This is a great way for friends and fans to have fun, and in some cases even win money. Money you can use for either other games – or to do other enjoyable things you’re interested in. For me that would be golf travel, since golf has been a part of my heart for more than 20 years, but when that’s not possible, a fantasy sport is the perfect replacement, especially in the snowy winters.

The Evolution of Fantasy Sports

Since Wilfred Winkenbach began a fantasy golf contest in the late 1950s, people have been having fun with fantasy sport league competition in just about all major genres of sports. In 1960 a Harvard University sociologist began what was called the “Baseball Seminar” which allowed colleagues to form rosters that earned points on the players’ final scores.

Around the same time the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League started up with 8 teams. But the two big game changers were the development of Rotisserie League Baseball in 1980, and the internet which has allowed for widespread communication and connection of fantasy sports participants. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, by 2010 it was projected that 32 million individuals throughout Canada and the US played in fantasy sports.

Different Leagues

There are a number of fantasy sports leagues available, but a few popular ones include:

• Fantasy baseball-draft fantasy players, determine the lineup, and make the GM decisions.
• Fantasy cricket- find a site like ESPN, pick an 11 man team, and the points are scored on bowling, batting, and fielding.
• Fantasy football-(American) join a league, draft players and build a team, your team competes every week and is scored on actual game plays.
• Fantasy hockey- find sites like Yahoo to connect with an battle head to head or join a rotisserie.
• Fantasy surfer- build a team of up to 8 surfers who will acquire the highest points in each contest to win the World Tour season.

So if you like sports you can grab a ball or puck and head outdoors, call Golfzing to arrange a tee-time (that would of course be my first choice), get your Formula 1 car out, or simply join a fantasy league.

What would be your choice…?

Other Ways to Have Fun with Fantasy Sports

You can participate in a free league, but there are also hundreds of leagues to join where you can bet, be in contests, and use your team to win money. One option is something low key like CBS Sports where you can register for gold, platinum, diamond, or double diamond packages and as a result win up to $2,000. Or you can go big with events like Vegas’ National Fantasy Football Championship Diamond League which costs $10,000 to register with and has an ultimate prize of $80,000.

Fantasy sports can be a great way to enjoy the sports you love. It can allow you to get into the action without having to be a professional athlete, or have millions of dollars to own a team, but you also learn a lot about the sport of your choice.

For me it’s a way to keep my “golf-mind” going through a long winter or other period without golfing, because the mind needs taking care of as much as the muscle memory, to keep my golf handicap in the right status.

Lifecruiser Love Golf Sport
 

Some other golf related posts by Lifecruiser:

The Perfect Reunion Between Old Friends
Orlando Top Golf Vacation
Hooks Mansion Golf Course Southern Sweden
Enjoy UK golf breaks and take in these top three courses
Swedish Golf Season Start 2011
Golf self-reflection
Golf pleasures in and out
 

Bond Over Old Games

Remember how you and your buddies used to play that old game system in your parent’s basement? Well, dust it off and play another tournament. You can find vintage gaming systems online. You’re sure to enjoy a walk down memory lane as you bond together over that old game. Even if you weren’t gamers, there is something that you and your friends loved to do “back in the day”. Find a way to make it happen during your next get together.

Remember the Old Days Through Photos

After you’ve bonded again over the things you used to love, bring out all the old photos. You can sit in the living room with a drink and laugh about all the good times you used to have together. You will remember things that you haven’t thought of in years, and it will be sure to make your day. If this is a planned visit, ask your friends to bring all of their photos too. That way there will be more to see than just your collection. And don’t forget the yearbooks!

Make New Memories

It’s great to remember all the great times you used to have, but you should also try to make new memories with these special people in your life. After you’ve spent some time reminiscing, go find an activity that you can do to make new memories. You can book tee times online and then hit the greens if you’re an avid golfer. Afterwards, go out for a nice meal or head to the theater to catch the latest flick.

Don’t fail to let the years slip by without catching up with the important people in your life. While it may seem impossible, there are ways to find time together. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. Something as simple as coffee one afternoon is enough to keep the friendship going and the memories fresh in your mind. This not only helps you remember where you’ve came from, but also appreciate how it made you become the person your are today. So, call you old high school buddy and setup a time to get together soon. You won’t regret it.

