[
ten dream adventures to do before I die ]
It's a good thing to have dreams. Besides making you feel like
you can achieve anything, it also makes you sigh because you think you
can't do it. Funny thing about dreams is, you will get to do
it if you put your heart to it. It's just a matter of time. Oh trust me. It's a
tried n' tested method! =)
Well, I've written my ten dream adventures that I would want to
do before I die here. Oh and I see that I have achieved the first one!! See,
told you dreams DO come true!
1. [ everest base camp trek, nepal ]
Probably the only one that I spent seven years dreaming about
and achieving it was sweet as. Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal is voted as
National Geographic's World's 15 Best Treks and I second every bit of it. You
would pass through wonderful little villages, sample sweet black tea that will
instantly warm you and walk through gorgeous mountain settings with the mighty
Dudh Kosi River flowing. And at night, the millions of stars illuminating some
of the world's highest peaks will make you wonder if you have really died and
went to heaven. Read about my journey at [ everest base camp ] at the left hand
corner of this page and also check out the video here.
Namche Bazaar, EBC Trail, Nepal
Pic courtesy of National Geographic
That's me on my journey of dreams =)
2. [ trans siberia train journey,
beijing-ulaan baatar-irkutsk-vladivostok -
moscow]
This one's been on my list since I was 15, but that's
because in Geography, my teacher drilled me on the longest train or something
and I mumbled something Siberia, which turned out to be correct. I couldn't
care less on what that Siberia meant, but as I grew up and travelling became my
passion, I took the initiative.
This train connects you from Asia to Europe ( with branching out
tracks ), departs Beijing,
and arrive at Moscow, Russia via Ulaan Baatar in Mongolia. Arguably one of the
best and most interesting train journeys, this ride will take 7 days, 7,621kms
and US$805 in a second class sleeper per way. You'd pass through remote
villages, watch the Mongolian yurts, Buddhist temples, dinosour remains and the
like. It also takes you across Siberia, reputed to be the coldest place on
earth, and near Lake Baikal, and cuts through the Gobi Desert in Mongolia
before depositing you in Moscow. Isn't that interesting as hell?
The trans Siberian train
Photo courtesy of flixya.com
3. [ trek the macchu
picchu, peru ]
Wasn't the movie 2012 was based on the predictions of the
ancient Mayan people who lived here? Macchu Picchu, reputed to have a
face of a man disguised as backdrop mountains. A 15th century Inca site which
rises 2,430 metres above sea level, it was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1983. Also fondly known as the Lost City of Inca, Macchu Picchu was
also voted as the New 7 Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet polls
recently.
The nearest town to Macchu Picchu would be Cuzco, located some 80
kilometres away. Some of my friends I met during my travels have done it, and
they say it's an amazing journey. Sorta taking the stairway to heaven, because
you have to trek big huge slabs of steps and camp overnight on them!
Macchu Picchu, Peru ( tilt your head and look at the mountains )
Photo courtesy of Wiki
4. [ trek to the
south pole, antartica ]
I recently purchased a book titled Call of the White - A journey
to the South Pole. It's amazing how much books can inspire us to challenge
ourselves just by reading what others had done. This book detailed the journey
of 8 women from 8 different Commonwealth countries to do the walk - ski to the
South Pole. Now isn't that amazing? These women does not have any outdoor
credentials whatsoever, they were ordinary folk who had extraordinary mental
strength. To spend a month in the vast nothingness of Antartica must be
an unforgettable experience, no? Also not to mention that there is no nights -
its day 24 hours, so you still get hot sun at 2am! :D
The South Pole
Photo courtesy of Wiki
5. [ hike the
backbone of england- the pennine way ]
Britain's oldest and long distance footpath, the Pennine Way, a
270 miles path to test your stamina and endurance. This walk from the Peak District
National Park along the Pennine ridge through the Yorkshire Dales, up into
Northumberland, across the Cheviots, setting you down in the Scottish Borders. Most travelers' complete 12 -20 miles
a day and pass through little villages and churches along the way.
