Travel Right Now

Whether you are a surfer or not you can’t fail to have noticed that surfer fashion appears to have become the standard in modern beach wear. The hight street clothing stores are full of flip flops, sandals, board shorts and hoodies, all developed from beach bum fashions.

Board shorts have become all the rage since they first hit the west coast of America in the 60’s. Earlier beach wear, for both men an women, had not been particularly stylish or practical with little to choose from in speedos and all in one swimming costumes that came to your thighs. Board shorts took the world by storm for many reasons, firstly because they were practical beach wear and secondly because they were really funky and cool looking even to the point where even if you weren’t going to the beach you would wear them around town.

Designed and developed by two surfers they made a style of shorts that was perfect for surfing and the beach. They designed board shorts to be practical, hard wearing and stylish, everything that currently available shorts weren’t. For example, they made them light and fast drying because they hated being wet time after time coming out of the water and feeling wet and soggy. They designed them to be easy to move around in so the shorts didn’t rub you when you were in the water or on your board. Ultimately they came up with the perfect pair of shorts.

Not surprisingly board shorts soon caught on. Board shorts were soon becoming popular with everyone from film stars to fat, lazy couch potatos who had never seen a surf board in their lives. And this doesn’t stop at men either, Quicksilver picked up on the massive market of the female surfer and developed their own brand of board shorts designed especially for women, you may have heard of it, Roxy. Another immensely popular brand is Animal Clothing with some outstanding board short prints.

Beach and surf wear is now a multi-million pound industry and board shorts are sold all over the world for boys, girls men and women. It’s interesting to think that very few of the people who wear board shorts will ever actually stand on a surfboard.

Just a short ferry ride from Long Beach or Newport Beach in southern California, Santa Catalina Island is the only island in the Channel Islands archipelago that is developed for tourism. If you have lived in California for any time, you have likely heard about it, but probably don’t realize just how accessible it really is. Visitors to southern California should consider planning a day trip or weekend stop-over to Catalina Island.

Catalina Island has a distinctly different feel and vibe than the rest of California, often compared to small coastal villages areas in the Mediterranean. Residents of the island are concentrated in the coastal towns of Two Harbors and Avalon, and are friendly and enjoy the calm pace of island living. Gas, food, building materials and pretty much everything else must be brought in by boat or supply barge making the prices for residents and tourists more expensive than the mainland. Limited vehicle permits are issued so residents use modified gof-carts to get around, which adds to the charm, and provides a dramatic change from the congested mainland highways.

Once there, visitors will discover a rich cultural history and a multitude of activities to suit all tastes. The island is not well known for some of its most interesting claims, including being home to the first golf course in California, the birthplace of modern sport fishing, home to the famous Wrigley Estate, and for its famous Bison herds, which now roam the beaches after being imported and left behind by a film production back in the 1950’s.

Catalina island’s land and inshore waters is protected by the Catalina Island Conservancy, are comitted to preserving the original animal and plant life, as well as protecting the bison herds. Catalina’s rich waters attract a bio-diverse abundance of marine life, making it a prime destination for biologists, eco-tourists, and scuba divers.

Planning your Catalina Island Vacation is surprisingly easy. Getting to Catalina Island is possible by ferry, helicopter, or private charter boat. Most visitors enjoy the Catalina ferry, which is convenient, flexible and inexpensive. There are two main Catalina ferry companies that offer year-round service, with increased trips during the busy summer months.

Most island visitors take the Catalina Express, a high speed catamaran which departs from Long Beach and completes the trip in about an hour. Departing from Newport Beach, the Catalina Flyer is another triple decker high-speed catamaran the also offers service to Catalina Island. Regardless of which Catalina ferry is most convenient for you, you are almost guaranteed to enjoy stunning views of the coastline, and you are likely to be accompanied by pods of dolphins and migrating whales!

What first pops into you head when you think about Canada? Do you think it to be a peaceful place? how about some of the friendliest people around? You could be under the impression that beautiful sites can be found there? Well you’re right…about the lot. Canada has everything you could want from a country and this being reflected by the hordes of British tourist deciding to buy a little bit of it.

The overseas property agency, Property Abroad have made the results of a survey they conducted public, and they showed that people from the UK are look for property and land in Canada more than ever before. Erin Walker, the firm’s director said “we have currently be doing a lot of research into the area and it seems Canada is popular choice for the UK market”.  You can pick up a plot of land at Rouge River Resort for £22,500 and this is set in an acre of prime Laurentian Mountain ground.  Add to this the fact that building materials and labour are very reasonable at the moment, many people can pick up a bargain that they can enjoy for years to come. All this means that it has never been easier enjoy Canada holidays every year.

