TOP 7 ADVENTURES IN THE AIR
Beneath the darkest sea, upon the rugged earth, from hilltop here to valley there, Adventure is found everywhere...even in the cool, thin air.
Often, adventure boils down to one simple need: escape. Escape! The feel of chill wind upon one's face while one's feet perch precariously atop a great mountain; the vast expanse of all-encompassing deep blue as one drifts silently far beneath the waves; the rustling of leaves as one walks alone amidst the primeval trees of an ancient forest. Escape. But to lift oneself off of the earth--to defy the power that keeps our feet upon the ground--possesses every aspect of escape that one might wish for. High above the ground, surrounded by cloud and sky, elusive escape becomes a reality.
Thus, wandering wanderers, we give you the TOP 7 ADVENTURES IN THE AIR...
ANGRY VOLCANO
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OTHER GREAT HELI-EXCURSIONS
+ The Grand Canyon, USA
+ A Glacier landing in Alaska, USA
+ Iguazu Falls, Argentina
}
At number seven: A HELICOPTER JOURNEY OVER NEW ZEALAND'S WHITE ISLAND VOLCANO. White Island, known as Whakaari by the Maoris, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country, spewing forth long plumes of white steam and rumbling constantly. Eruptions in recent decades have created what is now known as Crater Lake, the temperature of which becomes evident from the steam emanating generously from its surface. The island is also home to the ruins of a sulfur mine. Helicoptering to White Island means an unhindered view of the Pacific Ocean; spotting dolphins is common. All of this combines into one fantastic heli-excursion.
SERENGETI GLIDE
BALLOONING: RUNNERS UP
+ Over Peru's Urabamba Valley, Incan ruins
+ Over Egypt's Valley of the Kings
+ Over Australia's Great Barrier Reef
An alternate form of safari: take a HOT AIR BALLOON OVER THE SERENGETI. The balloon hovers low over the acacia-laden plains, giving its occupants a close-up look at Africa's most fantastic flora and fauna below--including herds of wildebeest, buffalo, and zebra; lions, leopards, and cheetahs; and hippos, elephants, and gazelle. It's the closest one will ever come to seeing through the eyes of a Hooded Vulture or a Harrier Hawk. For added effect (as if that is needed!), be in the air at dawn or dusk, airborne as the sky lights up above the blazing Tanzanian sun.
PARAGLIDING OVER THE HARAZ MOUNTAINS OF YEMEN earns our fifth slot. This remote area, tucked away in an isolated country largely untouched by tourists, is ideal for paragliding--though the sport is still virtually unheard of in the region. The key is finding the right local to guide you. Good maps of the Haraz are close to impossible to locate, and the only way to navigate the rugged terrain and unmarked trails connecting the various mountain villages is with the help of a friendly Haraz-dweller. From Sana'a, drive an hour and a half to Manakah or Al-Hajjara--and from there, the Haraz is yours to discover. And don't forget: bring your own equipment!
OVER THE HARAZ
High above jungle and mountain, our fourth slot is occupied, worthily, by HANG GLIDING OVER BORNEO. We suggest a motorized glider. High above the third-largest island in the world, one looks down upon over three thousand tree species, the threatened Bornean Orangutan, the Bornean Clouded Leopard, the Asian Elephant, and the mighty Sumatran Rhinoceros. Rainforest, swamp, and lowland, high peaks, jungle, and volcano all mark this diverse island. Whether the plan is for a day-trip or a pan-island crossing (let us know if you do this one!), the Journey element of every true adventure will be your constant companion. Happy gliding.
AN AUTOGYRO FLIGHT OVER THE NAMIB DESERT has staked out our number three spot. The dunes and deserts of Namibia, that most unique of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, serve as a backdrop to one of the most liberating of flight experiences: the little-known autogyro. These tiny crafts are barely bigger than a Harley Davidson, with helicopter-like rotors, an engine-powered propeller, and no outer encasing; you're literally floating, out in the open with the wind in your face, high above the ground. The Namib Desert, though of ominously empty appellation, is actually filled with life, including the traditional African "big" animals--like elephants, lions, rhino, and giraffe. And the sky? Almost always cloud-free.
NAMIB DESERT
One for skydivers. How would you like to land at over 12,000 feet? This is, in fact, the highest drop zone in the world. So strap on that supplemental oxygen and get ready to SKYDIVE OVER MOUNT EVEREST.
THE TALLEST ONE
Freefalling past the highest mountains anywhere on earth, the skydiver jumps bravely from a Turbine Pilatus Porter aircraft, then falls from 30,000 feet as the Himalayas, including the very summit of Mount Everest, flash all around. According to one group, who will undertake this most extreme of adventure endeavors in October of 2008, the dive will be "a feast for those who seek to stimulate all their senses to the point of near overload." Not for everyone, to be sure, but hey--if escape is what one seeks, it's hard to beat this, even if it's only fleeting.
{
WHO OWNS THE ISS?
The International Space Station is a joint project between the United States (NASA), Russia (RKA), Japan (JAXA), Canada (CSA) and a number of European countries (ESA).
