10 The Canary Islands start off our top 10 Volcanic Islands. This group of Spanish islands in the Atlantic off the North West of Africa are formed of many volcanoes and are some of the very oldest islands on earth created purely by volcanic activity under the sea. Nowadays the Canary’s are among some of the most popular holiday islands in the world throughout the year and especially for winter sun getaways, with a constant flow of sun-loving holiday makers to its black powder beaches. Hot dry winters make it an ideal holiday destination, and we can be comforted by the fact that its volcanoes are currently inactive!

9 Fiji This beautiful Volcanic Island in the South Pacific radiates life and colour, with exotic wildlife and a rich marine life. One of the few benefits of being a volcanic destination, or in this case extinct volcano, means the soil is wonderfully fertile allowing for a flourishing ecosystem around it. Fiji is well known for it’s diving but for those of us that are not the biggest fans of being deep underwater with an oxygen tank strapped on our backs, there is so much to see in Fiji just by snorkeling. There is plenty of coral reef just off the beach in many areas for an array of colourful reef fish and soft coral. Flora thrives in Fiji’s many parks such as the Garden of the sleeping Giant in Nausori, or wildlife in Kula Eco park. The deep white coral sands make Fiji one of our top 10 Volcanic Island holiday destinations.

8 Iceland We all know this Volcano after the chaos it caused in 2010, but can we pronounce it? Eyjafjallajokull, which caused so much travel chaos is just one of Iceland’s many active volcanoes. However this densely volcanic island is still high up on the best holiday destinations. The incredible landscape caused by the volcanic properties has given Iceland some of the most exciting natural attractions such as geysers, steaming blue lagoons, bubbling mud pools, contrasted by dramatic glaciers overseen by ethereal ribbons of the northern lights. Being the largest of our Top 10 Islands it has the big city of Reykjavik as its capital and is a great starting point for discovering this fascinating Island.

7 Dominica This heavenly little island nuzzled between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean has several volcanoes mainly sleeping, with the small chance of an eruption in the next 100 years. Thanks to science we can be warned well in advance of an eruption so we can happily visit this lush green island and enjoy its many natural delights. Visit Dominica’s boiling lake, and natural hot baths and cool off in waterfalls. Get a glimpse of Dominica’s sea turtles in this great snorkeling destination.

6 Reunion Island Far out in the Indian Ocean this French Island has 2 volcanoes, however Piton de Neige is extinct leaving a fascinating crater to explore. Reunion is also home to one of the worlds most active volcano’s, Piton de la Fournaise, the volcano is quite accessible with some fantastic viewing points around it, smoldering away with very recent eruptions leaving the ground around it hot and smoking. Not far from Madagascar and Mauritius this tropical destination can be noted for its many waterfalls sparkling and cascading over the high plateau of the island. One of the Indian Oceans more modern islands with good roads, pretty French towns and a laid back surfing atmosphere. Some of the best surf can be found in St Leu and glorious views of the deep blue Indian Ocean will enchant you while hiking up its steep heights or cycling its many trails.

5 Cape Verde Islands off the West coast of Africa is fast becoming a top holiday destination and makes it into our top 5 of the worlds best volcanic islands. Being much less travelled than the other islands in the top 10 means you won’t find the crowds here yet, but hurry they’ll be here soon! Numerous Volcanoes are dotted around the 10 islands, and the most active being on Fogo Island sitting right on a volcanic hotspot, with eruptions as recent as the mid 90’s. Its fertile soil surrounding it provides a rich growing space for coffee and vine plantations. You’ll find plenty of culture here both African and Portuguese, and being a fairly new holiday spot you’ll find some very new modern hotels and all inclusive resorts. Both black volcanic sandy beaches and pristine white sandy beaches line the shores, and one of its biggest activities – windsurfing, thrives on its aqua waters. Cape Verde is an important nesting ground for loggerhead turtles and much is being done here to protect this endangered species.

4 Montserrat This tiny island sits below St Kitts and Nevis, above Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. The active Volcano of Soufriere Hills is in the south of the island and recent eruptions mean that virtually the whole southern half of the island has been overrun with lava destroying its capital and many roads. The Volcano which started erupting in the 90’s is still very much alive, however many tourists still visit the rich green contrast of the north part of the island outside the exclusion zone in order to see this incredible phenomenon of Mother Nature. You’ll still find plenty of hotels and gorgeous silver beaches set to the back drop of this mighty towering caldera. Enjoy all the usual benefits of the Caribbean Sea such as snorkeling, diving, boat trips around the island and its warm temperatures all year round.