Canada can also boast some of the most incredible natural leisure resources in the world.The river at the Rouge resort for instance is home to some top class brook, brown and sea trout fishing. Water sports take place at many of the vast lakes in Canada and double up as skidoo runs and ice-fishing facilities in the coldest months.Hundreds of miles of bicycle tracks can be found snaking around the edges of the rivers and these transform into amazing skidoo tracks when there is snow about. Thats something you would normally assocated with Alaska holidays

Canada then, really is a one in a million place. You can’t visit and not want to go back so why not do what thousands of others are doing and make it a home.

For ladies golfing only started many years, if not decades, after then men’s game had begun. It has been a difficult progressive growth to enter the arena of a man’s domain, but never the less there is the ladies european tourthat caters for woman alone. Usually golfing is not known for playing man and woman together, so  ladies can compete in european tour and have their own rankings too.

For any woman it should be a great encouragement and feather in their cap to know that they have entered the men’s domain, but now days there are so many women in the listings for the ladies european golf touralone. Golf has now became a ladies game too though it is known as a gentleman’s game. And the ladies carry so much elegance with them too when they do tee off too. Yes there are the mad hatters out there that have been released from their cages too, into the golfing arena, but none the less they are champions listed on the ladies European tour that can be viewed on any of the websites for the ladies European tour.

Ladies European Tour: It Had To Start Off Somewhere

These ladies, just as the men had to start off somewhere, and when they realised that they could play just as good, the challenge began for ladies golf clubs too. The ladies European tour is just one of the many tours that they attend, which is just the female version of the men’s one, but they have just as many competitions as the men do. The ladies finally got their own spot in the sunshine, which may not be great as we can imagine that they would like to challenge the men too on the odd occasion, but that is only left for special events which is not as often as players would like.

Golfing For Ladies Still On The Increase

The ladies european tour games are not as many as the men have, but they are increasing by the year, not only for the feel of equality, but for the concept that they should have all the same games that the men do. Since the list of men for professional golf way out numbers the list of woman, this too needs to increase before the games can fully be matched. Luckily for the game of woman’s golfing, more and more woman are taking a liking to the relaxed game of golf with their friends or spouses whenever possible, so the chances of the ladies professional golfers of increasing is much more likely.

The only island in the Channel Islands archipelago that allows some development, Santa Catalina Island is truly a gem. Just 22 miles long and 8 miles wide, rugged and beautiful Catalina Island is home to some of the richest marine diversity in the world. Catalina Island is the only Channel Island that is developed, but most of the island is still protected, and most the inhabitants are concentrated in the town of Avalon.

Just off the coast of Southern California, about 22 miles south of Los Angeles, Catalina Island is a great getaway destination for honeymoons, weddings, corporate events, and day trips. There are a multitude of ways to enjoy Catalina including diving, hiking, sailing, sport fishing, camping, golf and more. Each of these activities is deeply connected to the islands rich history.

Most of the islands residents are centered in the town of Avalon, with 300 or so more in the small port town of Two Harbors. Islanders typically work in the tourism industry in some way, some are artisans, baoting enthusiasts, or retirees. All supplies must be imported from the mainland, making fuel, food and just about everything else expensive and prone to shortages. Strict regulations on the number of vehicles allowed on the island has prompted residents to opt for modified golf carts as the primary mode of transportation. These things add to the island’s charm and easy pace of life.

Most of the island is managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy, which endeavors to restore the islands original flora and fauna. Interestingly, the Conservancy is also responsible for managing the wild buffalo, which were brought in and left behind by a film production over 50 years ago.

Golf carts and bicycles are the best ways to explore the narrow streets and meet locals. for those interested in the islands rich history, or seeking adventure, there are guided tours for just about everything on the island.

Lodging is available for all budgets, including budets accomodations, spa resorts, vacation rentals and small intimate inns. Whether you plan to stay a day or a few days, there are plenty of activities, places to eat, boutiques, and endless walks along the beach to keep visitors occupied. Santa Catalina Island is truly another world away from the rest of California, and a perfect, accessible getaway that is easy to plan and will satisfy your vacation wanderlust.

Before you plan your next weekend getaway, take a second to find out about some exciting Catalina Island Vacation Packages you can combine with your favourite activity like golf, scuba diving, sea kayak tours and more. Get information on the Catalina Express ferry departures and schedules, or follow this link to find out more about the island and what a Catalina Island vacation is all about.