We plan your trip

By John Wellington

Even if you're an “armchair” traveler, travel sites are fun to explore. Competition is fierce, and travel site owners work hard to provide lots of in-depth information and links to keep you browsing their site! If planning a trip, you're smart to look for travel sites geared to your itinerary and travel style.

You'll find travel sites usually have a slant. For example, some cater to the independent traveler who wants an unstructured, footloose vacation. If you have two weeks, and want to visit Paris, Koln, Florence and Rome, but want to do your own research on sights to see and how long your stay at each destination will be, this type of travel site may be the best place to start. If you want to take a cruise, search out travel sites with a specialty in cruises. Their content will likely focus on cruise-related issues and be of value to you.

Escorted tour travel sites offer structured tours with a guide to fill you in on interesting or historic sections of your destination. These guides are well informed of their particular venue, and can give you an inside look you won't find elsewhere. Travel sites geared to escorted tours usually offer “night life” tours where you'll discover the local hot spots for entertainment which you might otherwise miss.

Luxury oriented travel sites focus on first-class everything. If you want to be in total comfort every step of the way and not have to deal with any arrangements, check out the luxury type travel sites.

Another popular type site is the Cooking class trip. If you'd like to learn the techniques of a foreign cuisine while vacationing, there's a travel website to accommodate you. These cooking travel sites arrange accommodations, usually luxurious, along with daily cooking classes, visits to the local marketplace, wine tastings and communal dining. Now that's a vacation and a half for the avid cook! The aspiring chef can book a trip and earn a Cordon Bleu certificate at the same time.

If you're an “armchair” traveler, the net is wide open. You can make a virtual visit to anywhere you'd like to go! Some travel sites have panoramic photography, allowing you to see what the river Seine looks like from the second tier of the Eiffel Tower at nightfall. You can find panoramic videos of Buenos Aires, the Australian Outback or Vatican City.

Almost all travel sites arrange car rentals, hotel accommodations, rail passes and the like. You'll pay for the service, but you'll relieve yourself of a lot of footwork. Travel sites know their business

And offer a lot of convenience in ironing out the best deals.

So if you're itching to take a trip, check out travel sites likely to suit your style. Subscribe to newsletters to keep up to

Date on best deals, tips and articles on your destination. And if your schedule or budget doesn't allow a trip right now, you

Can still take a vicarious vacation today!

TheTravellersMagazine.Com provides readers with the latest reviews, articles,commentaries and write-ups on all travel sites, cooking travel sites, vicarious vacation related subjects.

With the first major winter storm of the season poised to strike the Cornhusker state, the Nebraska State Patrol is urging motorists to exercise caution on area roadways. Motorists are urged to know the weather and travel conditions. Travelers can utilize the state’s automated road and weather condition information system by dialing 511 from any landline or cellular phone. The number is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. The system can also be accessed via the internet, through the Nebraska State Patrol web site at www.nsp.state.ne.us, click on “511 Traveler Information” in the Quick Links box. Travelers outside of Nebraska wanting to check weather and road conditions in our state can dial 1-800-960-9069.

Safe winter travel begins with a well serviced vehicle. The Nebraska State Patrol reminds motorists to make sure their vehicle is in good working order and is filled with fuel before starting out on any trip in inclement weather.

Icy roads make it difficult to steer and stop. The Nebraska State Patrol reminds motorists to drive at a reduced speed, giving yourself plenty of time and distance to react to those driving around you. Remember slick spots can form in places you least expect. Exercise caution on bridges and overpasses. Do not drive in slick, or wet snowy weather with your cruise control on. Keep your headlights on and make sure they are cleaned off so you can see and be seen.

Plan your trips carefully. Use well traveled routes and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Be sure to let others know where you are going, when you will arrive and what route you are taking. If you do become stranded while traveling, stay with your car. Wind-chill and freezing temperatures can be life threatening. If your vehicle does become stuck, keep a window cracked to prevent the build up of carbon monoxide.

