Vagabond asked:


Thailand has always held a special place in my heart. I first travelled there in 1991, a wide eyed kid wet behind the ears with a bucket shop one way ticket to Bangkok. My grand plans of a short beach break before heading down to the east coast of Australia joining the 1000’s of Pommie pilgrims earning a right of passage didn’t exactly go to plan. I left Thailand eleven months later to return home penniless, emancipated and full of great stories, which my friends soon got bored with.

I returned a few times mainly to Bangkok and Koh Samui happy to be back in the land of smiles but feeling slightly disappointed at all the changes. The old story of development being good for the locals but not good for my sense of adventure. That didn’t deter me from joining the Imaginative Travellers Wilderness Adventure two years ago.

Arriving in Bangkok this time was different. I had a hotel booked so no lugging my pack in Bangkok’s suffocating mixture of exhaust fumes, heat and humidity looking for a clean bed. I had a group to meet too, this was also good, eating Pad Thai on your own looking for a fellow traveller to strike a conversation with can be hard work. There were 10 of us, a mix of Poms, Aussies, a Canadian, an American and a South African. We all met for dinner and shortly after my first Thai beer I knew this would be a fun trip

Bangkok to me means food and shopping and the best place to find both is the Chata Chuk weekend market. I headed there with belly empty and wallet full destined to reverse the two. The market is huge, really huge, 35 acres of cheap goodies huge and sells everything from furniture to genuine fake designer clothes. The street food is fantastic but remember the Thai’s like it hot. I left my shopping with the hotel to keep safe as I would be returning there once I finished the trip.

Off to Chiang Mai on the overnight train. I like travelling like this, sleeping while moving makes sense to me and the train is clean, functional, safe and fine. I think Chiang Mai is the perfect place to escape hectic Bangkok. It’s a peaceful, happy place and that reflects in the locals. Sight seeing will take you to the Wat Pratat Doi Suthep temple – stunning and golden on a sunny day. The next stage of the trip was trekking in the surrounding jungle, I decided I needed a massage before we set off.

A trek in the hills of Northern Thailand is a chance to escape everyday life and clear your head. The going is not too difficult for someone with fairly good fitness although if it rains the mud can be tricky. I was enjoying my own head space when we arrived at the first village of wooden homes, pecking chickens and lots of smiles, basic but I couldn’t think of anywhere else I would rather have been. Chan, our guide, was a local from a neighbouring village and before long he had us divided amongst our village hosts before the sun set and got too difficult for us city people to do anything without electric light. That night, with the noise of the surrounding jungle lying on a mattress roll on a bamboo floor, was maybe the most peaceful night’s sleep I have ever had.

The next day’s trek was shorter and we covered ground quicker, maybe we were getting used to the trekking but I think it was the excitement of the elephant ride to come that afternoon. Lunch was delicious but we were too busy watching the elephants wash in the river to notice. Elephants are brilliant creatures and being on one journeying deeper into the jungle is a fantastic experience.

The next morning Chan had us up early helping him and the village men build our rafts to take us down river to civilization. It is all part of the experience helping the guys and by helping I mean staying out of their way while they expertly craft our rafts. A serene float down to the nearest small town where our bus was waiting to take us to a hot shower and another massage.

We left Chiang Mai and headed back to Bangkok where we broke the journey up to the south with an over night stay in the city of angels.

I had heard a few good things about Khoa Sok national park, not too popular with tourists or backpackers alike due it not having a major bus stop. To get there you need to stop the bus by the 3rd banyan tree after 17th stream near the big hill and you will find a bakkie waiting to take you into the park. I’m glad we had a tour leader. The first night we slept with the birds in tree houses the second and third we stayed in raft houses on a man made dam. It is a truly beautiful area and a few of us spent the days swimming in waterfalls, flooded caves, kayaking and hiking and some of just sat back and took it all in.

