Brits would prefer to receive a holiday than a gadget this Christmas.
TravelSupermarket has found that over a quarter (27 per cent) of Brits would like to receive a holiday as a gift this Christmas, second only to a wish for money and vouchers (31 per cent).
Although retailers have said 2012 will be the “Tablet Christmas,” a poll of over 1,000 visitors to the site shows that in fact, the gift of a holiday ranks above both gadgets (8 per cent) and jewellery (7 per cent) as the most desired gift.
This follows research from MoneySupermarket claiming that Brits will be spending £22 billion this year on Christmas, splashing out an average of £445 per person during this festive period.
Bob Atkinson, travel expert at TravelSupermarket said: “After what has been a tough year for many, it is unsurprising a break away is front of mind for one in four of us. The prospect of spending time with friends or loves ones, experiencing something new and also having something to look forward to is, without doubt, very appealing.
For £445 or less you could get away in January on one of the following holidays through TravelSupermarket:
Canary Islands, Tenerife - for 7 nights departing Saturday 12th January 2013. Staying at the 4* Apartments Pez Azul on a self-catering basis in a studio room. Flights depart from London Stansted. Holiday from ontheBeach.co.uk via TravelSupermarket - £336.00pp
Gambia, Kotu - for 7 nights departing Thursday 10th January 2013. Staying at the 2* Palm Beach Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis in a standard room. Flights depart from London Gatwick. Holiday from Airtours via TravelSupermarket - £432.00pp
Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh - for 7 nights departing Thursday 11th January 2013. Staying at the 3* Amar Sina Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis in a standard room. Flights depart from London Gatwick. Holiday from easyJet Holidays via TravelSupermarket - £285.00pp
Morocco, Tangier - for 7 nights departing on Thursday 10th January 2013. Staying at the 3* Ibis Tanger Free Zone in a standard room. Flights depart from London Heathrow. Holiday from Expedia.co.uk via TravelSupermarket - £363.00pp
A Great Day For Gambia
Gambia: President Jammeh to launch Africa Coast to Europe submarine cable
Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable - The Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh will on Wednesday launch the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable in the West African country. The launch at Sukuta in the West Coast region will be attended by some 500 people, including representatives from the World Bank, African Union, various governments, international policy makers, regulators, operators, vendors and service providers from across the world.
The ACE consortium, which is led by France Telecom-Orange, is made up of 16 members from Africa and Europe, a media release from the Ministry of Information, Communication and Infrastructure, said on Tuesday in Banjul.
The cable will extend over 17,000 km from Brittany in France to Cape Town in South Africa at depths close to 6,000 metres below sea level, linking Europe to Africa with high-capacity broadband connectivity.
The release said the ACE would give countries in Africa the opportunity to access international broadband network at a low cost.
According to the release this will increase high-speed Internet in Africa, thus reducing the digital divide and triggering social and economic development.
Countries such as the Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Sao Tome & Principe and Sierra Leone will have access to a submarine cable for the first time.
ACE will broaden their opportunities in terms of connectivity, data-sharing and information sharing with the rest of the world. It will also promote better network reliability as well as greater flexibility.
Landlocked countries such as Mali and Niger will also have access to the ACE cable system and will therefore benefit from the same increase in connectivity as the countries with a coastal access, release said.
Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable - The Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh will on Wednesday launch the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) submarine cable in the West African country. The launch at Sukuta in the West Coast region will be attended by some 500 people, including representatives from the World Bank, African Union, various governments, international policy makers, regulators, operators, vendors and service providers from across the world.
The ACE consortium, which is led by France Telecom-Orange, is made up of 16 members from Africa and Europe, a media release from the Ministry of Information, Communication and Infrastructure, said on Tuesday in Banjul.
The cable will extend over 17,000 km from Brittany in France to Cape Town in South Africa at depths close to 6,000 metres below sea level, linking Europe to Africa with high-capacity broadband connectivity.
The release said the ACE would give countries in Africa the opportunity to access international broadband network at a low cost.
According to the release this will increase high-speed Internet in Africa, thus reducing the digital divide and triggering social and economic development.
Countries such as the Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Sao Tome & Principe and Sierra Leone will have access to a submarine cable for the first time.
ACE will broaden their opportunities in terms of connectivity, data-sharing and information sharing with the rest of the world. It will also promote better network reliability as well as greater flexibility.
Landlocked countries such as Mali and Niger will also have access to the ACE cable system and will therefore benefit from the same increase in connectivity as the countries with a coastal access, release said.
Recycling Prescription Spectacles In West Africa
We regularly receive hundreds of letters from patients, which describe how laser eye treatment at Optimax has changed or enhanced their lives.
The spectacles that our patients are thrilled to leave behind in our clinics after laser eye treatment go on to enhance the lives of others in the developing world.
All prescription spectacles donated at the Optimax clinics in the UK are collected at the head office in London for shipment directly to the Optical Unit at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul, The Gambia.
The Gambia is widely acknowledged to have one of the most forward-thinking policies on eye sight problems on the African continent.
Optimax believes that by supporting the development of centres for eye care staff training, real value can be added to the process of recycling prescription eye glasses in the Third World.
Gambia Holiday News
Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
Built in 1853 by the Government of Great Britain, the Royal Victoria Hospital was officially handed over to the Gambian Government in 1953.
RVH has recently become a teaching hospital for the newly created University of The Gambia Medical School located in Banjul.
