You will love to enjoy the thrilling nature of the adventure sport with airsoft guns, the amazing gaming tool of the young generation. The young crowd is fascinated by the excitement that this game arouses in them when they shoot pellets and BBs in a competition using the toy guns, which are look-alike of original models of weapons. You should be well conversant with the terms that are used in this sport so that you understand different gaming gadgets and the rules of the game.

You have to drop in at any sports store in your area and collect the model of the airsoft gun that you need to have. You should also obtain the required accessories for the gun so that you have the complete set and are ready for the sport. Choose a best quality gun or an AEG for participating in the contest to do well. If you are not satisfied with the local store, take the help of the internet and find out a reliable website, which would surely make you happy.

You should know that each airsoft gun has an orange tip as required by the government guidelines and discarding it will tantamount to violation of government rules. The rule also defines that an airsoft gun can be purchased by a person only when he attains an age of 18 years.

Several varieties of guns are available for the lovers of this sport. People, who are keen to play games, usually go for the Airsoft Sniper Rifle to experience the adventure of the sport. The general types of airsoft guns include springers, gas and the electric. The Springer type of the gun requires the player to cock the firing spring before every shot is fired. In the gas type of the devise, compressed gas is used to push out BBs.

The electric type is the latest and uses a motor to do the pulling back of the spring between the shots. This one is favored by most of the participants both beginners and experienced. Many companies are engaged in the manufacture of airsoft guns and you can make your selection from them. You can choose from a wide range of real image pistols, assault rifles and big air soft rifles.

The collection of real looking but an absolutely non-lethal yet majestic replica of firearms for shooting sport is normally known as Airsoft. The purchase of an airsoft gun requires high degree of knowledge about the technical ability of a particular piece to deriver complete satisfaction. Price is always a factor for quality. If it is for the first time use, the beginner should go for a low priced model. Professional’s players, taking part in competitions, use the highly sophisticated models of airsoft guns which are very expensive.

The beginners should select an airsoft gun model of simple technicalities to become conversant with the shooting game. It is sufficient for the basic practice and exercise sessions to gather experience in this sport. Even for the target shooting practice, the beginner does not require a classic army model worth several hundred dollars.

For the first time start practicing with an ordinary airsoft gun and get acclimatized with the sport. You need experience to do better in this game, so take a little bit of training form the seniors if you can mange one. This adds to your favor for enjoying the sport of airsoft guns shooting.

Visiting Iceland is a soul soothing and heart-warming experience. The beauty of Iceland is never ending and makes one want to stop and stare for eternity. Here are glaciers, waterfalls, lakes and a lot more for one to discover and explore. Although exploring all of Iceland would require several days but there are also a variety of day tours for people who are short on time but still want to enjoy Iceland at its best. These tours cover maximum possible destinations within a single day to give one an experience that will last a lifetime in just one day.

As soon as one arrives in Iceland, he will realize that it is truly an amazing place. There are many activities that one can take part in if they want an Iceland adventure. Many tours and tour events that can make a visitor feel at home in the country. However, there is some information for Iceland adventure tours that one should keep in mind before deciding to choose one.

There are many tours that one can opt for. Classic day tours, the northern lights tours, Visiting volcanoes, waterfalls and other tours, Reykjavik and other towns. The tour package and the days can be selected by you; however, if the weather isn’t in one’s favor, then the companies usually offer another alternative. The duration can be anywhere between 3-9 hours depending on how long the trip is and how many places one opted to see on their Iceland adventure.

Here are some of the things that you can go for:

Reykjanes Penninsula- The famous blue lagoon is located here so be sure not to forget your bathing suit and towel!

A south coast safari and the glacial lagoon called Jokulsarlon- One can visit the south side of the Island and view the magical glacial lagoon that is simply breath taking.

Snaefellsjokull– For those people who love volcanoes and geology, a trip here can make one feel like they are travelling back in time.

The Saga Circle– Located on the west side of the Iceland, some of the most striking bird and wildlife are found here.

Thorsmork – Found on the south side of the island, this really does please wildlife lovers.

The Golden Circle– taking a tour on the golden circle will let one see the beautiful and famous waterfalls and geysers that are fascinating.

The Blue Lagoon– One of the most popular geothermals spas that is surrounded by a lava field. This is definitely something that will keep the Icelandic tradition alive if one truly wants to feel at home.

The best spot in the Highlands– Landmannaugar, one of the national reserve parks located in the highlands of Iceland, one will be able to enjoy all the untouched natural beauty, many sights to see here, hot springs and a lot of beautiful mountains.

Taking an adventurous tour around Iceland can be one of the best ways to see many famous and beautiful sights in just one trip alone. With the benefit of comfort, entertainment, and occasional food stops, one will also gain a lot of knowledge on all the places they visit.

