Holiday in Norfolk for less this summer
Explore the East Anglian county of Norfolk in England with Congham Hall Hotel's seasonal deals. The 26-room hotel is offering three-, five- and seven-night holidays that include daily breakfast and some dinners. Stay three nights to receive a five per cent discount, five nights for a 10 per cent discount or seven nights for a 15 per cent discount. The offers are available until September 5, Sunday to Thursday, and cost from £624 (Dh2,968) per room for three nights, £860 (Dh4,090) per room for five nights and £1,183 (Dh5,627), based on a two-person stay, including taxes. For more information, visit www.conghamhallhotel.co.uk.
Enjoy the best of Argentina’s sights
Explore Argentina with Responsible Travel's Best of Argentina itinerary. The 15-day holiday takes in Buenos Aires, Mendoza and Ushuaia, calling at several national parks, including Los Glaciares/Perito Moreno, Iguazu Falls and Tierra del Fuego, plus hiking in Patagonia and a visit to Mount Aconcagua. The package costs from US$2,470 (Dh9,072) per person, based on a two-person share, including accommodation, some meals and taxes, but excluding flights. For more information, visit www.responsibletravel.com.
Life in the fest lane with a posh package
Festival season doesn't have to mean slumming it in a grubby tent, thanks to Flight Centre's special packages. Their four-night offer based around Secret Garden Party in Cambridgeshire, England, includes a stay at the Redwing Lodge, Huntington, four days of car rental, plus transfers to and from London Heathrow Airport. The festival takes place from July 21 to 24, with performers including Air, Caribou and DJ Shadow. The offer is available from July 19 to 27, and costs from Dh4,000 per person, including taxes and return flights from the UAE. Festival tickets, which aren't included in the package, cost from £186 (Dh885) per person, including taxes. For more information, visit www.flightcentre.ae.
A grand getaway in the Big Apple
Visit the City That Never Sleeps with Travel Counsellors' New York Getaway package. The offer includes a five-night stay at The Westin New York Grand Central, which is within walking distance of the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center and Empire State Building. Guests will have access to the property's WestinWorkout Fitness Studio, and receive a 10 per cent discount on all mang'Oh yoga classes, and at The LCL: Bar & Kitchen. Also included are return flights with Emirates and private transfers. The package costs from Dh9,120 per person, including taxes. For more information, visit www.travelcounsellors.ae.
alane@thenational.ae
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Our House, Louise Candlish,
Simon & Schuster
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