How to finish this Thailand trip? On the beach of course. The islands around Krabi are what we visualize when we think of a Thai beach and they do not disappoint. The Thai’s have a word called sabai, loosely translated it means an inner happiness and contentment. I woke one afternoon from a napping on the beach and understood exactly what sabai means.

This trip can be found on the Thailand section of Travel Light

http://www.travellight.co.za/south_east_asia_tours/thailand_tours.htm

Spencer Neal has worked in adventure travel since 1997. His many adventures and passion for travel has led him to part own an online adventure travel agency Travel Light www.travellight.co.za specialising in world wide adventures for South Africans. You can contact him at spencer@travellight.co.za

Demitry Majors asked:


Trekking In Nepal to many sounds like one of those activities that one finds on a dream board or an activity that sounds so foreign that it belongs in some obscure National Geographic program about a far away place. Frankly both ‘trekking’ and ‘Nepal’ fall under that category of cryptic adventure activities and places. In reality though, trekking in Nepal is nothing shocking (other than of course the beauty of the environment itself) and not too, out of the ordinary for anybody who has been on a long hike.

When I set out to write this explanation of trekking in Nepal, I wanted to answer a question. “What is trekking?” I then realized that the answer is a lot more complex than what it seems. It also dawned on me, that when my friends and family posed the question, “What is trekking?” my cliché synonym derived answer “It’s like a long hike in the mountains” that is found on many “Travel Nepal” websites was no where near satisfactory. It’s not that they or I didn’t know what trekking in Nepal was when formulating the response, but rather that we failed to respond to the question in a way as to dispel the assumptions that rise out of stereotypes that exist whenever the words hiking, Nepal, Himalayas and remote are used in one sentence or close proximity to one another. It is these stereotypes that prevent a simple and accurate one sentence description of trekking in Nepal.

So what is trekking in Nepal, if the proper answer is a lot more than just the stereotypical, travel in Nepal by hiking? Let’s start with a little geography.

Nepal, is a landlocked nation, sandwiched between India and Tibet and stretched out along the spine of the Himalayan range. As such, it offers a vast array of habitats from tropical jungles to the alpine tops of the Himalayas themselves. What trekking in Nepal does, is create an opportunity for the traveler to traverse many parts of this varied terrain on foot, and experience the diverse habitats and culture encountered along the way. Still however, although entirely accurate, this answer is incomplete.

We need to first clear up some assumptions.

Clearly, Nepal can be considered as ‘remote’ geographically when viewed against other “more developed” regions of the world, but this doesn’t mean that Nepal is uninhabited and that when trekking one will hike for weeks without seeing any signs of life. Quite the contrary, (though such areas exist), a traveler in Nepal will find themselves no more than half a days journey from a settlement. This is especially true for the common major trekking areas of Nepal. The reason why is actually quite simple.

Nepal being situated on the mountainous terrain that it is, as well as proudly wearing the “third world” badge has to this day, a staggering number of ‘1′ major highway. Appropriately dubbed the East-West Highway, it spans the country and provides less than a handful of axillary routes north and south with only one of these tributaries as the route to Tibet (China) out of Kathmandu. The importance of this, is that many parts of Nepal, are to this day inaccessible by vehicle and many portions, especially those in the West that are completely isolated.

One has to realize that before the ‘East West’ highway was constructed, the villages and settlements of Nepal were already there, and thus to this day, many of these population centers are still only accessible on foot.

Nepal is a country that has been squeezed between two trading giants India and Tibet (Today China) for as long as it has existed as a unified nation. The trade routes between these two Goliaths ran conveniently for Nepal trough it’s territory. Nepal not only had to facilitate trade between these two countries, but also have a way to support it’s own economy and trade system between the major metropolitan areas. Needless to say, that without roads, the only method of transport was by foot. A system of transporting goods by a web of footpaths was created and this rather complex, ‘via foot’ sort of Himalayan highway arrangement linked the Nepali villages with one another and are today the exact same routes traveled by the visiting trekkers.

