Snowshoeing. The idea of exploration in the way of long forgotten inhabitants of the winter landscape, the way of first Indian tribes and later the pioneers way, is quite exciting in it’s simplicity.

With over 6000 years of history we can say that snowshoeing is tried and true way to venture into the snow covered, beauty of the winter season. To be able to go onto the secluded trail and experience the breathtaking views and the peace they offer, is like discovering new passion hidden deep within your soul.

My very first experience with snowshoeing is remembered with a smile, sometimes a laugh. I discovered, and was amazed by snowshoeing back in Poland, while on the two week trip with scout group of first year, medical students. Being only 15, and the youngest one in the group, I looked up to all of those great scouts that agreed to take us kids, with them to explore and enjoy the winter in the Polish Carpathian Region. While on a day outing, we took a break, and happy to be free of huge backpacks, enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate by the fire. When the break was over, we were getting ready to get the backpacks up and on each other backs. (we are talking HUGE equipment here) Well, instead of putting my snowshoes on first, I stepped of the solid trail to reach for my load and… ended up stack in the snow up to my hip.

It took a while for our older companions to pick themselves up, after rolling in the snow and laughing hysterically, finally they pulled themselves together and pulled me out of the snow, helped me with the snowshoes and loaded the heavy backpack on my back, so we could be on our way… Needless to say, there was some more hysterical laughter, after we got back to the base, when everyone else heard about my little adventure on the trail…

Soon after that we came to frozen Canada and I stayed inside for more then a decade. How sorry I am now, that I did.

Only recently I discovered how beautiful Canadian winters truly are. Sure, I indulge myself with a week of hot sun, down south, somewhere in the middle of February, by most of my winter is spend on the slopes or trails of glories Ontario.

In a way, the residents of Ontario are quite lucky, having the luxury of a long winter, we can choose to use the cold season for our benefit. Some of us still spend that time indoors, hibernating, and being afraid of the cold, but they too, eventually discover that they could be playing outside in the snow.

Yes we go out and fight the freezing temperatures that are so normal here. We try new things and find the right activities just for us. Snowshoeing is one of those things that even the ones who stayed by the fireplace all those winter nights, will love if they only try it once. It truly is available to anyone who can put one foot in front of the other.

The way that the Snowshoes support us allows for stepping onto the snow and not fighting our way through it. The feeling of each step sinking just a little in the soft blanket of powdery flakes, is like nothing else you ever experienced.

Freedom to get off the track and go between the trees to find the animal feeder hidden in the forest , to discover spots not yet disturbed by others and to be the very first one in that most perfect little white area. Yes, you can do that with snowshoes.

The beauty of it will astound you. If you allow yourself to become one with nature, to listen to the sounds of the forest. How often do you have the freedom to do just that? In our rushed society, we owe it to ourselves to have some time in the slower pace of the Sunday afternoon.

The time to breathe deep, enjoy the winter sun and the crisp winter air. The rejuvenating benefits of a slow outing like that will be much greater then anticipated.

Cardio workout, so needed by most of us will only make it easier to go back and do it again. The huge amount of air forced into your lungs, will overwhelm you at first, it may even trigger a little headache for a moment, but with time it will be like you were reborn and your mind will become clear. You will discover and love the new filling of deep, slow, measured breaths. You will remember, that this is the only way we were intended to use our lungs, because our poor bodies need the life giving oxygen in quantities much greater than the ones we are used to.

So forget your fears of cold, dress warmly, allow your lungs to fill with air and have fun discovering our Ontario back country.

Polish born-Canadian, Joanna Gerber is a professional photographer, alpine skiing enthusiast and editor of

If you’re planning a vacation and are on a tight budget, there’re many ways to cut the cost of traveling whether it is airfare, rental cars or hotel rooms.

Saving money on airfare

If you plan your vacation a few months ahead, you can spend significantly less on airplane tickets. You could even plan your trip around a special offer. A round-trip tickets that generally costs a thousand dollars may sell for two hundred dollars on a few specific dates in a years. If you’ve been traveling a lot and have accumulated a lot of frequent flier miles with your favorite airline, you could get a few tickets at no cost.

Saving money on your next hotel room

Besides the saving on airfares, you can save a lot or stay for free if you have traveled in the past and collected enough frequent flier miles. Many hotels and motels offer savings for holders of frequent flier miles. Check to see which programs are good for hotel savings. Not all airlines miles can be used at hotels and motels. If you are willing to be flexible, you will have more options for savings in hotel rooms. Hotel rooms generally fluctuate by season and whether your stay falls on a weekday or weekend. You can usually save the most on the weekdays in the off season. However some hotels and motels that cater towards a business clientele are usually under booked on the weekends. The Internet is another useful tool to shop around – for instance, search for forget calling hotels. You could get a better rate if you place the order online as many hotels and motels are starting encouraging people to use the Internet to book the rooms. You save the money and they save the time of booking rooms over the phone.

Saving money on Your Travel Phone Bills

Phone cards and International Phone Cards are a great help when traveling in the United States or oversea. Prepaid phone cards are available everywhere. You’ll spot calling cards at checkout in almost every super-market, or grocery store. The cost per minute of using calling cards is much less than calling from a hotel, an airport or a conventional pay phone.

Natalie Aranda writes about travel, travel planning and travelexperience.info/International Travel-10/ inernational travel. Phone cards and International Phone Cards are a great help when traveling in the United States or oversea. The cost per minute of using calling cards or phonecardsrus.com phone cards is much less than calling from a hotel, an airport or a conventional pay phone.

