As we have spent so much time globetrotting with Steve on his cycle challenge over the past couple of weeks, we have decided to come back across the pond and introduce you to another member of the Check Safety First team in Blighty:

Name: Lee Jones

Role: Web developer

Sum yourself up in ten words or less:  I am helpful, confident, a team player and hard working

What one thing couldn’t you live without?

My family

Favourite desert island disk?

Riceboy Sleeps by Jonsi & Alex

Favourite holiday destination?

Without a doubt, Cancun in Mexico.

Best holiday memory?

Going to Cancun with my wife before we had children and befriending a couple from London. We had the best fortnight of our lives, and I will remember it for the rest of my life.

Holiday nightmare?

On our way to and from Brittany on the ferry, we had six hours of waves and rain. I would rather have died, than sit on the boat a second longer.

Favourite type of holiday?

It depends. If we get the rare opportunity to leave the kids at home, then it would have to be a relaxing beach holiday. However, if we were going on a family break then it is activity all the way – anyone with kids will know that you have to constantly keep them entertained.

Rain, rain and more rain! This is becoming silly. Last week the temperature did not drop below 30 degrees, and now it’s wet and 17 degrees at best.

I did some walking this morning. The boat you can see in the picture is part of a fleet that sail up and down the lakes as a form of transport for local people and they all have fabulous restaurants onboard. Now this is a sector Check Safety First should look at!

I did actually get out on the bike this afternoon and went to Thun (William Tell country). I only managed 57km today, but the total is creeping a little higher.

Today didn’t start very well. Somewhere I ate last night did not check safety first! Needless to say I had a bit of upset stomach this morning. So, I was off to the pharmacy for some Imodium (first time I have ever had to take it), but better safe than very sorry – and embarrassed!

So, I started the day with a very easy and lovely ride cycling along Lake Konstanz from east to west. The weather was gorgeous, as you can see from the photo.

For those of you still following my route, I travelled 112km (70 miles) from Bregenz in Austria to Gottmadingen in Germany. That’s country number six in total. It should be another relatively easy day tomorrow as I make my way back into Switzerland.

 Total – 720km (450 miles) ouch!

It’s time to learn a bit more about another member of the Check Safety First team. This week we are venturing back to sunny Spain to introduce Jose Maria Sánchez:

Name: Jose Maria Sánchez

Role a Check Safety First: Spanish commercial manager

Sum yourself up in ten words or less: Enthusiastic, adventurous, charming, sporty and a travel addict.

What one thing couldn’t you live without?

Sport – playing and watching it.

Favourite desert island disk?

My favourite album would have to be U2’s The Joshua Tree and my favourite song is With or Without You.

Favourite holiday destination?

Formentera, the smallest of the Balearic Islands, off the coast of Spain. The beaches are beautiful there.

Best holiday memory?

A trip to Myanmar in South East Asia.

Holiday nightmare?

It has to be New Delhi in India. The airport was absolute chaos and we were ripped off by the rent a car company.

Favourite type of holiday? 

I’m always looking for the next adventure.

What a week it has been in travel! The Icelandic volcanic eruption has caused complete chaos with flights to and from the UK being cancelled. So if you are one of the unlucky ones that have been stranded in the UK unable to go on your hols, we thought we’d bring you a touch of Spain by introducing you to a member of the Check Safety First team based in Palma:

Name: Anna Embingier

Role at Check Safety First: Group finance manager

Sum yourself up in ten words or less:  Inventive, knowledgeable, optimistic, responsible and trustworthy, with a touch of laziness and stubbornness.

What one thing couldn’t you live without?

It would be food, but would it be cheese or wine? Wine or cheese? Can I have them both?

Favourite desert island disc? 

Just one disc? It is impossible to pick, so I would take a device that stores up to at least 8.5GB so I could take them all.

Favourite holiday destination? 

Poland. It is such a beautiful, but underrated, country as a holiday destination. You can’t beat its beautiful landscapes comprising of lakes, mountains and the coast, and the many interesting cities it has.

Best holiday memory? 

Any student holiday. But the one that really sticks out in my memory is my solo trip to Siberia. I planned to only spend a month there, but ended up staying two. It was an unforgettable experience.

Holiday nightmare? 

Hundreds (or rather thousands!) of ants infesting an apartment I rented in Minorca, Spain

Favourite type of holiday?

Anything, as long as it lasts more than a week.

Over the last few months we have introduced you to several of the UK team, so we thought it was about time we cast our net a little further afield. Please welcome David Solorzano:

Name: David Solorzano

Role at Check Safety First: Mexican director

Sum yourself up in ten words or less: Honest, hard working, outgoing person, a good friend and trustworthy.

What one thing couldn’t you live without? 

Firstly, my kids David and Tamara then exercise, food and wireless

Favourite desert island disk? 

It has to be anything by Guns N’ Roses

Favourite holiday destination? 

I couldn’t possibly pick just one.

Best holiday memory? 

Camping with my kids. It was hardly the most relaxing holiday that I have ever had, but it was great fun.

