What to do if your phone is stollen?

 

• Use a phone unlock passcode: Don’t make the passcode obvious, and if possible use biometrics like a fingerprint, or facial recognition, to unlock your device.

• Check your screen lock time: Your screen lock time determines how quickly your device locks once you've stopped using it, if you make that short it is harder for thieves to access your phone after it has been snatched.

• Set up a PIN for your SIM card: Even if your phone stays fully secured, criminals might still take the out the SIM and put it into another phone to steal your money or even your identity. A SIM PIN can prevent that.

• Set up a ‘Find My’ App on your phone: These services allow you to access your phone remotely, meaning you can lock it or even erase all your data. On Apple devices this can be done via the Find My app and on Android you can use the Find My Device app.

• Find your IMEI number: Every phone has an IMEI number which helps police and insurance companies to identify it if it's stolen. UK network operators can also stop a stolen phone from working across their networks with its IMEI. Find your IMEI number by dialling *#06# from your phone and keep a written note of it.

• Be aware of your surroundings: Be careful when using your phone in busy places in cities, that's where smartphone snatchers like to operate. You can get more safety advice from the Metropolitan Police here https://www.met.police.uk/phonesnatch and from Crimestoppers here https://crimestoppers-uk.org/news-campaigns/campaigns/city-of-london-phone-snatching

First Response

If your phone is stolen you should take these immediate actions.

• Access your phone remotely: Use a different device, like a laptop, a tablet, or even a friend’s phone, to access your phone remotely as soon as possible. This will allow you to lock or even erase your device entirely. Different manufacturers have different systems but they all operate in a similar way.

• iPhone - visit iCloud.com/find or open the Find My app on another one of your Apple devices.

• Android - visit android.com/find or open the Find My Device app on another one of your devices.

• Samsung - visit findmymobile.samsung.com and sign in with your Samsung account.

• Speak to your network provider: They can block your SIM ensuring a big bill can’t be racked up on your account. UK network operators can also stop a stolen phone from working across their networks with its IMEI. You should also ask about any new ‘charge to bill’ payments and ask for the facility to be cancelled.

• Speak to your bank and/or credit card provider: They can disable payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Wallet.

• Speak to the Police: Give them your IMEI number in case they can recover the device.

• Apple Stolen Device Protection: This protection adds an additional layer of security requiring Face ID or Touch ID biometric to access certain functions when you are away from familiar locations, like work and home. While the Security Delay function means that some security functions, like changing your Apple Account password, require you to wait an hour and then perform a second Face ID or Touch ID authentication. Giving you time to disable the account if the phone is snatched. You can find out more about how to enable this function on your device here https://support.apple.com/en-gb/120340

• Android Theft Protection: Theft Detection Lock uses Google AI to sense if someone snatches your phone from your hand and tries to run, bike or drive away. If a common motion associated with theft is detected, your phone screen quickly locks helping to keep thieves from easily accessing your data. This is available for newer models of Android phone, you can find out more here https://security.googleblog.com/2024/10/android-theft-protection.html

Parts of Sleeping Bag

 

Most of the sleeping bags you look at won't have every single one of these features, but keep an eye out for them, nonetheless. Sleeping bag technology, parts and features have a common goal -- to stop heat loss and keep you comfortable while you sleep in the great outdoors.

Shell - The shell fabric is what makes up the exterior of the sleeping bag. The shell fabric is usually more durable than the lining fabric, and sometimes features water-resistant or waterproof breathable technology.

Lining - The interior fabric of the sleeping bag is the lining. It is usually soft and comfortable, and sometimes feature moisture-wicking technology.

Anatomical Hood - The hood of a sleeping bag is insulated and works to prevent heat loss from your body and the sleeping bag. An "anatomical" hood is a hood that is designed to fit the shape of your neck and head for increased comfort and thermal efficiency.

Pillow pocket - A pocket inside the hood where you can stuff clothes or a camp pillow for head cushioning and support.

Stash pockets - Some sleeping bags feature stash pockets in the hood, chest or other areas. A hood pocket is perfect for keeping your watch nearby when you know you have to get an early start on a climb the next day. A chest pocket is great for keeping music at the ready.

