» Sport

Go Zorbing

Experience — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 05:23:33 +0000

For an adventure ride that puts a whole new spin on things and is like nothing you’ve every experienced before, you have to give Zorbing a go.

Zorbing (also known as sphereing) is the sport of rolling down a hill at speed inside a giant inflatable ball. The Zorb is an 11 foot (3.5 metre) high inflatable sphere which you ride inside (a person zorbing is called a zorbonaut). Two feet of air protect you from the ground as you Zorb down the hill at speeds of up to 50 kilometres (31 miles) per hour.

There are two types of zorb rides: harness and hydro. In the harness ride you are securely harnessed inside the Zorb for a wild ride down the hill. Once you start rolling down the hill, you feel a strange sensation of weightlessness and watch the ground and sky go spinning past. The Hydro ride has no harness and water is thrown in so that you (and a friend or two) can slip, slide and spin inside the Zorb all the way down the hill. In winter, warm water is used for a lovely spa-type experience. Its like a cross between a waterside and a rollercoaster.

Zorbing was invented in New Zealand in the early 1990s and first set up in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island. Since then Zorb has rolled into England, the mountains of Norway, the middle of Sweden, the Gold Coast in Australia, the alpine hills of Switzerland, to China the USA (Smoky Mountains) and Argentina.

So if your after a crazy, adrenaline-filled adventure ride, try the Zorb experience.

Carve up the ski slopes in Aspen

Experience — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:41:49 +0000

Aspen Colorado is one of the world’s largest and most famous ski resorts. Nestled in the higher ranges of the Rocky Mountains, its exquisite natural beauty, snow capped mountains, ski resorts, forests, festivals, Victorian architecture, celebrities, and historical background make Aspen a place that must be experienced.

Aspen is know as the winter playground for the rich and famous. Celebrities such as Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, Goldie Hawn, Kevin Costner, and Mariah Carey are known for their residences in the Aspen area. So if your strolling around this ski resort or carving up the slopes you might just catch a glimpse or even crash into someone famous.

However Aspen is more than just a glitzy playground for the elite. Aspen boasts fabulous landscapes, naturally exquisite beauty, a rich cultural heritage, every snow and ice sport imaginable and some of the best soft powder in the United States. Aspen Mountain towers above the town of Aspen, with a top elevation of 11,215 feet (3,148 meters) and a vertical drop of 3269 feet (996 meters). Aspen has four world class mountains cut with 76 trails from easy slopes to hair-raising double black diamonds, providing something for every level of skier.

In the warmer seasons, outdoor enthusiasts can participate in hot-air ballooning, river rafting, fly-fishing, horseback riding and many other activities. There are also a variety of cultural events held in Aspen throughout the year.

Whether you go to Aspen to carve up the ski slopes, or just go to admire the natural landscapes and cultural aspects of Aspen Colorado, its an experience you wont forget.

Surf the Pipeline in Hawaii

Experience — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 09:58:40 +0000

Endless sun, pristine beaches, and monster waves. Hawaii, the home of surfing, is America’s surfing Mecca, and one of the premiere surfing destinations the world over.

Hawaii has great surf most places, but if you want to call yourself a world class surfer you have to make it on the North Shore of Oahu. The North Shore covers almost 20 miles (32 kilometres) of beautiful open sandy beaches, including legendary beaches like Sunset Beach, Ehukai Beach, and Pupukea Beach, and where you will find the world famous Banzai Pipeline. A spot where the shallow water and coral shelf combine to create powerful tubular waves that resemble pipes, thus giving the place its name. For sheer adrenaline, power, beauty and danger, Pipeline has no equal. Surfing the Pipeline is an invigorating experience, but you’ll have to wait in line to ride some of the incredibly huge waves that break on these shores. And if the surf’s up, beware! The Pipeline at full strength is unforgiving, even for the pros.