Lifecruiser Love Reunions
 

You can let life simply drift by as you lay on the beach sipping a cocktail with the sun on your face and white sand between your toes, or you can get active and explore some of the wondrous sights and sounds it has to offer.

If you choose to pick up the pace, a great way to do it is with dance lessons. Who knows, they may come in handy if you are visiting in February during carnival season!

Music is inescapable in the Dominican Republic, as you would expect from a country with strong Latin and reggae roots. Like a soundtrack, it is there wherever you go and it is as much woven into the fabric and the identity of the country as it is into the history of the neighbouring Caribbean islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico.

But if you’ve got two left feet and want to make use of them then mountain-biking is the best way to take advantage of the country’s natural geographical diversity. For something slower, dramatic ocean backdrops mean the Dominican Republic has some of the best golf courses in the Caribbean.

No trip would be complete with a visit to Santo Domingo, specifically the Zona Colonial. You will not need a translator to understand what this area is all about. The architectural wonders of the place that Christopher Columbus’ son once called home tell a thousand tales.

Music, dancing, history, culture, water sports and more can all be found in this idyllic country. It’s a country whose charm will stay with you. It’s the quintessential Caribbean destination and can be reached through most popular tour operators, such as Thomas Cook package holidays.

Lifecruiser Love Caribbean
 

Yes, that’s a true Lifecruiser golf swing….lol… Hook’s golf course was as lovely as the weather and they have two courses, one park and one forest course – I did like the forest course much more than the park course, because it was more of a challenge.

Golf courses most often offers really beautiful nature too, which you can see in Lifecruiser Hooks Golf Course Photos at Flickr.

Hooks official webpage: hooksherrgard.com.

©Lifecruiser Love Golf

Some other golf related posts by Lifecruiser:

Orlando Top Golf Vacation
Enjoy UK golf breaks and take in these top three courses
Swedish Golf Season Start 2011
Golf self-reflection
Golf pleasures in and out
 

In Sweden they have become more and more common since the 70′s. We have had a pigeon couple trying to make a nest outside our window for several years, not succeeding at all. Not one single year. Meaning no pigeon babies either, despite having a lot of love-making outside our window (lol).

Last year, the pigeon wife died under brutal circumstances, we saw a lot of feathers spread all around – could have been the neighbors cat. Normally, Woodpigeon’s stay with each other for their whole life – quite an achievement, which not many humans succeed with. The pigeon were left sadly alone. He traveled solo to the south before the winter and who knows – maybe all the way to the north of Africa? He came back solo this spring too.

Therefor we were so happy when we finally saw this week that he got a new wife suddenly. Yay! And now they are obviously looking for a new house for them, maybe he will succeed with his new wife…? We’re so curious!

We too want to migrate to the south in the winter and stay away during the winter. I have said it before, but next winter, we will do it. If not being able too (read: if our Europe trip drain our wallet too much!), we will try to at least get 2 long-stays somewhere. One around November and one around January-Mars something.

We will see where too. Spain is always an alternative we love, but if we find any other better opportunity or deal, we are going with that. It depends of lots of things as what’s in the surroundings to do, are there any golf courses etc.

Any suggestions for us? Have any long term rentals tips? Let us know in the comments.

©Lifecruiser Love Winter Escapes
 

Old posts where the pigeon’s is mentioned earlier:

Cool tools not for fools
This animal life is tough
 

Orlando is perhaps most known for the Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando Universal Resort, SeaWorld and Gatorland, but for us golfers also as a warming up winter escape place with many top golf courses as well as other attractions and activities for the whole family (lots of gardens for the wife).

As an old golfer since 26 years, I’ve picked out a few golf courses to try out, which I found interesting. Of course, what is interesting varies for different persons, but if you’re a fairly good golfer with at least a rather low golf handicap, you might like these ones you too.

