6 THINGS TO DO ON MARS

Millionaire space tourist, Dennis Tito has announced plans to get to Mars in 2018. You remember this guy - he paid the Russians for the opportunity to throw up in orbit. So if Mars IS the new hot holiday destination, what are the must-do activities once you get there?...

1: Breathing. Given the red planet's atmosphere is about 1% as thick as ours, this can be quite a challenge, but it's really quite rewarding if you get the chance.

2: Roving. Everyone's doing it, isn't it time you found out what all the fuss is about?

3: Photo Opportunities. Oh, sure some people have described the Martian surface as a neverending desolate expanse of featureless wasteland, but it hasn't stopped previous visitors sending back thousands of high-def pics. Presumably you can still upload to Dropbox from there.

4: Hit the Slopes. Admittedly, due to an unprecedented spell of dry weather, there's not a lot of moisture around for actual snow which is a shame, as it's certainly cold enough with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as -70. But there ARE quite a few mountains, including the Solar System's tallest, Olympus Mons. Great view from 27 KILOMETRES UP... of not much. No chairlifts though, so it's a bit of a hike.

5: Lose Weight. That's right, this is one holiday guaranteed to help you SHED the pounds instead of stacking them on, mostly due to the gravity being just over a third of what we have to cope with on Earth. Now you can go crazy at the buffet, without the guilt.

6: Plan Your Invasion. Ever wanted shoot stuff with lasers, snatch some bodies and be taken to Earth's leaders? Mars is perfect launching spot, just ask the locals.