Not getting the proper exercise before you travel can spell certain doom. Quality travel exercise tips are helpful to keep yourself fit and in shape on the road.

Especially, like most of us budget-conscious travelers, we carry everything around on our backs. Carrying around a backpack every single day can cause stress and undue pain, especially if you’ve never worn a pack before. It can feel like the guy in the cartoon. Who wants to be in pain and grunting while looking up at the leaning tower of Pisa?

Preparation and daily stretching can help and if you’ve been sitting on the couch and eating potato chips for a year before your trip, read on.

Travel Exercise Tips for You!

1. Start walking!

At the very least, three months before your trip, go out for a stroll once a day. Walk farther every day and make it count. It’s a good thing that you’re out of breath by the time you get back to the house. That means things are happening.

Mix it up. Don’t take the same route every day. Otherwise, you’ll get bored and give up very quickly. This ain’t the gym. The world has something new to look at around every corner. Find local trails in your area. If there aren’t any, make one! I’ve been walking every day for a couple of months now, and I feel so much better. I can walk farther and I have more endurance. I’ve also been road-testing my backpack. It really helps to get a feel for it before my trip next month! Be sure to stretch at the very least your ankles. They carry all your weight and they will feel better. I have to anyway because I suffer from Plantar Fasciitis. If I don’t stretch, it feels like I’m walking on needles at times. A lot of that has to do with the fact that I’m 6’6″ tall and weigh 300lbs. But I digress, let me show you the simple way to stretch your ankles:

2. Stretch!

1. Start by standing arm’s length away from a wall, or the back of a tall-backed chair. With your left or right foot take a step back, while keeping the other firmly rooted. Keep both feet firmly flat on the floor and then lean forward until your forward front leg is perfectly vertical. This stretches the hind Achilles tendon and some of your ankle. Do this slowly so as to not cause more harm than good. As you do this, take a short breath in through your nose and exhale for as long as you can. This helps get rid of the toxins in those muscles. Repeat for the other leg. Good strengthening routine.
2. Something I love to do every day is lifted my feet. This should be easier for women as they wear high heels sometimes. Some men wear them too, but I don’t know them. Stand as straight as you can (barefoot preferably), and lift yourself up, with just your feet, standing on your tippy toes. This can be difficult the first few times around.  Lift up, hold for a few seconds, then EASE your way down. I can do this for about 45 minutes straight nowadays. Great for balance.
3. Squats. This can also be an exercise at the same time. Basically, you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then squat down. For some people, this comes easy, but for a tall guy like me, it’s a challenge. This can help improve the flexibility in your legs and balance.

3. Prepare!

This is a simple travel exercise tip that you can start even before you leave home.

Get your backpack out, fill it with everything you’re gonna take with you and start picking it up. Now set it down again. Now pick it up. Set it down. I’m starting to sound like Mr. Myagi but I can assure you this will condition your arms and shoulders to pick that backpack up and do it without wearing yourself out. Put it on. Take it off. Put it on. Etc. The other thing you can do is practice packing. You won’t just be packing once before your trip. You’ll be packing every single morning.

Wherever you are you’ll have to learn where things go and what fits where. It’s better to get this down before you leave, so you don’t spend an hour just getting ready in the morning when you could have already been on the road forty-five minutes ago. Live out of your backpack a couple of weeks before you go. That’s right, those nice amenities at home won’t be there where you’re going. Might as well get used to it, right? This blog isn’t about living in a hotel every day, but carrying your life on your back and enjoying life out there in the real world, and having fun doing it and saving money.

4. Clear your mind!

There’s nothing worse than starting the day off in a funk. If you think you’re gonna have a bad day, stop and take the toll of what’s going on. Sit down and clear your mind. Now think about the possible bad day others in the world are having. Think about how good you have it. Your traveling. You don’t have to go to the office today.

Instead, you can go explore the ruins in Greece today. Smile. No, you don’t have your big screen television with you, but you have an even bigger view and it’s right outside your hostel or your Couchsurfing host’s house. You have fresh air. You’ll try something from a street vendor that looks questionable but will taste delicious. Stop moping and get out there and have fun!