Draft collar - The draft collar, sometimes referred to as a "head gasket," is an insulated collar around the hood. The draft collar stops heat from escaping the sleeping bag. It can usually be tightened or loosened by a drawcord.

Drawcord collar - A drawcord collar tightens and loosens the hood or draft collar of the sleeping bag to prevent heat loss.

Baffle - See the seams running across the shell of your sleeping bag? Those are baffles. They're needed to keep the insulation from shifting or clumping. By keeping insulation in place, baffles keep cold spots and heat loss to a minimum.

Draft tube - An insulated tube that runs along and behind the zipper to stop cold drafts from getting in and warm air from getting out.

Side Seams - The side seams of a sleeping bag are what connect the front and back of the sleeping bag shell together. Some sleeping bags feature ground-level side seams, which are more thermally efficient because they allow the front layer of the sleeping bag to wrap all the way around the body.

Two-way zippers - Two-way zippers allow you to close or open different sections of the sleeping bag to regulate temperature.

Zipper lengths - Full-length zippers make it easier to get in and out of the bag and regulate temperature, half-length zippers save a bit of weight, and no-zipper sleeping bags are ideal for ultralighters.

Footbox - The footbox of a sleeping bag is the section where your feet will be located when you're sleeping. A "trapezoidal" or flared footbox allows more space for your feet to rest comfortably. Some mountaineering sleeping bags have more spacious footboxes to allow room for hot water bottles and boot liners.

Pad loops - Some sleeping bags have pad loops on the sides that are meant to connect to your sleeping bag and keep it in place as you sleep.

Hanging loops - If there are loops on the bottom of your sleeping bag, they're intended for hanging the bag to dry. Hanging your bag to dry, rather than drying it flat, will maintain insulation loft.

NEW YORK TIMES' 52 PLACES TO GO IN 2025

 

1.Jane Austen’s England

2.Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

3. New York City Museums

4. Assam, India

5. ‘White Lotus’ Thailand

6. Greenland

7. Aix-en-Provence, France

8. Sun Valley, Idaho

9. Lumbini, Nepal

10. Sydney, Australia

11. Coimbra, Portugal

12. Angola

13. Hamburg, Germany

14. Nicaragua

15. Dolomite Mountains, Italy

16. Asheville, N.C.

17. Magdalena River, Colombia

18. Los Cabos, Mexico

19. Alishan, Taiwan

20. Flow Country, Scotland

21. Kristiansand, Norway

22. Bukhara, Uzbekistan

23. Lexington and Concord, Mass.

24. Canfranc, Spain

25. Benin City, Nigeria

26. Amsterdam

27. New Orleans

28. Raja Ampat, Indonesia

29. Delphi, Greece

30. Toyama, Japan

31. French Basque Country

32. Kilifi, Kenya

33. British Virgin Islands

34. Lofoten Islands, Norway

35. East London

36. Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden

37. Kutaisi, Georgia

38. Osaka, Japan

39. Detroit

40. Trent-Severn Waterway, Ontario

41. Montserrat, Spain

42. Western Australia

43. Washington, D.C.

44. Nangma Valley, Pakistan

45. Sicily Divide Cycle Route

46. Ollantaytambo, Peru

47. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

48. Huangshan, China

49. Milan

50. Bulgaria

51. Rotterdam, the Netherlands

52. Montserrat, the Caribbean

Source: The New York Times 

Pack your Suitcase

 

Travel Etiquette

 

• Never bring smelly food 
• Bring a bag you can carry 
• If you have to switch seats, switch to a comparable seat 
• Feel free to recline your seat, but check on the person behind you first 
• Don't bother people wearing headphones
• Always wear headphones to avoid hearing loud noises 
• Keep your feat off the airplane seats
• Keep your arms and legs to yourself
• Don't touch the headrests when walking through the aisle 
• The armrest belongs to the person in the middle seat
• Control your children 
• Keep your things in your own space
• Be kind to the cabin crew
• If you have a problem with another passenger immediately call a flight attendant 
• Wait until the seatbelt sign is off to start exiting the plane
• Don't treat the plane like your living room
• Ask to skip the line if you have a connecting flight
• Keep your voice down when talking to someone 
• Never crawl through anyone when in the middle or window seat 
• Keep your legs out of the aisle 

The beautiful island 2 hours from London

 Tucked just off the coast of Ibiza lies the fourth largest island in Balearics and is often overshadowed by its neighbours.

