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It's fair to say that there's some element of judgment, not to say snobbery, between those who go 'on holiday' and backpackers.

Trekking with a rucksack you tend to become rather dismissive of tourists - failing to see that staying in a hostel rather than a hotel does little to diminish your tourist status. Similarly, trying to relax on a well-earned two-week break, it's too easy to cast derision on rowdy backpackers disturbing the peace on beaches with tales of countries they've 'done'.

It probably all stems from jealousy. Carrying everything with you and forever-memorising train and bus timetables, there are moments when nothing seems so appealing as a wheeled suitcase and air-con hotel bus. Likewise, when time away is limited, watching carefree, flip-flopped travelers idly discussing where they might head to next feels like an absolute wind up.

Speaking as someone who's experienced both, I know these prejudices exist. I also know that whichever way you choose to travel the lure of the open road, versus the comfy hotel bed never really leaves you.

My first experience of a 'proper' holiday was, initially, bliss. No need to sleep with passport, money and travel insurance documents strapped to my belly - I had a room with a safe in it. No need to pour over Lonely Planet guides to find the cheapest place to eat - the hotel 'gave' me food twice a day. Best of all, no need to yearn for freshly laundered clothes - I'd over packed a suitcase with enough to change outfits twice a day.

But. It didn't take long before wondering if the dusty travelers in market place cafs were having a better time, that they knew things about local sites I'd never have a chance to explore. Sitting by the pool with a book actually become boring and the only 'challenge' each day was ensuring an even tan.

The next holiday seemed like the perfect opportunity to return to my backpacking roots. However, the wanderlust novelty faded as fast as the first cockroach I saw scuttling into the gloom of a communal shower room.

Once you've experienced both ways of traveling, neither seems fully satisfying. So, this led me to re-invent my idea of holidays.

Last year I booked a cheap package trip. The first few days were happily spent lounging by the pool. Having been told by reps that local buses were 'too dangerous' I befriended the concierge who directed me to the nearest bus station. When doing nothing got boring, I simply packed a shoulder bag and 'escaped' the marbled, air-con comforts of the hotel. My 24 hour stint 'roughing' it in a nearby town, that I knew had enough itinerants, hostels and bars to justify a Rough Guide entry was perfect.

I've yet to come up with a name for this vacation method; 'suit-packing' doesn't quite fit, nor does 'travel-ist'. But, at least, I've finally discovered how to, quite literally, experience the best of both worlds.

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While it may be easy to scoff off an acne fetish with remarks like, I dont have that problem, this condition is more common than properly acknowledged. A fetish is an object of unreasonably obsessive attention or regard. Thus, extreme attention given to zits and pimples characterize an acne fetish. Two clinical forms of an acne fetish include excoriated acne and imagined acne.

Excoriated acne occurs when an acne patient continues to pick at or squeeze acne formations on their face, never allowing the skin to heal. This constant picking aggravates the acne condition and often times leaves severe scarring. Imagined acne happens when a patient is convinced she has acne but in reality does not. This person may have one small pimple and blow the existence of the pimple out of proportion and view it as a severe case of acne.

Underlying both of these acne fetishes is the fear of being ugly, or dysmorphophobia. Its an easy psychological state to acquire in a society that increasingly places more value on superficial looks than personal traits.

Steps to combating an acne fetish include:
Spending less time self-critiquing in front of the mirror; and
Embellishing your talents.

Even a hiatus from mirror visits may help an acne fetish. If you do look in the mirror, focus on elements of your face besides the zits. For instance, look at the color of your eyes or the size of your lips, without criticizing of course. You may have lovely eyelashes or the perfect eyebrows. Whenever you look in the mirror stop making negative judgments about yourself. If you do find yourself ridiculing yourself and wanting to burst a zit in a rushed desire for clear skin, just remind yourself that every zit that you prematurely pop may encourage the formation of 3 completely new zits.

Focus on your greatest assets as a person, or cultivate new skills. You may be an awesome guitar player or fabulous singer, give yourself recognition for your strengths. Do something that youve always wanted to do, but did not do because you felt having acne precludes you from this activity.

In the final analysis, healing an acne fetish starts with recognizing that this condition has serious medical repercussions. An acne fetish can debilitate ones self-esteem while encouraging needless facial scarring. If you think you have an acne fetish, you can get help from a qualified dermatologist, psychologists or just talk it over with some really cool and understanding friends.