Hope everyone enjoys this and doesn’t take life too seriously. Life is too short, explore and have fun!

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor nor do I claim to be. The stretching routines above are my own and you can use them at your own risk. I’m not liable if you die, but regardless, I hope you enjoy these little travel exercise tips

Take the upcoming 2012 London Olympics. If they are anything like the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, people will be doing just that – renting out their abodes to out-of-towners with more money than brains. What a great way to make a few hundred dollars while you go stay with your family for two weeks and split the money (unless you’re a cheap bastard). I mean, the only thing more comfortable than your own home is someone else’s.

But it’s not for everyone.

If you had your first choice, would you choose a simple hotel/hostel room or an unoccupied but not empty flat? Long-stay travellers would be wise to get something rentable by the week/month rather than by the day and sometimes an option can be to shack up in someone’s apartment.

A friend of mine on his recent trip to London opted to do just that and it just so happened to be owned by some actors who spend a good deal of their time in Los Angeles. I mean, they’re not major celebrities. And when my friend told me their names, IMDB didn’t pull their names up without a little refining… but ooo! Still kind of exciting!

Hotels and hostels are great options, in my opinion, for a few nights – especially if you are travelling alone. It gives you your own space, it gives you a refuge from whatever is going on outside and they’re usually simple enough that they motivate you to spend as little time there as possible in favour of adventuring. This kind of private accommodation loses its charm on long stays because of not only the cost but because they’re not the most stimulating of residences. An apartment on the other hand may offer you that.

The mooch in me sees staying in someone else’s place as a wicked way to somehow stick it to the man… even though I may not know who the man is, and the man may in fact be a woman. Nevertheless, each option offers its own list of positives. So whether you’re in the market for a Tuscan villa, an NYC loft or London-serviced apartments, know that they may provide an interesting alternative to a hotel or hostel dwelling. After all, who doesn’t love to snoop?

When shopping around for travel insurance keep in mind that they are some mistakes that many make. Being aware of these can keep one from making them themselves.
Be wary of purchasing travel insurance from businesses that are not in the insurance industry. Many other entities will offer travel insurance such as your bank, credit card, travel agencies, and more. These people are acting as middlemen who also want to take a cut of the money paid for the policy. They are simply reselling you the travel insurance coverage. Therefore, these kinds of insurance policies will end up costing you must more in the long run. When you need travel insurance, go straight to the source.

Many travel agents will attempt to sell you travel insurance as part of your holiday package. Many consumers believe this is probably a good deal but it’s really not. Actually, when travel insurance is combined with the package, you can often pay more than 90% of what cheap travel insurance policies cost. Shopping around at primary providers is the best way to get a good deal.

Also, be cautious about the terms of travel insurance. Some policies will charge multiple excesses. While paying an excess is standard when making a claim. Some insurance companies will try to charge you multiple excesses for each item claimed from the same event. Reading the fine print of any travel insurance policy can help this be avoided.

Planning ahead is a great way to set your budget and try to organize activities within your price range.  Figure out how much money is a comfortable amount to spend each night and plan in a bit of expense padding for when you hit those forgotten costs like tips, tax, and even the small souvenir here and there.  If you do have kids maybe even use this as a way to help teach them about budgeting.

Give them an amount of money that they can spend on souvenirs, and let them figure out how they would like to budget it.  Help them process through the idea that if they get something small at each location, the money will last longer, or if they want something big like a t-shirt or a wall hanging, they will have to make that choice as well.

Also, you can save some money by cutting out any extra costs.  Sure, you can assume that with a small family, a rental car is a necessity, especially since you normally can get pretty decent rates if you book ahead.  Just be aware that there are extra fees associated with renting a car in Costa Rica.  Even if your credit card company covers the car, you will still need to purchase a different coverage that is required by law in Costa Rica.

This can, at times, double the cost of the rental by the time all is said and done.  Depending on where you are travelling to in Costa Rica, see if you really even need a rental car.  You can book shuttles to most places, which are much cheaper then a taxicab, and once you get to a location, most of the activities in the area are within walking distance.  Lots of tours also provide transportation to and from as well, for no additional fee.  Depending on how much of the country you are planning to explore, choosing to avoid the extra rental cost could be the way to go.

