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The world of caravanning is becoming an extremely popular form of holidaying for many people. But with so many new caravans on the market today deciding which to choose can be difficult and troublesome. When you are considering these factors, by taking a logical and common sense approach it is possible to find caravans that suit both your budget and requirements. Ultimately the freedom of the open road and more affordable holidaying are the most powerful lure for those buying caravans. Before you head out to the dealership however, read on for essential caravan buying advice.

While new caravans fill the magazines it is not the only option if buying, used caravans present a cheaper option but without specialist knowledge it is easy to get stuck with a poor example. The latest caravans on average will cost around ten thousand pounds although the larger more luxurious models can cost considerably more. As the cost is so high, the research you must undertake should be extensive, knowing exactly what you need and what you are willing to pay for is a fundamental part of the approach.

Part of this research should be looking at as many different caravans in your price range as possible. Most retailers have deals with specific manufacturers and will only showcase caravans from this supplier; as a result visiting more than one dealer is essential. As well as getting out there and visiting the forecourts it is also advisable to make use of the internet. Not only are there many websites that review new models entering the market, the forums dedicated to the world of caravanning give real opinions of how a caravan performs over a longer period. This information should be a vital part of your research, as should speaking to other caravan owners; their advice can be invaluable.

Most experienced caravanners will tell you that the first consideration to be made should be the power of your car. This is vitally important as it determines the safety of the entire outfit once it is in transit. If you happen to choose a caravan that is too heavy for your towing vehicle it is likely that your outfit will be underpowered and hence unsafe. By towing an outfit that is too heavy for your car you not only put the safety of your family at risk but also risk the safety of other road users. Once again the internet can help with this, many sites dedicated to caravanning have systems where all you must do is enter the vehicle details and it will produce a list of models that can be safely towed.

While new caravans should always be in pristine condition it is still advisable to make a detailed check of the outfit to see if there are any problems. One of these problems is damp, any caravan that has evidence of damp is likely to be unstable and a bad deal. Damp in a caravan rots the support and make the entire outfit unstable. In addition to looking for damp it is also worth checking the sealant around the windows and doors as these are the places where water ingresses most easily, these points should also checked for robustness as these are the primary entry points for thieves.

Ultimately if you consider the following when you are looking at new caravans you should be able to find an outfit that will provide years of unbridled holidaying pleasure. Keep a clear head and do not be swayed by emotion, by keeping your needs and budget at the forefront of your mind throughout the process you should be able to find the perfect outfit for you and your family.

Caravaning expert Thomas Pretty looks into what considerations should be made when looking at new caravans to ensure a great deal is secured.

For many people, it is considered too expensive to own an RV camper. Many people cannot afford the costs of purchasing and maintaining one. The recent alternative to buying an RV camper is to rent one instead and it has become a very popular and affordable option for the average consumer.

The RV camper rental company of Cruise America has been in business since 1972 and is still going strong. They are a family owned firm that began as the brainchild of Robert Smalley Sr. The main headquarters are in Mesa, Arizona with eighteen stores and over 130 dealer outlets across the United States.

Cruise America offers class C RV campers that are built in Elkhart, Indiana by the Four Winds International Corp. Their recent achievements include completing their 25,000 motorhome in April of 2004. When this occurred, Cruise America unveiled a new line of RV rentals that feature well-known sites and landmarks that capture the “Spirit of America”.

Cruise America offers various types of RV campers for rent. They offer a compact RV camper that is something that only Cruise America offers. This choice includes a pick-up truck that is easy to operate, yet powerful. This pick-up is attached to a motorhome coach that comes with many excellent features, such as a kitchen equipped with a microwave, a dining area, living area and queen size bed cabover. The bathroom is located at the rear of the coach. This RV camper is recommended for four people, and comes in lengths of 22′ to 24′.

The large RV camper is most people’s idea of a conventional motorhome. Most of these models come with a reliable and powerful generator, and has the room to sleep as many as seven people. They have all the typical conveniences of motorhomes, and come in lengths of 28′ to 30′.

The Trailer RV camper is something new for Cruise America. It gives you the opportunity to tow a vehicle for a lot less than it would cost to rent one. This choice also comes with a generator and will accommodate as many as five people. It is a great choice for those smaller weekend getaways because it is so economical and easy to use.