Attention all Adventure Junkies! Contrary to popular belief, Morocco is not all just about the markets and the stunningly beautiful cosmopolitan city. There are many things to see for those into alternative, off-beat travel. Here are some tips I received from a Morocco travel agency about exciting things to do on my Morocco holiday:

Morocco is a country of both stunning landscapes and captivating cities, so if your sense of adventure involves the love of heights, you are in for a treat. Imagine setting off on a hot air balloon from Marrakech and peacefully glide over Morocco whilst enjoying the breathtaking scenery. The Morocco travel agency I went through for the hot air ballooning adventure also included a visit into a village to have mint tea and home baked bread whilst mingling with a local Berber family.

For those who are into more action than a slow drift across the air, personal helicopter flights are available. Many routes are available if you choose this option, and these tours can last between an exhilarating twelve minutes to an extensive 4.5 hours.

A more comprehensive and encompassing helicopter tour that I recommend is that Atlas Tour, which takes about one hour to complete. In this excursion, you can view the dramatic scenery of the Atlas Mountains, Lake Takerkoust, Ouirgane, Toubkal, Oukaimeden, the Ourika Valley, and Marrakech.

Fancy racing a quad-bike around town? Bike lovers will love the experience of coasting around Palm Grove where you can zip around, admiring the picturesque ‘green region’ of Marrakech which is home to some of the most beautiful luxury homes, golf courses, and hotels in the world. You will also get to visit the famous Marrakech Piste oasis, ride some awesome dunes, and visit some Berber hamlets before stopping off to enjoy a tea break with some of the locals.

If you are after a more structured desert experience in the form of a several day tour with a Guide, these are also available at any good Morocco travel agency. These travel agencies may also be able to tailor an itinerary suitable to you that incorporates hot air ballooning, helicopter rides, and quad-bike riding.

I hope you enjoy your exciting adventure Morocco holiday. Once you experience the wild side of this amazing country, you will never want to leave!

• Puzzle-solving

Adventure games contain a variety of puzzles, such as decoding messages, finding and using items, opening locked doors, or finding and exploring new locations. Solving a puzzle will unlock access to new areas in the game world, and reveal more of the game story.

Many puzzles in such games involve gathering and using items from their inventory. They may need to carry items in their inventory for a long duration before they prove useful. There is seldom any time-management required for these puzzles, focusing more on the player’s ability to reason than on quick-thinking.

• Story, Setting and Themes

Adventure games are single player experiences that are largely story-driven. They are typically set in an immerse environment, often a fantasy world, and try to vary the setting from chapter to chapter to add novelty and interest to the experience. Since these games are driven by storytelling, character development usually follows literary conventions of personal and emotional growth, rather than new powers or abilities that affect gameplay. Story-events typically unfold as the player completes new challenges or puzzles, but in order to make such storytelling less mechanical new elements in the story may also be triggered by player movement.

• Dialogue and Conversation

Adventure games have strong storylines with significant dialog, and sometimes make effective use of recorded dialog or narration from voice actors. This genre of game is known for representing dialog as a conversation tree.

Players are able to engage a non-player character by choosing a line of pre-written dialog from a menu, which triggers a response from the game character. These conversations are often designed as a tree structure, with players deciding between each branch of dialog to pursue.

• Goals, Success and Failure

The primary goal in adventure games is the completion of the assigned quest or puzzle. High scores provide the player with a secondary goal, and serve as an indicator of progression. The primary failure condition in adventure games, inherited from more action-oriented games, is player death. Without the clearly identified enemies of other genres, its inclusion in these games is controversial, and many developers now either avoid it or take extra steps to foreshadow death. Some early adventure games trapped the players in un-winnable situations without ending the game.

We can thus say that Adventure games does not include action, combat and other such endeavors unlike its dictionary equivalent of the term ‘Adventure’. Adventure games as such includes a series of puzzle-solving with a calm, reclined approach. These strings of puzzles are woven across a common story-line and laced with dialogues so as to provide a connect to the player. However, today many games have broken this traditional definition of these games to include elements of other genres although they still essentially maintain the features of games at its core.

“Climb the Mountains and get their good tidings”

John Muir

At least once each summer I try to get up to Snowbird located in Little Cottonwood Canyon of Utah’s majestic Wasatch Mountains. My wife and I will usually rent a room in the Cliff Lodge and take advantage of the Zip Line, Alpine Slide, Concerts and other games and entertainment and then top it off with a swim in their beautiful pool below towering sub alpine fir and Engelmann spruce with billions of stars filling the sky above the snow strewn peaks. Then a night cap at the Airee lounge while we listen to live jazz music makes for the end of a perfect evening. In the morning, the “Mountain Breakfast” is a tasty buffet style breakfast where your tables look out onto the rocky forested slopes of the Snowbird resort where until mid June most years you can see people getting the last Ski runs in before all the summer snow is gone. There is also an outstanding spa and fitness center on top of the hotel that we have thoroughly enjoyed at times.

