Published this month:
Author Archives: Qin Xie
Words – May 2020
I’ve launched a new project
A short announcement: I’ve launched a new subscription-based newsletter on personal finance.
Money Talk is very different from anything I’ve written about before – I’ve explained my reasoning behind this pivot for the launch post so I won’t labour over them here.
But if you’re curious, you can also read about what was going on behind the scenes before and after I pushed the launch button last week.
You can subscribe to it here:
Meanwhile, I have a lot of learning and writing to do.
Words – April 2020
Published this month:
- Marriott hotels suffer major hack affecting 5.2 million customers
- National Express to suspend all coach services
- First koalas released back into the wild after Australian bushfires
- Air travel suffers sharpest decline in demand since 9/11
- Full list of repatriation flights available to stranded Britons
- What your rights are if your travels are cancelled due to coronavirus
- Hotels in Italy’s Amalfi are selling holidays to beat coronavirus
- Tourists sued for going on holiday instead of self isolating
- Venice postpones tourist tax amid coronavirus crisis
- Bar owner pays unemployed staff with money guests stapled to the wall
- How to recreate your Easter holidays at home
- Virgin Atlantic will temporarily operate cargo-only services
- Couple wrongly fined £1,700 after posting holiday snaps from last year
- Coronavirus: How can I donate to the NHS during the pandemic?
- The Queen’s most memorable speeches
- How to volunteer for human coronavirus vaccine trials
- How to make money from your clutter
Words – March 2020
Published this month:
- Latest Dublin travel advice after Six Nations game cancelled
- Mother and daughter attack pilot in argument over buggy, court hears
- FlyBe ‘could go bust within weeks’ amid coronavirus crisis
- Passengers must self isolate after flyers test positive for Covid-19
- Coronavirus could cost airline industry £87bn in 2020
- Is it safe to travel to Tunisia after bombing near US embassy?
- Egypt reopens its oldest pyramid after £5m restoration
- KIHNU BELIEVE IT? Inside Kihnu, the secret island off Estonia that is run by women
- Plane diverted as passengers feared sneezing flyer had coronavirus
- Tinie Tempah spots stained pillow on British Airways seat
- Coronavirus ‘ghost flights’ to end under temporary new rules
- New travel insurance policies may not cover coronavirus disruptions
- UAE bans cruise ships in bid to stop coronavirus from spreading
- Princess Cruises cancels upcoming trips due to coronavirus
- US citizens advised to reconsider travel amid coronavirus outbreak
- Coronavirus travel news: Countries move to close borders
- Latest travel advice for Cyprus as the country imposes new coronavirus
- Latest travel advice for Spain and France amid coronavirus outbreak
- Virgin Atlantic to cut 80% of flights due to coronavirus
- Ryanair could ground its entire fleet due to coronavirus
- Airports could shut down within weeks under FCO rules – follow live
- Which countries have coronavirus travel bans?
- British tourist goes on holiday after testing positive for coronavirus
- Woman locked in bus luggage hold sues company for false imprisonment
- UK rail services to be cut from Monday amid coronavirus pandemic
- Transport for London suspends congestion charge, ULEZ and LEZ
- Airline will pay £7,300 if you catch Covid-19 after flying with them
- Full list of London Underground stations closed during lockdown
- Coronavirus will see 75 million travel jobs lost without intervention
- Hull Trains becomes the first UK rail operator to suspend all services
- Qantas flight diverted to Sydney after baggage handlers test positive
- Airline is giving customers free air miles for staying at home
Words – February 2020
Published this month:
- FAR OUT Kennedy Space Center is launching astronauts into space again – and your kids will love their new play area
- IT’S A PASS Will I need a new passport after Brexit? What happens now
- EXTRA CHECKS Passengers heading to the US told to get to airport even earlier for additional coronavirus checks
- EX-SPAINED New Brexit travel advice if you get injured on holiday in Spain – including what happens after the transition period
- LIQUID LAUNCH Airport worker reveals he has seen dead bodies LEAKING onto suitcases in the hold
- MOUSE TRAP Guest scams hotels for free stays by releasing mice into his rooms
- RAINED OFF THE BILL Stunning Mediterranean island of Elba will refund your hotel stay if it RAINS
