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At last, it's your vacation! Time to leave all the stress of work and home behind and relax. Fun, food, entertainment, no obligations! Whew! What a relief. And thusly most of us begin our annual sojourn away from the daily grind. But, oh, coming back down to real life can be an eye opener when we realize that the food and relaxation were plentiful and now so is our midsection. We wonder if our next vacation ought to be at a health spa!

As an alternative to hastily stuffing your running shoes in your suit case or spending a couple hours each day in the hotel gym, consider an "active vacation" designed for you by one of the many tour guides and outfitters who are waiting to provide you with a fantastic get away that also gets you out of your seat. A surprising array of active vacation opportunities awaits the fitness minded vacationer, from walking and bicycle tours, to rafting trips and winter ski vacations. And you will find a variety of amenities to suite every traveler, from the seasoned camper to the pampered sophisticate. So, get up from your pool side lounge chair and on to your own two feet, and get ready to return from your travels, not just rested and refreshed, but as svelte as you were when you departed!

Walking tours - for individuals or the whole family, for the afternoon or a couple weeks - that combine an up close experience of place, culture and cuisine are offered on every continent (except Antarctica), in exotic locales from Peru, to Cambodia, to the Basque Pyrenees; and if you want to stay closer to home, even New York City, and a myriad of other north American metropolises:

- For world wide walking tours including culture and cuisine, visit Classic Journeys at www.classicjourneys.com or call 1(800)200-3887.
- For exotic walking trips for the more serious hiker, visit Backroads Walking and Hiking trips at www.Backroads.com/walking-trip s or 1(800)462-2848
- For New York City walking tours, visit Big Onion Walking Tours at www.BigOnion.com or 1(212)439-1090
- For free neighborhood walking tours of San Francisco, visit San Francisco City Guides at www.sfcityguides.org or 1(415)557-4266

If you prefer to pedal your way through your vacation destination, try a bicycle tour:

- For European bicycle and walking tours, visit Euro-Bike & Walking Tours at www.Eurobike.com or 1(800)321-6060
- For U.S. and Canadian bicycle tours, visit Sojourn Bicycling and Active Vacations at www.gosojourn.com

Perhaps you want to get wet? Try a rafting or a kayaking trip!

- For white water rafting trips, visit White Water Rafting Trips Guide www.rafting.com
- For New Zealand cave tubing and black water rafting trips, visit Black Water Rafting Company at www.waitomo.com
- For a guide to kayaking and other outdoor vacations, visit Gordon's Guide at www.kayaking.gordonsguide.com

V acationing in winter? Try a ski vacation. Visit

- Ski.com at www.ski.com or call 1(800)908-5000
- Snow Tours at www.snowtours.com or call 1(800)222-1170

Use these ideas as a jumping off point for your own creative planning. Take an active vacation! And then, get ready to return from your travels not just mentally invigorated, but also fit and trim.

Learn more about this author, Ysabel J. Doran.
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