It can be easy to forget how blue our planet is when you’re cooped up inside concrete buildings all day. Scuba diving can be an excellent way to erase your mind of day-to-day stress by allowing yourself to focus only on the beauty of the ocean.

Picture this…you drop into the open blue abyss, submerged. Completely enveloped by the ocean, you take a deep breath. Oxygen flows into your lungs as you’ve just done the unthinkable—breathe underwater. Humans may have evolved on land to escape the complex nature of the ocean but with modern technology, we have given ourselves an opportunity to explore Earth’s aquatic realm.

Scuba diving is an adventure that opens your eyes to a region of nature that is in almost every way alien to our own structured society. To observe life underwater isn’t as much of an activity as it is a metaphysical awakening, a journey to increase the scope of your perspective of the duality of life on land and water.

When you book a diving trip with Kijubi you might observe colorful coral palaces with eel poking their heads out, observing you. You might swim among a school of fish, encouraging you to swim in line. Depending on your location, you might find a sea turtle sifting through the water currents next to you. The opportunities of exploration and observation are endless.

Getter started with scuba diving is extremely easy and safe. The only requirement is that you know how to swim and have a love for the ocean. After an initial lesson in a pool to get adjusted to the breathing equipment, your licensed instructor will teach you the safety hand signals. Before you know it, you’ll be out in the ocean for your first time, breathing normally and following your instructor as he or she shows you interesting sights on the tour. Kijubi currently has an assortment of scuba diving trips situated in Florida specifically in Miami and Key Largo. Bring some underwater excitement to your vacation!

One thing most Kijubi customers have in common is a love for travel and getting out to see the world. If you’re like us, you probably spend a good amount of time in hotels on your business trips and adventures. Needless to say, we were quite alarmed when we read this Gadling post (one of our favorite travel blogs) discussing how hackers went after hotel networks more than any other any other destination in 2009. Yikes!
This hit home for us, so we did some additional digging from their source at Dark Reading and uncovered data from TrustWave’s Spider Labs highlighting that malicious attacks on hotel networks accounted for 38% of all known security breeches in 2009, more than the financial services industry (19%) and retail industries (14.2) combined.

To make matters worse, the hotels didn’t discover that the breeches had even occurred for an average of 156 days, leaving plenty of time for the cyber-criminals to use stolen credit card information, or take advantage of the personal data harvested for any number of identity theft scams.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t take an expert hacker to tap into a hotel’s network. It’s often quite literally an open door due to the weak firewalls employed by the hotel and poor passwords used by the guests.

So what can be done to keep your data safe when travelling? For starters, choose a hotel that uses Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption, which requires a password to get on the network and encrypts all the data that is being transmitted.

If you’re doing business in your hotel room, make sure you log in through your company’s dedicated VPN and that your laptop has up to date firewalls and anti-virus software installed. Your IT guy will probably be all too happy to check that for you if you’re not technically inclined.

You can bring your own wireless data card so that you don’t have to rely on the hotel’s open WiFi network for connectivity. This can also come in handy in airport terminals and coffee shops, two other prime hunting grounds for would-be hackers.

Lastly, you can use any number of data encryption software solutions available today that serve to lock down the files, photos and videos on your computer. Many of the more advanced encryption solutions now provide the ability to store and encrypt your online passwords so that you’ll be protected when you do have to enter them using a public network.

With the increasing instances of cyber-criminals targeting travelers, it’s crucial that we all understand the potential threats associated with data and identity theft. We know we’ll think twice the next time we get on a hotel network.

Yes…it’s that time of year again. The days are getting longer, the Superbowl is practically upon us and Valentines Day is right around the corner. If you’re anything like me, you probably forget your spouse or significant other’s Valentines gift until the last minute and end up hoping that a hastily purchased box of chocolates, a few flowers and a dinner date will suffice for this most romantic of holidays.

Let’s face it…they put up with you all year and definitely deserve better than some stale chocolates from Walgreens and a trip to a crowded restaurant with a pre-fix menu and stressed out servers.

To make things easier this year, Kijubi has complied an excellent assortment of romantic outings and activities that will make this Valentines day one they’ll always remember.
Consider taking a sunset gondola ride through spectacular Newport Harbor. You’ll take in breathtaking views as you sip champagne and glide through quaint canals guided by a charming gondolier. The Venetian tradition dictates that couples must kiss under every bridge, so don’t forget to bring a few tic tacs.

Take to the air with a romantic hot-air balloon ride over the beautiful Temecula Valley. After taking in a birds-eye view of the beautiful lakes, citrus groves and wineries that dot the landscape, you can spend the rest of the day taking advantage of the world class spas and golf courses in the immediate area.