- APPY DAYS New app gives you compensation EVERY time your flight is delayed
- BEER WE GO Ten stunning Wetherspoons you can visit – from former theatres to grand bingo halls
- RY-LY EASY Money Saving Expert’s Ryanair tip that helps you save £100 by manually adding cabin bags
- ON TRACK Eurostar trains could soon take Brits direct to Italy, Spain and Portugal
- CHEESED OFF Plane passenger leaves fellow travellers shocked with outrageous sleep position
- HOW A-BOAT THAT The most incredible new superyachts are named with one featuring an IMAX cinema and disco
- HIGH ALERT Pick a window seat and stay in cabins – expert travel tips on how to avoid coronavirus
- GETTING TROLLIED The cheapest airlines for in-flight food and booze ahead of the summer holiday season
- WISH YOU WERE THERE The most popular Airbnb homes of the last decade – including a cave and a treehouse
- VIRAL THREAT Coronavirus could ‘COLLAPSE’ UK travel firms leaving thousands out of jobs
- Major airline unveils new lie-flat bunk beds for economy
- Child left home alone due to Covid-19 lockdown after grandfather dies
- Heathrow expansion blocked by Court of Appeal
- Family nearly hit by train while taking photos on rail tracks
- How to disinfect your plane seat amid coronavirus outbreak
Words – January 2020
Published this month:
- KILLER INFERNO Is it safe to travel to Australia? Latest advice as bushfires worsen and NSW declares week-long emergency
- WALT A JOB Disneyland Paris is hiring princes and princesses this month – and you don’t need any experience
- BARGAIN STAY Best budget-friendly hotels opening in 2020 including one near Disney from £65 a night
- STAR BUY Eurostar’s £29 fares are back – perfect if you’re heading to Disneyland Paris this year
- GANGSTA RIDE Alton Towers is launching a Gangsta Granny ride based on David Walliams’ children’s books
- OOH NAH NAH French strikes: Flights to France delayed or cancelled as air traffic controllers stage walk outs today
- GO ALL IN Best value all-inclusive destinations for 2020 including Spain and Turkey – and deals start from less than £300pp
- IRAN AROUND UK airlines banned from Iran and Iraq airspace with British Airways and Virgin passengers facing longer flights
- WILD RIDE Chessington is launching four new rides this year including one featuring Elmer the elephant
- ISLE GO Stunning Irish island is looking for people to live there – and they will pay for your food and accommodation
- SCORPIONS ON A PLANE Air passenger tried to smuggle 200 live scorpions out of Sri Lanka in his luggage
- UN-BA-LIEVABLE Flybe ‘not given State Aid’ says government after British Airways owner complains to EU over ‘unfair’ rescue deal
- ORIENT EXCESS Asia’s biggest liner from Royal Caribbean has space for more than 4,000 passengers across 16 decks
- RYAN-SCARE Panic as Ryanair plane cabin suddenly fills up with smoke forcing pilots to make emergency landing
- IN A SPIN Incredible aqua park opens a rotating water slide – and it already has a ride featuring sharks
- RYAN-FARE Ryanair flash sale has flights from £5.99 – but you’re going to have to be quick
- ROOM FOR TWO Best romantic boltholes you can book for Valentine’s Day – and they start from less than £30 per person
- WINGING DESIGNS Best plane cabins of the future include beds in economy, zero waste meal trays and self-cleaning toilets
- ‘I’M CALLING THE COPS’ Outrage as plane passenger brazenly picks dead skin off their feet next to another flyer
- SAVE SEASON Cheapest cruise deals are found during ‘wave season’ when Royal Caribbean, P&O and Celebrity all slash prices
- ISLE GO Best all-inclusive deals to book now including 5-night Majorca break for £149pp
- KEEP YOUR HAT ON Terrified passengers wear PLASTIC BOTTLES and motorbike helmets to protect themselves against coronavirus
- QUAKE ALERT Is it safe to travel to Jamaica and the Caribbean? Latest advice after 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocks the islands
- SEA YOU THERE Stunning Italian city by the sea is latest to sell homes for just 85p
- DESPICABLE Second family spots Universal Orlando staff in Despicable Me costume making ‘racist gesture’
- CAUSING A STINK Couple kicked off American Airlines flight over ‘extremely offensive body odour’ say they were targeted for being Jewish
- STAR BUY Disney forced to sell Star Wars cutlery as souvenirs because guests keep stealing them
- HANG ON Heathrow Airport staff to strike this weekend with passengers warned missing luggage could ‘disappear forever’
- EU NEED TO KNOW Travelling to Europe after Brexit – how will it affect my holiday?