3 Azores A group of volcanic islands out in the middle of the Atlantic, now dormant, is an ever popular tourist destination. Although none of its volcanoes are active, it still offers some incredible sights such as the Santiago Lagoon on Sao Miguel Island. This is an ancient volcano caldera, and it also has a beautiful blue lagoon next to it. Filled with history, pretty towns, and gorgeous beaches the weather here is very mild but also changeable. Whale watching is one of its foremost tourist activities as well as the sights of its famous jumping dolphins. The islands of the Azores are often described as garden like with around 60 plants completely unique to these islands.

2 Bali In Indonesia makes our 2nd place in our top 10 volcanic island destinations, one of the worlds favourite holiday islands. Batur Volcano, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes resides right here in Bali. It has had quite a few small eruptions over the recent years however it’s one of the top tourist attractions here. If safe to do so, you can take a hiking tour up the volcano in time to watch the incredible sunrise and spectacular views of the surrounding Caldera. Tourists flood to this tropical location due to its brilliant azure waters, white beaches and gorgeous weather often in the mid 30’s during the dry season of April to September. Don’t be put off by the rainy season as this can sometimes only mean an hour of tropical rain in the afternoon, and slightly cooler temperatures can be a refreshing change from the humid peak season.

And finally, the top spot goes to…

1 Hawaii The Pacific group of volcanic islands has made it to our number 1 volcanic Island destination. And so what has made it number 1 in our top 10? Well we think it really does have everything. Big island is home to one of the worlds most active volcanoes, Kilauea. Set in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park it is one of many volcanoes in Hawaii. But perhaps the reason it’s most fascinating is due to the fact that you are able to witness to red hot lava flow as it cascades across the park and down into the sea. Thousands of tons of lava is produced every day increasing Hawaii’s land mass and changing its landscape since it started erupting in the early 80’s and has continued ever since. Hawaii offers rainforest, deserts, incredible surf, exotic sea-life, romantic coves, fantastic hotels and something to interest every age group and traveller type.

People in the Western Hemisphere may consider Australia and New Zealand more as tourist destinations than viable, exporting trade partners. While it’s true Australia alone enjoyed an increase in foreign visitors in the last year, one cannot rule out their contribution to the global economy. This isolated country/continent is ranked among the top twenty national economies and has entered numerous free trade agreements with countries close to home and on the other side of the world. Australia’s involvement in the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-Operation Agreement, or SPARTECA, serves to bring Australian influence to lesser island nations in the Southern Hemisphere and improve trade relations among members.

SPARTECA has its roots in a treaty signed in July, of 1980 at a meeting of a group known as the Forum Island Countries, or FIC. The purpose of the treaty initially was to encourage trade among the smaller, lesser developed island nations of South Pacific with New Zealand and Australia. SPARTECA nations may trade amongst themselves without duty taxes and other restrictions.

Current members of SPARTECA include:

