The Baby Hire Centre

40 Interesting Facts About Babies

2010-10-24T11:58:00.001+02:00

Before Birth

Interesting facts about unborn babies.

Older women have more chance of multiple births: Older women have higher hormone levels, so they are more likely to produce more than one egg and have twins or triplets.

You may be able to predict gender: The Chinese Lunar Calendar crosses the month a baby was conceived with the mother's age to predict gender, and is often correct!

Fathers health can also influence: A Mothers health is not the only factor that poses risks to unborn babies. Dad should adopt a healthier lifestyle before conception too.

Early developing baby is smaller than a grain of rice: At just four weeks old — in the womb — your baby is "tinier than a grain of rice," according to Australia's Better Health Channel.

Babies have fingerprints: Even before they are born, babies have fingerprints from around three months in the womb.

Babies can "see" light: Even though your baby is inside your tummy, they can open their eyes at seven months and follow light.

Babies cry before birth: Babies develop vocal chords that are capable of crying before leaving the womb.

Newborns
Interesting facts about newborns.

Babies like Wednesday's: The day on which most babies are born is Wednesday. But for over 15 years, it was Tuesday.

"First" babies are smaller: The first child born to parents is usually smaller in size than babies born later.

More babies are born prematurely: Since 1990, preterm babies are born much more frequently. Roughly half a million each year.

Peak crying times: You may feel like babies cry nonstop, but in fact, late afternoon and early evening are the most common times for babies to cry.

Babies recognize mum first: Babies begin to recognize their mother's voice when inside the womb, and they usually recognize their mother's face earlier than other people.

They can protect themselves against choking: Called a 'protective reflex', newborn babies' tongues automatically push out foreign objects to keep them from choking.

Most babies are born with blue eyes: Eventual eye color develops later, most babies are indeed born with blue eyes.

Newborns recognize the smell of breastmilk: You may notice that a newborn will get fussy or become more alert when his breastfeeding mother comes into the room. That's because he can smell her milk.

Babies cry for two hours a day: Most babies reach a peak in overall crying time around 6 weeks old, and then settle down dramatically after 3 months.

Heart rate and breathing rate is much faster than adults: Babies' hearts beat at twice the rate of adults, and they breathe at least twice as fast, too.

Eating and Sleeping
Facts about how much babies eat and sleep.

Babies develop flat heads after sleeping: Sometimes a baby will develop a flat head after sleeping on his back. You can correct this by putting your baby on his stomach when he's awake and getting him to look to the side when he's lying down watching you.

5 hours is a full night's sleep for new babies: While babies 'nap' a lot, a 5-hour 'proper' rest is usually sufficient.

Babies can be breast fed until four months: Babies can receive all the nutrition they need to grow normally from breast milk up until four months of age.

Babies should sleep on their backs even when sick: Some parents fear that baby will choke if vomitting while sleeping on their back. But baby's natural reaction is to turn its head if sick.

Newborns sleep 16 - 17 hours a day: Although they sleep more than half the day, they actually only sleep one to two hours at a time.

There is no set time for starting solid foods: Many babies may start responding to solid foods at 6 months, while others may not be ready until they are 2 years old.

Learning
Fact about how babies learn, recognize words and faces.

Babies start learning language early: They start to recognize words when they're just 10 months old.

Babies "label" objects: Babies take the words you use when you talk about something and "label" the word to the corresponding object. It's a natural learning process.

Babies learn by using all of their senses: It's important to help your baby use all of its senses — including touch and smell — when teaching them new things.

Their brains grow faster in the first two years: The brain's nerve endings are all linking up during this important time.

Babies learn by watching faces: Encourage family members and friends to make eye contact with your baby, since this is a principal way of learning for them.

Babies recognize numerics: At seven months, babies have demonstrated that they can recognize numbers!

Babies learn from books: Reiterate familiar objects, animals, colors and sounds with your baby by using picture books.

Babies pick up on conversation and speech rhythm: Speak clearly, make eye contact, and stress normal conversation and speech patterns and your baby will soon develop a normal speaking rhythm also.

Growth and Development
Facts to learn more about crying patterns, smiles, and when to expect dribble.

Crying patterns: Some doctors and scientists believe that babies who received more comfort when they cried were less likely to cry when they grew older.

Smiles start at 6-12 weeks: Many babies start smiling before 12 weeks, but this is the general marker for normal development.

Newborns don't have the bridge of the nose: This may make it easier for them to be delivered naturally. The bridge develops later.

Drooling begins at 2 months: When a baby starts to put thier hands in her mouth, at around 2 months, dribbling quickly follows.

Babies gain a lot of weight: Babies double their birth weight by 4 months and triple it after only one year!

By 13 months, most babies should be able to say several words: Besides "mama" and "dada," babies should have been able to pick up a couple of more words by now.

Babies born today have life expectancy of 78.11 years: Science now says that the average life expectancy for today's newborns is an average of 78.11 years — 80.60 years for females and 75.65 years for males.

Cold babies do not grow as fast: Since babies can't shiver, they use up fat to keep them warm, which can interfere with normal growth.

Cause and effect: We know that toddlers and older babies are mischievous, but babies tend to experiment with cause and effect from just 5 months old!

Ryanair calls for EU action over ATC strikes

2010-10-17T15:13:00.001+02:00

SKIES OVER EUROPE CLOSED MULTIPLE TIMES THIS YEAR AS FRENCH, SPANISH AND BELGIAN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS CARRY OUT STRIKE ACTION.

Ryanair, Europe’s well known low budget airline, called on the EU Commission to take urgent action to end the ongoing chaos over European skies as Air Traffic Controllers strikes which will closed key areas of airspace.

After a summer of repeated European ATC strikes, work to rules and staff no shows, UK passengers and airlines have their travel plans cancelled or disrupted while the EU Commission stands by doing nothing. Ryanair questioned why consumers are being repeatedly hijacked by protected, cosseted, overpaid ATC workers while the European Union sits on its hands doing nothing.

Ryanair called on the EU Commission to take the following action.

1. Remove the “right to strike” for essential transport services such as Europe’s ATC.

2. Sack any ATC workers who participate in these illegal strikes (in the same way Ronald Reagan sacked and replaced striking ATC staff in the US in the 1980’s).

3. Deregulate Europe’s national ATC services in order to allow non striking ATC’s (such as the UK and Ireland) to keep the skies over Belgium, France and Spain open, while overpaid, underworked ATC’s in these countries go on strike again and again and again.

Ryanair’s Head of Communications, Stephen McNamara said :

“How many more of these disruptions, delays and strikes must Europe’s consumers suffer before the EU Commission finally takes some action? These ATC strikers are the modern day equivalent of highwaymen. They don’t care about consumers, they don’t care about passengers and they repeatedly strike because they know they can shut down Europe’s skies and hold EU Governments and passengers to ransom. It is ridiculous that Belgian ATC controllers can strike for 24 hours with no notice whatsoever, thereby causing maximum disruption and suffering to air passengers. It is also appalling that Spanish Air Traffic Controllers, some of whom earn almost €1 million per year, continue to engage in strikes, go slows and work to rules, which have caused delays and misery for millions of European passengers all summer long.

“The European Commission should stop “talking” about ending delays and do something. The single greatest cause of air traffic delays in Europe are Govt owned and mismanaged ATC services. It’s time the ‘right to strike’ of this essential service was removed, or failing that, if these people don’t want to go to work, then sack them and replace them with military and other Air Traffic Controllers who do want to work.

“How many more times will Europe’s skies be closed before the European Commission finally takes some action to end this recurring ATC chaos.

A toddlers rules of possesion.

2010-10-17T13:08:00.000+02:00

If you have a toddler, you may be familier with some or all of these...

1. If I like it, it's mine. 

2. If it's in my hand, it's mine. 

3. If I can take it from you, it's mine. 

4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine. 

5. If it's mine, it must NEVER appear to be yours in anyway. 

6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine. 

7. If it looks just like mine, it is mine. 

8. If I saw it first, it's mine. 

9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically
becomes mine. 

10. If it's broken, it's yours.

Finance for new regional airport in South East Spain.

2010-09-30T14:33:00.003+02:00

The regional government of Murcia has come to the rescue of the new airport that will cover our area in Corvera.

After looking at options, the new airport now has backing of up to 200 million euros. The ruling government of Murcia comunidad presented their budget plan to the regional assembly recently.

Building work being undertaken by Sacyr Vallehermoso, partnered with Cajamurcia, CAM and Grupo Fuertes banks, slowed down recently due to the failure to obtain adequate loan funds to complete the project.

Due to the huge financial risk the regional government is taking in guaranteeing this loan, there are strict conditions being applied.

For example, the loan cannot exceed 200 million euros, and must take place by Feburary 2010. The loan will then have to be repaid two months after completion of the work.

The PP issued this statement: “The serious lack of credit possibilities which has resulted from the financial crisis has affected this project which has been declared of regional interest, the International Airport of the Region of Murcia, to the point that, if the contractor doesn’t have backing from the Autonomous Community, it will not be able to access the financial aid necessary for completion."

So, the new International Airport for the Region of Murcia now has a later date for completion of June 30th 2011. However, as the airport will run a series of tests before it commences commercial services, it looks like passengers will not be able to fly to and from the airport until September 2011.

The roads connecting the airport are already complete and open, the tower is constructed and the concourse is well under way. And it is expected that the roof of the main passenger terminal should be in place by next March... Watch this space!

A light hearted A-Z glossary of terms for mums.

2010-09-10T18:23:00.003+02:00

Amnesia: A mental medical condition that enables a woman who has gone through labour to be intimate with their partner again.

Bottle feeding: An synthetic substitute for breast feeding designed and developed by mummies that provides an opportunity for Daddies to get up at 2AM, too.

Defense: What you'd better have around de garden if you are planning to let de children play outside and you want to see dem again.

Drooling: An evolutionary advance in higher mammals that allows teething babies to wash their chins clean of chocolate spread and tomato sauce.

Dumbwaiter: A descriptive term describing an individulal employed in the services of any eatery who asks parents if the kids would like to see the dessert menu.

Family planning: The art of spacing the birth dates of your children the correct distance apart in order to keep your entire family on the brink of financial disaster without actually becoming destitute.

Feedback: The inevitable result when your baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots you are force feeding him or her, that you purchased cheaply from the supermarket for the first time yesterday.

Full name: What you will inevitably call your child when you are very agry with him/her - A degenerative condition that normally continues well into their adult life.

Grandparents: Adult individuals who think that your children are wonderful, even though by subtle hints they make it obvious to you that they are sure that you are not raising them correctly.

Hearsay: A skill that toddlers learn to perform perfectly when mummy or daddy mutter a naughty word in front of them. Normally in a crowded public place, at high volume.

Impregnable: A woman whose memory of labor is still vivid.

Independent: How all parents want their children to be, as long as they do everything they say and follow their impartial advice to the letter throughout their entire lives.

Look out!: An instruction which is always too late for your child to do by the time you have screamed it at them.

Prenatal: A term referring to a time when your life was still somewhat your own.

Prepared childbirth: A contradiction in terms.

Puddle: A small body of water that draws other small bodies wearing dry shoes into it.

Show off: A child who is, by definition, more talented than yours.

Sterilize: What you do to your first baby's dummy by boiling it and to your last baby's dummy by blowing on it.

Storeroom: The distance required between the supermarket aisles so that children riding in shopping baskets cannot quite reach anything.

Temper tantrums: What you should try to keep to an absolute minimum, so as to not upset your children.

Top bunk: A location where parents should never put a child that they have clothed in Superman pj's for bedtime.

Two-minute warning: When your baby's face turns red and she begins to make those familiar grunting noises.

Weaker sex: The kind that most mummies have after the children have completely worn you out all day.

Whodunit: None of the kids that live in your house.

Whoops: A multi-cultural and multi national exclamation that translates roughly into the english as "Quick, get a sponge!"

HolidayExtras.com Customer Awards 2010

2010-09-02T13:08:00.000+02:00

Holiday Extras is the market leader in UK airport parking and airport hotel packages and was recently named as one of The Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For.

The HolidayExtras.com Customers' Awards 2010 has seen more than 24,000 travellers cast their votes in a number of categories, recognising those industry leaders that leave a lasting impression on the customer.
Whether voting for the Best Airline or Best Airport Hotel, the Most Recommended Airline for Travelling with Babies or the Best Hotel Restaurant, the awards provide a platform from which travellers can pass judgement on the travel industry.

The nominees in each category are:

Best Airline
Aer Lingus
Continental Airlines
Flybe
Jet2.com
Virgin Atlantic

Best Airline Cabin Crew
Aer Lingus
bmi
easyJet
Jet2.com
Virgin Atlantic

Best Airline for Value for Money
Aer Lingus
Continental Airlines
easyJet
Jet2.com
Wizz Air

Best Airport
Belfast International
Glasgow International
Heathrow
Newcastle
Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield

Best Airport Car Park
Birmingham Short and Medium Stay
Heathrow Business Parking T4
Heathrow Official Valet Parking
Manchester VIP Valet
Newcastle Meet and Greet

Best Airport Hotel
Gatwick Courtyard by Marriott
Bewley’s Hotel Manchester Airport
Manchester Hilton
Sofitel London Gatwick
Stansted Radisson Blu Hotel

Best Airport Hotel Restaurant
Manchester Bewley's Hotel
East Midlands Thistle Hotel
Edinburgh Quality Hotel
Gatwick Mercure
Sofitel London Gatwick

Best Airport Lounge
Bristol Servisair
Edinburgh Servisair
Gatwick South Servisair
Heathrow T1 Servisair
Newcastle Servisair

Most Family-Friendly Hotel
Belfast Park Plaza
Heathrow Park Inn
Heathrow Premier Inn
Liverpool Hampton by Hilton
Manchester Etrop Grange

Most Recommended Airline for Travelling with Babies
Aer Lingus
Air Canada
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
SWISS
Thai Airways

Most Recommended Airline for Travellers with a Disability
Aer Lingus
Air Canada
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
SWISS
Virgin Atlantic

Travel Personality of the Year
Sir David Attenborough
Julia Bradbury
Ben Fogle
Stephen Fry
Michael Palin

The complete list of winners will be announced in September...

Some ideas for when the grandchildren come to visit.

2010-08-29T11:58:00.004+02:00

Attention Grandparents! Are you being visited by your grandchildren this summer? Here are some suggestions, courtesy of 'The Baby Hire Centre', for making that time more rewarding for both you and the children.

Where Should We Go and What Should We Do?

Children are more interested in activity than information. They learn through active involvement. Take them to places that will make an impression, either because of what they actively do there, or because of something unique about the setting. A child may not remember the paintings in an art museum, but may have positive memories of the museum because she played in the big fountain or found the paintings on the museum ´s website before or after they visited. Think about how you can make a trip 'hands-on'. Look for opportunities that will actively involve the children.

How Should I Plan Our Time?

*Don´t plan too much - Allow time for spontaneous activities the children are interested in.

*Intersperse high levels of physical activity with more quiet times. Children build up energy, and will need opportunities to "burn it off" by swimming, running, or climbing every few hours.

*Invite the children to have some say about the itinerary. Be flexible.

*Learn your grandchild ´s routine ahead of time. Is there a regular nap time? Bed time? Try to keep to that routine as much as possible.

*Balance special attractions, such as the water park or a trip to the beach, with time spent doing something quiet together, like reading, taking a walk, or watching a movie.

*Remember that, especially for young children, something that doesn´t seem like much to you may be an exciting event to them. For example, a few carnival rides at a local fiesta can provide great excitement.

*Invite your grandchildren to bring a friend along. They will have more fun and there will be less of a drain on you to provide entertainment all the time.

*Consider inviting some of your friends along on days out, or for drinks at your home to help you out and allow for some "grown up" conversation. Especially if they have children/grandchildren visiting too, that your visitors can interact with.

*Plan back-up activities. Books, board games, coloring books, and toys that can be used in the car, on rainy days, or even while in restaurants. Evening meals out can last a long time for a child here in Spain.

*Pack plenty of healthy snacks for good energy levels. Children generally need to eat frequently, and their behavior and mood will be best if they have lots of water, protein, and fruit rather than sugary or high fat foods.

*Avoid the crowds. Try to plan the timings of any trips out so that you don't arrive at popular destinations just when everybody else does!

Remember, it is a real treat and a privilege to have relatives come to visit you in your Spanish home (Some people never receive any visitors to share their expat experience with). It is exciting for them and for you, and by the end of their stay, you will quite likely need a 'holiday' yourselves!

But remember that 'The Baby Hire Centre' has lots of handy items available to hire that will not only save families money, stress and inconvenience when travelling, but which will also help ensure that babies and small children are more happy, comfortable and relaxed whilst they are with you in an unfamiliar environment.

Click here to contact us, and discover how we can help make your visitors stay more enjoyable.

It has happenned again!

2010-08-25T13:07:00.001+02:00

After our recent post reporting the sad death of an infant in our area, we were dismayed to hear today that another poor child has fallen victim to a swimming pool drowning.

