John Mce asked:


So you’re an adrenaline junkie, with a thirst for a holiday in the active/adventure holiday category? Here are a few tips that are worth considering before you book your holiday.

Sort out the correct documents

Before you settle on a holiday destination – regardless of whether you’re travelling independently or with a company – check Visa and inoculation requirements with the Foreign Office (www.fco.gov.uk) and that the country you’re travelling to is both safe and politically stable. You may not be insured if you go against Foreign Office advice.

Adventure insurance

Its good new that there are a great number of companies that offer insurance specially formulated toward groups or independent adventurers, who aren’t satisfied with relaxing on a secluded beach like the rest of us. Each company has varying opinions about what is and isn’t classed as adventure, so it’s worth taking some time to find a policy that suits your style of adventure and chosen activity.

Check the company out

When booking your adventure holiday, do your research into the company that you are booking with and ask a representative about the experience and qualifications of their staff, as your life may just be in their hands. Check that the equipment that you will be using throughout the trip is certified safe and has been tested for any faults.

The independent traveller

If you decide against going as a group or with a reputable adventure holiday operator, there is a checklist that should be considered. Firstly that you are aware of the dangers of the type of sport you will be partaking in and that you have made sure your equipment is thoroughly checked before packing it to leave. Another important thing to remember is to always have local emergency numbers and insurance documentation with you and that someone knows where you are heading each day encase an accident does happen. Also if a minor accident does happen you have a first aid kit to deal with it.

Personal Fitness

It is worth making sure you are ready to put your body under the strain that your chosen activity will put on it. If you are a newcomer to the sport, try doing a training session at a local facility in order to get a feel for the muscles that will be needed. This may also alert you to additional safety clothing /equipment you might require on your trip. Whether you’re experienced or not spending some time preparing your body will help minimise injury during your trip.

As you can see an adventure holiday takes lots more planning than your standard package beach holiday, but it’s better to prepared and get the most from your adventure, so you can do it all again on your next adventure.

Terrie Bryan asked:


Ah, Hawaii. A vacation paradise! Have you always dreamed of taking a family trip to Hawaii but need to stay on a budget? Imagine clear tranquil blue water, lying on a hammock, lounge chair, or a beach towel and enjoying the warm tropical sun and gentle ocean breeze (sounds so cliche but it is so true). And umbrella drinks of course, something nice and fruity. What could be nicer and more relaxing?

Sound expensive? Well, it doesn’t have to be anywhere near as costly as you thought.

Even though Hawaii is a notoriously expensive travel destination, with some research you can find some deals for the budget minded and hold onto more of your cash. Let’s check out some tips on getting really cheap airfare and how to spend some time in Hawaii with as little pain to your pocketbook as possible.

First, you have to get there, so let’s explore some different ways you can find inexpensive airline tickets.

You’ve probably heard of the discount air carriers such as JetBlue and Southwest, and often you can find great deals with these airlines. However, what you may not know is the major airlines, due to problems of late such as bankruptcy, are actually making an effort to undercut the prices of some of the cheaper smaller carriers. So don’t automatically cross the larger companies off your list right off the bat. Check their websites and see what kind of deals they are offering.

I recommend checking with the larger online travel sites such as Expedia and Travelocity, but don’t assume that just because you have checked there, all other travel sites will offer the same airline fares. The lowest fares may be at another site so check as many as possible. And of course, as I mentioned, check the individual airline websites as well. Fares are always changing, remember to try different times of the day and different days too.

You can use a travel agent at a physical location (as opposed to online) to help you look for deals on hotels, rental cars, etc. Often they have package deals available that can save you a bundle.

Scheduling your trip for the off season will help you save money. Don’t worry, the weather will still be gorgeous!

You might consider finding a travel message board or forum and ask local residents to give you some advice on the area you plan to visit. They will know what hotels are the cheapest, where you can go to eat for less money, and lots of fun and often free activities. Forums like this are gold, do use them!

Now, once you have secured your airline travel tickets for a cheap price, how can you enjoy this vacation oasis without taking out a second mortgage?

Choosing to plan your trip to Oahu has a great advantage in that public transportation can be found to pretty much anywhere on the island. This can save you a bundle because you might decide to forego a rental car.

Once you arrive, you can take in free nightly hula shows at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki. They often also show free films in the evenings on the beach.

The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is another great tip for how to travel cheap. Here you can find some more freebies as they offer free lessons in hula dancing, ukulele, and lessons on how to make a lei. They will also provide lesson in Hawaiian quilting. Now where else can you learn things like this without spending a dime? Great fun.

If you choose to save money by not renting a car, you can save by taking the bus everywhere, or you can rent a bike for about 20 bucks a day. If you do rent a bike and need to take the bus somewhere, you can take your bike along with you on the racks of the city buses. Cool huh?

Remember that if there are decent waves, the surfers will be out, and most any day you can find a surf contest going on. For the cost of some sun screen you can enjoy some absolutely amazing tricks and performances put on by the surfers. This is an extremely fun and inexpensive way to spend a day in Hawaii.

On Saturday there is a farmer’s market at the Kapiolani Community College. This is a super way to soak up local culture and find some local produce and crafts, and you can find some spectacular deals here too. It’s a great place to save money on all those souvenirs you need to bring back home to friends and family. You know they’re expecting something! You can find cheap eats here too, or you can even just wander around and people watch.

So if you have always wanted to travel to Hawaii but had no idea how to find really cheap airfare, take advantage of these tips and you can have an awesome dream vacation to this beautiful state without spending too much cash.