It’s easy to wonder and assume, that the settlements offering bed and breakfast encountered along the trekking routes sprung up at such convenient intervals because of the ever expanding tourism itself. This other than some modern conveniences such as electricity is in fact false. In a book called “A Stranger in Tibet,” the author Scott Berry, describes the adventures of a certain Buddhist, Japanese monk that traveled along the now popular trekking route in the Annapurna Conservation Area in order to sneak into the then forbidden Tibet (Nepal being forbidden at the time as well). This monks adventure occurred in the early 1900s way before the word “tourism” was thought of in Nepal and yet the same settlements encountered by tourists and used as overnight accommodations today were encountered by this intrepid monk (Kawaguchi) some 100 years earlier. The reason is that these routes were being used for transporting goods even before Kawaguchi’s adventures, as such they are more often than not, no more than a half days journey from one another; built up out of necessity as continent travel stops for the traveling caravans.

Though trekking in Nepal does not include scaling vertical cliffs and climbing snowcapped mountains, views of both are ample along the way. Somebody wondering am I fit to travel Nepal, need not worry about training to climb Mt. Everest as that is not what trekking in Nepal provides. Trekking in Nepal does however provide a great day-long, on foot journey for multiple days through some of the most beautiful, remote mountainous terrain in the world, while still providing the opportunity for a warm bed and a home cooked meal along the way. It is in this that lies the answer to “What is trekking in Nepal?”.

See you en route!

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


In olden days, kayaking was applied for fishing purpose only. With changing times, though, the kayak has become a very popular sport. The kayaks are made from different materials and have various designs. The kayaks are used for sport, recreation and transportation. Traveling in a kayak is a wonderful, pleasant experience and golden opportunity to be close to the nature. A well-planned kayak trip offers a lot of fun, adventure and thrill. You can explore the beautiful lake, river and ocean through the kayak.

If you don’t have a kayak, you can get it from several kayak outfitters. You will need the kayak trailers for transporting the kayak safely. If the kayak is too heavy, then it is a tiring attempt for you. The kayak trailers definitely facilitate the transportation of kayaks to the desired spot.

There are several manufacturers of kayak trailers such as Trailex, Blue Mountain Outfitters, Magneta, AAA and Castle Craft Multiple. There is a big competition between these manufactures. Kayak trailers are available in various sizes such as single kayak trailer, two place kayak trailer, four place kayak trailer, ten place kayak trailer, nine place kayak trailer and sixteen place kayak trailer.

The single kayak trailer is created for the standard kayak of 12 feet length. Its maximum capacity is about 900lbs. It doesn’t require much assembly. As it is made from aluminum, it requires very less maintenance. It has adjustable carrying arms.

Two place kayak trailer is maintenance-free as it is made up of aluminum. In addition to that, it is lightweight and strong. It can be used for carrying two kayaks at a time. The four place kayak trailer is applied for carrying four kayaks at a time. Its maximum capacity is about 900lbs. the carrying arms of this kayak can be adjusted up and down.

Nine place kayak trailer features coated springs and epoxy. It is having the maximum capacity of about 1200lbs. Ten place kayak trailer can carry ten kayaks at a time. Its maximum capacity is about 1600lbs. Sixteen place kayak trailer features 12 adjustable web strap clips as well as epoxy coated springs. Its maximum capacity is about 1000lbs.

The biggest advantage of using the trailer is that it saves the time and creates fewer problems during loading and unloading of the kayak. Whenever you want to go out for kayaking, just attach the trailer to your car and drive off. When you return home after kayaking, no need to unload the kayak.

Most of the kayak trailers are the multi-kayak trailers. They have the equipment storage space underneath or between the kayaks. However, single or double kayak trailers are also available. Proper choice of kayak trailer is very important. It should be big enough to hold the kayak. You can buy a cheap kayak trailer and modify it to build a good trailer. During modification, be conscious about the balance and weight. The kayak should be properly balanced on the trailer. It should have proper weight to avoid getting blown away.