Explore Northern California’s epic wine country from the seat of bicycle on our Ride, Wine & Dine Tour of Napa Valley. Our local guides provide you with a bike and helmet, then lead you through a casual day of wine tasting with a gourmet lunch served outdoors overlooking with vineyards that produce some of world’s best Chardonnays, Pinots and Cabs.

Kijubi is pulling out all the stops to help you look good this year, so plan ahead, get a babysitter, and treat your partner to a Valentine’s gift they won’t soon forget.

Here at Kijubi, we’re always scouring the blogosphere to keep up with the latest developments in the online travel space and gain insights from the movers and shakers within the industry.

In this clip, Rafat Ali from Paid Content interviews Jeff Goldberg, CEO of Lonely Planet, about the company’s latest products and forthcoming deployments including mobile applications, Lonely Planet TV, APIs for bloggers and much more:

Interesting takeaways:

• Lonely Planet seeing great growth and opportunities in online opportunities including paid content, advertising, mobile applications.
• iPhone app now largest distributor of “City Guides” product
• Lonely Planet monthly Magazine doing well in the UK with deployments planned in new territories including Brazil, India, Asia and South America
• Pursuing opportunities for Lonely Planet TV, including shows such as Road Less Traveled with National Geographic
• Over 300 international travel bloggers using Lonely Planet API to integrate their content on Lonely Planet web properties
• “We need to experiment restlessly with new platforms, new tools and new services that are going to be the most useful and the most valuable to customers”
• Lonely Planet is always open to acquisitions as a potential means to amass new talent, technology
• Lonely Planet is currently profitable and revenues are growing

Wow…another year, another early round playoff fumble for the Chargers.  After 11 straight victories in the regular season, Norm at the helm and Rivers in top form, we were all ready to see the Chargers advance to the big game this year.  But, as they say, defense wins championships and last night it was “lights out” for our beloved bolts.

Well, now that next Sunday has freed up on your calendar, may we suggest you round up your fellow Chargers fans (21 and over!) and head out on the town for a San Diego Brewery Tour. What better way to restore your love for “America’s Finest City” than to sip suds at some of San Diego’s finest craft breweries.

Available seven days a week, Kijubi’s San Diego Brewery Tour includes bus transportation to three different taprooms, brewery tours, lunch, and a souvenir glass to use for the various tastings.

Our knowledgeable brew guides will educate you on the rich history of brewing in San Diego and the unique methods employed at some of the award winning craft breweries visited on the tour including Ballast Point, Stone Green Flash, Backstreet Brewery and the San Diego Brewing Company.

While we don’t advocate for drowning your sorrows in a pint glass, we know most of you Bolts fans were planning on drinking beer next weekend anyways.  So given the circumstances, heading over to Kijubi.com and making a reservation to get on the SD-brew bus might be just what the doctor ordered.

Cold weather got you down?

I know my car is here somewhere....

We can’t complain here in Laguna Beach, but our friends back east say it’s freezing!   When the pipes start to freeze and you find yourself sitting around the house in a down jacket, there’s only one thing to do….head south to the Sunshine state.

One of the only truly tropical zones in the US, Florida offers amazing opportunities to find fun and adventures outdoors. Kijubi has teamed up with tour and adventure guides from all over the state to make sure you can find the fun on your next visit to our nation’s preeminent peninsula.

Among the more unique experiences we offer is a chance to get up close and personal with the friendliest of marine mammals, the Manatee.  Strictly vegetarians, Manatess can reach up to 2,000 lbs, but are known to be among the most gentle and playful creatures to inhabit the marshy coastal areas of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Going snorkeling with the Manatees in Crystal River is perfect for adventurers of all ages, and a great light impact group activity for families or seniors.

If you find yourself near Orlando at the right time of the month, check out the Full Moon Kayak Tour over the Winter Park chain of lakes.  A perfect activity for experienced paddlers or first-time kayakers, this trip will give you a truly unique perspective on the natural beauty that southern Florida has to offer.

Don’t feel like getting wet?  No problem…how about a bike tour through the Mangroves in the magnificent Anne Kolb Nature Conservatory or renting a Harley and cruising down Alligator Alley.

There’s no shortage of great Floridian adventures available from Kijubi. As soon as you’re able to dig your car out of the snow, make a beeline down the 95 towards the sunshine state, but be sure to check our site first to find out What Kijubi Doing on your trip.

At Kijubi headquarters this year, we decided to forego a lame secret Santa gift exchange and take the whole team out for a holiday party they’d never forget…an ATV ride through the Palm Desert.

