youre

Holidaymakers may be entitled to claim compensation when an airline loses, damages or delays their luggage

Holidaymakers facing the misery of lost, damaged or delayed luggage could be entitled to compensation from their airline – but they need to act quickly.

Passengers arriving at their destination only to discover their suitcase has failed to make the journey with them have legal rights that can help them recover some of the costs. Citizens Advice says travellers have the right to claim compensation from an airline when checked-in luggage is delayed, lost or damaged. But there are important deadlines – and passengers should report a problem as soon as possible.

The consumer advice charity warns that the rules for cabin baggage are different. You can generally only claim for a problem with hand luggage where the airline was at fault.

Don’t leave it too late

Citizens Advice says holidaymakers should report missing or damaged luggage to the airline straight away. At the airport, this will normally involve completing a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the baggage claims area.

Passengers should keep a copy of the PIR, or obtain written confirmation from the airline if they report the problem later. Making a report does not necessarily mean a compensation claim has been made. Passengers will normally still need to submit a separate claim unless the airline agrees to pay certain expenses upfront.

There are strict deadlines

One of the biggest traps is assuming there is plenty of time to make a claim.

Citizens Advice says the usual deadlines are:

• Damaged luggage: claim within seven days of receiving it.
• Missing or damaged contents: claim within seven days of receiving the luggage.
• Delayed or missing luggage: claim within 21 days of the flight.
• Luggage not returned within 21 days: it is officially treated as lost, meaning passengers should make a claim as soon as possible.

A suitcase that eventually turns up after several days does not necessarily mean a passenger has lost their right to compensation. Citizens Advice says it is still possible to claim for delayed luggage if it is returned within the 21-day period.

What can you claim for?

The compensation available from an airline is generally limited. For delayed luggage, this can include the cost of essential items needed while waiting for the suitcase, such as toiletries and underwear.

Passengers may also be able to claim some of the cost of repairing or replacing luggage and its contents if they are lost or damaged. If a traveller has to collect delayed luggage themselves, says they may also be able to recover reasonable transport costs.

But holidaymakers should not assume they will receive the full replacement value of everything inside a suitcase. Airlines will often ask for receipts and proof of purchase, while Citizens Advice warns that they will not normally pay ‘new for old’ replacement costs.

There can also be restrictions around valuable, fragile or perishable items packed in checked luggage. Total compensation is generally limited to around £1,000 and is often considerably less.

Passengers cannot normally claim for stress or inconvenience caused by the luggage problem, or for knock-on problems such as missing a connection.

Keep every scrap of evidence

Anyone making a claim should keep hold of their paperwork.

Citizens Advice says airlines will usually expect passengers to provide documents such as:

• their boarding pass;
• luggage tags showing the identification number;
• the PIR or written confirmation that the problem was reported;
• receipts for emergency purchases made because of delayed luggage;
• proof of purchase for lost or damaged belongings;
• photographs showing damage; and
• estimates for the cost of repairs where relevant.

Travellers should keep copies of their claim and the original documents.

How to make the claim

Passengers should check with their airline to find out how it wants compensation claims submitted. If there is no specific claim form, Citizens Advice says travellers may need to write to the airline’s customer service department.

The charity advises making clear that the claim is being made under the Montreal Convention. The claim should include details of the flight, including the date, flight number, departure point and destination.

Travellers should explain what happened, set out the amount being claimed and provide a detailed list of the luggage or contents that were lost or damaged. Any essential items bought because of the delay should also be listed, with copies of supporting receipts and other evidence.

What if several airlines were involved?

Passengers travelling on connecting flights operated by different airlines may be able to claim against any of them. However, Citizens Advice says most airlines expect the claim to be made against the last airline boarded.

An airline cannot simply refuse to deal with a claim because another carrier was involved. If a passenger gets nowhere they can seek advice from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

What if the airline rejects your claim?

Holidaymakers who are unhappy with an airline’s response can take the matter further. Citizens Advice recommends first trying to resolve the complaint through the appropriate process.

The CAA can take up complaints against airlines or airports in certain circumstances, although its role depends on whether the airline or airport belongs to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. As a last resort, passengers can consider taking a case to the small claims court.

A luggage claim can generally be taken to court within two years of the flight, although court action can be costly and time-consuming.

Check your insurance too

There is another option that could prove easier and more generous. Citizens Advice says that if luggage is covered by travel insurance or a home contents policy, making an insurance claim may be preferable.

This is because insurance can potentially provide more money and may be easier to claim through than pursuing the airline.

Passengers needing further help can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or use its online service.

The charity also advises checking the specific rules applying to the airline, as individual procedures and deadlines can vary. More information here.

IT’S not often you’ll find a sprawling holiday park with a lake in the middle- but you can on the Isle of Wight.

The Lakes Rookley holiday park is a short distance from some of the Isle of Wight‘s prettiest beaches, making it the ideal family break away from home.

Unlock the hols by signing up to Sun Club – for £1.99 per month or £12 per year

Even better, the holiday park is available to book as part of The Sun’s Holidays from £9.50, meaning you can bag yourself a seriously affordable stay to check out all the new upgrades.

At the park, there are plenty of things for families to do including having a dip in the indoor heated swimming pool.

If the weather is nice, there is also an outdoor pool.

Other daytime activities to try out are watersports – thanks to the lake in the middle of the park guests can have a go at kayaking or paddleboarding.

Read more on travel inspo

SEA IT

All 25 of the English Riviera beaches ranked from best to worst – by a Devon local

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

Though, if you want to keep the kids dry then there is also a huge Adventure Playground.

There’s an activity centre too, where you can drop into messy craft sessions, pottery painting, slime workshops and even archery.

When it comes to grabbing a bite to eat, you can head to The Lakeside Bar and Eatery which even has a veranda that overlooks the lake.

