Adventure

Most of us visiting Argentina flock to popular Buenos Aires, Mendoza and other hotspots, but the outback of Salta and its adjoining Puna Desert in the Catamarca are some of the gems waiting to be explored.  At altitude of over 3000m, Salta and Catamarca are located in northwestern Argentina; this giant adventure playground shows you another side to Argentina. The scenery of the region rivals that of Atacama and Uyuni allowing you to come up close to its volcanoes: llamas, flamingos and vineyards.

As you travel south of Salta down to Puna and Catamarca, you pass through the red-rock canyons of Quebrada de las Conchas, home to the Devil’s throat – a sort of stone amphitheatre.  Next is Cafayate, one of Argentina’s most famous wine towns, known for the fruity white Torrontes, the red malbec, Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In winter the city of Montreal becomes a hive of winter activities and especially in the Jean-Drapeau Park (home of the Canadian Formula1 Grand Prix) - they have created the Montreal Snow Village. Like Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland they have created an ice worshiper paradise. With Montreal city landscape in the background, the snow village is the celebration of everything Ice; there is the ice hotel, bar and restaurant all house in huge igloos.

Depending on who you speak to Colombia is synonymous with Coffee, Cocaine and Football. That is because that is mostly what is printed in the news and shown on television but there is more to this South American, Spanish speaking country, than we hear in the news. Colombia is rich in history and culture and unlike the Caribbean islands to the north of it; it has manage the keep some of its indigenous people along with some of their historical sites.

This short break idea takes you to different places around the world where worshippers of white water rafting make their pilgrimage every year. These are the Colorado River USA; Inn River, Switzerland; Apurimac River, Peru; çoruh River, Turkey and Tummel & Tay Rivers Scotland.

First it’s the çoruh River in the north eastern part of Turkey. The çoruh River offers a roller-coaster of rapids coming down from the Kaçkar Mountains. A good time to go is in May – June when the water levels are at their highest and the surroundings hills are a light with beautiful flowers.

The adventure allows time for you to stop in remote villages to meet and chat with the locals. If you are upto it you can trek to the Byzantine castles, you can also sleep in riverside tents to see the stars each night.

Go back into history along Uzbekistan’s Silk Road Cities Kiva, Bokhara and Samonkand. Once part of the USSR Uzbekistan now stand as an independent country in the middle of central Asia.  Around it are Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afganistan and Turkmenistan.  The capital Taskent’s still bear resemblance of its former association with Russia, through its architecture and the mix of people that you come across. There are the pale face Russians, who stayed after Uzbekistan gain its independence and the oval-faced, almond eyed individuals in brightly-coloured striped robes.

Before the Russian Uzbekistan played a significant role in the Silk and spice trade, that gave it wealth and defined the region.  A visit to the region especially Samarkand, Khiva, Bokhara and Taskent and you will find remnants of its rich history in trade, architecture and past rulers – Alexander the Great, Genghis Kan and Tamburlaine).
 

There is no generally accepted definition of what exactly Eastern Europe is. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania often identify themselves as Northern European and seem keen to distance themselves culturally from their soviet past. At the southern end of the continent, in the Caucasus, it can be debated whether Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan should be geographically classed as a part of Eastern Europe, despite many of the population very definitely identifying themselves as European. Russia, of course, is mainly geographically in Asia, but its best-known cities, St Petersburg and Moscow, are firmly rooted, both culturally and geographically, within the traditions of Europe.

Forget the rivers of Venice, the city of Paris and Germany and go somewhere where the temperature forces you to be closer to each other. Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland offers this unique experience with their Glass Igloos rooms and other ice experiences.  The Kakslauttanen Hotel in Saariselka, Lapland, has crafted deluxe, window-roofed igloos in which couples can fall asleep or in love beneath the Northern Lights.

Our next short break idea takes us to Quebec, Canada the St. Lawrence River to be exact, where you can see some of the world’s biggest mammals up close enough to feel their strength and power.  This area is world renowned for its Whales and other aquatic life.  The St. Lawrence River is 1,197km (744 mi) long, from where it starts at Lake Anterio and flows northeast to the Atlantic Ocean.

The St. Lawrence River and its estuaries have a lot to offer its visitors. There is enough for the water sports enthusiast, nature and animal lovers but whale watching is one of its main attractions.  This is the perfect place to see the some of the biggest whales in the world as they are attracted by the river’s depth and extensive supply of shellfish.

Sossusvlei in the Namibian Desert is one of the landscapes making the difference to the Namibian destination. This region also forms part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, making it perfect for a Balloon Safari. Stretching 1,000km (1,000 miles) along the Atlantic cost of Namibia and varying from 50 – 160km (30 – 100 mile) in width expanding into southwest Angola.  The Namib is one of the world’s oldest desert over 50 millions years of dry times behind it. The Namibian desert has an average of less than 10mm (0.4inch) of rain each year.
 

If you are someone who likes to travel fast and being scared at the same time then this ride is for you. The ‘death slide’ we called it or the Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angels according to the Italians) is meant to recreate the intoxication of real flight. It carries you face down via a high wire/cable in a baby walker look-a-like contraption across the 400m deep valley, from the hills of Pietrapertosa, 1020m high to Castelmezzano – 859m high.

Unlike riding on a roller-coaster where you know the drop will last for only a few seconds.  The journey on the Flight of the Angels takes about 14 minutes and can travel up to a speed of 68mph/110kph. So the rider has enough time to enjoy the scenery – if their heart allows it.