Holiday Bits

Don’t forget your waterproofs for that big outdoor adventure

An Advertising Feature

Big adventures require a little planning. Part of that planning should always include making sure the equipment you take suits the activities you have planned.

If your adventure involves trekking, hiking, camping or cycling one thing you’re going to need for sure is waterproof clothing, including waterproof jackets and waterproof trousers.

Staying dry is important and for many trips and adventures all you really need to ensure that are in your group’s backpacks are waterproof jackets. These don’t necessarily need to be top of the range clothing, just enough to keep you dry. Prices for waterproofs vary greatly, for example men’s waterproof jackets can cost as little as £20 or as much as £200.

The kind of waterproof gear you need really depends on what you’re planning to do and how regularly you intend to take part in outdoor adventures.

As well as your jackets and trousers you’ll be needing good walking shoes or hiking boots, and plenty of comfortable socks.

To make certain that you have everything you need for a great outdoor experience put together a checklist and tick things off before you leave.

If you’re planning on camping, here’s an example of the kind of things you’ll need to add to your list (please note this is not a conclusive list, it is just a guide):

Shelter

*Tent
*Ground cloth/tarp
*Extra stakes
*Shade tarp/poles/rope/stakes
*Axe or hammer
*Mat for tent entrance
*Dust pan/brush

Bedding

*Sleeping bag
*Sheets/blankets
*Pillow
*Air mattress/sleeping pad/cot/tarp
*Air pump
*Repair kit for air mattress
*Utility bags for storage

Cooking

*Large water jug & water bucket
*Coolers/ice
*Thermos
*Stove with fuel/propane
*Matches/lighter
*Charcoal/firewood/buddy burner
*Dutch oven/tin can stove/box oven/etc
*Campfire grill/BBQ grill
*Fire starters/newspaper
*Tablecloth/thumb tacks/clips
*Plates & bowls/paper plates & bowls
*Silverware/plastic silverware
*Measuring cups
*Heavy-duty aluminium foil
*Paper towels
*Trash bags
*Dish soap
*Clothes pins
*Cooking oil
*Containers for food
*Potholders/oven mitts
*Pots and frying pans with lids
*Soap for outside of pots and pans
*Cook utensils-spatula, knife, spoon
*Tongs
*Skewers/grill forks
*Can opener/bottle opener
*Folding table
*Dutch oven
*Pie irons
*Mugs/paper cups
*Mixing bowl
*Cutting board
*Ziplock bags
*Napkins
*Dish pan
*Dish rags/towels
*Scrub pad/brillo
*Seasonings/sugar/condiments
*Potato peeler

Clothes

*Shoes/boots
*Shorts
*T-shirts
*Socks/extra socks
*Hat
*Bandana
*Sweatshirt/jacket
*Underwear
*Sleep clothes
*Waterproof clothing
*Laundry bag

Personal

*Shower shoes/flip flops
*Towels/washcloth
*Soap in plastic case/shampoo
*Tooth brush/tooth paste
*Deodorant
*Comb/brush
*Razor
*Feminine products
*Toilet paper

Getting the best golf holiday for your money

Whether your budget is limited or elastic, it’s daft to spend more than necessary on any aspect of your holiday. The briefest research & a couple of phone-calls can knock £100s off a package holiday. There are less obvious ways to save money, too, from buying  lake balls to take with you (instead of forking out £5 a ball at the resort) to using home-exchange programmes to get free luxury accommodation.

Saving money on golf package holidays:

Never assume that a package will be the cheapest option. Although many use attractively luxurious accommodation with food included, they often tie you to one or two specific golf courses, which can be frustrating if you’re staying somewhere like Belek, in Turkey, which is crammed full of world class courses. What’s more, the package may only include two rounds – any more will cost extra.

Factor in resort surcharges & you’ll often find that it works out cheaper to book your own flights & hotel separately, then select your fairways at leisure. This also lets you book a hotel with more general all-inclusive activities, like water sports & yoga, if you’re holidaying with non-golfers.