Settle in for the evening at the Spinnakers Entertainment Lounge, where there are live family shows to enjoy.

There are a number of different accommodation options at the park including The Lakehouse, which is exclusive to the park and sleeps up to four people.

Alternatively, you could stay in a comfort caravan sleeping up to six people, with a lounge and kitchen area as well as sea views.

Fancy a dip in your own hot tub? Then make sure to book either a Luxury Caravan sleeping up to six people or an Island Cottage sleeping up to six people also.

One recent visitor said: “The park is just stunning, sat outside the restaurant overlooking the lake, sun shining and cocktail in hand you feel like you’re abroad!

“Stayed in a cottage, very sweet accommodation like a home away from home.”

While there is plenty to do at the park itself, there are also some great spots to visit in the local area.

For example, you could visit Carisbrooke Castle in Newport, which was used to imprison Charles I during the English Civil War.

Or, a 20-minute drive from the park, head to the beach and explore Sandown Pier – home to mini golf and lots of arcade machines.

For something a little different, 10 minutes down the road you will find The Garlic Farm, which is free to visit.

You will get a full garlic-themed experience, including a playground, restaurant and shop.

The easiest way to get to The Lakes Rookley holiday park is by hopping on the ferry, which the park has even partner with to get guests discounts.

You can get the Wightlink ferry from either Portsmouth or Lymington, the Red Funnel from Southampton or the Hover Travel from Portsmouth.

Depending on the ferry port you then come into, it takes between half an hour and 40 minutes to drive to the holiday park.

GOING to the airport follows a strict process – check in, drop your bags off, head through security and – for many of us – get stopped for a search.

And when that inevitably happens, nine out of 10 times the reason is something that seems silly or you could have easily prevented.

And there are actually two items that we all carry that cause issues.

The first is our gadgets – whether that be a laptop, iPad or phone.

According to Which?, layering electronics can trigger a manual search.

Smiths Detections has said that layering electronics should be avoided.

Read more on travel inspo

SEA IT

All 25 of the English Riviera beaches ranked from best to worst – by a Devon local

ALL IN

I found the best value all inclusive London hotel… just £55pp with free food & booze

Instead, travellers should place them next to each other.

They explained: : “Where possible, avoid stacking multiple electronic devices directly on top of one another in cabin baggage. Instead, place them side by side.”

And another popular item most of us travel with – a water bottle – can also cause an issue.

Smiths Detection explained that travellers should avoid packing bottles and liquid containers near to gadgets.

They explained that they “should ideally be packed separately from electronic devices and not directly underneath or immediately adjacent to them”.

While in a lot of airports new CT scanners allow us to keep all our gadgets and liquids in our bag, these items can still be flagged.

The scanners are meant to make the security process faster, but you could still queue to have your bag manually checked.

If you are heading through an airport as a family, make sure to look out for family lanes which can help you bypass queues.

At London Luton Airport you can reserve a 30-minute window online from between four days and 60 minutes before you arrive at security to bypass the queues, for free.

Manchester Airport has a similar system but you get a 15-minute slot.

Anyone who is flying back home has been warned about the serious consequences

Travellers flying home after a holiday are being warned not to bring back certain items, even if they were purchased at a duty free shop. According to government rules, people who disobey risk facing a £5,000 fine or possible prosecution.

In an alert posted on social media by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Brits returning home should not bring sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain. The agency also states that this applies regardless of whether it is packed or packaged, or whether it has been bought at duty free.

It explains: “Help protect UK farmers from the devastating threat of African swine fever (ASF) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) by not bringing back meat or dairy products from the EU into Great Britain in your personal luggage. This includes items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain – regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free.”

The government agency says it is illegal to bring in most meat and dairy products from abroad for personal use. This is to protect the UK from devastating livestock diseases circulating in Europe and beyond.

Most personal meat and dairy products are now banned from entry into Great Britain. You must not bring in sandwiches, meat (raw or cured, such as ham and salami), dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese) and animal-derived products. That includes items bought from duty free.

If you declare banned food products to Border Force officers at customs, they’ll take them away and destroy them. If you do not declare banned food products, you could be fined up to £5,000 (in England) or you could be prosecuted. Border Force can take away (‘seize’) your products if they think:

• you’ve brought something into the country illegally
• you’ve brought in too much of a restricted product
• it’s been cross-contaminated, for example with blood from meat – if any clothing or a bag the item’s in is contaminated, it’ll be destroyed

These rules are in place to protect the UK from highly infectious viral diseases of livestock, such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever. These viruses can persist in meat and dairy products for several months, posing a risk to susceptible animals.

Neither disease affects humans. Livestock diseases like foot and mouth and African swine fever have a devastating impact on animal welfare, farming, trade and affect food security

The Animal and Plant Health Agency reminds travellers: “If you break the rules, you are breaking the law. If you break the rules, you are risking our food and economic security. If you break the rules, you could be responsible for the death of millions of animals. If you are found with undeclared illegal meat and dairy products, you will have these confiscated and risk a hefty fine.”

What are you allowed to bring into Great Britain?

You can bring the following into Great Britain from any country without any restrictions:

• bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products
• cakes without fresh cream
• biscuits
• chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
• pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
• packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
• processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
• food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules

It took decades for John Chiang to hustle into the top ranks of California politics, and he relished all the schmoozing along the way.

On Lunar New Year, Chiang turned up at a firecracker party in Westminster. Weeks later, he woke early for a cattlemen’s breakfast in Sacramento. When the Fresno Rotary Club sought a luncheon speaker, Chiang made time.

His nonstop networking has paid dividends. He won five elections in a rout, most recently in 2014 for state treasurer.