- SEE EU How Brexit will affect your holidays from January 2021 – after the transition period ends
- PENNY PINCHER Greedy travel firms are making it harder for you to find a good deal by using AI to hike prices
- DUPLO THE FUN Legoland’s new Duplo rollercoaster is opening in March – and your kids will love it
Words – December 2019
Published this month:
- ON THE MONEY Best and worst travel price comparison sites revealed – and it’s bad news for GoCompare
- RED HOT Virgin Atlantic Cyber Monday deal is its £1 ‘Golden Ticket’ – here’s how you can get one
- RACE ROW Princess Cruises slammed over ‘blatant racism’ after it used ‘fake Maoris’ to greet guests in New Zealand
- BRICK DAY OUT Legoland tickets are just £15 if you go before Christmas – but you have to get tickets TODAY
- PAW-SOME Ryanair, British Airways and Eurostar among winners as Peta launches first ever awards for cruelty-free travel
- SALE AWAY Royal Caribbean Black Friday sale includes 60% off cruises with 7-night trips from less than £300pp
- RY-TE ON Ryanair’s Cyber Week sale ends TODAY with £20 off return flights across Europe
- NEIGH WAY Horse is spotted on passenger plane – and some people are NOT happy
- SHIPSHAPE Best cruise ships of 2019 include Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Marella
- HOT STUFF Air New Zealand launches coffee cups you can EAT after finishing your drink
- RIDE ON Abu Dhabi’s Ferrari World beats Disney to win world’s best theme park award
- FEE HIKE Brits could end up paying an extra £10 for each package holiday after Thomas Cook collapse
- RYAN-FARE Ryanair has extended its sale with £9.99 flights across Europe – but you have to book by tonight
- FLIGHTMARE Southwest Airlines cabin crew ‘threatens to kick Muslim mum off flight after she asks to sit with family’
- FARE DOS How to find incredibly cheap flights anywhere through apps, price alerts and mistake fares
- STRIKES ON French strikes – Latest on easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways flight cancellations
- SEATBACK & RELAX Plane seats with padded ‘privacy panels’ that double as a headrest could finally make flying economy comfortable
- MEG-A BLING Meghan Markle’s New York baby shower hotel launches £190k Christmas package with private ice rink and helicopter rides
- DELAY PAIN Worst Christmas getaway airport for delays is London Stansted – here are the other ones to avoid
- RY-UNFAIR Ryanair rejects almost 100% of compensation claims – but here’s how you can improve your chances
- RAILLY BAD French strikes – More Eurostar services cancelled to France, Belgium and the Netherlands this week
- ELECTRIFYING Butlin’s is launching a stunning new live show featuring circus and dance acts next year
- EASY SAVING EasyJet’s Flexi fare can help you beat the school holiday price hike – here’s how
- THAT’S A WRAP How airlines fix damaged planes with ‘speed tape’ – and it’s perfectly safe
- SPILL THEIR GUTS Cruise staff reveal how passengers can avoid norovirus on ships – and how to tell how bad an outbreak is
- BUTTON IT The new button in the cockpit that means even PASSENGERS could land a plane
- CLOSE CALL How buying two set of flights at the same time can save you money
- GOOGLE IT Google’s 2019 Year in Search reveal Venice, Krakow and Berlin are the most popular city break destinations for Brits
- JET OFF EasyJet launches flights to Tunisia – first time since the 2015 Sousse massacre
- KID YOU NOT Legoland are giving away free park tickets on election day – here’s how you can get them
- RYAN-FARE Ryanair launches flash sale with 25% off flights – and cheapest start from £4.99
- LUCKY FOR SOME Friday the 13th is the cheapest day to fly thanks to superstitious holidaymakers
- OUT OF THIS WORLD You can now stay in a Star Wars-style hostel with ‘space pods’ for beds – and it’s perfect for families
- HOLIDAYS ARE COMING Best holidays under £100 you can give as Christmas gifts including UK glamping breaks and spa esapes
- ALL EARS Five tips for first time Disney World visitors including the special badge that gets you extra perks
- FLYAWAY New destinations you can visit in 2020 with Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic
- WHALE OF A TIME You can get paid £20k to spot whales and dolphins in Scotland
- YACHT LIFE Best superyachts in the world featuring swimming pools, helipads and even an IMAX on board
- RED HOT Virgin Atlantic’s massive winter sale includes return flights from just £235
- BLACK TUESDAY French strikes – easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways cancel more flights
- AIR-SMR JetBlue releases bizarre ASMR video of airport sounds to help passengers relax
- BOG STANDARD Planes could get much bigger toilets – and they’re accessible for disabled passengers too
- HIGH LIFE Etihad’s The Residence – dubbed world’s most expensive plane ticket – comes with a double bed, shower and even a butler
- BA-RGAIN British Airways kicks off January Sale two weeks early with £99 holidays and long haul flights from under £300
- THE UPSIDE DEN You can now stay in a Stranger Things-themed Airbnb for £56 a night
- DE-VICE Don’t use the hotel phone charger as it could ruin the batteries on your device
- IN HOT WATER You can now sue an airline if you’re scalded by hot drinks during a flight
- CABIN CHIC Carnival Cruises’ tricks for making cabins look and feel bigger that you can try at home
- LOVE A DEAL Best deals in Loveholidays Christmas sale with up to 40% off holidays – and deposits start from just £25pp
- EASY BARGAIN EasyJet’s Christmas sale includes 20% off flights and £200 off beach holidays
- MAGIC DEAL Book a Disneyland Paris break from just £199pp in Boxing Day sale
- SINGLE DUTCH Holland WON’T exist anymore as country officially ‘rebrands’ as the Netherlands – costing over £170k
- FAMILY S-TRIP Alton Towers hotel is being taken over by nudists for a clothing-free weekend for families
- LITTLE GETAWAY Where is Little Women filmed? US locations revealed including the house that inspired the original book
- TOE MUCH Worst air passengers of 2019 including disgusting man who dried ‘sweaty socks’ using plane vents
- WORST CASE SCENARIO TV host Gayle King left with ‘no clothes’ after Alaska Airlines checks her bags to wrong airport
- CHOCTASTIC Slovenian ‘chocolate village’ with free wine and treats is every chocoholic’s dream holiday
- PLANE CRAZY Idiot tourist asks British embassy to buy him new ticket home as plane food was so bad on his outbound flight
Words – November 2019
Published this month:
- HOP TUI IT Tui launching holidays to Sharm el Sheikh from next February after flight ban lifted
- CENSORED Outrage after gay kiss scenes cut from Booksmart and Rocketman on Delta flights
- COOK’S FUTURE Thomas Cook could come back as online-only travel agent after it’s bought by Fosun for £11m
- TECH IT OUT Best new travel gadgets 2019 – from camera phones to noise-cancelling headphones
- HEIRBNB Incredible UK castles you can stay in – and they start from just £9 per person a night
- GROUNDED Ryanair grounds 3 Boeing planes over cracking issue that’s affecting airlines world wide
- IRISH CHARM Rough Guides names 20 destinations to visit next year including Galway and Athens
- PLANE GROSS Ryanair has the ‘dirtiest plane cabin with filthy headrest and greasy tray tables’
- SAY CHEESE Head down to Cyprus for great beaches and all the halloumi you could ever want
- BAD DEAL The Black Friday travel deals that are MORE expensive than other times of the year including easyJet and Ryanair
- CASTAWAY You can hire this dreamy private island for just £68 per person a night and the views are incredible
- BRIDGE THE LANGUAGE GAP Travelling abroad? Google Maps can soon ask directions out loud for you
- SP-AAH Book a 2 night mini-break to Malta from just £69pp including spa treatments and flights
- SPEEDY GETAWAY British Airways plans to cut delays by using AI to speed up airport turnaround
- RIDE ON You can get Chessington World of Adventures tickets for just £20.20 in its Black Friday sale
- RIDE ON New Carnival cruise ship Mardi Gras will have a two-deck ‘playground’ with rollercoaster and water park
- SEA YOU THERE Virgin Voyages’ second adult-only cruise ship Valiant Lady will launch in Barcelona in 2021
- FESTIVE AIRWAYS How to get free flights home this Christmas with British Airways
