Travel by bicycle has become so much more popular all around the world in the last few years as the price of gas for cars has risen. In some countries travel by bicycle has always been the predominant means of transportation, but in most of the world, people wanted cars. Even in the poorest developing countries, people aspired to being car owners. They would gladly trade in their bike and forsake travel by bicycle for the ease and comfort of a car. Maybe all that will change if gas prices keep climbing and even in the developed countries, people will reverse the trend toward cars and embrace travel by bicycle. For the sake of the planet's environment, we can only hope so.

Travel by bicycle is so much better for the environment because when you travel by bicycle, you do so under your own. Power. When you travel by bicycle, you are not burning fossil fuels and polluting the environment. Plus you are improving your own cardiovascular health and building muscle tone. Travel by bicycle is good for you and good for the earth.

You can travel by bicycle to work or school and you can travel by bicycle for short distance trips to the store and around town, but you can also travel by bicycle over long distances too. You could make travel by bicycle your preferred method of transportation for your next vacation You could join a group and travel by bicycle across the country. It would be fun, exciting and great exercise. This type of long distance travel by bicycle is best done in a group with a back up vehicle following you. That way your travel by bicycle will be safer and if anyone should have any problem along the way, there will be a way to get them help fast.

But even if you don't do it with a group, yo could still travel by bicycle for one or two weeks on your next vacation. You will get to see so much more of the countryside when traveling by bicycle along secondary roads than you would zooming along on the super highway in your gas guzzling SUV. If you adopt this mode of transportation, your next vacation, you will be glad you did. Traveling by bicycle will be a reward in and of itself. And maybe if we all start adopting travel by bicycle as our primary means of travel, pollution levels will drop and obesity levels will drop and society's happiness level will rise and it will be a better place to live and work.

It is important to take care of your health wherever you are, but there are some additional concerns to keep in mind when you are traveling. It is easy to get sick when you are in a new place because your body hasn't had a chance to adjust to the food, water, and environment in a new place. Traveling can bring you in contact with things that your body isn't used to.

The first thing you should do if you're heading overseas is to find out what kinds of vaccinations you'll need in advance because different countries have different requirements. In the United States, contact your doctor or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a list of necessary vaccinations. You'll want to allow plenty of time for this step in case you need to get vaccines that require more than one dose.

Three of the most common health problems that you may experience when traveling are jet lag, altitude sickness, and diarrhea. When you fly across time zones, the differing amounts of light can change your internal body clock, resulting in a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag may cause symptoms including upset stomach, insomnia, and tiredness.

There are some things you can do to combat jet lag; for example, if you're traveling from west to east, you should stay out of the sun until the day after your arrival. If you're flying from east to west, go for a brisk walk as soon as possible after you arrive.

Altitude sickness is caused by dry air, a decrease in oxygen, and low barometric pressure when you travel to a higher altitude than you're used to. As a result, you may have problems, such as headaches, dehydration, and shortness of breath. Find out what altitude you're traveling to before you go to see if altitude sickness could be a problem.

The best prevention for altitude sickness is to gradually increase your altitude every day to get used to it. If that isn't possible, a drug known as acetazolamide can help relieve and even prevent symptoms of altitude sickness. If you think that you might get altitude sickness, talk with your doctor before you leave home.

The topic of diarrhea may seem gross, but it can be a serious problem. Traveler's diarrhea, known as turista, often occurs when a foreign type of bacteria enters your digestive tract, usually when you eat contaminated food or water. The best way to prevent turista is to be very careful of the food you eat and the water you drink on the road.

Every traveler has their own way of doing things, thinking they may be able to save a little time and money, most importantly money. Airfare can be really quite expensive as most of you know, so finding ways to cut back on some of those costs is a very important part of your holiday travel planning. By looking at all of your options when deciding to plan your holiday travels you will be giving yourself the ability to save a substantial amount of money, instead of breaking your pocketbook before your journey even continues, leaving you feeling frustrated and irritated. Traveling is about having fun, not fretting these little mishaps that could turn into being big mishaps financially.

