Red Mountain Spa is one of the best destinations for a serene yet worthwhile relaxation spree. There seems to be notion that fitness getaway spas will leave their guests hungry but that is not just the case. The dining options at the Red Mountain Spa are well-varied just as they are nutritious, perfect for those people who are watching their diet. Each guest would have three gourmet meals and they are all well-balanced helpings of carbohydrates, protein and fat. There are also options for healthy buffets. It is just a misconception that healthy food does not taste good. All it takes is a well-trained staff with their head Chef Jeff Crosland to come up with delectable yet healthy delights for the guests’ enjoyment.

There is a gym where there are cardiovascular and weight-training equipment. What is best than to do all these fitness programs with friends for added motivation. There are a number of fitness programs to be tried during their stay. There are interesting classes that include aerobics, yoga, hip hop, chi ball, pilates and salsa. There are even routines like the Reebok Core Board® and New York City Ballet Workout® that say much about how expansive these programs are. Personal trainers and other preferences can also be arranged according to the guests’ needs.

There are also those people who do not find any indoor activity program effective for their health as they tend to get bored. Fortunately, getaway spas at the red mountain are never boring. Outdoor activities are readily accessible at the Red Mountain Spa. There are also a number of hiking trails through the Red Rock Mountains and Day trips to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park can also be arranged by the resort. Aside from hiking, horseback riding rock climbing and kayaking are other activities that can be enjoyed during the trip. It would be a wonderful place, alongside the scenery, to catch up with girlfriends.
 
The most important aspect, when it comes to a spa weekend getaway, is the pampering service they offer. There are nine different kinds of massages offered at Red Mountain. There are also a number of body treatments and aromatherapies with that Native American touch.

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With all this popularity however, Bali has actually changed for tourists, at least in the hyper-busy south end of the island near the airport, moving more toward a place where visitors’ every whim is accommodated while becoming less of a quiet, idyllic, relaxed place where one can stretch a hammock between two palm trees near the water’s edge. If you never venture far from areas like Kuta and Sanur, you might never see the quieter side of Bali.

You can be sure though, that that side is still here. Head up to places like Singaraja and Lovina, on Bali’s north coast, and you’ll be blown away at how much quieter-and cheaper-it is. With good restaurants and cheap Lovina hotels, you might find that a day trip to the North Coast turns into a change of your vacation plans! And why not? Prices outside of the tourist centers tend to resemble what you’ll find in Java or Lombok more than the busy parts of Bali. In fact, in many ways Lovina much closer to the ‘real’ Indonesia than the nonstop party and shopping scene in the south of Bali.

If you decide to do a little exploring, it is very easy to find a car and driver to take you for a day trip. Expect to pay roughly 400,000 rupiah for a full day’s ride to Lovina, up over the volcanic mountains in the center of the island. Upon arrival you’ll find cheap hotels rooms between the main coast road and the ocean for US$20-30 very easily. I’d suggest staying for a night or two at least. Chances are, you’ll find a holiday in Lovina that bears a much closer resemblance to what you had in mind when you booked your Bali holiday.

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The major benefit of renting a Disney timeshare is the proximity to Disney attractions, world-class shopping, and top-notch golf. In addition other benefits include the well-respected Disney reputation for cleanliness, customer service, themed resorts, quality amenities, and attractive accommodations. One resort is the Animal Kingdom Lodge located at Disney World in Florida, where daily and weekly rentals are available. Cost is about $500 per night and $3,000 per week.

Only several years old, the villas are as close to an animal adventure that you can get in a resort. With an African theme, the entire resort exudes a feel of the wild—from the décor to the names of restaurants and amenities. Above all, the exotic animals that roam the property make this a vacation spot that is truly out of the ordinary. In keeping with the authentic African theme, restaurants have names such as Jiko, The Mara, Uzima Springs Pool Bar, and Boma—The Flavors of Africa. Recreational areas are named Hakuna Matata Playground, Pumbaa’s Fun & Games Arcade, Simba’s Cubhouse, Uzima Pool, Zahanati Massage and Fitness Center, and Zawadi Marketplace.

The variety of accommodations includes the studio that sleeps four, the one- and two-bedroom homes that sleep five and nine respectively, and the grand villa that sleeps up to twelve. All types of accommodations have flat-screen televisions and DVD players while the one- and two-bedroom homes have full kitchens and laundry facilities in the units. Eighty percent of the units have a view of the tropical savanna and the remaining units view the pool, garden, or parking lot.

Disney timeshare rentals should be a consideration when nearness to a Disney park, outstanding accommodations, distinct amenities, and a reputation for quality are important.