• Australia – Australia holds the largest economy among the current SPARTECA roster. The Australian dollar is standard among several other island nation members, who trade with Australia for goods like beef, grains, and coal.
• Cook Islands – This chain of small islands is technically part of New Zealand, and relies heavily upon tourism for their economy. Their geographical location allows for limited trade opportunities, though fruits and fish are exported regularly to Australia and Japan.
• Fiji – While a popular tourist destination in the Pacific, Fiji has not existed without political controversy. A military coup in the late 2000s resulted in a governmental flux, and citizens continue to await the opportunity for fair elections. Prime exports of Fiji include timber, seafood, and various precious metals.
• Kiribati – Once known as the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati is a former British colony with one of the lowest GDPs on record. Fish is a prime export, though Kiribati relies upon aid often from more developed neighbors like Australia and Japan.
• Marshall Islands – A pivotal area during World War II with regards to nuclear testing, these Micronesian islands rely more upon imported goods from the United States, Japan, and Australia than they are able to export. Like other member nations in SPARTECA, seafood is a major industry.
• Nauru – Nauru has the distinction of being one of the least populated independent nations in the world, and having a rather large unemployment rate. Strip mining is the major industry on the island.
• New Zealand – New Zealand remains a constitutional monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II and is a highly developed island nation within SPARTECA, though trade is crucial to their economic status. Wool is perhaps their best known export, along with dairy and livestock to major partners Australia and China.
• Niue – New Zealand is this island’s largest benefactor, and the New Zealand “Kiwi” dollar is their standard currency. Nearly everything exported from here – honey, coconuts, and passion fruit – is distributed among SPARTECA nations.
• Papua New Guinea – This British commonwealth nation is one of the least developed and explored in the world, yet is rich in natural resources like palm oil and precious metals which are traded to Australia.
• Samoa – Samoa represents one of the larger islands in Polynesia, and like other SPARTECA nations relies upon crops of coconuts and indigenous fruits for their exports.
• Solomon Islands – This Melanesian nation subsists on fishing industries and exports nearly half of their goods – coconut products, cocoa, and other crops – to Japan.
• Tonga – Tonga presently seeks to grow as a tourism destination in the South Pacific, but for now they rely on cash crops such as root vegetables, coconuts, and bananas to trade.
• Tuvalu – As one of the smallest nations in the world, Tuvalu has experienced little to no economic growth in recent years. Interestingly enough, the nation derives some income through sales of their desirable national Internet domain suffix (.tv).
• Vanuatu – Vanuatu is dependent on their agriculture and tourism to maintain their economy. Television viewers may be familiar with the island nation through reality shows as Survivor , which has filmed on location.

One of the major challenges to SPARTECA is the obvious underdevelopment of the lesser member nations and their dependence on the larger economies of Australia and New Zealand for aid. The islands of Polynesia and Micronesia may see branching out trade to Europe and the Americas as a challenge if there are not enough goods to produce to meet a demand. To this end, a focus on tourism may help boost these minor economies, though their isolation in terms of geography presents issues for travelers outside of Australia and New Zealand.

Nonetheless, while SPARTECA plays a small role in trade on the global scale, one may become aware of the contributions these island nations make to the world economy through their involvement with Australia.

Scuba Diver – Through The Lens, is the world’s first international print underwater photography magazine and Scuba Diver AustralAsia was launched in 1981. Together these magazines are published 8 times a year: 4 of each magazine. They are published by Asian Geographic Magazines Pvt. Ltd. with the issues having a readership of 90,000 across 48 countries, as on April 2009.

Scuba Diver AustralAsia is the official publication of the PADI Diving Society in the Asia Pacific as it reaches out to more than 200,000 newly certified divers a year in the same region, and to approximately 1,000 PADI International Resort & Retailer Associations (IRRA).

Since 2007, the magazine has been distributed in Brazil, Europe, Japan, Noumea, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Tonga Vanuatu, Canada, Fiji, Mauritius, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom. It is also available on board all flights and in the lounges of Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Sri Lankan Airlines and Malaysian Airlines. With over 25 years in the business, it has the cumulative experience to make it a leader in its category.

The Scuba Diver magazine is vibrant and informative, offering all the wants and needs of a modern diver. A Scuba Diver magazine subscription gives divers access to information on exploring fascinating oceans and encountering living creatures present in it. Major diving destinations in the Pacific Ocean, Australia and beyond are mentioned in the magazine, including diving news, new discoveries, environmental news, natural spectacles, and diver-focused topics. You will find that only the best diving news from around the world and articles feature in this magazine to ensure that it is of the highest standards. Only the world’s best underwater journalists, photographers, videographers, and features imagery are allowed to feature in this magazine.

Scuba Diver Through The Lens is dedicated to underwater photography and videography. It is compiled and delivered by DivePhotoGuide.com, Edition Fifty Fathoms, and Scuba Diver AustralAsia. It has come to be known as Asia’s premier dive magazine; DivePhotoGuide.com is a world leader in underwater photography media and Edition Fifty Fathoms is a prestigious art photo magazine collectible. The magazine is designed with the purpose to educate the global diving community on techniques, equipment and travel destinations; the world’s leading underwater photographers and videographers are also featured here.

