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AROUND 25 EUROSTAR journeys to and from two popular cities have been cancelled tomorrow due to a nationwide strike.

Industrial action across the Netherlands means there will be no public transport in destinations like Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Tomorrow there will be no services on trains, buses, trams or metros across the Netherlands – including Eurostar services.

The strike is being held by the country’s largest trade union for staff who operate public transport with the walkouts scheduled for 2am on Wednesday and 2am on Thursday.

According to next Wednesday’s Eurostar schedule there are usually five direct services to Amsterdam from St Pancras each day and nine indirect routes with Eurostar.

As for return trains there are usually five direct routes and six indirect back to London.

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When it comes to Rotterdam there are usually five direct services and eight indirect routes scheduled mid-week.

Returning to London are five direct routes and six indirect.

But none of these will be running tomorrow due to the strike action.

Due to the early hours of the strike ending, services on Thursday morning could be affected too with several Eurostar journeys in showing as ‘Not available’.

On its website, Eurostar said: “No national or international trains will be able to run on the Dutch network on that day.

“There will also be some disruption on the evening of Tuesday September 8 and the morning of Thursday September 10.”

It continued: “If you’re due to travel with Eurostar, you can check whether your journey is affected by the strike on our live train info page.”

“We’ve also contacted all affected passengers whose contact details we have.

“If you have a connecting journey, please get in touch with the relevant train company for more information.

“We know how important your travel plans are and we’re sorry for the disruption this strike will cause.”

The operator added that if your Eurostar train is no longer running, you can either change your booking for free, cancel your booking and get an e-voucher or cancel your booking and get a full refund.

In Amsterdam, metros, trams, buses and ferry services will all be suspended.

In Rotterdam, the metros, trams, buses will be suspended as well, and in The Hague, trams and buses will not be running.

A Eurostar spokesperson told Sun Travel: “Following the national public transport strike on Wednesday 9 September 2026 from 2AM until the 10^th of September at 2AM in the Netherlands, no Eurostar trains will be able to run on the Dutch network on Wednesday.

“Affected passengers have been notified and can obtain a reimbursement or change their tickets free of charge. We apologise for the inconvenience.

“Trains on the other Eurostar routes are running normally.”

FAMILIES can save even more on holidays this month with a new deal that lets kids fly for FREE.

Turkish Airlines Holidays, the holiday brand of Turkish Airlines, has launched an offer that allows children under 11-years-old to fly for free.

The offer is available on specific holiday packages booked up to September 29.

And it includes some exciting holiday destinations such as Turkey, Mauritius, the Maldives and Dubai.

The offer is for any holiday departing between now and March 30, 2027.

Other offers include 15 per cent off Economy Class basic fares or 20 per cent off Business Class fares.

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You’ll also get complimentary seat selection as well on eligible flights.

For example, you could head to Istanbul in Turkey from £249 per person for two nights.

You’d stay at the four-star Darkhill Hotel, close to all the city’s main attractions.

The hotel also has its own rooftop bar with views across the city.

Alternatively, you could head to Dubai for three nights, costing from £769 per person.

You’d stay at the five-star Paramount Hotel Midtown, with breakfast included.

In the hotel there are a number of restaurants and bars including a rooftop terrace with a huge screen and views across the city skyline.

Want to splash out? Well, you could travel to Mauritius and stay at the five-star Maritim Resort & Spa for five nights, from £1,369 per person.

The new offer brings Turkish Airlines Holidays in line with other tour operator such as TUI and easyJet holidays.

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1. Palm Canyon Drive. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) 2. A metal sculpture of a serpent by artist Richard Breceda. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

This lonely San Diego County desert town, about 50 miles from the nearest Starbucks, deserves the attention of anyone who really wants peace and quiet. It’s home to perhaps 4,000 year-round residents, star-struck by night, startling at dawn, surrounded by the largest state park in California, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Dark skies, aimless days and spring wildflowers draw many people. But fall visitors can hike the park’s Borrego Palm Canyon Trail (3 miles round trip) or the narrow canyon known as The Slot. Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep and dozens of metal artworks by sculptor Ricardo Breceda scattered around town, especially the 350-foot-long sea serpent (along Borrego Springs Road), which has become a community mascot.

Check out: The town’s biggest party of the year, Borrego Days, is coming Oct. 17-18. And its seasonal Farmers Market returns to Christmas Circle Community Park on Nov. 6.

Distance: A 4-hour drive from L.A. (154 miles from L.A. City Hall, via Google Maps).

SAN DIEGO — As dusk approached San Diego’s seaside enclave of Ocean Beach, its Sunset Cliffs bustled on a recent Friday evening.

Two engaged couples posed for wedding photos in between joggers, dog walkers and sightseers who clamored around Osprey Street to enjoy the day’s majestic sunset.

It was a deceptively idyllic setting for what authorities say is continued lawbreaking and peril, which authorities just can’t seem to quash.

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The lawbreakers were gathered this day on a cliff and a nearby arch, a crowd of around 50 young people — 14- to 20-year-olds, mostly males. Buoyed by a youthful sense of invincibility, they dared one another to leap, waiting for another to move, like emperor penguin chicks before a first arctic plunge.

After a few minutes, there was a dive off the arch, followed by a cannonball from the next person, a backflip from a third and then other more spectacular and daring stunts from the flock.

The cliff divers, drawn to the thrills of the illicit jumps amplified by social media, reveled in dozens of leaps.

No one was injured that day, but that hasn’t always been the case.

People jump into the water at Sunset Cliffs. San Diego officials urge visitors to avoid jumping, but that doesn’t stop tourists and thrill-seekers.

At least three individuals were rescued after suffering injuries this summer at Sunset Cliffs, leading police to ramp up enforcement as locals debate the need for safety versus the merits of youthful rites of passage.

California dreaming

Back home in Iowa, Marcus English said he’d probably be hosting bonfires or hitting up local pools in mid- to late August. Instead, the 17-year-old was at the cliffs enjoying his last few days off before beginning his senior year of high school.

“There are some places to jump, some lakes in Iowa,” he said, “but nothing like this.”

English wangled a stop during a weeklong family trip to California that included national park visits to stop by Sunset Cliffs, which he saw on social media.

The vistas and cool breezes represented quintessential California to the Midwesterner, equal parts “what I saw on Instagram and a movie.”

English spread out his arms, squatted and then leaped before taking a roughly 15-foot plunge from the arch into the shallow waters. He jumped multiple times on consecutive days.

“It’s just so freeing,” he said of his leaps. “There’s nothing like it.”

‘Hopefully I can walk again’

Jumping happens at several places throughout the cliffs.

The most common launch point is from the arch, with drops ranging from 15 to 20 feet depending on the water level, said a San Diego Police Department spokesperson.

