As I stood staring upward toward the mountainside of powerful tumbling waters (mouth dry, heart thumping, knees quivering), Winston our guide at Dunn’s River Falls sidled up to me and said, “You – you’re coming with me!”

Our enthusiastic group of two dozen Travel Bloggers joined hands and slipped and dipped  our way upward.  We were fortunate to have arrived late in the afternoon and had the climb all to ourselves.  Before long we were squealing and laughing as currents twirled us around and dunked us into free form pools.  Winston, of course, heightened the adventure by pushing willing climbers down natural water-slides into deep aqua pools.  We all learned quickly – never be the first one to try one of Winston’s dares – Ji Yoon, you should have seen your face after the first unexpected dunking!

As we reached the upper levels, I don’t know what ached more.. my legs from climbing, my arms from holding on, or my cheeks from laughing.  One thing I do know.. the thrill of reaching the top with friends all around, and looking down to see where we had climbed from was incomparable.  What a blast!  Thank goodness I didn’t wimp out, and praises to Winston, our guide extraordinaire.

Admission to Dunn’s River Falls is a very affordable $15 for adults and $12 for children under 11.  You absolutely need a pair of aqua socks (a.k.a reef shoes) or at least an old pair of sneakers.  Flip flops are NOT a good choice as the current will whip them right off your feet.  There are vendors within the park who will rent you a pair of snug fitting water shoes if you don’t have your own.  You should positively use the services of a Dunn’s Falls guide.  They know where all the foot holds are, will make sure you are following the least slippery path, take control of your camera so it stays dry, and will snap hysterical photo’s along the way.  Of all the sites we saw in Jamaica, Dunn’s River Falls proved to be the most exhilarating and memorable experience I had – You won’t want to miss it!

Here’s a fabulous new travel contest

Do you know someone who has no job, no direction, no umph, is truly annoying with no redeeming qualities?  (May sound like your recent college grad who’s returned home….) Here’s a chance to nominate them for eviction and send them packing for a full 6 months with the hope they return a better person.  To be chosen your entry will have to be witty and employ a variety of media tools  (video, song, sound effects, prose) – anything you can think of to garner the votes of friends, family and voters to just “Get Rid Of Me“!  The prize will include two tickets, so maybe you can find a friend who is just as annoying as you and tag team the competition.

Each candidate will need lots of votes, so be sure to enlist all your friends, relatives and even strangers in the voting.  One of the top contestants even performs annoying songs in public parks in order to gather voters to get rid of them. So you’ll have to be crafty  and imaginative in your approach.  Get all the details of the fabulous trip and the contest rules at GetRidOfMe.com.  Entries must be submitted by September 30th and the winner will be picked in October.  Be truly obnoxious and good luck!

Finding the perfect summer camp experience for your ever changing child is an ongoing challenge.