- SAVINGS TIME Get the cheapest flights to Europe by booking 63 days before you travel and 118 days ahead for the best hotel deals
- WILD NIGHT You can sleep next to lions and tigers at an incredible safari lodge… in KENT
- SANDS GOOD Teletext Holidays Black Friday sale has all-inclusive breaks with 50% off
- SING IT Singapore Airlines Black Friday sale has flights from just £385 – here are the best deals
- BA-RGAIN British Airways Black Friday sale has holidays from £99 and long-haul flights for less than £300
- WAT-ER VIEW You can sleep with the fishes in an incredible floating hotel with underwater suites over the Great Barrier Reef
- CHEERS! Guinness are opening a pint-sized pub with FREE drinks that’s just big enough for you and your mates
- SMILE Facial recognition app on your phone will soon let you go through airport security faster in top Spanish destinations
- LET’S GO Legoland Windsor is open during February half term for the first time – and tickets are just £20pp
- WOW MAGIC Wowcher Black Friday sale includes £89 mystery holiday and Disneyland Paris break from £139
- THANKS A LOT! Mum gives birth to baby girl in airport after her waters broke on Thanksgiving flight home
- ALL THE RAGE Air rage passengers could end up in jail overseas from January under new rules
- GET A ROOM Booking.com Black Friday sale has 40% off hotel rooms – and there are lots under £10
- WALT A STORY Man who played Goofy at Disney for over 25 years share the heartbreaking story behind how he got his job
Words – October 2019
Published this month:
- BURNS HORROR Yellowstone tourist fighting for life after falling into 100C thermal pools at Old Faithful geyser while ‘walking at night without a flashlight’
- SEA CHANGE TripAdvisor will stop selling tickets to SeaWorld and attractions that breed captive whales
- THAT STINKS Humiliated Jetstar passenger ‘told to put her baby’s dirty nappy on plane floor as she couldn’t find bin in the loo’
- HOBBIT ESCAPE You can stay in this adults-only Hobbit paradise for just £280 a night and guests say it’s just magical
- EASY BARGAIN EasyJet has scrapped their £16 booking fee so your flights will be cheaper than ever
- GIRLS ALLOWED Majorca has opened a new hotel where men are BANNED – and female travellers love it
- ULTIMATE GETAWAY The £1MILLION cruise that lasts 123 days, 5* hotel stays and helicopter transfers
- RYAN-FARE Ryanair’s flash sale ends TODAY so snap up flights from £5.99 while you can
- ‘SNOW PLACE LIKE IT Bag a bargain Christmas markets getaway from just £89pp with two nights’ hotel stay and return flights
- RY-TE BARGAIN Ryanair launches ANOTHER sale with flights from just £4.99
- BANANAS Air Canada pilots forced to declare in-flight emergency and put on oxygen masks after smelly FRUIT stinks out aircraft
- FLOCK HORROR Kids left in tears as pelican tries to revive its dead friend at Singapore Zoo before staff removes its corpse in front of shocked guests
- MAGIC BREAK Snap up adult tickets to Disney World and Universal Orlando at kids’ prices for summer 2020 – and the deposit is only £25pp
- GROUNDED Boeing 737 NG planes grounded over safety fears after cracks found near wing – but some are still in service
- FRIGHTFULLY GOOD Thorpe Park is offering 50% off Fright Night packages this month
- SHIP SHAPE Cruise ship with a theme park on board is coming in 2021 – and it will feature the world’s longest rollercoaster at sea
- HOT TICKET Skyscanner reveals the best destinations for winter sun where temperatures are soaring but flights are getting cheaper
- FLYING PALACE Inside the lavish £158m Boeing private jet featuring a ‘royal throne’, bedroom and even bathroom with shower
- CRACK DOWN Tui’s holiday adverts are being investigated by watchdog after complaints
- PACK YOUR BAGS Holidays this November are up to 50% cheaper thanks to Brexit
- GREAT BRITAIN Lonely Planet names top 10 countries and best value destinations to visit in 2020
- TOP NOSH TripAdvisor names world’s best restaurants and one in Birmingham makes top 10
- LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE Welsh staycation in Pembrokeshire is ideal place to escape city life
- EASY BARGAIN EasyJet’s massive sale has £14.49 flights to Faro, Cyprus and Majorca