The more exotic and dangerous plunges happen from the adjacent cliffs, with youngsters jumping from 20 to 40 feet, and some as much as 50 feet.

What makes the latter leap more treacherous is a rock ledge that juts out about 10 to 15 feet from the cliffs. Jumpers have little room to run and gain momentum (unlike at the arch) and must clear that formation before hitting the water.

This summer’s safety debate reached a fever pitch in late July. A 17-year-old jumper, according to social media footage, struck the ledge with his backside and crashed into the water.

The incident was covered extensively by San Diego media and resulted in increased policing near the bluffs.

For his part, the unnamed 17-year-old said in a since-deleted social media post that he suffered six fractured vertebrae and a badly bruised tailbone and needed nine stitches in his foot. The Times could not independently reach him.

Spectators watch people jump into the water from the arch at Sunset Cliffs.

“For everyone who wants to tell me I’m an idiot for doing that, trust me, I’m aware,” he said. “Hopefully I can walk again, but I’m just trying to take it slow.”

Sunset Cliffs have attracted visitors and tragedies

Injuries and deaths from jumping at the cliffs date to the 19th century, San Diego Reader noted earlier this year.

A schoolboy named Waldham slipped off the cliffs after a scrum with friends and broke his arm in 1881. One of the earliest deaths came in 1926, when a 3-year-old wandered from his home on Narragansett Avenue and fell to his demise.

Police and lifeguards were unsure as to the most recent jumping fatality, with one official pointing to the 2019 death of 15-year-old Anthony Womack, a National City resident.

The Sweetwater High School sophomore was reported to have jumped from nearby Pappy’s Point after skipping school with friends.

Brook Hjelm, the mother of 23-year-old Brian Wilson, who died swimming at Sunset Cliffs in 2015, told the local CBS station she would like to see photos of those who had died posted along with danger signs in the area. “Put signs up of our young men and women that we lost,” Hjelm said. “Let them see the face of something that associates them with what truly is at stake.”

Tracking the action

Attention surrounding Sunset Cliffs injuries ebbs and flows much like the current, according to Frank Gormlie, a longtime San Diego County resident who tracked incidents more than a decade ago.

Gormlie, the founder and editor of Ocean Beach’s online newspaper, OB Rag, scoured media archives and spoke with residents.

He published a list in his October 2015 article “Death and Distress at Sunset Cliffs – 2005 to 2015,” which he described as “incomplete” because of unreported incidents.

“It had gotten so bad that I wanted to chronicle what was going on,” Gormlie said.

His research documented 11 deaths and dozens of injuries during that time span. Those statistics came from jumps, along with vehicular, climbing and health incidents.

Some incidents had little to do with jumping, such a surfer smashing into the rocks. But a 43-year-old woman slipped and fell to her death in 2015, while two jumpers needed crane-assisted rescues after suffering serious injuries, according to Gormlie.

The Sunset Cliffs siren’s song

“People have been visiting the Sunset Cliffs for years because it has a beauty that shocks,” Gormlie said. “But I think social media has found its way to the next generation of adventure seekers who don’t know about the dangers.”

The Sunset Cliffs area is Instagram-ready, and social media has drawn some visitors looking to brave the leap.

Gormlie said swimming and diving are local rites of passage. He noted that Ocean Beach residents commonly “shoot the OB pier” — surfing under that the town’s pier — a risky stunt that Gormlie did as an 18-year-old before shipping off for college.

Gormlie jumped from the cliffs in 2014, shortly after turning 65.

He wrote about his experience through an anonymous post, saying he “did it for all those guys and women my age who drive by every day and secretly wish they could jump off too.”

“It’s irresistible,” he said of jumping.

Police and lifeguard efforts

The teen’s accident in July was one of three incidents and subsequent rescues over a 15-day period, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

All rescues involved San Diego Fire-Rescue Department lifeguards and personnel. The department shares jurisdiction of Sunset Cliffs with the San Diego Police Department and rangers with the city Department of Parks and Recreation, said Candace Hadley, Fire-Rescue public information officer.

Hadley wanted to remind potential jumpers that the act of leaping from the cliffs violates a San Diego municipal code and could result in fines of $100 or more. Frequent fliers could be smacked with $1,000 fines.

“Cliff jumping isn’t just illegal in San Diego, it’s extremely dangerous,” Hadley said. “One misstep could lead to a life-altering injury or worse.”

Her office tends to offer education on the dangers of jumping, she said, while San Diego police dealout penalties.

The problem of jumpers at Sunset Cliffs has been part of achallenging summer for the lifeguards, who have made 5,480 rescues across the 17 miles of San Diego coastline they patrol from June 1 to Sept. 1. Extreme heat has driven more people to the beach, and high surf fueled by Pacific tropical storms has added to the dangers.

The rescues have mostly been of swimmers not properly judging the strong currents. In a normal year, Hadley said, the lifeguards make about 7,500 to 8,000 rescues.

Sgt. Saum Poorsaleh, San Diego police public information officer, said his department had issued more than 50 citations at Sunset Cliffs and dispensed about 350 warnings, written and oral, since mid-June.

But he said the department is short-handed, and increasing enforcement permanently is not feasible.

“There are warning signs all over the cliffs noting the dangers, but people still jump,” Poorsaleh said. “Mix in social media — which is drawing in tourists from all over the country — and a young person’s feeling of invincibility and there’s a chance for trouble.”

Visitors have been jumping at the Ocean Beach location for decades. One local said he jumped after turning 65, calling it “irresistible.”

San Diego City Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, who represents Ocean Beach, recently issued a statement reminding visitors “to prioritize safety and not jump from the cliffs.”

“The cliffs can be unpredictable,” she said, “and changing tides, strong currents, rough surf, and hidden rocks can quickly create life-threatening conditions.”

A longtime local tradition

Lyne Miller has lived all her life in Ocean Beach, where saltwater runs in locals’ veins and it’s not uncommon to see residents toting surfboard as they ride a bike or golf cart to the beach.

From a young age, Miller, 80, said she promised her mom that she “would never jump.”

Miller says the number of teens arriving at the beach, likely driven by social media, “is more than ever.”

But she acknowledged that locals had been jumping at Sunset Cliffs since at least the 1950s in surf-centric Ocean Beach.

“This is a playground for those who love the water, who love the ocean,” she said. “I hope if there’s a crackdown on jumping, it’s not harsh.

“I don’t necessarily feel negative about the jumpers,” she added. “I just wish they would be smarter and jump from safer spots at better times.”

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson want their massive spaceship of a museum to be an experience. Across 300,000 square feet and 11 acres of park space, there’s a lot to take in. Staring up at the 90-foot-diameter oculus four stories above the entrance plaza makes one feel like a speck in the galaxy.