Naweko San-Joyz is creator of the Acne Messages program, the only acne program to combine the latest scientific research and ancient wisdom to deliver an acne cure as unique as the acne sufferer. As there are millions of people with acne, there are a millions cures, find your unique cure with Acne Messages. ISBN: 0974912204 available at Amazon and Noixia.com, Home of Six Billion Natural Cures for Acne

As we all know the most visible part of our body is the skin as it extends from the head to the toe. We all try to take care of this body part the most. But Alas! what happens is that this part suffers most, due to the increasing pollution and many other factors

Whenever we meet a new person nobody will ever come to know if your kidney or your knee or your stomach is suffering from some ailment. But this does not hold true for the skin. The first impression we all had, is due to our good or bad skin.

I understand that the doctors are not going to agree with me, but still I believe that homemade tips are best to take care of the skin as the most sensitive part of our body will suffer least from the side effects of handful of antibiotics.

Here I'm going to give you 3 basic tips of avoiding acne.

1. Exercise: The first is the regular exercise. It can be cycling, jogging, swimming or anything. The next is healthy diet. Have you ever seen some acne on athelets' face. This is because of regular exercise and balanced diet. This is because regular exercises keep our metabolism and digestion system in order. When somebody jogs, he perspires, and the more he perspires, more toxins are removed from the body. The circulation of blood increases in the skin and it stimulates the sebaceous glands to open. The heavy perspiration also washes away the toxins and dead cells in those pores. Thus the chance of acne is then minimized.
2. Healthy Diet: By eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, eliminating vegetable, saturated fats (in meat, eggs diary etc.)and sugar from the diet one can eliminate the chances of getting acne.
3. Proper Hygiene: Maintaining good hygiene is the next tip. Wash yourself regularly but not for more than two times. You can use warm salty water this will make your skin oil free without aggravating the acne. Another method is to massage the skin with lemon and then wash it off with slightly warm water.

I hope these easy tips will be of great help to you and you would have a much better time dealing with your acne.

I am a gynaecologist and also have a lot of information regarding skin diseases.I know that what I am going to tell you can be unbelievable, but thats the truth and 100% truth. Any type of acne can be cured. Follow these links- Acne Natural Remedies, Acne Treatment and see the guaranteed results yourself.

Once upon a time, just a few years ago, employers almost unbegrudgingly added health insurance to their employee benefit package and as insurance costs began to rise, this perk became highly prized by employees. Everyone was happy. Employers who offered good perks, got to pick from the cream of the employee crop, and employers had their health care costs covered.

Things changed, as all things inevitably do and a darkness covered the land. The American economy slowed; available jobs decreased and health care costs sky rocketed. It has been estimated that employer-sponsored health-care costs rose by 9.3% in 2005, 7.7% in 2006 and 6.1% in 2007.

On average, employers currently pay, $3,785 a year for single-person coverage and $8,824 to cover a family, passing 16% of that premium, to individual employees, and 28% of it to families.

Smaller employers often charge their employees less for single coverage while significantly increasing it for family coverage. Things are expected to get even worse for employees as, according to one survey, 40% of large employers say they are "very likely" to increase the amount of employee contributions to health insurance in the next year.

Back in the days when the Sun shined and birds chirped, no one fortunate enough to receive coverage from their employer would have ever conceived of opting out of their group coverage and buying health insurance on the individual market. The cost of individual health plans were comparatively much too high, but as the skies darkened, as health-care expenses began to grow and companies shifted a greater percentage of those costs onto their workers, individual coverage began to look like a very viable alternative to employer sponsored group coverage.

Many employees are now opting to retain their group health insurance for themselves alone, while moving their family members off of group coverage and enrolling them instead in an individual or family medical plan.

This strategy can save a family thousands of dollars a year, however there are some pitfalls and some major risks here. Do not make this decision without consulting a licensed professional who can warn you in advance of possible trolls hiding under your health insurance policy bridge.

About the Author:
Rick Bronstein, the owner of California Medical Quotes has greater knowledge of the health insurance industry than most people. He should; he's been helping Californians with their insurance needs and problems for more than a quarter century, earning his license while still a Student at UCLA in 1976.