Yet to many Californians, Chiang is just a vaguely familiar name, often mispronounced. (It’s Chung, not Chang.) It shows up on ballots, somewhere near the middle.

But now that he’s running for governor, Chiang is competing on a much bigger stage. Voters pay close attention to the top of the ticket, appraising character and personality.

For the first time in his career, the way that Chiang’s reserved, low-key demeanor comes off on television will matter — all the more so in a race against fellow Democrats Antonio Villaraigosa and Gavin Newsom, two of the state’s most charismatic politicians.

A strait-laced finance man, Chiang, 55, dismissed the former mayors of Los Angeles and San Francisco as “stylish” — more showhorse than workhorse.

Chiang, who lives in a condo around the corner from a South Bay mall, wears baggy suits from Nordstrom Rack. He called himself “Torrance stylish,” then burst out laughing.

“I’m quite OK with being a season behind,” he said.

At a time of constant drama in the Trump White House, Chiang hopes that Californians will turn to a more ordinary style of leadership, as they did when they elected Gray Davis governor a generation ago.

His manner can come off as unpolished. Chiang, unlike his nimble opponents, can get mired in explaining the likes of “surplus money investment pools” — not surprising for a onetime high school mathlete who majored in finance and won election to California’s Board of Equalization on his way up to state controller and treasurer.

“He’s sort of an accidental politician,” said Michael Genest, who was state finance director under Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Chiang has already banked nearly $9 million for the governor’s race, ensuring he’ll have plenty to spend on ads before the June 2018 primary.

For now, he is playing up his defiant streak. In 2008, when he was controller, he refused to obey Schwarzenegger’s order to cut the pay of state workers to minimum wage until lawmakers passed a budget.

State Treasurer John Chiang, holding the microphone, flaunts his off-key singing at a karaoke stop in Santa Ana with a group of young Democrats on June 23. (Video by Michael Finnegan / Los Angeles Times)

“I was the last person standing, and I said, ‘Gov. Schwarzenegger, you don’t do that to 200,000 good people,’ ” Chiang told union leaders at a labor gathering last month in Orange County.

In 2011, Chiang enraged legislators by docking their pay during another budget impasse, saying they’d breached a law that punishes them for late spending plans. He boasts that friends in the Legislature stopped talking to him.

“It made me the most unpopular person in Sacramento,” Chiang told a crowd in Anaheim.

Critics see a pattern of crass opportunism. “It’s all about what’s best for himself and what will generate headlines — not what’s best for the state,” said Matt David, a Republican strategist who was deputy chief of staff to Schwarzenegger.

The son of immigrants from Taiwan, Chiang grew up with three younger siblings in Palos Heights, Ill. His father was a plastics engineer, his mother a full-time parent.

They were the first Asian family to move into the mainly white upscale Chicago suburb in the 1960s, when Chiang was just starting grade school. He recalls rampant bigotry — taunts, fights, vandalism and “ugly racial epithets.” It left him feeling isolated but taught him empathy.

“The hurt goes deep,” he said. “It makes me who I am.”

At home, Chiang’s parents spoke mostly English, but also Taiwanese Hokkien, Mandarin and Japanese. Every few years, the family would visit relatives in Taiwan, which was under Japanese occupation when Chiang’s parents were children.

Chiang remembers his mother cooking delicious Chinese food for his school lunches. But to fit in, he begged her to switch to American sandwiches, preferably on Wonder bread.

“I was petrified bringing lunch to school,” Chiang said. “Everybody had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”

At 12 years old, he was captivated by the Watergate hearings. “All I knew is the president lied, and he had secret tapes, and it was like, ‘Oooooh, the president has secret tapes.’ ”

He was stunned by the prominence of a Japanese American, Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, in the congressional investigation of President Nixon. It was a jarring counterpoint to the racism in his own neighborhood.

“You’re just trying to get dignity and respect, and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, how did that guy get to be a United States senator?’ ”

State Treasurer and Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Chiang attends the Los Angeles Current Affairs Forum on June 1.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Chiang graduated in 1984 from the University of South Florida in Tampa, then interned on Capitol Hill while earning a law degree at Georgetown University in Washington. He worked for one Democratic congressman from Illinois (Lane Evans) and two from California (Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui).

“I was always interested in public policy,” Chiang said. “I fell in love with it in Washington, D.C.”

In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles to work downtown at the Internal Revenue Service. He settled in Chatsworth. But the job — screening corporate pension plans — left him “emotionally barren,” Chiang said.

He quickly left the IRS to work on the campaign for Proposition 100, a measure to reward good drivers with lower car-insurance rates. Voters rejected it, but Chiang was hooked on campaign work.

For a decade, he bounced from one to the next: Gray Davis for controller, Kathleen Brown for treasurer, Mel Levine for U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer for U.S. Senate, Don Perata for controller, Brown again — this time for governor.

Chiang was an all-purpose operative, raising money, writing speeches and rounding up political support. He also took staff jobs for Davis at the controller’s office and for Boxer at her Senate office in L.A.

“He’s incredibly competent, he’s very smart and he’s very likable — kind of rare in the business,” said Marc Litchman, who in the ’80s and ’90s raised money with Chiang for Westside and San Fernando Valley candidates.

“A lot of people fold under the pressure of all that rejection or people dodging you, and John, he took it in stride,” he said.

Chiang’s genuine fondness for political events — nights, weekends, no matter — was striking to Bob Blumenfield, a longtime friend now on the L.A. City Council.

“It’s almost frightening how much of his life he’s given to being everywhere,” Blumenfield said.

Following Chiang’s path was his more outgoing younger sister, Joyce. She, too, got a law degree at Georgetown University. After a stint at the congressional office of Democrat Howard Berman of the San Fernando Valley, she went to work as a lawyer at what was then the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Chiang saw a future for his sister in elected office.