Instead of trying to conquer everything on a first visit — there are more than 1,300 works — hit our highlights below. If you aim to walk around the striking building to view a mishmash of masterpieces, children’s illustrations, movie memorabilia that’s heavy on “Star Wars” and comic strips, you’ll have a good time. If you’re hoping to learn about what’s on display or how adjacent pieces relate, curb your enthusiasm. It’s almost as if the museum is making a statement: you don’t need some analysis to connect with the works. If you complain about the collection, the co-founders don’t care. “Is it fine art? It’s finer art because it’s actually telling a story,” Lucas said at a museum party last week.

The 90-foot-diameter oculus provides unique viewing from the fourth-floor gallery.

(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)

The gee-whiz elevators at the entrance of the museum.

(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)

Whoosh up in the glass-tube elevators to the massive fourth floor to begin. Best to explore the bulk of the galleries when your gas tank is full. Then head up a floor to see the murals. Take a break at the rooftop Skywalker Grill before ambling to the library and grounds. Skip the first floor’s “History of Narrative Art.” The exhibition is mostly screens, projections and reproductions, with a handful of great works from the 16th and 17th centuries and feels superficial at times. If you care about whether something is an original or a copy, check the gallery labels. Hungry for more detail? There’s a $30 exhibition catalog in the gift shop.

Prepare to get your steps in and feel a little turned around once it opens Sept. 22. Admission is $25 for adults, free for kids.

A woman was left gobsmacked when she was taken for a ‘full body search’ at the airport after she set off the security scanners twice with her hand luggage. She was dumbfounded by the reason

Airport security is stressful enough without triggering a major alert. Between removing your belt and wrestling electronics out of your bag, it’s easy to feel flustered.

But one woman is warning travellers to avoid a simple pre-flight habit that got her pulled aside by security not once, but twice. George, a lawyer who posts on TikTok as @awomancalledgeorge, was travelling with just a carry-on when she became the subject of a “double security alert.”

After her bag was pulled from the scanner, she was surrounded by security staff. She explained: “The scanner seemed to have picked up traces of something that could be dangerous.” The subsequent swabs of her hands and bag also came back positive.

“It’s a double problem,” she said. “When you know you haven’t got anything, you still feel guilty. I’m a lawyer, and I was standing there thinking I know I haven’t done anything wrong, but you still feel guilty.”

The alert led to a full-body search, and security staff had to unpack and swab every single item in her bag.

George shared that she’d “never seen anything like it” when her “hand luggage bag got pulled,” and people appeared and were talking “really seriously” to her.

She recalled having to go off and have a “full body search” and they “had to unpack every single thing” in her bag. Staff “swabbed most of it”, before letting her go.

What caused the drama at airport security?

It turns out that what had set it off was “hand cream and body lotion”. George had a shower before heading to the airport and slathered herself in the really nice creams.

But she urged others to take the “life lesson” from her and not do the same thing. She explained: “It turns out the glycerin in hand cream and body lotion can trigger the security systems.

“Who knew? I certainly didn’t know. Having gone through that, I shaln’t be doing that again”.

What are swabs at the airport checking for?

Security swabs primarily test for trace chemical residues associated with explosives.

Staff wipe a small area of a passenger’s hands, bag, shoes, or electronics, and analyse the sample for microscopic particles. Because these chemicals can transfer from harmless everyday sources – like lotions, soaps, or certain fertilizers – a positive swab doesn’t automatically mean you’ve handled anything illegal.

Less commonly, depending on the country and situation, swabs can also be used to detect drug residue or other prohibited substances.

After two of his children fell ill on an all-inclusive Jet2 trip to Turkey, Blake Chapman decided to abandon the holiday and fly home – but says he was left £10,000 out of pocket

A furious dad says he was left £2,000 out of pocket after a holiday nightmare – despite having paid for travel insurance. Blake Chapman flew out with his 29-year-old partner Abbey Andrews and their three children Keeton, 11, Tobias, 3, and Vienna 1, on August 6. They had paid for 10-day £8,000 all-inclusive Jet2 holiday in the Turkish resort of Alanya.

But the family’s holiday started to go wrong just two days after they landed in Turkey, when Blake and Abbey’s youngest child, Vienna, fell ill with symptoms of severe food poisoning. “It started happening with my one-year-old two days in,” Blake said. “She was completely fine then it got to about 11:15pm and she started projectile vomiting, really bad diarrhoea, temperature.

“Because we were in a different country we panicked. I ran down to reception, they told me that they’d call an ambulance. They got to the hospital, they put an IV drip in Vienna.”

Soon after arriving at the hospital, Blake was presented with a £2,000 bill. “I argued it because I said that we’ve got insurance and I paid for the higher insurance,” he said. “In the end I just paid it.”

But things went from bad to worse when the couple’s three-year-old son Tobias began to show the same symptoms.

Blake said: “The following day around 1.00pm we all got out of the pool just about to get some dinner and it happened to my three-year-old Tobias. We kind of knew what to expect this time. Tobias was being sick in the hospital.”

Faced with the prospect of a second massive bill, Blake refused hospital treatment for Tobias and consulted a pharmacist instead.

Meanwhile, although Blake had been given an explanation for Vienna’s symptoms, he didn’t entirely believe it. He continued: ”We got the doctor’s report and they put it down to dehydration but I’m like a helicopter dad, I took the kids all over the world, we’ve never had a problem.

“When Vienna went to hospital she had a blood test and they said she’s got high white blood cells so that indicated an infection. I don’t believe it is dehydration because I’m not going to sit with a one-year-old in the beaming sun.”

With two of his children seriously unwell, Blake made the decision to abandon the holiday: “My plan was ‘let’s get out of here, let’s fly home’,” he says.

Blake says he tried to get hold of the Jet2 rep without success, so he called the company direct. Despite being told that his insurance claims could potentially take months to process, Blake and Abbey decided to leave the hotel before anyone else fell ill, spending another £950 on flights, arriving back in the UK on August 11.

“It’s put me off all-inclusives,” Blake says. “I would never go to Turkey again in my life from this experience.

He stressed that he wasn’t holding anyone responsible, but was frustrated by the slow process of his insurance claim. ”I’m not blaming the hotel, I’m not blaming the hospital for us being ill but it was how we were left in the dark,” he said.

“It’s very frustrating, very emotional. What I want to do is spread awareness because people think if you go all inclusive with the full travel insurance too then you’ll be OK if anything happens – but we were asked to pay thousands.”

A spokesperson for Jet2holidays said: “We were very sorry to hear that members of the Chapman family became unwell during their holiday. Our in-resort team made attempts to contact the family to offer support, but they had already departed before we were able to speak to them.

“Our teams on the ground work tirelessly to support customers throughout their holidays, and we remain committed to providing help whenever it is needed.”

AN airport that was closed for almost three days after a volcanic eruption has finally reopened.

But hundreds of thousands of passengers are scrambling to get home with flights still being delayed or cancelled.