Rock Music Summer Camp – The Collective Sound, California and Oregon
Do you have a future Rocker at home who loves nothing better than to practice air guitar techniques every waking moment?  Send them off to TCS where they’ll be paired with like minded aspiring musicians, form a band, learn to write original music, improve their performing techniques in concert like settings, and a lucky few can even go on tour!
Surfing  Camp – Endless Summer Surf Camp – California & Costa Rica
Nothing is as iconic as spending the summer in a pitched tent by the beach, spending long sunny days riding the crest of a California wave.  The Beach Boys embedded this golden vision of summer in our psyche and the dream endures for every generation of prospective surf-bums.  The Endless Summer Surf Camp is an all-inclusive immersion into the surfing lifestyle, riding the waves, hanging out with friends, beach-side BBQues, not to mention expert instruction and video analysis.  It’s so popular you may never want to grow up – so they also offer adults only camps and Surf and Turf (golf and surfing camps).
Skateboarding/BMX Camp – Camp Woodward, CA, CO, WI, PA & China!
Are your energetic kids always propelling themselves several feet off the ground no matter what devise is under their feet.  Whatever your child’s wheel frenzy of the moment is, the Woodward summer camps will send them on the half-pipe ride of their dreams.  These camps offer every extreme sport instruction you can think of including skateboarding, inline, BMX mountain biking, gymnastics and cheer leading – all staged in the most impressive action sport parks imaginable!
Snowboarding Summer Camp – High Cascade – Mt. Hood, Oregon
For some lucky boarders the snow never stops falling – such is the case in the glacier bowls of Mt. Hood.  And there will be no pointy toed devices here…. its all about boarding, no skis allowed!  All you Shaun White’s in training, pack up your board and head west to Mt. Hood.  Sorry Chris…. wish these camps were around when you were one of the first boarders on the slopes – you would have loved this!
Eco Rainforest Adventure - Lodge at Chaa Creek Summer Camp , Belize
Answer the call of the wild on this one week Eco immersion into a pristine rain forest experience.  Licensed naturalist guides will lead day hikes into ancient Maya sites where campers will learn about biodiversity, natural resource conservation, Maya traditions and healing methods.  Every participant will gain a new lifelong appreciation of their relationship with ‘our fragile earth’, while interacting with the rain forest habitat.
LEGO Building Fantasy Camp – First Ever LEGO Summer Camp – Atlantis Resort, Bahamas
Everyone loves LEGOs and now your kids can have a master building experience while the whole family vacations at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.  Three five day Lego workshop camps will be offered in July where kids work side-by-side with a LEGO Master Builder to construct an impressive ‘mega project’.  The camp experience provides hands-on building challenges that encourage teamwork, creativity and fine motor skills, as well as fun resort activities like a resort-wide scavenger hunt with access to behind-the-scenes areas not usually open to resort guests.

So there’s no excuse for a dull summer – exciting summer camp experiences are just a few clicks away!

2010 Washington DC Winning Team

If you watch CBS’ popular series The Amazing Race and think, “shoot I could do that”… here’s your chance to grab a buddy and give it a one-day try.  The folks at Urban Dare have designed an adventure race series that visits 32 cities nationwide, culminating in a Super Dare competition with a $5,000 prize. Two person teams are given challenges to navigate urban landscapes in a quest to solve clues, beat the clock, and document their successes.  The contest covers approximately 5 miles of city terrain which can be crossed by foot or public transportation.  Participants are given clue sheets that send them on a mission to complete tasks, solve puzzles and arrive at checkpoints where they receive a ‘passport’ stamp before heading off on the next challenge.  Winning teams typically complete the contest in two hours, with many more arriving at the finish line in four hours.

If you think you are cagey enough to out-wit and out-scramble the competing teams to claim your city’s top Urban Dare championship title, come out to register right up until race time.  In Boston, the competition begins at 45 Union Street, with registration beginning at 11am.  All proceeds from the event go to fight breast cancer, and the winning team will progress to the next Super Dare competition in early 2011.  Visit the UrbanDare.com site for a full list of cities that will host competitions through the summer and fall.

Authorized Tiger Tours have failed to protect the population of tigers while attempting to bring tourists ever closer to their natural habitat.  Safari lodges have been built in Eco sensitive areas and some block the tiger’s traditional migratory routes.  Ever growing numbers of tours have resulted in tigers being herded by elephants to parade in front of a traffic jams of jeeps piled high with photo snapping tourists.  Worst of all, poachers have continually raided and killed tigers, which today almost guarantees the eventual extinction of tigers in India.

It is hoped that by taking the drastic measure of banning tiger sightseeing tours, the majestic Indian tiger will be able to repopulate their habitat undisturbed and rebuild their population.  What remains unknown, is whether the poachers will be able proliferate once attention is taken away from the tiger’s territory.  Many worry about what will become of the dozens of tour companies and their employees who live near the tiger reserves.  Will the tigers be left in peace to flourish, or without the spotlight of tourism will poachers thin the population to tragic levels?  This is indeed a very tentative and dangerous time for India’s tiger population.  Here’s hoping India can stabilize the population and prevent the eventuality when the only tigers that can be seen are in a zoo!