The Fun Mover RV camper is a unique way to camp and also bring your various sport vehicles or other items you need for camping. It includes a roomy storage area in the back and a separate area in the front that is designated as the living area with all the comforts of a home away from home. There is also an option for those that need an RV camper that is ADA accessible. This type of RV camper has many features to make a wheelchair bound person comfortable such as wider doorways and a power lift.

Renting an RV camper from Cruise America is a great way to experience the joys of camping without all the expense and maintenance.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as rv equipment and accessories at http://www.rvaccessoriesplus.com

When choosing RV furniture it is useful to know the relationship between color and mood. Color, strictly speaking, is light energy. Energy reflected from objects. For people, it’s the only type of energy we can actually see and, believe it or not, these colors can affect our mood.

Dr. Max Lescher, a Swiss professor of psychology and the inventor of the Lescher Color Test, knew that the importance of color originated from prehistoric man, when their lives were completely governed by day and night, light and dark.

Day brings bright, warm colors, safety with action, and an increase in metabolic rate. Night brings cool, dark hues, with rest, danger, inaction and slowing down.

In the late 1950s, the color researcher Robert Gerard found that in human beings, both psychological and physical activity seem to increase as the wavelength of the light increases. So the brighter the light, the more active humans are.

In other words, colors like reds, oranges and yellows stimulate us more than colors like greens, blues and purples.

He felt the color blue has a therapeutic effect - for example as a tranquilizer and relaxant in anxious individuals and as a way of reducing blood pressure in the treatment of hypertension.

There was an experiment later on to test this theory. Prisoners were randomly assigned to different color themed wings. Some were assigned to wings where the theme was red, some yellow, others blue, and finally green. After some time, it was found that those in the blue and green wings were less inclined to violence than those in red and yellow wings.

Pink also seems to have a calming effect within minutes of exposure. It seems to suppress hostile, aggressive, and anxious behavior.

To test this theory further, medical experts measured how blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rates tend to increase most under yellow light, moderately under orange, and less under red. They decrease most under black, moderately under blue, and minimally under green.

With this in mind, you want to be careful when picking the colors of your RV furniture. Below is a guide outlining what colors bring what moods they bring about.

Red - Associated with: Vitality, Energy, Courage
Physical effects:
Stimulates brain activity, increases heart rate, respiration and blood pressure, gives energy and self-confidence.

Orange - Associated with: Happiness, Confidence
Physical effects:
Energizes, stimulates the appetite and digestive system, removes inhibitions, and fosters sociability.

Yellow - Associated with: Awareness, wisdom, clarity
Physical effects:
Energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, increases awareness, perception and understanding. Also stimulates the appetite.

Green - Associated with: Balance, love, peace
Physical effects:
Soothing, relaxing mentally as well as physically, helps alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety, offers a sense of renewal, self-control and harmony.

Blue - Associated with: knowledge, relaxation, health
Physical effects:
Calming, lowers blood pressure and decreases respiration. Ideal for sleep and over-active children. Enhances communication and decision-making

Indigo - Associated with: Intuition, imagination, understanding
Physical effects:
Strengthens intuition and imagination, increases dream activity. Helps connect us to our unconscious mind.

Violet - Associated with: Creativity, wisdom, inspiration
Physical effects:
Suppresses appetite, provides a peaceful environment, relieves tension, and is good for migraines. Promotes inner strength, wisdom, kindness, artistic talent and creativity.

Final thought - Always imagine how you want you and your occupants want to feel and experience when picking the color them in relation to your RV furniture for your mobile home.

RV Furniture Guide is the best place to go for tips and resources when looking for RV Furniture. Please visit our website at http://rvfurnitureguide.blogspot.com/

It is believed that feng shui utilizes the natural laws of the universe to help you achieve your goal with the help of positive chi flow. In laymans terms, its the art of arranging furniture in order for one to receive good luck. The principles of this art can not only benefit you in your home furniture, but it can be applied as well when choosing and arranging RV furniture.

Here are some basics which can be applied right away:

- Clear up clutter from your RV. Get rid off all the things you don’t need nor love. You want positive chi to move freely.

- Put your seats at right angles to each other. This will also make it more conducive for conversations amongst family.

- Make sure that the coaches and the bed does not face away from the entrance.

