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Ask the experts: Annie Bennett, our Spain expert, advises a reader who wants to walk part of the pilgrim's path to Santiago de Compostela. Patsy Lees writes A friend and I would like to walk part of the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela, in June, but only have about five days free. The tour companies I have seen all seem to do longer tours. We are happy to make our own arrangements but are not sure where to start. Annie Bennett, Spain expert, replies Lots of people opt to do the pilgrimage in stages these days. The Confraternity of St James (csj.org.uk) should be your first port of call for general information. Have a look at the Spanish (spain.info) and Galician (turgalicia.es) tourist office websites too. Tour operators that organise self-guided trips include Camino Ways (caminoways.com), which offers a six-night holiday covering the last stretch of the most popular route, the Camino Francés, from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela - around 70 miles. Prices start at about £400 without flights, staying in family-run guesthouses or cottages, including breakfast and dinner, luggage transfers and walking notes. Bear in mind that there are several lesser-known, shorter routes too. Macs Adventure (macsadventure.com/camino-tours) can arrange a five-night walk covering the Camino Finisterre, where you actually start in Santiago de Compostela and walk to Finisterre on the Atlantic coast, a distance of around 5 miles, stopping off at fabulous beaches. This costs from £285 without flights, staying in simple rural hotels. Luggage transfer is £150 extra.

The most important thing to consider when travelling alone is safety. While today's world of smartphones, instant communications and i-everything provides some comfort, there are still some more ' traditional ' ways to stay safe. Here are some tips when traveling solo... Keep up communication Always inform family and friends where your heading, how you can be reached and provide them with a full itinerary of flights and transport. If you're being collected from the airport, ask the tour operator or hotel sending the transportation for the name of the person or service picking you up along with their phone numbers as well as those of the destination. Also, select flights that arrive during daylight hours, and try to connect with people on the other side using social media. Leave valuables at home Apart from your passport, wallet and any other travel documentation you might need for your specific destination, it's best to leave valuables in the form of expensive jewelry and gadgets at home. Keep the trip light and casual, leaving more room to pick up souvenirs from the destination itself. The same rule applies for large sums of cash. We all hate bank charges, but not as much as getting a a load of money stolen, so withdraw money when you get there. It's just not work the risk.

(CNN) --"It takes me three days to recover after the Sevens," says referee Robert Esser, who is called the plays at the famed Hong Kong rugby tournament for 12 years. "If you find out how to survive it, let me know." The annual Hong Kong Sevens Sevens is the city's largest sporting event, attracting thousands of costumed revelers from all over the world. But making the most of the party atmosphere requires strategy and planning. With the Sevens on March 28-30, experts and hardcore fans have shared tips on how ethyl be getting through the three-day mega party. 1. South Stand commitment mandatory Ask not what the South Stand can do for you, but what you can do for the South Stand. The only large public area where Sevens revelers can drink alcohol, the legendary South Stand brings together Hong Kong Stadium's most passionate spectators--all dedicated to having an outrageously good time. 2. Serious rugby fans head for the East and West Stands Don't be afraid to go to the East and West Stands, because that's where everyone goes to watch the rugby, "says 28-year-old rugby player Rowan Varty, who has taken part in the Sevens since he was born as both a spectator and a player. 3. For costumes, (almost) anything goes The pros advise against wearing heavy suits, big masks and hats that'll have you drenched in sweat and blocking other people's views. 4. Walk to the stadium Roads are blocked and taxis are scarce. Once you arrive anywhere near Causeway Bay, start walking. 5. Pace yourself Winnie Poon, a fan who has been to the Hong Kong Sevens five times, has her own sage advice

I fancy myself a backpack-carrying, adventure-seeking traveler, at home in hostels and on hiking trails. But there I was, on a luxury cruise ship, sipping wine with silver-haired foxes, fox-trotting with male escorts in the ballroom, and escorting myself on a tapas-like tour around Europe, sampling cities for a day via ship, bus, foot and bike. It was the biking aspect that had led to my unlikely sojourn on the ship, Crystal Cruises ' Serenity. Months before, my cyclist-enthusiast ears perked up when I heard about the cruise, with biking-based itineraries in several port cities. The regimented itinerary of a cruise with its scheduled ports of call, and the idea of spending that much time on a ship, wasn't all that appealing to me, but the prospect of biking around a few different European cities was. So I packed my sneakers, some cute bike shorts and an open mind. Embarking in Dover, England, I was sure I was the only passenger hauling a backpack on board when the butler assigned to my cabin floor did a double-take at the sight of my luggage. But after a restful sleep, rocked by the waves of the Atlantic and the gentle hum of the ship's engine, thoughts of hostels were but a distant memory. On the first of my 10-day adventure hitting seven cities in four countries, my cousin and fellow cruiser Olivia Female, I, and a few other cyclists biked around Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, on cruisers we were given. We traversed the quaint, compact island, two-wheeling by fawn-hued cows, primary-colored fishing boats and World War II bunkers.

