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Tuscany, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, with its architectural and artistic heritage, boasts dozens of museums, most of them in Florence, medieval towns, and world-famous vineyards.

Nowhere else in Italy are the culture, the climate, the people, the cuisine and the wine, all so very Italian. But before all, settling in a holiday home for a week or twin into the rolling hills of rural Tuscan life may change how you travel for some time to come.

So, where to start:

Decide where you want t

Going abroad to another country to do volunteer work is a humble undertaking for the individual. Your volunteer work in another country needs to be legal in order to avoid any complications that may lead to your stay during your volunteer experience getting cut short by the government.  There are incidents of volunteers being caught without the proper paper work; being deported and even prosecuted to face jail time. These incidents are becoming more and more prominent. You therefore need to ensu

The past years have been tough. Health issues caused a severe mental blow. Personal problems with my business partner led to a stalemate that could have been fatal to the company that we had built in the previous 20 years. A Solomon’s judgment was needed to prevent the company from going bankrupt and approximately fifty employees from losing their jobs.

During the long Ascension weekend of 2007, I decided to sell my 50% share in the company. On July 7, 2007, I was unemployed for the first time in

When coming to Jamaica don't forget:

Chargers, Batteries & Re-Chargers

Jamaica uses the same volt & plug system as the USA, 110v, so you will need to bring a US plug convertor if you are travelling from outside the USA for any electrical equipment such as phone chargers etc. We keep battery re-chargers in the office for guests to recharge their batteries, sadly you can’t take them back to your rooms with you as we had too many stolen. Just in case we get overrun with all of our guests wanting to u

I love traveling in the developing world, but I don’t love dealing with insects – and I especially don’t want to bring them home with me. However, as more and more travelers vacation in exotic places, that’s exactly what’s happening. As suitcases move around the world, insects get a free ride. In the U. S., New York tops the list of cities with major bed bug infestations, followed by Cincinnati, Baltimore, Dallas, and San Francisco.

What’s a traveler to do? An easy precaution is to put your suitc

Your own holiday villa with a swimming pool or a private vacation apartment by the beach can be one of the most relaxing holidays that you will ever have. Summer is already here and for those still planning their beach holiday, here is a list of the top 5 countries for holiday rentals this summer, amongst SunnyRentals.com travelers.

1. Portugal

Portugal is one of the most popular destinations for self catering holiday, for many reasons, but the predominantly good choice of budget airlines flying t

After Sun Gel

Don’t forget your ‘After Sun’! Aloe Vera Gel works well in the tropics, it is non greasy and won’t block your pores allowing you skin the chance to breathe and cool down after a day out in the sun. We don’t have fresh Aloe Vera growing so bringing a gel will make up for this and you will find it is normally cheaper at home that in Jamaica.

Baby Wipes

These are great as a quick freshen up when having a day out at the beach or hiking in the Blue Mountains when the heat & humidity begin

I can tell you from experience that the good folks of Finland sure do like their olut (beer). And come summer its capital’s denizens delight in soaking up both sun and suds at outdoor cafés and on their cute little archipelago islands. So I daresay you shan’t be shocked that Helsinki’s home to the world’s only streetcar-pub. And it’s actually a streetcar named, uh, SpåraKOFF (Koff being a popular Finnish brand of suds).

Whatever. In any case, you won’t have a drop of trouble spotting it: Most ot

First, let me say that if I can get internet access anywhere outside of Nairobi on this trip I will be disappointed. My fantasy for this adventure is that my wife and I have to fight off lions, beware of snakes and wade through streams and rivers to get anywhere. I want baboons swinging at me from the trees and vultures circling overhead waiting to feast on my corpse.

OK, OK, it will not be that way. This is 2011, not 1811, or 1911. I am no Marlin Perkins although I am dressed like him for the t

How many of us reach adulthood only to discover that we still don't know what we want to be when we grow up? That's definitely me. I've changed jobs and moved more times than most people would care to count. I guess I've been a bit of a restless spirit as I've looked for the place and career that fit right.... I am happy to announce that I've finally found it! When I grow up I want to be an Innkeeper... (NOTE: just because I'm now and innkeeper, doesn't mean I'm ready to grow up... I think I'll

This will come as a surprise to most residents of San Diego – and even some of my fellow La Jollans – but the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is a hotel, as well as an exclusive private club.

In fact, their 98 rooms are very popular with guests who enjoy being in a cul de sac at the south end of La Jolla Shores Beach, where there is very little “through traffic.” All California beaches are public to the mean high tide line, but above that line this one is private, which means alcohol can be served.

Hear that? That dull roar, like the sound from inside a shell?  That might be the Orange County coastline calling you — 42 miles of beach and beach towns, give or take, from San Clemente to Seal Beach. Follow the advice here, and this coastline might lull you with surfers on swells, startle you with circus tricks (look for the guy by the Huntington Beach Pier with the hammer, nail and much-abused nose), charm you with old shacks on priceless real estate, seduce or offend you with shiny new build

It’s nearly summer and chances are you’re looking forward to enjoying a few days of vacation at the beach, a golf resort, or a hotel with a great swimming pool. Everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, folks are spending more time outside these days as the weather gets warmer.

In any case, skin cancer is the farthest thing from your mind and I hate to be a drag – but this is a blog about Staying Healthy On the Road – and just one melanoma could put a permanent end to your traveling days.

So what’s a