Having the ability in finding possible reduced airfare prices during the holiday seasons can be rather difficult but highly probable, if you play your cards right. Most businesses jack up their prices throughout the holiday seasons because they know that most people will pay that extra money no matter what, in order to get where they need to be and returning back when they need to. Some people will pay more than they had ever imagined during these times of the year but you do not have to settle for these unbelievable prices hikes.

Choosing the correct departure date when traveling during the holidays is much more important than planning the preferred returning date. Departure times mean more than anything else, when it comes to finding little ways on being able to save quite a bit of money on airfare during holiday travels. If you are not an experienced traveler but you know someone who is then you should definitely consider discussing your airfare options with them so that you can increase your chances of finding a cheaper airfare during the holidays. It is possible with the right amount of research and learning the in's and out's of the airfare prices at differing times of the year and how they base their ticket price depending on what time it is that you will be traveling, departing and then returning.

Just like with shopping malls and stores, so many will increase their prices because they know the amount of shoppers will increase at this time and no matter what prices they have to pay, the people will be paying it if they have to. The same goes with airfare pricing during the holidays. Even if you can not find a great bargain on your airfare you still have places that you have to be at certain times and you more than likely will pay that extra, if needed to. The amount of travelers also increases during the holiday seasons. What people forget though, just like with shopping, you will find the right discounts, if you take the time out to do so and do the right kinds of researching before planning your holiday travels. It is worth every cent to ask around and research before you take the plunge and just end up settling with some ridiculously high holiday airfare tickets.

You want your summer vacation to be memorable because of all the fun things you got to do. You don't want it to be memorable because you got sick or hurt! Whether you stay home or travel for summer vacation, there are some precautions to take to ensure that you are always in tiptop shape in body and in health.

Hot summer weather always bring some issues to the forefront like allergies, dehydration, sunburn and even mosquito type illnesses like West Nile virus, encephalitis and dengue fever. Summer vacation should be about making great memories, so follow some of these winning ways to get and stay healthy:

1. Dehydration is one of the most occurring problems during the summer. You should take a bottle of water with you everywhere. And if you have children, always have plenty of drinks with you when you travel or just walk down the street.

2. The sun is not your friend. Cover up with light clothing or wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn and skin cancer. Every year, millions of people forget their sunscreen and end up as a red, peeling lobster. A few years down the road, some of them will find out they have skin cancer. Don't be one of those people. Make sure you ear sunglasses with proper UV protection too. Cover up!

3. Thanks to air pollution as well as pollination, there is always something in the air to get your allergies and asthma acting up. Sign up for daily air quality and pollen reports through your email or watch the news before heading out for the day. Take care and bring your asthma or allergy medication wherever you go.

4. Know your limits. Sometimes, you may get caught up with an activity outside and not realize that you are exposing yourself to potential sun stroke. Be sure to rest periodically in the shade to cool off.

5. If you are taking medications, read up on the side effects and warnings. Some of them might make you more susceptible to the sun's rays and therefore burn in the sun, even with sunscreen.

6. Alcohol and caffeine should be consumer in moderation, especially in the heat. They can actually leach fluids from your body and you could become dehydrated. Stick with water, juice, lemonade and iced herbal tea.

7. Shoes are important to summer fun. There are appropriate shoes for every occasion. If you plan to go swimming in a pool or the ocean, invest in water shoes. Wear comfortable shoes for walking long distances as well as thick, cushiony socks made of synthetic materials that can wick away the moisture so that you don't rub blisters into your fee.

8. When traveling during the heat, it is important to store your medications properly so that they do not lose their effectiveness.

9. If at a picnic or barbecue, do not leave foods out that will spoil easily, especially the dairy based products. Can anyone say salmonella or botulism?

By following some of the ideas above, you can have plenty of summer fun and stay healthy at the same time. Enjoy your fun in the sun and make some great memories.