As reported by The Guardian;

Another British toddler has drowned in her mother's swimming pool in Spain, police said today.
Gabriela Louisa Manning, two, fell in the pool on Saturday afternoon while her mother was inside the house with her partner and the girl's twin brother. The incident happened at the family's home in Benitatxell, Alicante, in the south-east of the country, where the mother and her children were residents.
A local police spokeswoman said: "On Saturday at 5pm we received a call from a British woman who said her two-year-old daughter had fallen into the swimming pool. An ambulance was called and when emergency services arrived at the scene the girl was unconscious. Efforts were made to resuscitate her but they were unsuccessful. Police are investigating the incident."
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the death of a British national on 14 August in Benitatxell. We are offering consular assistance to the family."

We implore all our readers to spread the word as far and wide as possible in order to raise awareness of these unfortunate events in the hope that we can avert any more such tragedies.

Tragic drowning of British child in Spain.

2010-08-24T12:48:00.005+02:00

A desperately tragic accident has resulted in the drowning of a 12 month old baby here in Almería province.
The child drowned after falling into a private swimming pool in a villa on the outskirts of the town of Cantoria.

The baby was holidaying with its British parents, who had travelled to visit their expat family in the area.
The accident happened on the morning of the 21st August, according to the Centro de Salud medical centre in nearby market town Albox.
The devastated parents upon discovering the child in the pool, immediately drove to the medical centre, where doctors desperately, but unsuccessfully attempted to resuscitate the baby.

It is believed that sadly, the infant had passed away and was pronounced deceased upon arrival. Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, but say that it appears to have simply been been a tragic accident, and went on to warn other holidaying parents about never leaving small children unaccompanied near swimming pools of any size or type.
We would urge any families planning a similar visit to a destination that has swimming facilities, particularly a private pool, to please be aware of the dangers it can present.

Make sure you consider using safety gates to limit access to exterior areas, and swim vests for infants to wear in and around pool areas (like both examples pictured) so that any more tragedies such as this can hopefully be avoided in the future.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with those poor parents & their family/friends.

Be aware and stay safe when visiting us.

2010-08-04T11:35:00.002+02:00

The British Consulate in Alicante has requested that its nationals be on alert when they arrive in either El Altet airport outside Alicante, San Javier Airport in Murcia or Manises airport outside Valencia due to the considerable increase in luggage theft.

The problem has apparently grown to such an importance that it now features on a travel advisory issued by the Foreign Office. The Consulate revealed that people should be careful when going to pick up their rented car at any of these airports, as they may be followed.

When the recent arrivals get to the car, they discover that one or more tires are flat, and in the confusion of being offered help their luggage disappears.

The Consulate also advises that on the E15, A7, A70 and N332 main roads many people have fallen victim to people passing themselves off as plain-clothes policemen, and had valuables stolen as a result.

The Consulate and Neighbourhood watch make it plain that in all cases concerning traffic incidents or inspections, these are only carried out by uniformed members of the police force - be they the National Police, or more typically, the Guardia Civil who will be in green and white vehicles or pairs of motorcycles and be in green unform with ID and high visibility jackets.

Another giveaway is that Guardia Civil traffico officers always carry a sidearm pistol. Unscrupulous people trying to pass themselves off as such do not.

Remember, 'The Baby Hire Centre' representatives can meet you at airport arrivals to assist you with all of your baby equipment needs.

Availability of Baby & toddler items in Spain

2010-08-02T14:36:00.002+02:00

Formula milk

Milupa Aptimil - as in the UK, the tin labelled "1" is for babies up to 4 months (or later if the baby has been breast fed) and "2" is for older babies.
Hero - one of the cheaper brands and comes in versions 1 (blue tin, for younger babies), 2 (pink tin) and 2 with probiotic formula (green tin).
Nestle - various types. Again tins marked "1" are for younger babies and tins marked "2" for older babies.
Almiron - various types and made by the same manufacturer as Cow and Gate. However these are generally only available in pharmacies and you should not rely on being able to find any.
Specialist formulas, including soya formula are available in pharmacies.

NB.

Spanish formula milk comes with metric scoops. 1 scoop is usually used with 30mls (rather than 1 oz) of water.
SMA, any organic baby milk and Farley’s milk are not readily available in Spain. If one of these is the only thing your child will drink, you should bring some with you.
Ready mixed formula is much less common in Spain and is usually only available in formula type 2 (for babies 4 months and up)

Baby Food

Various types of baby food are available in Spain, including Hero, Nestle and Hipp Organic. The variety, however, is nothing like that in the UK. Rusks are not available, although you can buy "baby biscuits" which are like small Rich Tea biscuits. Organic baby food is available, but is much less common.

NB - All baby foods in Spain contain a small amount of salt, even where the equivalent brand in the UK does not. It has to be said that this doesn’t seem to be a problem - babies do not die of salt poisoning in Spain - but if you are worried you should bring some with you.

Nappies and Wipes

Huggies - exactly the same as in the UK
Dodot - Pampers, more or less (made by the same manufacturer)
Johnson&Johnson (wipes) - the same as in the UK
Other cheaper brands are also available and as in the UK, quality varies. For those thinking of moving to Spain, reusable nappies and accessories are either unavailable or extremely hard to get.

Our personal shopper service is available for clients hiring baby equipment from us.

Come visit us with Monarch next summer!

2010-07-29T09:58:00.000+02:00

Award winning low fares airline Monarch has launched its summer 2011 programme, enabling people to get a head start on their travel plans for next year and grab a great deal on flights.

For summer 2011 Monarch will operate a huge range of flights to and from Mainland Spain including:
Alicante – Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester
Almeria – Birmingham and Manchester

Fares start from just €40 one way (including taxes) and are available to book now on www.monarch.co.uk until the end of October 2011. Monarch operates scheduled flights from Mainland Spain, the Canary and Balearic Islands and Gibraltar to Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester airports. In addition to year-round low fares, Monarch also offers a range of tasty hot and cold meals that can be pre-booked or purchased onboard.

To enable customers to select where in the cabin they sit and ensure that families and groups sit together, seats can be pre-booked from €9 per one-way flight, or from only €19, extra-legroom seats are available, which offer up to six inches of extra space.
Passengers travelling on scheduled flights can also avoid the queues at the airport and take advantage of online check-in which is available between seven days and 4.5 hours prior to departure.

So grab yourself a bargain and come visit us here in Spain.

Remember you can pre-book all of your equipment needs for babies and small children at www.thebabyhirecentre.com

The high cost of hire car company child seats in Spain this summer.

2010-07-20T21:19:00.001+02:00

Travelling to Spain with children can be a costly affair. In fact, that is exactly why The Baby Hire Centre exists.

But now there is even more reason to use our services. According to moneysupermarket.com, Spanish car hire companies are charging nearly 500 percent more for baby seats than other providers this summer!

And what's more, their research has also revealed that Spain is the most expensive destination overall when it comes to car hire companies charging for child car seats...

Parents with small children travelling to Spain and hiring a car at the other end may, quite sensibly want to book a car seat rather than bring their own. But, the research compiled by the online travel comparison site tells would be hirer's that it vital to use the services of specialist baby equipment hire providers rather than car hire companies, as prices can vary by nearly 70.00€ for just one week's rental!

The weekly cost of car seats for the seven most popular car hire destinations across ten of the top car hire providers proved hugely expensive.

Car seat rental from The Baby Hire Centre costs as little as 3.10€ per day

For example, at Alicante, Malaga and Palma Mallorca airports the cost of a baby or child's seat from Europcar was 83.00€! for only one weeks hire! Whilst the equivilent hire charge from The Baby Hire Centre is only a mere 25.00€ including delivery to the airports by their uniformed representatives within their free delivery coverage area.

The most consistent costs were registered at Orlando International airport and the lowest average prices found were at Nice in France. But the Spanish resorts were the most expensive places to hire from by far.

Bob Atkinson from moneysupermarket said: "As many of our favourite holiday destinations have a legal requirement for children and infants to sit in seat, getting the right deal is more important than ever. With prices of hiring a seat varying so significantly between car hire providers it shows that as well as shopping around for the car itself, it's important to consider the various 'add-ons' you might incur when hiring a car abroad. Customers that don't could find they are paying more to hire a child or infant seat than they are to hire the car."

You can find a helpful guide to choosing the correct seat to hire HERE.

5 ways that baby equipment hire can improve you holiday!

2010-07-15T11:54:00.010+02:00

As specialists in providing professional baby equipment hire in Spain, 'The Baby Hire Centre' team know how important it is to create a safe, comfortable and familiar environment for babies and toddlers whilst away from home.

From only 1.43€ per day delivered

1. Most holiday apartments, hotel rooms and even rented villas in South-east Spain do not have a bath tub as standard fitting. Therefore a rented baby bath can be a absolute godsend whilst staying with babies.
We have even had reports from clients of having no choice but to take a shower with their baby. 'Taking turns' washing their slippery, soapy little one, whilst he or she is in the arms of their partner. A recipe for disaster!
Impossible to bring along in their luggage, these handy items are now one of our most popular hired items.

From only 3.33€ per day (including bedding pack) delivered.

2. Holiday accommodation, even those sold as 'family friendly', rarely have a cot provided for little ones to sleep in. We ourselves remember turning a sofa bed to the wall to create a makeshift crib. and then lying awake all night wondering what will happen if our child awoke and climbed out, falling onto the unforgiving hard tiled floor of the hotel room. Packing and carrying around the airports a 25kg travel cot is no fun. But hiring one will probably be the best thing you have ever done for both you and your little one.
Not only are they a comfortable and safe place to sleep, but double up perfectly as a daytime playpen which can be easily moved around from room to room or kept in the shade. Keeping your child happy and safe, and you relaxed, whilst you concentrate on preparing a meal, making the beds, or reading that next chapter of your holiday novel. Safe in the knowledge that he or she cannot touch the oven or go near the balcony/pool.

From 2.62€ per day delivered

3. Meal times can be a fraught experience with young ones whilst away from home. There is the unfamiliar environment, the uncomfortable climate and even the food may smell or taste different to what your little one is used to. Add to this the fact that they have to sit on a grown-ups chair, which they may not be used to either and you have a potentially very stressful situation for both parent and child alike!
Once again we can help here... A high chair is probably the single most requested item from our clients, as they provide the security and safety of being strapped into a comfortable feeding station, which has the ability of being folded up and stored behind a door or under a bed when not in use and quite impossible to bring with you on your journey.

From 1.90€ per day delivered

Alternatively, a feeding seat, whilst perhaps not as useful in the apartment or hotel room, has the virtue of being easily transported with you to local restaurants, so that holiday family meals out can be more enjoyable and less stressful too. We regularly witness frustrated parents sitting at a table in a venue whilst juggling their own cutlery and drinks glass with baby perched on their lap! Hiring one of these handy seats alleviates any problems, is very lightweight to carry and takes up very little space in the boot of your hire car when venturing out.

From 3.10€ per day delivered

4. Car Seats (despite what anybody may tell you) are a legal requirement in Spain, and the 'Guardia Civil Traffico' will enforce on the spot fines for people traveling with children who are not correctly and safely secured into the vehicle.
There is often some confusion about which type of car seat is appropriate for certain ages of child so there is information to help you, if you are unsure HERE.

We have in the last couple of seasons had a significant increase in complaints about hire car companies with respect to car seats too. Namely that they have not had available seats that were pre-booked prior to arrival, or that visitors find upon arrival that the seat is of the wrong type and is not suitable, or is in poor condition in terms of cleanliness of fabrics or wear and tear on straps. All of which we think is wholly unacceptable.
Therefore, if you are being met by family at the airport we can deliver to them the day before your arrival, and collect from them again the day after your departure for no extra charge!

From only 1.90€ per day delivered

Note also that older children must also use suitable booster seats by law in Spain. Irrespective of age they must be in a booster if under 1.35m in height and must never travel in the front seat.

We encompass both local airports (Murcia - San Javier & Almería international) within our FREE delivery coverage area, and for a modest fee are able to help clients arriving via Alicante airport also. So there is no need to take a risk with your child's safety. All of our car seats are manufactured to EU standards and are maintained to the highest standards of cleanliness, as we have a strict policy of never hiring any product that we would not happily let our own children use.

From 2.62€ per day delivered

5. All holiday accommodations here in Spain have ceramic or marble tiled floors, including rented villas. Therefore there is one item available for hire in particular that really comes into it's own in these environments...

The Baby walker is commented on by more clients than probably any other product we hire. "we don't know what we would have done without it!" is by far the most common statement upon collection at the end of the hire period.
Little ones can whizz around easily (not possible on the carpeted floor in the UK), giving them a freedom and independence that guarantees a big grin of enjoyment, and lots of leg exercise!
And they are invaluable outdoors too. As patio areas and pool terraces are easily (but safely) navigated. But the protection bar around the base keeps unsafe things out of reach at all times...

They all come height adjustable, so are equally suitable for those with shorter or longer legs, and have a wipe clean 'play tray' that toys can be played with on, or a snack munched upon.

Whatever your requirements for baby equipment hire this summer the team at The Baby Hire Centre will be delighted to assist you. Contact us soon to secure the availability of your desired items.or visit our website.

www.thebabyhirecentre.com

10 Ways visiting families can beat budget airline fees.

2010-06-29T23:42:00.002+02:00

We all know that, outrageously, budget airline ‘extras' include taking bags, checking in or even just paying!

These helpful tips from ‘The Baby Hire Centre’ (South - east Spain's foremost baby equipment hire provider), will help combat budget carrier charges;

1. Hand luggage only: Most carriers have a 10kg allowance for hand luggage, so take advantage. If you travel with only hand luggage, you will reduce the risk of getting charged. And there is no waiting at the carousel!

2. Hire baby equipment for delivery to your destination, or your arrival airport: You not only eliminate damage to expensive things caused by baggage handlers, but also avoid having to carry heavy and cumbersome paraphernalia all around airports for hours whilst avoiding the ‘per item, each way’ charges applied by the airlines. Contact ‘The Baby Hire Centre’ for help with this.

3. Pre-plan packing: It is cheaper to pre-book cases online, so planning is important. Think about reducing the number of cases you need, and remember those strict size restrictions.

4. Stick to carry-on rules: Remember ‘duty free’ bags and handbags will be viewed as ‘extra’ – so leave room to stow them inside your hand luggage when you board!

5. Use your scales: Put cases on the home scales, or use empty check-in desk scales. Put any excess into your hand luggage. And share the weight, do not pool. Budget airlines have stopped families pooling allowances. So if you take an 8kg bag, your partner cannot take a 12kg.

6. Consider things not normally used at home: A safety gate to prevent access to a pool/stairs/balcony, a baby bath because there is only showers in the villa/apartment, a travel cot that doubles up as a safe playpen during the daytime hours or even a baby walker for exploring the tiled surfaces or outside patios... Consider hiring from ‘The Baby Hire Centre’ those items that whilst not useful at home, are invaluable whilst away.

7. Leave space: People often return from a break with more than they took. So try to leave space in your luggage for those return trip extras.

8. Throw your excess?: If you are way overweight, it may be that the charge is so high that throwing items away is viable! Many clothes or items cost less to buy per KG than the £20/per Kg excess charge!

9. Don’t bring baby equipment: If you are travelling with babies, take only what is absolutely necessary in a changing bag which can be worn over your shoulder keeping your hands free. ‘The Baby Hire Centre’ can even organise formula milk, nappies and wipes for your stay.

10. Wear the heaviest: Wear your heavy clothes and shoes, maybe multiple layers (if not too hot). A coat could be 2kg of excess baggage (cost = £30!). Once boarded, stow under your seat. And if you load pockets with books, magazines and more too, there are no rules to stop you!

5 common misconceptions about baby equipment hire

2010-06-28T12:34:00.004+02:00

We listen to our clients needs and concerns, and over the years have built up an unrivaled knowledge of what travelling families visiting Spain want, need and fear...

1. Car hire companies have car seats that are guaranteed to be available for visitors when they arrive, are of the correct type and are clean, safe and well maintained.

Unfortunately, our experience differs. Having had numerous panic phone calls from parents who have arrived at the airport only to find that the car seat they have ordered in advance, is not waiting for them, or is of the wrong type for their age/weight of child, we know that car hire companies cannot be relied upon to safely (and legally) transport babies and small children away from the airport.
We have even received more than one emergency telephone call from visitors refusing to use the car hire companies' provided car seat because of dirty/worn covers. And worst of all, frayed/damged straps!

2. Equipment hire companies will not deliver to the airport.

It is true to say that, foolishly, most will not deliver to airports, preferring to meet clients at 'drop off' points. Meaning that visitors who are not being collected from the airport by relatives/friends will find the hire providers services useless.

Suffice to say that 'The Baby Hire Centre' does NOT fall into this category. Our professional approach to providing solutions for young travellers results in not one... not two... but all three of the servicing airports of South East Spain being covered by our delivery representatives. Namely, Murcia (San Javier); Almería International and Alicante.

3. Travel cots are unsuitable and too uncomfortable for more than an overnight stay.

It is true to say, that a fully sprung mattress in a full size wooden baby cot may be more comfortable for permanent use. However, the versatility and portability of travel cots is unsurpassed. They are perfectly suited to temporary use for one or two weeks.
Our clients have always sung their praises, telling us that they were invaluable for easily moving around small apartments quickly and easily and double up perfectly during the daytime as playpens. Keeping baby safe from balconies, staircases and swimming pools.
All travel cots from 'The Baby Hire Centre' also come with a complimentary bedding pack comprising of sheets and a comfortable blanket, making little ones snug as a bug at night-time.

