Golf–it’s been called the ultimate travelers’ sport. More than 17 million people hit the links while they are away on vacation or a business trip. While Arizona, Hawaii and California are typically known for their expansive, breathtaking greens, there are many top-rated courses that can be found in the most unexpected of places.

According to travel expert and Travel Channel host Tracy Gallagher, “It’s all in the research. Before taking a trip-whether traveling on a family vacation, for a weekend getaway or on business–a great nearby golf course can easily be found with a little advance planning.”

So why not hit the links the next time you hit the road? Some of Gallagher’s favorite U.S. golfing destinations may surprise you.

• Albuquerque, N.M.-With spectacular scenery and desert climate, Albuquerque is a superb place to golf. In fact, over the past few years, developers have capitalized on the area’s beauty and, as a result, many new courses have opened throughout the city.

• Washington, D.C.-For a stroke of something different, try golfing in our nation’s capital. One wouldn’t think there would be room for a golf course in the immediate 68-square-mile area of Washington, D.C.; however, the proximity of some of the courses to the downtown area makes golfing an easy addition to a sightseeing trip. In fact, you can even see many of the historic monuments from several of the nearby fairways.

• Portland, Ore.-The Pacific Northwest certainly doesn’t have typical golfing weather, but the frequent showers give the golf greens a shade of emerald you won’t find anywhere else. If Oregon is on your travel itinerary, be sure to check out the courses in the Portland area.

Whether heading to the West Coast, Midwest, Deep South or the Eastern Seaboard, keep the following in mind as you plan your next trip:

• Check with local courses–many offer a special family package rate.

• For a more affordable golfing experience, check prices for playing at “twilight.”

• If you can’t get a tee time at one of the courses near your destination, many of the locations have driving ranges so you can at least practice your swing.

• Look for hotels, such as the Hilton Garden Inn, that offer a golf package. “Golf Amenity #18″ is the largest golf promotion available at Hilton Garden Inn hotels throughout North America, which offers guests whose stay includes a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, from June 1-Oct. 22, 2006, a complimentary green fees voucher (good for two people) that’s valid at more than 330 golf courses in the U.S. and Canada. Guests also receive a complimentary golf tips booklet, written by Golf Digest instructors, filled with pointers to improve your game. It’s a one-of-a-kind deal that travelers-both business and leisure-can take advantage of this summer.

Everybody knows what fishing is, but fly fishing is not as well known. As the name implies, fly fishing is a method of fishing utilizing an artificial fly. It was developed as a technique for catching trout and has caught on all over the world, becoming a full fledged competitive sport. There are several competitions held all over the world at different times during the year open to anyone who thinks they have mastered this challenging sport.
Fly fishing has proved to be a boon for the tourism industry. Many travel companies now arrange special fly fishing trips all around the world, but especially in North America, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. The countries that are known for having the best places to go fly fishing are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Finland, Ireland, Sweden, England, Namibia, Australia, and New Zealand.
People who are planning to go on such a trip should know what they need to take with them. It is necessary to buy fly reels, location-specific fly collections, and accessories like waders, hats, boots or jackets. Travelers should then decide whether or not they want a guide. People who already know how to fly fish may choose to go on an independent fly fishing trip. It is a good idea for beginners to hire a guide who can teach everything there is to know about the sport.
Fly fishing can take years to master, and some people get more enjoyment from the exotic locations they visit than they do from the actual sport. Each and every fly fishing destination offers its own unique charms.
Fly Fishing Trips provides detailed information about fly fishing trips, fly fishing gear, fly fishing knots and more. Fly Fishing Trips is affiliated with Bed And Breakfast Maine.

