smaller areas: Bellevarde; Le Fornet; and Le Solaise. The most popular area, and the best for novice skiers, is Le Soliase. Intermediate skiers will find a number of blue runs in Le Fornet, whilst experienced skiers will enjoy the off-piste areas in Le Fornet and challenging runs in Bellevarde. All of the pistes are open to snowboarders and there is also a snow park at the resort.

Other winter sports activities available at Val d’Isère include snowshoe walking, ice driving, cross-country skiing and glacier walking. The resort is also well-known for it’s après ski facilities, and you’ll find a range of restaurants and bars to choose from.

3. Barèges

Barèges is situated about 37km from Lourdes, in the south-west of France. It’s within the Domaine Du Tourmalet, the largest ski area in the French Pyrenees, and is the second oldest ski resort in the country. In the 1970s, it became linked to a neighbouring resort, La Mongie, and the two are now often referred to as either Barèges-La Mongie or Tourmalet.

You can enjoy more than 100km of piste, and there are runs for all levels. Learn to ski from scratch at the resort’s ski school, or, if you are an experienced skier try one of the 5 challenging black runs or ski off-piste. You can also snowboard, take a cross-country ski tour, snow shoe, or simply relax in the thermal spa in Barèges.

Barèges is a small, traditional village, so it tends to be quieter than some of the Alpine ski resorts. However, there are a number of bars in the village, so you can still enjoy an  après-ski drink or two.

Many international airlines operate flights to France, and there is an excellent rail service within the country.

• Part 1 – Milan to Como
• Part 2 – Como
• Part 3 – Como to Bellagio
• Part 4 – Bellagio
• Part 5 – Bellagio to Lecco
• Part 6 – Lecco to Varenna
• Part 7 – Varenna
• Part 8 – Varenna to Domaso
• Part 9 – Domaso to Dongo
• Part 10 – Dongo to Menaggio
• Part 11 – Menaggio to Tremezzo
• Part 12 – Tremezzo to Cernobbio
• Part 13 – Cernobbio to Milan

Pixar Place

Pixar Place Rides and Attractions

There is only one ride in Pixar Place, but it’s a great ride for all the family, including younger children – Toy Story Mania!. You’ll travel through this 4D ride in a “carnival car”, and score points by aiming a toy canon at various targets and shooting virtual objects, including darts, eggs and baseballs.

Image: Tom Arthur

Dining in Pixar Place

There is one food outlet in Pixar Place, the Hey Howdy Takeaway, where you can buy crisps, popcorn, ice creams and drinks.

Shopping in Pixar Place

You can buy Toy Story themed souvenirs in the Toy Story Mania Store in Pixar Place.

Mickey Avenue

Mickey Avenue Rides and Attractions

There are two attractions in the Mickey Avenue section of the theme park – Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian, and Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.

Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian is a walk-through attraction in which you can see behind-the-scenes footage, props and costumes from the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” (2008). You can stand in the middle of Aslan’s Stone Table Chamber, see original artwork and storyboards for the movie, and even have your photo taken with Prince Caspian.

Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream is another walk-through attraction, this time taking you on a journey through the life of Walt Disney and the history of the company. You’ll see a range of exhibits here – the theme park has more than 400, which are rotated, so you may find that you see different items on subsequent vists. Items in the collection include models of some of the attractions in the Walt Disney World Resort and Special Academy Award statues for Walt Disney’s animated movie,  “Snow White and Seven Dwarfs” (1937).

Dining and Shopping in Mickey Avenue

There are no dining venues or shops in the Mickey Avenue section of the park.

Animation Courtyard

Animation Courtyard Rides and Attractions

There are three attractions in the Animation Courtyard area of the park: Voyage of the Little Mermaid; The Magic of Disney Animation; and Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!

Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a 15-minute long theatrical show based on Disney’s movie, “The Little Mermaid” (1989). The show features Ariel and other favourite characters from the movie, and includes live performers and puppets. It includes movie clips, special effects and songs from the film, such as “Under the Sea”.

