Podcast 4U2 Hear: JungleCast

by Erik Olsen on

We’ve been talking a bit about evolution lately,
and there is a phenomenon in evolution whereby a new species might come into being through natural selection, that is,
a beneficial mutation and subsequent adaptation to the environment that causes the species to explode, for its
population to bow out my geometric proportions. In culture and technology and society, the same thing happens with
memes, and one of the more recent memes that has seen this kind of explosion is the podcast. Seriously, have you seen
how many podcasts there are out there these days? I am going to start doing more posts about them, taking a look at
which ones are worth listening to. I subscribe to a few god ones on itunes and poke around the net for others.

So the first podcast that I think you should here is this one called JungleCast at Echoradio. Now, it’s somewhat unconventional,, in that
what you are hearing is a SoundScape, a walk and talk interview with a scientist named Dr. Ed Barnhardt, who in this
case happens to be studying the history of the ancient Maya at one of my favorite Maya sites: Palenque. I was in
Palenque years ago, and was thrilled to walk around the ruins and explore the jungles. Even to skinny-dip in one of the
nearby streams. But the podcast here is not about skinny-dipping. It is a rather sober and serious look at a scientists
work trying to figure out what happened to the Maya and how they lived.

The audio quality of these podcast
is superb. Which I really appreciate since I have grown quite tired of hearing podcasts done by someone into their
laptop using the built in speakers. So give this one a listen. I think you’ll really enjoy it.

Whistler Mountaineer

by Erik Olsen on

Pretty cool offering for folks who love British
Columbia skiing (and what skier worth his snow does not?) A company called Rocky Mountain vacations (as in the Canadian
Rockies, one supposes) is offering two new routes for its train journeys through Western Canada.

The routes
begin later this year and will offer riders the opportunity to take a train between North Vancouver and Whistler in
British Columbia. The train, called the Whistler Mountaineer will make
three-hour, 73-mile run beginning in May. And you will be dropped off very near one of the best ski resorts in the
world: Whistler/Blackcomb. This is very cool. the drive from Vancouver up to Whistler along the Sea to Sky highway is
one of the beset drives in the world. I have made it a dozen times, and every time I marvel at the beauty of the
landscape, the open fjords the waterfalls that seem to tumble onto the road, bald eagles soaring overhead. And taking
the route by train seems to me an excellent way to go. The other route is called the Fraser Discovery Route and will
cover 642 miles (two days, with a hotel stay) between Whistler and Jasper in the province of Alberta.

The
Rocky Mountaineer’s one-way prices start at $85 per person for the Whistler Mountaineer trip. For the Fraser Discovery
Route, prices begin at $469 per person. Various packages you can also take include the new Classic Rail Circle (from
$1,499 per person, double occupancy, for six nights), incorporate both routes.

National Geographic Emerging Explorers

by Erik Olsen on

National Geographic has a excellent little
interactive site about emerging explorers. I posted about
this a long while back, but that was when there wasn’t too much there. A couple of nice print pieces, but not the vivid
interactive that is there now. There are text articles/interviews with the explorers as well as photos and some audio.

Among the folks mentioned here, I want to point out two who I think are doing really cool work. First, Kira Salak is a writer whose career I’ve been
following for a while. I’ve read her stories in National Geographic Adventure and other Outdoor Magazines for some
time. Her story on Timbuktu
aways back was superb. And I love the fact she was inspired by Mungo Park, a little known explorer who lent his name
(posthumously ;-)) to one of the best of the early travel magazines, and was a character in one of my favorite T.
Coraghessan Boyle books…Water Music, I think it was. The other explorere wothy of mention…actually, they all are
worthy of mention….is Jenny Daltry, who has
made saving the lesser-known, shall we call them uncharismatic megafauna, her life’s goal.

These are just
two of a few who have been selected by the good folks at Nat Geo who deserve our attention.

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.

Working in Torres del Paine

by Erik Olsen on

Now here is a way to have a vacation in one of the most amazing
places on earth and to do a good deed while you’re at it. First, though, I have to tell you how incredibly amazing Torres del Paine is. Located far, far South in
Patagonian Chile, Torres is one of the loveliest, most adventure-laden places you will ever go. I was there for a few weeks years ago and
did part of the Torres circuit. The trail wanders through a glacier scoured land dotted with cerulean lakes and teeming
with unusual wildlife. We were actually talked by a rhea (a South American ostrich) while hiking and saw herds of wild
guanacos (sort of a llama-like animal) scampering around the hills. So, yes, Torres is unforgettable. Really the
Yosemite of South America…and without the crowds.

But beginning March 18, you can head to Torres and help fix the trails and make the place
even better. Imagine the friends you’ll make?  The nine-night excursion is being sponsored by the U.S.
Forest Service and Chile’s park service. You’ll get to explore the park for a couple of days and then hunker down
and fix up the trail system on other days. During the time you’re there you’ll stay in a local hostel with
hot showers and an incredible view of the park. Good stuff. It will, of course, cost you, so you are doing this for the
good of the park. The cost is $2,700 per person, including round-trip international airfare to Santiago from Pittsburgh.
There are also “extension” trips that you can take, should you have not satisfied your travel jones that
take you to Easter Island or Machu Picchu in Peru. Get more details
here.