Anne had read our article “Lodge to Lodge Kayak Adventure in Stunning Belize” and thought it would be a perfect opportunity to learn to sea kayak in a warm climate and beautiful setting.  Unfortunately the adventure quickly unraveled due to a  moody and impatient guide, pounding rains and dangerous winds.  To Anne’s credit she had done careful research about the tour company in advance and was able to get some compensation after her return, but regrettably it still didn’t save her from a disappointing and physically exhausting experience.  Here are some lessons we can all take away from Anne’s grand misadventure:

1)  Look at that glossy brochure with educated eyes!

• What you see is probably not what you’ll get. Those gorgeous pictures of the adventure tour were taken on a ‘picture perfect’ day in optimal conditions with smiling stand-ins who are in prime physical shape.  The reality is, weather is never predictable and the chance of you getting a full week of ideal weather conditions are slim.
• Don’t worry be happy.  Know your own physical and health limitations – most tour companies say ‘don’t worry you’ll be fine’.  As you and your fellow travelers will most certainly have a range of capabilities and stamina,  be sure the tour company is accustomed to (and has plans for) dealing with a wide range of physical conditioning.
• Where the wild things are.  By its very design, an adventure tour means interfacing with nature AND the creatures who inhabit remote landscapes.  The pictures will never show mosquitoes, spiders, snakes, jelly fish and other potentially menacing creatures.  Consider the positive aspects of the area you are visiting as well as the menaces.  Do some advance research about the best time of year to visit and tune into the local media (via internet) for about a month prior to your trip to be aware of local changing conditions.

2)  Important Questions To Ask Before Booking Your Trip

• Company profile - How long have they been in business, what industry memberships to they hold, what certifications do they have, what do they offer for consumer protection, what is their safety record, client satisfaction record?
• Guides Qualifications – What is the certification/training profile for their guides, will language be a problem, how many times has the guide that will be assigned to your trip conducted the tour before,  do the guides work directly for your company or will we be in the hands of a local operator?
• Tour Conditions – What physical strengths are needed to complete the tour, what levels of ability are accommodated for on the tour, what is the ratio of guide to participant, how large is the group, what safety equipment is provided, what special equipment would you advise me to bring, how do you accommodate for dietary and physical limitations, are vaccinations recommended for travel to this area, what are the appropriate age parameters for this trip?
• What Others Say – May I speak with a past tour participant, do you have written references available, what are they saying on travel review sites like TripAdvisor, IGoUGo, etc, what does BBB say about them?
• What If - Do guides maintain communication with the company at all times, what if I’m having difficulty on the trip, what if I’m injured (what procedures/facilities are available), what if I have to leave the group mid-trip, what are your cancellation policies?

3)  Know your rights, contacts, and have an advocate on your side

• Be self-aware - All of us have gotten into situations where we’re ‘over our heads’ in a situation that’s demanding more of us physically than we can comfortably or safely perform.  Let your tour leader know and insist on an accommodation that will make you safe!  If at all possible, have a means of communication with you (cell phone) and a contact number for the home base of the tour operator.  Many tour companies outsource all or part of tours to a ‘ground operator’ – if the local company is not performing as expected you should try to contact the company you booked with asap.
• Insurance Can Make All The Difference – When taking part in an adventure vacation, you’ll be doing activities that are outside your normal day and so the chance of mishaps is greater.  Be sure you review your home health insurance to determine if you are covered or not.  More importantly, it’s a good idea to take out some extra protection from a travel insurance company so you have an emergency advocate to contact in case of injury.  You can easily obtain policy quotes and explanations of coverage at Insuremytrip.com and Squaremouth.com
  
• Spread the Word – After returning from your trip (hopefully with rave reviews) share your thoughts and experiences with others online.  Post a trip report on sites like TripAdvisor, IGoYouGo, Fodors and Frommers.
• Letters of complaint – If you should encounter a less than satisfactory tour, write to the company’s customer care department as quickly as possible on your return.  Recount carefully (and as emotionlessly as possible) what the exact discrepancies were between what was promised in the tour literature (or verbal conversations) vs what was actually delivered.  Keep copies of all pertinent documentation (never send originals until specifically requested), and ask for a timely response to your communication.