Video: Team Kijubi heading out to Palm Desert

Hopping on an ATV is an amazing way to get way off the beaten path and access terrain that you might not otherwise ever get to see.  We’re all for hiking and biking and horseback riding, but there is nothing quite like letting loose on the throttle and bombing down a sand dune at 50 mph.

Video: Team Kijubi Bombing Through the Desert

Kijubi.com currently offers ATV rentals in Anaheim and San Diego, making this a perfect weekend getaway to explore the amazing beauty of Southern California with friends and family.

Our partners at About.com have a very comprehensive list of the best places to go ATVing in Southern California, complete with driving trails, directions and GPS coordinates.

Before you head out, we recommend taking a look at the ATV Safety Institute’s website, where you’ll find a wealth of information and advise ranging from  safety tips to this common sense guide to responsible riding and use of public lands:

• Learn about the area you will ride in. Contact the public land manager or private property owner to ensure that you understand area restrictions and have permission to ride there. Get maps of the area, and stay on trails if they are provided.

• Keep your ATV quiet. ATVs are designed to be relatively quiet while still delivering maximum performance, smooth engine torque and spark suppression. Excessive noise stresses wildlife, and annoys property owners and other recreation users. It also contributes to your own riding fatigue. Less noise means you can ride farther more comfortably.

• Obey trail markers and closure signs. There are many reasons why an area may be closed to ATVs including the existence of fire hazard, refuge to wildlife or plant life and safety hazards for ATV riders. The reasons may not be obvious. If it is posted as closed, stay out.

• Always leave gates and fences the way you found them. This is especially important on private lands where livestock may be kept.

• Leave the area as clean as you found it. If you see litter, pick it up and carry it out on your ATV. Carry a rolled up plastic trash bag and a couple of bungee cords on your ATV. Why not leave the area cleaner than you found it?

• Be courteous to others you may meet on the trail. Always give right-of-way to hikers and horseback riders. Pull off the trail and stop your engine for horses. In most areas, horses are not permitted on trails unless they are accustomed to vehicles, but don’t take a chance. The rider will likely talk soothingly to the horse. It doesn’t hurt for you to do the same to assure the horse you are no threat. Horses respond very positively to a calm, human voice.

• Approach livestock or wildlife on the trail slowly. In some parts of the country, range cattle pass the afternoon under shade trees along a trail. If you startle them, they may run directly into your path. Give them time to react and give them as wide a berth as possible.

• Whenever you talk to a landowner, take your helmet off. The helmet can make you appear to be intimidating and unfriendly. Be friendly and honest in all your discussions with the landowner & you are there as their guest.

Having just returned from a week in the Northeast, including a day in New York City, I could really appreciate this post from WorldHum Blogger Mike Barish citing tips for surviving a holiday trip to the Big Apple.

New York City during the holidays is truly magical place… I’ve been fortunate to spend three New Years Eve’s in Times Square and can tell you it’s certainly one amazing life experience everyone should have at least once.  But, as Mike points out in typical New Yorker fashion “Before you make your way to New York with visions of sugarplum fairies and miracles on 34th Street dancing in your head, heed the advice of someone who lives here. ”

I was fortunate enough to be led through the myriad of bustling train stations, subways and crowded streets by a seasoned New Yorker on my most recent trip (Thanks Sharon!), but if you aren’t as fortunate, following these tips from Mike could make your holiday trip to New York much smoother:

Pay attention: Most of New York’s tourist destinations are conveniently located where millions of people are trying to conduct their daily business. While you stand in the middle of the sidewalk taking a picture of Times Square, someone whose office is on Broadway and 41st Street is trying to make it to work on time. Step aside for the locals if you want to take a picture. No one will fault you for being a tourist. But you will annoy commuters if you cause them to miss the start of a meeting. Though taking pictures of the Walk/Don’t Walk sign is lame. I’m just sayin’.

Expect (and enjoy) crowds: New York during the holidays is an exercise in organized chaos. Millions of people visit Midtown to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. The Thanksgiving parade draws a huge crowd of locals and tourists. If you’re looking to engage in a tender moment of quiet reflection during the holidays, go into the country to chop down your own tree. Your trip to New York will be shared with hordes of people enjoying the exact same New York holiday. You’ll be gazing at Saks Fifth Avenue’s window displays, the giant tree and the glittery New Year’s Eve Ball with crowds unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Rather than complain about it, get caught up in the energy, pomp and circumstance of it all. New York can feel like a small town if you let yourself share a smile with a stranger.

Have a game plan: There are myriad activities that make New York a tourist mecca during the holidays. Since you’ll be one of millions of tourists, be sure to beat them to the punch so you don’t miss out on anything. Purchase tickets to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Spectacular in advance of your arrival. It will sell out. Plan on watching the ball drop in Times Square? Better stake out a spot early in the day (I’m talking right after breakfast), as it will be impossible to get anywhere close to the action by the afternoon. The city’s Christmas tree is spitting distance from both the Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park ice rinks. Go for a skate and see the tree in one efficient afternoon. Just don’t actually spit on our streets—it’s flu season.

