Take a cycling holiday through Australia’s state of Victoria

by Kraig Becker on

Following the big win by Aussie Cadel Evans in the Tour de France this year, it is safe to say that cycling fever has hit Down Under. But Australia has had a long tradition of cycling that dates back to well before Evans’ breakout performance at Le Tour. For example, the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride, is a nine-day biking holiday that is entering its 28th year.

This November, Victoria is expected to play host to more than 4000 riders when the event gets underway. The ride begins in the town of Swan Hill on the 26th of that month and continues along the Murry River, passing through historic gold towns, before eventually finishing in Castlemaine. With eight days of riding, plus one rest day, the riders will cover a total of 590km (367 miles) as they pass through some of the most scenic landscapes that Victoria has to offer. Along the way, they’ll get a true taste of Australian culture and a healthy sampling of Aussie hospitality.

Riding an average of 73km (45 miles) per day, the cyclists will have plenty of time to take in the sights and enjoy a leisurely pedal through the countryside. And at the end of the day, they’ll stay in comfortable campsites, where the fun and camaraderie continues over good meals and great conversations about the day’s events.

The entry fee for the nine days of riding and camping is just $935 AUD for adults, $699 AUD for children under 18, and $399 AUD for children under 13. Kids five and under ride for free. That fee gets you a fully catered, tent-based cycling adventure that will allow you to see Australia like you never thought possible. Support services include luggage transportation, massage services, a full medical team and bike repair crew, as well as a licensed cafe that will keep you well fed.

I can’t imagine how much fun the Great Victorian Bike Ride must be. As an avid cyclists, I think it would be a lot of fun to hit the road with more than 4000 other riders on a nice long ride. One of these days I need to get back down to Australia and take part in this event.

[Photo credit: Brien Cohn/Great Victorian Bike Ride]

Afghanistan reopens tallest mountain to climbers

by Kraig Becker on

In an effort to boost adventure tourism, and show off its spectacular natural wonders, Afghanistan has reopened its tallest mountain to climbers after years of conflict prevented travel in the region. The country now hopes to become a popular destination for mountaineers and adventure travelers seeking new challenges and unique experiences in remote places.

The 24,580-foot Mt. Noshaq is located in the extreme northeastern corner of Afghanistan, falling along its shared border with Pakistan. According to National Geographic, a team of climbers traveled to the mountain in late July to commemorate the reopening by making the first ascent of the mountain by foreigners in more than three decades. Noshaq was climbed by an all Afghani team for the first time in 2009 as well.

Noshaq is located inside the Hindu Kush, a spectacular chain of snow capped peaks that run across much of central Afghanistan and into northern Pakistan. Due to the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, however, many of those peaks have been off limits since the Soviet Union invaded back in 1979. Now that a level of stability and security has returned to much of the region, the country is hoping to lure climbers and mountaineers looking for new mountains to explore.

Mountain climbers aren’t the only ones to find new adventures in Afghanistan however. Trekking the Wakhan Corridor has also become an attractive option for adventure travelers looking for an escape to a very remote destination. This narrow strip of land runs between two towering mountain ranges and was once part of the famed Silk Road, an historical trading route that Marco Polo may (or may not) have used when traveling to China. The entire route takes a couple of weeks to complete, during which time hikers cross through high mountain passes, visit tiny villages inhabited by sheep herders, and witness some of the most breathtaking scenery on the planet.

Obviously Afghanistan still has a long way to go to convince travelers that it is a safe place to visit. But by reopening Mt. Noshaq and promoting treks like the Wakhan Valley, they have taken steps to demonstrate to the world that they are a first class adventure travel destination with untapped natural resources for those bold enough to experience it.

I’m definitely ready to go!

[Photo credit: Noshaq.com]

Marco Polo: travel writer fraud

by Kraig Becker on

As a child, I was fascinated by stories about Marco Polo. History told us that the 13th Century Italian merchant and explorer famously traveled to the Far East, where he witnessed the wonders of Chinese and Mongolian cultures, and even served as an ambassador to the court of Kublai Kahn. For more than 24 years, Marco wandered throughout Asia, where he traded with the locals and became intimately familiar with their way of life.

Eventually, Marco returned to Venice, where he mesmerized people with tales of his far-flung adventures. Those stories would later be documented in a book entitled Description of the World, a work that was incredibly popular, even long after Polo’s death in 1324. Many historians consider it to be amongst the first travel books ever written and it helped to cement Marco’s stats as a legendary figure in history. So much so, that 700 years after it was first published, we still revel in the tales of Polo’s fantastic travels.

But what if the famous merchant wasn’t exactly honest about his exploits? What if he hadn’t traveled as far and wide as he claimed in those tales? What if Marco Polo was a travel fraud?

That’s exactly what archaeologists have now come to believe after pouring through Description of the World and lining up what Polo described in the text with what we now know about historical events and places. In fact, according to a story published in The Daily Telegraph a few days ago, historians now believe that Marco Polo never even went to China. Instead, they think that he picked up his stories from Persian merchants that he dealt with directly along the Black Sea. Polo may have then taken those stories, embellished them a bit, adding in his own details for good measure.For example, when describing the fleet of ships that Kublai Khan used on his failed attempt to invade Japan in 1281, Polo claims they had five masts, when archaeologists know that they had just three. Something he could easily have forgotten or overlooked you say? Agreed. But his book doesn’t mention the Great Wall of China at all, nor does he make even a passing reference to drinking tea or using chopsticks while visiting that country. Marco also uses a variety of Persian words to describe locations in China as well, which also indicates that he may have been getting his stories second-hand.

Dr. Frances Wood, the head of the Chinese section of the British Library, also says that there was nothing from China ever found amongst the Polo family’s possessions and that throughout his book, Marco rarely mentions that he witnessed something first hand. She believes that he actually came across a Persian guide book on China in his travel and simply used that for the basis of his tales.