4. It is cheaper and easier to take my own equipment on holiday, rather than rent.

Firstly, the airline penalty charges certainly do not make it cheaper! - All budget airline carriers make no secret of the fact that they prefer their passengers to travel with nothing more than one item of hand luggage (see the table below). Ryanair are even increasing their fees during the school summer holidays!

Secondly, there are other considerations.

Your own (very expensive) equipment could be damaged by over zealous baggage handlers at either end of your journey. We have all seen the way they throw around our luggage!
You will have the major inconvenience of loading/unloading all of your equipment at the airport at each end of your journey. When you arrive at your destination apartment or villa, there will often be nobody there to help you with your tired baby and all of your equipment.
You will have to carry your own equipment around the airports with you for hours. The Spanish airports often being very hot and lacking space, not to mention luggage trollies! Imagine how much easier it would be with just you, your child and a changing bag.

5. Hire companies like 'The Baby Hire Centre' may not provide clean safe equipment.

Absolutely not! - All items available from us are thoroughly checked and sanitised before each and every hire period. Rest assured that all equipment at 'The Baby Hire Centre' is also monitored for manufacturer recalls, being regularly replaced and updated as necessary.

'The Baby Hire Centre' is family owned and run by parents who have seen and experienced first hand, the stresses and inconveniences of travelling to Spain with babies and small children. We would NEVER hire out any piece of equipment that we would consider to be of a standard that is not fit for our own children to use.

We are now the foremost specialist baby equipment hire provider in Spain. But we have never forgotten that we are here because of our customers, and are proud to be able to say that much of our business comes from repeat custom or as result of referrals and recommendations.

If you would like to know more about any aspect of the services that we provide, please do not hesitate to contact us. And if you know of any families that our service would be of interest to, please tell them and help us to spread the word about what we do!

Baby equipment hire by the numbers

2010-06-24T19:37:00.001+02:00

How To Order: Step-By-Step.

This simple step-by-step tutorial is going to show you exactly how to order baby equipment easily, using our online order system, showing you example screen-shots along the way (in the orange boxes).

STEP 1: Add your security deposit first.

At the top of each of the product range pages (e.g. Out and About) you will find a button to add the returnable security deposit to your 'cart' (just like the example above). You must do this once, but ONLY ONCE to ensure that your order is processed successfully.

STEP 2: Select your required items.

Now you can visit the product pages and select the items and the length of time that you wish to hire them for. Click on the 'drop down' box displayed to the right of your chosen item and select either 1 - 7 days; 8 - 14 days or 15 - 21. Once the hire period is chosen, click the orange 'Add to Cart' button.

N.B. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you can change the contents of your cart at any time.
N.B. If you require a long term hire, please email us to discuss your specific requirements.

STEP 3: Review your cart.

You will now be directed to your shopping cart page where your chosen item/s will be shown.
You can adjust the quantities here and/or remove any items from the cart by clicking the 'remove' checkbox and then selecting 'Update Cart'. (As you can see, our example screen below now shows the deposit and item from steps 1 & 2).

'Continue Shopping' will return you to the product pages where you can continue to browse and add more items, whilst 'Proceed to checkout' will take you through to the next stage.

STEP 4: Proceed to the checkout.

Simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete you order.
You do not need to be a member of PayPal to use our secure payment system, but if you do have a PayPal account you will be prompted to enter your login details at this stage. If not, you can simply enter your details, and your preferred method of payment instead.

STEP 5: Finally, provide us with a few details...

When your checkout process is completed do not close the page or your browser. Instead you must choose the 'return to website' option on screen (actual wording may differ depending on browser).
You will be directed to a form identical to the example shown above. (if you fail to do this, don't worry, simply send us an email with your travel details instead).

complete the form and click the 'Send My Information' button, and you will have completed your entire online order process!
We will be in touch very soon afterwards to confirm your order details, and will send an invoice to you by email confirming your exact requirements.

Ready to order now? - Go straight to the product pages now at www.thebabyhirecentre.com.

Spanish holidays

2010-06-08T08:29:00.000+02:00

Make sure that everything is not going to be closed when you arrive, or at least know that it is in advance to help you prepare!

A list of Spanish holidays (National, Regional and Local Bank holidays) is always a useful tool. No matter if you are visiting Spain for business or leisure, you might need to know your destination's local holidays.

The Official Calendars are published every year by the central and local Governments.

Take a look at this super little video of Mojacar.

2010-05-29T22:05:00.000+02:00

A spotlight on Mojacar.

2010-04-25T22:11:00.005+02:00

Our local coastal resort town of Mojacar clings to a rocky hillside over the Mediterranean. It is an hour’s drive from the provincial capital of Almería city. Mojacar is actually comprised of two distinct areas: Mojacar Pueblo (town) and Mojacar Playa (beach).

Mojacar has a long history. Populated by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, and Moors, it remains an mixture of many cultures. It was under Moorish rule that Mojacar began to flourish. The castle was built and the town walls were fortified. Even so, it remained a Muslim town on the Christian frontier and because of this, suffered many brutal incursions.

In 1488, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel came to demand the submission of its leaders. All complied except for the mayor of Mojacar. When later questioned, the mayor reportedly stated that although he was a Muslim, generations of his people were Spanish by birth and that they deserved to be treated “like brothers, not enemies…”. Ferdinand and Isabel were sufficiently impressed with the reply to accept the mayor’s loyalty and the town continued to flourish for the next four centuries. By the middle of the 18th century, its population had reached over 10,000 people.

Mojacar’s fortunes began to change around the middle of the 19th century when its population began to decline. The region began to suffer from droughts and many residents began to leave. Some went northward to Catalunya while others went to the Americas. In fact, local legend claim that Walt Disney was born in the area and went to the USA when he was a child.

This depopulation of Mojacar continued until the 1960s when only 1000 residents remained. Local leaders then decided to give away land to anyone who promised to build upon it. This offer proved to be the spark which rekindled Mojacar’s economy. New residents began to appear and the town became a thriving colony. Word of the region’s natural beauty began to spread, tourism brought foreign money to the area, and the beach area became a favourite retreat for travellers.

This was also the time that the Indalo became the symbol of Mojacar. Originally a prehistoric cave drawing found near Vélez Blanco, it represents a man holding a rainbow over his head. It is said to be a lucky totem and can be found in the front of homes and businesses throughout the province.

The town remains true to its Moorish past. Mojacar is a place that begs to be explored by foot. Park the car below the town and wander upwards at your own pace. You will encounter incredible views with every step. Follow the road which snakes its way toward the town or climb the stairs which also lead upward into the heart of the village. Echoes of the past will engulf you.

The area is a popular destination for families, and you will often see 'The Baby Hire Centre' delivery representative vehicles making their way to and from the many rental accommodations, delivering much sought after baby equipment for hire.

Be sure to contact us if you, or anybody you know are travelling to the area with babies or small children to find out just how much we can help you to "Pack Less... Enjoy More!"

See our published interview in the press.

2010-04-22T19:40:00.001+02:00

An interview with ‘The Baby Hire Centre.’

A chance to find out more about the areas baby equipment hire provider.

Please give a short summary of your service?

 Browse our website.

 Choose your items.

 Pay the hire fee and returnable security deposit.

 Await your delivery.

 Have your equipment collected when your hire period expires.

 Receive back your deposit, and tell everybody about us!

What areas do you cover?

If you are travelling to the airports of south-east Spain, or any location between them, we can assist you. Our free delivery coverage extends as far south as Almeria airport, and as far north as Murcia airport.

For a modest delivery charge, we also provide for visitors arriving via Alicante airport.

What inspired you to provide this service?

Being frequent visitors to the area, we knew that there was a lack of availability of items to hire at our destinations.

Our friends, neighbours and the community at large needed 'The Baby Hire Centre' to be created.

How did you decide on the ‘tagline’ for your website?

We have solutions for every clients need and concentrate on providing for the young traveller, so we incorporated this into the name...

Hence: ‘Solutions For The Young Traveller’.

What makes your website different?

It has an incredible amount of functionality, but is still very easy to use.

Grandparents who are being visited by little ones may not have extensive computing skills, so the entire website has been constructed from the ground up to be simple, clear and intuitive.

It also has many unique features;

· ‘Multi–item discounts’ - Any combination of 4 or more items attracts a discount on the entire order.

· ‘Online support’ - Visitors can chat to us ‘live’, allowing us to provide unsurpassed customer service.

· A step-by-step tutorial takes visitors through the entire process, simplifying things even further.

If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?

Oh yes. In fact we are already geared up for that very thing, because we are confident that good news travels fast! One of our motto’s is “Big enough to cope...but small enough to care.”

What method has been most successful for promoting your website?

Local print media like The ‘Euro Weekly News’ have worked well for us. But a full gamete of both on-line and off-line marketing techniques has been utilised.

So how can people place order with you?

It is very easy... They simply visit the website and select the items that they wish to hire. They can then pay by any method most convenient for them.

We get in touch very soon afterwards to confirm the order, sending an email outlining the precise details.

Alternatively they may contact us more directly to discuss their exact requirements & details in person by calling 649 332 134 or from the UK 0208 133 1644.

What is your website address?

www.thebabyhirecentre.com

Learning the lingo.

2010-04-17T21:10:00.004+02:00

If on your travels, you always try your best to speak a language, you need to start with achievable goals and think of learning (at first anyway) 'just enough to get by'

For example, if you are spending a week visiting us in Spain. You will need to get from the airport to your destination address, and may want to talk to everyone Spanish that you meet living in the area during your stay.

Unless you have pre-booked your baby equipment, and are being met by one of our unformed representatives, nobody will be waiting for you with a sign at the airport or will hold your hand and interpret for you when you need to find exactly where you are staying. All of this involves talking to locals outside of the tourist trade who may not speak English (especially a little inland).

But with just a few hours at the UK airport and on the flight over, you can manage to learn enough Spanish to get by and adequately communicate the basics of asking directions, getting the right train, and generally not being rude in forcing English on people who wouldn’t understand it.

So why not have a go at the following to make sure you learn exactly what you need for your short visit.

Prioritise important words

You will only have a short time to apply what you are learning.
Because of this, you have to completely abandon grammar. Male/Female gender and correct tenses, etc. are not necessary for you to be understood. Grammar is the tidying up of a language to make it correct. Getting your point across does not require this - so do not worry about it.

If someone were to say in English “Where bus Mojacar?” or “This road for villa number 4?“, it may be improper English, but it will be understood – that’s all that matters at this stage.

So be restrictive in what you learn and give priority to learning only vocabulary.

Only learn the essentials

The only things that are important to apply to memory are those that you will use frequently and that are time sensitive (like “Help!”). Everything else can be looked up if you have a phrasebook in your pocket, which you always should have!

The list of words and phrases you can learn for situations are limited: Where (not caring about is/are), that (for pointing and choosing), yes/no, one, and, hello, goodbye, please, me, excuse me, and very few other words are all you need to communicate. Imaginative use of hand gestures is hugely useful.

Understanding the wording of their answer may not even be necessary. If you ask for directions, you may not understand what they say in reply, but hand gestures are universal will often be understood.

When you need to speak English, don’t say it in English

Sometimes you really do need to speak to someone in English to get what you need.

“I don’t understand” and “Do you speak English?” are very important phrases to learn.

Try to never actually say the English version of these phrases though; it can be quite rude to force English on someone. They may just look confused. Even “Do you speak English” might not be something they ever learned, or have long forgotten.

However, if they don’t speak English, but they understand that you do from your question, they usually produce somebody else that can talk to you. They will go to that trouble since you’ve gone to the trouble to say something in their language. It is usually greatly appreciated.

Whenever you do speak English, it must be slow and clear. Use simple vocabulary, clearly separating words and opening your mouth wide to exaggerate pronunciations when you talk works wonders. Repeating the same thing louder instead of rephrasing it with synonyms or different words will never improve things.

What to study?

You can grab a phrasebook in the airport duty-free to study.

Good phrasebooks have English equivalent phonetics that help a lot. The phonetics are all you need, and you can ignore the original spelling (unless it’s for recognition, such as in signs like “exit”). Use memory techniques to help make it stick in your mind.

If you are more of an audible rather than visual person, then you can get an audio course to listen to on your flight and ignore spellings entirely.
The phonetics in phrasebooks should be more than enough, but hearing the language in advance definitely helps you get a better feel for it.

Whatever you learn, and however you learn it, it will definitely add to your experience during your stay. And you will enjoy it!

Three great reasons to come see us!

2010-04-12T19:13:00.004+02:00

Almeria City

The ancient Andalusian city of Almeria lies sheltered at the base of a bay, proudly dominated by the amazing Alcazaba, a huge Moorish citadel with three walled enclosures dating from 995. From the citadel visitors have a good view of the city’s most impressive and important Christian monument, the Cathedral, dating from 1524, designed more like a fortress than a church because of the need to defend it from pirate attacks. The Cathedral contains numerous art treasures, including a tabernacle dating from the 18th century, designed by Ventura Rodriguez. With its interesting medieval architecture, Almeria’s old town is a delight to stroll through with its tranquil squares, archways and colonnades. The city also has a fascinating archaeological museum and unique cave dwellings in the hillside above the old gypsy quarter.

Cabo de Gata Natural Park

A lighthouse stands at the tip of the Cabo de Gata peninsula, north of Almeria city, marking the extremity of Andalusia's largest coastal nature reserve, a fascinating landscape cocktail of arid desert, volcanic mountains, jagged sea cliffs, sand dunes, wetlands, a lagoon and sandy hidden coves. Mountain bikers, hikers, bird-watchers and water sports enthusiasts of all persuasions get away from it all to this natural wonderland which encompasses some quaint fishing hamlets, historic ruins and magnificent stretches of beach.

Mini Hollywood (Oasys)

Movie buffs in particular enjoy a visit to the little village of Tabernas, about 16 miles (26km) from Almeria city, set between the Sierra de Alhamilla and Sierra de Filabres in a barren landscape of canyons and rocky wasteland reminiscent of the American Wild West. A few decades ago when Western movies were the most popular Hollywood genre, legendary stars such as Clint Eastwood, Lee van Cleef, Claudia Cardinale and Charles Bronson strutted their stuff here in the dry heat on film sets which fans will recognise from such great films as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars and The Magnificent Seven. The movie lots have now become theme park tourist attractions. There are three to visit: Mini Hollywood, Texas Hollywood and Western Leone. All offer a fun day out in Europe's only desert region, with stagecoach rides, live shows, a zoo and the opportunity to quench your thirst in the saloon.

We can make travel to all of these destinations, and many more besides much easier for families with babies or small children - The Baby Hire Centre.

Another reason to travel lighter!

2010-04-07T20:39:00.004+02:00

Ryanair have upped the fees it charges to families checking in their luggage by a whopping 33 per cent!

The fee has now risen from £15.00 to £20.00 for each and every piece of luggage each way!

The new increases in these charges will come into effect during July and August just in time for families, travelling during the school holidays.

So if you are visiting us here in Spain with babies and small children, unless you plan ahead and use the services that we at The Baby Hire Centre have to offer, you will need to be prepared to be particularly hard hit.

A example family with two or three children, travelling with three bags would be charged £120 for their luggage on a return trip!

Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said: "We are determined to incentivise passengers to travel light this summer by increasing our checked-in baggage fees for the months of July and August only".

The fee has now doubled in the last two years,so lets teach them a lesson and tell everybody about the alternative of hiring all of your equipment needs in advance with 'The Baby hire Centre'. We enable you to travel light and avoid these unfair charges!

If you want an easy way to spread the word CLICK HERE and tell a friend today!

Over 100,000 hits last month!

2010-04-03T10:42:00.003+02:00

A big thank you to everybody involved with working so hard to keep The Baby Hire Centre such a 'well oiled machine' this year.

Our visitor numbers have increasing significantly since the new year, and the number of hits for March actually beats every single month last year with the only exception being October, last years busiest month for us.

Our recent success is no doubt due to the many initiatives being constantly rolled out by the marketing, I.T. and advertising departments, for example;

*2008/9 Price freezing.
*The introduction of 'live' online support.
*The re-structuring of out multi-item discounts, allowing more people to obtain higher discounts.
*The introduction of our 'personal shopping service'.

Look out for more exciting new developments and initiatives throughout this year too, which we hope will keep 'The Baby Hire Centre' firmly placed as the areas foremost baby equipment hire provider!

And a special thank you too, to all of our clients, both past and present, who have been so fantastically eager to help us to spread the word about how much easier and more convenient we can make families' experiences whilst travelling to Spain. (If you want to spread the word too - GO HERE)

And not forgetting our entire team of representatives, who are working hard at the customer service 'sharp end', making sure that everybody whom they encounter knows that we are "Big enough to cope, but small enough to care!"

Almería province.

2010-03-29T09:40:00.002+02:00

Come and see what our home province has to offer.