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Man always loves to visit new places around the world. He searches many places and instruments to travel. A kayak is the product of this search. Kayak travel is one of the good means of traveling in the early times. But in early days food and shelter are his main goals. Kayak travel are first created by native people from Arctic region. They use it to hunt on lakes, rivers and water of the Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic, Bering Sea and North Pacific oceans. Koyak travel is used for their life and struggle for extsting. Some people become so expert that they can balance their bodies on koyak.

What is kayak travel?

Kayak has a meaning as mans boat or hunter’s boat. It means a small boat powered by human beings. This boat is like a concave lence in shape. This boat is covered by deck and its cockpit is covered by a spratdeck. This boat can work with the double bladed paddle by a sitting paddler. Kayak is also known as canoes.

Kayak travels gives you immense pleasure to travel in. the place can be anywhere like sea, river and lake. You trip will be full of enjoyment and excitement. If someone likes to do new things then kayak traveling is best thing to do. You can feel the beauty of water and nature at the same time. Explore new places and enjoy yourself to the fullest. You can find new fishing spots and wild animals. This is kayak travel is all about. How exciting it is!!

Everything changes with the time and need so is the case with kayak travels. There is changes in the structure and shapes of the kayak travels. It depends on the use of the kayak

The kayak travel named baidarka created by indigenous people was useful for their bunt and transport of people and goods. Umiak is used in vast sea. It works with single bladed paddles. It requires more than one paddler.

Old kayaks work with one, two or with three paddlers. Spray deck is used to prevent entry of water from waves. It is attached to the edges of the cockpit. Most of the traditional kayaks are made up of wood material. There are three types of traditional kayaks. These are Baidarkas ,Alaskan and chines.

West Greenland kayaks are angular in shape. East Greenland kayaks are similar to West Greenland kayaks.

Now days kayaks are made by rotomolded plastic, fabric, fiberglass, Kevlar, wood and carbon fiber. Modern kayaks are of many types. They are sea kayaks, white water kayaks, surf kayaks and racing kayaks.

Sea kayaks are of three types. They are sit-on-top kayaks, recreational kayaks and skin-on-frame boats. Some sea kayaks can be used for surfing. Wooden kayaks are of two types. They are Stitch & Glue and Strip-Build.

Kayak Travel destinations:

Everglades National park, Florida is one of the famous places for kayak travel. Potomac river, Maryland is known as a whitewater gem. Puget sound, Washington

East Matagorda, Texas.

You will definitely enjoy a trip of kayak travel.

Naveen Marasinghe asked:


The Asian elephant population is fast diminishing and the Koh Lanta Elephant Trekking experience is a fun way to get to know these gentle giants and help preserve their upkeep. These elephants are looked after by a personal mahout, who treat them like family. Currently, the Koh Lanta Elephant Trekking experience has over 2000 elephants.

The Koh Lanta Elephant Trekking experience continues through a jungle and streams and ends at a different location according to the specific trekking route you wish go to along on. The first route ends at a rubber tree plantation, which will hold a demonstration of raw rubber production.

The elephant ride is one hour long and falls through the luscious tropical rainforest of Phra Ae Camp. The first route is family-oriented, allowing the tourists to participate in the elephant feeding and educating them on how and where elephants live, all supervised by an experienced guide. The second route includes a visit to the Mai Kaew Cave. The third route falls along a sea gypsy village known as Baan Sang Ga U and the tourist must stop here to enjoy lunch and beautiful views. From here, a walk to the waterfalls and a visit to Lanta National Park are scheduled.

Route number four includes a bit of adventure sports, arranging a kayaking trip (at an individual’s preferred pace) through luscious mangrove forest filled with wildlife in their natural habitat. Finally, there’s the route where you get to visit the Orchid and Butterfly Garden after the one-hour ride.

Koh Lanta is linked with Thailand’s ultimate luxury tourism sector and when in Koh Lanta, it’s absolutely essential to stay at a luxury vacation spa resort. Among them, the Krabi luxury villas are simply superb.