So, let me get this straight. Marco Polo not only helped to launch the travel writing industry, he also became one of its first writers to plagiarize and exaggerate his content? This guy really was ahead of his time.

Switzerland moves to make adventure travel safer

by Kraig Becker on

Switzerland has made a move to improve safety in the country’s adventure travel sector by requiring all tour operators to employ licensed guides and carry insurance to cover their clients. The new law doesn’t go into effect until January 1st, 2013, but operators are already taking steps to comply with the mandate. Until then however, anyone can still lead mountaineering, rafting, or canyoneering expeditions.

The new law is in response to a 1999 accident that left killed 21 people, including three guides. The group was cayoneering in Switzerland’s Interlaken region when a sudden storm caused a flash flood through the gorge they were explorering. A wall of water washed the travelers down the narrow canyon, where they eventually drowned. The guides’ lack of experience and training was partially blamed for the fatalities.

Two years later, six employees of the company that organized the excursion were convicted of manslaughter because of the accident. During their trial, it was revealed that they didn’t have any official safety guidelines and that the guides had not been fully informed about the dangers of the weather conditions in Interlaken. For most of the guides, it was their first season working there.

Following the very public trial, the Swiss government tried to pass legislation to improve safety in the travel industry, but the members of parliament were unable to come to an agreement on what exactly should be done. Now, ten years later, they’ve finally been able to address the issue properly.

Over the past decade, the adventure travel industry in Switzerland has implemented its own requirements for outfitters who voluntarily joined a “Safety in Adventure” program. But the new law requires all operators to meet the standards, which include a specified amount of training for employees and insurance that covers the clients while under their care.

These moves should make for a safer environment for travelers looking to get an adrenaline rush, and should help the Swiss tourism industry as a whole. As the adventure travel market grows, and matures, these kinds of regulations are likely to become more common and important, and it is good to see Switzerland lead the way in this area.

[Photo credit: Terra 3 via WikiMedia]

New travel gear from Outdoor Retailer

by Kraig Becker on

Last week, Salt Lake City played host to the latest Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, a bi-annual event that gives outdoor gear and travel companies the opportunity to unveil their latest creations. The expo is jammed packed with row upon row of backpacks, boots, climbing gear, and other items for the outdoor enthusiast and world traveler. Here are five great items that debuted the show that may find their way into your pack the next time you hit the road.

CamelBak All Clear Water Purification System
CamelBak, the company that specializes in hydration systems and water bottles, has introduced a new water purification system that uses ultraviolet light to kill 99.9% of the bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that lives in water. The device connect to the top of the included bottle, and with the touch of a button, it goes to work, making your drinking water safe to consume. The All Clear operates on rechargeable batteries that are good for 70 uses between charges, cleaning up .75 liters at a time. The lamp is rated for 10,000 cycles as well, meaning it will last for years before needing to be replaced.

The All Clear will be available next February with an MSRP of $99 and is ideally suited for travelers headed to destinations with tainted water or backpackers hiking through the backcountry on an extended trek.

Adventure Medical Kits World Travel
Adventure Medical Kits have long set the standard for lightweight, yet well equipped med kits designed for all occasions. They offer ultra lightweight and waterproof kits that are perfect for adventure racers, and they have a line of med kits for the world traveler too. The kits are recommended for travel in remote, developing countries, where travelers have the potential to be hours away from a doctor, and they come equipped for nearly any situation. There are a wide variety of bandages, treatments for blisters and burns, medications for stomach ailments, and so much more. In fact, they’re so well stocked, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without one.

The World Travel medical kit is available now with an MSRP of $70.
Adidas Terrex Fast R Solo
One of the surprises for me at Outdoor Retailer was the impressive line-up of gear coming from adidas. The company that is well known for its athletic shoes is moving into the outdoor market in a big way, beginning with their Terrex Fast R Solo hiking boot. The design on the Fast R is so impressive, it looks like it was sent back in time from the future. It is lightweight, rugged, and comfortable, and perfect for hikers looking to go fast on the trail. With a specially designed sole that was built for performance, even in wet conditions, and a Gore-Tex lining, the Fast R is poised to become a favorite amongst travelers and backpackers alike. Depending on your destination, this may be the only shoe you’ll need to take with you.

The Fast R Solo is due out this fall with an MSRP of $195.

The North Face Havoc Performance Layer
As you would expect from a company like The North Face, there was a lot of gear on display in their OR booth. But what really caught my eye was the new Havoc jackets for both men and women. These versatile mid-layer garments are designed to move with you, whether you’re on the trail or just hanging around town, giving you the comfort and temperature control you need. Both versions of the Havoc will keep you warm and dry in inclement weather, but are also built to breathe and offer ventilation when needed as well. This is a lightweight, highly packable, technical jacket that will work well on it’s own over a base layer or as a mid-layer under a shell.

The new Havoc for men and women will be available next spring for $70.

Brooks-Range Foray 3-Season Tent
Brooks-Range came to Outdoor Retailer looking to show off their new line of four tents, each of which was very impressive for backpackers, mountaineers, and cold weather explorers. Perhaps most impressive of all however, was the new Foray, a two-person, three-season shelter that weighs in at just 2 pounds, 10 oz. That’s extremely light for a tent of this quality and design. The freestanding tent takes just minutes to assemble and comes with an optional rain fly for when the weather turns especially bad. This is the kind of shelter that is perfect for any backcountry escape and will serve you well in all but the coldest of conditions.

The Foray is due to hit stores in the spring of 2012 with an MSRP of $475.

This is just a sample of some of the many things that were on display at Outdoor Retailer. Expect more information and gear reviews in the weeks ahead.