Formentera is just four miles south of Ibiza and is actually split into two, with the island of S’Espalmador separated from the main island by a shallow sandbar.

The island doesn’t have an airport, so the only way you’ll be able to reach it is by boat from it’s party-island neighbour.

You can expect highs of 30 degrees in August but enviable temperatures in the spring too.

Without the craziness of Ibiza, you’ll find an abundance of white sand beaches on the island, making it a prime relaxation spot for sun worshippers.

Playa de Ses Illetes beach was voted the Best of the Best by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice awards, which make you feel like you’re in an “exotic film set.”

But don’t worry, there are plenty more beaches on the island to choose from, so you’ll never run out of sand to sunbathe on.

Other top rated beaches on Formentera include Cala Saona, Calo Des Mort and Platja de Migjorn - which all won TripAdvisor’s Travellers Choice Award last year.

If you’re looking to do some island exploring, you can head to one of the lighthouses and lookout points, including Far de la Mola.

The lighthouse stands on the edge of a cliff 120 metres above sea level, on the Mola plateau, where you can also find the highest point on the island - Sa Talaiassa, which stands 192 metres above sea level.

One of the island’s most iconic landmarks is the lighthouse of Cap de Barbaria, which is the southernmost location of all the Balearic Islands.

It’s also the closest point to the African coasts.

© Getty ImagesFormentera boasts the world's best beach, according to Tripadvisor reviews

Near the lighthouse you’ll find the Foradada cave, a grotto that leads to a stunning natural viewpoint.

Formentera’s major villages include San Francesc Xavier, Sant Ferran de ses Roques, El Pilar de la Mola and La Savina.

In the island’s ‘capital village’ of San Francesc Xaviar you’ll find the Sanctuary and Castle of Javiar, as well as a main square, a Trumptontown hall, and plenty of restaurants and cafes serving toast with tomato and olive oil.

The village also has a market everyday with stalls selling sarongs and handmade jewellery.

Plenty of famous faces have walked along the island’s shores, including singer Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan who used to live in the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse.

© Getty ImagesFormentera is beautiful - but strangely overlooked in favour of neighbouring Ibiza

You’ll also find Formentera boasting some top rated eateries, serving everything from freshly caught seafood, Mediterranean and authentic Spanish and Catalan cuisine.

At La Mariterranea Formentera you can experience a true “taste of Spain” with dishes such as traditional paellas (or their take on a creative paella, if you’re feeling adventurous), Beef sirloin with Iberian ham and truffle parmentier, and Dulce de Choco pops for dessert.

So if you’re looking to go off the beaten track for your next getaway, Formentera might be the place to go.

How to get there

You can fly directly from London City Airport to Ibiza, before getting the ferry across to Formentera.

Or if you'd prefer the drive, it'll 23 hours and 45 minutes.

Best Countries to retire

 Ever wondered which countries provide the best retirement for their elderly? Developed by Natixis Investment Managers and CoreData Research, the Global Retirement Index (GRI) ranks 44 countries based on 18 indicators within four sub-indexes. 

The ranking considers a wide range of factors, rating everything from income-per-capita and inflation to life expectancy and healthcare spending. So which countries are the best to spend the golden years of retirement? Read on to discover the top 25.

25th place: France

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Out of the 44 countries analysed, India has the poorest overall score, while France has retained its position as the lowest-rated among the top 25 for the second year running.

In terms of the GRI's four sub-indexes – Health, Quality of Life, Material Wellbeing, and Finances in Retirement – France has a mixed bag of results. It scores well for Health, sitting in fourth place, which is little wonder given its excellent healthcare system, yet is one of the lowest-ranked on the Finances sub-index. This is due to its high taxes being a major drag on retirees' incomes.

24th place: Estonia

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Estonia is also a non-mover, remaining in 24th position in the latest index. It ranks best in the Finances sub-index, which encompass inflation, tax pressure, interest rates, and more, with the nation placing seventh of those ranked.

On the flipside, Estonia has the poorest score in the top 25 for Material Wellbeing – which covers income equality, income-per-capita, and unemployment – as well as the second-lowest for Quality of Life.

