Croatian beaches have sex factor

Mark Pawlak    sailingbreaks     beaches, Croatia, Sailing, sailing holiday

Croatian beaches are famed for their gorgeous climates and easiness on the eye – but for one steamy website it is their inhabitants that cook up most of the heat.

Travel Channel has taken it upon itself to compile a list of Croatia’s 10 sexiest beaches, for those fancying a double dose of natural beauty.

Over 95 million users, many of whom will be plotting their next sailing holiday in Croatia, have been advised that Plat beach is the sexiest on offer.

The US-based company advises fun seekers to “leave the kids at home.. we’ll take you to the sexiest beaches”.

As well as finding a yacht charter in Croatia, beaches have long been the biggest attraction, with Zrce beach on the island of Pag and the beaches of Pakleni islands also deemed notable for their sex appeal.

Others to feature on the list include Zlatni Rat on the island of Brac, Rab Kandalora beach, Rovinj Valalta, Baska on island Krk and Girandella in Rabac.

Travel Channel also pointed out numerous islands just off the country’s coastline that are well worth a visit.

Stars and Stetsons: skiing in the US

Sophie Nicholson    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts, bestskiholidays     ski, Skiing, Skiing Holidays, Snowboarding, united states, US, winter sports

It’s August and I’m thinking about skiing in the US. Strange? Maybe. But you can’t really blame me when there is snow falling in the Alps in the height of summer at 2,000 m. Extreme weather (in so much that it’s extremely weird) has prompted more than a little bit of reflection on the season just gone and how best to approach the winter to come.

Just in case you forgot...

When one thinks of extreme skiing there are generally two places that come to mind – Chamonix and Jackson Hole. I am incredibly fortunate to live just 45 minutes from the former but until recently have never been to the jewel in Wyoming’s Stetson, Jackson Hole.

I’ve always wanted to of course, which real skier wouldn’t? Like Chamonix, JH is synonymous with legends of the white crystals and therefore kind of symbolises a right of passage for any lover of the steep and deep stuff. As a result, when the opportunity to get over there finally came around earlier this year, well let’s just say I was literally linedancing on the spot with excitement.

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Why canoes don’t need motors

Rich    kayakingholidays     Canoe, canoeing, Kayak, Kayaking, kayaking holidays

My girlfriend Amber and I spent a Sunday a couple of weekends ago on the river Dart in Devon, with a friend (and customer) and his cheating brother…

Amber, and man with a motor

We set out from Dittisham near Dartmouth, with its reasonable parking and easy access to the water (when the tide is right – and even when it’s not, it’s  a 200m walk at the most) and I introduced Paul and his wife Coleen to their new boat. As this was straight from production and Paul’s first time in a canoe, I took it for a little spin with him so that he could get used to it.

Well, the test went swimmingly (thankfully,with no swimming). And after Paul’s brother Stephen turned up and unloaded his canoe (with a motor ,WTF?!?!) it was time for Coleen to join Paul on the water for her first trip in the canoe.  Sadly, just three meters after pushing off from the shore they turned it over, giving them both a good soaking and covering them in mud!

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Ben Miller hails Caribbean paradise

Mark Pawlak    sailingbreaks     Sailing, sailing break, sailing holiday, sailing trip

Comedian and actor Ben Miller is loving filming a new BBC detective series in the Caribbean.

The Primeval star is currently filming in Guadeloupe for the new show, to be shown on BBC1 later this year.

The new series, called Death in Paradise, sees Ben play the role of a British detective who is posted to the Caribbean island of Sainte Marie despite hating sun, sea and sand.

But Ben has been loving the location, having already visited a few of the surrounding islands.

He said: “It’s amazing. Guadeloupe where we’re filming, there’s quite a few different islands but the two main ones are Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre.

“Basse-Terre is very flat and touristy and where they grow loads of sugar cane and Grande-Terre is volcanic, very wild and basically just rainforest and beaches, very little tourism. Completely unlike any other place I’ve ever been.”

The show could encourage people to visit the region on holiday, and may even tempt the more adventurous to consider sailing in the Caribbean to experience the different islands like Ben.