The province of Almería is located in the southeast of Spain, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This geographical situation makes Almería the town that enjoys the maximum amount of sunshine in Spain with more than 3000 hours per year. This fact, together with its warm and dry climate, and an average temperature of 19ºC, makes Almería a tempting tourist destination, where you can enjoy its long coastlines and virgin beaches throughout the year.

This part of the country offers some singular natural attractions. Here we can find the first Maritime and terrestrial Nature Park in Andalusia, The Gata Cape-Nijar Park, which will surprise anyone owing to its extraordinary beauty. Inland, you can also enjoy the singular Almeriense Alpujarra, a region shared with the neighbouring region of Granada. The Alpujarra is located on the southern slope of Sierra Nevada, and it is formed by a group of mountains, rustic and isolated white villages, where wonderful wines and one of the best kinds of Spanish cured ham may be tasted.

For outdoor sports lovers, this province will undoubtedly be a paradise. If Golf is your passion, you can be assured that any of the seven golf courses will be to your liking. If not, you can also stimulate your adrenaline levels with activities like skiing on virgin snow in the Alpujarra, or practice trekking, speleological, mountain-bike, horse-riding routes, and parachuting in Sierra Nevada, Filabres Sierra or Alhamilla Sierra, as well as sailing, scuba diving, aquatic bikes, or any other type of aquatic sports in warm Mediterranean waters.

The cultural offer of the Almeriense province is also very rich. We will be able to find prehistoric locations, such as the Vélez cave paintings, declared Humankind Patrimony by UNESCO, or the location of Los Millares de el Argar which was the peninsular neuralgic nucleus in the Bronze Age. Numerous Phoenician remains are also scattered throughout this whole region, as well as Roman remains, such as the amphitheatre of Berja, the aqueduct of Carcauz, the bridge of Alhama of Almería, the Spa of Pechina, and a great many more... All Andalusia is scattered with Arab vestiges of the Muslim epoch, and Almería was not going to be an exception. We will find the prints of the old Muslim residents in Fiñana, Pechina and Olula Del Río. Neither can we forget the collection of castles nor the Christian churches throughout the region that go back to medieval times.

Thanks to the Moorish and Christian fiestas, especially popular in Mojácar, we will be able to see a reincarnation of the battles held between both sides more than 6 centuries ago. Another fiesta that we cannot miss is the famous Saint John's Eve, which is celebrated a lot along the whole Spanish Mediterranean coastline. Although Almería has in its Fair its own great fiesta. Every August, the Fair of Almería decorates the city to enjoy 10 continuous days of holidays in honour of its patroness, the Virgin of the Sea.

Film buffs will be delighted to visit the different spots where movies like "Lawrence of Arabia", "Indiana-Jones and the Last Crusade", "Conan the Barbarian", "007 Never say No", and many more, were filmed in Almería. Likewise, if you are a Western fan you should not miss Mini-Hollywood, Texas-Hollywood or Western Leone, the small towns that were built in the 60’s for the filming of Western films, where brilliant actors and directors such as Sergio Leone, Orson Welles, Clint Eastwood, Claudia Cardinale, Brigitte Bardot, or Henry Inn worked.

No matter what time of the year it is visited: if you are looking for a place to relax or to enjoy your favourite interests, if you are looking for countryside or sea, Almería satisfies anyone that has the opportunity to get to know it.

We look forward to seeing you and helping your little ones with our baby equipment hire services.

Your pound still has purchasing power here in Spain.

2010-03-27T11:04:00.001+01:00

The pound is still has a low rate against the Euro, but it is still powerful!

If you're planning to come visit us here in the Costa Almería, maybe a last minute Easter break, it is reassuring to know that your pound is still strong.

So when you go out and about spending you can rest assured thet compared to other countries, Spain is still a 'cheap when you get there' destination.

Strongest purchasing power on arrival. The price of a standard basket shopping including beers, water and meals, which costs £72.14 in the UK, using today's exchange rates, in various countries works out at only £45.26 in Spain, making it the fourth cheapest destination like-for-like!

So what are you waiting for...? Book your cheap flights now by using the flight finder on our website HERE and come to Spain where your money really does still go further!

What basket of goods costs in...
Hungary	£37.40
Bulgaria	£39.52
Thailand	£42.31
Spain	£45.26
Bali	£52.51
Kenya	£52.60
Malaysia	£57.71
Croatia	£63.46
Greece	£64.02
Egypt	£65.45
USA	£75.70
Turkey	£76.08
Purchase includes: coffee, larger, fizzy drink, water, sun cream, insect spray, cigarettes, and a three-course meal for two including wine.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES COULD BUILD THE BIGGEST THEME PARK IN SPAIN, IN MURCIA

2010-03-21T14:46:00.005+01:00

Paramount Pictures have chosen our local Province of Murcia for the construction of what would be the biggest theme park in Spain, which aims to compete directly with Disneyland in Paris!

The project will have the added value of many cinematographic studios which will become the hub of Paramount’s productions in Europe, according to the Murcia's Councillor for Culture, Pedro Alberto Cruz.

Cruz has recently returned from a visit to Dubai with a letter from the executive president of Paramount, Michael Bartok, who wants to start the ball rolling just as soon as it has been proven to be economically viable.

Cruz has said that the region of Murcia will become the “Leisure Centre of Spain, with the 2.5km² complex accommodating 15,000 beds in hotels, creating 20,000 jobs, and attracting 3 million tourists to Spain.

The amount of money to be invested will be decided next month, and private investors will be offered the possibility of putting their capital into the project.

The project is estimated to be completed within 2 years. It comes like a breath of fresh air for all local businesses, including all of us here at The Baby Hire Centre.

If the project comes to fruition, our services will be in VERY high demand!

Dolphin rescue at one of our local beaches!

2010-03-16T18:59:00.002+01:00

The Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection Service, SEPRONA, from Garrucha and several volunteers were able to save a dolphin on Playa de Macenas in Mojacar, Almería at the weekend.

The Guardia Civil received a call to alert them that the dolphin was stranded on the beach and immediately put the protocol for this type of situations into action.

The dolphin was almost two metres long and weighed 130 kilos. It was in good health, and the officers and volunteers were able to return it to the sea.

However, 90 minutes later it was stranded again due to strong currents in the area. The officers and a local residents remained with the dolphin, keeping it moist until members of the Junta de Andalucia Environmental Delegation arrived and took it to the Centre for the Recovery of Endangered Marine Species in Malaga.

Sterilizing methods.

2010-03-13T17:41:00.005+01:00

One of the most frequently rented items from The Baby hire Centre representatives is the humble baby bottle sterilizer.

As babies do not have a well developed immune system, it is vital to thoroughly sterilize all of their feeding bottles, teats, beakers and pumps to protect against infection. This is especially important for babies who are predominantly bottle fed with formula milk as they lack the natural immunity from breast milk and so are more susceptible to infection.

Before sterilizing equipment you need to wash it thoroughly in hot soapy water, using a bottle brush to remove any remnants of milk and ensure that teats are clean by washing both sides and then running water through the hole.

It is possible to clean equipment in a dishwasher, but this should only be on the hottest setting, and teats are likely to wear if washed in this way. Checks to ensure all traces of milk and detergent have been removed should be made before sterilizing.

Methods of sterilizing

Boiling - The traditional method. You should use a saucepan that has not been used for any cooking and fill it to fully submerge the bottles. You need to boil the equipment for at least 10 minutes.

Steaming - Steam sterilizers are readily available from The Baby Hire Centre and are a very efficient way to ensure bottle feeding equipment is safe to use. They only take approximately 8 minutes to work and if sealed can keep equipment clean for up to 3 hours.

Sterilizing solutions - These come in the form of a tablet which is dissolved in water and take approximately 30 minutes to work. They often allow bottles to be left soaking for up to 24 hours if sealed, although you shouldn't leave them longer without changing the solution. It is possible to use any container with a sealed, fitted lid however special sterilizing containers with plungers that keep bottles fully submerged are preferable.

Microwavable sterilizers - For use in the microwave, these are handy, although you cannot use them to clean equipment with metal parts.

When sterilizing equipment you should ensure they are fully submerged and that there are no air bubbles present. Additionally, you should dispose of bottles and teats once they are showing signs of wear, as they become difficult to sterilize once cracks start to form in the plastic.

After you remove your baby's feeding equipment from your chosen sterilization container you should fill it with milk as soon as possible to avoid contamination.

Current guidelines suggest that you continue sterilizing your baby's bottle feeding equipment until they reach 1 year of age.

CONTACT US us now to reserve your preferred sterilization solution from The Baby Hire Centre for your visit to Spain.

Some ideas for preparing toddlers & young children for flights.

2010-03-10T18:44:00.005+01:00

In situations with traveling infants, parents really only have themselves to prepare. But with toddlers this is not the case. So here are some useful ideas...

There is more to flying with toddlers than keeping them entertained and hoping for good behavior on the aircaft: there are long queues at busy airports, security checkpoints, boarding the plane, sitting in confined space that shakes, makes noise and can cause some uncomfortable pressure on little ones' ears.

On top of all this there is travel etiquette issues like not kicking the seats in front...

Ideally parents would prepare their child for these things and in this way instead of being carried/strolled/dragged around blindly, the child will know what's to come and what his or her part is, making the journey as exciting as the destination!

But how can a traveling parent prepare a little one to fly?

Small children are very capable of very quickly grasping new concepts and understanding boundaries, and most are very adaptable if they know what to expect and what is expected of them. It is of paramount importance that in planning for the trip, your children are included both in the pre-trip process and the journey itself.

If possible, try go to the airport before your trip. Watch the planes take off, notice people queuing up for security and talk about why these things are happening and how soon it will be their turn to stand in the line and board the plane, and take off into the sky. make the expectations exciting!
Let your child help pack: Ask what they might want to wear, then allow them to help you put it in the suitcase.
Let children take and carry their own small piece of hand luggage. It gives you a separate space to pack your child's extra handy items and gives your child a responsibility during the pre-flight process. For most children, having this "job" is a treat and a privilege. A toddler who knows they have to get their bag on to the airplane will be a little more focused than one whose only responsibility is to follow along behind his parents.
Buy a book or dvd that shows children what goes on at the airport. Give kids something to relate to. The security checkpoint alone can be a source of major fear for very young children. The loud metal doorway that they have to go through with beeping lights and serious looking people in uniforms is enough to reduce some adults to tears! If a child doesn't know this is coming, and hasn't been prepared for it such that they are not scared, parents are setting themselves up for trouble. So, at the airport security queue, while you are waiting, Tell your child that they will have to put their bag and favourite stuffed toy in a box so that the airport police could take a picture of them. Then discuss that now is the time to walk through a special magic 'holiday' doorway the other side of which everything that belongs to them is given back. Talking about it beforehand really helps when it is time to let go of their most beloved stuff!

The key is to keep talking to children throughout every step of the journey. Be mindful of things that might be scary for you if you were still a small child, and even if your child is flying for the umpteenth time, it is always worth a mention before and at the airport and on the plane what he or she can expect. That goes for the literal long queues and delays and the behavioral: ie, those seatback tray tables that only you as a parent should open and close, and the feet that must be kept off of the seat in front as well.

We hope that you and your children have a pleasant flight to Spain when you come to visit, And we look forward to seeing you visit us at OUR WEBSITE when you want to sort out all of your equipment hire needs with us so that you can 'Pack less, enjoy more!'

Visitor figures up for January.

2010-03-09T20:21:00.006+01:00

January saw a rise in the number of visitors to Spain, putting an end to 18 consecutive months of falling tourist figures.

Figures rise by 1.1% compared with January 2009, with a total of 2.5 million visitors coming to our sunny Spain.

The Baby Hire Centre has, in turn experienced a huge upturn in numbers of visitors to their website, figures for January which are in fact on a par with those of May 2009!

The number of Germans visiting Spain meanwhile, has dropped compared with previous months, a fall of 6.3% at the start of the year compared with January 2009, and a 11.3% fall overall in 2009 compared with the previous year.

The Comunidad Valenciana and the Balearic Islands were the only Spanish regions with negative results in January, registering 3% and 32.7% drops in tourist numbers respectively, with the adverse weather taking the blame for much of the decrease in tourism to Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza.

So it looks like families visiting with young children should think seriously about booking with us even earlier than in previous years in order to guarantee the availability of those essential baby equipment needs, and to avoid any disappointment.

See our range of handy items available to hire now.

Our website seen in a different light...

2010-02-27T13:44:00.003+01:00

This is what our website (www.thebabyhirecentre.com) looks like after being analyzed and depicted by a computer programme, the data then being shown as a graphical representation!

It certainly shows the complexity of the coding and page design which has been built from the ground up to hopefully be as 'user friendly' as possible.

In other words in shouldn't 'feel' like the website is working hard behind the scenes when visitors are using it, but this graph certainly shows us that it is!

What do the colors mean?
blue: for links (the A tag)
red: for tables (TABLE, TR and TD tags)
green: for the DIV tag
violet: for images (the IMG tag)
yellow: for forms (FORM, INPUT, TEXTAREA, SELECT and OPTION tags)
orange: for linebreaks and blockquotes (BR, P, and BLOCKQUOTE tags)
black: the HTML tag, the root node
gray: all other tags

AN expat in Spain has scooped 60 million euros in Euro Millions draw.

2010-02-19T19:26:00.002+01:00

The winner is believed to live in the town of Mojacar, Almería, where half of the 10,000 population is British.

One ticket in Britain and one in Spain shared the 120 million jackpot.

A spokesman for the official lottery operator in Spain, Loterias y Apuestas del Estado, said:

“There is a very good chance the winning ticket was bought by a Brit living in Mojácar.”

Mojacar, a popular holiday destination for Britons, boasts a British library, an English Bullfighting Club and a branch of the Royal British Legion.

Lotto bosses in the UK confirmed that a double record-breaking cash bonanza for British players was a realistic possibility.

Both ticket-holders will be catapulted into first place in the National Lottery rich list. Joint second on the list of lottery wins are Les Scadding and wife Sam from South Wales, and the Lucky Seven syndicate from Liverpool, who each banked a EuroMillions cheque for £45.5million in November last year.

Angela Kelly from Glasgow is third with her £35.4million win in August 2007 followed by an unnamed £26.5million winner the same month.

Some more quick tips for travelling with your baby.

2010-02-17T08:57:00.005+01:00

Firstly, your stress will transmit to your baby, so try to relax. It does not need to be hard work, and with some planning ahead of time, traveling with your child will be much easier than you think.

Just remember to take along the necessities only and let The Baby Hire Centre take care of the rest.

Of course, the most important thing to bring is nourishment for your baby. If you're still breastfeeding, that makes things easier. However, if you're uncomfortable with nursing in public, you may want to bring along bottles and formula to tide you over while in transit.

If you use a breast-pump, don't forget to pack it. Make sure you bring an extra bottle or two, and it never hurts to have a few extra teats for the bottles too. If your baby is eating solid foods, bring some things for him or her to enjoy - crackers, teething biscuits and the like. Don't forget feeding utensils and jars of food. Finally, if your baby uses a cup, make sure you bring it along too.

Changing time can be a hassle when traveling with baby, but it is far easier if you are well prepared. Have a nappy packed for each hour of transit time, plus 2 or 3 extras in case of delay. Have a pack of wipes, cream and a disposable changing pad, as you will want to make sure your baby is protected if you need to change him or her at an impromptu location. Make sure to bring along enough plastic bags to store soiled nappies or dirty clothes.

Once baby's immediate needs are met, there are a few other items that can make traveling with your child much easier. Letting baby suck on a pacifier during take-offs and landing in airplanes can help release inner ear pressure and prevent a baby upsets through the flight. And use a rucksack type bag for your hand luggage, as being able to have both hands free will make life much easier.

When you reach your destination our representative can assist you with collapsible travel cot, high chair, walker, car seat and anything else that you have decided to hire to help you "Lighten the load".

Flexible 'work form home' opportunity.

2010-02-16T09:14:00.010+01:00

Representative Opportunities 2010.

Travel and Babies are both booming businesses!

Travel is a multi-billion euro industry. Of which, it is estimated that ‘family travel’ contributes one quarter of the market, of which roughly 70% utilize baby services.

You have chosen a great time to consider working with The Baby Hire Centre!

Who are we?

‘The Baby Hire Centre’ is a leader in professional baby equipment hire for visitors & residents on the Iberian Peninsula. We have enjoyed significant growth at an astounding rate since formation.

As a result, we are now one of the most talked about and widely used baby equipment rental companies in Europe.

What is 'being a representative'?

Simply put, you can work within a exiting system allowing you to expand and distribute goods and services via an opportunity to operate under an existing recognized brand name.

10 Advantages of being a representative:

Extensive initial market research is all done for you
Start up time is dramatically decreased
Use of a proven business structure
Support with sales, marketing and advertising
National Branding = Brand recognition across Europe
Motivational and inspirational support
Established website presence- site already purchased/designed/published
Increase in online traffic by having only one corporate website
Increase in advertising/stock purchase budgets because of zero website costs
Use of logos, trademarks, slogans, print materials and templates

As a representative, you will receive the following:
All of our representatives receive head office training and support via Email, Online web-chat and VOIP conference calls.

