World’s Most Dangerous Beaches

by Iva Skoch on

If you are in the midst of planning a beach vacation, this is bad timing. I was just about to tell you about the World’s Most Dangerous Beaches, as compiled by Forbes.

In 2006 alone, American households apparently took nearly 55 million trips to the beach. Most of those trips were totally safe and pleasant. The rest of them….not so much.

Here are the World’s Most Dangerous Beaches by Forbes:

  • Shark Attacks/Bites: New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Fla., Runner Up: Hawaii
  • Pollution: Hacks Point Beach, Kent County, Md./Beachwood Beach West, Ocean County, N.J.
  • Jellyfish Attacks: Northern Australia
  • Rip Current Drowning: Brevard County, Fla., Runner Up: Volusia County, Fla.
  • Boating Accidents: Florida, Runner Up: California
  • Lightning: Florida, Runner up: Colorado

Umm, Colorado? They have beaches in Colorado?

P.S. Is it just me or is this list a little US-centric?

The most underrated country in the world

by Iva Skoch on

“Why is it so hard to admit you like the good ‘ole US of A?” asks Ben Groundwater, resident Backpacker Blogger at the Sydney Morning Herald.

As a non-American who spends a lot of time in the US, I wept with joy when I read his latest blog “The most underrated country in the world“. OK, I didn’t weep but I did enjoy it tremendously.

He gets into analyzing the American psyche, which–let’s be honest here–has been the full-time job of many a backpacker worldwide. From my own modest experience psychoanalyzing the American “it”, I advise against it. Unless of course you take pleasure in pissing people off. (Gadling is hiring, by the way)

Anyway, back to Ben. He shares his own observations about America: “I first touched down in the US as a kid, a time when it’s impossible to hate the place….As you grow up, however, the place becomes harder and harder to love….My long-time travel buddy, the Hilton Hippy, has got the shits with the Yanks. Never going back there, he says. Doesn’t want to be fingerprinted by some half-witted goon in immigration. Doesn’t want to throw his tourist dollars into a place run by a glorified county sheriff….But let’s cut to the biggest perceived problem with the US: the people…..They’re meant to be loud-mouthed, rude, arrogant, and ridiculously insular.”

Hold on here, be patient. This is where Ben goes positive on us. “Thing is, the Seppos get a bad wrap because of their behaviour when you meet them overseas, but at home, they’re generous to the point of being overbearing. I’ve been driven across state lines by people I barely know, been offered directions by New Yorkers before I’ve even had a chance to pull out a map, had people beg me to come visit so they can show me their home town. Borat made those college kids look pretty damn stupid when he hitched a lift with them in the movie, but have a think about what was actually happening. Here was a bunch of kids heading off on holidays, picking up what was, to their minds at least, a middle-aged Kazakhstani hitchhiker, sharing their precious stash of beer with him and trading stories. Find me any Australians who would do that.”

He’s got a point there. Americans are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. (As a non-American I can actually say that and not sound like a totally clueless Yankee flag-waver.)

(Read Ben’s entire The most underrated country in the world” blog here)

Spider infestation closes an Australian hospital

by Iva Skoch on

You probably got it by now, but Australia is one of my favorite countries. As I report ad nauseum, there is never a dull moment in Australian news.

It must be hard trying to run a country, while making sure half your population doesn’t get eaten by crocodiles or sharks and stung by jellyfish, or at least bitten by snakes and spiders. It is amazing that Australia has all those creatures. And more!

Yesterday, poisonous spiders caused a problem when they plagued the Baralaba Hospital about 200 miles northwest of Brisbane. The tiny hospital had to close so officials could fumigate the building to get rid of redback spiders that have been found in large numbers in the main part of the hospital, CBS reports.

Redback spiders, common throughout most of the country, have a painful bite and a toxic venom, although an anti-venom is available. Apparently, warm weather had caused more redback spider eggs to hatch than usual. Of course, already being at a hospital when bitten by a poisonous spider is a good thing. And only in Australia.

Lasers cause havoc on Australian flights — soon to be outlawed

by Grant Martin on

The latest terrorist weapon in Australia isn’t dirty bombs, oil attacks or hijackings. It’s lasers. New high powered lasers that have recently become widely available on the market are turning out to be a formidable tool in harassing pilots while on sensitive landing patterns.