But one evening in January 1999, she vanished on her way home to the apartment that she shared with their brother Roger in Washington’s Dupont Circle. She was 28 years old. A few months later, her body washed up on the Potomac River. Police ultimately concluded the cause was homicide, but no killer was caught.

“She was the person I was closest to in the world, so her loss is devastating,” Chiang said, his voice cracking.

Trouble struck the family again in 2005, when Roger Chiang admitted to embezzling more than $360,000 from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, where he worked as outreach director. He served a year in prison.

State Treasurer John Chiang has described himself on the campaign trail as a “tough, strong fiscal watchdog.”

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

John Chiang, who has no children, is separated from his wife of 10 years. In his scant spare time, he likes to visit his six godchildren, play poker or watch sports or “Game of Thrones” with friends.

When he campaigns, Chiang describes himself as a “tough, strong fiscal watchdog.” He takes credit for uncovering $9.5 billion in waste, fraud and abuse in state and local government spending.

“It’s not just about the numbers, it’s about values — where you put the money,” Chiang told a dozen young Democrats eating taquitos and sipping margaritas at a karaoke stop in Santa Ana. “That’s why I’m tough with the buck — because it helps you reduce student debt.”

When the karaoke started, he stepped on stage and gamely launched into a rendition of the Eagles’ “Hotel California,” exposing his off-key singing. He tried to mute it by passing the microphone to others on stage.

Trump presidency eases Gavin Newsom’s path in his second run for California governor »

Chiang likes to engage crowds by asking each person to share a dream before posing a question, a request that befuddles many.

“My dream is to eliminate German cockroaches,” one woman declared to a roar of laughter at a Disneyland pest-control conference where Chiang was the featured speaker.

Eventually, Chiang will market himself in 30-second television commercials to give Californians a better sense of who he is. For now, he’s mostly dashing from one event to another — an Israeli Consulate reception, an Encino Chamber of Commerce lunch, a gala for FilipinoAmerican lawyers. That approach got him this far, and he’s sticking to it.

About this story: This is one in a series of articles about the candidates vying to succeed Jerry Brown as governor of California in the 2018 election. Learn more about them at latimes.com/CA2018.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

@finneganLAT

ALSO

Can California’s fractured GOP get it together to nominate a candidate for governor?

What’s Delaine Eastin thinking? The long-shot candidate for governor explains

Sign up for the free politics newsletter

Updates on California politics

The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa

Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley and her family found a knockout pool and fab food in the north-west.

SITTING among the fragrant herbs and lush veg of the Chef’s Garden, our lunch table is laden with local produce.

To get a real taste of a country, you can’t beat a cooking class, and this one, £40 per person, is a proper treat.

Chef Vishal helps us to whip up an array of seasonal, plant-based dishes, chargrilling aubergine and throwing together tantalising salads, including one using okra.

Even our kids, Poppy, seven, and Raffy, five, are tucking in, despite usually removing any sign of a green leaf from their plate.

As his final winning move, Vishal gets us to caramelise bananas for pud, using rich brown sugar from the isle and a portable stove top.

RETREAT YOURSELF

From St Lucia to Ibiza – we tried 2 adults-only retreats for perfect reset

MED FOR IT

We test two adults-only Mediterranean escapes from rooftop cool to beach bliss

The Westin prides itself on its wellness offerings, and is certainly nailing its Eat Well pillar.

There are five restaurants – our favourite is Fusion, serving up Japanese cuisine, including mouth-watering sushi we all devour.

Indian offering Kangan also makes for a memorable meal with highlights such as crispy lentil and rice dumplings with mint chutney and a taste explosion of a Goan fish curry.

Meanwhile, Seasonal Tastes’ buffet is brimming with choices, often with live musicians performing, too.

We spend most of our days at the main pool, which is so huge there’s ample room for both water aerobics classes and family ball games, plus there’s a giant poolside chessboard.

While there are undoubtedly resorts with more impressive beaches on the island – volcanic rock outcrops dot the coves here – on the largest stretch we make use of the free kayaks, plus we spot plenty of sea creatures while rockpooling.

Well worth a trip out is our visit to L’Aventure du Sucre, set in an historic sugar factory a 15-minute drive away.

We take a walk through the island’s fascinating history, from the Dutch settlement here in the 17th century right up to the current day, and learn about the importance of both the indigo and sugarcane crops.

The kids follow a quiz trail – a tube of sugar is the prize at the end – and we all dig in at the jam and sugar tasting stations.

Then, after sampling rums, we splurge on a bottle of Lazy Dodo, £26, and lychee jam, £6, as mementoes. Adult entry costs £19, kids over six cost £9.50 (Aventuredusucre.com).

Back at the hotel’s Heavenly Spa, nestled within tropical gardens, I feel much more flexible after a 60-minute signature massage, £80, and later, husband Andy joins therapist Selvi for a private yoga class on the jetty with just the sound of waves lapping beneath them, £56.

An hour later, he returns more serene than I’ve seen him in months. No wonder we meet so many returning guests – and one tips us off about a fire show on the beach that evening.

The spectacular tricks performed to an atmospheric soundtrack leave us in awe. A bit like Mauritius itself.

British Airways Holidays offers a seven-night family stay at five-star The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa from £4,439 half-board, with flights (Ba.com/mauritius).

Veranda Paul et Virginie Hotel & Spa

Assistant Editor Kelly Allen and friends checked into an adults-only gem on the island’s north-east coast.

LOOKING out from the hotel’s scenic Poudre d’Or bar with its views of the infinity pool and, further out, the pristine sands and ombre water of the idyllic Grand Gaube Lagoon, it takes no time for the stresses of life to dissipate with a welcome rum punch in hand.