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Islay Distilleries

A guest poster recently presented a quick teaser on a destination in which you might be interested. You can read our guests post on Flights to Islay by clicking the link. Some of you might be wondering what’s so adventurous about Islay but we accepted this post specifically because the island offers a uniquely different experience to a world many may mistakenly assume has been overtaken by civilization.

Islay is one of those surprising destinations that hides wilderness behind the misconception of civilization. It’s not unlike the surprise foreign visitors to the US express when they see the wonderful wilderness of New York such as that found in Adirondack Park. The assumption is that New York state must emulate New York city. But Scotland is ripe with amazing wilderness and great adventures as is the island of Islay.

The first we’d like to direct you to is presented by http://www.islaybushcraft.co.uk/index.asp This site exemplifies our philosophy that the only way to really experience the world around us is to throw ourselves into nature’s welcoming (sometimes) arms and live it.

Islay Bushcraft offers several opportunities and instructions on wilderness bushcraft on the island of Islay. Packages include a morning or afternoon foraging and wild food cooking experience including fire husbandry. I’ve participated in similar training, though never at this destination. What I can tell you is that the foods you forage and prepare may not always be 5 star dining quality, there’s nothing like a survival-style meal you’ve provided for yourself. And, as always, the great outdoors tend to make just about anything delicious.

Islay Bushcraft also offers a seashore foraging program, family wilderness adventure, touring skills and campcraft and, for those of you who want to bring some civilization with you, biking bushcraft maintenance.

Archaeological evidence places early human settlement on Islay as early as 8000BC (at least) and you can practically feel an aura of age and history surrounding you as you tour the island. With opportunities for history buffs, bird watchers, hikers, campers and (of course) golfers, you’ll find plenty to do on Islay. Should you somehow manage to get bored there’s bound to be something the 9 Whisky distilleries on the island can do to help you out.

Thanks again to our guest poster for introducing us to Islay. That post will inspire several more posts to come specific to adventures in Scotland.

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Alternatively you can always rent a car in Islay itself. It really depends on how you plan to spend your holidays / vacations. If you are coming to Islay (pronounced EYE-LA, btw) for walking and hiking, then you most probably don’t want a car and have in all cases light gear. If you are coming with a lot of equipment, because you are into photography, and are dragging tripods, cameras and lenses around, you might be happier with a car. Also if you are short in time and / or plan to visit the neighboring Isle of Jura you might be better off bringing your own car or renting one. So, it is completely up to you if you want to drive to Islay and set over with the ferry from the mainland or if you fly. You have all options available to you. Driving time from Glasgow to the “Queen of the Hebrides” is around 5 hours, btw, depending on the weather and the ferry connection. The flight instead takes only 40 minutes. No matter if you decide to take the airplane from Glasgow to Islay airport or if you drive there, I am sure you will have some holidays / vacations, you will never forget!

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If you’re like me, you’re a big fan of fate. I get a thrill out of throwing caution to the wind, pointing to some random spot on a map and letting fate take me where it will. The upside of this approach is the often unexpected great adventure I find myself in. The downside – sometimes those adventures turn epic and unpleasant or don’t show up at all (who knew there’d be so little to do in Hutchinson, KS?) 

If giving fate the go-ahead to slap you around with some random adventure you may or may not enjoy isn’t your speed, consider taking the guess work out of things and book an adventure travel tour. Adventure travel tours come in an infinite variety of flavors and there are agents ready to set you up for just about every destination in the world! 

Think North Dakota is too balmy in the dead of winter? There’s an adventure travel tour company out there waiting to take you to colder climes even further north (or south). Company offerings include Greenland, Alaska, Canada, Siberia and many more Arctic and Antarctic destinations to help you get your chill on. 

If you’ve a fascination with mosquitoes, venomous snakes, sopping wet jungles and wish that Florida in July could be just a bit more humid and warm, why not book with any number of adventure travel tours destined for the jungles of Vietnam, Cozumel, Costa Rica or the storied forests of the Amazon? Vaccines and snakebite kits not included. 

Maybe you’d prefer a few days rafting down some of the world’s most amazing rapids, hiking some of the most remote tundra in the world, climbing to the peak of a famous mountain or trudging through a beautifully desolate desert? Whatever your particular craving, there are adventure travel tours just clamoring for the chance to give you an experience you won’t forget. 

The best part of turning to an adventure tour is that the guesswork is taken out of the equation. You still may encounter unexpected adventures (uh… is that a python in my sleeping bag?) but you can be confident that adventure will at least show up (really, I thought Hutchinson, KS might have SOMETHING worth doing). 