While all of these things are fantastic, my favorite thing by far is the Snowbird Tram that takes you from the base of the mountain 7,760 feet to the top of Hidden Peak at 11,000 feet in the very heart of the Wasatch Mountains. This 125 person capacity tram covers the 2,900 feet of elevation gain in approximately 7 min. and as you get higher and higher the views of the Wasatch in the summertime get better and better. Once on top you have incredible vistas in all directions. To the east is the immediate bulk of 11,068 foot Mount Baldy which separates Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort from Alta Ski Area. Further east along the ridge is rounded 11,051 foot Sugarloaf Peak with the jagged knife rigged 10,920 foot Devil’s Castle beyond. On the horizon to the east are the Uinta Mountains which are the tallest mountains in the State of Utah. To the south you look down into upper American Fork Canyon with massive 11,750 foot Mount Timpanogos in the distance. In the foreground to the west are the matched summits of 11,489 foot American Fork Twin Peaks. To the north you will see the jagged precipitous Mount Superior ridge whose high point is 11,132 foot Monte Cristo Peak. Looking north west you can see all the way down “U” shaped Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Salt Lake Valley, Oquirrh Mountains and Stansbury Range beyond. This canyon is “U” shaped because it was carved or gouged out via massive glacial action in the last ice age. From the top of Hidden Peak, an experienced hiker who is not afraid of exposure and knife ridges, can easily climb Mount Baldy, Sugarloaf, American Fork Twins and numerous other peaks further west. Some say it is cheating to start from Hidden Peak summit but I say it gives me more time above the treeline. For hiking purists, you can start at the cliff lodge and follow the ski service roads up to the base of the higher peaks. The view from the top of Hidden Peak is astounding. If you do nothing else but drive up to Snowbird for a few hours and ride the tram to the top, you will be rewarded with incredible mountain vistas in all directions.

Family adventure in Cambodia starts with a trip to Ratanakiri. Popularly known as the “wild East,” this remote, enchanting, and beautiful region of the country lies in Cambodia’s northeast, the quintessence of the country’s emerging frontiers. A trip to Ratanakiri is packed with adventures galore.

The Fun Begins With the Journey

While Ratanakiri itself is a splendid destination, the fun begins with the journey. Miles of dirt tracks and half-built roads await exploration. The most convenient way to reach Ratanakiri is by travel from Phnom Penh. The 10 hour route takes your from Phnom Penh to Banlung through Kratie From Siem Reap, the journey is longer taking up to 12 hours on a sunny day, and a few extra hours when it is raining. With a haven of natural landscapes, crystal clear waters, crater lakes, lush mountains, rolling hills, and bamboo jungles to explore, and river dolphins and other wildlife on the way, a trip to Ratanakiri is not to be missed.

Trekking

Get ready to trek the rolling hills and mountains of the region. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the rambling hills or take a jungle expedition to explore the depths of the beautiful bamboo forests for which Cambodia is renowned

Relaxed 2 day treks through the Kalai Jungle are perfect family adventure trips for all ages where you’ll explore colorful forests and cascading waterfalls. For the more adventurous among you, a 3 day trek takes you through the northeast jungle among local tribes for an in-depth journey in the region, where you’ll come in close contact with the native hill tribes. A more strenuous trek of 4 days takes you into the wilds of Ratanakiri’s northeast. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to ride on an elephant’s back to view the spectacular surroundings in the region.

Kayaking

A great kayaking adventure is a trip down the Tonle San River passing through tribal villages and the dark jungles of Virachey National Park, exploring spectacular waterfalls and the remnants of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Rantakiri province is home to several waterfalls, most close to the capital Banlung.

Hiking

Short hikes (3 km and less) on the paths around Yak Loum Crater Lake are great for family adventures and fun, and the crater’s crystal clear waters are perfect for a short afternoon dip. A must-see destination, Yak Loum is a volcanic crater lake encircled by a lush jungle. For more determined adventurers, a hike through the hills of Kalai Jungle takes you through local farms and tribes in the region. To experience life amongst the tribes, the Ratanakiri natives are very friendly and will welcome you to stay with them, a perfect end to a Cambodia family adventure holiday!

When I first braved myself to embark on the entrepreneurship journey, I was soon facing a daunting question: Do I have the qualities to be an entrepreneur?

I am purely an outdoor educator. There were numerous instances when people told me that this passion of mine will not bring me far. But here I am, until today, staying stubborn passionate with this hobby of mine.

