A ban on lighting up in enclosed public areas comes into force in Greece today as part of an effort to curb the country’s high smoking rates.

Offenders will be fined up to €10,000 (£8,260), and tobacco advertising will also be prohibited under the measures.

Some 42% of Greeks over the age of 15 smoke, well above the European average of 29%. The campaign will include an advertising blitz and the distribution of anti-smoking board games to children.

The prime minister, George Papandreou, said: “It will contribute to the work we’re doing today that’s aimed at changing attitudes, norms and behaviour to improve our quality of life and to make our country viable – not just its economy but in everyday life.”

The Greek health ministry said the measures were needed after partial smoking bans over the last eight years were generally ignored. From today, offices and businesses will ban smoking and close popular smoking rooms. Those caught violating the new law will be fined between €50 and €500 and have their names recorded in an offenders’ database. Businesses will be fined between €500 and €10,000.

Martin Dockrell, of the anti-smoking campaign group Ash, said: “I would expect Greece to experience some of the greatest health benefits in Europe [from the ban] because it has such high smoking rates. If [smokers] can cope with sitting on a street corner in rainy London and windy Dublin, beautiful and sunny Greece shouldn’t pose much of a challenge.”

Greek bar and restaurant owners, who have already been hit by a recession and a shaky tourism season, said a dip in business could cost them their livelihood.

“Obviously, customers will not stay as long if they need to go outside for a smoke,” said Nikos Louvros, who owns a bar in central Athens. “I can’t understand why smokers and non-smokers can’t have their own areas. You can filter the air, and everyone would gets what suits them.”

Louvros was so angered by a previous attempt to impose a ban last year that he formed his own pro-smoking political party that received 1,500 votes in the 2009 national election. He plans to run again in local elections in November. “Maybe we’ll win the race for mayor of Athens,” he said. “Then, we’ll see what happens.”

ABTA is urging holidaymakers planning trips to the USA within the next two years to apply online for their ESTA before charges of $14 per person come in on 8 September.
 
By applying early a family of four will save $56, approximately £40, it said.
 
All passengers travelling under the Visa Waiver Program must have a valid ESTA to gain entry to the USA.
 
The US Government has introduced the charge to fund promotion of the USA and with on average four million visitors arriving in the USA from the UK, British visitors will contribute up to $56 million a year.
 
ABTA Head of Public Affairs Luke Pollard said: “We fully support the US Government’s wish to encourage people to visit their country. However charging visitors $14 each to fund this drive seems a rather odd way of doing so.
 
“Customers should go online to obtain their ESTA before 8 September to avoid the charge.” An ESTA is valid for two years. To apply for an ESTA go online to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

South Africa was great. The weather was really good and the various stops were super. In detail:

Fugitives Drift –v good lodge/hotel rooms in cottages round the garden, large, well furnished and comfortable with good views. Food was excellent and the staff attentive. Rob Caskey, who did our battlefield tours was very good. A real raconteur, with some interesting ideas about the battles based on discussions with the Zulus.

Singa Lodge –a good lodge hotel, on the sea front at Port Elizabeth. Interesting decor, well presented room (open plan bathroom!). They produced us a good meal despite our late arrival because of flight delays. Swimming pool a bit “green” but then they are in the middle of an acute water shortage.

Amakhala, Safari Lodge –another v good lodge hotel. The food was excellent and the cottages well fitted and comfortable with views over a local waterhole. The game drives were very good (and our ranger was marvellous). We saw lots of animals, some very close up. I even have photos of a leopard (I am not admitting that it was in a pen) and a civet. At the slightest suggestion I shall bore everyone with our pictures!

Hog Hollow Lodge –undoubtedly the best hotel, situated on the edge of a gorge with marvellous views. The rooms were spacious and comfortable and the food exceptional. Plettenberg has quite a lot to do (although we did not go far), the beaches were divine and the area would be quite a good location for a family holiday and the Hotel was child-friendly (baby-sitting service etc).

Franschoek –a delightful, if rather “manicured” little town.   The Akademie Guesthouse was super, large room, very comfortable, excellent breakfasts and free minibar! We spent a day in the town (and the restaurants are every bit as good as they claim) and visited Stellenbosch, older part interesting, on our way to Cape Town

Cape Town -4 Rosmead is very comfortable and the breakfasts good. The duty managers were most helpful. Reasonable local restaurants (and one really good one, the Aubergine, a short taxi ride away). We did Robben Island (a “must see” but not exactly enjoyable), Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, Green Market Square and the derive down to Cape Point. The “red” tour on the open-topped bus is well worthwhile.

