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We’re just back from two glorious weeks in the small French ski resort of Morzine, the weather was amazing and the ski conditions perfect. You can’t control those elements so we know how fortunate we are on that front. We’re also very fortunate to have two great friends in Lisa and Jack, our ski buddies, without whom we wouldn’t even know about Morzine.

Now that we’ve discovered this smashing little resort we feel it our duty to share it with you! So here are just five good reasons to head for Morzine the next time you’re booking a ski trip in the French Alps.

First off Morzine is charming and peaceful…even when it’s busy, if that makes sense?! Popular with families Morzine has the gentle friendly atmosphere of a village where everyone is just going calmly about their business. Of course, it is a very popular resort and does get very busy but it doesn’t feel aggressive or overwhelming.

Secondly, as just mentioned, Morzine is really family friendly which given the cost of a skiing trip with kids is essential as far as we are concerned. There are plentiful child friendly ski areas and plenty of different options if you want to leave your bundles of joy in the safe hands of someone else!

Thirdly, we just loved the scenery, from the top heights there are some incredibly dramatic views while further down we loved skiing through the atmospheric woodlands. We’ve not been there during the summer months but from the photos we’ve seen…wow.

Number four…the food. We ate…a lot…and it was great. Lots of choice in and around Morzine but we were particularly fortunate to be staying in a hotel with a fantastic restaurant, which is where we ate most nights. If you’re looking for some luxury accommodation in Morzine we can highly recommend The Farmhouse (or Le Mas de la Coutettaz as its known locally).

Last but certainly not least is the skiing experience itself. Morzine isn’t the highest resort and maybe doesn’t always have the deepest snow fall but the skiing itself is such a pleasure. The runs are beautiful and the getting about easy. It’s no good having the most amazing runs in the world if it’s a drag to actually ski them in the first place. Morzine was just so enjoyably easy and that’s why we’ll be heading back just as soon as we can.

It is no accident that most of the population of the United States, Australia and other countires bordering the ocean live by the sea. There is something soothing about watching and hearing the waves lap against the shore. Many people also go to tropical beaches in the Caribbean, South East Asia, the Indian Ocean, Brazil and elsewhere to enjoy their holidays. Golden sands, cocktails on the beach, bright blue skies, hot weather and paradise locations are the epitome for many of the perfect vacation.

It is great to live your life on a beach. I did so for a year once. I rented a cheap bungalow in Maenam, Koh Samui by the month. This is an island in the Gulf of Thailand that has lots of great beaches to enjoy as well as plenty of amenities to make life comfortable such as supermarkets, modern hospitals, international restaurants and so on. I could find basically everything I could want while living on Samui island.

The only drawback with living in paradise is that I noticed the other ex-pats that I sometimes hung out with often had a bad attitude towards the locals. They didn’t learn to speak Thai and they constantly moaned about the Thais not doing this or that correctly. It almost felt like a self-fulfilling prophecy when they were robbed in business or otherwise swindled.

At the same time there is a habit to get too wrapped up in the drinking culture when living on a cheap beach in Thailand. There is also the temptation of illicit substances as well as readily available girls for hire. It struck me that you have to work harder at keeping your integrity and soberity when you are living in paradise.

Perhaps it is true what they say about a bit of suffering building character. I now prefer just going to the beach for two week holidays rather than living there.

Missoula is landlocked and as such the inhabitants of this fine city sometimes feel a little stir crazy. The flat land can sometimes seem interminable and can cause depression. One way to solve these land locked blues is to keep chickens, but as we know chickens are not everyone’s idea of therapy. I have just returned from a trip overseas to Thailand, and one of the most theraputic things I discovered to do was to go diving.

I went to a small island called Koh Tao. Its name means turtle because the island is shaped like a turtle. They also incidentally have turtle breeding areas in the north. I stayed on a small beach called Jansom Bay on the west coast. It is a beach with only two places to stay, andI stayed at the cheaper Koh Tao Bamboo Huts on a hill overlooking the sea. For the first few days I just swam, relaxed and stared at the ocean. I find that very relaxing.

However, by the third day I made a decision that I wanted to become more intimate with the sea, to discover its secrets. So I signed up for a three day Open Water PADI course. It felt strange studying on holiday, but I loved the pool work. When I eventually got in the ocean at Jansom Bay and so all the colored fish I knew immediately that I had found something important to me.

For my other dives I went to Sail Rock. I didn’t see a whale shark but I swam through an underwater tunnel. It was incredible. There is a real sense of freedom underwater. It is virtually effortless to move and the silence is broken only by the sound of your heart beat.

Next year, I’m going to the Red Sea to do another scuba course. The sea is where its out!

In today’s economy, investigating alternative methods of generating income is almost a must. Many people are returning to college to gain additional skills that can help them generate extra income, but an increasing amount of people are also turning to trade schools. In a trade school, you can learn a highly specialized skill, opening up the opportunity for a career (either as your full-time job or on the side) with much less competition from others.

One such career is gunsmithing, an art that seems to have been lost over the years. There are several gunsmithing schools across the country in which you can learn the valuable skill of gunsmithing. Some, like the Pennsylvania Gunsmith School, are completely dedicated to the art and craft of gunsmithing. Others, like the Colorado School of Trades, offer reputable gunsmith training programs within their curriculum selection.

There are even several online gunsmith programs. If you’re not located near a gunsmith school for hands-on training, an online school can help you learn the majority of the skills you need. The remainder of the skills can be learned by working at a local gun shop for a few months.

Gunsmithing schools not only offer valuable training for people who want to learn how to take care of their own collection but also a solid career direction. As a gunsmith, you can work for a gun shop or even start your own business that specializes in customizing, repairing, and adjusting firearms. You can provide your services to a wide variety of customers from collectors to hunters.

Gunsmithing is only increasing in popularity, which can lead to a difficulty in obtaining a position in the future if too many people crowd the field. If you’re interested in gunsmith training, now is the time to act!