- Your bed should not be facing a mirror. In fact, there should be no mirror in the places that you are found off. It is said that this will bring about bad luck and third parties into your relationship.

- The stove in your kitchen area should not be across the refrigerator or sink. The practical reason is that you don’t want heat to go in your refrigerator as it will consume more electricity. The feng shui reason is that you don’t want the elements of fire and water to clash.

- Make sure that you put in as much natural light and air as possible. You wan’t to welcome fresh positive chi into your RV.

- Place your bed against a solid wall.

- If you have a pet turtle. Do not bring him along.

- Pick your parking spot wisely. Stay away from electrical poles as the magnetic fields will disrupt your sleep.

- Place the television set in the living room area instead of the bedroom. I know that this is a hard habit to break. If you must place it in your bedroom, cover it with a plastic (not cloth) table cover when you are not using it.

There are more feng shui concepts that you can apply when you are arranging your RV furniture. There are concepts like object and color placement (where you will make use of a feng shui star chart), there are color coordination principles you can follow, and so on and so forth. If you are seriously want to apply some advance concepts, there are multiple sources online and books on the subject. You can also consult a feng shui master or an interior designer.

RV Furniture Guide is the best place to go for tips and resources when looking for RV Furniture. Please visit our website at http://rvfurnitureguide.blogspot.com/

The world of caravanning is an understandable lure for many who want freedom of travel and more affordable holidays. But once you have perused the magazines and seen the pictures of large all singing, all dancing caravans it is easy to be put off by the large price tags. This is where it is important to look at used caravans that provide a far more affordable option to buying new. Buying used however can be fraught with danger unless you know what to look for, hopefully this article can help those find an outfit that is in good quality and worth purchasing.

It is easy to be led by sellers on the benefits of caravans without being realistic about any problems. The following checklist should help first time buyers find a used outfit that is a good deal and will provide years of holidaying pleasure.

The largest issue with caravans is damp. Naturally this is more of a problem with used outfits and should be checked for extensively. Places where damp is an especial problem are the corners and walls; when checking, the joins should be checked carefully to assess the levels of damp. You should also check all of the cupboards and beds for any signs of moisture. If you are really lost recognising these signs, a damp meter that should be available from DIY stores can be useful in giving exact damp levels.

Damp is so important as it can result in a loss of sturdiness of caravans. As a result of damp the cupboards and door handles can become weakened. Checking these areas by giving them a strong tug can be useful, although pulling too hard and breaking the outfit can be costly, especially if at a dealership. The reason damp is such a problem with caravans is the repair costs, having an outfit dried then repaired is a costly and time consuming process that can make a caravan that was a bargain, become far more expensive.

Another important point to check is how secure an outfit is. This means making checks of the locks and window fittings to make sure that the caravan is not easily broken into. As well as the locks, the hinges and general robustness of the entrances should be checked to ensure that thieves are put off. If the doors are faulty it may seem that a replacement is not a major expense but with used caravans finding replacements can be difficult. Windows can be similarly difficult to find although they will usually cost less than doors to replace.

The seals should also be checked thoroughly when looking at used caravans. Although these are not expensive to replace they are usually a sign that damp could have ingressed in the past. Seals are usually acrylic, silicone or oil based, depending on which has been used will vary the price of replacement. It is important to check with the seller when the seals were last replaced as some types of sealant will need replacing every five or so years. Poor seals mean that there is a higher chance of damp, if the seals are in an extremely poor state, it will probably be worth walking away from the deal.

In terms of the exterior, the chassis of the caravan should be checked over with a careful eye. Try to see if the chassis has a great deal of play in it as excessive movement can indicate an unstable platform. In the same vein, checking for signs of warping and bending is important; if you happen to find any indicators of previous work, asking the seller when and why this work was undertaken is an advisable course of action.

Hopefully this advice will allow you to find used caravans that will supply you and your family with many years of happy caravanning. Getting stuck with an outfit of poor quality can lead to an expensive repair bill. By being thorough at the time of purchase you should be able to minimise the amount spent on repairs and maintenance.

Caravaning expert Thomas Pretty looks into the important factors to check when looking at used caravans.

If you are in the path to shopping for RV furniture then you have come to the right place. This article will help you get ready to make the right choices for your RV.