This place has just 81 rooms, so it feels intimate and is particularly popular with couples.

There’s a standard buffet with an excellent tropical fruit selection at the Isle de France eatery, but it’s à la carte restaurant Le Saint Géran, sitting at the end of the pier, that really wows.

One night, we tuck into a feast of Mauritian-style cod with satini pomme de terre, a local delicacy.

It’s essentially “potato chutney” of mashed potato, crispy fried red onions, dried red chillies, garlic and oil.

It goes without saying that I also have to leave room for the impressive smoky banana flambé.

The activities schedule is packed, too, with seafront sega classes – the traditional dance of the island – as well as rum mixing and Creole cookery classes.

Learning to make farata (Mauritian roti) from scratch using plain flour, salt and a splash of oil is so easy I’m convinced I’ll be recreating it at home.

It’s also ideal for soaking up the plethora of cocktails on offer, including a top-notch dark & stormy, before I retreat for a nap back at my room, which is rustic with a quaint thatched roof that feels like something from a different time.

One morning, we leave the serenity of our sunloungers to visit the Pamplemousses district, 20 minutes’ drive away, where we wander through Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens.

As well as an array of tropical plants, including giant lily pads, white lotuses and a medicinal spice garden, there is so much wildlife to spot, from fruit bats to deer, but my favourites are the giant tortoises.

Entry costs £4.75 per adult (Ssrbg.govmu.org).

Grand Baie, a famously lively area of restaurants and bars, is also nearby, and I pick up souvenirs of a cute shell hair clip and a bracelet in the bustling Bazar de Grand Baie.

As they say in Creole, for a dose of sun and plenty of rum, this place is ”bon bagay” – great stuff!

Stays for two at Veranda Paul Et Virginie Hotel & Spa cost from £243 per night all-inclusive (Veranda-resorts.com).

Return flights from the UK to Mauritius cost from £575.

Bradley Walsh was back on screens for a new episode of ITV’s The Chase Around The World

Viewers watching The Chase Around The World were all left saying the same thing.

The ITV spin-off show returned to screens on Thursday (July 30) – hosted by beloved presenter Bradley Walsh. The latest programme saw the remaining teams land in Lisbon, racing through the city towards the finishing point.

Required to solve various puzzles and answer questions throughout their route, the teams had to successfully complete games involving custard tarts, tins of sardines, phone boxes and tuk-tuks.

However, it appears viewers were not that impressed with the latest instalment, with several disgruntled fans airing their thoughts on X.

One person moaned: “I really hope they don’t do another series of this. I really thought this was gonna be good but it’s s**t.”

Someone else chimed in: “Feels like a rip off of the BBC’s Race around the World but with a few quiz questions.” A third added: “Should be called The Chase Across Europe cos they are only going to European Cities!”

A fourth person penned: “Totally boring, half a dozen silly questions and people running round back streets for hours. You’re worth more Brad!!!”

Nonetheless, when the show first aired a few weeks back, the reception was positive.

On Facebook, one person said: “Loved it. Watching G No 3 now. It’s great if you like general knowledge.” Another wrote: “I quite liked it.” Someone else penned: “I liked it but wow the questions were hard.”

It comes after host Bradley Walsh gushed about the exciting new spin-off series. He teased: “I would describe it as The Chase… but around the world! It’s out and about.

“It was very different doing it on location, in these incredible places, instead of being in a studio. I’ve been locked in Elstree Studios for 17 years!

“The locations were unbelievable. I loved it, I really did, but then again, I wasn’t chasing around, literally chasing around, the cities we were in.”

Discussing how intense the competition became, he disclosed: “The competition really heated up; you could see the contestants thinking, ‘Right, this is what we’ve got to do. This is how to play this game’.

“There were times when some were over-taking others, some were slipping back. And, a couple of times, which is really quite interesting and what I liked, they literally saw each other on the street, or in a place where they were getting a clue.”

The Chase Around The World airs every Thursday at 9pm on ITV1.

When a pitcher purposely throws high and inside, the batter has four choices.

He can stare down the pitcher. He can charge the mound. He can get revenge by walloping the next pitch for a hit.

Or he can ignore the intimidation tactic and continue as if nothing happened.

The last choice is the wimp’s way out, since the batter will lose his teammates’ respect, while opposing pitchers will consider him a pushover and fire more brushback pitches at him.

Ever since the Dodgers visited the White House last spring to commemorate their 2024 World Series win, President Trump has launched a barrage of metaphorical fastballs trying to hurt Los Angeles — in the courts, in speeches and on social media, but especially via his deportation deluge that’s starting to simmer again.

So how have the Boys in Blue responded in defense of the metropolis they wear on their jerseys and the community that has sustained them for nearly 70 years, making Dem Bums one of the most valuable franchises in baseball?

They’re scheduled to visit the White House today so Trump can use them as a photo op and bask in their 2025 championship.

That’s like staying in the dugout during a bench-clearing brawl after a pitcher plonks a batter, then offering the offender a handshake the next inning.

Winning back-to-back titles and blazing through this season has brought Angelenos much-needed happiness during a terrible stretch for the city — but winning is what the Dodgers are supposed to do. They’re also supposed to do more.

This is the team of pioneers like Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax, Glenn Burke and Fernando Valenzuela. The squad whose mythology insists it’s a franchise apart from the rest of professional sports because the Dodger Way is kinder, braver and more willing to take moral risks that transcend baseball and make society better.

And yet manager Dave Roberts told Times sports columnist Bill Shaikin in February that he would gladly accept another White House invitation “to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements, because I am not a politician.”

Well, thank God the Dodgers broke baseball’s longstanding tradition of segregation long before Roberts, who is Black and Japanese American, was born!

Manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout during a 2025 game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California.