A vacation rental is also a great way to save some cash.  Just think of all those times you went out to breakfast, just because you had to feed everyone before that day’s activities, even though all that the kids really wanted was maybe some fruit and cereal.  Those small meals add up, and oddly enough the simple grilled cheese for lunch usually will suffice.  Plan to enjoy at least one meal per day at home and you can save loads of money.  By staying at Costa Rica Rental Properties you can even stock the place with delicious local ice cream and treats so that after dinner everyone can have some dessert without adding to the dinner bill.  While it may not seem like much, the $40 plus food bill at each restaurant can pack a heavy toll by the end of the week.

Another way to try and get some extra deals while planning your vacation is to seek out off-season specials.  If your trip allows it, try and go during the “off season.”  Many tours and accommodations offer better deals during the slower tourist seasons to try and encourage visitors.  You can always chat up the locals as well and see where they would recommend for a good deal. No matter what details you can’t live without during your trip, or which locations you just have to visit, where there is a will there is a way, and with a little bit of extra planning you can organize the adventure vacation of a life time.

Japan is more widely recognized as being a popular spot for those who like their games and their gadgets, but in recent years the leisure industry has branched out into more recognized forms of gaming, such as casino favorites like Poker and Roulette. It is still very much a traditional country, and their customary games such as Pachinko are as yet unlikely to be beaten in popularity by the newcomers, but the market and the players are there. It’s just a matter of time until Japan becomes as popular for its casinos as they are for its cuisine.

For those of you who enjoy online casino games using sites like this, you are no doubt aware of just how exciting it can be to find yourself raking in a huge jackpot after a few hours of playing the tables. No matter what your game, there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing your hard work and determination pay off with a big win. There aren’t many players who would disagree that for sheer pleasure and convenience, playing online casino games at home is the way to go, but those that would have found that it might be worth traveling slightly further than you might think.

The high altitude of Takayama and the terrain often separate this area from the tourists visiting Asia. If they do not take the chance to go and see what this city has to offer they are missing a great opportunity. It is located in the mountains of the Hida region. Because of the distance and relatively few residents, about 90,000, this city manages to maintain a charm that other bigger and more modern cities in Japan have. Visitors to the region can enjoy the rural charm at one of the many different places that are open to them.

1. Old Town – This area is preserved in such a way that many visitors think they have stepped back in time. The streets and buildings date back over 500 years and have been home to many wealthy merchants. Tourists can view the homes, visit a coffee shop or browse through one of the shops that line the old street. There are some homes that are open to the public. The normal hours of business for many of the shops are from 9:00 am to 5:00 PM. One of the great ways to see this historic part of the city is on a rickshaw. There are many that can be rented for this purpose.

2. Higashuyama Walk – A stroll on this path takes visitors through many of the sites of Takayama. Tourists will get to see the temples, shrines, and the ruins of a castle that are along this walk. The path leads through the rural countryside and is not meant to be hurried through.

3. Morning Markets – There are two main markets that tourists can see. They open at around 6:30. The two markets are the Jinya-mae and the Miyagawa market and the vendors of these markets offer local crafts, food, and many other things for travelers to browse through and buy. It is a great way to get souvenirs of the area. Craftsmen of Takinaya are renowned for their carpentry and this is often on display at the markets.

4. Yatai Kaikan – This hall is located next to the Sakayurayama Haikichan Shrine and is the location for some floats that are used in the festivals that are so well known in Takayama. Eleven floats are on display in this hall. Some are several hundred years old and are another example of the skill of tradesmen that come from this region.

5. Matsuri no Mori – This museum is dedicated to the Takayama Festival. The main hall of this museum is designed to resemble a cave and is filled with miniature festival floats. As visitors explore the museum they will find life-size floats for the festival along with the decorations and marionettes that accompany the floats. The museum uses mechanical marionettes for display purposes so visitors can see the puppets in action. Another favorite display of the visitors is the Taike drums which are said to be the largest drums in the world. Smart travelers can find a coupon that gets them discounted admission.