Falcons Fire: given four stars by GolfDigest as well as rated as America’s Top 15 Women Friendly Courses by Golf for Women, it’s a must play, conveniently located close to the Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando International Airport, rates from $49-$79. (falconsfire.com)

Golf Hawks Landing: at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort (the worlds largest Marriott) with beautiful wildlife with native birds, rates $39-$129 depending on time of the day when going out. (golfhawkslanding.com)

Hunters Creek: Another must play public golf course with strategically placed bunkers I could need the experience from. Spacious, rolling fairways among 13 lakes sounds like a relaxing but demanding enough golf round for me. Rates $16-$69. (golfhunterscreek.com)

Mystic Dunes Golf: 2 different nine holes. The front nine similar to a British Isles link’s course, the other nine as classic Carolina courses, with wetlands and marsh areas and cypress forests. It’s perhaps the rolling sand dunes and 5 sets of tee boxes that makes me think it would be my kind of course. Golf Getaway Packages starting at $135. (mysticdunesgolf.com)

Grand Cypress: A golf resort with 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature golf, with luxury Orlando hotel accommodations which my wife would love to stay at (OK, me too), relaxing at the spa getting a massage or in the pool while I’m golfing. (grandcypress.com)

There are so many great golf courses in the Orlando area, that at least I don’t think that you would be disappointed, what ever golf course you choose. Some other great websites to check out if going to Orlando are orlandogolftrail, orlandogolf, golforlando and golfnow.com/orlando.

When to go there depends on what kind of person you are, if you cope with the heat or rain. Most of the rain falls June-September. I think I’d prefer to go there in the spring. I would definitely try to avoid the hurricane season, especially with my wife’s bad weather curse, remember? (lol)

If we ever are in the same area, let me know and we do a golf round challenge. That is, if you dare? My golf handicap? Officially 5,8, but I’m not sure if I live up to that. I’ve been trying to raise my handicap – have been down at 3,2 when I played every day, now I play more seldom.

©Lifecruiser Love Golf Travel

Some other golf travel related posts at Lifecruiser:

Tips for nightlife in Algarve (twilight golf)
Enjoy UK golf breaks and take in these top three courses
Swedish Golf Season Start 2011
PhotoHunt Golf self-reflection
Golf pleasures in and out
 

Now, the reasons may be that I’m not young enough to hear about any nightlife, therefor I have done some research for the next time we will go there, that I thought I should share with you. I’ll start with a few other evening/night pleasures we have picked out for ourselves.

If you’re a golfer, ask for the twilight round at Vilamoura Old Course Twilight Rounds, really good value for a round for a discounted price on a great course and the lights are making it a very unique experience. (Reminds of the time I played winter golf in the dark with a self-luminous ball…)

Take the night walk in the impressive Arabic castle with defensive walls in Silves. The red walls, white houses and street lamps gives a true medieval touch. There is also a Laser show, Aquavision at Fabrica do Ingles (Cork Museum), with images projected to the walls of the castle, music, dance, Fado, Flamenco dancers and more. Also hosts the Silves beer festival in July.

If you’re a party person, preferring a really crazy nightlife, bars and clubs, stay in the Areias de Sao Joao area, the strip Avenida Dr Francisco Sa Carneiro. Or maybe Montechoro, about 2kms from Albufeira old town. (We will stay closer to the Old Town to get more peace and quiet, we can’t manage to party every night any longer).

Some popular places to remember: Kiss in Albufeira, Kadoc in Vilamoura (gigantic: takes 7.000 visitors!) with open-air terrace. Rock: Round Up Saloon in Carvoeiro. Discoteca Ubi and Bar Bubi in Tavira has foam parties… Monte Gordo: Bar42 with DJ, Karaoke & live music.

For a more romantic choice go to Breeze Algarve, Praca Vale de Lobo, to sit on the terrace in the sunset kissing… Or take Champagne and something to eat, some blankets and your beloved one with you to some beautiful place to watch the sunset… and perhaps the sunrise.

If you’re uncertain where to go to eat, the best way is to ask the locals where to go and eat their traditional dishes and you’ll get plenty of alternatives! That way you might get more unbiased answers, because if asking at the hotel as an example, they often favorite just a few restaurants – and sometimes very touristy.