(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Most of the Blue Crew fans I know — who are mostly Trump haters, by the way — roll their eyes every time a wokoso member of Dodger Nation complains about the team’s White House visits or the failure of players, coaches and executives to speak out more forcefully against Trump’s anti-immigrant campaign. Politics have no place in baseball, my friends and family members will say.

But standing up for L.A. by snubbing Trump or calling out his war against us isn’t political at all.

Angelenos need a champion on the Dodgers to say what needs to be said: The City of Angels is wonderful, and Trump is wrong to target it. If you can’t stand up for the simple belief that we don’t deserve to be Trump’s personal piñata, then you have no place playing for the Dodgers.

Only two players have announced they’re not going to the White House: superstar Mookie Betts and fan favorite Kiké Hernández. The latter, a native of Puerto Rico, endeared himself to the Dodger faithful last year during the height of the immigration raids with an Instagram post that read, “I cannot tolerate watching our community continue to be violated, attacked, abused and separated. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and their human rights.”

This time around, Hernández told the Times that he’s not going so he can focus on a rehabilitation stint in the minors. When pressed by reporter Maddie Lee, he said, “I’d rather take a day off than do team activities.”

Nice way to rhetorically strike out, Kiké.

Betts, meanwhile, said he wants to spend time with his newborn child — as legitimate a reason as any. But then he sat down for a short interview with Fox News.

“I don’t know why the world sees athletes as political figures or these people that can make change,” Betts said. The future Hall of Famer, who like Roberts owes a lot to Robinson for paving the way for him and other Black players, hemmed and hawed as if he didn’t quite believe what he was saying.

Dodgers past and present haven’t been averse to political stands — they just usually happen to be of the conservative variety.

After his retirement, Robinson campaigned for Richard Nixon’s unsuccessful 1960 presidential bid but left the GOP eight years later, accusing Nixon of “prostituting himself to the bigots in the South” to win the presidency.

Other Dodger legends, from former owner Peter O’Malley to Steve Garvey to Tommy Lasorda, were proud, vocal Republicans as well. Reliever Blake Treinen pitched in a game with “Charlie Kirk” written on his hat after the assassination of the far-right commentator — you know, the guy who lambasted L.A.’s response to Trump’s immigration hammer as “open rebellion to American sovereignty and authority … in a corrupt blue city.”

Treinen — who skipped the Dodgers’ 2021 White House visit when Joe Biden occupied the Oval Office — was at it again this year when he and teammate Alex Call declined to wear Pride Night-themed caps, choosing instead to play with the standard-issue one. They followed the example of Dodgers titan Clayton Kershaw, who wore a Pride cap last year but adorned it with a verse from the Book of Genesis commandeered by MAGA Christians to accuse LGBT+ people of appropriating rainbow colors to celebrate their supposedly wicked ways.

Dodgers management didn’t browbeat Treinen and Call, and that’s fine — ballplayers should be entitled to share their personal thoughts, however noxious. I even understand why the team might want to ham it up with Trump this week — that’s what multimillionaires seem to want to do these days, after all.

Federal agents stage outside Gate E of Dodger Stadium on June 19, 2025.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

What offends me most is that Dodgers owner Mark Walter knows what Trump is doing to L.A. is wrong, even if he’ll never publicly say anything.

Last June, the team announced that it had prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from entering the Dodger Stadium parking lot — the feds denied that this happened. The Dodgers also announced they would donate $1.1 million to nonprofits to assist people affected by the immigration raids — a response to community disgust about video of federal agents in front of a Dodger Stadium gate with people who had been detained at a nearby Home Depot.

Soon after, the Dodgers were hit with a federal civil rights complaint, filed by a legal group co-founded by Stephen Miller, accusing them of discrimination because of their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. This year, Walter’s investment firm rid itself of all shares in GEO Group, which runs immigrant detention centers on behalf of the federal government.

Yet now, the Dodgers are going to the White House.

Enjoy the trip, fellas. Hey, maybe one of you will shake Trump’s hand and tell him that multicultural, immigrant, Dodgers-blue Los Angeles is all right.

Hey, maybe the Angels will win the pennant.

A beach has been praised for its golden sands and tranquil blue waters that are reminiscent of Mediterranean destinations and holidays abroad – only it’s right here in the UK

A stunning British beach is turning heads for its golden sands and crystal-clear blue waters that wouldn’t look out of place on the Mediterranean coastline – but the best part is, it’s here in the UK.

It’s not always a case of flocking to Europe or the Caribbean for a lavish holiday, because Britain has plenty to offer. From charming towns to villages, locals and tourists can enjoy a diverse array of attractions here. Now if you’re in need of inspiration when it comes to booking your next staycation or day trip, we have you covered. According to Beach Guide UK, a whopping 1,500 beaches can be found across the country.

While the UK is hardly renowned for its reliable sunshine, Cornwall’s spectacular coastline more than compensates. There truly is something for everyone – from stunning stretches of powdery golden sand and unique shingle beaches, to hidden coves, world-class surf spots, and brooding atmospheric shores that could easily double as a backdrop for a BBC crime thriller.

Yet one particular beach is causing quite a stir thanks to its breathtaking Mediterranean-esque charm. Step forward Carbis Bay.

Discover Carbis Bay: Cornwall’s Mediterranean-Style Hidden Gem

This much-loved seaside village and resort sits approximately one mile southeast of the iconic St Ives, nestled on the western shores of St Ives Bay along the Atlantic coast.

Nature enthusiasts and walkers will find themselves equally captivated by Carbis Bay, as the South West Coast Path – England’s renowned 630-mile long-distance trail winding around the south west peninsula’s coastline – runs above the shore.

TikTok user Suzanne posted footage of Carbis Bay on the popular social media site.