So I did take a step back to analyse if I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. And I found 5 key qualities. Here they are:

1. Decision Making

Being in the outdoors requires me to make decisions. This is especially so when I have a group of participants. There are countless decisions to make before, during and after a programme.

For example, have I sorted out all the contingency plans? Have I brought sufficient food and equipment?

As an entrepreneur, I have to make countless decisions. No one is there to tell you what to do.

2. Risk Taking

I have to be used to take risks in the outdoors. If I do not risk falling, I will not know how high I can climb. If I do not risk making a wrong decision at a junction, I will not know if that is even the correct path to take.

I have started out a few businesses. Some worked while some failed. But still, I will not have known all these if I had not tried.

3. Safety Mindedness

However, people often misunderstand that being a risk taker means that we do not bother about safety. In the outdoors, the safety factor has actually been considered multiple times.

A climbing rope, for example, could withstand about 12 times more than an average climber’s weight. Safety procedures are everywhere. Where there is none, we are taught to make conservative judgement calls.

The very reason why I do not focus only on one single business is based on the wise saying: Do not place ALL your eggs in one basket. There has to be a safety net.

4. Perseverance

This is a classic nature of an outdoor adventurer. We are used to toughing it out. We know that words don’t count without actions. And the effort required is normally superhuman. We are trained to go the distance.

No one ever said being an entrepreneur is easy. It took me 6 months before I made my first dollar. Thankfully I have been trained to persevere.

5. Creativity

Facing problems is a staple diet of an outdoor adventurer. No one day or one activity is the same. Hence, we have to always think outside the box. Speak about being a maverick. I myself am amazed at what I or my participants do to solve problems.

I started out with minimal capital. Hence, I needed to be creative in planning my effort, energy and money. Be creative in using the many Softwares work for me instead of the other way round.

These 5 qualities inherent in an outdoor adventurer definitely fits the bill of being an entrepreneur. Well, if you lucky, you could turn the passion into your profession. If not, you sure would have picked up enough tools to run a business!

Pacific 30. Beam: 8’6″, LOA: 29’6″

Draft: 4’6″, Mast height: 40′. Disp: 10,000 lbs.

Description & History of yacht:

Pacific 30, fibreglass haul and deck construction, sloop rig, semi full keel with a skeg hung rudder. The hull and deck were laid up in Cobble Hill in 1976. My father Peter Gann finished the interior in a barn on Old West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC “Peg Leg” was launched on September 2nd, 1977 at Cattle Point. It was towed back to R.V.Y.C. by my grandfather, (Jack Gann)’s boat “Seatime”.

Our story started in the Canadian Arctic in 1989 while Haydn George and I were working as seamen for Beaudrill aboard the M.V. “Terry Fox”. After a cool watch on the deck, Haydn and I found ourselves in the warmth of the ship’s library thumbing through navigation books as we were aspiring to be ocean navigators. Our discussion quickly focused on the topic of celestial navigation, endless horizons and turquoise warm water. Sextant angles, warm blue-sky endless horizons combined with -40 or -50 temperatures fuelled ideas like sailing to the tropical islands of Hawaii (+80). The temperature and need for endless horizons to practise our celestial navigation was all we required at 20 years old to commit ourselves to sailing my thirty-foot sloop “Peg Leg” to Hawaii.

The decision was made: we would leave on June 24, 1990 @1430. We set about our planning and for the remainder of our time in the Arctic we imposed on Capt. Peter Kimberley to teach us how to navigate across the Pacific using a plastic Davis Mark II Sextant.

For the next six months, our plan included making use of our friend’s time and our family’s money, cars, homes (and rum!) to refit “Peg Leg” for our Hawaiian adventure.

Day 1 – June 24, 1990 at 1400 hrs

Somehow day 1 was suddenly upon us! It was a beautiful warm summer day in Cadboro Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, and we found ourselves surrounded by friends, family and onlookers. Haydn untied our lines and I passed our good friend Rick Todd the fenders and said “we will not be needed tonight.” Our adventure begins with smiles and tears as we said goodbye and sailed out into the bay. Unlike all the other times, this was not just an afternoon sail. We would not return to Cadboro Bay until 74 days later.

As we reached Race Rocks our warm summer afternoon turned into a brisk 35 knot westerly requiring us to reduce sail to a triple-reefed main and a 100% jib. Haydn and I decided to sail into the lee of Bentick Island to prepare “Peg” for the evening sail to Cape Flattery. Here we stowed away the wine bottles, cards, chili, cookies and flowers from my good friends Mugs & Peter Townshend and other loved ones. Yes, the boat was ready, reefed down, stowage complete! Haydn decided to go below to update the log as we charged through Race Passage with the ebb tide and westerly. While down in the cabin, Haydn decided to make his first meal. His intention was to prepare a can of something warm before evening sunset. Great idea, however, between cooking, and updating the log, he launched himself through the companionway to throw up all over the lee cloth in the cockpit. We were off to a rough start. After sailing 4 miles through Race Passage, Haydn was sick in the bulk for the rest of the evening, leaving me to enjoy the first cold, wet beat to Flattery alone.

