Frigiliana Pictures

Showcasing pictures of Frigiliana, a favorite for relaxing holidays in Spain. The white-walled Moorish village clinging to the craggy slopes is engagingly pretty. Its steep, narrow streets evoke a purer past and invite idle exploration shaded from the blistering Andalucian sun. In the distance, the magnificent peaks of the Sierra Nevada beckon with the allure of cooler mountain air. Beneath you, the end of a long and winding road, the Mediterranean stretches seductively to far horizons beneath a canopy of cloudless blue sky.

Frigiliana by day

Frigiliana by night

Frigiliana is perched precipitously on the rocky slopes of the Sierras de Tejeda foothills. It is a little north of the historic seaside settlement of Nerja, and some 40 miles east of Malaga. But in Frigiliana, you seem to be a million miles from the strips of high-rise hotels and sprawling residential developments that spoil much of the Costa del Sol. No wonder this part proclaims itself 'the real Spain'. Check out the pictures just to show how lovely it is.

 

Holiday Hair Care Tips

Planning for a cool holiday can take up a lot of your time, but something that you also need to consider when traveling is how you can take care of yourself when on the road. This includes your crowning glory, your hair. Traveling to different locations, and being exposed to all kinds of weather while on the road can take a toll on your hair, but with a few simple tips you can manage your tresses even while on the go.

Pack the essentials
Be sure to pack your hair arsenals when traveling. However be sure to store them in easy to carry containers, kept in zip lock plastics, and in accordance to airport rules. You certainly don't want any of your hair products being tossed in a bin!

And while you may have 2 or 3 choices for a certain hair product, you can choose your most effective one to be able to pack light and minimize your baggage.

When it comes to shopping for hair products for your travels, UK high streets such as Dorothy Perkins, Marks and Spencer and ASOS stock all the essentials.

Consider a trim
If you are already planning to have a hair cut, doing so before flying can be the best time.

With a less demanding do, you can take care of your hair easier plus you'll be sporting a new look while on the road, an instant mood booster!

Make most out of your hotel room
Before going off, you are sure to have inquired about your hotel room. In planning your travel, you can look for hotels with dryers included, as in most cases.

This will help you determine if you still need to pack your own dryer. However if you do not trust any dryer other than your own or that of the salon, make sure to pack a light weight dryer.

Don't forget the hat
Hats, caps or beenies, depending on the place you are going can be a tremendous help for your hair. Not only do they protect your hair, you can also hide the not so attractive state of your hair in case you are still adjusting to local weather.

If you're traveling for fun, don't think too much about your hair. Just relax, the people you encounter are probably far less concerned about your hair than you are.
Happy Traveling!

5 Cool UK Bike Trips

Showcasing cool bike drives in the UK. As a bike lover, you will more than likely be on the search for the perfect blend of hair-raising bends and breath-taking scenery so you can get your knee down and your heart rate up. If so, these road trips will be right up your street!

1) The Peak District - the Cat and Fiddle Run

The 11km-long strip of tarmac known as the Cat and Fiddle run in Buxton, Macclesfield, is a rite of passage for bikers because of the smoothness of the surface and the staggering scenery, but it comes with its own fair share of danger, so make sure you ride with utmost care and concentration.

Video of Cat and Fiddle run

Nonetheless, the bends, the corners, the moors and the views along the A357 are sure to keep you coming back.

2) Northern Ireland - the Antrim coast road

At 60 miles long, the Antrim coast road is a contender for one of the best biking roads in Ireland - if not, the world. Head north out of Larne on to the A2 and follow the road which twists in and out of pretty fishing villages, skimming close to the sea's edge - gazing out across the North Channel to the Mull of Kintyre.

The route is extremely technical as the turns get tighter and the drops tumble into the waves crashing into the cliffs below, so focus on your observation and positioning skills - and you will be well rewarded.

Video of Antrim coast road

3) East Sussex - Tenterden to Hastings

For a lovely ride on a sunny morning, leave Tenterden on the B2082 heading south towards Rye. Keep your wits about you, as this is a nippy, twisty road that demands your utmost attention, and watch out for blind spots from the high hedges that enclose the road. Rye is a great place for bikers, with many gathering at the roundabouts on the quayside, but once you've had your fill, head west from here on the A259, another good fast road, which should mean you get to Hastings - home to the annual May Day Run - just in time for lunch on the seafront.

 Hastings May day Run

4) North Wales and Snowdonia - Llangollen to Betws-y-Coed

The A5 is full of twists and kinks and follows a meandering river for much of the way - without cutting corners. For a great day's biking, follow the road all the way through Llanberis between the mountains of Snowdon and the Glyders - riding with caution through the Llanberis pass.

Llanberis pass

Biking Video of Llanberis pass

Finish your journey in Betws-y-Coed, the gateway into Snowdownia National Park - and spend a night or two at one of the motorbike-friendly bed and breakfast's in this small yet perfectly formed tourist town.

