With the cost of petrol constantly rising, governments around the world are now looking at helping customers to save money by converting to Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG.


This flammable gas is less damaging to the ozone layer and so makes an environmentally friendly fuel. Because of this most governments impose less tax on LPG. LPG is either made primarily from butane or propane and used for fuel in heating appliances as well as vehicles. When used for cars LPG is often referred to as auto propane or auto gas.

LPG has very low production costs as the Australian motoring service NRMA explains: "LPG is a by-product of the oil refining process. The refineries themselves use it as a fuel source so it is basically the excess supply which is sold."  In Australia sales of LPG run cars have rocketed. Even though it can cost between two and four thousand dollars to convert your engine to LPG dependence, this cost can be recouped quickly as LPG is significantly cheaper than petrol.

Despite the rise in demand for LPG vehicles it takes a long time and a lot of money to do the engine conversion and motorists could have to wait for up to a year for one of these cars. Furthermore only a limited number of companies make them and you also need to have LPG compliance plates fitted. About eighteen hundred Australian businesses do an LPG vehicle conversion.  The Ford Falcon is the most popular LPG run car in Australia and sales of this model have jumped by a fifth. There are special government grants to buy these vehicles, though quite a few terms and conditions apply.

Contrary to popular belief there are few negatives to running a car on LPG and a depending on the mileage that you cover the capital cost of the install (anything from £1k-£3k) can be paid off in no time.  For example if you cover 20,000 miles per year and run an average family saloon achieving approximately 30mpg, (assume petrol prices £1 per litre and LPG 50p), you will save approximately £1500 on your annual fuel bill! 

comparison price difference from circa 2003

Contrary to popular belief there are few negatives to running a car on LPG and a depending on the mileage that you cover the capital cost of the install (anything from £1k-£3k) can be paid off in no time.  For example if you cover 20,000 miles per year and run an average family saloon achieving approximately 30mpg, (assume petrol prices £1 per litre and LPG 50p), you will save approximately £1500 on your annual fuel bill!

The myth that LPG has a negative effect of performance or a cars mpg is far fetched, probably started by the leading petroleum suppliers as LPG is becoming big business and more and more drivers choosing to fuel their cars on it.  You’ll find that often the spare tyre well is used to store the tank, or if your can uses the increasingly popular run-flat tyres, its usually some boot space needed.  The only other thing to consider is that LPG is not available at all forecourts.  The infrastructure costs are such that not every station will have LPG so its always useful to know where you can fill up.  Thankfully there are lots of sites out there that can guide you, such as the very useful service from Drive LPG, check out there map of LPG stations here.

If you are considering an LPG conversion your best bet is to search for a local supplier / installer who can guide you as to what is needed.  Make sure they carry the necessary accreditation and look out for the LPGA approved Autogas Convertor logo.  There are many reputable LPG installers around and is sure to be one near you as the market is growing with thanks to the ever increasing prices on the forecourt, so why not take the initiative and get one step ahead by using LPG from installers such as FES Auotgas.  Why not contact them for advice on the system most suitable for you at www.fesautogas.co.uk

Romano Autogas are an Italian manufacturer that come highly recommended within   the industry.  If you are looking for a Romono Autogas Installation you’ll find all the information you need and your nearest approved supplier at www.autogasworldwide.co.uk

So when you see someone at the Autogas pump at the filling station looking rather smug, thats becausewhen they follow you into the kiosk to pay, they'll be paying around half of what you are for petrol ro diesel and rightly feeling pretty chuffed with themselves.  And its not only cars that you can convert, any vehicle with a combustion engine can feasibly be converted, for example the thirsty looking limo's on our roads have likely been converted by www.avonautogas.co.uk so they are greener than your average family saloon!

Villas in France come in all shapes and sizes but what they all have in common, if you take the time to find the best ones, is the absolute serenity of their surroundings. Villas in France are always popular with British holiday makers considering how close France is for them. Brittany is probably the most convenient location and you can get fantastic deals on four person villas there.

The Jardin Botanica takes its name from the beautiful foliage which is kept nearby and it has a marvellous sun deck where you can admire the view.

Another option is the La Torche villa which is near one of the best surfing beaches in France and very reasonably priced. Both villas are only an hour and a half away from Brest airport.

The French island of Corsica is known for its spectacular flora and fauna and anybody would be charmed by the thought of staying in a shepherd's cottage. There is I Fiore di Vazze which is an hour away from Figari airport. A Muredda also sleeps four people and is slightly more impressive. Both have plunge pools.

Provence is widely considered to be the most dazzling region of France and Les Bruyères encapsulates what is so appealing about it with its 18th century farmhouse. If you want a story to tell your friends when you get back stay in Lou Roucas. It was occupied by the painter Chagall during wartime and stands impressively on a cliff. You can drive from Marseilles airport in only an hour and six people can stay in this spacious villa.

Another endlessly appealing region of France is the Dordogne. Imagine waking up to the sounds of a river running at the bottom of the garden and you can probably picture how beautiful the Au Bord de la Rivière villa is. It might be one to avoid if you have small children though. From Bergerac airport it is less than an hour's drive to Au Bord de la Rivière and Les Bernards is an hour's drive. The latter cottage is big enough to sleep four and they can enjoy a newly refurbished residence which has a plunge pool and a brand new kitchen.