On Monday, Indonesia’s Transport Ministry reported on Monday that as many as 270,000 travellers were stranded with their flights “cancelled, delayed, or diverted” – including those at Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International Airport which has since reopened.

Now it’s believed as many as 370,000 passengers are said to have been affected by the disruption across the last three days, with 3,000 flights cancelled.

It started on Friday when there was an eruption on Anak Krakatau.

An ash cloud drifted into the city of Jakarta and the Lampung province, halting flights at its airports with seven being forced to close.

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The biggest airport to close was Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta International which grounded flights from Sunday until early this morning.

The current FCDO advice reads: “Soekarno Hatta Airport and Halim Airport in Jakarta were temporarily closed due to the volcanic ash clouds from Mount Anak Krakatau on 5 September.

“Both airports have reopened, but there are continued flight disruptions and many flights are cancelled or delayed.”

For anyone due to travel, it advises to check with your airline or travel provider for up to date information on your flight status.

On Flightradar24, Soekarno Hatta Airport has had 9 per cent of its flights cancelled today with 20 per cent delayed.

Lots of travellers were told they wouldn’t be able to fly for a few more days, including a newlywed couple on a honeymoon in Bali.

Talking to Bernama, they asked: “What are we going to do here for another five days? We only prepared enough money for our honeymoon and [were supposed] to go home yesterday.

They continued: “We thought we would just sleep at the airport for a few hours and then take the morning flight home [on Monday]. We never thought we would end up being stuck here for days.”

Yesterday, another passenger told AFP how they had not heard any updates from the airline and were seeking out hotels only to find most of them have been fully booked.

Airlines like Qantas are offering anyone who booked to go to or from Jakarta before September 5 the chance for a free refund on travel up to September 11.

But its services are resuming as scheduled from today.

Indonesia’s Geological Agency has warned however that “the probability of further eruptions in the coming periods remains high”.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

It’s not too late to soak up the sun and book a last-minute getaway, with a stunning European country offering 28C weather in September and beaches that compare to the Maldives

A beautiful European destination is emerging as a new holiday hotspot, with balmy temperatures in September. It’s even been hailed as a cheap alternative to the Maldives, thanks to its azure waters and sugar-white sand beaches.

If you’re looking for a September escape at a budget price and without the crowds, Albania should be top of your list. Data from TripAdvisor revealed that Albania saw a 60% increase in interest during the first half of the year, emerging as a fast-rising destination in Europe. And it’s particularly beautiful in September, with sun-soaked rays of up to 28C and an unspoilt collection of beaches.

Albania’s coastline stretches along both the Adriatic and Ionian seas, with some of its stunning shores found along the Albanian Riviera in the south, offering crystal-clear turquoise waters and unspoilt white sand. They’ve been celebrated among the finest in Europe, with the Ksamil Islands a standout.

Dhërmi and Jale Beach are another exceptional spot for sun-seekers looking to bask on the beach, complete with lively beach parties and buzzing bars. But it’s not just the southern coast that impresses; the northern shores provide a more peaceful alternative, with pristine beaches tucked away amongst bays and hidden coves.

Aside from its beaches, there’s plenty to explore in Albania, including its vibrant capital, Tiranë (Tirana), where visitors can ride the Dajti Ekspres cable car for breathtaking views, or admire its unique architecture, vibrant street art and sprawling green parks. There are also its famed underground bunkers, Bunk’Art 1 and Bunk’Art 2, which are now history and art museums, as well as nearby walking trails through the dramatic scenery of the Albanian Alps.

And that’s not all. Albania remains one of Europe’s most budget-friendly destinations, with a three-star hotel stay in the walkable city of Tiranë costing just £41.72 per night, research from Hoppa revealed. Meanwhile, a draft beer in the city can cost just £2.41, and a meal can start from a mere £7.27. What’s more, flights in September start from just £15 one-way, according to Skyscanner.

The European country has even been recommended by the professionals, as Adam Hodge, who has worked as Wizz Air cabin crew for eight years, said it starkly resembles the Maldives. “Albania has similarities to the Maldives, especially with its beachy vibes, lovely sun loungers, and its aquamarine waters,” he previously told the Mirror. “If you want to do a city break, it’s brilliant, or if you want to do a beach getaway along the coast, and towards the top, you have the European destination alternative to the Maldives.”

Adam added: “Albania is definitely one of my favourite destinations, and I’d say that it’s one to watch out for. Plus, it’s good to try somewhere lesser-known. It’s got everything which is great, and it’s very good value for money. Some of the destinations we fly to are not using the euro currency, so actually you do get a little bit more value for money with the destinations out of the euro currency as well, when it comes to eating out, drinks and destination activity trips.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Holidaymakers heading abroad are being urged to check an important easyJet rule before boarding the plane

For many travellers, there are a few items that automatically make it into a suitcase before a holiday begins. But one increasingly common gadget comes with restrictions that could catch passengers out if they arrive at the airport with too many.

The warning is particularly relevant to anyone who likes to carry several charging accessories when travelling. EasyJet has issued a reminder to customers that there is a maximum number they can take with them, alongside rules about where the items must be packed and how they can be used during a flight.

Power banks are the accessory in question, with easyJet allowing a maximum of two per passenger. The airline says they must be carried in cabin baggage only and should ideally be kept somewhere they can be easily monitored.

There is another important restriction once passengers are on board, as easyJet says power banks cannot be charged or used to charge other devices during the flight. Its guidance also says power banks must be individually protected, such as by keeping them in their original packaging or a plastic bag.

The rules are part of wider aviation safety measures around lithium batteries, which can pose a fire risk if they are damaged or develop a fault. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says power banks must be carried in carry-on baggage, individually protected when not in use and must not be recharged during a flight.

It also says power banks should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices while on board. Guidance confirms that a maximum of two power banks can be carried per person, although batteries with higher capacities can be subject to additional airline approval requirements.

For easyJet passengers, that means checking the number of chargers in your cabin bag before heading to the airport. Anyone carrying three power banks would be over the airline’s stated limit, even if each individual device would otherwise meet the relevant requirements.

Passengers should also avoid putting them into checked luggage, as easyJet specifically prohibits power banks from being carried in the hold. The airline recommends keeping them somewhere they can be monitored, which means they should remain accessible during the journey rather than being buried inside a suitcase.

The CAA’s advice is similarly clear that spare lithium batteries and power banks belong in the cabin rather than checked baggage.

The reason for keeping them close to passengers is that a battery problem can be identified and dealt with more quickly in the cabin.

Once upon a time, in the woods outside Pola de Somiedo, lived a family of Cantabrian brown bears. The villagers reported sightings of a mother bear who had lost a leg to a hunter’s trap, her two cubs and two adult males, either of which might have been the father. In those days, at the end of the 1980s, they seemed to be the last of their kind in this part of Asturias. Meanwhile, the wider population dropped to about 60 bears across the surrounding Cantabrian mountain range that gave the species its name.