The vast majority of adventure tour operators are in business because they love the activity they are engaged in and want others to appreciate it as well.  Most genuinely care whether you have a good experience or not and are interested in improving their tour product with targeted customer feedback.  Remember, listen to your instincts when you are out adventuring and make keeping yourself safe your top priority!

Let us know what other travel precautions you take before stepping off on a grand adventure.

The folks at TheChinaGuide.com (an American managed/Beijing based travel company) offer a unique and intriguing tour to The Great Wall that includes a “Sleep On The Wall” experience.  (Less adventurous travelers can opt to stay in a traditional courtyard hotel at the base of the wall instead.)  The tour visits a section of the wall that is less frequented by tour buses, so you will have plenty of opportunity to roam.  Following dinner in the village and an evening hike along the wall, tour participants who opt to ‘sleep on the wall’ climb to a watchtower along with their guide, and bed down in a cozy sleeping bag with sleeping mat.  After a night of imagining you’re a trusty tower scout watching for an invading Mongol army, breakfast arrives (hot coffee, muesli and fruit) and it’s off for a 6 mile walk to discover more mysteries of the wall along with your guides.  Imagine the stories you’ll have to tell when you return home.  “I not only climbed the wall, I lived on it like Chinese soldiers did thousands of years ago”!  Here’s a link that will bring you to a full description of this unique Sleep On The Wall tour.  You might also like to read the trip report and watch a video by a Toronto Star reporter.

Now for the rest of us who are not entertaining a trip to China in the near future…. TheChinaGuide website has an outstanding feature -   360 degree panorama videos of  major sights in and around Beijing including The Great Wall,  Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, The Forbidden City, and Olympic stadiums – you’ll almost feel like you’re there.   Enjoy this virtual tour of Beijing!

ps – the photos in the article were not taken on The China Guide tour – they are my photos from a previous visit to China.

Located along Scenic Highway One, about 150 miles south of San Francisco, Big Sur is one of Northern California’s most popular destinations for hiking, camping and a variety of other outdoor activities.  Whether you choose to hike the many trails located in Big Sur’s back country, dance amongst the great Red Woods or attempt to reach the cool fog-covered beaches, you have a great many options to choose from.

When it comes to packing for your trip, what are the essentials and what can you leave behind?  Where you plan to camp in Big Sur will make the difference.  Streamside camping is available in the Big Sur Valley, while ocean view and bluff camping is available in the southern end of Big Sur.

Here’s a guide outlining the basics that you will need for your trip, from sleeping bag and air mattress, to the right tent and backpack.

Backpacks & Tents:

While some campgrounds around Big Sur offer cabins, most do not. The type of backpack you bring depends on how long you intend to stay. A general rule of thumb is to at least bring a daypack to carry around your water, trail snacks, sun block and other trail necessities. If you plan to spend the entire day on the trail, you’ll need a bigger backpack. The more you have in your backpack, the more support you’re going to need. Having a backpack with a waist support strap is a good idea, taking some of the weight off your back and shoulders. It’s also essential that you have a little bit of space between the backpack and your back. This will eliminate discomfort when walking along the trails.

Before embarking on a Big Sur camping trip, you need to make sure first that there is availability at the camp ground you want to use. While some of the camp grounds do accept reservations, most of them are in fact first come, first serve, and have a maximum number of allowed campers. When it comes to choosing the right tent, its best that you choose a tent that will be roomy enough to be comfortable in, light enough to be portable, and a cinch to assemble.

Because of Big Sur’s very diverse topography, it’s impossible to generalize the weather, but Big Sur typically enjoys a mild climate year-round. Expect a sunny, dry summer and fall, and a cool, wet winter, with coastal temperatures ranging from the 50s at night to the 70s by day from June through October, and in the 40s to 60s from November through May. Make sure your tent is appropriate for whatever season you expect to be traveling in, and that it is water proof.