Large groups should try the Maison Loupiac in Lot Valley. This villa is a wonderful combination of old and new with a rustic 19th century exterior that encases a glamorous modern interior.

Villas in Spain are easy to access as they are spread out all over the country. While most people think of tacky Costa del Sol residences which are put together with all the charm of a council estate in Liverpool, with a bit of searching you can get off the beaten track and indulge in some real Spanish agrotourism.

Just a two hour drive from Malaga international airport you can get to the lovely Dar Hajra villa in Andalusia. This showcases all the best qualities of southern Spain as it is surrounded by a pine forest with gorgeous mountain views of the Grazalema.
If you have a larger party the Casa de los Espejos at Alma de Granada, Andalusia, is a wonderfully restored old building. You can get here in one and a half hours from Malaga airport.

Another luscious two person villa is the Sa Teulada in Mallorca. Within an hour of Palma airport you can drive to this east coast hideaway which overlooks some spectacular beaches. An even closer drive from Palma airport is the Serelleta, one of the nicest villas in Spain. The outdoor room here is the 'piece de resistance' as it encompasses comfy sofas and a barbecue on which to cook your food.

If you really want to splash the cash stay in C’Awanui in Mallorca which has the décor of a five star hotel with all the privacy of a villa.

To immerse yourself Spanish history stay in a disused watermill in Cantabria. El Molino sleeps four people and overlooks a pretty stream.

You get all the charm of the Spanish countryside by only driving 45 minutes from Santander airport. You could also try La Torruca, a six person villa in Cantabria which has a stone façade and bundles of character. Catalonia also has two of these larger villas, Nostra Pau and the Portal de Burgos. The former is only a few kilometres from the beach and has its own swimming pool while the latter is a merger of an old 19th century house and a 14th century gate tower.

You can also stay at the six person Mar Bona which is only an hour's drive away from Girona airport. Imagine sitting in your spacious pool while staring out across the Mediterranean Sea.

Rail travel in the United Kingdom is becoming the most unreliable form of travel. Over Christmas the railway lines were paralysed by snow. Every year England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland have quite a bit of snowfall and every year the public transport system is totally unprepared to deal with it. They give you some guff about the wrong kind of snow (it's the wrong kind of leaves in autumn) as an excuse to leave thousands of travellers stranded during the holiday season when they desperately want a break from all the chaos. And this is despite the government always telling us that we should leave cars at home and take the train. It's not as though they are making the service any more affordable.

Rail travel hit the headlines recently with the first £1,000 rail ticket. It costs over a grand to get a train from a station in Cornwall up to Scotland - about five times what it would cost to do the same journey by plane. Many people don't want to have to go through all the inconvenience of checking in for a flight.

Rail travel used to be romantic and you could enjoy the beautiful British scenery going by while you played a game of cards with a friend. Now you are lucky if you get a seat let alone a table. Why can't we get it together? Rail travel is a pleasure on the continent, with spacious trains arriving on time and a general sense of bonhomie in the compartment. Surely privatising the rail service should have made it better not worse? Instead we have to skulk around in stations afraid that we will get mugged and stand in the aisles while yobs who haven't paid for them take up the best seats.

The latest bad news is that British rail staff will strike over Easter. Talking about envying rail travel on the continent I was not referring to that rather French habit of striking every five minutes. The British seem to have caught the disease. First there was the threatened British Airways plane strike, then the postal strike in which millions of letters never arrived (a few of mine were among them) and now another chance to hold the country to ransom over the holidays.


There would be more sympathy with the strikers if they didn't always choose to pull their stunts over the holidays. Strike during most of they year and it has a grave effect - both personal and financial. But when you strike over the few precious days of holiday that people have it drives them to distraction.
I used to be an avid public transport supporter but now I'm afraid I just can't. Rail travel is simply not heading in the right direction.

International removals can really help to take the pressure off in a stressful situation. Studies have shown that moving house and country are some of the most stressful experiences that the human body can undergo. In that respect we are not much different from animals. Although we like the newness of different surroundings, moving is actually upsetting to our equilibriums.

My cousin is currently weighing up a move from England to Australia. She's in her mid thirties and it's a huge decision. She and her husband have a nice house in London which is really well furnished. So they will be turning to international removals to take care of everything for them. That way they can get their large sofas and the king-sized bed shipped so that it's ready to meet them on the other side. How she is going to get to get her cats across to Australia is a much bigger problem!

International removals companies can take care of all your personal effects for you and they will usually specialise in the various processes.

They use a number of different shipping lines to ensure fast delivery. Most of them allow you to make your booking enquiry online and then you can get a speedy and free price quotation. Make sure you shop around as you could save yourself a lot of money by using one international removals company versus another.

What all the companies should provide is a thorough packing service. But some will charge you for the packing materials while other international removals companies will include them for free as part of the service offered.

Make sure that you get insurance when you get international removals. It should cover your goods in all parts of the transit process, especially at sea. Shipping could take a week if you are getting international removals from London to New York but it could take as long as a month if you are shipping all the way down under to Australia. Factor these time considerations in when you are planning international removals.

Most customers say that they are very satisfied with an international removals service. It is a great peace of mind that you can leave one of the hardest and most time-consuming jobs to a company of professionals. And it is equally comforting when you are trying to settle in to a new place to find that all your possessions have followed you.