The driving wasn’t the problem that I thought it might be. I read plenty of comments about SA’s bad drivers –I have seen much worse here. The expressways were super (and the traffic on them pretty light by our standards). Secondary roads in KwaZulu-Natal were usually potholed and the dirt roads take a bit of getting used to. Further south there were no real problems although all the journey times (culled, I suspect, from the accommodation websites) were significant underestimates (and we are not particularly slow drivers).   I would recommend breaking both the Johannesburg-Fugitives Drift (5½ hours specified, 7½ hours actual, including a lunch stop) and the Plettenberg Bay-Franschoek (about 6½ actual, admittedly on much easier roads) trips. The satnav was a godsend once we had got to Fugitives Drift (with which it could not cope).

 Similarly, we did not find security particularly difficult. Yes, everywhere is surrounded by high fences, often electrified, but we did not feel threatened at any time, even when we walked back from the local restaurant in Cape Town (all of 100 yards!). 
Altogether a really memorable holiday. Thank you so much for arranging it.

Economy class lie-flat beds are to be introduced later this year by Air New Zealand.
 The carrier is to install the ‘Skycouch’, a specially designed row of three seats engineered to create a lie-flat, flexible space.
 The airline says this will provide a place for children to play or a flat surface for adults to relax and sleep.
 Twenty-two sets of Skycouch seats will be available, being the first 11 window rows in the economy class cabin on new long range Boeing 777 aircraft to be introduced from November.
 For two adults travelling, purchasing the Skycouch will be based on buying two seats at standard prices with the third seat at approximately half price. 
 Details of the fares will be announced when it goes on sale from late April and will be available on services between Auckland and London via Los Angeles from April next year.
 The 340-seat B777-300 aircraft will be configured with 246 in Economy (including 66 seats creating 22 Skycouch combinations), 50 in Premium Economy and 44 in Business Premier.
 The first routes to offer the new configuration will be selected flights between Auckland and Los Angeles from December.
 Air New Zealand expects to also refit its fleet of eight B777-200 aircraft from summer 2011, with all Asian, North American and UK services to have the new in-flight service by around 2012. 
 CEO Rob Fyfe claimed the airline was “putting the magic and romance” back into flying.
 “For the past three years we have been designing a new long haul experience that will reignite the passion of today’s travellers,” he said.
 “For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone. The dream is now a reality, one that you can even share with a travelling companion – just keep your clothes on thanks.”
 Air New Zealand’s Premium Economy cabin is also being revamped.
 “Most airlines’ Premium Economy offering leaves travellers with economy-style food and service. By complete contrast, our new Premium Economy cabin with uniquely Kiwi designed Spaceseats will offer unparalleled comfort and legroom with new shared-meal experiences more familiar in tapas restaurants or bistros than at 35,000 feet,” said Fyfe.
 The Business Premier cabin is being enhanced with an on-demand food and drinks service and an “enhanced sleep experience to ensure travellers really do feel they’ve snuggled into their own bed”.
 Fyfe claimed each of the three cabins on long haul aircraft of the future will be a step ahead of competitors from a comfort perspective.
 “Being able to order a steak, medium rare in Business Premier, a pizza for two in Premium Economy or a late night snack in Economy, whenever you want, will be a very cool experience,” he said.
 “New oven technology that will cook food from scratch rather than simply reheating and a new digital in-seat ordering service will make this truly the first time real food has been served at 35,000 feet.”

Tatler knows. Its taste for the exclusive, the alternative, the unexpected, took it to the edge of Turkey’s Datca peninsula, and a corner of the Aegean so secluded that you need a boat to find it. But its seasoned critics fell in love with what they found there. They loved its whitewashed, weather-boarded New England style, its infinity pool spilling seawards, and its enticing white four posters. They chose Elixir Art as one of Tatler’s 101 Best Hotels for 2010. And who are we to argue? We’d rather let our beloved chic retreat speak for itself.

I am delighted to announce that Galley Bay Resort and Spa, Antigua was selected and awarded the 2009 Readers Choice Award bv a survey of 25,000 Conde Nast Readers.

This prestigious award reflects Galley Bay’s continued commitment to customer satisfaction, genuine attention to detail and impeccable service. In today’s market and with such strong competition such a celebrated award is a tribute to the entire staff and management team at Galley Bay for a job well done.

Having visited the hotel myself I am very happy to endorse the award

I got round to watching ‘In Bruges’ last weekend and it occurred to me that although the film is absolutely brilliant I did get a little distracted by the wonderful architecture of the city.  Now I have been as far away as Australia, Africa and the U.S.A., but I have never been to Bruges and it really made me want to go there.  So do film locations influence our choice of holiday destination?   I may be the only person on the planet who didn’t like ‘Mama Mia’ but I thought the background shots were stunning and reminded me of several wonderful holidays spent on the island of Skiathos.  ‘Out of Africa’ brings back memories of my trip around Kenya, especially when they buried Finch Hatton on the hill with that breathtaking view across the Mara – where I have sat!    And although ‘The Beach’ is not one of the best films I have ever seen, it’s a great advert for the scenery and beaches of Thailand.  You may not fancy Mumbai but ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ really does bring alive the colour and chaos that is India