Even if you’re not much for the nightlife, the Algarve region has a lot of picturesque fishing villages or small towns rich of culture and history along the long coastline, which is filled with long, sandy and always gorgeous beaches. A perfect holiday destination if you don’t mind some waves and a bit cooler water than in the Mediterranean, because this is the Atlantic Ocean.

We will for sure visit both Lisbon – and maybe even the north area – as well as Algarve next time…

©Lifecruiser Love Algarve

Other Algarve travel related posts by Lifecruiser:

Portugal Algarve Dream Stay
Portugal Trip Monte Gordo
Portugal Trip Tavira
Portugal Trip Ayamonte Spain
World Dogs: Portuguese Water Dog
 

Here, we highlight three of the best courses in the UK, some of which also have golf hotels you can stay in that are also of a high standard.

St Andrews

   

The ‘home’ of golf is steeped in history, rich in heritage and has evolved into the biggest public golf complex in the whole of Europe. With seven courses to choose from, there’s bound to be something to appeal to players of varying ability. Adult green fees range from as cheap as £8 on the Balgove course depending on when you play up to £150 on the prestigious Old course, which is ranked by Tiger Woods as his favourite course.

Turnberry

   

Offering a stunning vista of the Firth of Clyde, the Mull of Kintyre and a nearby lighthouse, Turnberry is undoubtedly one of the most scenic golf resorts you’ll ever have the pleasure of playing. There are three courses here, a 12-hole pitch and putt course if you need to work on your short game, a five-star hotel and a golf academy complete with state-of-the-art facilities to help you work on every aspect of your game. As an exposed resort right on the coast, Turnberry will pose you all sorts of problems depending on the weather. Stay at the hotel to receive reduced green fees.

Wentworth

Located on the fringes of London, Wentworth is a golf resort where the emphasis is firmly on exclusivity and exceptional facilities. The green fees on each of the three courses – there’s also a par-three executive course – here are very much on the expensive side, but it’s an experience you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry and it’s worth it providing you can afford it. The West course is the pick of the bunch and has benefited from a revamp in recent years that saw the construction of 18 new greens.

Lifecruiser Love UK Golf Travel
 

Photo by Jan van Schijndel

Unfortunately we have not been aboard at any of Seabourn’s luxury cruise ships – yet – we can only hope to get invited along on a marketing or promotion cruise… *hint*

For us a Seabourn cruise would be such a perfect match, beginning with the Champagne you get upon arrival – as the huge Champagne lovers we are as our regular readers know very well.

We always love that rather small touch that cost so little, but is of so great importance. If only more tourist accommodation places would understand that too!

Continuing with the different Spa treatments as facials, massages, aromatherapy, fitness services and not to mention the hairstyling Salon make the Seabourn ships extremely desirable for us. After all that relaxing we might even be in enough good shape to actually be able to do some training and swimming in the pools!

Or we would just relax and enjoy life in a spacious sea view suite. We would not mind having a big suite with a balcony to open up to the ocean, experiencing the romantic sunsets at sea – or even maybe the sunrise since we wouldn’t have to step outside the suite.

A champagne breakfast with strawberries is never refused by us after a wild night… Just saying.

Cruise ships nowadays has so many facilities, the most remarkable one is that you even can swing golf aboard. Seabourn cruises worldwide golf program offer keen golfers incredible courses such as the Biarritz le Phare and Morocco’s Royal Dar Es Salaam. Maybe the only chance to play at such famous courses.

We would love to take one of the Seabourn cruises in Europe called The Dalmatian Coast and Greek Isles – from Venice to Athens for an example – to see several dream travel destinations of ours in the same time.

There are a lot of custom-designed shore excursions when on a cruise ship, so it is not only the time out at the ocean that is tempting us to go on a cruise.

Akropolis: The Parthenon, Photo by Raptor Alpha

We have always wanted to cruise the Greek islands, since there are so many highly interesting beautiful islands with lots of interesting history and architecture. Love those white stone houses colored with blue – and the gorgeously crystal clear and blue Mediterranean Sea. And the Greek people!

The cruise ship Sojourn now cruises around the Baltics and that is only one of Seabourn’s new cruise routes we are looking forward to read more about and perhaps be able to attend in the future since it is closer to our home base.