For the fortunate few, life isn’t complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists. Of course, others have opined that copious amounts of alcohol, sun and Amsterdam have something to do with it. Regardless of your purpose, you still have to figure out what to take.
Backpack – Getting In Touch With Your Inner Mule
Obviously, the first critical item is your backpack. While one doesn’t need to buy the $10,000 Himalaya Turbo Pack, you should also avoid the $12 blue light special. So, how do you pick a happy middle ground?
The best method for picking a backpack involves three phone books. Select/swipe/borrow three yellow page books from neighbors/friends/enemies and hit your local sporting goods store. With the books, head to the backpackapalozza section of the store and pick out a few sturdy/cool/outrageous rigs. Stuff the phone books in, adjust the straps and go for a walk. Now break out into a run to simulate future dashes for trains/ ferries/ toilets and make the sales people nervous. These steps should quickly reveal the perfect pack.
Now, you may have read other publications suggesting highly technical ways to select a backpack. Trust me, until you have run for the last ferry from Italy to Greece, you have no idea how to pick a pack. The three phone book test solves this nicely.
What To Take
There are a few mantras that every person should chant before packing for Europe. These chants were developed originally by the little known, Oh-My-Back Monks of Southeast Asia. The “OMB” Monks were known for traveling half way to far off cities, turning around, returning home and then traveling the full way to said cities. Religious experts opined as to the deep metaphysical meaning of such trips. They were later embarrassed when the monks revealed the back and forth nature of the trips was due to forgetting something, often whether they had turned off the iron. Nonetheless, such chants have become the guiding light of experienced backpackers.
Let us slowly and clearly chant together,
“I will pack only that which will not result in me being hunched over like a Sherpa.”
“Remember, I can pick it [(lower voice) toothpaste, book, soap] up over there.”
“I will not stuff thy pack to the point of bursting, for thy damn zippers always break/get snagged/refuse to work.”
“I will learn humility through wearing incredibly wrinkled clothes and shall not bring an iron.”
“I shall bring only one guide book, not one for each country that I MIGHT see.”
“I accept that I will come home wearing something I didn’t take and will have lost/traded/burned much of what I did take.”
For female travelers and, okay, the occasional male,
“I will not bring high heels or a gaggle of make-up.”
Admittedly, chanting these mantras will not bringing you immediate enlightenment. Fret, not. You can always throw items away or send them home in a box to your parents/friends/parole officer. For the resourceful backpacker, it is not unheard of to send particularly smelly/discolored/toxic clothing to an ex-girlfriend/ex-boyfriend/little brother. Follow these practical guidelines and you will soon happily be speaking in a loud voice to make foreigners understand you.
The Evidence
This is the hard part for most travelers to wrap their minds around. You will forget those special moments of your trip when you met the hunk Sven or babe Svenetta from Sweden and had a romantic evening/danced the night away/got arrested in Ios/Ibiza/the airport. Maybe not immediately, but you will eventually forget.
You will also forget or lose the contact information of people you meet, despite meticulously writing it down on the back of a coaster/napkin/your hand in a bar/poetry reading/jail at three in the morning. Surprisingly, said coaster/napkin/hand often survive the night/day/weekend and get deposited in your already trashed backpack. Of course, their presence is often forgotten when you later put a Oktoberfest mug/wet towel/toothbrush in. The extra padding at the bottom of your pack is specifically designed to deal with the decomposing result. Still, the information is gone and so is your future with Sven/Svenetta.
To properly record the magical moments of your trip, you must take a diary or journal. Don’t worry, you can burn it later before you get married/your parents get nosey/you have kids. You want a journal in a water/beer/sweat resistant case. Of course, I prefer a Nomad Travel Journal, but just make sure you take something. When you have some extra time in the bus/train/jail cell, you can record how you got there and the people you met.
Trust me, when you, Sven/Svenetta and your nine children are sitting on the porch, you will greatly enjoy reading your journal.
Of course, that assumes you didn’t burn it.
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of travel journals. Writing journals are the perfect travel accessories. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travel articles and travelogues.