The Magic of Disney Animation isa 20 minute show, followed by a walking tour. You’ll learn all about the animation process and there are a number of interactive elements as well.

Younger children will love the Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage attraction. They can sing along with their favourite Playhouse Disney characters in this 22 minute long show.

Image: Simsim2009

Dining and Shopping in Animation Courtyard

There are no dining venues in the Animation Courtyard area of the park, but there are several shops where you can buy souvenirs. The  Animation Gallery sells gifts, including limited edition movie cells, for example, whilst the Disney Studios Store sells merchandise based on Disney movies.

In the final post in this series, we’ll be looking at some of the attractions in the Sunset Boulevard area of the park.

If you’re keen on gardening or simply enjoy being out and about in the fresh air, here are just a few places that you can visit whilst on holiday in Guernsey.

Candie Gardens

These gardens were established in 1894 and are located in the island’s capital, St. Peter Port. They consist of two main garden areas, the Upper Gardens and the Lower Gardens.

The Lower Gardens were restored to their former Victorian glory during the late 1990s and highlights include fishponds and a bog garden. There are also a  number of historic greenhouses which have been restored and which are still in use.

The site also includes the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery and the Priaulx Library, and provides stunning views of St. Peter Port and out to sea. Admission to Candie Gardens is free of charge.

Sausmarez Manor Gardens

Situated in St. Martins, Sausmarez Manor dates back as far as the 12th century and, as well incorporating an intriguing mixture of architectural styles, is set within extensive gardens . It’s the perfect place to go for a family outing if you’re visiting Guernsey, as there are a range of attractions there.

Gardeners will love the Sub Tropical Gardens, which include palm trees, bamboos, camelias and banana plants. You can also take a tour of the manor, explore the Sculpture Park and take a ride on the site’s miniature railway.

The Guernsey Freesia Centre

Guernsey is known for supplying flowers, particularly freesias, to the U.K. mainland. You can learn more about the flower growing industry by taking a tour of the Guernsey Freesia Centre in St Sampsons. The site also has a gift shop.

Castle Cornet Gardens

Castle Cornet is a military fortress in St Peter Port Harbour and dates back to the 13th century. It now houses the Maritime Museum, the Story of Castle Cornet exhibit, 201 Squadron R.A.F. (Guernsey’s Own) Museum, the Militia Museum and the Hatton Gallery.

The Castle Cornet site also includes four formal gardens, planned in the 1990s on the site of gardens marked on a map of the fortress dating from the 18th century. The gardens have been designed to reflect different periods of the castle’s history and consist of: the Sutler’s Garden, a 16th century style herb garden; Lambert’s Garden, which is based on 17th century garden designs;  the Governor’s Garden, which is designed in the style of an 18th century garden; and the Master Gunner’s Garden, a 19th century domestic style garden.

Saumarez Park

Located in Castel, Saumarez Park is the island’s largest public park and is also home to the National Trust of Guernsey’s Folk & Costume Museum. It includes several formal gardens, including a rose garden and also has a Japanese style area featuring plants from the Far East. If you’re visiting Saumarez Park during August, you may also be able to catch the North Show and Battle of Flowers, one of Guernsey’s best-known festivals, in which residents compete to win a prize for the best floral-covered float.

Orchid Fields

For something wilder, head for the Bridget Ozanne Orchid Fields in Les Vicheries. These meadows contain four orchid species, which are in full flower between May and June, together with a number of related species and other plants. The orchid fields are managed by La Société Guernesiaise and are named after the late Bridget Ozanne, the society’s botany secretary.

Bluebell Woods

If you’re visiting Guernsey at the beginning of April, head for the Bluebell Woods behind St. Peter Port’s Fort George, to see one of the island’s most beautiful sights.