23rd place: South Korea

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Moving down one place is South Korea. While it sat at position 22 last year, the country's tumble is due in part to the dubious honour of having the lowest score of the top 25 in the Quality of Life sub-index. South Korea scores poorly in three of the indicators: biodiversity, happiness, and environmental.

The Asian nation is also rated relatively poorly for Health but redeems itself in terms of the Finances sub-index, coming in fifth place for the latter. Its senior citizens get a better deal than those in many other countries, especially when factoring in the likes of taxes and inflation.

22nd place: Japan

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Japan, which has moved up one position in this year's edition of the GRI, tops the Health sub-index. This makes sense given that it's the country with the greatest life expectancy (85.03 years, according to Worldometers), as well as having an exemplary healthcare system.

Japan is also joint number one for employment. Its weaker areas, however, are the Quality of Life and Finances sub-indexes. It scores the lowest out of all the 44 nations covered for old-age dependency since it has the oldest population on the planet, meaning fewer people of working age and a greater strain on the state to look after its elderly.

21st place: Belgium

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Belgium retains its 21st position, although its overall score is slightly lower compared to 2020.

The country performs best in the Health sub-index (it's still a dip though, and ranks 16th) and worst in Finances. As is the case with neighbouring France, taxes can be punishing for Belgian seniors, and its population is ageing fast, which dents its total score.

20th place: Malta

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Likewise, Malta is a non-mover in terms of its ranking but has still scored lower in the most recent edition of the GRI.

The island nation, which is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, has decent, albeit unspectacular, ratings in three of the four sub-indexes. For Material Wellbeing, however, it's landed in at an impressive seventh place thanks to its high levels of income equality and low unemployment rates.

19th place: Israel

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Israel, which has moved down one spot, excels when it comes to Finances, even though its score in this sub-index is lower compared to the previous GRI.

The country also scores well in terms of Material Wellbeing. Its ratings for Quality of Life and Health, meanwhile, are stable but certainly nothing to write home about when compared to other nations in the top 25.

18th place: UK

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The UK is sliding down in the rankings, having dropped one spot in the 2020 edition of the GRI and yet another in this year's. It now sits in 18th place, compared to 16th in 2019.

The country's best sub-index score is for Quality of Life, where it comes seventh overall, thanks to top scores for water and sanitation. However, Finances definitely aren't its strongest point, with the nation placed 29th due to tax pressures and debt.

17th place: USA

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The US has also moved down one position this year, losing points in three out of four sub-indexes. Most notable is the dip in Health, with the country seeing a dramatic decrease in life expectancy due to the impact of COVID-19.

America's highest-rated sub-index is Finances, for which it's placed 11th, while its poorest is Material Wellbeing. Although income-per-capita is high, income inequality is rife across the country.

16th place: Slovenia

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The highest climber in the latest index, Slovenia has moved up three spots, with improved scores across the Material Wellbeing, Quality of Life, and Health sub-indexes.

In contrast to the US, the Central European country has an exceptional income equality score, ranking third. Other notable achievements include its biodiversity, with the nation ranked second in the world for it in the GRI.

15th place: Finland

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Sticking in 15th place, Finland is sits first in the Quality of Life sub-index. It's ranked the happiest country in the world, and has also garnered exceptionally high scores for air quality, water, and sanitation. 

Where the Scandinavian country does fall short, however, is in the Finances sub-index. This is partly due to its ageing population, as well as the heavy tax burden it imposes on its senior citizens.

14th place: Czech Republic

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The Czech Republic is another non-mover. Its overriding strength is Material Wellbeing, for which it scores the joint-highest out of all countries included in the index for employment. It also scores fourth for income equality.

This is offset by relatively low ratings in the Health and Quality of Life sub-indexes. The country's environmental indicator, for example, is the 10th-lowest among all GRI nations.

13th place: Sweden

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Although still a great location for retirees, Sweden has actually slipped two positions down the rankings this year. This drop is nothing, however, compared to the nine positions it has dropped since 2019, when it ranked 4th.

Quality of Life is its strongest area, for which the Nordic nation is placed fifth, while its weakest is Finances, where its score has plummeted in the past two years due to its high rates of taxation and low interest rates.

12th place: Austria

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Austria has maintained its position as the 12th best country, even managing to improve on its overall score in the latest GRI.