The magazine supports and promotes environmental research to foster environmental awareness, exploration to increase scientific knowledge, and conservation projects with the objective of promoting preservation ethics across Asia and Australia. Because of its quality content, a large readership of active and enthusiastic divers are attracted to the magazine. Also, the magazine covers the best dive spots around the world and reaches out to new divers who are looking to spend on new scuba equipment, new holiday destinations, and new photo equipment, giving them the best advice.

Matt Weiss is the publisher and editor of DivePhotoGuide.com; he takes care of the Americas and the Caribbean region. Dietmar W. Fuchs is the publisher and editor of Edition Fifty Fathoms; he takes care of the European and African regions and, Ian Seldrup is the contributing editor to the Asian, Australian and Pacific regions.

With a Scuba Diver digital subscription you can read a copy of Scuba Diver digital magazine, which has the same content and design as the printed magazine, on your iOS, Android, Windows mobile and desktop devices. Some magazines come as PDF replicas, but some others are available with videos clips, audio clips, links, and other interactive content. Grab a copy of the magazine and gain all knowledge and experience from this more than informative magazine as you come on-board the go-green movement.

If you’re looking for a quality blender, the Margaritaville brand makes a blender called the Frozen Concoction Maker, crafted specifically to mix up tasty blended drinks. However, the six different types of Margaritaville blenders may cause some confusion. Which one should you buy? Besides the color, is there anything else about the blenders that differentiate them from each other? Yes, there is, but the type of blender you buy depends on how many frozen drinks you wish to make and how powerful a machine you want to purchase. Let’s go through each type so a more informed decision can be made.

To start with, the “Bahamas” Margaritaville blender is the base model. It is a 450-watt machine and comes with an ice reservoir and 4 pre-programmed drink settings. It has dual motors for shaving ice and blending drinks as well. It can blend up to 36 ounces of frozen beverage. The cordless variety, is battery operated, so it has the added benefit of being able to blend drinks anywhere. The rechargeable 18-volt battery powers the blender, blending up to 80 drinks per charge. The “Explorer” cordless model is the same as the base cordless model, only in a different color.

The “Key West” model costs as much as the cordless models, but adds features not seen on the base Bahamas Margaritaville blender. Although it blends slightly less liquid (32 oz. as opposed to 36 oz. in the other models) it comes with several drink accessories, including a shot glass and salt rimmer, which comes in handy when mixing up margaritas and making those drinks look like they do at the bar. These accessories would cost more buying them from a liquor store, and it saves you the trouble of having to buy them separately in the first place.

The “Fiji” Margaritaville blender has the same capacity as the Key West model, but costs $50 more. The extra cost comes from the extra power; this blender uses 500 watts of power, as opposed to the usual 450 from the other models. The “Tahiti” Frozen Concoction Maker is the top-of-the-line model. It has several features none of the other blenders have. It comes with 3 24-ounce blending jars that can all be blended simultaneously. The ice chute, while stationary on the other models, rotates between jars on this model. It can make more than 6 different drink types, including smoothies, mudslides and mojitos. It also has bamboo wood construction and an aluminum finish for visual appeal. Considering the powerful blending they do, the Margaritaville blenders are more than worth their purchase price.

Road to London 2012!

Aquatics

Did you know– Bolivia’s swimmer Katherine Moreno came in 38th place in the women’s 100-meter backstroke at the Seoul 1988 the Olympic Games, between Angela Birch (Fiji) and Elsa Freire (Angola). However, Antonieta Arizaga is the most successful swimmer in Bolivian history. Why? At the 1977 Bolivarian Games, surprisingly, Miss Arizaga won the gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke. No other Bolivian swimmer -male or female– had ever won an international title in the history of Latin American sport. Unfortunately, she lost the chance to compete in the Olympic Swimming Tournament when the Bolivian government boycotted the Summer Olympics in the Soviet Union in 1980.

Basketball

Did you know- Chile’s athlete Onésima Reyes was one of the world’s best basketball players in the early 1950s. Under her leadership, Chile finished second in the Women’s Basketball World Cup, behind America.

Olympics

Did you know- By 1984, Costa Rica -once dubbed the “Switzerland of Latin America”– sent one sportswoman to the Summer Olympic Games in the American city of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, María del Milagro París, who was one of Latin America’s top swimmers, did not compete at the 1984 Summer Games. At the previous Olympics in the Soviet Union in 1980, she had been one of the eight finalists in the women’s 100m butterfly. At the FINA World Championships in the Colombian city of Cali in July 1975, she came in fifth place in the 100m butterfly, after Kornelia Ender and Rosemary Kother (both from East Germany) and Camille Wright and Jill Symons (both ).

