The Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the Temple of Karnak – with important monuments that grace every protected heritage list from here to Kingdom Come, it goes without saying that Egypt is a fascinating place that will captivate you from the word ‘go’. Whether you take a cruise along the famous River Nile, stay in the bustling capital of Cairo or opt for a classic beach holiday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, there are numerous ways to enjoy a holiday in Egypt. But despite its everlasting appeal and world-famous monuments, holidays here don’t have to cost the earth.

Cheap Egypt holidays are readily available wherever you wish to stay. Most deals are commonly found on holidays in the coastal resorts of the Red Sea, at locations such as Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Makadi Bay. Here you’ll find top-notch hotels, many of which offering all inclusive deals, and pristine beaches with more sun, sea and sand than you know what to do with. Thanks to the clean and clear shores, watersports are high on the agenda here. Try your hand at any number of different activities such as windsurfing, water-skiing, or just opt for a leisurely boat trip along the coast. Scuba diving is another firm favourite here – and diving enthusiasts from all over the world come to enjoy the vibrant corals, rainbow-coloured marine life and sunken wrecks of Egypt’s Red Sea.

Egypt is an absolute holiday gem that easily rivals the big tourism players such as the Caribbean and USA vacations. As holidays go, this captivating destination really has got it all.

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You can find hotels in Birmingham to suit your budget easily in the heart of the city, offering affordable comfort and excellent locations for your budget break.

Venture into the city and find a perfect eatery to tickle your tastebuds. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get good quality food and Birmingham has a huge range of restaurants to choose from.

If you’re hankering for a good pie, head to Urban Pie in the Bullring Shopping Centre. For a meagre £3.95, you can get generous portions of great quality meal. It’s well worth meandering the maze of the Bullring to find the hearty meals that this place provides.

Deep in the heart of the business district, you will find a huge number of excellent quality high-end restaurants – some of which offer top notch gourmet food for reasonable prices. You can dine at Purnell’s, the Michelin star establishment, which offers 2 course lunches for £22. Alternatively, across the road is the highly acclaimed Opus, offering culinary delights for a reasonable price, including beautifully tasting daily specials.

As far as burger lunches go, the Handmade Burger Co. excels in its field. With succulently meaty burgers on chunky sourdough buns, it’d be hard to find a burger with better value.

If you fancy a curry, head for Asha’s on Newall Street. Offering evening mains from a tenner, this fabulous Indian restaurant provides its diners with a sensational authentic curry, with quality flavours and substantial portions.

For a spot of modern culture, pop over to the Ikon contemporary art gallery in Brindleyplace. Once you have admired the exhibitions homed there, take time out to enjoy the atmosphere of Cafe Ikon. The Good Food Guide has recommended its Spanish menu, which offers a range of rustic Iberian dishes, from tapas dishes to paella and everything inbetween.

If you fancy something different, make your way through along Allison Street and you’ll find the headquarters of Friends of the Earth. As the name suggests, the businesses held here are eco-friendly and green. The Warehouse Cafe is an award winning vegetarian restaurant, serving exciting innovative fare which focuses on seasonal, organic produce. Light bites can cost around a fiver, with a main meal hovering around the £8 region – not bad for excellent vegetarian cuisine.

Whatever dining experience you choose, Birmingham will be sure to provide high quality eateries at reasonable prices. Combine an affordable lunch or dinner with a night on the town experiencing some of the city’s booming nightlife, and you can be sure to enjoy your break in the cosmopolitan city of Birmingham in the heart of the Midlands.

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Although we may not still physically be on holidays, our writing abilities are still gorging themselves on baguettes in Europe.

While we await their return, check out my post on the G Adventures blog where I explain our tips for staying on budget in Italy, and reminisce with me about the Tuscan countryside, and the best pizza in the world.

Because of this, anymore long term traveling ideas were to be placed on hold while she settled in to her new career. This made it an easy decision to stay and to move into a 1 bedroom apartment in the West end of Toronto, halfway between my work and her’s.

But of course a passion for something like travel never fully goes away and  after I experienced a few frustrating days at work, I figured it was time to leave behind our day to day routine and plan an escape.

Canada is a great to place to live and we are very proud of the country we’re from, but what I can’t seem to understand is how little we value our vacation time. Canadians receive an annual vacation minimum of 10 working days! Compare that with countries like Denmark, Sweden and Germany which are closer to a minimum of 5 weeks a year, and Canada looks pathetic.

We started with many ideas and when I started searching for cheap international flights I was able to find a few options which would meet our budget and timeframe. With a few exciting choices, we were contemplating between attractive options like Costa Rica and a few US states, but with spring in the air and food being paramount in importance on this trip, we knew we would be Europebound.

Lonely Planets were bought, backpacks dusted off, and passports renewed. Its now time  to search out a route from Toulouse, France to Barcelona, Spain.

We have compiled some of our experiences backpacking Asia, the Middle East and Europe into a 4 minute video. We hope you enjoy it.

originally published Jan 16,2011