If you love the thrill and adventure of kayak travel, the waters and lakes are yours to explore! Mankind has always been drawn to the sea and a kayak trip is truly one of the ultimate highs as far as kayak travel is concerned. Human beings have always invented useful devices that enhance our lifestyles and kayak travel is a great and marvelous feat, which blends excitement, fun and freedom of movement in one great adventure.
A kayak trip is an awesome way to spend time outdoors and enjoy the beauty of the natural world. If you are not interested in kayak travel as a professional sport, you can still enjoy a kayak trip with other like-minded individuals and there are many such services offered by kayak travel planning groups.
Modern kayaks employed in kayak travel are strong and well-designed vessels, which still manage to follow the original kayak design plans where possible. Originally developed by the Inuit, a group of culturally similar indigenous arctic people, kayak travel was perfected by them and used for water traveling, fishing and kayak trips of all description.
The word kayak means ” mans boat” and early kayak travel was the main means by which the Inuit moved around and expanded socially, mixing with other nearby peoples by taking kayak trips. Kayak travel among them allowed for increased trading and life was greatly enhanced through the use of the kayak. The earliest forms of kayak travel were achieved by means of constructing a frame of wood and covering it with sealskin.
Kayak travel makes use of paddles to propel the vessel though the water. Modern paddles are longer than those used for canoeing and have a blade on either side to allow for quick movement through the water and fast kayak travel speeds. The vessels used for modern kayak travel are covered with a deck and have a hole in the cockpit in which the kayak trip passenger sits in a forward facing position. This hole is often sealed off with a spray deck, which is a flexible cover that prevents water from entering the kayak travel vessel and protects the paddler while on a kayak trip.
Kayak travel in a modern vessel allows for one or more passengers to work in unison to propel the craft forward with the paddles. The spray deck protects the kayak travel passenger and his craft against water flooding and can quickly be released and opened if the kayak should capsize during a kayak trip. This clever release mechanism allows the kayak travel passengers more freedom to swim to safety should the kayak overturn, which is a common occurrence during a vigorous kayak trip.
If the kayaker’s on a kayak trip are experienced enough, they can alternatively use their body weight and paddles as a controlling mechanism and perform what is called an Eskimo roll to avoid capsizing. Kayak travel makes use of several such maneuvers and this knowledge comes with experience and many kayak trips.
Copyright 2005 Southern Kayaks
Canoe and Kayak Sale