Soccer

Did you know- The United States hosted the Women’s Football World Cup in the late 1990s. The host nation’s team won the gold medal, followed by the People’s Republic of China (silver), and Brazil (bronze). On July 10, 1999, in the final, the States defeated China 5-4 (penalty kicks). At the previous World Cup in Sweden in 1995, the team of America came in third place. By 1996, they, the local squad, won the gold medal in the Women’s Olympic Games Soccer Tournament, followed by the People’s Republic of China (silver), Norway (bronze), Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Japan, and Denmark, in that order. The Olympic winners were Tiffeny Milbrett, Tisha Venturini, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly, Carin Gabarra, Julie Foudy, Michelle Akers, Mia Hamm, Shannon MacMillan, Staci Wilson, Brandi Chastain, Tiffany Roberts, Carla Overbeck, Cindy Parlow, Mary Harvey, Briana Scurry.

Table Tennis

Did you know- In August 1973, Chile sent two sportswomen – Erika Medina Sutherland and Hilda Raquel Ortiz– to the People’s Republic of China, home to the African-Asian Tournament.

Did you ever worry when traveling about the weather? Most people worry about weather and it can play a major role in making or breaking your vacation.

People ask all the time and think just because they are going to a tropical island that it doesn’t rain. Well just ask people who have been to some of those tropical hot spots while in their wet season.

Tropical Island’s get more rain in a month then some places do in a whole entire year.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to plan your vacation or honeymoon around the weather? Granted some locations rain everynight and when you wake in the morning everything is dry and you would never know it rained while you were sleeping, but I am talking about planning for perfect weather.

We have visited various locations all around the world over the years and recorded critical data to plan for perfect weather. When I say “Perfect Weather” I mean Sunshine all day long, not too hot, not too cool, not a cloud in the sky type weather.

Well we have created a guide with various vacation hot spots and when its best to go to this exotic locations in order to have the time of your life. Hope you enjoy’

JANUARY & FEBRUARY

Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bali, Belize, Brazil, Canada (ski destinations), Caribbean, Central & South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, the Florida Keys, USA (ski destinations)

MARCH

Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Canada (ski destinations), Caribbean, Central & South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, the Florida Keys, USA (ski destinations, Southeast, Southwest)

APRIL

Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Central & South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Italy, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Spain, the Florida Keys, USA

MAY

Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Caribbean, Central & South Africa, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Greece, Hawaii, Ireland, Italy, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Seychelles, Spain, Thailand, the Florida Keys, USA

JUNE

Bermuda, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Central & South Africa, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Greece, Hawaii, Ireland, Italy, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Spain, Thailand, USA (Alaska, Northeast)

JULY & AUGUST

Bermuda, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Central & South Africa, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Ireland, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Seychelles, Thailand, USA (Alaska, Northeast)

SEPTEMBER

Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Central & South Africa, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Spain, Thailand, USA

OCTOBER

Australia, Bali, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Central & South Africa, Egypt, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Italy, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Seychelles, Spain, USA

NOVEMBER

Australia, Bahamas, Bali, Belize, Brazil, Canada (ski destinations), Central & South Africa, Egypt, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Seychelles, Spain, USA (ski destinations, Southeast, Southwest)

DECEMBER

Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bali, Belize, Brazil, Canada (ski destinations), Caribbean, Central & South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, the Florida Keys, USA (ski destinations)

Well there you have it the perfect time to visit all the wonderful places you want to visit. Personally my Wife and I love Punta Cana located in the Dominican Republic, which we assure all of you will love if you haven’t already experienced it.

If you’re suffering from Crohn’s disease, then you’re living a nightmare! I know. I too suffered from this debilitating disease for 4 years – perhaps longer without my knowledge. Despite the seemingly endless claims of ‘No cure’, I proved them wrong. Today, I am totally Crohn’s free and the doctors are amazed.

This is what I suggest:

1. Have a complete heavy metal test.

Normal blood tests can’t detect heavy metals. Saliva and hair analysis can. It is now widely acknowledged that Crohn’s disease can be caused by mercury toxicity.