There’s also the benefit of finding yourself in the company of likeminded individuals with the same sense of adventure you have. Since adventure tours often cater to multiple individuals per trip, they’re a great way to meet the man/woman of your dreams or, at least, some friends with whom you might want to share future adventures. 

In addition to boosting your odds of finding adventure, adventure travel tours can be as detailed or minimalist as your independent self desires. Throw yourself completely at the mercy of the agency or only join the adventure elements that fit your style and spend the rest of the time enjoying the beach (note: no beaches in Hutchinson). 

So get to it. Decide on what you’d like your next great adventure to be and let an adventure travel tour agency take care of all the boring details. You just show up and let the good times roll!

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When setting out for the wilderness or a distant journey, we’re inclined to have preconceptions of what our great adventures will be. Often, though, it is the peripheral events – things not necessarily tied to our objectives, which define our greatest of great adventures.

One such event springs immediately to mind for me. In the mid 1990s, my buddy and I set off on a drive to the Florida Keys with dreams of coral reef and tropical fish. It was a dive adventure we’d been planning all year and just about all we could talk about in the months leading up to the trip. The diving lived up to our expectations and we had a great time full of amazing dives during the day and an equally rich nightlife.

As our trip wound to a close, we headed out on our last dive of the vacation, a two-parter that included more amazing reefs and a fantastic wreck dive. Everything had been as it should be and we hauled ourselves back on to the boat, tired, thirsty and very much satisfied. But it was on the boat ride back that the defining moment of the trip occurred for me.

“Dolphins!” cried the captain, and all heads turned to look. Captain John steered the boat in the direction of the pod, easily a dozen sleek grey forms slipping above and below the surface, and turned to advise us, “anybody wants to dive in you’ve got one shot at this. No time for tanks, just fins and masks.”

Despite our fatigue, four of us took him up on the chance, scrambling for fins, masks and snorkels before leaping overboard. Others watched our desperate efforts and before I cleared the deck and felt the warm Florida water wash over me again I heard one woman proclaim, “they’ll never reach them in time.”

She was probably right, I thought. Captain John had done his best to position the boat for an intercept but the animals were turning slightly to go around us. None of us were ready to give up, though, and we swam for all we were worth to put ourselves in the path of the approaching animals.

I found I’d slipped ahead of my fellow swimmers. I could hear their voices and splashing falling behind. Before long, I’d positioned myself as best I could but, to my dismay, those grey forms were no longer at the surface. I took 4 quick, deep breaths, trying to hyper-oxygenate my blood, and then dove beneath the surface.

There, below me, were the dolphins. I kicked down as hard as I could in a desperate bid to reach them but I was too late. I’d seen them, sure, but hadn’t come within 20 feet of them. But as I stared in the direction the beautiful creatures had gone, I noticed two shadows coming back towards me. Before long, two became six. Six became ten, then more! The next thing I knew, a wall of smiling, bottle-nosed faces was before me.

The first two which had turned to investigate approached closer still. No more than 8 feet from me, they paused and I felt my body assaulted by clicks and thumps. It was an astounding sensation, felt as much as heard, and I realized I was grinning from ear to ear.

Satisfied with their investigation, the dolphins turned and continued in the direction they’d been heading. The brave pair looked back one last time as if to ask if I was coming with them. Then, one after another, they all dissolved into vaguely dolphin shaped shadows before they and their chirps and clicks disappeared entirely. I was left floating in a vast deep blue with only the memory of the event and the sudden dawning realization that I wanted – very much needed – to breathe.

I looked up to see what I was up against and became a bit desperate. I could barely make out the fins of those who had followed me floating some 60 or more feet away at the surface. I kicked with all I had and made a drive for the sun and air above. That I’m still around to write this tells you I made it, but it was close. I was hauled aboard the boat and surrounded by envious faces and excited voices all wanting to know what I’d experienced. I shared the story as best I could but realized that no words would ever capture the moment in which I felt measured, accepted and invited as a member of an alien species in an alien world.

Everything else I experienced on this trip, the amazing scuba diving, the great food, the relaxed flirtation with women over drinks, even the near fatal car wreck on the way home which we miraculously escaped without a scratch – all of it just pales to that one brief moment which I’d not planned for or expected.

The point is that the really great adventures aren’t in you guide books. They aren’t something you can request from your travel agent or your hotel concierge. The truly great adventures are the spontaneous, unexpected events we somehow stumble into and carry with us for life. If you’re interested in learning to scuba dive, you can read a bit about my own introduction to the sport at Break Away Adventure.

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