Holiday nightmare? 

Not a nightmare as such, but I can’t stand the US customs at airports.

 Favourite type of holiday?

Beach holidays are my favourite. And luckily for me, I live in Cancun so every day is a beach holiday.

The Columbus Hotel, Monaco (Source: monacograndprixtravel.com)

I found a list of the top ten celebrity owned hotels in the Mirror and was amazed at the number of high profile personalities that have invested their millions into the hospitality industry.

Here are the top 10:

1. The Greenwich Hotel, New York, owned by Robert De Niro

2. The Big Sleep, Cheltenham, co-owned by John Malkovich

3. Sundance Resort, Utah, owned by Robert Redford

4. Cadogan Gardens, London, co-owned by Liz Hurley

5. Costa d’Este, Florida, owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan

6. The Clarence Hotel, Dublin, owned by Bono and The Edge

7. Rival Hotel, Stockholm, owned by Benni Andersson

8. The Columbus Hotel, Monaco, owned by David Coulthard

9. Mission Ranch, California, owned by Clint Eastwood

10.  Hotel Villa Angela, Sicily, owned by Jim Kerr

I can only imagine the high calibre of clientele at these hotels; it must cost a pretty penny to spend the night.

It does beg the question, what steps are these celebrity owners taking with regards to health and safety? They wouldn’t want one of the guests suing them if they got food poisoning during their stay – it could end up costing Mr De Niro and friends their fortunes!

(Source: dreamstreetmarketingblog.com)

Check Safety First has been trying to educate people on the importance of holiday health and safety for over 20 years, but it doesn’t appear to be sinking in. According to research by Bupa Travel, the biggest holiday worry for people is losing their luggage. Contracting an illness only came fourth:

1. Your airline losing your luggage

2. Losing your wallet or purse

3. Being robbed

4. Becoming ill

5. Poor hotels

6. Terrorist attacks

7. Getting injured

8. Having to be treated at a foreign hospital

9. Bad weather

10. Not being able to speak the local language

I can’t believe that people value their possessions over their own wellbeing. The fact is that people are more likely to become ill or pick up an injury on holiday than they are to lose a suitcase, wallet or purse. Contracting food poisoning can ruin the whole holiday, whereas losing a bag can only spoil a couple of days.

People have to be more aware of the potential problems that can arise on holiday, such as food poisoning. Given the choice, I’d take losing my luggage over getting ill and having my holiday spoilt any day.

Source: The Sun

Oscar fever has swept the Check Safety First team and everyone is discussing their favourite films. My personal favourite is Withnail and I, a film that never fails to make me laugh with their revolting dwellings reminding me of my life as a student.

Browsing through The Sun travel pages, I found a list of top holiday suggestions inspired by this year’s Best Picture nominations which movie lovers may want to check out – I have included some interesting facts about each location:

- New Zealand was the location for James Cameron’s sci-fi hit, Avatar: It is also the location for other blockbuster movies, such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong.

- The Elbe Sandstone Mountains where Inglorious Basterds was filmed: Follow in Brad Pitt’s footsteps along hiking routes that wind though the German forestry.

- Venezuela from the Disney Pixar film, Up: One of the only countries where you can find snow-capped peaks, Amazonian jungle and stretches of sandy beaches.

- South Africa, the setting for District 9: The World Cup 2010 is the biggest event in South Africa this year, but Johannesburg was also the destination for this sci-fi hit movie.

- Oxford was the location for much of the film, An Education: Not only the setting for Lynne Barber’s autobiographical tale, but also the home to over 20,000 students.

- Las Vegas was a glitzy location for George Clooney’s film, Up in the Air: The gambling capital of the world, where one Las Vegas gambler is rumoured to have lost $127 million in one year.

- Jordan, where war epic, The Hurt Locker was filmed: The capital, Amman, features bustling markets selling everything from traditional carpets to smoky spices.

- Atlanta was the base for The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock: It is also the birthplace of Martin Luther King and the home of Coca-Cola.

- Minneapolis, the setting for The Serious Man: The American Mid-West is home to 10,000 beautiful lakes and spectacular scenery.

We have decided to put a seasonal twist on this month’s meet the team profile, so let me introduce you to the most festive person in the Check Safety First office…..

Name: Laura Vickers

Role at Check Safety First: Accountant

Sum yourself up in ten words or less:

1. Intelligent (cough, cough…)
2. Random
3. Loyal
4. Honest
5. Wife
6. Mother (to my Labrador pup)
7. Dreamer

What one thing couldn’t you live without? 

Cheese – what else can I say, I just love it!

Favourite Christmas carol? 

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin.

Favourite place to spend Christmas? 

I am a bit of a traditionalist, so I would have to say at home with my family in front of the fire.  That said, I had an amazing time when I spent Christmas in Thailand and New Zealand.

Best Christmas memory?  

Opening the pressies on Christmas morning of course!

Christmas nightmare?

Santa getting stuck up the chimney.

What is on your Christmas list this year?            

GHD hair straighteners, make-up and world peace.