Soujourn cruise ship comes to Stockholm harbor at the Baltic harbors cruise which ends in Stockholm the 3rd of September 2011. Maybe we can catch it on photo at least since we will be back home again then.

There has been a lot of increasing of bigger cruise ships in Visby harbor the past years and around the Nordic countries and Baltic Sea in general, both Hurtigruten in the Norwegian fjords, to Finland and around the Swedish archipelagos.

The latest cruise we did – if we can call it that, was at the worlds oldest fire-armed ship in Visby last week (which you can read more about in the link in the end).

Have you been at any luxury cruises or any cruises at all? Tell us all about it, we’re dying to hear about it!

Lifecruiser ♥ Ships

Some of our earlier Cruise-related posts:

The World Oldest Gun Sip: A Medieval Cog Ship
Bargain Cruise Ships Tips
A Thames Tour of London
Beatles Tribute Cruise 2012: Dream Cruise for Music Lovers
ARC 2010 Atlantic Rally Cruise: Gran Canaria – Saint Lucia
Cruise to Helsinki, Finland

Image courtesy of Ben Ramirez

I am not at all surprised that Barbados is one of the Caribbean’s leading tourist destinations, it seem to be such an exotic and chilled out island. Just like our summer island here in Sweden.

Barbados is located in the Lesser Antilles, in the western area of the North Atlantic Ocean – thankfully outside of the principal Atlantic hurricane belt. A hurricane might strike about once every 26 years as an average, but of course, I might hit that 26th year, with my bad luck! (lol)

The Barbados island is only 34 kilometers long and 23 kilometers wide, which actually reminds me, once again, about our own summer island which is about 26 kilometer. The island of Barbados though, has an estimated population of 284,589 people in comparison to 600 of our island. (Even though it increases to about 3000 in the summer!).

Then we have the Barbadian Flag, which has the exact same blue and yellow colors as in the Swedish flag – though we have a cross, they have stripes.

There is something special with some places or islands, a very appealing pace, more relaxing than anywhere. Barbados or our Swedish summer island, it is no difference there.

As the official Barbados Tourism Authority say on their website:

Learn to trade the rush, rush for the slow and easy. Just give us a few days and you won’t remember the old you. Let us teach you how to truly live. Come celebrate living.

Come Long Live Life.

Barbados has numerous accommodation opportunities, hotels, guesthouses, time-shares, private villas so there are choices for anyone, also for us that are budget travelers – though for once I would love to test a more luxury alternative.

From what I understand from reading, it is the southern and western coasts of Barbados that are most popular, with calm blue Caribbean Sea and white (or pink) sand beaches. The east faces the Atlantic which makes it more suitable for those interested in surfing – not for us with other words.

The activities I would want to explore are: wildlife reserves, helicopter rides, golf, festivals or animal flower cave exploration. Not to mention testing different exotic drinks in the sunset…. *dreaming*

Nightclubing might be on the schedule first after relaxing a while, we love to hang out at at beach bars instead, just watching people passing by.

I would love to go there on the Crop Over festival (beginning of July), with musical competitions and other traditional activities, even though thousands of tourists visit the island too. It ends with a costume parade on Kadooment Day first Monday of August.

If renting a car you have to watch out a bit, because driving is on the left. I would do a combo of rental car and taking the local bus. Bus is cheaper, but also you get mixed with the locals in a totally another way.

With a car – or mini-moke like the one above – you get to see more than just going on the main routes. It is there you can see the more authentic sights. The sights we are interested in.

When it comes to golfing, the Barbados Open is an annual stop on the European Seniors Tour, so there must be at least one pretty good golf course. WGC-World Cup took place once at the country’s Sandy Lane resort.

There are many cruise ships docking at the island and also private moorings. Wouldn’t you want to dock there too? That would be awesome. Be aware though that there are penalties prohibit the dropping of anchors on coral reefs!!!

When it comes to food I would love to test their traditional cooking like the Pepperpot, a pork stew in a spicy dark brown sauce that the Bajans are very proud of. Sounds very yummy.

I will end this sipping the local Banks Beer or a spicy Rum Punch in the Barbados sunset… or maybe even in the sunrise…?

Lifecruiser ♥ Barbados Holidays