Ask for help: New Yorkers have a reputation for being rude. Rather than buy into the stereotype, put us to the test. If you’re lost or need a recommendation for a restaurant, politely ask someone for assistance. New Yorkers aren’t animals … but we can tell you the quickest way to get to the Bronx Zoo. Seriously. It’s open all-year round and only closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Hop on the 2 or 5 train going uptown and exit at the East Tremont Avenue/West Farms Square stop. The signs at street level will help you navigate the two-block walk. See, you just got directions from a local!

Stand clear of the closing door please: You’re going to hear that announcement often when you ride the subway. You may want to hold the door while your friend snaps a picture of the mariachi band on the platform, but you’re holding up the train and keeping people from their day-to-day lives. Your vacation is someone else’s commute. Squeeze in, put your bags between your legs and hold on tight. Besides, there’s a good chance that another mariachi band will be on the train.

Keep your wallet handy: This isn’t a warning about pickpockets. New York is the safest big city in the United States. However, it is also the most expensive. So, be prepared to spend more than you’re used to for meals, souvenirs and event tickets. But, if you accept that beforehand (and budget accordingly), you won’t be upset when you arrive. And please, do not take out your displeasure with prices on service employees. Waiters, housekeepers and cab drivers rely on all of us to make a living and they have gifts to buy this time of year, too.

If you’ll be in the Big Apple for the holidays, these tips are sure to help keep you safe, sane and welcome amongst the locals.  Stay warm, stay safe and most importantly…have fun!

As many of you know, we love Twitter at Kijubi. (Link us at twitter.com/kijubi) It’s been a great tool for us to keep up with the constant flow of information in the tech and travel space, communicate with our users and connect with new extended friends across the world.

We also love to use Twitter while traveling to keep up with real-time developments about jammed highways, delayed planes, or even just to connect with others from the Twitterati who might be grabbing a drink at the terminal bar.

One of the most valuable methods we use to connect with other people or stay on top real-time developments in a specific travel destination is to use Twitter Search.

By setting up a bookmark in my iPhone for a specific Twitter Search term like “The Bellagio” I can follow along and see tweets from anyone who might be checking into my hotel, looking for a fifth poker player or find out about a great DJ who might be spinning in the casino bar that night.

We’ve also found Twitter to be a great tool at industry conferences to keep up with all the action, learn about great vendor demos we need to check out or find out where the good after parties or tweet-ups are going down.

We came across a book recently called “Twitter for Travelers” by Christine Gilbert, an excellent resource which she describes as ” A Guide to Using Twitter to Make Travel Easier, Cheaper, Smarter Safer and Faster.”

At $7, it’s a great resource we can recommend for any traveler interested in how they can use Twitter while on the road to find great deals, connect with cool people, avoid unnecessary delays and generally have some fun with technology while seeing the world.

You should also check out Christine’s Blog  almostfearless.com where she is chronicling her adventures since quitting her job, selling her worldly possessions and setting off to travel the world. Follow her Tweets at: @almostfearless

Chime in the comments section to let us know how you use Twitter while traveling, any close calls you managed to avoid or amazing people you’ve met as a result of using the service.

Things can get hectic this time of year around the office with the holidays looming, fourth quarter numbers to meet and those annoying co-worker secret Santa gift exchanges to shop for. It’s only natural for the group to want to blow off some steam, and what could make for a better holiday party than to unload on your boss with a bucket of paintballs!!

Kijubi has just added a variety of great California group paintball activities to the site from Los Angeles County to San Diego County to the Inland Empire. Many of our sites, like the Castaic location, have themed fields so you can battle it out on the streets of Baghdad, have a lunar war on the face of the moon or have a post apocalyptic war just like the scenes of Mad Max.

Generally recommended for ages 10 and up our group paintball activities can accommodate up to twenty guests and are ideal for corporate and company picnics, private parties, church events, team building, large events, bachelor parties, school field trips, graduation nights, banquets, receptions, summer camp trips, birthdays, or any other occasion when you might want to have some competitive fun outdoors.

This Could Be Your Boss!!

The game typically works like capture the flag where two teams are put on opposite ends of a large roped off field or forested area. A referee signals the beginning of play as well as the end of the game when one team has successfully rescued their flag from the opponents base station and returned it to theirs without being sniped by a paintball.

The required eye protection, paintball guns, paint and other gear is all available for rent on site and advanced reservations through Kijubi are highly recommended before making the trip.