Shambala can’t really be summed up in any other way than, wow! Everything about Shambala shouts excitement, mystery and fun, from its star-studded line up to its hidden location in the Northamptonshire countryside, a well-kept secret only revealed to ticket holders.

So what makes Shambala so incredible? Could it be that in this concealed corner of the UK, the cultural arts, music, literature, theatre and fashion, mix quite unlike a traditional festival.

Perhaps what makes it special is the fact that Shambala is not only one of the friendliest festivals around, but it’s also one of the most interactive and immersive.

How many other festivals teach the crowd how to dance in styles from around the world, craft intricate objects or get involved in live science demonstrations? Shambala has it all, running what it calls ‘A World of Workshops’, with over 100 fun and random experiences to join in, such as trekking the enchanted woods, African dance and blacksmithing.

The crowd participation doesn’t end there either. If you want, you can take part in poetry competitions and music classes to really be part of the entertainment.

It might be something as simple as the surroundings that makes this festival different. Wild untamed, undamaged countryside and woodland really do serve to relax the body and mind.

At the end of the day, Shambala’s magic is something you can’t quite put your finger on. The variety of acts, the energy of the fans, the atmosphere and the way the festival-goers really are the heart of the event, all combines to give Shambala an individual and creative feel that can’t be found anywhere else.

Sounds good? It gets even better. Shambala is committed to becoming sustainable. For example this year it is trying out a new recycling deposit system, where some of the ticket price is refunded if you return a bag of recyclable rubbish.
That’s why we are so excited to be working with them in 2012. We love everything about Shambala, it’s all about giving the festival-goer the best experience while reducing the impact for everyone else, an idea that we share. So trust Shambala to deliver a truly unforgettable experience and trust us to make the journey a little more special.

So to help cut emissions released by cars traveling to festivals and share in joy of Shambala, make sure you fill your empty car seats before setting off, or find a lift yourself before driving alone.

This is an article from our supporter Can Can Cover.

If you’re a young driver participating in a car share, it’s important to keep your car insurance low. Insurance costs are on the rise because of an increase in people making personal injury claims – this raises the cost of insurance for everyone no matter how careful a driver you are! Young drivers tend to have particularly high insurance premiums because they are statistically more accident-prone – one in five drivers are involved in a crash during their first year of driving, according to the AA.

If you are car sharing to save money, you want to keep your insurance costs at a minimum. You can often find cheaper deals if you shop around and look for car insurance deals that are specifically targeted at young people, such as at http://www.cancancover.com/car-insurance/young-drivers-car-insurance

Driving safely is the principal way to keep your car insurance low. However, there are further steps you can take to ensure your insurance is as low as it can be:

Consider adding a second driver – You can significantly decrease your insurance premium if there is a second older and more experienced driver named on the policy. Consider adding the name of someone you are car sharing regularly with – this is also handy if for any reason you are unable to drive.

Take a Pass Plus course – A Pass Plus qualification can help to make you a safer driver and can lead to a discount on your insurance. Be aware that not all insurance providers recognise the qualification, but there’s really no harm in improving your driving skills anyway!

Improve car security – Keep your car in a garage or off the street, and make sure you fit an alarm and immobiliser. If you minimise risks, your insurance premium should be lower. Don’t modify your car – Adding fun modifications to your vehicle can increase your insurance premium significantly, so think twice about adding that spoiler on the back!

If you follow these guidelines, you can help to keep your insurance premium fairly low. Remember if you are car sharing on a regular basis, it is also not untoward to charge your passengers for insurance costs as well as fuel.

If you are famous rock star or film star you might expect to be sent lots of free stuff. If you run a car sharing website… not so much. So it was a pleasant surprise when the nice people at Berghaus sent us a free beanie, fleece and jacket.

To be honest, none of it has been worn that much in the car, or even out in the wild as we imagine was the intention, though Drummond has taken to wearing the beanie in the office.

Anyway this Easter Drummond is off on a trip to the Isle of Uist so there will be a good opportunity to give the gear a proper test from the best the Scottish weather can throw at it. In case you wondering how he is getting there, yes, he will be car sharing. It’s a good 12 hours from London to Uist, so I imagine there will be a few breaks involved along the way.

Have a fun easter all, and yes, if you are planning on travelling anywhere and fancy saving a bit of cash, it would be great if you put your seats on goCarShare.

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You might think that the NASA space shuttle doesn’t have much in common with your car; and, well, you’d be right. Your van might be big and white, and your old banger might have flames coming out of its exhaust pipe, but neither can fly to the moon – no matter how quickly you take speed bumps.

It’s a good thing, too: if you feel like your commute is a drag now, imagine travelling the 3 days and 238,854 miles that the Apollo missions had to in order to land on the moon. And though car insurance companies offer comprehensive van insurance these days, even specialist space insurance companies find it difficult to get a quote for the smallest satellite that’s less than billions of dollars.

Still, the many space missions that have launched into orbit over the years have a closer relationship with your motor than you might think. It’s not just our understanding of the galaxy that space travel has expanded: it’s our understanding of the way the natural world and technological creations work in harmony. So, since man first dipped his toe in intergalactic travel, his explorations have helped make travel on earth quicker, quieter, safer and kinder to the environment.

For instance, did you know that lubricants used to help the massive trailers that move space shuttles around the launch pads are now used in cars? The greasy substance had to be fantastically effective to manage the massively heavy loads: without its boosters, the Shuttle ‘Endeavour’ weighed a monumental 78,000 kg, while an average four-door car weighs just 1,670 kg. What’s more, the lubricant’s completely biodegradable!

A space shuttle is strapped to a rocket to get it into space – but how does it detach from the hot, heavy lump of metal once it’s safely off the earth? The answer is explosives – for which rescue crews have found an innovative new use. They power hand-held metal cutters used to chop and slice the metal of wrecked cars, so accident victims can be retrieved and moved to saf≠ety. The cheap, effective ‘Jaws of Life’ equipment is used across the world to save lives.

And NASA also save lives on the race track – the space missions’ influence on NASCAR’s cars has been huge. As well as better, stronger, lighter tyres and more effective brakes, their shuttle technology has helped combat the extremely hot conditions that a car experiences at high speeds. Did you know that the parts of a race car which reach the most extreme temperatures (like brake drums, engine parts and the exhaust) are all coated in heat-resistant paint that’s based on NASA’s research?

And the revolutionary materials which protected spacecraft reaching blistering speeds are now used to protect drivers: without the space-age insulation, it’s estimated that temperatures within a speeding NASCAR would reach 160 degrees. Their technology touches even the smallest details: fabric which won’t burn that was first designed to protect astronauts is now used to clothe drivers and pit crew members.

All of which proves that NASA aren’t just stargazers – they’re looking for applied technologies to help life on earth. And they’re looking to the future: in 2008, they helped a company that produces lithium-ion battery vehicles to develop and test a fleet of electric vehicles. Aimed at city-dwellers and commuters, the zero-emission cars now lead the market when it comes to green driving.