However those looking for a family holiday may also want to consider the region as Ben said his children loved the beaches.

He said: “They’ve come out (to visit me). My son loves it out there absolutely loves it. The last time he was out there he was just running about on the beach going ‘I love it here I love it here.’”

The world’s top 10 adventure races No1: Indian Ocean Rowing Race

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure Travel, charity, mauritius, Rowing, Sailing

Not all adventures end well. It’s safe to say that Britons James Adair and Ben Stenning were hoping for a better end to their trip to Mauritius. I say trip, as the pair set off 116 days ago to row across the Indian Ocean in the Woodvale Indian Ocean Rowing Race – something only two pairs of rowers had so far managed.

James and Ben before the Bellamy beards

The BBC has reported that right at the end of their 3,200-mile journey, they were overturned by a wave and faced a survival ordeal, not a welcome reception. Chucked into the sea by a 30-foot wall of water, James and Ben found themselves fighting against waves that were set on dashing them onto the rocks.

James was bleeding heavily from lacerations to his legs, and Ben was keeping shark watch until they decided it was time to move from the stricken craft and make a go for shore.

“We had to get away from those rocks or it would be game over,” Ben told the BBC.

But instead of reaching the shore, the pair were washed onto a coral reef, before locals eventually found them and got them back onto dry land.

Oh, and we forgot to mention: these guys are amateurs, and they completed the journey unassisted and for charity rowing in support of the ‘Tumaini- Homes for Hope’ charity, which provides homes and care for children affected or suffering from HIV/AIDS.

It goes to show that there are plenty of adventures out there, more than we ever get to hear about.

So, if you know of an adventure race, no matter what sort, let us know; we’ll happily RT messages of support and maybe even write a piece on it.

Here’s a link to Ben and James’ JustGiving page and more about the race.

If 26 were 29: Mountain bikes and choosing wheels

Gabriel    mountainbikingholidays, Pro Tips     26-Inch wheels, 29-Inch wheels, mountain bike holidays, mountain biking, mountain biking gear, MTB

There is a lot of debate over the size of mountain bike wheels. The current trend has seen people choosing wheels for their mountain bikes and taking the normal 26” standard wheel and increasing it to a diameter of 29” (to be clear, that is an average outside rim diameter with no tire on the wheel). There has been quite a fight as to which system is better on mountain bikes. The fact is they both are: it all depends on what kind of riding you are looking to do and what kind of cyclist you are.

Rollin with 29'ers

The arguments against “29ers” are very strong (industry doesn’t like change – especially if that means buying a new fork and frame to accommodate the bigger wheels), but when the chips (and the wheels) are down, the mountain biker should asses whether or not the switch to larger wheels is a good idea. Bigger wheels on the bike-market means more choice for the buyer, so accept the innovation. Here are a few things to consider when considering a 29-inch wheel purchase:

1. Weight:

Con: Larger rims constitute more weight. There is more metal and as a result it makes the mountain bike heavier. 26-inch wheels are thus essentially lighter.

Pro: Larger rims have more metal in them, but it’s a pretty insignificant weight difference. There are a number of manufacturers who produce tubeless 29-inch rims. Get rid of that inner tube and you get closer to your preferred riding weight.

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Visiting China: even if Marco Polo never did…

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     adventure holidays, Biking, china, cycling, mountainbiking, Tibet, trekking

Yes, it’s been reported that Marco Polo made it all up, drawing on tales from merchants rather than visiting China himself. Archaeological information appears to back up these claims, as his descriptions don’t match with physical evidence.

China: much more than first meets the western eye

To have visited 20 years ago may have been a conversation-stopper, today it’s a regular trip on the tourist trail.

Still, one of China’s most remarkable features is its outright geographical size, and then there’s its cultural diversity and its unclimbed peaks and much, much more…

As one of the emerging adventure holiday destinations on the planet, the country has a huge amount to offer. And it’s particularly interesting if you are looking at exploring, not just touring default sites.

Here are a few places and possibilities to whet your appetite:

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