Overlaid on the video, which sweeps across the golden sand and brilliant blue waters, she penned: “Okay… this might be the prettiest beach in the UK.”

Alongside the clip, Suzanne added the caption: “Carbis Bay, Cornwall, looking like the Mediterranean.”

Best Things to Do at Carbis Bay Beach: Swimming and Water Sports

The spot has also received recognition from Visit Cornwall, which notes: “Just a mile out of St Ives, Carbis Bay Beach is the perfect destination for a relaxing day at the beach. The bay’s lush cliffsides and position on the Atlantic Coast assure tranquil waters, making it the ideal spot for swimming.

“Tucked away into its own corner of St Ives Bay, Carbis Bay enjoys a perfect, natural shelter from the worst of the Atlantic swell, making its waters a tranquil paradise ideal for swimmers of all ages.”

Visit Cornwall continues: “The golden beach itself is perfect for soaking up the sun on warm summer days, or constructing elegant castles in the sand.

“While surfers might wish to look elsewhere for a swell, any with an interest in stand up paddle boarding or kayaking may just find that Carbis Bay ticks every box.”

Planning Your Visit: Travel Times and Carbis Bay Hotels

The travel to Carbis Bay can vary but if you’re coming from London, a car journey will roughly take 5 hours. Alternatively, a train journey is about 4 hours and 41 minutes. From Bristol, this is slightly closer and about 3 hours in the car.

Meanwhile it’s around 4 hours if you’re leaving from the Midlands.

It’s best advised that if you are visiting St Ives, booking yourself accommodation might be the less exhausting option. Hotels in Carbis Bay average about £350 to £470 per night during summer.

However rates can vary drastically and drop around £100 at any other time of the year. Meanwhile, luxury 5-star estates (like the Carbis Bay Estate) can range from £475 to £1,000+ per night depending on seasonal demand.

The Repair Shop expert was left fighting back tears after an emotional restoration on the BBC show.

The Repair Shop expert Will Kirk couldn’t hide his emotion as a guest left him feeling choked up.

The woodwork restorer, who has become a fan-favourite on the BBC programme, admitted he was ‘going to cry’ after an emotional restoration.

During Wednesday’s (July 8) episode of the BBC hit show, Will and expert shoe restorer Dean Westmoreland were joined by Barbara Dennison and granddaughter Giovanna.

The duo came into the workshop looking for the experts help to restore a pair of baby shoes holding precious memories of wartime heroism.

The shoes belonged to Barbara and her late father Norman William gave them to her. He was gifted the shoes in Holland in 1945, during the Second World War after saving a little girl.

During a heartfelt moment, Barbara explained: “He was going down the street in Holland and there was a little girl playing in the street. Some shooting started and he grabbed this little girl and jumped into a cellar.

“When the shooting finished, he took her back to her mum and dad. The family must have been really grateful because he saved her. They must have been talking and he told them that he had a little girl, then they brought him these little shoes.”

Pointing at the shoes, she added: “Shortly after that his jeep got blown up but they survived , which is a miracle in itself.”

Dean knew he had a huge task on his hand as he admitted that he was feeling “nervous”. While getting stuck into the restoration, he said: “They’re so delicate and so small that I’m a little bit nervous about handling them.

“Unfortunately, I can’t scale my hands down to get in and do all this fine micro-detail work. The lining on this one is actually, almost all of it has come away. The leather is quite stiff, it’s quite dry so I’m going to have to think about how to hydrate this leather.”

Despite the huge challenge ahead, Dean managed to restore the item and Barbara was left in tears after reuniting with her precious shoes.

Joining Dean and Will back in the workshop, Barbara was tearful as she said: “Oh that’s lovely. Look it’s all stitched on. Oh Dean, thank you.”

She continued: “You’ve done exactly what I wanted. Each crack is just a wonderful memory of my dad and all my kids.”

The moment left Will emotional as he turned to Barbara and Giovanna and admitted: “You’re going to make me cry.”

Barbara was grateful to Dean for all his hard work as she added: “I can’t thank you enough.”

You can catch up on The Repair Shop on BBC iPlayer.

UNLIKE other English lidos, this is one you would completely miss if it you didn’t know it was there.

Burford Bridge Lido is tucked away in the grounds of the Sunday Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel just outside of Dorking.

The peaceful spot is so idyllic that some visitors have said being there makes them feel like they’re “on holiday”.

Stretching 20 metres long, it is heated between 28C-32C.

Between May and September, the pool is open seven days a week to the public who can book morning, afternoon or evening sessions.

Surrounding the lido are plenty of sun loungers, parasols and towel hire which swimmers can take advantage of.

CHEAP DATE

Our fave cheap European destinations with flights under £20 & hotels from £24pp

IT’S A WASHOUT

UK indoor waterparks with VIP spas, mega slides and 30C tropical climates

You can get food and drink there too which is served up from the hotel restaurant.

On offer there are pizzas, salads and burgers, there’s also a children’s menu as well as soft and alcoholic drinks.

As the lido is found on the site of the Sunday Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel, guests get access to the lido included in their stay.

And over the years, it has been one of the prime selling-points of the hotel.

One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “The gardens are a delight, particularly the heated outdoor swimming pool. That was the icing on the cake!”

Another said: “I love outdoor swimming so the amazing 27’ temperature beautiful pool below Box Hill with fab facilities and lifeguards was a treat!”

A third commented: “An unexpected gem of a hotel in an idyllic location (despite the roundabout location!) with a glorious outdoor lido, perfect for poolside lounging and exploring green Box Hill on a hot bank holiday weekend.”

Sun Travel found rooms that start from £64 per night (or £32 each).

Day pass tickets for those not staying at the hotel vary in price depending on the time.

Early bird swims (between 7-11am) start from £12.50 for adults and £7.50 for children.

