I spend all day, every day, on the Internet. It's my job.
I first started using the Internet five years ago when I was working as a freelance journalist. It's an invaluable source of information.
Now, I surf the net to check out the competition (websites created by other newspapers) as well as to source information.
I do a certain amount of surfing for pleasure, using my home computer, but I really consider the Internet to be a functional tool.
Last year, I booked a holiday in Italy (both flights and accommodation) on the Internet and it all worked out perfectly.
The advantage of doing it that way is that you can find out about the local area and see a picture of your accommodation also.
I very rarely use the Internet to shop as I prefer the experience of shopping in the real world.