No question about it, airfares on some routes are higher than they were four or five years ago, although Airfare watchdog airfare searchers frequently find hundreds of fares crisscrossing the country for $250 or less round-trip. And even though fares seem higher, let's not forget that, adjusted for inflation; most fares are actually lower than they were 10 or 20 years ago. That said, here's my best advices for making your airfare dollars go further. 1. There's no "magic" day or lead time to buy the best airfare. 2. So search often, over a long lead time, and pounce when there's a deal! 3. Get airfare alerts by e-mail 4. Sign up for the airlines ' e-mail feeds and frequent flier programs 5. Use Twitter 6. Be a flexible travel date flier 7. Search airline sites individually, but online travel agencies are still useful. 8. Use Priceline for last-minute trips 9. Use consolidators, but beware of the restrictions 10. Consider the extra fees before you buy 11. Combine two separate fares rather than buying one fare 12. Use alternate airports creatively 13. Buy tickets on an airline that will refund the difference if a fare goes down Go Here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/hobica/2014/04/01/how-to-find-airfare-deal/7122673/ Extra resources: http://answers.oreilly.com/topic/21800-the-corliss-group-world-travelers-on-surviving-hong-kongs-wildest-sporting-event-of-the-year/ http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1dfsns_the-corliss-group-luxury-travel-agency-barcelona-tourist-guide-the-easy-way-to-plan-your-trip_travel

1. Start out with a checklist. 2. Identify your suitcase. 3. Create separate travel bags. 4. Designate a travel packing area a week prior to your flight. 5. Purchase magazines at the airport. 6. Bring an extra set of reading glasses, cell charger, and ear buds. 7. Don't get caught without important phone numbers. 8. The name on the reservation and identification should match exactly 9. For special requests, alert the airline in advance. 10. Fly nonstop whenever possible. See here: Summer Travel Tips Bonuses: The Corliss Group Voyage The Corliss Group Luxury Travel Agency

Why go? Known as the Dragons Tail, this 30-mile peninsula poking into the Irish Sea feels like a place apart: a stronghold for Welsh language and culture with a distinct microclimate which can see it basking in sunshine while the rest of north Wales is lashed by rain. The chichi yachting town of Abersoch may have been colonised by well-heeled holidaymakers and second homers, but elsewhere youll find empty golden beaches, fishing hamlets and peaceful clifftop walks. What to do Start by visiting Porth y Went, the new National Trust centre in Aberdaron (nationaltrust.org.uk). You can pick up maps, walking routes and ideas for days out, such as a visit to the "whistling sands" at Porthor which squeak as you walk on them, or a boat trip to Bardsey Island, a medieval pilgrimage site. Llyˆn Adventures can organise canoeing, kayaking and coasteering (llynadventures.com), but if you prefer to stay on dry land, the Wales Coast Path runs right around the peninsula. For a day at the beach, Llanbedrog is postcard-perfect.

ASPEN, Colo. - This winter I put my relationship to the ultimate test: a romantic ski vacation. Many couples ski together, but my fiancee Sheri Askinazi is just learning while I've been skiing for more than two decades. We'd done group ski trips, but never skied alone. To make this trip work, we needed some advance planning and clear expectations. I wanted to ski with Sheri but also desired time to speed down the harder trails. We chose four days at Aspen/Snowmass in Colorado because it offered a little bit for each of us. "I am a little nervous about the trip. It's a lot of time skiing," Sheri confessed to me a month before we left. When I mentioned that I had found ski buddies for a day, she asked: "A whole day?" The conversation continued at dinner a few nights later. One of our friends flat-out said: "He has to ski with you. That's it." We chatted through our desires and made a plan. Sheri would take two days of lessons. The first was at Snowmass. Elk Camp Meadows, a new beginner's area there, is fenced off from the rest of the resort so experts don't race through on their way to the lift. She quickly advanced to other parts of the mountain. I took a refresher course - it's never too late to learn something new - and we met up for lunch. The next day, she took a lesson at nearby Buttermilk Mountain. It's geared toward beginners but has some great intermediate trails that she mastered by the end of the day. I met up with some friends and got my adrenaline fix on the harder Aspen Mountain. Lessons were key - it was much better for Sheri to get tips from a professional instead of me. "Taking feedback from someone you love can be the hardest thing. You start to personalize it," says Katie Ertl, who oversees the ski and snowboard schools at the four mountains of Aspen/Snowmass. (Warning: Skiing isn't cheap. If purchased a week in advance, a four-day lift ticket costs $396. Adult group lessons start at $139; full-day private lessons start at $660.)

You already know to budget for tips when you travel. But you should also know who to tip when you travel. It's a no-brainer to tip the maid-at least a couple bucks a day. But don't forget to leave a tip if you're staying at a bed and breakfast, or even a rental property. Those places have to get cleaned too. Did you get any recommendations or reservations from the hotel concierge? You should reward those tips with a small tip. Plus, with so many airport pickups and ride-share services being booked online or through apps, a lot of people forget to bring cash to tip their drivers. That free courtesy shuttle? It's always nice to give the driver a buck or two, especially if he helped you with your luggage. Remember, while tipping is commonplace in the U.S. the rules change when you go abroad. Look for an app like GlobeTipping, which gives you suggestions in 200 countries. Even Starbucks has an app that lets you tip baristas straight from your phone, so watch out for that technology in more establishments.