Mid-day swims (between 11am-3pm) and afternoon swims (3-7pm) start from £20 for adults and £10 for children.

A full day pass starts from £35 for adults and £17.50 for children with a family pass starting from £85.

For those driving, the lido has free parking for up to four hours for those with a day pass.

The outdoor pool is seasonal and will be open this summer until September 27.

SIR Ranulph Fiennes and Bear Grylls most likely pop into your head when you think of adventurers. But now, you can add Wizz Air customers to that list.

And me. Last month, I was invited to join some competition winners on a flight to . . . who knows where?

As part of the Hungarian airline’s Let’s Get Lost promotion, 22 lucky travellers and their plus-ones were going on an all-expenses-paid trip, to a secret destination.

We were given five possible locations for our three-night adventure — Moldova, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Lithuania, Armenia and Albania.

Even after boarding the plane we were still none the wiser, all we had was a pre-provided packing list and a rough idea of the climate.

It was only once the flight had exceeded three and a half hours that we could guess it was Armenia. A tannoy announcement confirmed it, prompting a round of applause.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

LOCKED OUT

Spanish anti-tourist locals glue Airbnb lockboxes in latest holiday wars stunt

I’ll be honest, Armenia was never on my radar as a holiday destination, but that’s exactly what made this trip so special.

Arriving in Republic Square, the heart of the capital city Yerevan, the Saturday evening atmosphere was electric with hordes of people enjoying live music alfresco.

We stayed in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, perfectly located in the city centre of Yerevan.

A walking tour was the best way to get our bearings. We wandered the main streets past buildings made from pink volcanic stone, before reaching the Cascade Yerevan.

Made up of 572 steps (we took the interior escalator), this mighty landmark is a must-visit. From its peak, we had stunning views of the snow-capped Mount Ararat, now in modern-day Turkey.

A 30-minute drive away is Charents’ Arch, a monument dedicated to a much-loved poet in this region. The curved brick structure provides the perfect natural frame for the landscape and is a great photo spot.

The architectural highlight for me was the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin — the Mother Cathedral of the Armenian Church.

Remnants of it date back to the 4th century (Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301AD), and it is the most ornate church I’ve ever seen.

The ruins of the 7th-century Zvartnots Cathedral are also worth a visit.

The whole place has an otherwordly feel, and with the hot sun beating down on us, it felt spiritual.

In just two days, we ticked off key landmarks, including Garni Temple and the Geghard Monastery, with lunches and dinners in between, accompanied by Armenian wine, which I would highly recommend.

With such a short time on the ground, this trip didn’t allow for loafing, but that’s the brilliance of a Wizz Air mystery getaway — cramming in all the best bits.

Our final evening was spent at Tavern Yerevan Riverside. The setting, grub and entertainment were truly amazing. Armenian wine was flowing while we tucked into khorovats, traditional Armenian barbecued meats scorched over an open flame.

While we had a curated itinerary, Yerevan can be navigated independently and you can tailor-make a cultural and/or foodie break.

After attempting, and failing, to say ‘shnorhakalutyun’ — Armenian for ‘thank you’ — throughout, I was advised that the French equivalent would also be appreciated.

So, merci Armenia — a destination I’d never planned to visit, but am so glad I did.

An airline pilot has shared advice for anyone who deals with anxiety on flights

Anxious travellers could enjoy calmer travel days by following three pilot-approved tips. An airline pilot has revealed several steps nervous passengers can take to calm their nerves before boarding.

The advice was shared by Simon Belmont, who describes himself as an airline pilot, Airbus A350 Captain and a fear-of-flying coach. With over 130,000 followers on TikTok, Simon regularly shares tips and tricks for passengers on social media as @Flyman_simon. In a recent video, the pilot shared his top recommendations for holidaymakers feeling anxious about upcoming trips.

He wrote: “Holiday travel can feel extra intense when you are already a nervous flyer. Crowded airports, delays, noise and rushing around can make anxiety feel even bigger.” Fortunately, the pilot identified three steps passengers can take to help alleviate their stress.

In the post, Simon urged passengers to give themselves plenty of time on travel days, be polite to staff, and ensure they’ve packed properly. As he explained, making sure you “keep fed, watered, and entertained” is key to a good flight. “A calmer flight often starts before you even board. Small changes really do help,” the expert pointed out.

In his video, Simon told viewers: “I’ll give you three top tips to try and make it de-stressed. If you’re a fearful flyer, de-stressing that journey really does lower your levels, and it stops you peaking, maybe overthinking, and doing all that doom thinking that gets you worried about flying.”

Simon said: “Number one, give yourself plenty of time. That is one of the biggest things. If you’re up against the clock, wondering whether that gate’s going to close and you’re going to make the flight, it’s stress from the second you leave your home or the hotel, sat in traffic. So give yourself that extra bit of time.”

He continued: “When you get to the airport, be really courteous, really nice and friendly. Remember all of those staff, all the security staff, and everyone else, they’re not trying to hold you up. They’re trying to do their job. They’re not going to cut corners on safety, and they are going to try to get you through as soon as possible.”

The pilot also advised people to pack entertainment. He explained: “Keep entertained and keep fed and watered. So keep things to keep you busy when you are sat around waiting.”

“Make sure that you have got some snacks, you’ve got some things to eat to keep that blood sugar level up, and that will again de-stress you, put you in a much happier mood, and give you a much better chance,” Simon explained.

He continued: “Keep hydrated because at the other end you want to be able to enjoy the holiday, the business trip, seeing family and friends. Dehydrated, you’re going to feel groggy and crappy.

“So yeah, give yourself plenty of time. Be courteous, remember the people are working hard, and keep yourself fed, watered, and entertained. So download those videos, take little games, card games, whatever you can.”