They have since clawed their way back from the edge of extinction here in northern Spain, and nature guide Luis Frechilla believes their numbers may now be upwards of 500 again. “They’re still classed as endangered,” he tells me, until the official count hits 1,000. But relative abundance makes them much easier to see today in Somiedo natural park – one of Spain’s first such protected areas, established in 1988.

Setting his scope on a tripod in a steep-angled pasture, Frechilla spots a bear almost as soon as we start looking. A juvenile, apparently, which means the animal is old enough to be foraging alone, but it’s still too small, and too far away, for him to tell if it’s a male or female. Another bear-spotter standing near us seems more willing to take a guess.

“Ooh, look at his little ears,” she says delightedly, beaming behind binoculars. No expert myself, I watch that distant fuzzy shape move across the viewfinder and along the sharp ridges opposite, blinking in and out of sight like a cursor on the trend line of a graph. I’m not sure that we are close enough to call this an encounter, but it is an experience.

The sun drops behind the peaks; the birds sing a dusk chorus in the birches and oaks; cowbells ring through the valley from the dairy herds that help this region of so-called “Green Spain” look and sound like the Swiss Alps. It gets cold at night up here, and it’s been known to snow in summer, though my own visit in late spring sees the mountaintops looking whiter than anyone around here can remember so deep into May.

That weather, and the sheer calorific spend of living and working at a median altitude of 1,300 metres, has made the traditional cuisine much sturdier here than elsewhere in Spain.

Down at the village inn, Casa Miño, we share a bottle of regional cider and a cachopo (beef fillet topped with serrano ham, peppers and goat cheese, and pounded into a single solid unit the size of a solar panel). I want fabada, too, the famous Asturian stew of white beans, pork belly and blood sausage. Frechilla says it’s a winter dish, customarily eaten for lunch – too heavy for the body to process later in the day. But I would order fabada at midnight in a heatwave, and keep eating it even while they loaded me into the ambulance.

The bears, meanwhile, don’t have much to feed on at the moment. They only woke from hibernation a few weeks ago, explains Alicia Madrid the next day, on a forest trail above the century-old hydroelectric power station at La Malva. A biologist with the conservation group Fundación Oso Pardo, Madrid tells me that Cantabrian bears don’t hibernate as long or deeply as other brown bears and are generally smaller and lighter than American grizzlies.

“They’re adapted to this terrain, and they can’t be too heavy because they have to climb a lot,” she says. Their paw prints in the mud look big enough to me, and the bite marks where they chewed clumps of long grasses, and the hairs shed where they scratched their backs against trees. Madrid shows us, too, the hefty rocks they overturned looking for insects. Further into the summer, there’ll be plenty of berries, acorns, chestnuts and maybe some meaty carrion to fatten them up.

The foundation has played a major role in the regrowth of bear populations, building bio-corridors with strategic placements of trees and bushes full of all the things they like to eat. Another key factor is the hunting ban, introduced in 1973. The trick now, says Madrid, is coaxing isolated cohorts to breed with other groups and boost genetic diversity.

Also: managing the tourists who come to see them, and balancing ecological imperatives against financial incentives. Later, after a long hike through the Valley of the Lake to reach the aptly named Lake of the Valley, I overhear Frechilla fielding the related concerns of two local women. Against a backdrop of blue sky, bright wildflowers and silver waters, the women seem to argue that conservation efforts amount to commercial exploitation. Frechilla gently insists that Somiedo natural park is a model of good practice in Spain. Much of the bears’ territory is closed to the public, and spotting expeditions are only permitted in the company of licensed guides. Nature tourism, he says, keeps villagers in jobs where farming culture cannot, and is proving vastly more sustainable than hunting bears for sport. As for protecting humans, there has been only one bear attack in recent memory, on an elderly lady whose evening stroll led her between a mother and cubs. She survived.

For now, at least, most residents seem willing to share the bears with outsiders. That evening, a small crowd gather by the side of a winding back road near Saliencia, some sitting comfortably on camping chairs with spotting scopes in their hands. Everyone is watching a large male bear – so big and so close that they don’t need the viewing equipment – as he lopes across a meadow to take a quick splash in the river. Another male is spotted in the treeline above, and the two circle each other at a distance for a while. There is some speculation that they might fight for this turf, and a man with two leashed greyhounds seems ready to take bets on it. Frechilla shakes his head.

“Maybe later in the season, when they’ve gained enough weight.”

These bears are doing better now, but it’s still a tough life. The reality of their ongoing baby boom is that only 30% of juveniles will survive on their own, after a year of maternal supervision. This is surely why I find it so moving when we follow reports of another sighting in the twilight: a mother and her two young cubs have been seen climbing a slope called El Diente, or “The Tooth”.

It’s getting dark and cold, but we can see them through the scopes, about a mile away from us across the high mountain pass at La Peral. I watch the mother bear waiting and cajoling as needed while the siblings struggle up the vertical planes of rock like toddlers trying to climb a baby gate. On the ridgeline, they turn to silhouettes, play-fighting against a white sky.

They disappear over the far side, but then a little one comes back, seeming to wave goodbye with both front paws in the air. I remember a story I read to my daughter once, which put a poignant time limit on the usual fairytale ending: “And they all lived happily together, for as long as they could.”

The trip was provided by the Spanish Tourist Office, Turismo Asturias and Casa Miño in Pola de Somiedo. Bear-spotting tours with nature guide Luis Frechilla can be organised through Wild Spain Travel. For more information on the Cantabrian brown bear and related conservation efforts, visit Fundación Oso Pardo

AN ICONIC English pleasure pier has been forced to close while “essential works” take place this month.

The seaside structure shut today but is expected to reopen soon.

Weymouth Pleasure Pier will be closed for two weeks while essential surfacing repairs are carried out.

A refurbishment of the beach access steps is also set to take place during this period, while the new handrails will be finished off too.

Dorset Council has said that the beach access will be open in time for the town’s annual Ironman event, which will take place on Sunday, September 20.

News of the closure was shared via the council’s Facebook page in a post that read: “A reminder that the Weymouth Pleasure Pier will be closed for two weeks from Monday 7 September while surfacing works are completed along the wall.”

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It continued: “The beach access steps at the end of the wall will also be closed during this period to enable refurbishment works and completion of the new handrails.

“The beach access steps will be reopened ahead of the Ironman event taking place in Weymouth.

The council thanked residents for their “understanding and cooperation” while the essential works are carried out.

Weymouth Pleasure Pier was previously closed for seven weeks between June and July for more “essential maintenance”.

The site was shut down over the summer months to replace failing harbour walls and safeguard the seafront for the future.