Day 2 – June 25th, 1990 at 1020 hrs

The log reads “we are leaving Juan de Fuca strait and rounding Cape Flattery to begin south heading for Hawaii. The intended course now is to sail southwest to get off the continental shelf and offshore to avoid deep vessel traffic before nightfall. The conditions allow us to sail 190 degrees at 4.5 knots the entire day.”

The crew spent the rest of the day mounting the E.P.I.R.B. in the cockpit, preparing our hand fishing line and cleaning up the boat after last night’s strong westerly beat.

All day we dragged our fishing line without success. However, there was a backup plan for our first night offshore. Knowing very well that we would be tired and overwhelmed from our experience thus far, my Nan had prepared us a fresh pot of chilli, bread, and my favourite angel food cake to energize us after a long day.

It was an especially warm, calm, evening to eat on deck and watch the Washington coast slip away from us. During dinner we each spoke about waking up the following morning and not being able to see land. We were excited and concerned for this long awaited for experience. Day turned to night upon an endless horizon and we experienced our first offshore sunset and twilight. The sky turn into a blanket of brilliant stars, and the sea lit up with phosphorescence.

That night I officially began my first watch at the helm. Before Haydn could call it a night he had to break open the siciaflex and fix the starboard window from leaking inside. As for our watch schedule, we planned to rotate on and off duty throughout the nights for as long as we could stand the watch. Sometimes this resulted in 4 hr, sometimes 6 hrs watches. That night, Haydn bulked down at about 1930 and took over the helm at 0200 hrs.

Cape Flattery to Trades and a day at sea aboard Peg Leg

For the next 5 days at sea (June 26th – June 30th) Peg Leg made her way out to 130 degrees of Longitude averaging between 70 nm to 120 nm a day. These days seem to blend into each other as though you were in an extended Swiftsure. We lost sight of land. The ocean and horizon around us turned grey, cool, and sloppy. Life on board was new and exciting. Each day seemed to open a new door into another room of adventure and discovery. By now we were still hand steering as we had not learnt how to manage our autohelm 5000 wheel pilot. She was continuously over-steering, leaving us with only one option to hand steer. During the six months leading up to departure, maybe we should have taken “Peg Leg” off the dock and tested our systems. “Oh well, we will remember sea trails next time in our life when we decide to go offshore again!”

Other than having to hand-steer, sleep in wet wool pants and suffer from each other’s lack of cleanliness from not showering for the first ten days, things went remarkably well. Haydn and I shared making meals, watches and our daily routine of preventative maintenance of all systems. Daily, we ran the Yanmar 18 h.p. engine for an hour at noon to charge the battery bank, top up battery fluid levels, top up the kerosene stove and inspect the running rigging for wear.

It became part of our daily routine to sight deep sea vessels, pods of dolphins or beautiful albatross gliding along the waves. At night while I laid in the cockpit steering under the stars, I would pass my time tuning into the local west coast talk radio program and listen to people call in and talk about their problems. Wow, did that ever consume a watch.

Day 8 – July 1st, 1990

Our plan was to sail along the 130 degrees longitude allowing us to break away from the continent while always pinching up to the Pacific High on our starboard side. When we met the North East winds, this allowed us to sail west to 132 degrees West Longitude and approximately 35 degrees North Latitude.

Great Circle and Trade wind sailing to Maui

Day 12 – July 6th, 1990

The log reads “We have finally learnt that the button on the auto helm that controls the rudder yaw turns to accommodate small to large wheel rotation. Wow, Peg Leg can sail in a straight line. Auto’s promoted to Quartermaster and from that day she steers Peg Leg through the rolling trades right into Maui.”

Day 13

Goes something like this. It’s 0130 hrs in the morning when we are awakening by the thumping engine noise of a freighter, I run out on deck and I’ m amazed by this very large grey black silhouetted sheet of steel that passes us to our port side within 100 m. As she triumphantly powers by the freighter’s watch keeper turns on one of his million candle watts bridge lights to assist us with our vision. Yep, that was a freighter all right. Maybe Auto does not make a great helmsmen! Haydn and I proceed to call up the Japanese Quartermaster on watch and ask if he would mind advising us if there is any other traffic in the area as there was no need to ask for a range and bearing for a position update. That day we spotted two more deep sea vessels headed for Japan and we could not raise them on the VHF. Hopefully someone was in the bridge standing watch like the freighter we awoke to ten hours before.

So, we have Auto working now, have learnt a little about standing a watch and have reached the trade winds to start our great circle route to Maui 1470 NM bearing 230 degrees.