2. Get rid of your mercury fillings.

The most common source of mercury poisoning is teeth fillings. See a holistic dentist and have them removed safely.

3. Detox.

An experienced natural practitioner will put you on a detox program that will remove the mercury and any other problem toxins from your body, particularly your bowel.

4. Have a test for candida growth.

Many of us have too many sugary foods and drinks. These and a host of other yeast producing products can create a fungal environment in our bowels.

5. Have bifidus products.

Good quality bifidus taken daily in cold water, will make a huge difference to the functioning of your bowel. If your bowel slows down significantly, consider increasing the dosage of bifidus significantly. See your experienced naturopath for advice.

6. Have only soft foods until your bowel movements return to normal.

When your bowel is inflamed, avoid eating any foods that might irritate it. Soft foods will slide over it and provide healing nutrition.

7. Drink 8 glasses of Evian or Fiji water daily.

Water flushes the entire body of unwanted toxins. High quality bottled water such as Evian and Fiji, contain an extraordinarily high amount of beneficial minerals.

8. Exercise on a rebounder daily.

A fantastic all over toxin flusher, this will quickly and effectively get things moving in the right direction.

9. Go to sleep by 10pm every night.

Not only is sleep healing, but it is a time of relaxation. Both are essential for restoring the bowel to optimum health.

10. Get plenty of sunshine

Vitamin D benefits every part of our bodies. The safest and most beneficial times to go out, are early morning or afternoon.

Riddles are solved all over the world. There are riddles from Mongolia, Finland, China, Russia, Africa, Persia, India, Hungary, Scandinavia and The Philippines. The Ancient Egyptians, the Ancient Greeks and the American Indians all admired riddle solvers. Riddles have been around since before recorded history. In some cultures, they were one of the ways folklore was handed from one generation to the next.

According to Greek mythology, the Sphinx sat outside of Thebes and asked passing travellers a riddle. If they could not answer, they would die.

“What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?”

When Oedipus gave the correct answer, man, the Sphinx destroyed herself.

The Ancient Greeks thought highly of riddles as they were supposed to prove the intelligence of a man. Homer, who wrote the story of Oedipus, was believed to have died indirectly because of a riddle he was unable to solve.

“What we caught we threw away. What we didn’t catch, we kept.”

The answer is Lice.

There is the riddle Samson uses to outwit the Philistines, in the Bible.

“Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.”

The answer was that Samson had taken honey from a hive that had been formed in the carcass of a lion.

In the Middle Ages, street entertainers lived by asking riddles. If they could come up with an interesting riddle, they were able to entice travellers to pay them.

In Africa, riddles were once used as a rite of passage for young people. Occasionally today, they are used as a non-violent form of competitive game.

In Fiji, they once held riddle tournaments and the champions would have a feast held in their honour.

This riddle was said to be a favourite of Theodore Roosevelt.

I talk, but I do not speak my mind.

I hear words, but I do not listen to thoughts.

When I wake, all see me.

When I sleep, all hear me.

Many heads are on my shoulders.

Many hands are at my feet.

The strongest steel cannot break my visage.

But, the softest whisper can destroy me.

The answer is an actor.

Riddles are still popular today although getting the right answer is not a matter of life or death, as it was in ancient times.

There is a new Bucket List in town, and s/he is taking over. The old bucket list was often not realistic and many of us would find that we could rarely, if ever could complete much off of it. Here is an example of the old bucket list:

1. Visit Fiji

2. Visit France

3. Backpack through Europe

4. Travel to Hawaii

5. Watch the movie Madagascar in the real Madagascar

6. Visit the Pyramids

7. Safari through Africa

8. Walk the Great Wall in China

9. Zip Line in Costa Rica.

And, there would be a list of about 25-75 more places you want to travel to and then maybe you would add in “buy a mansion,” “win the lotto” and “get a Ph.D.” Do you notice a pattern with this bucket list? Sure they are all fantastic dreams, but most of us don’t have the time or money to do all these things. And, if you are the person that can travel to 75 different islands or countries, buy a mansion and win the lotto all before you kick the can, then, (I want to be your friend) go for it! But for the remaining 99% of us, we have to be more realistic. So, the new bucket list is in town to help you do just that.

