How to swim with great white sharks… (and live)
A cage diving tourist snaps a photo of a great white shark
The terrible story of the kiteboarder, Stephen Schafer, who was tragically killed by a shark on Wednesday off the north coast of Florida, does nothing in the way of calming my fish fears. It makes me never want to get in the water again.
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.
My 5 gotta-have travel gadgets
So what does the launch of the new (some say brutally-named) iPad mean to travelers? I’m eager to get my hands on one to official test it out, but according to Apple’s marketing madness machine, the tablet computer joins the list of helpful devices tourists can use when traveling abroad.
Light weight and small enough to fit in your carry-on bag, the iPad means portable wi-fi access for instant flight bookings, the ability to download restaurant reviews, guidebooks, ibooks and general country info.
It’s another step in the growing ‘electronification’ of travel, where gadget geeks, such as myself, take a backpack full of plug-in products to help them on the road.
When I travel, here are my top five gotta-have gadgets:
1) Laptop: Since travel writing is my main profession, I absolutely can’t live without my MacBook. I’ve put in some great mileage on that puppy. It’s seen some 23 countries, been X-rayed, scanned, swabbed and manhandled more times than the girls from Jersey Shore. It keeps on ticking, letting me watch DVD’s on the plane, chat to family members through Skype and maintain my ever-growing Twitter addiction.
2) iPod: Another “can’t live without” item. In addition to music, I’m a big fan of listening to NPR Podcasts while I travel. I also pack noise-canceling headphones and a set of mini speakers I can set up in my hotel room.
3) Camera: While the new iPod comes with built-in camera feature, there’s no substitution for a high quality digital camera. I take two with me when I travel. An SLR with extremely high resolution and a tiny cam that I can slip in my purse for impromptu shots.
4) Converters, plugs, cords, universal power adapters and surge protectors for all my gadgets, which I like to keep in a plastic bag (in case any of my cosmetics explode in my bag…which they typically do.)
5) Obviously I don’t use the following but they’re pretty hilarious gadgets from the site Vagabondish, so I thought I’d include them:
- The Beer Belly is a weird and likely effective way to sneak booze into events around the world. http://www.thebeerbelly.com/
- The Shower Shock is a vegetable-based glycerine travel soap that contains jolt-inducing amount of caffeine to be absorbed through the skin.
- BriefSafe is an unusual way to secure your valuables. Hide your junk in a faux pair of stained, dirty underwear. Burglars won’t dare touch that! http://www.vagabondish.com/12-killer-travel-gadgets-every-geek-needs/
What are your “must pack’ or most hilarious travel gadgets? What do you think of the new iPad and how it will change travel? Post a comment below!
Kayak.com offers ‘Lost’ flight
Lost: aka, the most awesome show on television (Photo credit: ABC’s Lost)
The gang at Kayak is a clever bunch. In the days leading up to the launch of the epic sci-fi drama “Lost” a.k.a the most awesome show on television, Kayak showcased it’s ironic sense of humor.
Go to www.kayak.com and search for a flight on September 22, 2010, one-way, non-stop from Sydney to Los Angeles. Surprisingly enough, you’ll find the infamous “Lost” flight on the doomed Oceanic Flight 815! Trust me, if you’re into Lost, this is a big deal…
In the show, this flight ultimately crashes, leaving our stranded cast of hunky characters to fend for themselves against smoke monsters, polar bears, the Others, Ben and a bunch of other forces that have yet to be explained (umm…Jacob? What the hell?)
I won’t lie. Seeing a fictional flight on Kayak’s very real travel site was a thrill for this die-hard Lost lover. Sadly, buying the $4,839 ticket won’t give you a ticket to the magical and mysterious island, but it will redirect you to Lostpedia, a fan wiki site with all things “Lost.”
Bravo Kayak. Very funny stuff!
February 2. The season premiere of Lost. OMG.
Eating guinea pig in Ecuador
With their big innocent eyes, cat-like whiskers and soft fluffy fur, guinea pigs make for great family pets. But here, in the Andean mountains of Ecuador, guinea pigs aren’t treated as cuddly companions; they’re bred, boiled and deep-fried for dinner.
Guinea pig or Cuy as it is called in South America is a local delicacy that’s unique to the highlands of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Cuy is most often eaten for special occasions, an indigenous tradition that dates back hundreds of years to the Incan empire.
I was curious to learn more about this unusual cuisine, so I set out to the region of Otavalo, a two-hour drive from the capital city of Quito, to find out more.
Desert Days – Camel safari in the Moroccan Sahara
Sitting atop camels with knobby knees and yellow choppers, our group of young travelers trekked single file into Eastern Morocco’s Sahara desert. The scene was very Lawrence of Arabia: camel caravans, white gossamer head scarves and a setting apricot sun casting shadow puppets onto nearby sand dunes.
This was day one of a two-day camel trek through Erg Chebbi, a giant dune near the scruffy little town of Merzouga. Boasting some of the largest sand dunes in all of Morocco, Erg Chebbi draws adventurous tourists looking for an alternative to the bustling souks of Marrakech.
After a few hours commute by camel-back, we arrived at camp. It wasn’t much more than a few thin woven mats scattered in the sand but it felt good to be ‘home.’ A few hours on a camel and your inner thighs really start to (Keep reading.)
Heli-Yoga in the Rockies
Martha of Martha’s Heli-Hikes
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.
Just a short drive outside Banff National Park near Alberta’s Lake Louise, Icefield Helicopter Tours takes the conventional aerial experience one step further. This helicopter tourism provider has partnered with Martha’s Heli-Hikes, an outdoor adventure outfitter, and together, they are offering a variety of high altitude activities, from hiking to snow shoeing, ice walking to yoga.
Tourists keen on connecting with nature may find themselves high on the mountain top, resting in “child’s pose,” overlooking some of our country’s most stunning scenery. There’s nothing quite like “tree pose” at 9,000 feet. There I was, balancing in this classic yoga (Keep reading.)
Julia’s Top 10 Hottest Travel Destinations in 2010
The Philippines
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.
British Columbia, Canada:
Brace your bobsled, the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, Canada from February 12-28. With over 97 nations qualifying for such sports as alpine skiing, curling, figure skating, luge and ski jumping, the world’s eyeballs (and tourists in turn) will look to British Columbia. Beyond the Okanagan wine tours and great surfing, it’s a province famous for its ski resorts, rugged coast line, temperate rainforests and – as it is affectionately called by local pot heads – “BC bud.” Grab a Canadian flag and get “Out and About.”
Quick Tip: For a cheaper way to get to Vancouver, fly to Seattle, rent a car, then drive a few hours over the Canadian border.
Philippines:
If you’re looking for more bang for your buck, Philippines is an affordable option for an exotic retreat. With over 7,000 islands in the archipelago, Philippines offers world-class diving, snorkeling, whitewater rafting and some of the world’s most pristine wilderness. Check out Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a 5 mile river on the west (Keep reading.)
Is the cold weather getting to you? Try a GPS tour of South Beach, Miami
Cruising the palm-tree lined strip of south beach miami(Keep reading.)
