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How To Prepare For The Hiking Season

The fitter you are, the longer you’ll be able to hike and the easier your walking will be. The problem is that during the winter most people don’t exercise much, so that by the time hiking season rolls around again, they’re out of condition.

You could start the season by taking short hikes and slowly build up your stamina and endurance as the months unwind, but that’s really taking away from better hiking opportunities. Much better is to plan ahead and get yourself in shape before you head out to enjoy the countryside when the weather improves.
Building Stamina And Endurance

You need to focus on two things to prepare yourself for hiking season. Those are cardio exercises and strength exercises. It can take six weeks to get yourself back into the same shape you enjoyed at the close of last year’s hiking season.

If you belong to a gym, you should have no problem. Twice a week undertake weight training. This can either be on the machines or using the free weights. Make sure you pay as much attention to the muscles in your legs as to your arms, chest, and back. Don’t start at a heavy weight; work up slowly, beginning where you feel comfortable. You don’t need to become a bodybuilder, but the weight workouts, especially combined with cardio exercise, will help you shed the pounds you’ve gained over the winter.

For cardio exercise, a stationary cycle or a treadmill are ideal. You need to spend enough time on one to raise your heart rate, which is how you’ll receive the aerobic benefit. You should undertake cardio exercise three times a week, or even four. You don’t need to spend every day at the gym, though. You can also put in half an hour on your cardio days going out for a walk, if the weather allows. For the exercise to be effective, though, you’ll need to move at a quicker than normal pace to increase your heart rate.

Don’t forget diet, either. You might well have indulged over Christmas and into the New Year, but with spring on the distant horizon, it’s time to get back on track. If you want to lose some weight, cut back a little on the calories, and eat good carbohydrates, such as pasta and porridge, which release their energy slowly so you don’t end up snacking between meals. Approach your diet sensibly, without going to extremes, and combine it with exercise.

By the time spring arrives, you’ll be in good shape, ready for hiking. That doesn’t mean you should start out immediately taking on the Pennine Way. For your first couple of outings do just enough to stretch yourself, between four and eight miles over a mix of terrain. It will test you a little without overtaxing you. After that you should be in fine fettle to enjoy the rest of the long walking season and Family Travel
Equipment

You body might be in shape for hiking, but what about your gear? Before you head out, take the time to look at the equipment you use for hiking. Are those boots good for another year? Do you have spare laces? Are there holes in your hiking socks? What about your backpack – are the straps and fastenings firm?

If your boots are worn, or the leather cracked, replace them in ample time to break them in before you start hiking. If you decide to hold on to them, polish them and apply waterproofing, and renew the waterproofing on your rain jacket, too. Spring might be coming, but it will bring plenty of showers.

Before heading out for the first time, check you have your OS map or GPS, a bottle full of fresh water, and snacks to keep you going – and enjoy yourself.
Hiking Holidays

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Tags: Hiking
Posted in Destinations · April 6th, 2010 · Comments (0)

The Perfect Destination For Unwinding – Maldives

Maldives is well-known for its marine diversity and particularly for its whale-sharks, which average well over 20 feet in length. The country has some of the most amazing sites for diving in the world and the luxurious Resorts offer the perfect base. The most beautiful sites are less than an hour from almost all the Resorts. The boat journeys make the diving trips even more remarkable. Guests set out in dhonis (a traditional Maldivian form of boat), and an experience in itself.

A trip that you will always remember!
Paradise is made of this! Diva Maldives Resort is a tropical island resort, surrounded by a crystal-clear lagoon and miles and miles of ocean in shades of blue and turquoise. This is the place to retreat, far removed from the bustle of modern life, on a beautiful island, full of tropical greenery, surrounded by a fabulous lagoon, perfect for swimming and snorkeling and close to the Maldives’ finest dive sites.

Accommodations:
- Deluxe Rooms and Junior Suites: A sprawling tree here, a palm tree there, discreetly offering their soothing shade. The Junior Suites and Deluxe rooms offer a unique proximity with nature.
- Water Villas and Prestige Water Villas: Sunrise or sunset, the choice is yours. The 84 water villas built on stilts are spread along the East (Water Villas) and West coasts (Prestige Water Villas) of the island, all in total communion with the ocean and its magic, all in celebration of the water.
- Beach Villas: The Beach Villas are as attractive as the Beach Pool Villas, with larger gardens but without individual swimming pools.
- Beach Pool Villas: The west-facing Beach Pool Villas offers sensational views of the lagoon and sunsets. The rooms, with their luxurious en-suite bathrooms, are pure sophistication and the extensive use of local wood for the floors and fittings, as well as the Pierre Frey fabrics from Paris, provide added warmth.
- Presidential Villa: Diva’s Presidential Villa is the height of luxury in these exceptionally beautiful settings. Attention to detail is obvious as soon as one steps into the villa, a refinement which contributes to a distinctive elegance in this grandiose setting.

Cast away yet connected, Secluded yet welcoming:
W Retreat and Spa – Maldives is a private island and luxury playground, where style flirts with soul in a wonderland of sandy white beaches, crystal clear lagoons and spectacular reefs.

Where can you getaway: Pamper yourself with lavish Maldivian living. Relax at the innovative AWAY Spa. Go gourmet at our six eateries. Discover the world beneath the waves at DOWN UNDER. Who wants something out of the ordinary? Our ‘Whatever/Whenever’ team will deliver.

All-Villa Retreat Privacy: Bi-level beachfront and over-water retreats let indoor and outdoor combine; roofs with peek-a-boo views of the sky and glass-paneled floors that reveal lagoon fauna below. Privacy is vital – enjoy your own plunge pool, sundeck, and beach.

Guest Rooms:
- Beach Oasis: Where can you retreat in paradise? Step into your Beach Oasis, your bi-level beachfront hideaway is of complete privacy in tropical paradise.
- Ocean Oasis: Where can find over-water luxury? The indoor/outdoor one-bedroom Ocean Oasis is perched above the lagoon. Catch some rays on the sundeck. Steal a look at underwater fauna through the glass floor.
- Seascape Escape: Who’s ready to be wowed? Relax in the two-bedroom over-water Seascape Escape.
- Ocean Haven: Take tropical paradise to the farthest. The Ocean Haven is the ultimate over-water getaway and total chill-out arena. Peek under the thatched-roof, this rustic play-hut is full of luxury.

The Ideal Location for Enjoying the Natural Beauty:
This is a beautiful new resort in the Maldives which delivers 5 star deluxe services which can only be described as a tropical paradise. Dholhiyadhoo Resort and Spa is a 50 minute scenic flight, located on Shaviyani Atoll, North of Male. Dholhiyadhoo Maldives is the ideal location for relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty of this exotic island, with its white sandy beaches and turquoise blue waters.

Guests have a choice of 100 luxury villa and suites all with private plunge pools. With contemporary yet distinctly Maldivian design, each includes state of the art in room entertainment and personal wine cellar for those guests who fancy to relax indoors. Guests can select to stay in any of the several villas and suites offered:
- Beach Villa Suite with Pool
- Deluxe Beach Villa with Pool
- Super Deluxe Beach Villa with Pool
- Deluxe Aqua Villa
- Super Deluxe Aqua Villa with Pool
- Stand Alone Aqua Villa with Pool
- President Suite with Pool

Tags: Maldives Holidays, Maldives Resorts, Maldives Travel, Maldives Vacations, Travel Maldives
Posted in Destinations · April 2nd, 2010 · Comments (0)