Outward Bound is a name many of us will be familiar with. The New Zealand arm of this organisation have enjoyed great success in showing people their full potential through challenge and adventure in the outdoors. Quite frankly, I can think of no better place to do this sort of thing than New Zealand. Rugged, stunning landscapes criss crossed by streams, rivers and lakes make it ideal terrain for doing adventure activities outdoors.
According to the Outward Bound web site:
“This Outward Bound was established in 1962 and still operates from the original location, Anakiwa, in the Marlborough Sounds.
Anakiwa, near Picton, has been described as the most perfectly situated Outward Bound school in the world. The natural timbered buildings of the facilities merge gracefully into the curve of the bay and are backed by native bush.
In front stretches a long jetty where the school’s small fleet of cutters are at anchor. The ‘classrooms’ of the school are the native bush, mountains, rivers and
seaways of Marlborough.
The Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand is a member of Outward Bound International which was founded by Kurt Hahn in Wales in 1941 – there are 42 member countries.”
The adventurous 8 day Discovery course is probably regarded as the most popular - designed to instil the knowledge and belief that there is always more inside you than you think there is. Activities are designed to take you out of your comfort zone including running, swimming, sailing, rock climbing, hiking, canoeing and camping.
From £750 (US$1,600) for 8 days
Need a good pole? Well look no further than the Leki Wanderfreund which has been engineered for walking stability.
Ideal for those adventure hiking holidays. This baby is made of aluminium so it’s light but strong, with a rubber end, telescopic extension so it’s compact - but fully erect stands at 65cm to 135cm. The icing on the cake is the ergonomic handle that could be a real deal maker on a long and arduous trip.
At the very least you could use this thing to poke your husband when his snoring in his sleep!
Retailing at around $49 this thing is well priced.
Contrary to the cliche, sharks are usually harmless. Not only that, they are wonderfully majestic creatures with a genuine mastery of rapid manoeuvrability through water. What a sight to behold.
Opportunities to see these creatures in any numbers are rare, so it was quite interesting to read about Big Animals Expeditions trips to Cocos and Malpelo Islands.
One of the quotes which tickled my fancy was:
“My view from the extreme left to the far right was completely filled with bodies of sharks, swimming, parading carelessly along the wall swinging their tail and hammer like head from left to right ever so slowly like they were deliberately parading in front of our eyes and cameras. It was one of the most electrifying moments in my 40 years of diving.”
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Richard Branson and of course his space concept “Virgin Galactic” finally seem to be making some giant strides for mankind by appointing Elegant Resorts as their exclusive UK tour operator.
Flights are thought be scheduled for departure in 2010 from the Mojave desert in California.
Tickets are a snip at £100,000 ($200,000) with a 50% deposit required.
Anybody whose booked up, please get in touch. I would love to hear about your motivations.
I wonder if you can take hand luggage on board?!!!
Looking for high quality investment property in Turkey can be daunting. The golden rule is to do your research thoroughly and become comfortable with your chosen location.
Taking cheap holidays to a variety of Turkish destinations should give you a feel for the country and the intricacies of the local investment property market.
You should also be able to get a feel for why Turkey has become ever more popular, particularly amongst the European market.
Key attractions include:
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