The Trade wind ride lasted for 11 days of down wind sailing at 230-degrees, wing on wing at 6 & 7 knots of boat speed surfing down 6 to 10 foot turquoise waves.

Day 17 – July 11th at 1740 hrs

The log reads “We have just launched Gary Nickel’s carved log into the ocean at the following position:

Lat 28 degrees 41 minutes N

Long 141 degrees 49 minutes W

922 NM from Maui

Our friend Gary presented us a log carving on our departure from the RVYC and asked us to cast it off to sea. The log contained a drawing and engraved description about our trip. The description included dates, names, contact info if found, and a summary of our adventure. The entire log was sealed in many coats of epoxy and floated quite nicely. To date the piece has not been returned.

Day 18 – July 12th at 0315 hrs

We made contact over the VHF with a motor vessel called Shirley Eye that was westbound for Oahu and to be used as a dive vessel.

Day 21 – July 15th at 1600 hrs

An afternoon jibe results in a rip to the chute. We manage to lower the sail and untangle the mess, however, we feel the rip is too large for us to fix. So, we sail on into the night wing on wing with the main and genoa.

Day 22 – July 16th

We make contact with the SV “Sabrina” on 16 VHF. “Sabrina” is a 34′ Pacific Cup vessel headed to Oahu. While in contact with Sabrina the female on board asks us why we are not using our chute. We explain that we ripped it and need sail repair. So, she gets on the radio and gives us a blast about not hand sewing it. With only 113 NM to the entrance to Maui we regroup and start sewing and two hours later the chute is up and “Peg” is eating up the miles.

Land in sight

Day 23 – July 17th at 1133 hrs

The log reads “Land in sight,” on the 23rd morning!

All through my early morning watch I could see a masthead and starboard light on my port quarter. And as the morning awoke I began to identify the cute as “Thomasine II” from R.V.Y.C. Peter Su, a good friend of ours, brought my family out to watch us sail off as Haydn and I left for Hawaii on June 24. “Thomasine II” was part of the Vic Maui race that left on July 1 from Victoria. So, Peter had managed to catch up to us and we sailed into the channel off Maui together that afternoon. We asked “Thomasine II” to radio ahead and ask if we could clear customs in Lahaina as a Vic Maui spectator boat. We receive a radio transmission advising us to proceed to Lahaina and call US customs from the finish line. However, as we sailed past Nakalele Point after having a shower and watching the people on the shore party to the sounds of Hawaiian music, we called customs again and they advised us to sail back around to Kuhului through Pailolo channel. By now the sun had gone down and the wind was up to 25 knots so we proceeded to anchor off Lahaina until daybreak. Boy, that was tough to sit at anchor off Lahaina and listen to all the partying.

Land fall at last!

Day 23 – July 17th, at 2240 hrs

The log reads “Landfall at last,” 23 days after leaving R.V.Y.C. That evening we would anchor offshore of Lahaina @ 2140. Peg Leg and crew reached our destination after sailing 2700 NM in 23 days 7 hours & 40 minutes.

After that lovely sleep at anchor off Lahina at 0600 hrs July 18th, Haydn and I lifted the hook and proceeded around to Kahululi under sail and entered into the harbour at 1115 hrs. As we powered into the harbour we passed the French steel SV “Rantoplan.” The couple invited us aboard but we had to decline and proceed immediately to the customs dock. After tying up the boat I ran up to the office to sign in. After a cold welcoming the clerk advised me to return to my vessel as she would send for the customs officials. Five minutes later, two very large Hawaiian men dressed in the causal Hawaii / Miami vice look drove up in a jeep, jumped out and immediately started asking questions. Was I the captain? who’s the other guy? He’s my crew, Haydn! The man in charge and his buddy instructed Haydn to stand at the bow of the vessel, while I went aboard with the skipper. The official acted very guarded and he wanted to see my chart showing our daily noon position since leaving Victoria. At this point, I tried to be friendly and accommodating. I offered the Customs officer the opportunity to go below first. Oh no, for your safety and mine I had to proceed first. Once inside the boat away from his partner and Haydn, he began asking me a number of questions about drugs, alcohol, firearms and our money situation. He advised me that we faced a $12,000 US dollar fine for not clearing into an official US port of entry. At that moment, knowing we had only $500.00 dollars between us, I explained why we entered at Lahina and spent the night on the anchor. He was not interested in that story and only reminded me how he had issued many fines before! After drilling me with the questions he then advised that “Peg” would be impounded and could not leave the dock until we attended at a hearing on Thursday morning, at his office, at 0900 hrs to discuss the fine. Once he had that message out of his system he looked at me and said, “Now go have a beer and enjoy!” Wow night and day! So, Haydn and I did just that. We walked up to the town’s bank, withdrew some money, and got a ride to the other side of the island to celebrate our adventure over some beer and a hamburger. As we walked through the doors at the Lahaina Yacht Club we met up with Peter Sou “Thomasine II” and had a few drinks at the pub and phoned family and friends at home.