The Nebraska State Patrol urges motorists to keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle. The following are basic items to keep in your car in case you become stranded in wintry weather.

• An emergency first aid kit
• Ice scraper- shovel-small bag of sand
• Three pound coffee can
• Matches and candles
• Blankets or sleeping bag
• High energy or dehydrated foods
• Jumper cables
• Flashlights
• Battery operated radio
• Extra batteries (cold weather reduces battery strength)
• Red flag or bandana (fasten to car to signal passerby you are in trouble)
• Run your vehicle sparingly and keep a window in your vehicle cracked to prevent the build up of carbon monoxide.

Always buckle-up, drive defensively and do not go faster than conditions allow. If you are in need of emergency roadside assistance, you can dial the Nebraska State Patrol Highway Helpline at *55 on your cellular phone or 1-800-525-5555 from any landline.

Hampshire Sport

SAINTS will travel to League Two strugglers Torquay in the third round of the FA Cup on January 6.

The Devonians, who have not met Saints in a competitive match since the 1950s, caused an upset when they won their second round replay 2-1 at League One strugglers Leyton Orient last night.

Two-goal Jordan Robertson was Torquay's hero on a night when Saints loane Kyle Critchell came on as a second half sub when the tie was still goalless.

The second-bottom Gulls are enduring a nightmare time in the league at present - they have not won for 12 games and banked only four points out of a possible 36 during that time.

By Caitlin Moore

Central Florida seems to be quite the activity hotspot. From Disney to Cape Canaveral and all the places in between there’s a lot to see and do. When looking for a good place to serve as a representative of it all, the beaches, the fun and the sunshine-y beauty, think about Daytona Beach. Take it up one more notch by choosing to stay in a vacation rental while you’re here, and your upcoming holiday could very well be the best ever.

This combination of choices has been tried and proven to be successful by many a savvy vacationer. Nothing is better than planning a trip only to have it go off without a hitch, as receiving accolades from your loved ones is the best feeling in the world. On this note, take a little time right now to make a few simple choices and you’ll be well on your way to being hip, hip hoorayed.

First of all, be secure with your pick; Daytona Beach has all the sand and surf activities a person could ever ask for, shopping, dining, nightlife, a strong commitment to motorsports, and beautiful weather. There’s also golf, parks, shows and museums, and probably a few other things that you’ll discover for yourself once you’re within the realm of this vacationer’s dream come true. The days won’t have enough hours to contain all that you and yours will have on your itineraries, so you’ll just have to do your best to squeeze it all in.

Second is the issue of accommodations. Not always given the weight they are due, lodgings can bring a vacation up or down before you realize what’s happening. Not that you’ll be spending hours and hours within the walls of your temporary abode, but it’s nice to smile as you turn your key and ready yourself to relax even further as opposed to dreading the end of the day when you’ll have to return to your less than stellar situation.

Daytona Beach Vacation Rentals are condos, pool homes and beach houses. They are one bedroom, three bedrooms and five bedrooms, and can be decorated with modern simplicity or playful tropical accents. Some have garden tubs, some have Jacuzzis out back, many have grills, washers and dryers, hammocks, and walk-in closets that will put your own to shame. The bottom line is, the properties up for grabs are endlessly different and sure-to-be-pleasing in all their infinite ways.

Furthermore, it’s easy to find a place that’s convenient to where you want to visit. Five minutes from the beach, ten minutes from the pier, an hour’s drive from the diversions in Orlando…whatever’s on your list of things to see and do will be within reach if you take some time to plunk yourself down in a vacation rental that’s not only comfortable, but wonderfully situated. This benefit will even allow you to address a sometimes hushed-up fact of life; the members of your family love each other, yes, but don’t always want to do the same things on vacation. Accept this and just go with it. Scatter in different directions, respectively visiting the speedway, the golf course, the shopping district or the museum, and then meet back up for a scrumptious meal and share a few stories. It’s okay, this is normal and far more enjoyable than the alternative.

