On (not) Climbing Kilimanjaro (yet)

by Erik Olsen on

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems a little
self-indulgent for someone to write an article about how they are GOING to climb a mountain, or GOING to embark on a
trip. I mean, anyone can say that, and then write in giddy glee how this is the trip of a lifetime, and how you’ve
ALWAYS wanted to do such and such.

And so it goes in this
piece over at MSNBC. You see, after seeing an IMAX film about KIli, he decides he absolutely has to go, and so what
we get is 1000 words about how he’s planning the trip and plotting everyday with the help of some outfitter and blah
blah blah. Hold off on the writing until you go already. Sheesh.

Planning a Belize Adventure

by Erik Olsen on

I’m not one for resorts, but prefer instead to stay in cheap, local hotels and/or hostels. Or sometimes, if I can find the right beach or camping area, I’ll pitch a tent and hang out for free…or nearly free, as most camping places don’t charge much. But you might be traveling with a significant other or perhaps you’re just fed up with the rat race and are looking for some creature comforts. Good for you. I can certainly appreciate that.

Well, the good folks over at Luxist have posted about a resort in one place I’d very much like to go: Belize. Sad to say, I’ve never been. Belize is actually one of only a few Latin American countries I’ve never visited, but would love to go, as I hear that it is not only remarkably beautiful, but the diving is said to be superb. Well, if Belize is on the horizon for you, you might check out the Kanantik Resort.

The Belize resort offers adventure-minded travelers who also have a bit of the luxury bug to experience eco-minded adventures with a hefty dose of romance. The cabins are plopped down on a private and secluded beach surrounded by a rainforest. They offer a rather impressive-sonding “Romantic Honeymoon” package that includes a six night all-inclusive stay in an air-conditioned beachfront cabana, three guided adventure tours and daily meals with gourmet dinners that can be served by candlelight on the private veranda of your cabana or on the beach. I suppose I could put my tent away for a week and do this. ;-)

Ice Climbing Festival

by Erik Olsen on

If you
weren’t paing attentin, you likely missed the fact that this weekend was the continent’s largest ice-climbing festival,
which took place in Canada at the
Festiglace du Quebec.

The event brought together hundreds of
hard-core ice aficionados, including several world champions. It also attracted legions of amateurs, who spent time
scaling towers of ice under the supervision of some of the top names in the sport. You can check out the resutls of the
competition and see photos of the event here.

Babes in New Zealand

by Erik Olsen on

Slate’s travel pieces are too
few and few between. They only seem to pop up every few weeks or so, and yet, when they do, I always enjoy the stories.
What I like the most is that Slate let’s the writers breathe a bit. The dispatches usually take place over the course
of a week, and during that time the writers get to explore many aspects of a place, they meet different people and you
get to watch the transformation of the writer’s perspective from day to day. Compare that to a standard travel piece
which usually doesn’t have the kind of room to move.

Well, I just took a
read of the new series of dispatches out on by Elisabeth
Eaves, and it is one of the better pieces I have read in a long while on the Kiwi nation. Eaves heads to NZ with an
adventuresome friend Kristin who, Eaves writes, "has never met an outdoor solo sport she doesn’t like". Eaves
is no outdoorsy slouch, but she’s obviously got to push herself a bit given the fact she has chosen to land herself in
the outdoors capitol of the world. So the pair embark on a trip that includes hiking, sea-kayaking, on- and off-road cycling, windsurfing, and rock climbing. And then of course there’s the whole bungee
jumping thing.

The stories that unfold here are filled with humor and pain…like real
physical pain, and each one delivers a dose of insight into what New Zealand is all about: the gorgeous vistas, the
gaping space, the often kooky people. And of course, in the end, it also helps that both Eaves and her friend are,
well, rather good looking. Give it a read. 

Africa Travel: Ethiopia

by Adrienne Wilson on

Last year Addis Ababa hosted a month long celebration in honor of the late Bob Marley who was a huge follower of the Rastafarian religion and would have been celebrating his 60th birthday. I’m sure the country saw a number of fans and followers of the musician due to the festivities, but Ethiopia is about a lot more than a Rasta man’s religion. This year the country celebrates their first time at the Winter Olympics in Italy with Robel Teklemariam paving the way for future cross-country skiers in Ethiopia. Should you choose to root for the athlete or participate in some outdoor activity of your own consider the region of the Tigrai (Tigray) in Northern Ethiopia.

If ecotourism and Africa is your thing you won’t want to pass this one by. This area is said to have one of the best off-road rock climbing challenges in addition to good mountain biking trails. In efforts to improve Ethiopia’s images of war and famine the Tigray Rock Climbing Team opened the rock climbing routes for potential ecotourists. For more information on this kind of activity and pictures, check out the website. I’m not a rock climber myself, but this sure does like an interesting alternative to experiencing the land of Ethiopia. Another good source for information on the Tigrai region and the people that build the community can be found at this Tigrai.org site. Excellent! I promise.