There is a plathera of RV furnitures to select from. You have to choose among RV furniture for the dining area, for the living room area, for the sleeping area and so on. You have to be sure to pick the one that fit your personal taste and style. As much as you want practicality and functionality, trust me, you will want to personalize your choices a little bit.

When choosing RV furniture, for both interior and exterior, just stick to the basics and know your budget. Lets look at them one by one shall we?

Outdoor RV Furniture:

These should be durable, easy to clean and can be stored and set up quickly. Your best bet is compact camping chairs. Not only do they fit the criteria above, they are economical as well.

Alternatively, can choose the more “luxurious” padded rockers and recliners if you have a little more budget. Even if they are not as small and compact as camping chairs they they still fit the bill. They are made of a special woven fabric which are supposedly “breathable” for a nice cool flow.

You cant have chairs without a table can you? Picnic tables and foldable card tables are what you want. Whats the use of travelling with an RV if you can’t have a picnic in every other stop.

Basically, for exterior RV Furniture, tables and chairs that are easy to clean and easy to store are all you need.

Indoor RV Furniture:

The first thing you need to know is the dimensions of your interior. After that, decide what type of feel you want the inside of your RV to be. Like I said earlier, you dont want to just have a generic feel in your RV. Road trips can be long and you need the extra punch to make it pleasurable.

Captains chair - You have to make sure that the captains chair you pick is comfortable. Great ones are the ones with swivels so that you can take advantage of the space. Spin that sucka!

A great space saver is a soffa or pullout bed. You cvan get one ready made or make a customized one. This popular choice has a wide array of designs, colors and fabrics to choose from.

Beds - If you decide to get one, you should not only consider comfort but the size as well. Remember that your RV is your home away from home and it should feel that way. Make sure that you pick one that you know will give you a good and comfortable nights sleep.

Tables - should be sturdy. You can stick them to the wall or floor or you can get a foldable one for more space. It really depends on your preference.

Getting RV furniture can be a fun experience. Take your time and know what ambiance you want and you will find that traveling with the right RV furniture will make your travel very relaxing and stress free.

RV Furniture Guide is the best place to go for tips and resources when looking for RV Furniture. Please visit our website at http://rvfurnitureguide.blogspot.com/

Think of mini vans and the first thing that comes to mind might be dumpy, mid-sized cars hauling kids to soccer practice. The market is saturated with unattractive, cookie-cutter vans that may look big on the outside, but inside are surprisingly cramped. The new Mercedes Sprinter aims to change the way you think about vans, and people have been taking into notice.

With its sleek, sloping front and multitude of available options, Mercedes has created a van that’s suitable for nearly everyone’s needs while still looking stylish and maintaining a high quality standard. The Mercedes Sprinter is like a blank palette. It’s available in a cargo and passenger model, meaning that it can be customized to satisfy a variety of individual tastes, including family and business needs.

Family-wise, its one of the best options available. The Sprinter offers 10 removable seats (and still with storage room to spare), as well as 2.7 liter turbo diesel direct fuel injection engine, which gets 28 mpg at 55mpg. So now on your family camping trips, not only will you be able to comfortably pack all of your equipment, children, even your dog, but you’ll also get better gas economy than an RV.

Even with its wide, tall body, the Mercedes Sprinter has smooth steering and an excellent turning radius, moving swiftly around tight corners. It also comes standard with a tilt and telescoping steering wheel to make the drive even easier.

If you’re on the market for a business vehicle, the cargo version is an economical, as well as stylish option. It comes in your choice of standard, high, or mega roof height. Body length can be one of three options’ 233 inches, 273 inches, or 289 inches. And finally you have the choice of 144 inch or 170 inch wheelbase. A towing capacity of 7,500lbs, allows you to haul nearly anything you need. With all of the different combinations available, there is a size to fit any business’s needs.

Although the Sprinter is a practical cargo van, it can also be used as a charter vehicle, bringing passengers to and from destinations or on tours. Its cargo area makes it ideal as an airport shuttle. But it could also serve as a smaller, more intimate tour bus.

Other available options and add-ons to tweak the Mercedes Sprinter to your liking include rear parking assist, automatic climate control, sunroof, and heated seats. Standard safety features are antilock breaks, an emergency window, and stability control. And as a bonus, its size makes it easy to add just about anything else you can think up. A sleeping bench, mini fridge, entertainment center all is possible with this spacious and functional vehicle.