Martina and I play tennis in the same league and funny enough she even looks a little like the other Martina (Navratilova), just prettier. Needless to say, some of her shots are quite like the other Martina’s too, and in our last encounter Martina and her partner won against my husband and me in a hard-fought 3-set match.
After the match we had a nice relaxing chat and Martina mentioned that she and her daughter did a fabulous 1400 km biking trip last year, which ended up being one of her most exciting travel experiences and an amazing mother-daughter bonding opportunity.
Originally from Germany, Martina is a very active Toronto real estate professional, probably in somewhere in her 40s, and Martina’s daughter Jennefer just finished her university studies and is off as we speak on another biking trip in Sweden. In the fall she’ll start another 5 years of academic studies in the Czech Republic.
Now you can read about Martina and Jennifer’s European biking adventure.
1. Please tell us a little about yourselves and your background. How did you come up with the idea for this biking trip? Please comment on the special t-shirts you both wore.
Jennefer had to do so some studying in a library. When we met for lunch she admitted having looked through the travel section and found routes for traveling in Germany and got the idea of biking bike though Germany.
For safety we looked for a buddy for her to go along. but while everyone agreed that it would be a great trip no one wanted to commit. One day Jennefer said: “why don’t you come along”? It was a nice thought but I was very hesitant. Packing light was not my strongest side and I was not sure if I could manage to bike such a great distance. But the idea grew on me and suddenly there was no turning back. We started to dream.
We informed ourselves about different bikes and found the best bike shop in Toronto where we bought our bikes and most of the other equipment as well. Over the following weeks we collected all the necessary stuff. We got the special Toronto bike shirt and wore it a lot during our trip, now it also serves as a constant reminder of our great tour whenever I wear it. We checked out web sites of bike trails, made our own training schedules and e-mailed a lot of thoughts back and forth to each other.
2. Please tell us about the itinerary of your cycling trip. From where to where did you go, how many kilometers did you cycle a day? How strenuous was it?
We started in Fuessen in southern Germany and rode for 14 days and 1400 to Flensburg. Some days we had to take it easy (heavy rain, food poisoning) but the last day we rode 180km. It was tiring; our muscles in our shoulders and legs were tight. Also we were not used to being on a bike saddle for such a long time and that resulted in some pain.
2. What type of landscapes, villages and towns did you ride through?
We started in the mountains and worked our way up north – where the terrain got a lot flatter. We saw the most beautiful places, and were so close to them all. Often we rode along rivers and could hardly believe that we were not dreaming. Every little village had a church in the centre, and the most beautiful flowers decorated the houses. At one point we encountered cows in the middle of the road. They were walking home from the field to the farm all by themselves. We were a little uncomfortable at first. Once the hills were behind us we encountered strong winds – especially around the “Nordsee”.
3. There were some mishaps with your luggage and your bicycles at the beginning of your trip. Please tell us about that.
The airline lost our bikes – they delivered them to us four days after we arrived- totally damaged. The bike store had little hope for us and thought we needed to order special parts which would take another three days But since the bikes were so new they managed to straighten out the wheels and repaired the other items as well.
The moment we biked our first meters we thought we were in paradise. The bikes felt heavy due to our lugguage and balancing them was something I had to get used to. At first my bike would tip even in standing position. But we got used to it so much that we could hardly steer the bikes once we took off the luggage. With time we became very efficient in loading and unloading our bikes. We had each two panniers and one bag on the carrier. We did not have a stand or holder to place our maps – which would have been a great advantage to have. Very early on our tour we encountered dirt roads and we felt sorry for our touring bikes. The first flat we got while pushing the bike towards a well to drink some water.
4. You also had other mishaps (flat tires, food poisoning] along the way. Please tell us more about that.
We had four flat tires in all. Jennefer was able to change them very quickly. But first we had a wrong pump that did not fit to our valves and we needed to find stores that would sell pumps. Other bikers were most helpful – as soon as someone saw us struggling they would offer help.
In a little village – we waited for a night tour – we ate some typical German food and Jen’s food must have been spoiled. At night she got terrible stomach pain. It lasted for over a day. The following day we could only bike 30 km. We found an accommodation with a nice lady who made us tea. Next day we continued and the lady offered us to call if Jen got sick again so she would get us with her car. We were amazed at this helpfulness.
One day it rained so badly that the rain dropped out of our shoes – that was a very cold experience. We needed to dry our clothes fast for the next day. Jen found out that hanging the clothes on the window was great – I was uneasy about the looks of it – but it was practical.
5. What was your daily routine? When did you get up? Where did you eat your meals? What did you do in the evenings?
We got up at around 6:00 a.m., wrote notes into our journals, and went for breakfast. The breakfast was always very good and we also took a sandwich along for lunch. When we found a great spot with a nice view we took a break for lunch and ate what we had in our bags. For dinner we would be in the next town and have a typical meal for the region. We really liked Spaetzle in the southern parts of Germany.
Twice we got in so late that we could not find any food – so we survived on power bars and some sweets that we had bought. The next morning we would have an extra big breakfast. We ate a lot of delicious cakes – no need to worry about calories – we would burn them off fast through biking. One town was celebrating a wine festival. Two bands played in the town centre, wine booths were everywhere and happy people were just chatting, listening to the music or moving with the beat.
In another town we wanted to take a guided night tour with lots of historic stories. We only survived half of the tour because we were way too tired. Often we would get some delicious cake from the local bakery and eat it on our beds while watching the Olympics, reflecting on the past day and making plans for the next.
6. What types of places did you stay in? How did you find those places?
Some accommodations we found through a book called “Bike and Breakfast” , these places would provide a safe place for the bikes and a healthy breakfast. Other times we went to the local tourist information and they found a room for us. One fellow who biked with us for a day offered us a room since a convention was being held in his city and we could not find a reasonable place to stay.
7. Please tell us about your encounters with local residents along your route.
We got lost way too often – adding to our driving time. People would steal the road signs as keepsakes. The moment we stepped off the bike someone would ask if we needed help. Sometimes people did not know what they were talking about and sent us in the wrong direction, but they were all most helpful. One lady offered us lunch at her place. We were so surprised how friendly the local people were. Kids would ask as where we were from and where we were going. We slowed down a little to tell them, and they would wave and wish us good luck.
8. Packing light is a key requirement for a long biking trip. Please tell us about how you dealt with that issue.
We made lists of things we would need on our trip. We wanted to bring as little as possible but still the mountain of stuff added up. We fitted everything into our panniers and backed them into a big duffle bag for the plane. We would save on space by just bringing one shampoo for both of us. We worked together as a team – one would carry all the cosmetic articles, the other all the road maps and so on.
The full interview with photos is published at Travel and Transitions – Interviews
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions(http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.
Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest(http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.
“Life is a Journey ? Explore New Horizons”.