The repairs are part of a wider plan in place to address longstanding deterioration in the seafront defences around the peninsula.

Other problem areas including corrosion and voids behind existing harbour walls, and small sinkholes near footpaths also cropped up in investigations.

Previous repair work to the structures was last completed in 1970, meaning they were no longer viable for withstanding pressure from rising sea levels and more frequent storm surges.

Work has been carried out to strengthen the existing structures to ensure they can serve their purpose for decades to come.

BRITS are facing huge queues and delayed trains after an operational issue has caused problems at the border.

Le Shuttle – previously called Eurotunnel Le Shuttle – has warned passengers not to arrive early in Folkestone for their train.

This is due to huge ongoing delays.

In a statement, they said: “Due to an operational issue, you may experience longer waiting times than usual.

“Please do not arrive more than two hours before your booked departure.”

The website warns of departure delays of approximately four hours from Folkestone to Calais, while the return Calais to Folkestone has delays of three hours.

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However on the website, a 11:24am departure from Folkestone to Calais has now been scheduled for 4:45pm, with this having a knock on effect for the rest of the departures today.

The latest update on the website is for the 3:24pm departure which will now leave at 6:45pm.

A Calais to Folkestone train scheduled for 4:36pm is now set to depart at 7:51pm.

According to local media, one traveller said their train was delayed by 3.5 hours.

Another wrote on social media: “I am on my way to the terminal for a train at 8:24.

“You are running 4.5h late! How can I cancel my trip and get a full refund?”

A third said there were “hundreds of delayed people waiting to board”.

It isn’t clear what has caused the issue or when it will be fixed.

The Sun has contacted Eurotunnel for comment.

AFTER more than a decade, a huge new museum which is more like the ultimate attraction for Star Wars and Indiana Jones fans is set to open.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, created by filmmaker George Lucas, is set to open on September 22 in Los Angeles, America.

Inside the new 28,000sqm museum, visitors will be able to explore items that Lucas has collected over the past five decades, including art, costumes, movie props and memorabilia.

In fact, the museum will be home to more than 1,300 objects in 30 galleries across five floors.

Of course, there will be plenty for Star Wars fans in the museum including sculptures of Yoda and Grogu as well as vehicles from the films.

Visitors can head to two cinematic theatres as well.

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Away from Lucas’ own creations, there will be art by Frida Kahlo as well as rare comics by Frank Miller and Cowboy Bebop anime.

There are some early sketches by Van Gogh and Picasso too

And Banksy has contributed artwork to the museum as well.

Visitors will also be able to catch an insight into Lucas’ early life too, with his student films on show.

The museum itself also looks like a spaceship, with curved white walls.

Outside the museum, there are large green open spaces, with more than 200 trees and a waterfall-like fountain.

If you get hungry, there’s the Skywalker Grill as well, offering all-day dining including seafood, grilled dishes, pasta and desserts.

The restaurant also has an outdoor terrace.

The museum will be open from 10am to 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 9pm on Fridays, 9am to 9pm on Saturdays, 9am to 5pm on Sundays and is closed on Tuesdays.

Adult tickets cost $25 (£18.50) per person and children’s tickets (up to 17-years-old) are free.

THERE is nothing worse than a delayed or cancelled flight – and one airline is now making passengers pay extra if they want help quicker.

Wizz Air has launched a new add-on called ‘Disruption Assistance’, which it claims is ‘added protection’.

According to the airline, passengers will “get extra support if your flight is disrupted on the day of travel”.

The new add-on means that travellers will get notifications for disruptions over two hours, for any reason including severe weather, issues at airports or even strikes.

Another part of the add-on is that you will get rebooked quickly when time matters, even if this means needing to travel with another airline.

You will also be able to request a full refund if the alternatives offered to you don’t work.

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The final part of the add-on is that you will get “access [to] easy self-service tools or speak to an agent”.

You can add Disruption Assistance during the booking process or in Manage My Booking on the airline’s website or app.

In addition, if your flight is impacted on your day of travel, you will be sent an email to the Disruption Portal where you will be able to rebook via one of the options given or offered a refund.

According to EX-YU Aviation, the add-on costs between €9.90 (£8.51) and €14.90 (£12.80) per person.

Legally, the airline must rebook you under EU/UK Regulation 261/2004, if your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than five hours.

Airlines will usually try to rebook you on their own airline’s next available flight.

However, if they are unable to get you to your destination on the same day or next day, they must legally book you onto a rival airline and reimburse you.

Essentially, the Disruption Assistance add-on means you don’t have to battle with the airline’s customer service for a new flight or refund.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

LOVEHOLIDAYS have tens of thousands of last minute breaks up for grabs, and they’re going for fabulously cheap prices.

We found sunny, week-long holidays in places like Spain, the Canary Islands, Tunisia and Morocco for less than £500pp.

Click here to browse all Loveholidays last minute hols.

We’ve hunted down the best all inclusive deals from this mega list, where you can whisk the entire family away on a package holiday from only £289pp – here’s our top picks.

Costa Brava, Spain – £299pp

If you’re after a super affordable, all inclusive fly and flop holiday, look no further than the Ibersol Sorra d’Or hotel.

Here you’ve got everything you need in a sunny Spanish holiday, from a kids club, pool games and live music to keep the family entertained.

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Make use of the pretty yellow loungers surrounding the outdoor swimming pool, or step outside the front door and cross the promenade to reach a stretch of golden sand.

Head out into Malgrat de Mar to dip into dozens of local tapas bars, British-style pubs, souvenir shops, and the town’s weekly street market.

Book a 7 night all inclusive Spain holiday from £299pp (or click here to browse all Costa Brava holidays)

Tunisia – £369pp

The five-star El Mouradi Palace is a grand resort sitting directly on the white sands of Port el Kantaoui, Tunisia.

The hotel boasts a massive, 900-square-metre outdoor pool that feels like a lagoon, complete with a separate children’s section.

If you prefer the sea, you can step straight out onto a private stretch of white sand equipped with free sun loungers, beach umbrellas, and a beach bar. There’s also a heated indoor pool for cooler months.

Dining centres around the massive main buffet restaurant whic serves up everything from traditional Tunisian specialties and grilled meats to fresh sushi.

Book a 7 night all inclusive Tunisia holiday from £369pp (or click here to browse all Tunisia holidays)

Fuerteventura – £489pp

The SBH Maxorata Resort is a massive, four-star family hotel perched on the sun-drenched southern tip of Fuerteventura.

If you’re looking for that Caribbean-style white sand and turquoise water – without the long-haul flight or premium price tag, Jandia is exactly where you want to be.

With four pools, a splash park, a spa, evening music and cabaret, a massive buffet restaurant, pool and snack bars plus two a la carte restaurants – can you ask for much more from an all inclusive?