So if you’re on the market for something with more flair than the typical, dull minivans. Take a look at a Mercedes Sprinter and imagine the possibilities that lie within. A comfortable family car, a stylish camper, or a business opportunity the Sprinter has them all covered with the quality you’d expect from Mercedes.

If you are planning to go for a sleek and stylish model vehicle that can meet business as well as family needs, then you can think of Mercedes Sprinter. Smooth driving and home-like facilities makes it a customized functional vehicle. For details, visit http://lakeshorechrysler.com/.

The production of motorhomes is currently experiencing an up turn in growth that will most likely increase in the coming years. The size and quality of motorhomes varies greatly, from the multi-million pound models that are more akin to palaces than to mobile homes to the smaller tourers that provide a cost effective way to holiday. For the industry to carry on growing however certain changes will have to be introduced to maintain profitability; these changes are likely to affect workforces and methods of construction.

The first concern of industry players is to reduce the cost per man hour used in the construction of motorhomes. By doing this companies will be able to increase their profits by achieving the same number of sales while decreasing the production costs of each unit. Unfortunately for this to occur, it is likely that employment will suffer as customers pursue cheap prices.

Constructing motorhomes will also change. In the past motorhomes were constructed using a ’stick-build’ method, today however this is rapidly being changed. The old method involves welding a frame from individual components and then bonding this to the chassis. This method is however extremely time consuming and expensive; understandably, more advanced methods are now being employed.

The industry today is adopting a system that uses pre-moulded sub-assemblies that fit directly onto the chassis subsequently reducing the man hours of construction and the cost per unit. While this method is not yet widespread, if the industry wants to continue to be profitable, it will have to adopt these methods wholesale.

Motorhomes were in the past constructed from aluminium and wood but this is changing rapidly. Modern plastics can perform just as well as these materials and hence have been extensively utilised. In addition, these plastic components are often pre-moulded and already contain all of the fixtures and fittings as well as insulation. The result is that these components can be bolted straight onto the chassis greatly reducing the time spent on construction; once again making the manufacture of motorhomes cheaper.

Another change that is likely to take place in the motorhomes industry is the power source used in the home. Diesel engines that are largely inefficient and expensive to run are being replaced by turbine engines as these are lighter and use less fuel for the same output. As with much of the motoring industry, solutions such as hybrid engines and hydrogen power are also being studied as a means of propulsion that do not use fossil fuels. Ultimately making motorhomes more eco-friendly is the primary goal.

Modern motorhomes are also utilising increasingly advanced waste management systems. In the past owners have always dreaded emptying the chemical toilet but this is changing with a modern trend for advanced, clean and effective systems. Leakage is an obvious problem with the hazardous chemicals used, so reducing this is an important objective.

Many of these changes, although being used by some manufacturing companies are not yet widespread across the industry. It is logical however that as these methods become more effective they will be increasingly used. With the demand for low prices ever growing and for the industry to carry on being prosperous, it must take these changes on board to maintain profitability.

Motoring expert Thomas Pretty looks into developments used in the construction of motorhomes and how they are reducing prices.

There are many different caravan dealerships in the UK that sell many different types of caravans that are on offer today. There are certain steps that need to be taken before considering buying a caravan. Although many dealers take very good care of the items they are selling there are sometimes hidden faults. For example, the main problem that people have with caravans is damp and this is primarily caused by rain and water getting into the exterior lining of the caravan. It can get into interior fittings and outer panels and it in most cases is the most costly to repair on a caravan. In some cases it can run up to the high hundreds of pounds.

It is important for dealerships to make sure there is no damp in caravans before they go on sale as it can drastically make the price drop and in some cases make the model unsellable.

Damp can be found in all the walls and roof of the caravan, in order for a person to spot a damp patch in a caravan they need to know what the damp patches look like. The most noticeable sign to look for is a musty smell when entering a caravan. This is a major sign that the caravan has got damp patches and needs fixing. But it is still mandatory to check as well just in case it is a false sign, but also you will need to check if there is no evident smell as the damp may be there but in a smaller scale.