Dreams of the Pyramids haunt your days and nights; visions of Moscow’s onion domes dance in your head; a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa appears in your mind’s eye. If these images or something similar come often to mind for you, then it’s time for you to take an international vacation.
But, you say, I don’t have time to plan a major vacation across the world, and even if I did, I don’t know where to begin. There are some simple steps to planning a successful and exciting international vacation.
To begin your planning, there are a few big decisions you need to make: “How much are you willing to spend? Where do you really want to visit? Are there things, such as specific attractions or certain quality hotels, that you are not willing to miss?” If you make these decisions in the beginning, you can save time and energy by looking only at trips that really interest you.
Also, decide what can be provided for in your budget; perhaps, if you have the chance to see the Russian ballet while in Moscow, you will be willing to tweak your budget a bit to have this once in a lifetime experience.
After making the major decisions concerning your travels, you can now decide how to organize the trip. Do you want to plan it yourself or pay someone else to do that?
Travel agents can be extremely helpful, but before you choose an agent, talk to friends, family, and neighbors to find someone who has a good reputation with people you trust; also, be sure they are a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), which helps ensure the quality of the services they offer.
Travel agents generally know the best deals, and they can connect you with an agent in the countries you’re going to visit if you need help while you’re there; this can be especially useful on an international vacation where you may not know the language.
In addition, you will usually get lower prices by using a travel agent; however, a small service charge is often added to flight reservations. Generally, you don’t actually pay the travel agents; they make the majority of their money from company commissions.
Despite the relative ease of using a travel agent, some of us still want to plan our own vacations. Organizing your own vacation has become much easier in the past ten years with the Internet boom.
Travel search companies such as Travelzoo, Expedia, and Priceline, have made travel planning easier than ever. You can go online and find a complete package that will help you set up your vacation.
When putting together an international vacation, however, relying solely on internet research can be a drawback. If you do not know the language or culture of your target country, you should at least spend some time consulting with a travel agent.
You will need to have information about visas, culture, and transportation, that may be difficult to find on your own. Even experienced travelers can get into bad situations when they’re visiting an unfamiliar country.
In summary, planning an international vacation can be as simple as consulting an agent or as creative as putting together an adventure online.
If this will be your first trip out of the country, you might also consider finding a group to go with. Whatever you decide, remember your camera and have a wonderful time on your international vacation!
Duane Bertani’s articles on topics related to vacations are published at Flash Vacation and A Travel To .

We all know the temptations of traveling?? grabbing a slice of pizza while running to your gate at the airport, an elaborate steak dinner with a client, and being so tired at day?’s end that all you want to do is fall into bed. Traveling can often create havoc on regular exercise and golf conditioning. Fitness and good nutrition while on the road can help keep you on top of your game. With a bit of planning and creative strategy you can help keep your body ready to hit the golf course.

First thoughts about travel, exercise and maintaining good nutrition can be negative for many. Some will think, I don?’t have the equipment I usually have, my meals will all be eating out or fast food. Instead of giving up on preparing your body for golf, consider ways to maintain a good portion of your normal fitness and health routine. You?’ll be surprised at just how much you can accomplish. Here?’s a few tips to help:

?? As you plan your trip be sure to define your fitness goals while you travel. Keep them specific, measurable, realistic and timely. Consider the constraints you?’ll have by your travel schedule and logistics.

?? When booking your flights and hotel call ahead or check the internet to find details about exercise facilities. If no facility is available, plan alternate activities like an in-room workout.

?? As you pack be sure to include workout gear as space allows.

?? If your travel involves time-based appointment, schedule appointment with yourself for your workout. Treat this appointment just as you would any other meeting.

You?’ll be surprised at just how much you can accomplish even in your hotel room. Stretches, and some exercises are easily performed as no equipment is necessary. With fitness awareness soaring, many hotels have first-rate fitness centers with a full variety of equipment and their own fitness staff. For most travelers, the best way to fit exercise into their day is by simply setting the alarm a bit earlier to accommodate time for conditioning. This helps to leave the remainder of the day free for your other scheduled activities.

While exercising regularly is important for your health and golf game, so is how you eat. It is so easy to get off course when you are not at home. Try to pack snacks for the trip and an extra water bottle. Travel can place stress on the body and zap you of your energy. Snack and meal replacement bars are handy for travelers with hectic schedules. While bars are no substitute for real food (i.e., fresh vegetables, fruit, and protein), they?’re a certainly a step in the right direction from burgers and fries. As you choose your bars read the label to check calorie, fat, carbohydrate and protein content. All bars are not equal.

With a little planning and determination, continued conditioning during your travel can keep your body ready for the golf course.