Packing for a trip at the moment? Good good; don't let us stop you. Here at Columbus Direct, obviously, we're massive fans of travel - but we can't resist a film where the trip takes a funny, surreal or downright dangerous turn. You may have guessed this by our fondness for Airplane!, which we stil... Read more
From the secretly-hateful couple to the elderly pair who spend all day in the bar knocking back cocktails, the average holiday features ten types of people you'll be very familiar with. We've compiled a list of them here; it's by no means exhaustive, but it's a good start. The couple on their honey... Read more
Can you recommend a Scottish chef in Brussels who can make haggis? How do I adjust my antenna to receive English TV channels in Italy? Can you find me cheap flights to New Zealand? These are just some of the recent enquiries the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received from around the world. ... Read more
There are two words guaranteed to lead to a hangover on holiday - 'all inclusive'. Of course, we could also include 'free bar' and 'complimentary Jägerbombs', but in our experience, it’s free booze on tap that tends to lead to the majority of bad heads in the morning. Here are 20 occurrences which ... Read more
Much like the reviews on Amazon, if you've got a good eye for humour, the reviews on TripAdvisor can be mined for comedy gold. Since the website was founded in 2000, good, bad, ugly and mad reviews have been left for hotels, restaurants and attractions all over the world - and some have been so bon... Read more
Backpacking is great. We're all for it. In fact, if you have the time and the resources, book your ticket today; we'll guarantee it'll be the best money you'll ever spend. If you've spent much time on the road, you'll be aware that backpackers are a mixed bag. On the whole, they're a lot of fun and... Read more
Have you stayed with Airbnb? What was your experience like? Since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has been a traveller staple - people can avoid the sky-high costs of a hotel and enjoy more privacy and space than at a hostel by staying in their host's spare room or vacated apartment. Of course, this com... Read more
The debate has raged for decades; it's as divisive as brown sauce (waning in popularity, but still a breakfast staple for many) or Gogglebox (funny or frighteningly dull? The jury is still out). The beach and the pool both have a lot going for them - obviously - but if you're holidaying as a family... Read more
What kind of events would cause a pilot to turn a plane around? We've had a trawl though the murky depths of the internet, and we've uncovered the strangest reasons flights have been forced to turn around. Top tip - if you're related to someone important, you can pretty much rule the skies. Mind t... Read more
Tourists are, by and large, a benign bunch. They may never stand on the right side of the escalators and they're perennially confused by the menu in McDonald's (the Big Macs are smaller in the UK, you're right), but they're mostly friendly, fun people who just want to broaden their horizons and see ... Read more