A complete package is provided of order forms, terms/contracts, marketing materials, and accounting tools to help develop your own local business more rapidly.

All representatives are given as much knowledge, support and resources as necessary to aid them in their growth and success, including;

* Online marketing programs and campaigns professionally designed to generate results.
* A location on our national website, personalized to include all representative information, services and local travel information.
* Rights to use ‘The Baby Hire Centre’ brand name, slogans and logos.

Why Work with The Baby Hire Centre?

Our representative system is a very ‘low-risk’ business opportunity that can be operated from your home and requires very little in capital investment and setup time. As a representative of ‘The Baby Hire Centre’ you will receive comprehensive training and benefit from effective operational procedures. You will also have ongoing access to a skilled and dedicated team who will provide training in Operations, Marketing, Accounting and you’ll be part of a network which constantly share ideas, experiences and provides feedback that will assist in continuously improving your business.

All you will need is the energy, drive and the motivation to succeed!

Some additional qualifications of the ideal representative;

* Self-sufficient
* Motivated/driven
* Business minded
* Passionate about people and sales
* Can financially sustain their lifestyle whilst their business is still developing
* Flexibility
* Has supportive family members
* Able to be a leader and a follower

If this is you, we look forward to hearing back from you soon with your thoughts...

Contact enquiries@thebabyhirecentre.com titling your E-mail “representative application”.

Flying into Almería airport.

2010-02-14T14:06:00.009+01:00

Because a number of airlines have cancelled routes as part of a general cost cutting exercise, you can now get scheduled and charter flights from six different UK Airports. If you want to fly from the London area easyJet and flythomascook.charter operate flights from Gatwick and Ryanair flys from Stansted.

Monarch and flythomascook.charter operate flights from Birmingham and Manchester International Airports. You can fly from Leeds Bradford with Jet2.com and Nottingham East Midlands with bmiBaby.

Almeria Airport handles a large number of direct and indirect internal flights on a daily basis. The main Spanish airports with direct flights to Almeria are Barcelona Airport and Melilla Airport via Spain’s international carrier Iberia, and Palma de Mallorca airport with Air Berlin.

As you know, things have changed dramatically in the airline industry over the past few years with rising fuel costs. As part of their cost cuts they have changed the way they price their tickets and it is no longer a good idea to try and book last minute seats as nine times out of ten this is by far the most expensive option. Try and book as far in advance as you can to secure the most competitive rates.

With online booking now so easy it is also worth getting costs for flying out with one airline and back with another. Also try and keep your dates and times as flexible as possible (I know this is not easy) as flying early or late in the day on a mid week flight will be much cheaper than a mid day flight on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

If you can avoid taking your holidays during the most popular times (Easter, July, August and Christmas and New Year) when the schools have broken up, again you will find the ticket prices are a lot cheaper off season.

The writer of this article is Linda Craik who has lived in Spain for a number of years. She works for Plus Four SL who specialise in writing airport guides including the Spanish Airport Guide which includes information on Almeria Airport

Dynamic 'Flight Finder' map added to the website!

2010-02-07T23:20:00.003+01:00

We have decided to show our visitors how to get to us, with an ingenious and simple to use, visual map flight finder.

The maps use Flash to dynamically display flight routes from the our local airports to others around the world and are fully configurable.

Our website visitors can choose to display a fixed departure point, fixed destination point, fixed departure and destination, or an 'anywhere to anywhere' open search.

Potential clients browsing our website can now instantly see which are the nearest airports from their home to us, and then search for cheap flights by clicking on the map, which takes them to the relevant page on the acclaimed Skyscanner website.

Try it out now!

Almeria airport in a nutshell.

2010-02-06T12:18:00.005+01:00

Almeria Airport is split over three floors with the majority of departures and arrivals taking place on the ground floor. The departures terminal at Almeria Airport has 21 check desks and a further 6 are to be added when phase II of the expansion work is completed by the middle of next year.

After you have checked in you will need to head towards the right end of the terminal to go through the security control checkpoint. Once into the departures lounge you will find a newspaper shop , a gift shop, a cafe & bar and also the main Aldeasa shop which sells duty free perfumes, alcohol and cigarettes. There are also two coffee shops within this area and an open air cafe on the upper level.

The arrivals area at Almeria Airport is located at the far left end of the terminal building and consists of 4 baggage reclaim belts. When you have entered the baggage reclaim area simply check the information screens that will indicate what carousel your luggage will appear on. Once you have exited this area into the arrivals hall you will find the 5 corresponding car hire desks and tour operators situated here. The car hire companies based at Almeria Airport are Centauro, Crown, Europa, Europcar and Rucar.

Directly outside the terminal exit is the taxi rank and just a few yards further up is the stop for the buses at Almeria Airport. There is no train service available at the airport. The taxis can provide transport to all of the major tourist resorts and an indication of charges are as follows. Into the city centre of Almeria 18.00 euros, Cabo de Gata 75.00 euros, Mojacar 112.00 euros and Roquetas de Mar 52.00 euros.

If you are picking someone up at Almeria Airport or if you are flying out from Almeria Airport and need to park your car there, then the car park is situated directly in front of the terminal building and is quite small with a capacity for just over 300 cars. Parking charges for both short term and long term parking at Almeria Airport are reasonable. Short term parking costs around 1.00 euro per hour and long term parking costs just under 11.00 euros per day for the first 4 days and then just under 9.00 euros every day thereafter.

If you are planning on driving in Almeria and are hiring a car from Almeria Airport you will find that there are good transport communication links with resorts along the eastern cost of Spain with the AL-12 motorway and A-7 Autovia close by. From Almeria Airport it is relatively easy to drive up and down the coast of Spain. You can drive north to Murica in around 2 hours, and south towards Malaga and the Costa del Sol in around 3 hours.

Regular scheduled flights to Almeria from the UK and Ireland are available from Belfast, Birmingham, Dublin, Gatwick, Leeds, Luton, Manchester and London Stansted. If you need to fly to Almeria Airport from within Spain then there are a good number of internal flights to Almeria from Barcelona, Madrid, Melilla and Palma de Mallorca. Internal flights are generally serviced by Spanair, Air Europa and Iberia.

Almería Airport has also recently introduced a new route to Dusseldorf which is operated by the low cost airline Ryanair every Wednesday and Sunday. This connection, which will operate provisionally until 21 October, is in addition to existing flights operated by Air Berlin to the German cities of Dusseldorf and Frankfurt.

The author of this article is Roberto Rodriguez who has lived in Spain for a number of years. He works for Plus Four SL who specialise in writing airport guides including Almeria Airport which contains detailed information on flights to Almeria and Almeria Airport car hire.

Making Headlines

2009-10-13T10:24:00.002+02:00

The 'Euro Weekly News' feature on our services shows that our profile has raised significantly this year. September was actually busier than august, which bucked a trend, and more and more people are learning how to avoid those horrid excess baggage fees and in-transit damages to their own expensive equipment by renting all of their required baby equipment from 'The Baby Hire Centre'!

Tips to tackle soaring prices and shrinking fleets of Spanish rental vehicles

2009-08-30T17:26:00.004+02:00

A shortage of hire cars in Spain and steep price rises may cause problems for travellers into September. So If your family is planning to hire a car for a trip to Spain, here are some tips for finding a good deal:

Book early

Price comparison websites such as travelsupermarket.com, carrentals.co.uk and car-hire-centre.co.uk enable you to see the prices on offer at dozens of car hire companies. The cost of a small car hired for the first week of September, for example, starts at £148 with one company and rises to £1,000 with another!

This year it has been particularly vital to book as early as possible. The credit crunch and recession have seen companies buying fewer replacement cars - as a result, most fleets are 30% smaller than last year.

Keeping costs to a minimum

Peak-period prices at some popular resorts in Spain have soared amid this scarcity of cars. But demand is expected to drop off towards the end of the summer holidays, so prices may fall again - although they will likely remain 10% to 20% more than last year.

While car hire companies sell the same package, you will end up paying for some extras. It is particularly important to watch out for the extra you pay to reduce your liability in the case of an accident, known as collision damage waiver (CDW). CDW and theft protection insurance is normally included in quotes, but the "excess" you must pay can vary widely - you could pay for the first £700 for any damage caused while you are in possession of the car, more than the cost of hiring the car in the first place!

Car hire desks will often offer you more insurance to reduce this excess to zero, but it is invariably expensive. Instead, buy much cheaper insurance from one of several companies that offer policies to cover this - try Insurance4carhire.com, Insure4excess.com and Worldwideinsure.com. If you hire a car more than once a year, it may be worth taking out a policy to cover the excess. Insurance4carhire.com will cover you for an annual premium of just £49 for example.

Bells and whistles

Consider whether you need a baby seat, for instance. These will cost upto 100€ extra and are often of poor quality and in a poor state of repair.

Much better to hire from a specialist baby equipment hire company like 'The Baby Hire Centre' and avoid all of the extra waiting at the rental desk while these extras are organized. They will usually be able to meet you upon arrival at the airport and come highly recommended by those who have used their services.

Using car hire companies for baby equipment could also cause more problems - in peak season there have been numerous examples of there being no child car seats left, leaving those travelling with babies and small children high and dry!

Which company to choose

Alongside Hertz, Avis and other household names, there are local companies in Spain, such as Centauro or Atesa, that are often used by British holidaymakers. "These are the local versions of these big companies - the only difference is that they are not multinational, and there is nothing wrong with them. You may also hire a car through a broker quoting on a price comparison site such as Holiday Autos, which doesn't hold the cars itself but uses local and some national companies for its stock. You often don't know which car hire company your car will come through until you get your confirmation, but that is rarely an issue.

Jet2 fees now clearer.

2009-08-14T21:28:00.003+02:00

Budget airline Jet2.com has been forced to make its list of additional booking fees much clearer to holidaymakers.

With Jet2.com, you have to press the 'remove' button if insurance is not required and other airlines and internet booking firms operate the same practice.

Airlines are no longer allowed to automatically add any optional extras. The European Union's Regulation on Air Services says: "Optional price supplement acceptance by the customer shall be on an'opt-in' basis."

However, the EU does not have the power to enforce its code. It is up to country-specific enforcement authorities (such as the UK's OFT) to crack the whip.

The problem with automatically adding insurance is it's often much more expensive to buy via airlines, while many passengers will already be insured anyway.

Clearer fees

However, Jet2.com has agreed to ensure consumers are made aware of non-optional costs, such as airport fees, early in the booking process.

It will also provide a link showing the prices of all optional charges passengers may incur, such as baggage costs, at the start of the process.

Budget airlines have long been accused of hiding charges. Last month, Ryanair aktered its website to make its fees more transparent too.

How to complain

If you've inadvertently bought insurance from Jet2.com or any other airline or internet booking site because you were opted into cover, first complain to the firm that 'sold' the insurance.

If you're not refunded, complain to the free Financial Ombudsman Service. However, the Ombudsman will usually only accept complaints about policies sold from 1 January 2009 onwards.

Winner of last years 'Good Toy Guide Awards' - half price!

2009-08-13T10:48:00.002+02:00

Mamas and Papas Fleur Flower Sit and Snuggle Playmat.

We at The Baby Hire Centre' are always looking for great bargains to add to our inventory.

Argos have provided again by making this top brand product only £19.99!

Brightly coloured and luxuriously padded, with a raised supportive back rest specially designed to allow baby to sit up and take in the world around them.
Three easy to reach dangling Garden Party characters which can all be removed and played with.
Teething ring, fun squeaks, rattles and crinkles.
Two popular melodies.
Fun 'peek a boo' baby safe mirror which will encourage baby to move about the mat and explore.
Gym arch which can easily be detached.
Encourages development of sight, touch, sound, musical awareness and focus.
The intelligent choice for growing minds!
Requires 2 x AA batteries (included for demonstration purposes).
Suitable from birth.

This excellent playmat, with bright colours and play gym is comfortable, easy to move around and at this price, an absolute steal! See the web link below to check stock in your local store:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3484496/c_1/2|category_root|Limited%20stock%20clearance|15294700/c_2/3|cat_15294700|Limited%20stock%20Nursery|15294849.htm?storeId=10001&Price=1&referredURL=http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3484496/c_1/2|category_root|Limited+stock+clearance|15294700/c_2/3|cat_15294700|Limited+stock+Nursery|15294849.htm%3FPrice+Cut%3D1&jspStoreDir=argos&referrer=COJUN&cmpid=COJUN

Bargain 100 Hits For Kids

2009-08-07T23:31:00.006+02:00

We thought that this was a great bargain to keep little ones accupied with lots of great fun music tracks.

This is a 4CD & DVD Boxset that will cost you only £3.99 + Free Delivery from HMV's website: http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=833327&affiliate=buyat&lpgrp=network&batuid=1000&WT.mc_id=101450

Here are some of the artists on the collection.

Spongebob Squarepants / Peppa Pig / Pocoyo / Charlie and Lola / The Backyardigans / Go Diego Go / The Magic Roundabout / Bob the Builder / The Wonder Pets / Noddy / Fifi and the Flowerto.

Do-it-Yourself Baby Mobile for Cars.

2009-08-04T17:37:00.003+02:00

Here is an idea for a baby mobile frame for your car’s ceiling. It’s a tether you suspend across the backseat, secured to the handholds above opposing windows.

You could hook a variety of soft baby toys via rings around the tether or dangle whatever favourite baby toy you wish. Your toys of course must be hookable with the sort of rings commonly found on baby play mats. And if a window is openened slightly to create a breeze, movement can be created that is no more of a distraction than unnoccupied & upset children.

The tether can be trimmed to size and secured using velcro on either end.

If you try this, let us know how you got on?

Grab great flight bargains and come join us in sunny Spain!

2009-07-30T10:09:00.007+02:00

You can find great flight prices right now to Spain from most UK regional airports into Murcia, Alicante, Alemria, Malaga & Granada airports during August.

You just have to spend a little time searching for them.

Here is an example of one we found using 'skyscanner'.

It is only 65€ for a return flight into Almeria from London Stanstead.

We also found this on the Easyjet website after a quick search for just £41.99...

And this one on Ryanair's website for a similarly low price. This time just over £30!

So go online now and see for yourself that you can join us here in Spain for very little. And the 2009/10 winter & spring flights are being released by the main airlines aswell now.

Happy hunting, and remember to book well in advance everyhing that your babies and small children will need whilst here by visiting us at The Baby Hire Centre.

We found another useful and informative blog.

2009-07-27T16:55:00.004+02:00

Luiza has put together a lovely little blog here.

Her comments and opinions on all the things needed to properly equip a nursery environment for a little one is spot on in our opinion.

When on holiday in Spain it is so important that babies and small children are surrounded by things to make them as comfortable as possible in an unfamiliar environment, and Luiza's list of items can all be hired from us here at The Baby Hire Centre, saving you the costs & inconvenience of trying to struggle to bring it all yourself.

Great idea for travelling parents.

2009-07-24T13:17:00.002+02:00

If you’ve ever had to travel with a baby, have a long list of necessities that are required to make the trip as pain-free as possible. Maybe you’d have a nappy bag on that list? How about a bottle warmer that you can use in the car? A storage cooler for the baby milk?

With all of those necessities in mind, one mum went to work on an all-in-one bag that would satisfy the needs of any parent parent while traveling with a baby. In 2007 all of that planning and designing came together to create the Total Travel Bag.

What is The Total Travel Bag?

The first nappy bag with a built-in battery operated bottle warmer and an insulated storage cooler. The bag also has an AC adapter to use with your car outlet to warm bottles in the car. It converts to a garment bag for your baby’s clothes with traveling. It converts to a tote or back pack. The TTB has plenty of storage space and comes with a changing pad.

What inspired you to create this all-in-one diaper bag?

I was a working mom who needed to make life easier. As they say, “Necessity is the mother of all inventions”. My husband and I were planning a drive to my mothers house and wanted to stop at a shopping center. We packed a cooler to keep the bottles cold, a portable bottle warmer to warm a bottle to room temperature and we loaded the nappy bag with wipes, a change of clothes, etc. The next day, I was watching TV and there were several mom inventors on the show. I told my husband, I should invent a bag that does everything we need for traveling with the baby.

Spain's oldest mother succums to cancer.

