Perfect pancakes from around the world

Fancy adding a little something extra to your pancakes tonight? We’ve found three pancake recipes from France, Germany and the USA which will ensure your battered treats have a little more bite. Now’s the time to take inspiration from travel and ditch the same old recipe you’ve been using for years - the American pancakes are our favourite, but we recommend having them for dinner alone, as they’re too filling as a dessert! French crepes These are best served with a dash of sugar and a squeeze of lemon, although, if you fancy something a bit more decadent, whipped cream and Nutella should su... Read more

How to manage your workload before going on holiday

You may love your job - you may hate your job. You may be even be entirely ambivalent about it. But whichever way you look at it, you've got to keep things ticking over while you're on your holiday - and that can lead to some stressful times in the office before you leave. We're a team that loves t... Read more

How to avoid a row on your first holiday as a couple

Love stories always start off so well, don't they? You download Tinder or walk into the right bar, you meet someone, and it's all going swimmingly. You watch Moulin Rouge together and decide it's time for a minibreak. You drink prosecco on the Eurostar. What could possibly go wrong? Fast-forward tw... Read more

Travel bloggers reveal their ultimate travel mistakes

The reason why we love travel so much is its unpredictability. You may make a plan, but it's always best to bear in mind that Lady Luck hates plans, as a rule, and will do everything in her power to alter it. Of course, this often works out well - but there will always be the handful of times when t... Read more

Ten weird and wonderful facts about Japanese culture

The Japanese culture can be frustrating for some, and fascinating for many, depending on the experiences we encounter in this conservative but highly modernised nation. The degree of cultural differences also varies based on your country of origin, but it is still interesting to know these facets no... Read more

Be safe on the slopes

Columbus Direct is one of over 500 travel industry partners that supports of the FCO’s Know Before You Go campaign, whose aim is to help Brits to stay safe and healthy abroad. And with the ski season in full flow, the Know Before You Go team has sent us the results of a recent survey of winte... Read more

Off Piste Ski Guide

Make sure you’re covered for that fresh, untouched snow with off piste ski insurance Most experienced skiers or snowboarders are tempted at some stage by the thrill of that fresh snow, but do they always think about covering themselves with off piste skiing insurance?  Skiing the same set runs eac... Read more

Five tips for keeping the kids calm on holiday

"Are we there yet?" "But I don't want to go!" "I feel sick..."Ah, the joys of taking the little ones on holiday, eh? You've saved up all year for this holiday, paying the hiked up out-of-term-time fares through gritted teeth, yet the kids are not sharing your enthusiasm.We asked the nation's parents... Read more

Tell us your accidental discoveries to win an iPhone 6!

PLEASE NOTE - THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.Congratulations to Kevin Sutch, who won the iPhone6 - you can see his winning entry here.It's competition time here at Columbus Direct - so if you're not quite over #MyDogSelfie yet, read on...In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue - and he discovered Am... Read more

What you need to know about Ebola and travel

Please note: If you've got any questions about your travel insurance and how Ebola might affect your journey, tweet us @Columbus_Direct with your questions.Passengers arriving in the UK from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will have their temperatures tested for suspected Ebola at Heathrow terminal... Read more