Rooms have had a recent refurb, with modern designs, huge TVs and private balconies – plus there’s family rooms with a separate bedroom and living area.

Book a 7 night all inclusive Fuerteventura holiday from £489pp (or click here to browse all Fuerteventura holidays)

Agadir, Morocco – £289pp

The Caribbean Village Agador is a sprawling, action-packed resort that feels like its own mini town.

Designed like a traditional Moorish village with low-rise buildings and winding pathways, here you’ll weave through lush gardens to find four pools, tennis courts and even an open-air amphitheatre.

By night, the resort comes alive with dance, comedy, and live music shows, plus there’s plenty of poolside bars and outdoor lounge areas to enjoy those all inclusive drinks.

This hotel is just a short walk from Agadir’s lively beachfront promenade packed with cafes and bars, plus you’re only a quick taxi ride away from the Souk El Had – a massive market stocked with spices and souvenirs.

Book a 7 night all inclusive Agadir holiday from £289pp (or click here to browse all Morocco holidays)

Tenerife – £379pp

If you’re looking for an adults-only option, Be Live Adults Only Tenerife is a sleek, four-star spot sitting right in the heart of Puerto de la Cruz.

This chic getaway trades busy splash parks for chilled-out pool days and sweeping views of the Atlantic and Mount Teide.

After a day of sunbathing, sit down to dinner in the buffet restaurant with show cooking displays and plenty of cuisines to pick from, before winding down by watching the sunset with an all inclusive cocktail.

When you want to head out, you’re only minutes away from the volcanic sands of Playa Jardin and the massive Lago Martianez saltwater pool complex.

Book a 7 night all inclusive Tenerife holiday from £379pp (or click here to browse all Tenerife holidays)

Gran Canaria – £499pp

Servatur Riosol is a brilliant, budget-friendly base in Gran Canaria‘s sunny Puerto Rico.

Built into the cliffside, this scenic resort offers to swimming pools with sweeping views over the sea. There’s also a kids splash area, plus an adults-only zone with underwater loungers and a private bar.

Rooms here come with kitchenettes stocked with microwaves, hobs and toasters – but the most you’ll need to use is the kettle for the odd cup of tea with your all inclusive package.

There is a funicular lift to take you down to Puerto Rico beach, and the bustling souvenir shops of the Europa Shopping Centre are a short walk away.

Book a 7 night all inclusive Gran Canaria holiday from £499pp (or click here to browse all Gran Canaria holidays)

Prices correct at the time of publication.

All roads may lead to Rome, but not all rivers lead to the ocean.

You might have heard the phrase ‘all rivers flow to the sea’ – often used to mean that different paths will all lead to the same end at some point, While it’s a pleasing idiom, it’s not geographically true. In fact, one of the longest rivers in the world never reaches the sea at all.

The Volga is the longest river in Europe, flowing through central and southern Russia. Its basin sprawls across two-fifths of the European part of Russia.

The river begins in the Valdai Hills as a tiny trickling spring, before turning into the Volga.

It winds for a whopping 3,531 kilometres through forests and steppes before emptying into the Caspian Sea which, rather misleadingly, is not a Sea at all, but a colossal lake.

The river is connected to five different seas via an intricate network of manmade canals which were built over the centuries, although the Caspian is its main and natural mouth.

The canal system allows ships to travel from the Volga to the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Baltic Sea and the White Sea.

The sprawling Volga Delta, where the river splits into more than 500 channels, is also a world-famous wildlife sanctuary.,

It is a spawning ground for the Beluga sturgeon, which means that the lower stretches of the Volga are the epicentre of wild black caviar – one of the most sought after and expensive delicacies in the world.

The river was also a lifeline during World War II, providing a lifeline for Russian troops during the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Soviet Army was pinned against its west bank, so all supplies had to be ferried across the mile-wide stretch of water under constant barrage from the German artillery.

As winter set in and the river began to freeze, it became too icy for boats to cross but not yet thick enough for trucks to drive on.

Russian forces were nearly starved of ammunition until it froze solid.

However, as the German army focused all its energy on fighting across the riverbank, the Soviets snuck across the eastern side of the river to launch a surprise attack and completely surrounded the German forces.

ONE of the most famous attractions in the UK is slashing its ticket prices by more than half.

Kew Gardens is known for its incredible botanicals, exhibitions, seasonal events – and in a few days you’ll be able to explore it all for a tenner.

Every Tuesday between September 8 to December 29, adult tickets to Kew Gardens will cost just £10 – rather than its usual £25.

The attraction is open every day of the week between 10am and 7pm.

Kew Gardens is a one-of-a-kind attraction filled with more than 50,000 plants with some of the most diverse collections on earth.

It’s frequently named as one of the best attractions to visit in the country and in the world.

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It was named as one of the world’s best botanical gardens by Conde Nast Traveller in 2023.

As for what you can find now, there are plants aplenty.

For seeing autumn at its best, head up to the Treetop Walkway for a high-up view of the attraction looking down at its orange-leaf trees.

It looks over the Arboretum which has over 11,000 trees – some of them dating back to when the gardens were founded back in 1759.

If you’re going as a family, check out the children’s garden which has its own playground designed for two to 12 year olds.

There are tunnels, climbing frames and water play too.

For a moment of calm, there’s Japanese Landscape, a tranquil Asian-inspired garden with a traditional tea garden and waterfalls.

Inside the Palm House is a tropical rainforest environment – this is where you’ll find the oldest pot plant in the world.

It’s one of your last chances to see it for a while as there’s a planned renovation in 2027 which will last for five years.

Other areas to explore include King William’s Temple, The Hive installation and Temperate House which is the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse.

In October half-term there will be a Hey Duggee trail for kids with interactive challenges and a stamp trail.

The £10 tickets also coincide with the Henry Moore: Monumental Nature exhibition which has as many as 30 impressive sculptures on display.

The £10 tickets can be booked online or bought at the gate.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding reveals her favourite part of Kew Gardens…

If you want to find out how to spend a day at Kew Gardens, Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding has done all the work for you…

“Whatever season you choose to visit Kew Gardens, there is something different to see.

“When I visited, the orange, red, yellow and brown leaves of autumn were in full swing making the entire destination look like a painting.

“Of course, pretty much all of the things to do at Kew Gardens are suitable for adults.

“A personal favourite of mine was the Princess of Wales Conservatory which features 10 temperature-controlled climate zones.

“In each area, there is something to explore that is fascinating – it essentially feels like walking through the jungle. You’ll see Venus flytraps, orchids and giant cheese plants.

“There is the Temperate House, which is the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse and is home to rare and threatened plants.

“Also make sure to head to Palm House, especially before it closes and undergoes refurbishment in 2027.

“Inside you will find an indoor rainforest, with tropical plants including the oldest pot plant in the world.