2009-07-23T23:16:00.001+02:00

Cradling her twin boys in her arms, the world's oldest mother confidently proclaimed that longevity ran in her family.
But just two and half years on, Maria Carmen del Bousada's boasts have been proved sadly wrong.
The 69-year-old, who admitted lying about her age to receive fertility treatment in the U.S, has died from cancer.
Maria Bousada with twins Pau and Christian
Controversial Maria Bousada gave birth to twins Pau and Christian after undergoing IVF
Her death will reopen the debate about whether older women should be allowed to undergo fertility treatment.
It also means that two boys have lost their mother. Orphaned before reaching school, her sons, Christian and Pau, will have to rely on others to find out about her.
They will now be raised by one of her nephews, the son of her brother Ricardo.
Miss Bousada died on Saturday in her home town of Cadiz, south-west Spain, after battling cancer for most of their short lives.
She gave birth in Barcelona in December 2006, days before her 67th birthday.
Earlier this month, Britain's oldest mother Elizabeth Adeney, who had a boy in May, was 67. Like Miss Bousada, she too was childless and single when she underwent fertility treatment using a donor egg and donor sperm.
As for Miss Bousada's cancer, it is understood that the former shop worker had been told that the drugs used during her fertility treatment may have hastened the advance of the disease.
Record-breaking: Omkari Panwar was 70 when she gave birth last year, overtaking Miss Bousada as the world's oldest mother
It is known that some types of cancer are sensitive to hormones associated with both pregnancy and fertility treatment. Miss Bousada told doctors in Los Angeles that she was 55 when she travelled there to undergo IVF treatment.
Critics, including her own family, called the pensioner, who went through the menopause 18 years before her £20,000 treatment, 'selfish and irresponsible'.
After the birth she admitted lying about her age and predicted she would live to 101 as her mother had done.
'I have every reason to believe longevity runs in my family,' she said.
But in December 2007 she admitted that she had a 'very serious illness', thought to have been breast cancer.
Asked who would look after the children if she died she said: 'I have a nephew, I have their godfather who is very good with the children.
'They are not going to be alone. The love that these children receive, very few children get that amount of love. That's the truth.'
Defying nature: Looking younger than her 66 years, Elizabeth Munro with her newborn son
Quite what the future holds for her boys was unclear last night. Miss Bousada's brother Ricardo said: 'The twins are doing brilliantly. They are very well.'
He said the twins would be looked after 'in or close to the nucleus of the family'.
Miss Bousada, who has never been married, decided to have children after her mother died in 2005.
Shortly after the birth she said: 'I have wanted to be a mother all my life, but I never had the opportunity, or met the right man.'
But her words did not prevent the criticism that followed. Rafael Bernabeu, of Spain's National Association of Assisted Reproduction Clinics, described the birth as 'outside of all logic'.
He said: 'It is illogical not only because of the risk to the mother but also because the children will inevitably lose there mother at a young age.
'Those children will become orphans during their adolescence.'
Ultimately death came even more quickly for Miss Bousada.
In Britain, as in Spain, there is no absolute age limit for IVF, but the NHS will not fund it for women over 40. In practice, most private fertility clinics will not treat women over 50 - the average age of the menopause when they stop producing eggs.
Last night Miss Bousada's death led to renewed criticism of the availability of fertility treatment to older women.
Josephine Quintavalle, of the Comment on Reproductive Ethics group, said: 'Our first priority should be our duty to the children and we should have the courage to say no.'
Norman Wells, of Family and Youth Concern, said: 'While it is true that even young parents can and do sometimes tragically die and leave their children orphans, there is obviously a far greater risk when a post-menopausal woman deliberately sets out to bring children into the world without a father.
'Nature itself teaches us that there are seasons in a woman's life and that children are meant to have both a mother and a father. When we tamper with the natural order, children will always suffer as a result.'
Adriana Iliescu, a Romanian who gave birth at 66 in 2005, said she was pained to hear of Miss Bousada's death.
'It is a great sadness when kids are orphans but civil society will help these children,' she said.

Coming to Spain this summer?

2009-07-22T17:06:00.006+02:00

Spain persists to be the number one holiday destination for British parents, mainly because the Spanish are such a child-loving nation. Their facilities however are not always what we might have come to expect 'back home'.

They are constantly improving, but they are still not at the level that we now take for granted in the UK, so be patient and prepared and you and your children will be just fine and have a wonderful time in this delightful country.

Spanish Eateries

Firstly, in restaurants the Spanish are always very tolerant of young children's behaviour. Waiters are good-humoured even with children running around the table whilst their parents are eating. Nevertheless, the restaurants are often not designed with children in mind and neither is the menu.
Children here in Spain order from the same menu as their parents normally. In other words, there are seldom children's menus complete with activity packs. If you ask, the waiter will usually be happy to advise you as to which dishes are the most suitable for your family members.

The Spanish menus usually have many fish dishes, so be mindful of bones. Swordfish & Tuna are the safest. Tapas are ideal for children to sample different tastes in small portions. Try Spanish omelette, meatballs, scrambled egg, squid, ham cheese dishes.

You may want to bring your own plastic cutlery as children in Spain eat with 'grown-up' sets from 'grown-up' plates. The same goes for drinks, so maybe bring a beaker.

You'll be hard pushed to find restaurants with highchairs. So make sure you organise the hire of a spacesaving fold-up type from us at 'The Baby Hire Centre'. Bear in mind that there will be some holidaymakers who expect children to be well behaved, so think about crayons and paper as a distraction for little ones.

Hygiene
You can buy baby wipes in any of the supermarkets out here so there's no need to bring them. Bear in mind that your children will be in a different environment and probably in an adapted routine, so you may have to be more vigilant.

It is a good idea to carry a pack of wipes and a bottle of hand wash that doesn't require water, try Mercadona supermarket. You may also want to add some toilet paper/tissue to your daily survival pack as Spanish toilets are often lacking!

In addition, the baby changing facilities taken for granted in the UK are scarse here. Instead, the Spanish tend to change their babies' on the reclined position of a buggy.

Getting about

As far as pushing a buggy around, it can be awkward. Doorways into shops can be narrow etc. However, the Spanish are always quite helpful if they see you struggling with small children. They are so family minded, that you will not be short of voulenteers to assist you.

Activities for children

We get very good weather here, so entertaining children is straightforward. Aqua parks, Zoos, cable car rides and the beach are some of a myriad of outdoor ideas to keep everybody occupied.

Be prepared

Travelling with young children is always a challenge. In order to make the most of your Spanish holiday ensure that you book for hire as far in advance as possible, all of the bulky and/or expensive equipment for the duration of your stay with us at 'The Baby Hire Centre'. If your baby drinks formula milk, it is wise to bring your own from the UK. Although we do offer a bespoke personal shopper service for any visitors wishing to arrive to their baby shopping having already been done!

Most impotant of all, have fun on your next holiday in Spain with the kids!

An airline for pets!

2009-07-18T09:25:00.003+02:00

One trip for their Jack Russell terrier in a plane's cargo hold was enough to convince Alysa Binder and Dan Wiesel that owners needed a better travel option.

On Tuesday, the first flight for Pet Airways, the first-ever all-pet airline, took off from New York.

All commercial airlines allow a limited number of small pets to fly in the cabin. Others must travel as checked bags or in the cargo hold.

Binder and Wiesel used their business savvy to start Pet Airways in 2005. The last four years have been spent designing their fleet of five planes according to new four-legged requirements, dealing with FAA regulations and setting up airport schedules.

The two say they're already booked up for the next two months.

Pet Airways will fly a pet between five major cities – New York, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles for $250.

For owners the big difference is service. Dogs and cats will fly in the main cabin, retooled and lined with carriers in place of seats. Pets (about 50 on each flight) will be escorted to the plane by attendants that will check on the animals every 15 minutes during flight. The pets are also given pre-boarding walks and bathroom breaks. And at each of the five airports it serves, the company has created a "Pet Lounge".

Amanda Hickey of Portland, Ore. is one of the new airline's first customers. Her seven-year-old terrier-pinscher mix Mardi and 2-year-old puggle Penny are taking their first flight soon.

Hickey said the service was a welcome alternative to flying her dogs as cargo!

"For a little bit more money, I have peace of mind," she said.

The company, which will begin with one flight in each of its five cities, is looking to add more flights and cities soon. In the next three years, Binder hopes to fly to 25 locations.

Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com, which has ranked the pet-friendliness of airlines for three years, said she's excited about the expected impact Pet Airways will have on pet travel across major airlines.

"The entire industry will stretch because of Pet Airways," she said. "It's a challenge that says 'let's make this (experience) better for pets."

Sierra Cabrera inferno - fire ravages Spanish hills.

2009-07-17T10:42:00.003+02:00

A huge scrub fire destroyed huge swathes of hillside in the Sierra Cabrera, needing 600 fire fighters to bring the flames under control

The forest fire which raged for two days in Almería’s Sierra Cabrera natural park near the town of Turre earlier this week was finally brought under control on Thursday morning after destroying more than 4,000 hectares.

The news that the fire was stabilised came from the Infoca forest fire fighting organisation on Wednesday evening, and they announced at 11am on Thursday that it was finally under control. El Almería newspaper reports that teams worked at the scene throughout Wednesday night to ensure the blaze did not revive.

More than 600 personnel were working to control the flames, with help called in from the military and the Civil Guard. The fire fighting effort was hampered by winds, high temperatures and low humidity. It’s believed to have been started by a lightning strike during an electrical storm on Tuesday which also caused other small fires elsewhere in the province.

Five hundred people who were evacuated from their homes as a precaution were allowed back home on Wednesday, and many indeed chose to stay with friends on Tuesday night rather than in the Red Cross temporary accommodation set up for them in Mojácar.

The Level 2 emergency alert has now been called off, and an Infoca investigation will take place to confirm the exact cause of the forest fire.

Ex-eBay executive joins 'erento' as CEO.

2009-07-15T19:30:00.007+02:00

Ex-eBay executive Oliver Weyergraf has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of erento, the online rental marketplace.

Mr Weyergraf, formerly part of the senior management team at eBay, takes over from former chief executive and erento founder Chris Moeller, who will stay with the company as head of product development and technology.

The new CEO will drive the company's international expansion - particularly in the UK and US.

"The potential of erento is immense," said Mr Weyergraf. "The idea of having a website where you can rent the entire spectrum of goods and services is as simple as it is ingenious. The challenge for us now is to build on our international businesses and put in place the strategy and structures that will ensure our continued growth as the leading online rental company worldwide."

Alexander Samwer of the European Founders Fund, one of erento's key investors, said: "We are delighted with Oliver's appointment. He is a successful web entrepreneur with a great track record and he will make a massive contribution to the expansion of erento."

erento (www.erento.co.uk) is an online rental marketplace, bringing together businesses with products or services to rent to customers. The site has over 1.5 million items available for rent across 26 countries.

***Breaking News: You will soon be able to see the entire product range of The Baby Hire Centre on 'erento', the internets biggest online rental marketplace!***

A guide to Roquetas de Mar.

2009-07-12T19:01:00.012+02:00

Introduction

A newcomer to the package holiday market, until recently Roquetas de Mar was only a fishing settlement, with its small port backed by a village of Moorish streets and little white houses. Now the holiday apartments, hotels and tourist facilities are here for visitors. Aside from the original village houses the only obvious reminders of the past is the imposing landmark of the medieval Castle of Santa Ana.

Who goes there?

Roquetas de Mar tends to attract mainly families. It is very popular with 'The Baby Hire Centre' customers who are British package tourists discovering the resort.

Where in the world?

Roquetas de Mar lies in the southeast of Spain, 100 miles east of Málaga. The nearest town is Almeria, 15 miles to the west; Almería airport is a further 6 miles away.

The resort is flat and backed by the mountains of the Sierra de Gador, part of the Sierra Nevada range. Due to this sheltered position rainfall is low and as a result this is one of the driest regions in Europe.

Beach

Backed by a neat promenade, the beach is a 2 mile long straight stretch of silver sand that is seldom crowded, and where all watersports a re available . There is also a specially designated nudist section.

Beyond the beach

Roquetas de Mar has its o wn 18-hole golf course Club de Golf Playa Serena and 3 other courses, La Envia Golf, Alboran Golf and Golf Almerimar, are also with easy reach.

Birdwatchers visit the salt marsh at Las Marinas, to the south to see flamingos, little egrets and avocets.

There are plenty of indoor amusements and great shopping at the Gran Plaza shopping centre.

Family fun

Aside from various playgrounds there is a great deal in the way of family attractions. On the beachfro nt is the Mario Park Parque Aquatico. This has slides, pools and a wave machine.

Older children will get a bigger buzz at Karting Roquetas, Andalucia's biggest go-kart circuit.

Retail therapy

Most shops sell souvenirs, beachwe ar and the usual tourist fayre. Gran Plaza is a large new modern shopping centre with 125 shops a, multi-screen cinema (with dedicated English-language screens), a bowling alley, amusement arcade, restaurants and cafe's.

On Thursday there is an open-air market and every fortnight there is a local market in the old town.

A night on the town

Nightlife is low key and mo stly hotel led with programmes of evening entertainment, including live music and local shows. The nearest nightclub is in neighbouring Aguadulce. The impressive recently opened Theatro Auditorio stages classical concerts, dance, ballet and English-language theatre productions. Look out too for concerts i n the bull ring!

Eating out

A good selection of restaurants suits all tastes; choices include fish, pizza, Chinese, Spanish (with ‘menu of the d ay' dishes on offer) as well as plenty of British favourites. Dining on tapas, local specialities served up in small dishes, is a great way to start the evening.

Getting around

The centre of Roquetas de Mar is easily covered on foot. However if you are staying on the outskirts hiring a bicycle may make sense. In summer a small land train and a horse and carriage shuttle to and fro. There is a frequent bus service to Almería and from here there are train connections to various destinations.

Exploring further afield

Almería is well worth a visit for its Alcazaba (Moorish fortress) and shopping. Granada, with its magnificent Alhambra Palace is a must see. For a classic ‘white village' visit Nijar.

The desert area around Tabernas is where some of the iconic Spaghetti Westerns were filmed. The original movie film set has now been turned into a theme park. There are two working film locations very close by; Texas Hollywood and Western Leone, which also show visitors around.

Flying in

We can meet you and provide you with all of your baby equipment needs at the local airport Almeria International (LEI).

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Receive useful flight info on your phone.

2009-07-11T18:47:00.008+02:00

With 24 airports on their system and over 1 million flights tracked, AirText bills itself as the UK's most comprehensive provider of mobile flight status information.

AirText receives its information from a variety of sources, including directly from the airports themselves.

Arrivals

Picking someone up from the airport or want to make sure someone's there to meet you?

AirText Arrivals will send you (where available) the ETA of your flight, terminal number, any delay reports, 'One Hour Away' report, landed message and any cancellations. The service costs £1.50 in total for around 5 updates and will be charged directly to the first mobile number entered.

Departures

Going away and want up-to-the-minute information before you depart?

AirText Departures will send you (where available) terminal number, 'Check in now' message with desk number, boarding message with gate number, a final call message and any cancellations. The service costs £1.50 in total for around 4 updates, charged directly to your mobile phone.

Another family friendly partner comes on board.

2009-07-10T10:49:00.004+02:00

Do you live in the UK? Feeling 'the crunch'? rent a pushchair instead of buying one!

The Baby Hire Centre's latest collaboration has been announced this week, as Rentabuggy joins forces with us to provide a means of freeing up your cash-flow by allowing you to rent the best pushchairs on the market, on a month by month basis.

Rentabuggy is split into two categories:-

Monthly rentals of pushchairs, long or short term
Holiday Rentals all over the UK and now includes Travel Cots!

Just in case you need an excuse these are some provided by Laura at rentabuggy....

Are you a 'Pramaholic'? Forever changing your pushchair? Renting is cheaper.
Try before you buy option makes renting the perfect option!
Toddler soon be walking but need a double pushchair short term for baby too? Then rent with us!

And if you are looking for a specific pushchair but it's not listed? Then let them know, as they may be able to obtain it for you.

Spain Reviews - your travel guide.

2009-07-08T09:33:00.003+02:00

Maria from Spain-holiday.com has written an informative blog.
Take a look at her posts and find out lots of information about many different aspects of visiting Spain.
GO VISIT THE BLOG HERE

COOL tips for avoiding overheating this Summer.

2009-07-06T08:51:00.007+02:00

With daily temperatures averaging 33 degrees for the next 2-3 weeks and peaking at nearer 40 degrees, visitors to Spain need to be aware of ways to keep themselves and their young travellers cool during these hottest times of the day.