Sleeping Bags:

While the type of sleeping bag you choose should also be dependent on the season you are traveling, a versatile 3-season tent might be your best bet. Lightweight, yet comfortable, these tents are good all year round. Purchasing some sort of a sleeping pad or air mattress is a wise idea. While the terrain at any given campground should be a bit more even, you never know what to expect. You don’t want to wake up one morning for a hike with horrible back pain. A little extra layer of comfort under your sleeping bag is a smart move.

Clothes:

Whatever season you are traveling in, bringing both warm and lightweight clothes is an absolute must! Located so near to the Coast, Big Sur dips into the 50s in the summer and fall and the 40s during the winter and spring, so you need to be prepared. It’s a good idea to dress in layers for sleeping and for early morning hikes. Bringing shorts and swim trunks is also a smart idea, should you decide to wade in the rivers and ocean. A hat is also a must to protect you from the sun, and a good, sturdy pair of hiking boot are essential. Bring a rain jacket or poncho as well, especially if traveling in the winter and spring, as that is the park’s rainy season.

Favorite Big Sur Campgrounds:

While the natural beauty is all around you wherever you go in Big Sur, here are some of the best in terms of surrounding activities and natural wonders.

• Pfieffer Big Sur State Park: With 204 campsites, Pfeiffer offers a picturesque 1,006 acres of redwoods, conifers, oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods, maples, alders and willows plus an abundance of wildlife. Nearby hiking trails and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and the Big Sur Valley make Pfieffer Big Sur State Park a must see destination. The park closes in the Fall and reopens in the Spring.
• Andrew Molera State Park: With 24 first come, first served campsites, this site is a third of a mile from where you park your car. Located in a beautiful meadow, the Andrew Molera State Park contains 4,800 beautiful acres, with the Big Sur River running right through the park. Miles of trails wind through the meadows, beaches and hilltops of this topographically diverse park.
• Ventana Campground: This gorgeous campground is set in a 40-acre redwood grove and features 80 private, secluded campsites located right on the canyon floor. Each site includes a picnic table and adjustable fire ring with drinking water available nearby.

Thanks go to Jamie Sward for sharing this terrific article with Wicked Good Travel Tips!

]]> http://www.wickedgoodtraveltips.com/2010/03/hiking-and-camping-in-big-sur/feed/ 0 http://www.wickedgoodtraveltips.com/2009/12/power-up-a-snowcat-and-take-it-for-a-spin-at-crested-butte-montana/ http://www.wickedgoodtraveltips.com/2009/12/power-up-a-snowcat-and-take-it-for-a-spin-at-crested-butte-montana/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000 Susan http://www.wickedgoodtraveltips.com/?p=3201 Have you loved big brawny machines since childhood and always wished you could climb behind the wheel and power it up?  Well the folks at Crested Butte Colorado understand completely and are ready to make your big hauling dreams come true with their Snowcat Driving Experience. Started in March 2009, the Snowcat Experience teams vacationers with an experienced Cat Driver/Groomer for in-depth instruction on the basics of driving snowcats, grooming, pushing snow and experiencing the trill of running a big snow machine.

The session begins with classroom safety and operational instruction.  Then it’s off to meet the Cat with a complete walk around introduction to the parts and functions of the machine.  Time to hop behind the controls for the driving fun you’ve been waiting for – an hour of snowcat drive time with your personal instructor.

The Snowcat Driving Experience is offered twice at day (at 10am and 2pm) on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday during the ski season at the cost of $275, which includes transportation from the Lodge at Mountaineer Square.  Families are welcome to watch the driving experience from an on-site tent.  And this excitement is for adults only – participants must be over 18 and have a valid driver’s license.

For the friend or family member “who has everyting”, this may be the winter thrill they’ve been waiting for!

Exploritas offers indepth tours throughout all 50 States in America and to over 90 countries around the world.   Programs vary in length and topic, with selections including Days of Discovery, Adventures Afloat, Road Scolar, Intergenerational, Service Tours, Independent City Discoveries, For Women Only, and much, much more.  Check them out and get on their mailing list for future catalogs.