The main areas to check for damp in a caravan are the corners of the walls and the roof lights as water can get into the caravan from these places without any visible damage. Also, around the windows and doors are main places where damp can occur because the sealant holding the rubber to the frame can leak and let water in during rainfall. The panels in a caravan will go very soft and spongy when damp occurs. Also after the damp has done the damage a tide mark will be left on the wallboards and panels, which is an easily noticeable indication to find where the damp has originated.

If a dealership manages to stop damp happening to their caravans when on sale will allow them to keep a very high price tag. This will mean constant service and checks to the caravans to keep them in peak condition. After you have sorted out all the problems that caravans can have you need to decide which caravan would most suit you from the dealership. The range is very wide with very small 2 person caravans ranging to a very large whole family caravan.

To choose which caravan best suits you it is vital to decide what your needs are and what purpose the caravan is going to be used for. For example a very large caravan for the whole family would be used for long family vacations within driving distance. This means the large caravan will have lots of comfort as it will be acting as a small home from the time you arrive to the time you leave at the end of you holiday. This means it will have a lot of equipment and space but this also boosts up the price considerably. If you are a family of no children a smaller, simpler and easier caravan would be good to take on holiday.

This allows you to put your own equipment into the caravan as a smaller model will come with less equipment than a large style caravan. This allows for some customisation and you can do this with a smaller price tag than a much larger caravan. Ultimately the choice is yours, either go for a leviathan of the road or a smaller model, depending on your needs the choice should be simple enough.

Caravaning expert Thomas Pretty looks into what considerations to make when visiting caravan dealerships.

Motorhomes grant the freedom of the open road without having to tow a caravan behind you. Meaning your holidays are that more enjoyable and efficient as you have a means of travel and a place to rest your head. Whether you are choosing to purchase motorhomes or are planning to hire one for a holiday, it is advisable to read on.

Generally motorhomes can be divided into three distinctive categories. Those in the industry refer to these as Classes A, B and C. Class A as their name may suggest are the largest and most opulent of the motorhomes on the market today. Correspondingly Classes B and C relate to size and the amenities contained within the home. While C class are the smallest of the motorhomes available, generally they are the cheapest.

Class A motorhomes are often the homes capable of full time living, whether hiring or buying it must be remembered that these types of motorhomes will enable you to live in them for extended periods comfortably. If you have a large family it is strongly advised that a Class A motor home should be utilised for your holidays. While you may be slightly apprehensive of driving one of these leviathans of the road it is surprising how easy modern motorhomes are to drive. In addition to this ease of driving, Class A’s are extremely comfortable, strangely, at times you will feel like you are driving a sofa rather than a large RV.

When you are looking at motorhomes for purchase it is advisable to make the decision only after careful deliberation. In many cases it may even be worth finding a company that rents motorhomes and hiring a similar model to gain an understanding of what it is like to live in the space and drive around for a period of time. By doing this you can receive a better idea of how to use your home from home and also how it will serve the holiday needs of you and your family.

With the high prices of hotels, motorhomes are becoming an evermore appealing option for those who travel regularly. By keeping your bills down while travelling, having a home on wheels can give you more time and money to sped visiting attractions and simply enjoying yourself. With a wealth of campsites all over the world a motor home will grant you freedom of movement and normally an outstanding setting for your stay. Also, by removing the stresses of finding accommodation while travelling, you can make your trips that much more relaxing and enjoyable, meaning you can make the most of your holiday time.

With a fully kitted out kitchen, making sure you have provisions is essential. While many may not want to cook for themselves while on holiday it is enjoyable to have a space that at least gives you the option of cooking for yourself; once again, this will save you money as you will not have to eat out all of the time, making your holidays more cost effective. If you are a fan of al fresco cooking, all you need to do is take a barbeque with you and you have the option of pulling up at the side of the road, firing up the coals and cooking in a wondrous setting whilst enjoying a bottle of wine.

The freedom granted by motorhomes is clearly the most powerful lure for many. Travelling under your own steam and in your own vehicle allows you to get off the usual tourist routes and to construct a holiday that is as unique as it is enjoyable. While the initial outlay may be great, the value of motorhomes is hard to quantify. Naturally you will save money on eating out and accommodation but you will also have better, more fun and free holidays.

Travel expert Thomas Pretty looks into the different types of motorhomes and how they can help you have funner, freer holidays.