Tips On Protecting Your Camera On North Cyprus Holiday

As a car hire company employee in North Cyprus, I have spoken to numerous vacationers who have lamented over the fact that something has happened to their camera. I’ve even had my own fair share of vacation camera problems, such as corrupt memory cards that are expensive to replace. And that’s assuming you can find one that works with your camera. When you travel overseas, things are not always compatible. No matter when you travel – summer or winter – it’s important to protect your camera while you are on holiday.


In an effort to help you have the best holiday possible, I talked to my car hire coworkers and here are some tips on keeping your camera safe that we wanted to pass on to you.

1. If you are going to be spending time on the beach it’s a good idea to keep your camera free from sand as much as possible. One grain of sand can cause your camera to stop functioning as well as scratch the camera lens. If you have to handle your camera while you are on the beach, make sure your hands are free from sand and that it is stored in a case that will not let sand get into it. Cameras are expensive to replace.

2. You can get an underwater housing for most cameras on the market today which is great if you want to take underwater pictures. However, unless you are absolutely sure the housing is water tight and will protect your camera at all times, consider investing in an underwater disposable camera for your trip. This way you know your camera will remain safe and secure and not accidentally get ruined due to water damage.

3. Back up your pictures as soon as possible. Since most people use digital cameras they will be saving their pictures on memory cards. You should make sure that you always have plenty of memory cards with you in case one gets corrupted. A lot of times a photo shop can recover the pictures so you do not want to dispose of the chip. Additionally, back up your pictures whenever you get the chance. Even if you only go to your hotel room for a moment, download your pictures on your computer while you are there. Then make a DVD copy of the day’s pictures just in case your computer crashes.

4. Always keep your camera secure no matter where you are. Do not leave it lying around as cameras are quite often the perfect target of thieves. My best suggestion is to carry your camera in a case that has a strap long enough to wear satchel style across your chest. This way it is harder to lose your camera or have it stolen. Keep you name and contact details in your camera case in the event that you should happen to lose it.

5. Consider taking out travel insurance before you leave on holiday so that your camera will be covered for damage in case something happens. If you are going to be brave and use your camera underwater you may have to take out additional insurance for it. Your insurance agent can let you know.

Motor Show Showcases Hybrid And Electric Cars

One of the most popular automotive shows in the world is the Frankfurt Motor Show and this year I was able to go out and experience it while looking for something new for our car hire in North Cyprus business. As the car selector for Pacific, it’s my job to scope out the best vehicles for the best prices to offer our customers. You would be surprised at all of the electric and hybrid cars that are currently on the market. Ranging from Peugeot to Mercedes to Audi, Ford and Volkswagen, there were plenty of cars to choose from that would offer our customers some nice choices when we get ready to offer them.


I was impressed with the range of hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars that were on display at the motor show. Toyota and GM are both planning on expanding their lines by 2012 in the United Kingdom as well as BMW. The BMW that is the most impressive is the diesel hybrid expected to be released soon. This car is expected to hit 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, all while running at 75.1 mpg. Everyone is going to want this car and with gas mileage like that I can surely understand why.
While many of the cars at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show were somewhat fanciful in their design and function, two concept electric cars really stood out. They were the Audi E-Tron and the Volkswagen E-Up. Even though Lexus and Toyota also had some entries, these two really caught my attention.

The E-tron has the potential to be the electric sports car of the new future and it is currently a bit bigger than Audi’s TT. It’s a more streamlined car and it will use a lithium-ion battery with four electric motors, two for each axle. These power Audi’s popular Quattro system. Supposedly the car is going to have 313 horsepower capability and will speed from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds with a 150 mile range. The battery pack is supposed to be liquid cooled and there will be a heat pump included in the car for air conditioning.

The E-top is based on Volkswagen’s older concept from 2007 but it is one step further along in its development with a more upright design and more length than the SmartForTwo. It’s actually very similar in design to the Scion iO which is to be released in 2010. It too includes a lithium ion battery that is good for 80 miles at 18kwh. This car is going to be really good for city driving yet it can reach up to 85 mph on the open road. According to Volkswagen this car can reach an 80 percent charge in a single hour.

Car hire in North Cyprus could see a change in the next few years as concept cars such as these continue to saturate the markets. Charging up a car in the course of a little over an hour is very appealing so I’m going to keep my eye on these efficient vehicles. Maybe one day you’ll be able to get one at a North Cyprus car hire for your holiday.

Keeping Your Photo License Up To Date

Have you taken a good look at the photo on your driver’s license lately? Does it still look like you? You may be surprised to find that you have changed your appearance drastically enough that authorities or others who look at your photo license may doubt who you say you are. Additionally, some countries, like the United Kingdom, put a statute of limitations on the photo portion of your driver’s license. If you haven’t looked already, take a peek at your license and see just what it says.

Since many of our car hire North Cyprus customers are from the United Kingdom we felt that it was a good idea to mention this fact. As the office manager, it is my responsibility to make sure my clients are hiring their vehicle properly and that requires seeing their driver’s license. I have had to make a few tough calls over the last ten years on customers because they did not look like their picture. And many of them had no idea that the photo part of their license was only good for 10 years. We will still hire cars out to you if your license photo is out of date and still looks like you, but we strongly urge that you get it updated.

To find out if the photo card of your license has expired you should look at section 4b of your license. There should be a year listed here that tells you when you will need to renew your photo. The United Kingdom added the photo card to licenses in 1998 so there is a good possibility your identification has lapsed and you need to get a new picture. The paper part of your license should still be in force as this part does not expire until you turn seventy years of age.

The DVLA of the United Kingdom started sending out renewal reminders in May 2008 to everyone that would fall within the new rules. There is a fee of £17.50 being charged for the renewal of the picture part of the license and if you do not comply with the renewal you could be facing a fine of up to £1000.

Once again we urge all of our car hire customers to check their driver’s licenses to make sure that they are up to date and not expired. Driving on an expired license no matter what country you are from is a big deal, and the last thing you want to worry about is explaining to overseas authorities who you are, where you live, and why your current license is not up to date.

Check your license before leaving whatever country you live in when you are traveling to North Cyprus. While we may rent a car to you with an overdue license, there may be other establishments and businesses in North Cyprus that will turn the license away. It is better to have all of your paperwork in order before going on holiday so that you can enjoy it while you visit North Cyprus.