Got up early in the morning after disposing the buzzing of alarm twice, unwillingly crawl out of bed to get ready for the work place. Driving down fast to reach on time to office but you know despite your best efforts you are often late. At work place, your chair ready to take you in its lap and your PC waiting for the key strokes to obey your commands. After performing the same daily routine work now its time to go back home. You are tired enough now to explore something new. Either you choose to surf TV channels or give a cursory look to the headlines in the Newspaper. This is true for most of the professionals irrespective of the industry they are in.

Take a break! A short outing will take you away from the monotony. Come out of your bored room and plan a holiday trip. You will feel the difference inside and see the productivity level, which had become stagnant, got a fresh boost.

Plan a trip with your family it gives you an opportunity to come closer to them and to explore different facets of their life. Discuss with them a few venues and choose one that majority demands. I would suggest you to visit Orlando. It is one of the most perfect places for a family to be in. It offers so many things for all ages.

You can use your Christmas vacation for the purpose. There are always special offers for Christmas. Many travel agent, resorts, inns, etc. come up with attractive and customer friendly offers. They design it in such a way that customer can have complete enjoyment without pinching their pockets. These travel packages are being offered as a part of promotional activities and so may be priced record low. Don’t simply ignore them thinking it as a marketing gimmick. They may be for real. Just you need to understand the terms properly before purchasing the package. Good travel packages have no hidden cost in it and you get what you see.

Travel agents may form some eligibility criteria for you like: you must have you own house, should be more than 25 years of age and so on. This terms and conditions are laid for security and for future offers. Read terms and conditions, if any, carefully.

Enjoy to its fullest the trip you have planned. Use the time also to plan for your future ventures. But keep your mind free of worries. Keep every thing aside that could mar your trip. You are on a holiday trip for the purpose of rejuvenation so as to come back with a fresh plethora of energy.

Jenny Cooper is a contributor to worldleisureclub.com WorldLeisureClub, a travel and tour agency of international reckoning with a voluminous experience in the domain.

I’m sure you all know about Disney World’s amazing theme parks, but are you familiar with the myriad of fascinating activities for children offered throughout Walt Disney World that are either complimentary or offered for a reasonable fee to Disney resort guests? Here are some of the best:

• Snag a Bass On a Kid’s Fishing Excursion. 1-hour angling trips just for children are available from the resort marinas of Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian, Yacht and Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn and Villas. For miles of shore fishing head over to Disney’s Ft. Wilderness where cane poles and rods and reels may be rented at the Bike Barn in the Meadow Recreation Area. Fishing excursions are approximately $25 per child. Call 407-WDW-PLAY for reservations.

• Enjoy the Old West. Hayrides depart each evening from Pioneer Hall at Fort Wilderness for a 45-minute trip. Very tame, cowboy-guided trail rides are also offered, or younger children can opt for a $2 pony ride at the Fort Wilderness Petting Farm. Hayrides are $8 per adult and $4 per child; no reservations taken. Trail rides are $30 per person; reservations are required and may be made up to two weeks in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY.

• Sing-Along in Front of the Campfire. Families gather round the campfire each evening at Ft. Wilderness for a sing-along, marshmallow roast, and a Disney animated movie. Complimentary to all Walt Disney World resort guests.

• Watch the Electrical Water Pageant Parade. Nightly on the Seven Seas Lagoon is a delightful 1000-foot string of illuminated barges featuring King Neptune and his court of whales, sea serpents, and other deep-sea creatures. The free show can be seen from the beaches of Disney’s Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, and Wilderness Lodge Resorts.

• Ride Up Front with the Monorail Driver. Simply ask the Cast Member on duty. They will be happy to oblige as long as the front car is empty.

• Take a Spin on a Watermouse Boat. Rent one of these two-seater mini-power boats and zip around one of Disney’s lakes at 22 miles per hour. Kids love them, but they’ll need to bring someone along in the boat with a valid driver’s license. Available at the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, the Yacht and Beach Club, Downtown Disney, and the Wilderness Lodge. Approximately $22 per half-hour.

• Dive into One of Disney’s Fabulous Themed Pools. You can’t do much better than a dip in one of Disney’s wonderful swimming pools. Children’s favorites: the Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Resort featuring a smoking volcano slide, underwater music, and sparkling waterfall, all with a superb view of the Seven Seas Lagoon; the Wilderness Lodge’s boulder-lined pool featuring waterfalls, rocky overlooks, water slide, and a nearby geyser; the eye-popping Stormalong Bay, a mini-water park complex that meanders between the Yacht and Beach Club, offering three acres of winding, watery delight including sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” waterslide, a tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to the beach, and enough length to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s delight.

• Search for Buried Treasure on a Pirate’s Cruise. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, children ages 3-10 sail from the dock of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort on a 2-hour supervised trip to a deserted island. $28 fee includes snacks, bandanas, and treasure. Call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations.

• Attend a Children’s Tea Party. A “Wonderland Tea Party” happens Mon-Fri at 1:30 P.M. in 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Hosted by characters from Alice in Wonderland, the little ones play games, listen to stories, and drink apple “tea”. $28. Strictly for children ages 3-10. Call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations.

• Take in a Character Meal. These extremely popular dining opportunities, offered at both the Disney theme parks and resort hotels, are a perfect way for your children to spend extra time with favorite Disney characters. Meals are offered in three ways depending on the restaurant: buffet-style, family-style, or pre-plated meals; regardless, it’s essentially all-you-can-eat. Characters work the room, stopping at each table to interact with guests, pose for photos, and sign autographs. Book priority seating early, particularly for Cinderella’s Royal Table, Epcot’s Princess Breakfast in Norway, and Chef Mickey’s by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer available at 800-247-6553, or luxurydisneyguide.com www.luxurydisneyguide.com