That said, golf packages often offer fat discounts to groups of 9 or more. Package holiday operators book out entire flights, so grow more desperate to sell holidays as the departure date looms. If you’re flexible – more likely if you’ve no family to consider & your business can handle a last-minute absence – 60 minutes spent calling tour operators can easily get you a hefty discount. This is more effective than buying last-minute online; you can’t negotiate with a website, nor can a website change its mind about the price when you say “oh well, I’d better look elsewhere”.

Travel agents also have a certain flexibility when you book well in advance. Although the discount probably won’t be as much as going last-minute, they do like to get deposits in the bank & turnover ensured. Research online first, then speak to real people to get the discount.

Home exchange – luxury accommodation for free:

Although it sounds daunting at first, this is a booming area, with several agencies catering to golfers. You will of course need a home to offer in exchange. This can be your first home or your holiday property, but it must be tidy, comfortable & close to a decent golf course or two. You can arrange exchanges with a golfers & golfing families from across the globe. The range of homes on offer is very tempting indeed, with luxury or at least very comfortable places available everywhere from St Andrews to Chile, with Hamburg, Reykjavik, New South Wales, California & Cape Town in between.

If you hate the idea of other people staying in your house this might not be for you, but remember that you’ll be staying in theirs as well. You can always remove valuable items to a safe place. The rule is that swappers leave your home the way they found it, if not cleaner, & participants seem consistently satisfied with the experience. You may even establish a mutually beneficial relationship that will furnish you with a home-from-home for years to come.

New way to lock up your luggage safely

Often, the hardest part about travelling is discovering a way to secure your luggage that is convenient.  The most traditional way of ensuring that your luggage is not tampered with is with a small key and lock, the problem is finding a convenient way to store the key so that you can enter it once you reach your destination.

The makers of the Pacsafe Prosafe 750 Key-Card Lock have created the solution, a simple padlock that can be unlocked using the corner of a card that is smaller than a credit card making it easy to slip into your wallet after locking your luggage.

Once you arrive, simply insert one of the card’s punched corners into the lock slot at a 90 degree angle and your lock will snap open.  Even better, without any fancy number code to remember, it is a full proof way to make sure you keep thieves out without locking yourself out in the process.

The Chillow – A Unique Cooling Pillow

For many people, jetting away on a summer holiday is the highlight of the year. After the winter, two weeks of sun, sand and sangria can help relax and reinvigorate. Unfortunately, more often than not, the first few days are spent getting sunburnt, dealing with jetlag and acclimatising to the heat.

This year, don’t leave without the Chillow, a great holiday essential which will help you stay comfortable in the heat. Available from www.personalcooling.co.uk, the Chillow, also available as the travel size Mini-Chillow, is a unique cooling pad, which can help keep you cool at night, relieve the pain of sunburn and soothe a sore head, making it invaluable on holiday.

The Chillow is easy to activate. Simply fill the Chillow with 1.9 litres of ordinary tap water which is absorbed into the internal foam core. Once the Chillow is activated, it remains cool and is ready for use whenever you need it. The Chillow is allergy free, wipes clean and the soft surface makes the Chillow comfortable to sleep on.

The Chillow works by absorbing heat from your body and releasing it into the air around you. Designed to be cool, rather than cold, the Chillow is made with medical grade materials to provide safety and durability and as the Chillow doesn’t melt or sweat, it can be used on the plane, in the hotel, on the beach or anywhere else you choose.

Back home, the Chillow will prove essential because as well as soothing sunburn and sore heads, it can help many people sleep soundly while regulating body temperature leading to a more restful night’s sleep.

The Chillow is available from www.personalcooling.co.uk for £24.95 plus p+p and for added convenience while travelling, the Mini Chillow retails at £19.95, or £31.95 for a twin pack.