When you think of the Florida Keys you may think of miles of highway stretching over empty ocean and assume that there would be no need to bring your camping equipment, but that is far from the truth. In actuality, there are many private campgrounds and 10 state parks that are composed of hundreds of acres and many of them have full facility campsites.

The Florida Keys is a series of over 1700 islands that are linked by an underwater coral reef. In some places the width of an island may be less than 1 mile and much of the land has been set aside to preserve the integrity and ecosystem that exists there. But, that doesn't mean that the Florida Keys have forgotten about people. People from all over the country and the world come to the Florida Keys every year to enjoy the abundance of wildlife and for the variety of activities, festivals and events that it offers.

While there are many five-star hotels and resorts throughout the Florida Keys, there is also the unequaled pleasure of tent or RV camping next to the ocean. For instance, Long Key State Park just outside of the town of Layton, offers camping practically on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. Because of all of the water nearby, it is one of the only state parks that allows open campfires.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is another park that has almost 50 full facility campsites. This park is near Key Largo, which is the most northern city of the Florida Keys. Another very popular State Park is called Bahia Honda. This State Park is near the town of Marathon and offers over 80 full facility campsites and three cabins that each sleeps six people. The cabins can run about $120 per night. This park and campsite is very popular because it is only about 40 miles to the southern town of Key West. The city of Key West offers almost unlimited attractions, shops, and nightlife.

For a completely unique camping experience, consider camping on an island just outside of a Fort that was built before the Civil War. Fort Jefferson is on its own key, called Garden Key in the Dry Tortugas. The fort was never used as defense and for a while served as a prison. It was used again during both World Wars I and II as a Navy port and also as an observation post. Today, it is a historical monument and the only way to reach it is by boat. There are campsites located near the outer wall of the fort and packages can be purchased in Key West that combine camping and snorkeling around the island.

Reservations usually need to be made to hold a campsite and most parks allow pets during the day, but some do not allow pets in the campsite area. It is always best to check with the park when making reservations. Campsite fees can range anywhere from $6-$50 a night. There are also dump station charges and in some cases parks will charge for shower use (usually about six dollars per shower.)

If you love camping and if you especially love to camp in different areas around the country, experiencing all of the variety that it offers, then you must try camping in the Florida Keys. It will be an unforgettable experience sleeping next to the ocean, having the sound of the waves lull you to sleep and the smell of tropical breezes in the air. Plan this trip as soon as possible.

In the 1820s, when War of 1812 fighting had ceased in the Niagara Falls region, local hotel owners wanted to revive tourism. The Niagara Falls had once made popular tourist destinations of two cities along the international border: Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada, and Niagara Falls in New York, USA. To attract attention, the hotel owners sponsored the first daredevil Niagara Falls stunt on record: they sent a defunct ship over Niagara's Horseshoe Falls.

The hoteliers' stunt drew a crowd indeed. On September 8, 1827, about 10,000 people gathered to watch the condemned schooner be swept over the waterfall. The ship crashed 173 feet down to a whirlpool gorge below.

Within two years, daredevils were risking their own lives in Niagara Falls stunts. In

October of 1829, a man named Sam Patch dubbed himself "The Yankee Leaper". He survived a long, deliberate fall into the gorge at the bottom of the waterfall. People also swam across or tried to sail. In 1886 a man named Carlisle Graham was the first to fall down Niagara Falls in a barrel. Many people, including women in petticoats, imitated this stunt. For example, in 1901 a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Taylor rode a barrel over the edge.

Some people tried crossing over Niagara Falls instead of riding its force downward. Tightrope walkers like French acrobat Jean Fran?ois "Blondin" Gravelet strung wires across the gorge and traversed it before giant crowds of onlookers. In 1859 Gravelet crossed the water blindfolded, in a sack, pushing a wheelbarrow, and carrying a man on his back! He even succeeded tightrope walking while on stilts. Most famously perhaps, Gravelet sat down midway across a wire to cook and eat an omelet.

