How to Enjoy Kayaking

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

One of the most overlooked aspects of enjoying a camping trip is fully exploring the uses and potential of nearby lakes and rivers. If you’ve ever camped on a lake before, you’ve probably felt that the only options available to you are either swimming or fishing. Nothing could be further than the truth – it sounds like you need to kayak!

Kayaking can be a great, peaceful activity that gets your blood moving without exerting you too hard. While some people fully embrace it as a way to build upper body strength and balance, you don’t have to kayak for the physical benefits. Instead, inflating a simple rubber kayak or renting a wooden/metal kayak can be a great way to spend a few hours as daylight dwindles into twilight.

How do you get started with kayaking?

The first thing you’ll need is a kayak, so make sure that you’ve done some exploring to find cheap kayaking options. Local camping sites might have kayaks to rent out, but you could always find a cheap kayak online or an inflatable one. If you purchase an inflatable kayak, make sure there are no leaks by testing it out in shallow waters first. You’ll also want to remember to buy an auto-inflater that uses batteries, as blowing up a kayak by yourself can be quite a chore.

To spice up your kayak trip, you’ll also want to take a waterproof camera, or at least a well-protected digital camera. Why is this? It won’t only help you remember the trip, but it will provide some snapshots for others to see what you were able to find on your kayak. If you have a companion kayaking with you, you’ll also be able to take some great water-level pictures with extraordinary scenery and backgrounds.

Also, be sure that you don’t overexert yourself on your first kayaking trip. It can be easy to overestimate one’s own endurance, and even though you “feel great” starting out the trip, you might tire easily if it’s your first time. Make sure you don’t stray too far from home base – after you’re confident in your abilities, you can start to venture out farther and continue exploring.

Make sure to wear a life preserver, and you’ll be all set for a safe, secure, and enjoyable kayaking trip – and you can be home just in time for a flame-grilled dinner.

Photo Credits; SergioDJT

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The Top Five Hiking Countries in the World

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

If you’re an avid hiker, chances are that you’ve done a little poking around and discovering on your own – finding all of the local hills, discerning which are the most challenging, etc. But for the truly avid hiker, a world of opportunity is at your feet: you’re anxious to see what else is out there. If you’re really an ambitious hiker with his or her sights set high, this article is for you. In it, we’ll take a look at the top five hiking countries in the world.

Keep in mind that this is a highly subjective list, and many countries with awesome sights and sounds have been left out of necessity.

1. United States of America

That’s right: for my fellow Americans, good ol’ Uncle Sam simply has the greatest diversity, range, and spectrum of possible hikes on Earth. The sheer size of the United States makes it ideal for different types of environments, and its location above the equator gives rise to several different climate zones that you don’t find in other large countries like Canada.

2. Switzerland

Switzerland is known typically for its knives, its cheese, and even its watches – but what we forget is that the Swiss Alps offer some nasty, challenging, and beautiful terrain in one of the safest countries in the world. Switzerland is ideal for the hiker who enjoys a good challenge in addition to beautiful and serene scenery. For you winter hikers, the Swiss Alps also provide an endless array of challenges.

3. Italy

Cousin to Switzerland because of its access to the Alps, Italy can be much like Switzerland except it offers a greater variety of hikes – from the volatile area near Mount Vesuvius to Tuscany to the Mediterranean Sea, Italy is one of the best countries to enjoy hiking on – especially while on vacation.

4. Argentina

South America had to be represented on this list, and Argentina makes an ideal choice, particularly because of its relative similarity to some European countries (such as in Buenos Aires), as well as its diverse range of terrain. Other countries like Bolivia and Brazil also present some interesting hiking ventures.

5. Canada

Mentioned earlier, Canada’s sheer size and still-untapped wilderness makes it a brilliant choice for a hiking vacation, as well as other outdoor sports such as skiing. Canada is home to some of the best sights on Earth, and although its climate range is fairly predictable, it still makes for a pleasant experience.

Photo Credits; longhorndave

Republished by Old Post Promoter