Essentially, your vacation rental will be pleasing thanks to each sun-drenched room, each comfortable bed, each surprisingly useful tool in the kitchen, and the overall feeling of contentment that goes along with being happy with the place you lay your head each night. The world is viewed in a rosier light when all is well in the home, and the same goes for your home away from home.

If you want your next vacation to bloom, then give it a little care today. Go online to peruse the vast number of listings available, keeping your eyes open for good deals of course, and pick the one that you can imagine you and your family settling down in for a peaceful, long-overdue vacation. It’s out there waiting, as is the praise that’s waiting to be showered upon you.

Visit HomeAway.com to craft the perfect vacation for you and your family.

Ah, holiday travel. The packed airplanes, the crowded airports, the high ticket prices: there’s nothing quite like traveling in December to make you long for January. From waiting in a long security line, to having your luggage filled with the Christmas presents for your new in-laws delivered to Ohio as you land in Oklahoma, traveling over the holidays can be a real pain. Tis’ the season to go crazy.

However, holiday travel doesn’t have to be a nightmare. With a few tips and a little effort, things may go smoother than you thought possible. So, put your tray tables up and heed the following advice on traveling during December.

Be Nice to Airport Employees
As soon as you enter an airport, democratic values fly out the window; here, the airport employees have absolute power. It may be easy to get angry with them — you’re already running late and you don’t have time to wait — but keep in mind that they are doing the best they can: they want you up in the air and out of their hair as much as you do. Being nice and courteous to an airport employee or being rude and unfair could mean the difference between an upgrade or a cavity search.

Fly During Odd Hours
The holidays are the busiest time of the year for airports: everyone has somewhere to go. While there is no way around this fact, there is a way around the majority of the crowds: fly during non-peak hours. Flying very early or very late may seen a bit inconvenient, as you could arrive at your destination in the middle of the night, but it will save you so much hustle and bustle that it might just be worth it. The tickets will probably be cheaper too.

Bring a Book or Ten
One of the things that is most stressed at the airport during the holidays is patience: there will definitely be waiting involved. While some people pass this time by tapping their fingers on escalator railings, glancing at their watches, and growing increasingly agitated, one of the best ways to practice patience is with a new book. You’ll still have to wait, but with something to engage you, you just might not mind as much.

Give Security a Break
Security lines at the airport can be frustrating. From taking off your shoes to bagging your liquids, it may seem as though the security lines are walking a fine line between safety and privacy. However, keep in mind that airport security was put in place for one reason alone: to save people’s lives. Saving lives trumps inconvenience, as it well should. So, give the security people a break and help them out by not wearing objects that will trigger the alarm, removing your coats and jackets, turning on your laptops, and wearing shoes that can be easily removed and placed back on.

Bribe Your Children
The only thing worse than traveling over the holidays is traveling with children over the holidays. When it comes to kids, patience is not a virtue. Because of this, children become easily agitated, upset over having to wait in lines or being stuck in an airport with nothing to do. In order to keep your kids happy - and keep them from driving you crazy - keep them entertained. For younger kids, something as simple as a coloring book may suffice, while the older kids may need a handheld video game or an iPod to keep them appeased. When all else fails, remind your kids that Santa is particularly observant at the airport: it‘s in their best interest to behave.

Ship Your Presents
Many people have an aversion to shipping their holiday presents, afraid that the post office will send the wrong package to the wrong house. But, placing presents in luggage and checking your bags can also cause these gifts to travel to the wrong destination. If the present is small enough that you can carry it on, then do so. But, for presents that are too big to be carried, ship them beforehand. Not only will you not have to make room in your suitcase for a present - asking the contents of your bag to “suck in“ as you attempt to zip it shut - but you also won’t have to deal with the gifts at the airport: you’ll have enough to deal with as it is.

Holiday travel is enough to make anyone think that the sky’s the limit when it comes to their temper. But, with a little planning and a little patience holiday travel doesn‘t have to be that stressful. Just relax, think ahead and remember that Santa knows when your sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, and he knows when you’re flipping off the man behind the registration desk at Delta.

Written by Jordan