Despite stories of successful crossings, many people have died or been seriously injured in daredevil stunts at Niagara Falls. When Annie Taylor emerged from her barrel, she warned, "No one should ever try that again!" Such stunts are now forbidden by law in both cities of Niagara Falls. After Kirk Jones jumped the Falls in 2003 (and was released from hospital), he was arrested for "Mischief" and "Performing a Stunt".

Until the winter of 1912, anyone was permitted to cross an ice bridge that formed across Niagara Falls. The water froze into ice blocks as thick as 50 feet, and the Niagara River became a popular sledding destination. People even erected shacks on the ice and sold liquor! However, a tragedy involving cracked ice put an end to the winter tradition.

Horseshoe Falls is the highest section of Niagara Falls and is in Canadian territory. The American Falls on the US side drop about 70 feet into rock. These two main sections of the waterfall are divided by the uninhabited Goat Island. (The goats were gone by 1780.) A third section on the American side is called Bridal Veil Falls (earlier called Luna Falls and Iris Falls). It's separated from the American Falls by tiny Luna Island.

These waterfalls are the most powerful in North America. An average of 4 million cubic feet of water rush over Niagara Falls every minute. The flow is higher in spring and summer when ice melts and more rain falls. Most of the water flows over Horseshoe Falls, and the remainder is harnessed for hydroelectric power by the Sir Adam Beck Station in Ontario and the New York State Power Authority.

Maine is without doubt a scenic and beautiful state. It boasts a broad variety of activities from season to season making it an ideal place for a romantic getaway. If you are thinking about a romantic getaway in Maine there are a variety of escapes to thrill you and your partner.

This state is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east. The rocky coastline of Maine is famous for its dramatic beauty. Canada is at the north and New Hampshire is on the west. If you are thinking about a romantic getaway in Maine it doesn't matter the season for you will always find something to do. The temperature ranges from the 10's to 20's in the winter where skiing and snow boarding are a past time to the 70's and 80's in the summer.

Quaint Bed and Breakfasts

Your romantic getaway in Maine may feature one of its famous Bed and Breakfast inns. These quaint little hotels tend to offers the couple an intimate vacation experience whether for one night or several days.

One exciting Bread and Breakfast location is the Thornhedge Inn located in Bar Harbor.

This is a perfect place for a romantic getaway in Maine. Thornhedge Inn is a cute shingled Queen Anne style house located in walking distance to shopping. It features 13 rooms that offer a private bath and TV. It is a quite comfortable for offering full breakfast in the mornings.

Noble House Bed and Breakfast in the Lake and Mountains district is another location for a special romantic getaway in Maine. This Victorian Estate is surrounded by green landscaping with stone walls. It features Jacuzzi's and a few of the guestrooms are nicely furnished with unique antiques. This charming Bed and Breakfast offers you the best of Maine's cold weather activities including downhill skiing, tubing, snow sledding and ice-skating. In the summer you can horseback ride, fish, swim, golf, canoe, go mountain biking or boating.

The beauty of this state will enhance your experience. While on your romantic getaway in Maine you might find yourself picking apples on a farm if you happen to visit in the fall or shopping for antiques in one of the many old town districts. You may also visit Maine's historic old port or visit Beech Hill Bison Ranch. Maine will always offer you and your partner a fabulous selection of things to do.

Men around America dream of having the quintessential Vegas bachelor party-there are few men who manage but many who share the common dream. The good news is that girls today are demanding equal rights as far as fantasies go and have decided that what is good for the goose is good as well for the gander. In other words more and more women are also deciding to hold their bachelorette parties in Las Vegas as well. This is really good news for Las Vegas as this process is bringing almost as much money and as many guests as the weddings have in the past. Not quite as much but it's a pretty good share of both and a great boon to the economy.