It champions the cause for both optometrists and patients and strives for an eye care dispensation that will best serve their needs.
In addition to practising optometrists, dispensing opticians, and students in eye care related professions, the hospital also has the following departments: internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and gynecology / obstetrics.
RVH is a tertiary health care institution and the central referral point for all health centers and hospitals throughout the Gambia.
The Bakau Health Center
The Serrekunda Health Center
District Health Team - Farafenni
The Banjuluding Health Center
The Brikama Health Center
The Sibanor Health Center
The Women’s Health Clinic
The Mansakonko Health Center
District Health Team - Kanfing
“Allied specialty units” located within the RVH include: pathology; radiology; dentistry; ear, nose, and throat; orthopedics; and laproscopic gynecology and a department specialising in laboratory and clinical research.
The Hospital is always looking to recruit skilful and willing ophthalmic surgeons, nurses and technichians, opticians, biochemists, and anaesthesiologists who want to volunteer their time and knowledge for the betterment of ophthalmic care in Africa.
Computer Recycling in The Gambia; Kololi Internet Cafe
Gambia Holiday News is a supporter of the Fight Against Social and Economic Exclusion. In Gambia there are only three computers for every 1000 people and increasingly employers are demanding computer skills as a condition for employment. Gambians are eager to learn about computers, information systems and the Internet and want to be able to improve their lives in whatever way possible. Computer access and training improves their opportunity for employment, increases their access to information and brings the power of networking with others.
The Gambia Holiday News Telecentre and Internet Cafe in Kololi has evolved into a multi purpose business centre from simply offering public access to telecommunications such as telephone, fax, e-mail, Internet and business support services such as word processing, photocopying and printing.
Three jobs have been created in the refurbishment of the computer hardware and the experience gained in setting up the centre has opened other hardware and network maintenance opportunities. The centre also offers free technical support to help evaluate local IT needs and requirements.
"Computer & Internet Training Workshops" are the key components of a particularly effective educational program recently launched in The Gambia aiming to help bridge an ever-widening gap in computer and Internet utilisation between African and Western nations. Staff at the centre give early hands-on training and exposure to IT through regular workshops and classes that are open to all.
Telecentres and Internet Cafes in Gambia.
Telecenters are one of the most rapidly growing applications of IT in the developing world fulfilling the need for a practical and cost-effective way to bring the community of Africa into contact with itself and with the world.
Shared-access to refurbished computers and telephone systems allows the provision of a wide range of services to more users at lower cost than privately-owned home or office computers which are often out of the financial reach of the poorer people.
The definition of a telecenter is as varied as the activities that such a center can offer. Smaller telecenters usually include access to fax, phone, and photocopying, the larger ones may also include a basic internet service.
Others may include targeted activities in education and training, health, e-commerce, e-government services and more. The physical composition of telecenters also varies widely.
Common models include kiosks, school computer labs made available to the public after hours, multipurpose community telecenters, and mobile telecenters.
The Gambia Holiday News Telecentre and Internet Cafe in Kololi has evolved into a multi purpose business centre from simply offering public access to telecommunications such as telephone, fax, e-mail, Internet and business support services such as word processing, photocopying and printing.
Three jobs have been created in the refurbishment of the computer hardware and the experience gained in setting up the centre has opened other hardware and network maintenance opportunities. The centre also offers free technical support to help evaluate local IT needs and requirements.
"Computer & Internet Training Workshops" are the key components of a particularly effective educational program recently launched in The Gambia aiming to help bridge an ever-widening gap in computer and Internet utilisation between African and Western nations. Staff at the centre give early hands-on training and exposure to IT through regular workshops and classes that are open to all.
Telecentres and Internet Cafes in Gambia.
Telecenters are one of the most rapidly growing applications of IT in the developing world fulfilling the need for a practical and cost-effective way to bring the community of Africa into contact with itself and with the world.
Shared-access to refurbished computers and telephone systems allows the provision of a wide range of services to more users at lower cost than privately-owned home or office computers which are often out of the financial reach of the poorer people.
The definition of a telecenter is as varied as the activities that such a center can offer. Smaller telecenters usually include access to fax, phone, and photocopying, the larger ones may also include a basic internet service.
Others may include targeted activities in education and training, health, e-commerce, e-government services and more. The physical composition of telecenters also varies widely.
Common models include kiosks, school computer labs made available to the public after hours, multipurpose community telecenters, and mobile telecenters.
Travelling In Gambia by River: Boat, Ferry & Canoe
The River Gambia is the main artery that runs through the entire length of the country, and is navigable throughout the year by smaller vessels up to 300 kilometres Large ocean-going vessels can travel upstream as far as Kuntaur, about 190 kilometres from Banjul.
Several ferries are operated along the river; the main ones being Banjul to Barra and the river crossing at Farafenni on the busy Trans-Gambia highway. Vehicle and passenger ferries between Banjul’s commercial port and the town facing it across the river mouth, Barra, run at least once an hour in each direction until late evening.
The Government maintains a policy of upgrading these ferries, and procuring new ones when needed. Ferry operations are under the management of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), a public enterprise in the transport industry.
There are nearly a dozen other places where travellers can cross the River Gambia by boat or local dug out cannoe.
Arch Tourss run adventure and fishing trips using small motor boats or large converted pirogues, and offer day cruises along the river with lunch or dinner and a live band.
Gambia Holiday News
Trip Advisor Review for Arch Tours in The Gambia
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