The country makes the top 10 when it comes to the Material Wellbeing and Quality of Life sub-indexes. However, it's placed at 14th in the Health sub-index, and scrapes into 35th for Finances thanks to its high taxes for senior citizens.

11th place: Luxembourg

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The tiny principality of Luxembourg has risen two spots in the latest index. The Health sub-index is its top-scorer, with the country placed third in the world on account of its superlative health system and long life expectancy.

Like many wealthy European countries, however, the tax burden on older people is high in Luxembourg, which detrimentally impacts its ranking in the Finances sub-index.

10th place: Canada

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Back to North America. Canada easily beats its southern neighbour, making it a better place for retirees to reside when compared to the USA.

That said, Canada has still moved down two spots in the rankings compared to 2020. Despite this, it maintains respectable scores across all four sub-indexes, with the highest awarded for Finances in Retirement and the lowest for Material Wellbeing.

9th place: Denmark

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Although it's a non-mover in terms of its 9th place ranking, which it has retained since 2019, Denmark has still scored fractionally higher in the latest GRI.

Again, like the majority of affluent European countries, particularly those in Scandinavia, the nation shines in three of the sub-indexes but is let down by Finances as a result of its high levels of taxation.

8th place: Germany

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Germany has shot up two spots in the latest index, landing higher scores in three of its four sub-indexes.

Material Wellbeing is its greatest strength, the country is placed fifth courtesy of its high levels of employment, while Finances is its weakest due to high taxes on seniors.

7th place: Australia

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Moving Down Under, Australia maintains its position as the 7th best place for retirees, a position it has held since 2019. As opposed to the bulk of European countries that dominate the top 25, Finances is Australia's strongest sub-index thanks to its lower tax burden on seniors, although its score has dropped in the latest GRI.

Health is also highly rated, while Material Wellbeing has the worst score: Australia ranks 23rd within this sub-index.

6th place: New Zealand

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New Zealand has also held on to its plum position of 6th place. The country is ranked even higher than Australia in the Finances sub-index, landing the third-best position against Australia's fourth.

It also comfortably outpaces its neighbour in Quality of Life due to its air quality, happiness, and environmental factors being particularly good, but scores lower in terms of both Health and Material Wellbeing.

5th place: Netherlands

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Another non-mover, the Netherlands' highest-ranked sub-index is Material Wellbeing – the country is placed joint-first for employment, eighth for income equality and ninth for income-per-capita.

Health is also highly rated, as is Quality of Life. When it comes to Finances, however, the country ranks 28th. This is due to high taxes, which help to guarantee robust income equality as well as fund the public services necessary for superior living standards.

4th place: Ireland

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An excellent all-rounder, Ireland has maintained its 2020 position in the 2021 edition of the GRI, making it the fourth-best country for retirees.

It enjoys high rankings across all four sub-indexes, in contrast to the many European nations that drop points due to high tax rates. The nation lands in the top 10 for Health, Finances and Material Wellbeing, and is placed 11th for Quality of Life.

3rd place: Norway

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A wonderful place for retirees, non-mover Norway clearly has much to offer senior citizens. After all, the country placed an impressive second in three of its sub-indexes: Health, Material Wellbeing and Quality of Life. 

The only fly in the ointment is the country's comparatively low score in the Finances sub-index, for which it scrapes into 25th place. Again, the nation's steep taxes are to blame for this fairly poor showing.

2nd place: Switzerland

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Conversely, fellow non-mover Switzerland performs fantastically in the Finances sub-index, bagging 2nd place within the sub-index. (Singapore actually topped this sub-index but falls seriously short on other indicators, hence why it failed to make the overall top 25.)

Wealthy Switzerland has also picked up generous scores for Quality of Life and Health, placing 4th and 5th respectively. Its Material Wellbeing ranking could be better, landing an unremarkable 14th place.

Best: Iceland

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Iceland pretty much ticks all the retirement security boxes, and has held on to its top-spot ranking for the third year running.

The country is ranked 12th for Health, with health expenditure especially strong. It's the world's highest-scorer for Material Wellbeing, while its scores for Quality of Life and Finances place it in the top 10 in both sub-indexes. Just don't forget to pack your thermals...

Info correct as of Jan 2022