There are even services cropping up all over Las Vegas that provide services, decorations, planning, hosting, and the execution of these events for brides and grooms to be alike. Remember, "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" and this is the one last hoorah before you take that long walk down the aisle. The most important thing to remember is that most of these parties are all in good fun and really leave nothing to tell.

The most important aspect of bachelor or bachelorette parties for most is that one last night of getting together with old friends, making new acquaintances, and cutting ties with the single lives you are preparing to leave behind. Whether you are just getting together with friends for drinks or heading off to visit all the strip clubs along the strip for one last time it is safe to say that Vegas knows how to throw a bachelor party.

One of the most important things to remember about your bachelor or bachelorette party in Las Vegas is that you should probably book your room before you go out partying so that you are certain you have a place to stay when all is said and done. It's always a good idea not to stray too far from your room if you're going to be drinking and having fun but this is a once in a lifetime kind of event so it's forgivable as long as you aren't driving, if you have a little too much to drink. Just make sure that you are able to find your clothes, the ring, and a quick shower the next morning.

Some of the parties that are the most fun do not involve leaving the room or suite that you book. You can almost always find strippers that specialize in bachelor parties and will be willing to come to you rather than going from club to club to club. Unless of course you are hoping to experience a little more variety among girls than hiring one or two would provide.

When you think about it, Las Vegas really is the perfect city for a bachelor party. You are in close proximity to drinking, gambling, girls, sex, and lots of ribbing from the guys. If you really are a great best man or maid of honor you will have put a lot of thought into what will be done during the bachelor party. Of course, the idea is to send your best friend off into wedded bliss with one last night to remember. It doesn't have to include girls, who's kidding, of course it does. The thing to remember is that it's the best man's job to make sure there is no evidence of impropriety.

Make sure you're all having a great night, you're all safe and sound, and that your friend makes it to the chapel on time tomorrow and you might all survive the bachelor party experience. Las Vegas will always be the ideal place to go for brides and grooms alike as they face their upcoming vows and gather with friends as single men and women one last time. While there is something somewhat sad about the process there is also something wonderful about the upcoming future and bright possibilities that lie ahead.

With so many attractions competing for every vacationer's limited money and time, some of Orlando's attractions have endeavored to become ones that you will visit by offering an experience that is truly out of the ordinary.

Gatorland may be one of the oldest and most unique attractions in Orlando. The park began as an alligator farm in 1949 and has grown ever since. The Godwin family has owned the park and they have continued to expand the park to what it is today. Gatorland is a conservation center and education tool, while at the same time it entertains and amazes visitors with views of alligators and reptiles in their natural everglade habitat.

The park recently added a water park to its 110 acres and recently raised admission to $23 for adults and $15 for children. This price also includes all day entrance into the water park. This still keeps it as one of the least expensive amusement parks/attractions in Orlando. At the end of 2006, Gatorland suffered a major setback when a fire broke out from a faulty heating devise. The gift shop was completely lost, as was the famous front entrance to the park, the enormous alligator's open mouth that visitors walk into to enter the park. Within 3 weeks, the park reopened and they are currently open while at the same time repairing and rebuilding. The new buildings are set for a completion date of June 2008.

Another different sight to see is next door to Orlando, in Kissimmee. It is called the Monument to the States. This is a 50-foot tower that plays tribute to every state in the union. Each stone that the tower has been built from was cut and brought from each state and represents characteristics and fossils from that area. Viewing the monument is free, as it is publicly displayed in Historic Downtown Kissimmee. The monument is made up of over 1500 stones and was put together in 1943. Since then 22 countries from around the world have also contributed stones.

Orlando is the home to one of the largest museum for oddities; Ripley's Believe It or Not! This museum is full of items from Robert Ripley's trips around the globe searching for the world's wonders and oddities. The building itself is odd. The massive museum looks as though one end of it is slowly sinking into the earth. The museum is set up as a self-guided tour that allows you to study the unusual items at your leisure.