“Reopening in spring 2026 is also Kew Palace, which is the oldest building within the gardens.

“The pretty red house was the summer home of King George III in the 18th century and features 10 rooms spread across three floors, including the royal’s living quarters.

“At the opposite end of the estate is Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, which is currently open to the public.”

This river was thought to be the stuff of legends – but it is very real

In a remote part of the Amazonian rainforest, there is a river so mired in myth that many thought it didn’t exist. However, thanks to the research and work of a celebrated geothermal scientist, the existence of the river has now been proven – and he’s fighting to protect it.

The Shanay-timpishka, commonly known as the ‘Boiling River of the Amazon’ is a tributary of the Pachitea River which flows towards the Amazon River. The river has been known to indigenous Peruvians who live in the Amazon, and it has been used for spiritual and healing rituals for centuries. They called it ‘Shanay-timpishka’ which translates to ‘boiled by the heat of the sun’.

The local Asháninka and Shipibo peoples believe the river is birthed by Yacumama, a gigantic mythical serpent thought to live in the Amazon. “a mythical enormous serpent believed to inhabit the Amazon Rainforest.”

Local shamans teach that Yacumama is the “Mother of the Waters”

Geothermal scientist Adrés Ruzo first heard of the scalding river from his grandfather who told him a legend about the Spanish conquistadors who ventured into the jungle and came back with tales of a river which boiled.

He was the first scientist permitted by the local shamans to map, study and legally help to protect the river. He travelled through the jungle in 2011, guided by his aunt and confirmed the existence of the river.

Ruzo worked to study the river, and also helped the local indigenous people secure their rights to it. The area is in massive danger from deforestation which destroys the forest and surrounding ecosystems.

Ruzo became an advocate for the ancestral people living in the region, and helped secure the legal titles to the land. He also founded the Boiling River Project – a non-profit organisation which advocates for the permanent protection of the river.

One of the most fascinating things about this river is that it is an anomaly.

Usually, geothermal rivers and springs are heated by volcanic currents but in the case of Shanay-timpishka, the closest volcano is 700 kilometres away. Instead, the water is heated by the core of the Earth.

Rainwater seeps into the earth’s crust through fault lines where it is heated to boiling and then pushed back up into the river. At its hottest points, the river can reach close to 100°C, and boils anything which is unfortunate enough to fall in.

The river is littered with animal bones and bodies which have been cooked inside.

Tragically, it’s not only animals which have been killed by the boiling water. A Toronto woman died in 2025 after she fell into the river whilst meditating on a rock nearby.

Although Maya Moreno managed to escape from the water alive, she tragically died later in hospital after suffering burns to 70% of her body.

According to a GoFundMe for Maya, she had travelled to the river as part of a spiritual journey, and fainted beside the river which caused her to fall in.

As the long, hot summer draws to a close, many of us are looking forward to the shift in seasons. We’d love to hear about your best autumn days out in the UK, whether it’s a favourite forest walk or bike ride, seasonal activities such as foraging, stargazing and wildlife spotting, or a garden or arboretum that puts on a spectacular display of fiery colours.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet, wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Saturday magazine and Travel website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

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The competition closes on Monday 14 September at 10am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

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A major travel change is set to impact British holidaymakers going to and from Europe as of today (7 September), and an expert has issued some crucial advice to avoid disruption

An expert has issued a warning to all Brits travelling to and from Europe as a significant change comes into force.

The European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) was rolled out across airports earlier this year, and, in a bid to reduce travel disruption, member states were permitted to relax some of its restrictions. EU countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain were allowed to temporarily “lift biometric registration” until the end of summer to ensure there was “some relief for the worst-case scenario”, and temporarily switched off the EES when required.

Many European countries utilised the eased measures, particually during the summer holidays, as the EES requires all British passport holders to create a digital record and register their biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photograph, upon arrival in the Schengen area. However, as of today, Monday, 7 September, the ability to relax EES requirements is expected to have expired, with no formal announcement made of an extension.

With uncertainty building that it could prompt airport chaos if there is no further leeway given to Brits when travelling through the EU and the digital system, an expert has issued a warning about the impacts. Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and CEO of passenger-rights company AirAdvisor, explained: “The part of this most travellers have not clocked is that the risk runs both ways. Everyone worries about queues when arriving in Europe, but British passengers can also become trapped at exit control at a Spanish, Italian or other Schengen airport when trying to fly home.

“If a passenger misses an operating flight solely because of a passport-control queue, there is generally no automatic EU261 right to compensation or free rebooking. Airlines may help voluntarily, but passengers should not assume they will, and many insurance policies only cover specified causes such as public transport failure, so the exact wording needs to be checked.

“If the airline delays the flight because passengers are stuck in the queue, its normal care obligations still apply after the relevant waiting period. If it cancels, passengers remain entitled to a refund or rerouting, even though fixed compensation is unlikely where the border disruption was outside the airline’s control.”

Anton added: “My advice is to treat the return journey as seriously as the flight out. Follow the airport’s arrival-time guidance, go to passport control promptly, alert the airline before the gate closes if the queue becomes excessive and preserve time-stamped evidence showing where the delay occurred.”

There have been reports that some member states may still allow eased measures moving forward, although nothing has been officially announced. A European Commission spokesperson told the Guardian at the beginning of last week: “We are in close and constructive contact with those few member states where some adjustments are needed at certain border crossing points. And during an additional period of operational adjustment that is needed at these few operational border crossing points, the commission stands ready to provide additional support to these member states.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair has called on the EU Commission to “immediately” extend the EES flexibility until next year. Ryanair’s COO Neal McMahon said: “The EU’s handling of EES has been a shambles from start to finish. Airlines, airports and border authorities repeatedly warned Brussels that the rollout was not ready, that it would increase processing times and that it would create excessive queues for passengers. Those warnings were ignored, with EU citizens the ones delayed and disrupted.

“Passengers should not be made to pay the price for the EU’s failed EES rollout. Ryanair calls on the EU Commission to urgently extend the EES derogation until at least Apr 2027, so that airports and border authorities have the time needed to fix malfunctioning kiosks, increase staffing levels and ensure the system can operate efficiently before full enforcement is introduced and passengers are condemned to these excessive border control delays for another season.”

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Up to 25 people can kick it with the kitties at any one time, and the 50-minute sessions can be booked online. Other offerings include: Cats & Mats yoga (offered one Friday evening a month), Crochet With Cats (one Sunday afternoon a month) and cat-accompanied sound baths. (An employee I chatted with said the crochet class, with its preponderance of dangling yarn, is particularly popular with the cats.)

Price: $19.99 for 50-minute sessions, which start at the top of the hour

Hours: Monday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (reservations end 1 hour before closing)

Pro tip: A shorter and less expensive option — $10 for 20 minutes — is available on a walk-in basis only at the top of the hour, depending on capacity.