Wet 'pulse points' with cold water. Use a piece of ice wrapped in a flannel, to continue after the coolness wears off. Constantly cooling off the wrists will cool off the body. Never let ice come into contact with the skin though; make sure it is wrapped. This will reduce your temperature by as much as 3 °F, and will last for up to one hour!
Drink cold drinks. Water is best, but liquids of any type will help. The electrolytes make sure you don’t lose minerals through sweating. Adding ice will also help. Avoid sugary drinks (see the Tips below).
Keep still and quiet. This is not a time for exercising, sports or running around. Keep these activities for the evening when the air becomes cooler.
Place wet towel on the back of the neck and the top of the head. Athletic team doctors regularly employ this method.
Use perspiration to cool the body down. Water vapour produced by sweating actually takes heat away from your body if it is exposed to air and allowed to evaporate. The best thing to do is to put your sweaty self in the path of a cool breeze or fan.
Try a few minty products to cool your skin: Use lotion with peppermint (avoid your face); shower with peppermint soap; use a minty foot soak. Mint refreshes the skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation.
Stay in the shade. Read a good book, sit still or take a nap.
Open the windows to let in a breeze. Use screens to keep out insects if they are a problem.
Go swimming. If you can, select a shady body of water.
Have a cold shower or bath. Even a small amount of water sprayed or splashed on you can help. Wet towels if you need to cool all of your body and wrap your legs, torso and arms with them.
Wet your hair with cold water every half an hour.
Wear a short sleeved shirt and put water on the sleeves. If there is a breeze or fan blowing on you, you can actually get cold. Putting water on your trousers/shorts will cool your legs.
Ball up and soak a t-shirt in the sink, wring it out & put it on , then sit in front of a fan. Re-wet as it dries. Works over 110F.
Use fans. Fans keep the air circulating and produce a small cooling effect. Place a wet face cloth on the fan to produce a mini air-conditioning effect.
Take a glass and fill it almost to the brim with ice cubes. Then hold it up to your mouth and blow down into the glass. The ice causes the air you are blowing into the glass to cool down, and since the air only has one way out of the cup it is forced out over your skin. This is a great alternative to air conditioning and is very simple.
Go downstairs. Warm air is less dense than cooler air so it ends up layered on top of the downward moving cooler air. If you’re in a house, for example, get lower than the roof. Make your way to the basement or lower level. It will be cooler there. Position a fan in an upstairs window to draw off heat collected in upper rooms–set it up so that it sucks air from indoors and pushes it outdoors.
Try and get used to the heat. Try to do this without relying on fans too much. That way, you can be more independent of relying on any electrical equipment should there be any power cuts (they can be frequent here in Spain).
Turn off the stove or other sources of heat. Incandescent light bulbs also create heat. Turn off your lamps, as well as your computer and TV set when not needed
Apply lots of sun protection lotion throughout the day. The protective function of such lotion only lasts for a few hours so re-apply frequently. Do not rely on it alone, however.
Wear a hat and don't expose too much skin. Long-sleeved shirts made of cotton and other natural fabrics will help deflect the sun's rays and protect your skin. A broad-brimmed hat will protect your face and to create some shade over your head.
Keep inside or in the shade when the sun is at its height. Don't go outside if you can help it between 12pm and 3pm, as these are the hours during which the sun is at its strongest.
Prepare your home against the heat. In the evening, open windows and use fans to create a cross-breeze, circulating cooler evening/night air through rooms. As soon as the sun hits the building the next morning, close all windows, blinds, and curtains, and keep doors and windows closed throughout the day until it is cooler outside than it is inside
Eat less. Smaller meals with less protein will reduce metabolic heat. Whatever you do eat should be cool and not require heat to be prepared (e.g. salads, sandwiches, etc.)
Freeze bottles of water, then place them in a bowl. Position a fan to blow on them. As the ice in the bottles melt, the air cools around them. The fan will blow that air at you. The water in the bottles can then be frozen overnight and used again, repeatedly.

We are going to be busy!

2009-07-05T17:34:00.002+02:00

More than a quarter of British families plan to take their babies and small children on holiday to Spain this year rather than spend money to travel to further flung overseas destinations, a new survey revealed.

Recent research carried out has found that millions of people are not intending to go abroad to the USA, Cyprus, Turkey or even the Greek isles this summer, choosing instead to stay closer to home by joining us here in sunny Spain.

Figures suggest that 59 per cent of families believe they could save £1,000's by holidaying in Spain using budget airlines for travel, and staying with ex-pat relatives, be they siblings, cousins, Aunt's & Uncle's, Parents or Grandparents.

One of the organisers of the survey said "The principle factor in the outcome of our data is people having to tighten their holiday budgets due to the economic climate."

She went on... "The climate, great safe beaches, sports and leisure activities, hotels and spas are all attractive propositions for young families ."

According to the survey, 'The Baby Hire Centre' is in store for a very busy few months ahead. So if you or somebody you know needs to hire any baby equipment for their trip, make sure that they book as far in advance as possible in order for us to guarantee availability for them.

An insight into 'The Baby Hire Centre '- Solutions For The Young Traveller Interview

2009-07-04T14:30:00.007+02:00

Name of your website?
The Baby Hire Centre - Solutions For The Young Traveller
Your name?
John Corcoran
Your Location (city, etc)
Almeria Province in the heart of South-East Spain.
Please give us a short summary of your website?
This is South-East Spain's foremost baby equipment hire providers website. We pride ourselves on our, experienced, 'family friendly' approach, delivering professional customer service and quality infant and toddler equipment, at value for money prices on everything from Travel Cots, Buggies/Pushchairs and Car Seats, to High Chairs, Baby Baths and Playthings.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
Being frequent visitors to Almeria and Murcia in Spain. We knew that the solution was already out there in the form of baby equipment hire providers, but that it was limited to the more 'popular' costa's.
There was a lack of availability of quality items ready for hire at our chosen destinations, and our friends, neighbours and the community at large were crying out for 'The Baby Hire Centre' to be created...
We are now the foremost baby equipment hire provider in the area. But, we have never forgotten that we are here because of our customers, and are very proud to be able to say that much of our business comes from repeat custom, or as a result of customer referrals and recommendations.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
Even the very smallest of our clients is of the utmost importance to us as a family, and as a business. And so we thought that if we were concentrating on the young traveller, we should incorporate this into the name...
We also wanted people to recognize immediately what it is that we do - 'Hence The Baby Hire Centre'.
We Feel that it does "exactly what it says on the tin".
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
It has an incredible amount of functionality. We wanted it to be very easy to use, and it is. We find competitor websites very hard to navigate by comparison.
It has also been formulated specifically with the retired ex-pat community in mind also. Grandparents who are being visited by little ones, who may not have extensive computing skills and/or knowledge. So the entire website has been designed from the ground up to be very simple and intuitive to use. We also have an exclusive discount package system which means that ANY combination of items can earn the hirer a discount on their entire rental cost, without them having to rent specific items which they may not require.
We are also very proud of our claim that you will experience NO hidden costs with our service. Whilst others may charge up to 100€ or more to deliver and collect their items, ALL deliveries and collections within our coverage area made by The Baby Hire Centre Representatives are completely FREE.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
We are already destined to be the No.1 baby equipment provider for Almeria and Murcia. But we always think big! - The entire Iberian peninsular could one day benefit from our approach to this service, and as such we are already looking into future plans to employ representatives on every 'costa', and a whole host of exciting ventures which will accelerate our future growth.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
What you put in relates directly to what you get out of any business, and this is no exception! Blood sweat and tears have already been shed and much more will be in the coming months and years in order for us to fulfil our potential! But we are looking forward to this challenge and are confident that no corners should be cut with what we do. For example we make a point of always delivering nothing short of what we always wanted for our nippers when we travelled abroad with them as babies and small children.... I think that is why what we have is a winning formula.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
We would invest in large scale advertising campaigns in order to increase awareness, as so many people do not even realize that the service we offer even exists. Marketing and communication is the key thing with this and it is very costly. A blank cheque would see 'The Baby Hire Centre' ads in your breakfast newspapers, on billboards along your daily commute, and on your prime time evening television ad breaks!
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Oh yes, and in fact we are already geared up for that very thing, because we are confident that good news travels fast, and that the service we provide will lead directly to a 'snowball' effect of future enquiries as awareness and popularity of the raft of benefits of using us continues to increase.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
Lots! But what successful business venture has not! Bug fixing and development of the website took a long time, but that is because a very good website has an awful lot of very complicated scripting and coding going on 'beneath the surface' which the end user (should) be unaware of...the downside to this is that there is a lot more to go wrong whilst in development and this takes lots of time and money to remedy.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Getting from initial concept development - to 'live' launch. As I said before...Blood sweat and tears!
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
No one method has been outstanding for us. A combination of a full gamete of On-line and off-line marketing techniques has been employed. But more than anything I have a feeling (judging from the comments of satisfied clients) that it is so nice for the users of our services when they realise that nearly everyone involved in what we do is family....it means that we all care so much more than 'employees' might.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It is much more hard work, and more time consuming than we imagined, but as a result has been so much more rewarding of course.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
This website is now OUR baby from it's birth!...and will be for life!
How do people place order with you in order to rent or hire baby equipment?
It is very easy... They can simply visit any of the product pages on the website and select the items that they wish to hire by adding them to the intuitive 'shopping cart'. Once all of the selections have been made they can pay securely on-line by any method of payment is most convenient for them by going to our 'checkout' facillity. Finally, they will be directed to a simple form on which they can notify us of their specific requirements,, destination, dates of travel etc...
Alternatively they may contact us directly to discuss their exact requirements & details in person on 649 332 134 or from the UK 0208 133 1644.
What is your website address?
www.thebabyhirecentre.com

Grab your child 15 bargains for £1.00!!!

2009-07-03T20:05:00.006+02:00

15 piece unisex baby set from Kays online.

Comprises: five sleep suits, five bodysuits and five bibs. Cotton. Machine washable. White.

Available in Newborn, 0-3, 3-6, 6-9 months. Cat No is FT0331D Price is £6 but use promotional code ZQ884 for £5 off a £5 spend.

Delivery is FREE too!

Go see the deal HERE and grab your little one a bargain, well 15 bargains actually...

Learn to speak Spanish for free this summer!

2009-07-02T23:18:00.005+02:00

For those lucky enough to be packing their bags and heading south this summer, brush up on your languages and experience your destination as the locals do.
Even if you're staying put, you'll soon be able to order that tapas with a new-found confidence.

Starting this weekend, get the two-CD Michel Thomas Method Introductory Spanish course absolutely free with the Guardian and the Observer. The two CDs will allow complete beginners to understand and construct simple phrases using Michel Thomas's unique method of teaching. You learn through listening and speaking - no pens, no homework, no memorizing.

Then every day from Monday collect one of five handy phrasebooks that will cover everything from how to book in at the campsite to bluffing your way in politics and sport. It even covers the key aspects of non-verbal communication for the more passionate discussions....

Monday: Travel & Accommodation
Tuesday: Food & Shopping
Wednesday: Culture & Sport
Thursday: Family & Relationships
Friday: Business & Politics

Spain warns of jellyfish on its beaches this summer.

2009-07-02T22:44:00.005+02:00

There could well be an influx of stinging jellyfish off the Mediterranean coast this summer.

Holidaymakers are being warned to be vigilant when they take to the water and to be aware of these stinging potential of these invertebrates in the shallows.

For the first time in 10 years the deadly Portuguese Man o' War, which are not actually a true jellyfish but floating colonies of microscopic hydrozoans, has been spotted close to the beaches of the East coast of Spain.

With tentacles up to 30 yards long, which are barbed with a sting 10 times stronger than an ordinary jellyfish, it presents a dangerous threat.

In extreme cases, the sting can cause heart failure in victims who are allergic to it.

Scientists say the creatures could spread along the coast of Spain to the waters around the Balearic Islands after venturing away from its normal north Atlantic habitat.

"The Portuguese Man o' War hasn't been seen in the Mediterranean for a decade, and its appearance off the Spanish coast could herald a process of colonisation, which has happened with other invading species," said Xavier Pastor, the European director of the Oceana ecological campaigning group. "We can't say with any certainty what has caused so many sightings but we are talking about thousands."

Spanish authorities are preparing defences to tackle the more common swarms of 'Mauve Stinger jellyfish', bright purple invertebrates which emit a yellow glow at night, that annually plague beaches.

Over the years there has been a rise in numbers due to the effects of global warming and over-fishing of natural predators, and each summer tens of thousands of holidaymakers are forced to seek treatment for their minor stings.

Scientists predict that the numbers swarming off the coast of Spain this summer will be higher than ever and new measures have been introduced to protect unsuspecting bathers.

In Catalonia, where some 20,000 people received treatment after being stung last summer, authorities are using satellite images to track the creatures.

When they get too close to shore, fishing boats will be sent to scoop them up and divert them away from popular beaches.

Spain's environment ministry has launched a campaign that will see leaflets distributed alerting bathers of the dangers of jellyfish and what measures to take in case of a sting.

For safety in the water you can hire Safety Swim Vests from The Baby Hire Centre (only 10.00€ p/w). These provide extra buoyancy, high visibility and reduce exposure of the torso of young swimmers to sun damage and jellyfish stings.

Good news for non smoking families visiting Spain.

2009-07-01T11:43:00.003+02:00

The European Commission has asked all its member states to make laws to protect people from being exposed to tobacco by 2012. The new laws should prohibit smoking in all public places, all transport and work areas.

The EC also noted that Spain was in the group of countries where legislation currently least protects passive smokers.

In Spanish bars, cafeterias, restaurants and pubs the current law (depending on the size of the premises) permits the owner to choose to allow smoking or not. And most choose to allow it as the majority of the Spanish clientèle smoke.

So when the new legislation comes into force, adults and children will find Spain a much healthier place to visit!

Travel cots - Our most requested item.

2009-06-30T15:48:00.009+02:00

Whether you're a globe-trotting family or simply people who enjoy a few trips to see the parents/grandparents in Spain now and again, a travel cot is likely to be high on your list of travel priorities. Fortunately as these are our most sought after items we have stacks of them available!

We believe that they suit perfectly the personal needs of every family visiting South - East Spain.

Most of our stock travel cots are of the traditional, 'wheel along in the bag' variety which pop-up & fold down with speed and ease. We have looked at both size and portability as essential factors when choosing which makes and models to add to our inventory and our customers are never disappointed.

We also check the weight before we buy. Just because it says 'travel' on the label doesn't mean it will be easy to move around, and some prove so bulky, they work better as a permanent fixture rather than something we would be happy to hire as a true 'travel cot'.

We also look very carefully at;

Ease of Use (nobody should need a degree in rocket science to erect these)
Quality (It must survive many 'hires')
Style (If it looks bad, so do we)
Portability (Our clients may want it by the pool/the bed/the beach!)
Comfort (Our top priority - if we wouldn't use it it's not good enough)
Value for money (we never want to charge more than clients expect - only €25.00 per week)

Points to consider;

Do I actually need one? : It's worth remembering that most hotels and apartments will not offer cots or cribs for your little one here in the 'quiet' costa's of Murcia and Almeria. They certainly will not often guarantee one!

And family members here will find that sourcing one of quality locally is difficult and expensive (up to €200.00)

So if you want your ensure that your young traveller is comfortable you will need us to provide one. These versatile items are also so very handy doubling up as a playpen by the pool and a siesta time 'snooze station' for their little ones during the heat of the day.

Size/portability : We often find clients wishing to transport these from their accommodation to the beach, so all of our range of travel cots must pack away conveniently into the car boot. Most can even be wheeled along when packed also making them even more portable.

Ease of Use It doesn't take a brain surgeon to construct our travel cots but you'd be surprised how many we find available with difficult clips, awkward poles or cheap materials that weaken after just a few uses. Our buyers always steer well clear of these!

We have also commonly found some of the cheaper travel cots very tricky to collapse and get back into the carry bag, although most of these problems are normally overcome by reading the instructions properly.

We feel that it is worth our buyers spending that little bit extra for quality, especially as ours are going to be used every week throughout the summer. They require longevity, and our customers require peace of mind.

Extras : For your comfort and convenience, we provide a complimentary 'Baby Hire Centre Bedding Pack' with each and every one of our travel cots. This is at no extra cost to the client and comprises of flat sheet/fitted sheet & blanket.

You can hire a travel cot form us by calling us 0034 649 332 134 / Emailing us: enquiries@thebabyhirecentre.com / or by visiting our website.

The Costa Almeria - Our favourite costa!

2009-06-30T11:32:00.007+02:00

What does it have to offer?

The Costa Almeria consists of 200 km of coastline fringing SE east corner of Spain. It is not one of the better known Spanish resort areas although tourism has made an impact on a handful of villages around the coast.

if you seek uncluttered beaches and relaxed sun and sand holidays it is perfect here. The few main beach resorts offer low key facilities ideal for families with young children and couples, rather than 'party people'.

A desert in Almeria?

Much of inland Almeria is stunningly beautiful & dramatic. The region is home to Europe's only true desert and areas near the coast are uniquely swathed in plastic thanks to the mass greenhouse production of millions of kilos of crops.

This barren moonscape has a particular and very special charm. The desert "badlands" of Almeria have become a major tourist attraction in themselves due to the fact that hundreds of Spaghetti westerns were filmed here along with some blockbuster films including Lawrence of Arabia and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The abandoned film sets have been incorporated into two popular entertainment centres - Mini Hollywood (now re-branded as "Oasys") and Texas Hollywood - near the village of Tabernas, 30 kilometres north of America city.

Cave houses

Inland Almeria is home to another attraction in the form of the many cave homes to be found in the area. Curious tourists are drawn to villages such as Benahadux, Alhabia and Laujar de Andarax where 21st century cave dwellers live in hobbit-like homes burrowed out of the soft rock.

The Costa Almeria's busiest tourist resort is Mojacar. The bustling beach front is a hive of activity throughout the summer months and there are plenty of water sports, bars, restaurants and entertainment facilities to keep visitors happy. The night-life is low key but there's enough of it in high season to satisfy all. The resort is overlooked by the charming hilltop town of old Mojacar - a sugar cube confection of Arab-style houses clustered beneath an impressive Moorish fortress.

Other seaside resorts geared have developed to the west of Almeria city at Agua Dulce, Roquetas de Mar and Almerimar.

At the very south eastern tip of Almeria province lies a wild and untouched nature reserve called Cabo de Gata - home to various exotic flora and fauna and a magnet for scuba divers who come from far afield to marvel at the wealth of marine life to be found in these crystal clear waters.