Two other more unusual attractions in Orlando have religious themes. The Jesus Film Project is a 2-hour movie of the life of Christ that has been seen by over 5 billion viewers since it debuted in 1979. The other attraction is the Holy Land Experience. This attraction allows the visitor to walk through an ancient Jerusalem as authentically costumed actors portray people from the Bible re-enacting various Bible stories.

Consider another attraction that is a re-creation of another event. Titanic: The Experience allows you to become one of the guests on that fateful trip as crew members act as guides showing you many of the areas of the ship and explaining what happened.

WonderWorks is another odd sight to see. The building itself looks as though it fell from the sky and landed upside down. An exhibit includes a mock up of the space shuttle and allows you to try your hand at attempting to land the space/aircraft. In the same way, you can enter flight simulators of other aircraft to see how you would fare "up in the wild blue yonder". In one exhibit you can get inside an actual astronaut's space suit and in another, you can step in front of blue screens and see yourself as famous sports figures scoring the winning basket, touchdown or goal. They also have an earthquake simulator and a room that allows you to create bubbles of all sizes. It even has a simulator that lets you create and then ride on your own roller coaster.

As you can see, a trip to Orlando does not have to revolve around the major three parks of Disney, Universal and Sea World. If you are looking to experience something a bit more out of the ordinary, consider any of these choices.

While Las Vegas is known for many of its shows and not all of them family friendly, it's great to know that there are still a few shows going on that offer a little something for nearly every member of the family. Even some of us grown up viewers aren't as interested in the shock value of many Vegas shows and prefer much tamer forms of entertainment when enjoying our downtime from work and responsibility.

If you never outgrew a love of magic or if you have children of your own that you are hoping to introduce to the wonderment that illusion can bring then Lance Burton, Master Magician has just the show for you to see. He performs at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas Tuesday through Saturday. After you've seen the show, be sure to enjoy the magic of the Monte Carlo.

If you loved the Rat Pack, there is no show in Vegas you'd rather see than the Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey, and Dean, which shows at the Greek Isles Casino on Saturdays through Thursdays. This is the way to see the Rat Pack back in action and remember the great music and entertainment of days gone by. While this is a family friendly show, children must be over the age of five in order to attend.

If you are a product of the 70's and remember ABBA and other musical experiences long gone by you'll have a true appreciation for the magic of this love story that is built around the music of ABBA, which is playing at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas. You can see the show Sunday through Thursday at 7:30 and on Saturdays at 6:00 and 10:00 PM. This is another show that requires children be at least five years of age in order to attend.

Legends in Concert at the Imperial Palace offers a great night of entertainment with impersonators to the stars of today and days long past. This is not a lip-synching show but actual singer and dancers impersonating the best. Sit back, watch, be amazed, and see if you can tell the difference. This show is friendly to children age 2 and over and is a show that is generally very well enjoyed by children of this age. You can watch at 7:30 and 10:00 PM Monday through Saturday.

Treasure Island is offering the wonderful show of Mystere by Cirque du Soleil. This show has delighted audiences around the world and is sure to please even the most difficult to impress in your group. Watch as colors explode right before your eyes. This act consists of 72 dancers, singers, and acrobats along with a somewhat misguided clown. Enjoy this show with the family for a wonderful night of entertainment. This show plays Friday-Tuesday with shows at 7:30 and 10:30.

Caesar's Palace presents Celine Dion to the delight of her fans everywhere. This show plays at 8:30 Tuesdays through Saturdays and is open to children and adults 5 years and older. This show is more than just an ordinary concert, it is a musical experience led by one of the best in the business. If you have the time, this is one show that absolutely should be on your itinerary.

It really doesn't matter what particular music tastes and preferences you have, there is probably a show somewhere in Vegas that will appeal to the music that you hold dear. If you have family with you on your Vegas excursion you owe it to the entire family to find a show that you can all enjoy together. If you have youngster in your group there are shows that you can very much enjoy together, the problem is that these shows will most likely be without loud music as there is a fear of damaging the ears of little ones with loud noises often involved in the musical venues.