Arriving an hour late for the customs hearing!

After a few beers and a late night partying on the other side of the island we did not make it back to our boat that night. So, when morning came we found ourselves stranded on the wrong side of the island with no form of transportation to get to the meeting with customs. We decided to find Peter, who was resting peacefully that morning in a beautiful hotel in Lahaina. After getting him out of bed, we asked him if he could take us to the Kuhului for our hearing. Peter agreed, smiled, and brought his camera to film the experience for others back home in Victoria to witness.

Picture this: we arrived very late, hung over and accompanied by Peter our photographer! The front desk officials were not impressed. We walked into a room, with the ceiling fan going around, the bright lights and this large man that sat behind a his desk wearing, you guessed it, the Hawaiian shirt! “You are late! Have a sit,” and not a second after we sat, he began giving us a lecture on how one is to clear into a US port of entry. By the end of the session we could have recited the section from the customs book. He again raised the point about the $12,000 US fine and told us how he had fined others for that amount recently. Finally the officer started questioning our cruising plans for our time in Hawaii. It was very clear that we had not done our homework and he was very willing to lay out our terms and conditions while cruising through the Hawaiian Islands. In the end we got our cruising permit and it cost us $200.00 US dollars for the lecture and cruising permit.

OK, Haydn, lets go offshore again! We have been on land for 24hrs.

Day 25 – Thursday July 19th

The log reads “1217 hrs Peg Leg leaves Kuhului Harbour Maui for Honolulu, Oahu. We enjoyed a 50 nm reach along the North shore of Molokai Island past the prominent Kalaupapa peninsula and Kahiu point.

This village, now a national historical park, is on Makanalua Peninsula on Molokai Island’s north coast. A low tongue of lava separated from the rest of the coast, the remote area is where a band of lepers were forced ashore in 1866.

Hugging the nearly perpendicular cliffs, the trail is over three miles (5km) long and descends 1,600 feet (488m) to the peninsula. Along its course are 26 switchbacks that corkscrew in and out of canyons and ravines.

In 1873, Father Damien, a Belgian priest, came to visit and stayed the rest of his life ministering to the victims of Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. He caught the disease and died of it in 1889, becoming the “‘Martyr of Molokai Island”.

Day 26 – Friday July 20th at 0200 hrs

14 hours after leaving Kuhului the log reads “Peg” Secured Hawaii Yacht Club; time for a rum and our first running water shower in 26 days!” Early Friday morning Haydn and I made arrangements to spend 7 days at the Waikiki Yacht Club and 7 days at the Hawaii Yacht Club.

Three in the afternoon we headed up to the airport to meet Kim, Michelle, and Ryan after their trip from Victoria. We spend the next seven days sharing stories, swimming, and exploring the island.

Haydn had planned to continue sailing south by picking up a crew position on board a yacht and I had planned to have Michelle join me in Hawaii and sail back with me to Victoria. However, with news of Kim’s arrival and the combination of her presence in Hawaii, Haydn’s plans turned North. Yes, Haydn and Kim were now looking for a ride North back to Victoria. As this was a Vic Maui year, they had no problem confirming a ride on board SV “Crissa.”

So on July 27th 1990, after spending 8 days on land in Hawaii, Kim and Haydn are off again for Victoria via the island of Kauai aboard Crissa. That day we watched Kim and Haydn sail off into the distance and my brother Ryan fly off into the sky.

Michelle and I spent the next week relaxing, shopping for supplies, and working on Peg Leg in preparation for our trip to Kauai. We met the commodore of the Hawaii Yacht Club and explained to him how we had towed a fishing line 2700 NM without a bite. Being a power boater with a coloured past for the sport of Marlin fishing, our commodore friend passed on a few ideas and he began to make us two lines as we discussed the finer aspects of fishing over a couple of rums.

Well after spending 7 full days of meeting new friends, eating together on different boats and sharing stories while watching the nightly sunsets from the spot where they made the movie “South Pacific,” the time had come for us to say goodbye and begin our voyage home to Caddy Bay, Victoria, BC!” For more bluewater offshore sailing stories visit http://www.isealife.com

The Kalahari Hotel in Wisconsin Dells is an ideal vacation place for tourists who would want to experience the adventures of the African Safari without having to go to Africa. The hotel features a large collection of tribal artifacts, jungle plants, African murals and many other African attractions.

The hotel also features its large indoor water park which is ideal for enjoyment with the whole family and friends.