When shined into a cockpit, these high powered devices can refract around the cabin, temporarily blinding crew and potentially damaging their vision. Opposed to older lasers commonly used in classrooms and during presentations, strong lasers have the ability to reach long distances, allowing attackers to strike from relatively long (and well covered) distances.

Here in the United States we’ve seen sporadic instances and subsequent prosecutions of laser strikes, but in Sydney the problem is starting to get out of hand. So far this year there have been six sightings of lasers in cockpits and the government is getting ruffled. They’re passing legislation to ban possession of high powered lasers without a reason, saying that they can now search and question perpetrators on why they own the devices.

Meanwhile, casual users from teachers to hobbyists are up in arms about the legislation, saying that not all lasers need to be banned from use. I suppose if more flights are safer and normal users can prove they’re using the lasers for the right purposes it’s not too big of a deal, is it?

No Wrong Turns: How to Surf, by a Wannabe Surfer

by Kelsey Mulyk on

I believe the time people put in working, running errands, going to the gym and all the other daily stuff we feel we have to do starts to take its toll on how we live and think. This is a big reason why Tom and I decided to pack up and leave for a little while…to put things in perspective, do a bit of work on the road and to surf (ok…learn to surf for me).

My surfing experience is limited to three times…once in New Zealand, once in Australia and one time in Costa Rica where an encounter with a jellyfish put my surfing attempts on hold. But now, since we have stopped in the Baja and there are some good learning beaches, I have decided to dedicate a few months to surfing, though the extent of my abilities so far is to stand up on my board. I’m working on it.

A few things beginner surfers need to know and remember: it is not as easy as it looks. No matter how athletic you are, expect to fall over and over and over again; practice makes perfect. Coordination, decent physical fitness and sheer determination (stubbornness…call it what you will) to get back up and keep trying are ideal traits if you want to learn how to surf.

Get the right gear

Extreme beginners should rent a foam long board. These range from 9 to 10 feet long and are wider than most surfboards, which provide more stability allowing more opportunity for “newbies” to pull themselves up. Make sure your board has a leash to prevent it from getting away from you or from maiming some poor innocent bystander — drawing blood isn’t a good way to make friends.

You are going to be out there for a while so a wetsuit is vital. Keeping warm while you are battling the waves helps you focus on learning to surf instead of wondering why you can’t feel your feet.

Figure out your lead foot

Your lead foot is the foot that feels most comfortable in front when you are standing on the board. If you snowboard or skateboard you won’t have any trouble figuring out which foot feels more natural as your lead foot; if you have no clue ask for assistance at the surf shop. Or have a friend stand behind you and, when you are not ready, give you a little push…whatever leg comes out first to prevent you from falling is your lead foot. “Regular” stance is left foot front, while riding “goofy” refers to those who prefer their right foot forward. If you still cannot figure it out you just have to get out there and see what feels best to you.

Take a Lesson

From my meager experience it is valuable to either take a lesson or have a seasoned surfer walk you through the motions of surfing on the beach. Walking into the ocean without any idea of what you are supposed to do is a waste of your time and the surfboard rental fee.

How to stand up on your board

(Explaining this definitely makes it sounds much easier than it is.)

  1. Lie down in the center of your board with your feet just hanging over the tail end and your head facing the top (the “nose”) of the board.
  2. Grip the “rails” (the sides) of the board and push yourself into a “push up” position and drag one knee through your arms so you are in a crouching-lunge position.
  3. Use your front foot and push yourself up to stand.
  4. Try and stand with your feet about hip distance apart with your lead foot in the middle and you back foot closer to the tail end of the board.
  5. The most important thing you can do to keep your balance is to try and keep your feet around the center of the board.

Walk through these steps a few times on the beach before hitting the waves. After a couple run-throughs, pick up your board, strap on your leash, imagine yourself catching a wave and get out there. Though I would never call myself a “surfer,” in the past few weeks I have managed to stand up on my board. I am definitely not consistent but with a bit more practice I can only get better. I should warn you: once you start to get the hang of surfing it’s hard to think about anything else but getting back in the water. Oh yeah and one more tip from this wannabe surfer: keep your mouth shut when you wipeout.