The Pennine Way, the backbone of England
Photo courtesy of mywainwrights.co.uk
6. [ shipwreck scuba
diving ]
Haih..this one's not a question of time or anything, it's
just the question of cost. Each time I save enough for a trip ( it's not even
expensive, just RM1k+ )I am tempted for different adventures so never got
around doing it. I can swim and pretty comfortable with water, but going down
to the seabed with just a tank to breathe will take some getting used too.
Anyway, I am and I will get my license - and when I do, I'm going to dive in
the Red Sea for some amazing marine life, and also go shipwreck diving to the
SS Coolidge, a 210m long luxury cruise liner ship which sank in 1942 in
Vanuatu. God, just give me the strength to be calm when I feel intoxicated due
to too much nitrogen in my body;)
Divers checking out the SS Coolidge
Photo courtesy of worldofdiving.com
7. [ drive through
the silk road, italy - china ]
Covering a distance of 20,000 kms, 12 countries and 80 days, The
Silk Road has long been the ancient trade route from the Mediterranean in the
West and China in the East. Starting from Italy, the route goes through
Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan before ending in China. Pretty much round
the world trip, eh? But it more amazing is the fact that this route has
retained its splendour until now, and the fact that it has been used for
centuries as trade routes and a way of assimilation of cultures.* hums Kitaro's
Silk Road tune *
Driving the Silk Road
Photo courtesy of fanpop.com
8. [ mountain biking the ' death road', bolivia ]
Dubbed as ' The Most Dangerous Road in the World' or the ' Death
Road' as we affectionately call it, this road descends 3,400m (11,000 ft) from
a high mountain pass near La Paz to the tropical lowlands of Coroico.It's not
so fun now, partly because the authorities kinda paved the road and made it
into a better road for vehicles because cars and buses were constantly plunging
into the cliff sides every other weeks. Hundreds of deaths are reported, hence
the name, most recent being an Israeli backpacker in 2010. However, I heard
they have tight safety standards and good guides, and it's one of the
attractions so it won't be so bad.
The Death Road in Bolivia
Photo courtesy of Wiki
9. [ mountain hiking
at mt.huashan, china ]
From the time my friend Kamesh sent me a forward email about this
trail, I was hooked. Of course I didn't think about it every day like I
did for Everest Base Camp, but this would definitely be on my list of to do's
.Dubbed as the world's most dangerous mountain hikes, this trail takes you pass
dangerous cliffs, wooden planks path nailed on the flat rock walls and altitude
as high as 5,000m. There are 5 different peaks to tackle if you want to, but at
the end there's a temple at the top of the mountain. Huashan is also known as
one of China's 5 most sacred temples.
Mt.Huashan, China
Photo courtesy of ssqq.com
The wooden planks nailed to the flat rock surface
Photo courtesy of foundshit.com
10. [ biking around
the grand canyon, las vegas-arizona]
Ah, the Grand Canyon. Who can not know the magnificent,beautiful
and steep canyon located in Arizona, US? Located in the Grand Canyon National
Park and one of the first National Parks established in the US, this wonderful
piece of nature attracts millions of visitors each year.
The plan would be to cycle from St.George, Las Vegas and pass
through Zion National Park , then on to Bryce National Park via Glendale, then
to Capitol Reef National Park, through to Moab ( I might branch out to cycle
the Slickrock Trail ), then on to Arches National Park, The Monument Valley, to
Grand Canyon NP, around the Grand Canyon and to Flagstaff via route US 180, and
back to Las Vegas. While I'm at it, to celebrate the achievement, I might get
drunk silly and gamble all my money at the Strip :P
Total distance covered : 1700 kms.
Photo courtesy of travellingtwo.com
Cycling the Grand Canyon
Photo courtesy of elvincountry.com
So what you think? Too much? Too little? Haha. Of course I have
scores of other things I want to do as well, like say, climb Kilimanjaro, sail
in a junk across Halong Bay, check out the Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh (
which chances are I will be doing soon ) and LOTS of other things...but these
10 things would definitely be top of the list. So ladies and gentlemen,please
just pray that I will get to achieve all those and still come back in one piece
:)
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