Add To Your Bucket List : Rafting the Zambezi River in Africa

Rafting season is coming ! 

Whitewater rafting  was my very first outdoor activity, and the beginning of my quest for adventure ! If you haven't had a chance to try it, add rafting to your Bucket List, and make it a priority ! Trust me, you won't regret !

And if you've been on a rafting trip ( or two ), I strongly recommend to look for a rafting trip on your next vocation.

Rafting is more than just a wild trip. It's a great way to learn about ecology, history, and culture of the place you're visiting, it also makes for an exciting way to explore and immerse deeply in the backcountry.

Almost every whitewater rafting destination has something more to offer other than the ride itself.

Take for example rafting on the  Zambezi River !

Acclaimed as the wildest one-day whitewater run in the World, the Zambezi River is also recognized by rafting and kayaking enthusiasts as one of the top ten paddling rivers on the planet!

The base for whitewater rafting and kayaking ( they also run river boarding on the river ) is located 4 km upstream from Victoria Falls, considered by some to be among the Seven Natural Wonders of the World !

I was even more fascinated by ''Devil's Swimming Pool'' on the edge of Victoria Falls ! During the months of September and December, people can swim as close as possible to the edge of the falls without falling over. These falls are becoming very popular in the adventure travel industry, when more and more people are looking for the ultimate experience.

ExtraHyperActive Bucket List : Hike Preikestolen ( Also Known As Pulpit Rock ) In Norway

The Most Breathtaking Picture Of Preikestolen, also known as Pulpit Rock

Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen in Norway  is the most famous tourist attraction in the Stavanger region. The mountain plateau hangs 604 meters above sea level, and a destination that simply must be experienced. You follow a well marked trail from the Preikestolen Fjellstue through different mountain landscapes. The plateau is approximately 25 x 25 metres, flat and you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Lysefjord and surrounding mountains !

I've added this hike/destination to my Bucket List ! Have you ?

Ski-diving in Andorra.

Andorra is an anomaly in Europe, a small independent state of little more than thirty villages and a capital, tucked away in the Pyrenees. Winter tourism is big business for this principality. As you drive north south or east west through Andorra during the months of December, January, February, March and April it is obvious this whole country is one big ski resort with two main ski areas – Grandvalira and Vallnord.



This year, scuba diving at more than 2000 metres altitude is the latest trend in Vallnord. The activity combines skiing down to a frozen lake or pool then scuba diving under the ice.

There are two options: a "baptism" for beginners and technical diving for qualified divers. Once the dive has finished, the descent continues through the mountains of Arcalis.



The diving baptisms are a 12-metre dive in La Canaleta pool (2060m) which is complete with an artificial dam to produce snow and ice. This dive is aimed at beginners over the age of 14 and lasts for 15 to 20 minutes and costs €75 per person.

This beginners' dive consists of a descent via a blue slope, wearing the special equipment provided by the organisation, and a submersion under the waters with the supervision of an instructor.




So, next time you are in southwestern Europe ( that's where the Principality of Andorra ( the official name) is located (bordered by Spain and France )), stop by for a quick deep under the ice, followed by skiing in one of Europe's most picturesque places.

Our Amazing World - 20 Places You'd Rather See With Your Own Eyes

"The World Is a Book and Those Who Do Not Travel Read Only One Page" ~ St. Augustine

                                                       Ta Prohm Temple - Cambodia

                                
                                                                  Mt Huashan, China

 

The Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore

 

                                                               Blue lagoon in Iceland

 

Senegal's Lake Retba

 

 

Grand Canal, Venice

 

 

The Krubera Cave

 

 

Japan’s hidden tropical island: Aogashima

 

 

Batu Caves

 

 

 Hanging infinity pools in the Ubud Hanging Gardens, Bali

 

 

Heaven's Gate, China

 

 

Elephant Foot Glacier-An astonishing geographical location on the east coast of Greenland

 

 

Cape Point, South Africa Where the Indian and Atlantic Ocean meet.

 

                                                                 Lake Baikal, Russia

 

 Lion's Head, Cape Town, South Africa

 

 

Popocatepetl Volcano Mexico

 

 

Queensland, Australia

 

                                                         Castle Swallow's Nest, Ukraine

 

Dubai

 

 

Japan, Yokohama-City and Mt.-Fuji

Scuba Diving, Swimming And Rappelling Into Mexico's Cenotes

Mexico's cenotes forever stole my heart ! Scuba diving into Chac Mool cenote last year has become one of my greatest lifetime experiences !

 A diver explores a cenote near the Maya ruins of Tulum.

There is something magical and mystic about  cenotes. Mexican cenotes are one of the most spectacular attractions and without a doubt, one of the most interesting natural phenomenons that you can find in the Riviera Maya. 

