Mike Libecki

Adventurers are people who partake in exciting or unusual experiences with uncertain outcomes. Generally bold and potentially dangerous, adventurous activities include skydiving, mountain climbing and extreme sports.

National Geographic recently released its annual Adventurers of the Year photo gallery. Top explorer Mike Libecki reflected on his adventures in Greenland, Afghanistan, Antarctica and many other locations in an interview with the magazine. He explained that he climbed icebergs in east Greenland- an incredibly dangerous feat.

“The excitement of this kind of climbing- I have done it a lot- is incredible. Icebergs are challenging because of the ice condition/quality,” Libecki said. “These moments never leave me; they are such an incredible, joyous feeling.”

He added, “The main components of my trips are remote, untouched, unexplored mystery. An adventure for me can’t be an adventure unless there is mystery, unless there is an unknown, something that hasn’t been done before.”

You don’t have to travel far to find adventure. In fact, many Americans have accomplished amazing things right here in the U.S. John Castle, Castle Harlan chairman and CEO, recreated the entire Lewis and Clark expedition on his own, traveling from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean in a 15-foot dinghy. The journey covered 3,100 miles. Mr. Castle later completed the river trip across the entire United States in a small inflatable boat.

“I went from New York Harbor the Pacific Ocean by starting out repeating what Lewis and Clark did- coming down the Missoura River to St. Louis and then I did the Columbia part of it, going through Washington and Oregon,” John Castle explained. “And then having done that, I said, ‘I might as well do the rest of the United States,’ so  left the New York Harbor, went up the Hudson River, across the Erie Canal, across the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, and up the Mississippi, completing the trip across the United States.”

When traveling around Europe (or many other locations for that matter) people most often think about using a plane. What they don’t realize, however, is that traveling by train might actually be a better option for them. Here’s why:

1. Check in times are much more complicated for a flight than they are for a train. If you think about the length of the journey, and add in check in times, baggage hassles and waiting time, you might just see that the train gets you there faster.
2. You can bring more baggage. Remember, when you take the train, that there is no limit to your baggage. This is a big plus for many people, particularly today when they appear to be charging for every item you try to bring on the plane.
3. Lines: There are much shorter lines when you take the train and security is nothing like it is with a flight.
4. The seats are infinitely more comfortable on the train – and you can get up and walk around. Enjoy a snack in the buffet cars and walk the length of the train, as you desire. And when you’re ready to relax, you’ll find a far more comfortable seat than the one on the plane.

Find more information about trains around Europe with raileurope.co.uk, eurostar.com and Seat61.com

Ben & Jerry, from blustery and frigid Burlington, Vermont, may want to take note. Vermonters just might enjoy their next Vermonster with warm ice cream.  That’s right. Destination Conwy and Baravellis have recently teamed up to present Llandudno with quite an unusual concoction – warm ice cream.

The flavor was inspired by a recipe for Welsh cakes and it is spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. They are advertising that the ice cream has a “warming quality” that can help those living in harsh climates to have their ice cream and eat it too…even in the winter.

As Sam Nayar from Destination Conwy explained,

“Ice cream is a summer essential, so we wanted to create a flavor that could be eaten come rain or shine whilst including something traditionally Welsh. Kids and adults alike have gone wild for the product so far here in Llandudno. Lancashire has its hot pot, Cornwall a pasty, Yorkshire its pudding and now North Wales has its very own signature dish.”

Certainly, many ice cream companies and stores have been offering unusual ice cream flavors over the last few years. The Humphry Slocombe shop in San Francisco, for instance, offers a bourbon and cornflakes ice cream called Secret Breakfast and a “Red Hot”Banana flavor filled with bananas and crushed Red Hot candies.  The Rehoboth Ice Cream shop in Delaware offers you a flavor called Better Than Sex which includes African vanilla, cake batter and a swirl of fudge. Their Bacon ice cream uses Bac-O-Bits for an intense flavor.

One lick of any of these and they say you’re hooked…maybe.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the boutique travel advisors, recently published a list of the best beach getaways in the world. It includes secluded, white-sandy shores as well as trendy Riviera:

The number one beach is that of Lizard Island at the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. This spot features amazing surf breaks and spotless white shores. A secluded boutique with more than 20 remote coves, the island is one of the country’s most beautiful secrets. Perfect for romantic picnics, snorkeling and kayaking, the beaches are filled with the unbelievable scenery of the reef.

Next is the French Riviera, with stylish venues and pebbled shores. With nearby hotels like Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel, the beach draws billionaires, fashionistas, celebrities and so many more.

Honolulu comes next, being the ultimate spot for wave-lovers with its Waikiki and Maui breaks. The atmosphere is also more relaxed and quirky, welcoming all types of visitors and adventure seekers.

Indonesia’s Seminyak is easily the most exciting strip in Bali. Locating right on the Ocean, the area is filled with luxury venues, sports clubs, and stylish getaways.

Next are the Fiji Islands. Mr. and Mrs. Smith recommend the Qamea Resort & Spa Fiji for a barefoot, natural vacation. Located on the tiny Qamea Island, the venue features traditional thatched huts, palm trees, impossibly white beaches, and crystal clear water. Diving courses and gear allow visitors to admire the coral just offshore, while spas use natural ingredients from the island to help tourists truly relax.

In a tight economy, it’s not always easy to find the money for a  holiday. Certainly, camping is always an option, but not everyone has the skill set or interest in camping. Another great way to enjoy a holiday without spending a fortune is to look into a home exchange.

Online today, there are oodles of home exchange websites that will explain to you exactly how to list your home and how to find a home that is right for your needs. Many of these sites have specific interests, such as homes for gay couples, homes for retired couples, homes for singles, homes for pet owners and more.

The home exchange or home swap program is brilliant. While entrusting others with your home, you are being offered a rent-free way to stay in someone else’s comfortable home while you vacation and enjoy your surroundings. You can visit places around the world, feel like a local rather than a tourist as you stay in a neighborhood, add security to your own home while you’re on vacation, and enjoy yourself.

While it may seem scary at first to think of letting others come into your home while you are away, you can find the right person through one of these online services. Before starting, you might want to speak with others who have used these services before. Get an idea about the most reputable of the home exchange websites and about the experiences that others have had.  With many of these home exchange programs, you can even save on car rentals by exchanging with someone else!

Getting away this summer doesn’t have to be a major expense or a major headache with a bit of creativity and the right exchange.

If you’ve always wanted to be an explorer, but either don’t have the stomach or the money to do so, now is your chance.  Google Street View has created a way for you to tap into the huts used by two Antarctic explorers, Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott.  The amazing panoramic was captured by a lightweight tripod camera that has a fisheye lens.

The story goes that, in the harsh winter of 1913, a British newspaper ran an advertisement that shouldn’t have appealed to any sane person.  Promoting the latest expedition to Antarctica, the advertisement said,

“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”

Now, preserved because of the extreme cold to look almost exactly as they looked a hundred years ago, the huts used by these gutsy explorers are on display. Google Street View blog has a 360-degree, 3D version of these huts for all to admire.

As Laurian Clemence of Google explained, “Today we’re bringing you additional panoramic imagery of historic Antarctic locations that you can view from the comfort of your homes. We’ll be posting this special collection to our World Wonders site, where you can learn more about the history of South Pole exploration.”

Adding more details, Clemence said,

“With the help of the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, we’ve now expanded our 360-degree imagery of the continent and are making views of many other important spots, such as the South Pole Telescope, Shackleton’s hut, Scott’s hut and the Cape Royds Adélie Penguin Rookery, available to people around the world.”