5) Scottish Highlands - Glasgow to Inverness

Throughout its length from Glasgow to Inverness, the A82 is a joy to ride; the banks of Loch Lomond set the tone for the route, as the road clings to the magnificent landscape. This fast yet smooth road goes on through Glencoe and along the full length of Loch Ness, offering a fantastic introduction to highland riding - with high speed curves and long sweeping bends - before taking you onto Fort William and Fort Augustus.

With boundless views into the distance, this road will give you a real sense of freedom, and is the perfect place to spend a weekend getting away from it all.

Beauty tips when traveling

Traveling to different places is cool but at times it can be very damaging to your face, skin and hair. Different destinations can have different climates and weather, so if you are the jet setter kind, chances are, the harsh effects of differing climate can have a very adverse effect on your appearance.

But staying beautiful even while traveling is still possible, with some fine tuning with your usual beauty rituals.

Here are some important tips on how to stay beautiful and radiant looking while traveling;

Moisturising
Whether the climate on your destination is warm or cool, it is a must to bring with you a face and body moisturiser to protect your skin from drying up.

And to avoid bringing too much products, it's best to invest in all in one moisturizers for the face and the whole body.

Sun Cream
If you will be out on the beach or will be visiting a particularly hot and humid place, you need to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays by applying sunblock.

Even if you want a sun-kissed look to carry with you after a vacation, you will still need to apply some sun protection just to make sure you don't over do your tan and get irreparable damage from basking under the sun.

For your lips
Putting on too much lip color, or lip tints that stay too long, can both be drying for your lips. Instead you may want to bring along a medicated lip balm, with SPF and moisturizers to protect your lips from chapping.

It can be better to put on lip gloss instead of heavy lip color to have moist and pretty kissers.

Tame the tresses
Your hair can get easily frizzy when traveling to different places with different weather.

To protect your hair, you can carry along hair conditioning agents and basic shampoo to clean and keep you mane soft and beautiful.

Bring only the basics
To keep your travel hassle free, remember to bring only your basic make up. It is best to apply less make up when traveling and use products that can act in more ways than one, for instance lip and cheek colorants. Also, go easy on your mascara, some may not be well suited in very humid places, so if you can skip the mascara and keep eye color on the minimum, it is best to do so.

While traveling and seeing the world, cut back on the amount of time spent on your beauty routine and enjoy focusing on the new sights surrounding you. Being lively, curious and interested in the world around you is the best beauty advice of all.

You can buy excellent quality and relatively cheap haircare products, suncream and all your essential travel products at UK high streets like ASOS,  Dorothy Perkins or Marks and Spencer.

Cool beaches off the beaten track

When choosing a beach holiday the usual checklist includes sun, sea, sand, cash, travel insurance and sun cream – but if you’re looking for a bit of beach variety this year, check out our guide to unique cool beaches off the beaten track; far flung destinations that take the investigative tourist far from the crowds into weird and wonderful landscapes.

Kuakata – Bangladesh
Located on the Bay of Bengal, Kaukata offers up 30km of wide, sandy beach, is hugged in the east by the Gangamati mangrove forest, lined with coconut groves and provides a resting place for flocks of migratory birds. Due to it's natural cross-bow shape, this is one of the few beaches in the world where you can watch both the sunrise and sunset.

Glass Beach – Hawaii
A rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Kauai, Glass Beach is a comber’s dream destination. Rather than soft sand underfoot, the whole beach shines with ocean polished sea glass, creating a rainbow of colour on the shore.

Pfeiffer Beach – California
With the Santa Lucia Mountains providing a back drop on the Big Sur coastline, this area offers up a more rugged beach experience than its neighbouring Southern California spots. But aside from its rock stacks, surf and sunsets, Pfeiffer Beach is renowned for its purple sand, created by manganese garnet particles washing down the hillside – the further north you go, the deeper the colour gets.

 Source: Flickr [Link]

Sipadan Island – Malaysia
Located in the Celebes Sea, Sipadan is renowned as one of the top five dive sites in the world. A rainforest covered tropical island that rises just 700 meters from the ocean floor, the waters around Sipadan are flush with sea life. Within about eight meters of the beach the sea floor drops off to 600 meters, creating a meeting point for coral and deep water creatures. The island is also home to the eerie turtle grave yard – a network of caves, littered with the empty shells of these great seafaring reptiles.

Cleopatra's Beach – Turkey
Alongside the remains of a Byzantine church, Roman walls and colonnades, olive groves and the foundations of the temple of Apollo, legend has it that the pearl-like, transparent sand on Cleopatra's beach was shipped here from Egypt by Marc Anthony in honour of his royal lover. So cherished is the sand, even today, that boardwalks carry visitors over the beach directly into the water and vice versa.

For more cool travel stuff, take a look around the rest of Travelphant Travel Blog and please leave a comment if you have something to share with everyone.