With the old bucket list, so often we would sacrifice today’s (and this year’s) happiness, for all the places we want to go. For example, you and your spouse decide that you want to plan that amazing trip to Fiji. There is no doubt it will be amazing sleeping in that awesome hut right on the water waking up to the beauty of the mountains and oceans. But that experience comes with a hefty bill. So, you decide that in order to do everything you want while you are in Fiji, you will work overtime, stop date nights and cut back on things you both enjoy doing together and separately of each other, in order to save more money.

This type of behavior ruins your today. It hurts your relationship. While you can cut back on some things to save for a bigger goal, you shouldn’t cut out all your fun and happiness today. You are not promised tomorrow and if you forget about the awesomeness and love you have today, and risk all of it for the future, you may sabotage your life, support systems and loved ones. Instead, try revamping your bucket list.

In the new bucket list, we have a few amazing places we want to go, but places to travel to don’t compose the entire list. And, we are much more realistic. Instead, we add in things that we want to do, that we can do right now, tomorrow, this weekend or this month. Things that will add life and happiness to our life today and even grow our relationships. You new bucket list may look something like this:

1. Travel to Fiji

2. Still going to watch Madagascar in Madagascar

3. Try Paddle boarding

4. Take a cooking class

5. Try hot yoga

6. Read 50 Shades of Grey

7. Golf at 3 new courses

8. Go Glamping

9. Try Horseback riding

10. Have a picnic at XYZ park (maybe this is a park you have lived by for 10 years and never went to)

11. Try surfing

12. Buy a home

13. Go for my PhD

Do you notice a difference between the first list and the revamped one? In the revamped list, you still can dream big. You can still travel, you can still grow academically and work for a home, but you also get to add value, life and inspiration into today. You can add in more fun, more passion and more value in your life today and it doesn’t have to cost you all your time and money. I am sure there are tons of things you would like to try other than travel, so think outside of the old bucket list and bring yourself back to today and things you have never experienced that are right in front of you.

This week’s challenge: Create a New Bucket list with 10 things on it that you could do in the next 30 days. In the next 30 days do 2 things off your bucket list.

Luckily for surfers, God had created this earth with 2/3rds of water, hence, the opportunity to do surf trips to Bali, Fiji, and Tahiti to name a few. There are numerous places to surf on this planet and surf trips to Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Panama, Indonesia, Mexico, or Central America might also be as exciting as the former. Most likely surfing communities have made surfing waves for beginners easy by offering surf lessons and surf schools taught by experienced surfers, and expert watermen(women). You can retreat to these surf destinations to enjoy the loveliness of the location, get tanned, or just spend the day catching the best waves. If you are a beginner on a budget or are having trouble saving money there are inexpensive surf trips, lessons, and surf camps available.

Another way to take a surf trip without having to leave your living room couch is by watching surf videos. There are tons of videos out there documenting the different waves across the world, from North America, to Hawaii, to Japan and so on. Watching videos is also a good way to prepare to surf . I have found that this is a really good way to get in the right frame of mind for catching waves. I noticed that if I surfed after watching a surf video I performed better by trying to replicate what I saw on the videos. Still the best way to progress as a surfer is to go out and surf.

As I mentioned in a previous article, ‘The how to of surfing waves for beginners: surf lessons and surf schools’ beginners have many options as far as learning to surf around the world. Most schools and lessons are very flexible; they offer 2-3 lessons a day and also offer 1-5 day surf lesson packages or more. These surf classes cater to beginning, intermediate, or advanced surfers.

Fiji is a good example of a great surf destination, where many people go to vacation and surf. One of the main surf spots is called ‘Tavarua’ and is located close to the main islands in Fiji. It is a beautiful place with sweet waves, island resorts and accommodations, and island tours. This is a great place to go for a surf trip. Lastly, a surf trip to Tahiti may be the crowning experience for surfer enthusiasts; especially for surfing pros who seek to ride Teahupo’o. This wave is a heavy but beautiful wave that reminds everyone of the power of ocean. Teahupo’o is more for seasoned surfers and pros, and beginners can find other waves located around the island that are gentle and perfect for the aspiring surfer.

Surfing waves can be enjoyed by beginners and advanced surfers alike. These waves can be found around the world and even in your back yard. You can plan a surf trip to Bali, Fiji, and Tahiti and see the beauty of these places with an ocean view.