}
CELESTIAL FLOAT
And the number one adventure in the air? Yes, it costs a mere US$30 million. But despite its hefty price tag--which might otherwise purchase a small country--there's just no way that anything on this list could hold a candle to SPENDING TEN DAYS ABOVE THE EARTH ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. Piggy-backing along a Russian Space Agency flight, the star-borne adventurer is propelled miles above the ground, through the burning atmosphere, and into the blackness of space, all aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. From your orbital vantage-point, you'd see the earth as it truly is: a giant sphere of immense proportions covered in cloud, ocean, and greenish-brown earth, suspended in an abyss of blackness. You'd also experience bonafide weightlessness, spending your entire journey literally floating in the air. Some cheaper alternatives for us poorer folk are set to make their debut over the next few years, but the truth is that space tourism will be the domain of the ultra-wealthy for quite some time. Still, anything's possible; perhaps you, yes you, o dreaming journeyer, might one day find yourself staring at Earth from 460 km (248 miles) above its surface as you float in orbit at 27,700 kilmoteres (17,210 miles) per hour. It could happen.
At number seven: A HELICOPTER JOURNEY OVER NEW ZEALAND'S WHITE ISLAND VOLCANO. White Island, known as Whakaari by the Maoris, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country, spewing forth long plumes of white steam and rumbling constantly. Eruptions in recent decades have created what is now known as Crater Lake, the temperature of which becomes evident from the steam emanating generously from its surface. The island is also home to the ruins of a sulfur mine. Helicoptering to White Island means an unhindered view of the Pacific Ocean; spotting dolphins is common. All of this combines into one fantastic heli-excursion.
An alternate form of safari: take a HOT AIR BALLOON OVER THE SERENGETI. The balloon hovers low over the acacia-laden plains, giving its occupants a close-up look at Africa's most fantastic flora and fauna below--including herds of wildebeest, buffalo, and zebra; lions, leopards, and cheetahs; and hippos, elephants, and gazelle. It's the closest one will ever come to seeing through the eyes of a Hooded Vulture or a Harrier Hawk. For added effect (as if that is needed!), be in the air at dawn or dusk, airborne as the sky lights up above the blazing Tanzanian sun.
PARAGLIDING OVER THE HARAZ MOUNTAINS OF YEMEN earns our fifth slot. This remote area, tucked away in an isolated country largely untouched by tourists, is ideal for paragliding--though the sport is still virtually unheard of in the region. The key is finding the right local to guide you. Good maps of the Haraz are close to impossible to locate, and the only way to navigate the rugged terrain and unmarked trails connecting the various mountain villages is with the help of a friendly Haraz-dweller. From Sana'a, drive an hour and a half to Manakah or Al-Hajjara--and from there, the Haraz is yours to discover. And don't forget: bring your own equipment!
High above jungle and mountain, our fourth slot is occupied, worthily, by HANG GLIDING OVER BORNEO. We suggest a motorized glider. High above the third-largest island in the world, one looks down upon over three thousand tree species, the threatened Bornean Orangutan, the Bornean Clouded Leopard, the Asian Elephant, and the mighty Sumatran Rhinoceros. Rainforest, swamp, and lowland, high peaks, jungle, and volcano all mark this diverse island. Whether the plan is for a day-trip or a pan-island crossing (let us know if you do this one!), the Journey element of every true adventure will be your constant companion. Happy gliding.
AN AUTOGYRO FLIGHT OVER THE NAMIB DESERT has staked out our number three spot. The dunes and deserts of Namibia, that most unique of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, serve as a backdrop to one of the most liberating of flight experiences: the little-known autogyro. These tiny crafts are barely bigger than a Harley Davidson, with helicopter-like rotors, an engine-powered propeller, and no outer encasing; you're literally floating, out in the open with the wind in your face, high above the ground. The Namib Desert, though of ominously empty appellation, is actually filled with life, including the traditional African "big" animals--like elephants, lions, rhino, and giraffe. And the sky? Almost always cloud-free.
And the number one adventure in the air? Yes, it costs a mere US$30 million. But despite its hefty price tag--which might otherwise purchase a small country--there's just no way that anything on this list could hold a candle to SPENDING TEN DAYS ABOVE THE EARTH ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. Piggy-backing along a Russian Space Agency flight, the star-borne adventurer is propelled miles above the ground, through the burning atmosphere, and into the blackness of space, all aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. From your orbital vantage-point, you'd see the earth as it truly is: a giant sphere of immense proportions covered in cloud, ocean, and greenish-brown earth, suspended in an abyss of blackness. You'd also experience bonafide weightlessness, spending your entire journey literally floating in the air. Some cheaper alternatives for us poorer folk are set to make their debut over the next few years, but the truth is that space tourism will be the domain of the ultra-wealthy for quite some time. Still, anything's possible; perhaps you, yes you, o dreaming journeyer, might one day find yourself staring at Earth from 460 km (248 miles) above its surface as you float in orbit at 27,700 kilmoteres (17,210 miles) per hour. It could happen. 