Category: Thrills
How to Hike Peru’s Inca Trail
Peru’s world famous Inca Trail annually draws thousands of curious hikers looking to retrace the steps of ancient civilizations. I was one of them. Huffing and puffing, I sweat my way to the top of the famous ruins of Machu Picchu.
The journey along the Inca Trail was awesome but it ain’t easy. It was a four-day, 25-odd km hike that wound along a schizophrenic terrain: sheer cliffs, misty cloud forests, lush jungles and nose-bleed-causing mountain peaks. The scenery was stunning, the ruins historic but the actual hike… well… it was a real workout.
Around The World with Julia Dimon: Check out the video!
I’ve been around the world four times, to over 80 countries, across six continents. Here are some of the video highlights: learning how to fight like a gladiator in Rome, overlooking the inspiring vista of Chile’s Atacama desert, spending a night of ‘torture’ in a Latvian prison, sucking back the Sour Toe Cocktail in Yukon and, of course, eating Moriche worm in the jungles of Venezuela. Check out my compilation video of my adventures around the world, and enjoy!
From Mardi Gras to marshmallow-eating alligators: a swamp tour in Louisiana
His name is El Whappo. He’s 70 years-old, 13 feet long and he’s one of the biggest alligators ever seen in Louisiana’s West Pearl River.
Our tour group found the monster reptile lounging along the sandy river bank, soaking up the afternoon sun. As our motor boat approached for a better look, the alligator turned its snout, slid from the shore and floated towards us.
This was Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island Swamp Tour, a two-hour guided boat ride through Louisiana’s wetlands. Open since 1984, the tour focuses on the natural environment and its indigenous wildlife: from tiny turtles to moss-covered cypress trees, slimy green duck weed (a staple in many swamp dwellers’ diets), to blue herons the size of pterodactyls.
How to swim with great white sharks… (and live)
I swear, I hear the Jaws “da na da na da na” theme song in all bodies of water, from oceans to bath tubs. That’s why it was particularly out of character for me to sign up for a great white shark cage-diving adventure off the coast of South Africa… and so can you.
This day activity (also offered in parts of California) allows swimmers to snorkel with sharks from the safety of a metal cage. A boat trip takes you out to the middle of the ocean, dragging a trail of chum (a delicious stew of fish guts and blood) behind it. The great whites catch the scent and are lured towards the curious swimmers bobbing inside a protective contraption.
Crazy? Yes, but if you’re looking for a deeper understanding of these deep-sea creatures, it’s an awe-inspiring way to spend an afternoon.
Heli-Yoga in the Rockies
The best part about starting a new year is the chance to wipe the slate clean and achieve a fitter, slimmer, richer, smarter you. If fitness, natural beauty and all-round relaxation are on your resolution “to-do list” for 2010, consider a trip to Canadian Rockies’ snow-capped mountains. While they boast some of the world’s best skiing and wildlife viewing, this region is also home to an unusual tourist activity called heli-yoga, a practice that combines the meditative properties of yoga with a traditional helicopter sightseeing tour.
Julia’s Top 10 Hottest Travel Destinations in 2010
All the big boys do it. Conde Nast, Lonely Planet, Frommers. It’s an annual travel industry tradition (much like the Academy Awards minus the emaciated actresses) to select hot destinations for the new year.
When considering such a big endeavor, one must look at several factors: pop culture events on the calendar, value for your dollar, under-appreciated cities, up-and-comers and general awesomeness.
Between research, real-life experience and peering into my travel crystal ball, I offer up my personal picks for the Top 10 hottest travel destinations in 2010.
Happy new year! Here are my top 5 adrenaline rushes for 2010
Attention thrill-seekers! Find yourself bored by lazy beach life at all-inclusive resorts? Do you dream of pushing the limits, testing your nerves and your bladder control? For the brave and ballsy, here are five adrenaline-pumping activities that will rock your next vacation:
