From intricate heath to expansive cliffs, England’s got coastal walks to suit all energy levels.

You might not think of England as an "exotic" destination, but you'd be wrong.  Visit England and you can visit a rainforest, scuba dive with penguins and explore a tropical Malaysian island, all without using your passport, as England is as exotic as far-flung destinations the world over.

Do I have to have a coma here?

by Gisele Méndez edited by Lynne Hand

Amused by the title above? Don’t worry – the spelling mistake "coma" instead of "comma" is intentional, and it highlights an important point: If you're writing a letter to a friend or relative, it doesn't really matter if you make a silly mistake, but if you want to be taken seriously in business; errors – comic or not – can hold you back.

Perhaps you find yourself nervously rushing through a presentation, or you forget the pronunciation of an important word during a meeting. When English is your second language, it is all the more important to speak and write clearly and concisely in business to avoid miscommunication. Luckily, there are some simple ways to improve your skills and communicate more effectively.

Hadrian's wall has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. English Heritage, a government organisation in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as "the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain".  It was a defensive fortification in northern England, and it marked the border of the Roman Empire when it was at its height in the 2nd century.  It was the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. In addition to its role as a military fortification, it is thought that many of the gates through the wall served as customs posts, to allow trade and levy taxation.

According to Visit Britain, the Monarchy brings in £500 million a year from foreign tourists.  Our "culture and heritage’’ in the widest sense - extending from theaters and galleries, to pubs, Premiership Football, castles and stately homes - generated £4.6 billion in total spending by overseas tourists in 2009, and supported 100,000 jobs, the report said.  But within that total one-in-eight of those sites – ranging from the Tower of London to The Palace of  Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and Ruthin Castle in Wales – are associated with Britain's monarchy. The report reveals that foreign tourists who visited them generated £500 million of spending, directly and indirectly.

Thinking of your next holidays?  Times are tough, and it's not so easy nowadays, but how about house swapping?  It's not a permanent arrangement, just a chance to live in someone else's house for a few weeks, while they live in yours.

If you’ve never tried house swapping I can thoroughly  recommend it.  There are a number of clubs you can join, some of them with international membership. We’ve been swapping for about 20 years on and off and have never really had any problems.