Other places Of Interest

Los Millares
Los Millares is situated 20 kms North West of Almeria between the villages of Gador and Santa Fe de Mondujar and is thought to be the location of Spain's first metalworking dating to 1800 BC.
Velez Blanco
Velez Blanco is a whitewashed village that lies 6km north of Velez Rubio at the foot of a rocky hill. On top of the hill you will see a stunning castle built by the between 1503 - 13.

Mojacar
Mojacar is one of the most charming and least built up towns in Almeria consisting of white houses, fine beaches and beautiful natural surroundings. The character of Mojacar is unique with its narrow streets, secluded corners, and terraces that have been dug into the side of a hill. No other area of Andalusia can boast such a close heritage with its Moorish past.
Interesting things to see include:

The Renaissance church of Santa Maria
The castle of Mojacar
La Puerta de la Ciudad (Gates of the City)

Tabernas
The 'Desierto de Tabernas' is a land mass measuring approximately 11,625 hectares which lies to the north of the city of Almeria. It is considered to be the only true desert of Europe and has been used as a backdrop for a number of famous films.

Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata
The Natural Park of Cabo de Gata has become one of the jewels in the crown of Almeria and was created in 1987. It is the first Terrestrial/marine Park in Andalusia covering 38,000 hectares of dry land and 12,000 hectares of land under water.
Scuba divers and snorkellers are attracted to a stretch of seabed 2 km wide in the park where marine flora and fauna are abundant.

"Come to visit us soon with your family and we can make your journey and stay a more pleasant and comfortable one with our "extensive range of baby and child equipment available to hire."

What's in a name?

2009-06-29T20:47:00.004+02:00

Popular Spanish Names for Boys and Girls and Their Meanings;

Spanish girl names

Carmen is a female name. It's orgins are spanish, english and romanian. Carmen is the form of Carmel. This spanish girl means a garden, or an orchard. It is also influenced by a latin word Carmen, which is a "song."

Isabel is spanish, portuguese, french, english and german orgin. It is a short form of Elizabeth, meaning from God.

Jade is a female spanish name, It comes from the jaded stone. The orgins of Jade are indeed spanish.

Catalina is a pretty name for any little girl. The orgins of Catalina are of Spanish heritage. The meaning is pure, is from the names Katherine or Catherine. A little girl with this name is independent.

Rosa is spanish/italian and means a rose. It is also known to be the world of horse.

Spanish boy names

Armando comes the meaning of the army. Its orgins are italian and spanish.

Carlos is also known as a free man. Its orgins are portuguese, and spanish.

Felipe is the lover of horses. Felipe is from the orgins of the spanish.

Gomez is known as a man. The orgins of the Gomez is also from spanish heritage.

Javier is of the new horse. Portuguese and spanish are the orgins for the male name Javier.

Infant only car seats.

2009-06-28T23:40:00.005+02:00

Starting with a baby's very first journey away from the airport, parents are responsible for ensuring their child's safety during a stay in Spain. Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in children and more kids are killed in road traffic accidents than in any other type of unintentional injury.

Using a car seat is the best protection you can give your child when travelling by car. The law in Spain requires that an infant or small child under 135cm be restrained — and with good reason. Child safety seats can reduce the risk of a potentially fatal injury substantially for babies in particular and also for toddlers.

Infant-only seats are designed to protect babies from birth until they reach about 10 kilograms, sometimes more, depending on the model.

Infant car seats should always be installed to face the rear of the car because in a crash the back of the safety seat cradles head, neck, and torso. Infants should be rear-facing until they are at least 1 year old.

Many infant-only safety seats are also very convenient because they're designed to double as carriers, chairs, or rockers when not used in the car.

How to Install an Infant-Only Seat;

#An infant-only seat should be placed in the back seat, ideally in the middle of the back seat, but most important, in a position where it fits securely.

#Use your knee to push down on the seat as you tighten the car's seat belt through the belt path. The car seat should not move more than 1 inch (3 centimeters) from side to side or forward and backward at the belt path.

# Never use an infant-only seat in a forward-facing position.

# The car seat should recline at no more than a 45-degree angle.

This type of car seat can be hired from us for a little as €25.00 including FREE delivery & collection.
You can read more about the different types of seat and a guide to their selection HERE.

2009-06-27T20:27:00.000+02:00

Press Release: ON-LINE BABY EQUIPMENT RENTAL PROVIDER PROVES "BIG ENOUGH TO COPE, BUT SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE!"

5 items you can hire to make your stay in Spain more safe.

2009-06-27T16:40:00.013+02:00

Getting yourself organised to go away on holiday or to visit family in Spain is difficult enough, but when there’s a baby or toddler to think about the task seems daunting.

But don’t worry, 'The Baby Hire Centre' will help you to cover the travel essentials that you will need while away from home.

Holiday home safety

Whether it’s the home of a family member you’re visiting, a hotel or a villa, don’t expect your accommodation to have the same safety features as your own home. Wherever you are staying, the likelihood is there will be unguarded stairs, doors that could trap little fingers and cupboards that contain sharp or dangerous objects.

Top Tip: Glass objects and tiled floors equal danger! - use acrylic/plastic cups, plates, bowls etc to avoid problems.

Hiring a child safety gate (only €18. p/w) can protect your little one from the dangers of stairs or restrict their movements so that they do not stray out to the pool or other dangerous places while you are distracted.

Keep inquisitive minds from exploring cupboards by packing a few cabinet locks and latches. Choose adhesive or non-permanent fixings which can be easily fitted and then removed when your stay is over. A cheap and portable way to prevent accidents.
And lightweight foam door stops slip easily over the edges of doors to prevent them from being slammed shut and trapping your tot’s fingers.

Hiring baby monitors (only €20 p/w) will let you keep an audible check on your little one whilst in another room, perhaps preparing dinner or at bedtime.

Bathing your child on holiday

Chances are your accommodation will not have baby bathing facilities that can contain your child in a safe space whilst you wash them. You’ll also be less likely to know the maximum temperature of the water in unfamiliar surroundings so you’ll need to prevent the risk of scolds from hot water.

With packing space at a premium you’ll need to hire a baby bath (only €12 p/w). This perfect holiday solution will ensure that you and your young traveller will stay happy when it’s bath time.

How hot is that water? So many injuries to children are caused by scolds from hot bath water so packing a handy portable thermometer will make sure that you know the temperature is just right.

Getting your child to sleep on holiday

The key to successfully getting your baby or toddler to sleep when away from home is to recreate the home sleeping environment as best you can. Maintain their usual sleep routine and pack their favourite bedtime toy or comforter.

Top Tip: Complimentary bedding packs are provided FREE with the hire of all cots (only €35 p/w) and travel cots (only €25 p/w) from 'The Baby Hire Centre'.
But despite this, packing a bed sheet from their cot at home that hasn’t been washed may be a good idea, as familiar smells can help soothe them to sleep.

For slightly older children who have moved from cot to bed, a bed guard can be hired. This will give your infant protection from rolling out of bed whilst in unfamiliar surroundings.

"It does not matter how much or how little you decide to hire from us during your stay, If the users of our equipment are happy and comfortable, then so are we!"

A nice easy Spanish desert recipie you can make with your children.

2009-06-26T10:48:00.005+02:00

This Flan is a delicious Spanish dessert.

Ingredients;

3 Whole eggs
3 Egg yolks
6 Teaspoons of sugar
2.5 cups of milk
Small quantity of grated lemon rind

And for the caramel...

10 Teaspoons of sugar
5 Teaspoons of water

What to do:

Caramelized sugar:
Heat sugar and water in small skillet over moderate flame, stir constantly! When the sugar is golden brown remove and pour in six ove proof cups.

Custard:
Beat whole eggs and yolks together, lightly. Add lemon rind sugar & milk. Pour into caramelized cups and place cups in a pan of hot water, without letting the water in the cups. Cook on the stove for an hour, medium flame. Transfer to 180 degree oven and cook for another 25 min. A knife inserted in the custard must come out clean. Remove cups from the water, cool and then refrigerate. To serve, loosen custard with a knife and invert cup to a little dish.

8,000,000€ fraud at Spain's famous Alhambra.

2009-06-25T13:03:00.004+02:00

An alleged scam involving travel agents, tour guides and even a major bank almost forced the closure of the Iberian peninsula's most-visited tourist attraction.

A 3 year investigation claims that up to 50 people are implicated. 800,000 fake tickets having been given out to visitors to the Moorish palace in Granada.

It was alleged that at least 51,000 tickets were illegally resold up to 15 times each between 2002 and 2005 with Palace staff and managers, and even cashiers from the BBVA bank, were in on the scam.

The inquiry suggested that 7000,000 euros gained from the fraud went to staff at the Alhambra, with most of the rest pocketed by travel companies. The report – which was ordered by a Granada court in 2006 – alleged that bank staff sold up to 70 tickets to a single buyer. The most tickets that can be bought at any one time is only five.

The scam also resulted in thousands of visitors being denied access to the Alhambra, which has a daily limit on the amount of people allowed in.

Alarmingly, the legal report concludes that the three-year scam almost bankrupted the tourist attraction!

Employees attacked the report, claiming it is “erroneous.”

Despite this, the Alhambra has maintained its position as Spain’s number one tourist attraction last year.

According to released figures, 3.1 million people bought tickets for the 13th century palace and fortress complex in 2008 keeping it at No.1 spot in front of the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, followed by the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Can flying cause your child hearing loss?

2009-06-24T11:18:00.003+02:00

Flying can cause pain in babies’ ears, and it can temporarily reduce hearing, but it is NOT a cause of permanent hearing loss.

The pain results from a stretching of the eardrum caused by pressure changes. As the aircraft takes off, the air inside it gets thinner. Most airlines pressurize their cabins to lessen this, but still the pressurized cabin is equivalent to air at an altitude of about 7,000 ft. The air in the middle ear space expands along with the air in the rest of the cabin. As it expands, the air is easily forced through a floppy tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. This tube automatically opens from the pressure. As long as there is no active, complete obstruction of the tube, the excess air exits the middle ear with a popping sensation but little or no pain.

During descent, as the air pressure rises, the middle ear space needs extra air to re-equilibrate the pressure. It tries to suck air back in through the floppy tube. However, when coming down, the tube does NOT open spontaneously. A tiny muscle pulls it open only during swallowing, yawning, or crying. In children, this mechanism is less efficient than in adults. The rising pressure stretches the eardrum inward and can cause pain and decreased hearing until air rushes into the middle ear space and the ears “pop”.

The next time you hear a child crying during a descent, remember, this helps to solve the problem.

Giving your child something to drink, or a dummy to suck on can provide comfort and prevent some of the eardrum stretching. This is especially important throughout descent. Children who are congested or who are a bit older might experience the above effects a little more but no lasting damage will occur.

Warning to all 'Ryanair' passengers travelling this Thursday!

2009-06-23T16:55:00.000+02:00

Ryanair passengers must print their boarding passes early or face a surcharge at the airport, ahead of a planned closure of the airline’s website next week.

Essential maintenance work will close Ryanair’s website from 6pm on Wednesday, June 24 until 5am the following morning.

Ryanair passengers flying on Thursday, June 25 must check-in online by 6pm on the Wednesday evening and bring their boarding pass to the airport. Passengers who arrive for flights on Thursday, June 25 without a boarding pass will be charged a £40 “boarding pass re-issue fee”.

The penalty will not apply to travellers who booked their flight prior to May 21, providing they have already paid for Ryanair’s airport check-in service.

All web check-in passengers who are due to travel on Thursday, June 25 should check in and print off their boarding passes before 6pm Wednesday to avoid the £40 surcharge.

We help families to pack less. But why travel light?

2009-06-22T16:51:00.000+02:00

Travelling to Spain has never been easier or cheaper. Until you experience the journey with babies and children that is!

Attempting to pack all of the items that you would like to is extremely costly if travelling by air, and impractical if attempting the journey by car.

It is widely recognised that you will be able to travel from most regional airports into various locations throughout the South East of Spain these days with the familiar carriers for 'headline' prices which are very tempting..

But what is not so widely publicised are the penalties that are in place in order to discourage people from travelling with anything other than a single item of hand luggage.

But other than purely cost, there are other (not so obvious) factors that mean using a baby equipment hire provider is the very best way to lighten your load in more ways than one.

...

Security: With a greatly reduced need to check baggage (or otherwise entrust it to the care of others), you are much less likely to lose any of your expensive and treasured baby items to theft, or simply having it sent to the wrong destination.

And over zealous baggage handlers will definitely not take as good a care of your precious one's belongings as well as you would!

Flexibility: Less stuff means greater mobility, which gives you more travel options. You needn't arrive at airports as early. You can board trains, trams, and coaches with alacrity. You can more easily deal with delayed transportation and missed connections (because you can choose alternatives without worrying about what will happen to your belongings); you can also switch to earlier flights when space is available. You will be among the first to leave the airport for your destination, while others wait for baggage delivery and long customs inspection queues. And you won't feel compelled to take the first hotel room offered: you can comfortably walk down the street should the reception counter person quote an unreasonably high price.

Serenity: If there is a bottom line, it's that travelling light is simply a better, more hassle-free way to go. You have more time, because packing takes little. You waste less energy hauling stuff. You know what you have, and where everything is (as you pack your bag the same way every time). We've all seen those hapless families at the airport, with too much baggage and panicked expressions, worried that they have lost track of something, or left something behind. Travel to Spain in particular can be challenging because the language is unfamiliar and the different culture unpredictable, but the one-bag travelling family copes by operating from a solid, familiar foundation, with fewer unnecessary things to worry about.

Ecology: All of the above are concerned with short-term benefits to you. But travelling light also yields long-term benefits to the planet. Less product to manufacture. Less use of vehicles and other machinery to move things (including you) around. Less fuel for the vehicles that do move you. Less greenhouse gas production. Less damage to our celestial home. Greater likelihood of upcoming generations being around to do some travelling of their own.

So follow our motto... "Pack less...Enjoy more!"

Now click here to discover why you should hire from 'The Baby Hire Centre'

Come visit us in the hottest part of Spain!

2009-06-21T18:07:00.000+02:00

The image of Spain's climate abroad has traditionally been one of blue skies and sun, while in reality it is as varied as the country's geography. At least five different climate zones characterize the Spanish climate due to the Iberian Peninsula's position between tropical (hot) and polar (cold) wind currents.

In a very general sense, the Spanish climate can be summarized as a contrast between the coast and the interior. Breezes, humidity and limited temperature ranges are characteristic of the coastal regions, while Spain's interior experiences wider temperature ranges and less humidity. Another contrast exists between the country's South (warm and dry) and North (cooler and more rainy).

We are the foremast baby equipment provider for both visitors to, and residents of, Spain's South East corner. So if you are anywhere in between the area's two servicing airports (Murcia San Javier & Almería international) then we can help by delivering and collecting to and from your Spanish address FREE OF CHARGE!

In our 'neck of the woods' Spain's arid climate zone takes up most of Murcia and a small corner of Andalusia in Almeria. This area of Spain is characteristically hot and dry, with very little rainfall. Spain's semi-deserts can be found here.

Genius idea!

2009-06-19T15:57:00.000+02:00

A 42-year-old father-of-one has invented a babygrow that could warn parents if their child is suffering from a fever.

Chris Ebejer, a pub landlord from Suffolk, has created the predictably named "Babyglow" garment that changes colour to indicate a child's temperature.

Available in pink, blue and green, the babygrow, that contains a special ink pigment with heat-sensitive molecules that Ebejer spent 6 years and £700,000 developing, turns white when the baby's body temperature rises above 37-degrees.

Ebejer has now signed a £12.5 million contract to produce 900,000 Babyglows a month worldwide. The tiny garments are due to be available in October for around £20 each.

Dont try this at home!

2009-06-18T14:23:00.000+02:00

The Spanish Baby-Jumping Festival

The Spanish town of Castrillo de Murcia doesn't need running bulls at fiesta time.

Some mattresses, a bunch of babies and a handful of fun-loving guys dressed up like devils can be found instead!

The inhabitants of the northern Spanish town of Castrillo de Murcia have developed an technique for exorcising seemingly innocent children. leap over them!

This baby-leaping tradition is part of the El Colacho festival, which has reportedly been held in this town since 1620 on a Thursday between late May and June.

The devil is dressed in a bright yellow and red outfit and mask, and el Atabalero wears a black suit and a sombrero and goes through the town with his large drum.

Beginning on the Wednesday before the festival, the two characters cavort around the town chasing people, terrorizing them with their whips and truncheons and generally causing trouble.

The most important day of the festival comes on Sunday, when a parade winds though the city, beginning and ending at the town church. The town's residents adorn their houses with flowers and set out small "altars" with wine and water for the parade-goers. Members of the clergy and children from the town who have received the rite of First Communion march in the parade.

Overall, the festival entails an annual purging of evil from the town. The parade symbolically corrals the evil back toward the church, where it can be dissipated.

And then comes the fun part.

All children born since the previous year's festival are laid out on mattresses on a street leading away from the church. The figures dressed as el Colacho then run out of the church and down the street, leaping over the mattresses. They represent all the concentrated evil of Castrillio de Murcia, cleansing the babies and making a hasty diabolical getaway.