Two hightlights among the many mis-adventures of the TSA over the years: One, a lengthy interview with Steve Bierfeldt, the Ron Paul aide detained by the TSA and local police because he was carrying on hand $4,000 in campaign funds. (Premise being he was never a threat to security and highlighted the intrusiveness and “mission creep” of the TSA. Second, we see in depth and first hand the morphing of the air marshal program, and sadly not for the better.

Thames commuter ferry between Tower of London and Westminster Bridge…

Taking advantage of late deals takes a certain approach. In part, it’s about being prepared to wait for a long time to actually book your trip. One thing you can be sure of is that travel companies will apply discounts to unsold places rather than leaving rooms and plane seats empty – you just need to be prepared for them to do it the day before travel.

This may seem counterintuitive, but you should plan your holiday during the peak summer period, as there will be more places booked by travel agents, and therefore more chances for no-shows. Do it this way and you’ll get a wider range of destinations to choose from

Be wary of advertised discounts, as the percentages can be misleading. Remember, a ‘75% discount’ is only meaningful on a tariff system which is stable. At the least, you need to be acquainted with the fluctuations in price on a year-round basis. Most package deals change from day to day across the year, depending on how well they are selling. Don’t just look at the percentage reduction. Set yourself a price limit you think is reasonable and search for last minute holidays based on that. Onthebeach.co.uk is a pretty good resource for last minute holidays.

Flexibility on destination might just be even more important than the date of travel. You might fancy the Algarve but find a better deal in Spain. Ask yourself whether it matters which part of the Med you holiday in.

If you see a good-looking discount, check what it includes. Many elements – once included as standard – now incur an extra charge. If the last minute holiday you find includes in flight meals, transfers or breakfast, then you might save a packet across the holiday. Check out OnTheBeach’s holiday guide to achieving sunny harmony!

Avoid ‘allocation on arrival’ holidays – even if the price is tempting. Being in the dark about your hotel until you arrive is a recipe for disappointment. Spending a little more to avoid a nasty surprise is well worth it.

If you decide a last minute holiday is for you, give yourself as large a window as possible – June to September, say – and start looking on the 1^st June, checking the tour operators sites each day until you find a good deal. Once you find something you like, grab it with both hands instead of waiting for something you think might top it. Check the government’s advice for travelling abroad.

This price gouger is known among locals as the place to snare tourists racing to catch a flight needing to fill up their rental cars.

I was doing exactly this at 4am this past Monday morning. I knew this station was there, having stayed at the airport Sheraton before, but didn’t know this was the location of the infamous hurricane force rip off. I pulled in for a quick top off scanning for a price sign. And guess what-there are no price signs posted until you get to the pumps. (The legality of this is posted in this Bay News 9 article.)

I pulled up to the pump, saw the tiny LED number (yes, $5.89) and peeled out heading north, contemplating free markets and surprised that they got enough last minute business to justify those rates.

Only one mile north on Semoran sits a 7-Eleven/Citgo station at 5703 S Semoran, which as of Monday was priced at $3.47 with a friendly staff and fresh bananas two for a dollar.

Photo from Bay News 9

So here is a photo of a mushroom from camping last month up in Guanella Pass

Denver, Colorado. Rugged, hearty Queen City of the Plains, rising high from the foothills of the Rockies. And soon thanks to the cheap flights to America on offer at a range of sites like dialaflight.com, it could be yours to see and enjoy.

Indeed for sports fanatics the world over, Denver is a truly special place. As the home to many sports teams great and small, it is in fact one of a very special group of only twelve cities across the United States of America with teams from four major sports.

The Denver Broncos have consistently drawn crowds at levels of upwards of 70,000 since they began in the sixties at the Mile High Stadium. Today as legends of the National Football League, fans still flock in their tens of thousands, seeing them all the way to the Super Bowl six times, and going as far as to win consecutive Super Bowls in 1998 and 1999.

But back in the eighties, football was not enough for an ambitious big city on the move. Back then city mayor Federico Pena made it a key priority to bring major league baseball to Denver. After much effort and enthusiasm, the Colorado Rockies were formed and Coors Field was built in the city. The team made great strides and appeared in their first World Series just four years ago.

Not only is Denver renowned in two of the biggest American sports, football and baseball; it has become famous for its hockey team too. The Colorado Avalanche moved from their original home in Quebec City nearly two decades ago to their current venue at Pepsi Center, since which they have gone on to win two Stanley Cups (in 1996 and in 2001).

Even if that weren’t enough, the Pepsi Center also plays host to the great city’s National Basketball Association team, the Denver Nuggets. NASCAR is popular in Colorado too, and Furniture Row Racing is a team based in Denver, the only NASCAR team which has its headquarters in the state.

For the soccer fans, the Colorado Rapids are the local Major League Soccer team, who played their matches at Invesco Field at Mile High until they moved in to a new stadium at Commerce City, one of Denver’s suburbs in the north of the city, called Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

With an incredible sporting and cultural heritage, Denver is an exciting city. As the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, it is a haven for adventurers of all kinds. Sportsmen and fans will be at home there.