Image: Paul Schultz

The schedule for the 2010 Formula 1 World Championship is:

• Bahrain Grand Prix (12 – 14 March 2010)
• Australian Grand Prix (26 – 28 March 2010)
• Malaysian Grand Prix (2 – 4 April 2010)
• Chinese Grand Prix (16 – 18 April 2010)
• Spanish Grand Prix (7 – 9 May 2010)
• Monaco Grand Prix (13 – 16 May 2010)
• Turkish Grand Prix (28 – 30 May 2010)
• Canadian Grand Prix (11 – 13 June 2010)
• Grand Prix of Europe (25 – 27 June 2010)
• British Grand Prix (9 – 11 July 2010)
• German Grand Prix (23 – 25 July 2010)
• Hungarian Grand Prix (30 July – 1 August 2010)
• Belgian Grand Prix (27 – 29 August 2010)
• Italian Grand Prix (10 – 12 September 2010)
• Singapore Grand Prix (24 – 26 September 2010)
• Japanese Grand Prix (8 – 10 October 2010)
• Korean Grand Prix (22 – 24 October 2010)
• Brazilian Grand Prix (5 – 7 November 2010)
• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (12 – 14 November 2010).

In the next post in this series, we’ll be taking a look at Bahrain, the venue for the first Grand Prix of the 2010 season.

• Karen Bryan at Europe a la Carte has collated some ideas about things to see and do in Manchester as part of her excellent UK Tips and Tweets series.
• Sheila at Family Travel Guide has put together some great tips for planning a road trip in the USA.
• Darren Cronian provides information to help you to spot fake travel websites at Travel Rants.
• Erica Johansson at Travel Blissful recommends 7 foods to taste whilst you are in Japan.
• Nancy D. Brown at What a Trip has put together a list of the best things to see and do in Chicago.

However, these health problems can be easily avoided if you follow sun safety advice, so here are our top five tips for staying safe in the sun.

1. Don’t spend all your time on the beach. It may be tempting to head straight for the beach on the first day of your holiday, but if you do, don’t spend too long there. Experts believe that you do less damage to your skin if you gradually increase the amount of time that you spend in the sun than you do if you suddenly spend hours sunbathing. It’s also important to stay out of the sun between 11 a.m and 3 p.m, as the sun’s rays are strongest at this time of day. You should also make sure that you take regular breaks by leaving the beach and moving into the shade.

2. Dress appropriately. When you’re out and about in the sun, make sure that you cover up, and wear a hat and sunglasses. If you are spending time at the beach, take some suitable beachwear with you, so that you can wear it over your swimwear when you aren’t in the water.

3. Apply sun cream regularly. It’s important to choose the right sun screen and use it correctly. You need protection from two types of ultraviolet radiation waves emitted by the sun – UVB rays and UVA rays. UVB rays cause skin to burn, and to prevent this, look for a sun screen cream with a Sun Protection Factor (or SPF) of 15 or above. UVA rays cause deeper damage and can age skin prematurely – to protect yourself from the effects of UVA rays, use sun screen which has a star rating of four or five stars.

Apply your sun cream at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun and reapply it every two or three hours. Use a water resistant sun cream and make sure that you reapply it after you have been swimming.

4. Drink plenty. Dehydration can have serious consequences, so when the weather is warm, make sure that you drink plenty of water. Try to avoid drinking alcohol in hot weather as this will dehydrate you.

5. Don’t just think about the sun when you are on the beach. Like sand, snow and water reflect UV rays, so even if you aren’t spending your holiday lying on a beach, you will need to think about sun safety. You can also get sunburnt when the weather is cloudy, so don’t get caught out.

Travel magazine Wandalust has got together with Tourism Queensland and STA Travel in order to offer readers the chance to win a holiday in Queensland, Australia.

The prize consists of two return flights from London Heathrow to Brisbane (up to a maximum cost of £1,500) and two “Oz Experience” hop-on hop-off bus passes worth £520. Please note: the prize does not include accommodation, meals, transfers or Visa costs.

There are also three runners-up prizes of £100 vouchers for adventure gear company Kathmandu.

In order to enter the competition, you will need to register with or log into the Wandalust website and answer a question. Entries must be received before 11.59 GMT on 25 March 2009. 

Image courtesy of: © Matthew Weinel | Dreamstime.com