Guests are welcomed by the friendly staffs. The hotel lobby is full of different African decors. As a tradition, each guest is provided with a colorful bracelet that serves as an entrance pass upon entering the water parks facilities.

The hotel is composed of more than 700 spacious guestrooms mostly called Hut Rooms. These rooms, decorated with a safari style theme, are equipped with microwave oven, mini refrigerator, iron, hair dryer, colored TV, coffee maker and other electronic facilities.

Other types of suites found in the hotel are as follows:

o African Queen

o Bird’s Eye

o Combination

o Horizon

o Hospitality

o King Whirlpool

o Royal African Queen

o Royal Hospitality

o Royal King Whirlpool

o Royal Two Room Family

o Safari

o Two Room Family

Other types of rooms include:

o Desert

o Hut

o Lodge

o Nomad

There are also condo units and cottages available for sale or for rent.

There are plenty of restaurants within the hotel offering different kinds of local and international cuisines. The Kahunaville Restaurant is one of the restaurants which serve specialties from a Las Vegas type culinary. Room catering can be arranged from these restaurants.

The indoor water park of the hotel promotes a lot of excitement and attraction that can be enjoyed exclusively by the hotel guests. It comes with a wide area of dressing rooms. Among the major attractions of the water park are:

o Master Blaster

o Tanzanian Twister

o Rippling Rhino

o Lazy River

o Victoria Falls

o Flow Rider

o Wave Pool

The water park employs professional lifeguards to ensure the safety of its guests. Exclusive pools for children are also available.

Right at the area of the water park, children and adults can have a refreshing drink of their choice from the concessions around the area.

Guests can also have a sip of their favorite wine or have dinner at the Great Karoo just outside the water park. It is strategically located for a great view of the whole water park.

After having the most exciting ride and spending a long day of adventure, you can indulge with a relaxing spa treatment at the Oasis Day Spa and Salon. It offers several natural spa treatments which will surely provide you the most relaxing experience you can ever have.

Hotel guests can also have the opportunity for hands-on experience in creating those masterpieces of pottery at the Pottery Pizzazz. This shop also sells a wide variety of pots explicitly designed ideal as souvenir items.

A great shopping experience can be enjoyed at the Zakanaka that features a wide array of beachwear, souvenir items, safari items and African clothing.

The hotel also caters to any social gathering events or business-related occasions such as tradeshows, exhibits, weddings, parties or corporate meetings. There are many conference rooms to choose from. Catering services can be arranged for the specific occasion.

The Kalahari Hotel in Wisconsin Dells is really a one-of-a-kind hotel that provides the most complete package perfect for a vacation and adventure.

Nepal is a beautiful landlocked country in South Asia, between India and China. It is a vast outdoor adventure playground with some of the best trekking trails on the earth. It is home to eight out of the fourteen highest mountain peaks in the world including Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. Located in the great Himalayas, it offers amazing adventure tourism and outdoor activities to enjoy. It offers adventure activities like trekking, hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, peak climbing, kayaking, white water rafting, mountain biking, paragliding, wildlife safari, etc. Apart from adventure tourism, Nepal also offers ample opportunities for cultural & heritage tourism. There are numerous cultural and heritage attractions in this country.

Among various adventure activities available, adventure trekking in Nepal is most popular. There some of the finest trekking & hiking trails in this country appealing attentions of trekkers and adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. In short, it is trekkers’ paradise. A well-organized trekking tour in this country provides tourists ample opportunities for mountain tourism and also provides opportunity to explore natural and cultural wealth of this country. On trekking tour in this country you will have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy stunning scenery, eye-catching landscapes, snowy mountain passes, spectacular glaciers, glorious mountain landscapes and remote hamlets & villages.

Nepal has numerous trekking trails. With some of the best trekking trails the country has been recognized as the most popular adventure trekking destination in the world. Everest region, Annapurna region and Langtang region are among some of popular trekking regions in Nepal. The Everest region is the most exciting and adventurous regions in Nepal where you will enjoy amazing trekking and hiking experience. Annapurna region is the most visited and explore region in Nepal. This region offers ample opportunities for adventure tourism and trekking and hiking tours. Langtang region is one another popular trekking region of this country. Trekking in this region is easily accessible from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal.

Some of popular trekking trails and routes in Nepal include Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Circuit Trek, Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, Ghorepani Trek, Jomsom – Muktinath Trek, Gokyo Trek, Arun Valley – Makalu Base Camp Trek, Dolpo Region Trek, Mustang Region Trek, Dhaulagiri Region Trek, etc. These popular treks attract trekkers from all over the world on exciting Nepal trekking tours.

Well, if you truly want to enjoy the excitement of adventure trekking Nepal would be the best destination for you. You shall never forget the charm of trekking in Annapurna, Everest and Langtang regions of Nepal.