If you’ve never surfed before and associate beaches with tanning and people watching, you might be inspired by the daredevils who tempt fate to take on these enormous masses of moving water. It might look difficult, however after a few lessons find a quieter beach with smaller surf and you’ll be able to check surfing in Hawaii off your list of things to experience in life.

On the other hand if you’re up for surfing action, but aren’t up for tackling the big Hawaiian waves yourself, head there in December to watch the spectacle of surfing when the best surfers in the world battle it out at Pipe Masters.

Experienced and beginner surfers alike lose themselves in the ebb and flow of the waves that crash against the shores of the Hawaiian Islands. More than just the dizzying feeling you get as you climb out of the rolling waters, the experience of surfing in Hawaii brings your soul closer to the islands. Surfing in Hawaii is an athletic, spiritual and cultural activity, which combine to create a quintessential Hawaiian experience.

Paraglide in the French Alps

Experience — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 07:15:10 +0000

For an extraordinary adventure, go where eagles dare and try a tandem paraglide flight high above the Chamonix valley in the French Alps. Its an exciting and thrilling experience but at the same time incredibly relaxing and a wonderful way to enjoy the staggering beauty of the mountains. With big thermals, soaring eagles, dramatic glaciers and high mountain peaks the Chamonix valley is one of the best flying areas in the world.

Flying with a professional paraglide instructor a tandem paraglide is open to everyone of all ages. The take off is usually a matter of running for a few steps before the wind inflates the wing and you gently float off the mountain side. Landing is similarly easy requiring just a few steps and is usually a very gentle affair.

One of the reasons people fly in the Chamonix valley is to be near the huge mountains. Mt Blanc rises above them all at 4810m (15,780 feet). And for the “ultimate” French Alps paragliding experience try a paraglide from the snow capped summit of Mt Blanc. Get yourself a mountain guide and an expert paragliding pilot for a tandem jump. You’ll also need good weather. To climb Mt Blanc with a paraglider takes a great deal of effort but the experience is extremely rewarding.

Learn Kung Fu Shaolin style at the martial arts Mecca of China

Experience — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:59:43 +0000

If your into martial arts consider enrolling in Asia’s ultimate boot camp at Deng Feng, China’s Kung Fu capital and home of the famous Shaolin monks. The Shaolin Temple in Henan, known in the martial arts world as the birthplace of kung fu and home to the famed “fighting monks,” welcomes foreigners to train in its martial arts classes.

There are around 50 schools in the Shaolin and Deng Feng area with thousands of students training from dawn to dusk. The largest school, Tagou, has 10,000 students. The Shaolin Monastery Wushu Institute at Tagou is foreigner-friendly, with an English-speaking office that can help to arrange travel, lodging, and training. They provide a serious course in one of the most serious martial art forms out there, Shaolin-style fighting. This form of fighting began over a thousand years ago with the monks of the Shaolin Temple. You can train at the Shaolin Temple for a few weeks or a few years. Some children start as young as six years old, most hoping to be the next Hong Kong martial arts movie star!

The Shaolin way of life is spiritual and regimented and a training session gives you a whole new respect for this intense discipline. If you’re not up to the physical demands of trying Kung Fu yourself, the demonstrations by the Shaolin monks are amazing. They leap into the air, balance on blades, break bricks and pretty much defy anything you’ve thought was humanly impossible.

Run the City to Surf

Experience — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 05:16:03 +0000

Starting from humble beginnings back in 1971 the annual City to Surf fun run in Sydney has grown to become the must-do road running race in Australia, and the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere attracting over 50,000 participants each year.

The 14 kilometre (8.7 miles) run starts in the centre of Sydney near Hyde Park and finishes at Australia’s most famous beach, Bondi beach.

The race is open to all ages and levels of fitness. While some take the race very seriously, many participants make it a fun day out dressing up in themed costumes, stopping off at the many watering holes (pubs) along the way while enjoying the numerous amateur bands performing along the road as they run, walk or stroll to the finish line at Bondi Beach.