It is estimated that more than 3000 cenotes are distributed over the Yucatan peninsula. Of those, 1400 have been discovered and mapped, the most popular being the ones found in Chichen Itzá, Valladolid, X’keken and Xcaret.

If you ever visit Mexico, visiting a cenote must be on your Bucket List ! Doesn't matter if you're a certified diver or not, there is a way to explore this one of many Nature's Wonders !

Archaeologist Guillermo de Anda descends into the Holtún cenote in Mexico’s Yucatán minutes before the moment on July 19 when the sun is directly overhead. When that occurs, twice a year, light falls vertically into the water.

Our Amazing World

... the beautiful pictures of places and spaces I'd love to visit...

Sunrise in Alaska

Paris

                                                                              Hawaii

                                                Ailsa Craig from the isle of Arran, Scotland

        Amazing Photo of The Sawyer Glacier in Alaska where the glacier meets the ocean

                                                Arches and La Sal Mountains Sundown

                                                                          Australia

Cave Of Hearts - Doi Pha Tang, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Creator Lake, OR

Hang Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

Not Your Usual Dream Job: Sewer Diver

When was the last time you said, "I love my job! " ?
Many scuba diving professionals, especially those that work on some exotic island or beautiful beachfront location, get to say it all the time. There is nothing better than being a scuba diver, a career that affords you beautiful weather around the year, adventures of a lifetime, and a chance to share the excitement with others.

Unless, you are a sewer diver...

We all balk at the thought of being dropped into water containing raw sewage, because the mere idea of it disgusts us. How could anybody be expected to freely enter such a world of filth and contamination?  This is a job that simply has to be done,  and a few brave souls are willing to do it.

Meet a man with perhaps the world's most disgusting job ... and he loves it.

Visit The Dry Tortugas In Florida

Those few months I lived in Florida have become one of my most memorable experiences of my life ! I got a taste of life after retirement in Florida :)

That was my third time visiting Florida.

The first time I had a road trip of  the lifetime, driving from Miami to Key West on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway.

Though I spent a couple days in Key West, unfortunately I didn't have time to visit Dry Tortugas National Park which was on my Bucket List of places "to visit before I die" :).

Located just 70 miles west of Key West, the park is a beautiful historical landmark and a wildlife refuge like no other. The Tortugas Islands also offer some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the entire United States with the coral reef just feet from the white sandy shores of the islands.

This is one of the few places I'm definitely coming back to !

Tips On Visiting Yosemite National Park

Last summer I had an amazing opportunity to go on a road trip around Southwest. I had a privilege to visit Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. One of the goals of that road trip was to visit as many National Parks as possible.

Tip - If you're planning to visit multiple National Parks during your road trip, buy America the Beautiful National Parks Pass from REI.com ($80). It will save you money and time.

At one point, I was hesitating to  visit  Yosemite National Park, but stunning pictures like the one below changed my mind...

Also, it was quite convenient for me. Driving from Nevada/Arizona side, HWY 120 took me right through the heart of the park !

Tip - If you decide to drive to/around the park, choose off-peak hours ( before 9am, and after 7pm ). One line HWY is notorious for its traffic jams and slow driving.

Summer time is THE busiest! Quite often its hard to find an available camping spot. So, make your reservations ahead of time.

Tip - If you're ExtraHyperActive/dirtbag like me, you can pitch your tent anywhere you want, and in the morning, will be rewarded with the most amazing views !

Camping/Paddleboarding Tenaya Lake

Yosemite National Park offers an abundance of activities and sightseeing destinations. Among the most popular are : rock climbing and hiking.

Have you heard of solo climbing ? Solo climbing represents the ultimate extreme in rock-climbing. Solo climbing (or soloing) is a style of climbing in which the climber climbs alone, without somebody belaying him. What if he falls down, you ask ? He dies-- no two ways about it.

Alex Honnold has made Yosemite popular by scaling the two most popular Yosemite big walls — Half Dome and El Capitan.

Tip - I wouldn't recommend to sacrifice your life for a ( breath-taking, once in a life time ) shot like this, and would suggest to hire a guide. There is a popular wall just minutes away from Camp 4/ Yosemite Village.


Hiking

Yes, you can definitely opt for hiking Half Dome, but... can you really call it hiking ?

Tip -  If you have limited time for just one hike, make it Upper Yosemite Falls/Eagle Peak ! Why ?
Fewer crowds, and stunning view of Yosemite valley, and Half Dome !

Upper Yosemite Falls

On Top Of Eagle Peak

Fun fact : The setting sun illuminates one of the park’s lesser-known waterfalls so precisely that it resembles molten lava as it flows over the sheer granite face of the imposing El Capitan. A mid-February phenomenon!

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