However, having been commissioned to write a piece on 'Valentine's Day Adventures For Couples', (the assignment actually read 'fun, interesting, off-beat suggestions - romantic yet adventurous'. 'Scuse me while I vom) I have had to just suck it up and go all gloopy in the name of Saint Valentine.
So here it is, keep an eye on the WideWorld website (www.wideworldmag.com) in the next week or two for the real deal!
*****
VALENTINE'S DAY ADVENTURE BREAKS
It is a well known fact that Valentine’s Day is a holiday guaranteed to polarize; adored by some, abhorred by others. Perceived by many as little more than yet another commercial card-company scam designed to raise our blood pressure, empty our pockets, and deepen our self-loathing, it is with much trepidation that both singles and couples approach the 14th February.
There is little doubt that, as a subscriber to this magazine, when it comes to the day of the legendary Italian, the heart of any WideWorld reader is far more likely to be donning a helmet, harness, and walking boots and heading out for some sort of adventure rather than fussing about restaurant bookings and bouquets of flowers.
So if awaiting the encroaching date with about as much enthusiasm as a mountain biker on a motorway here are a couple of slightly more adventurous ideas to get you started. With any luck, these will beat the cheesy stereotypes and give you far more than awkward restaurant conversation, overpriced and already wilting roses, and a dubiously authentic Spanish violinist called Pedro bent on standing just behind your shoulder playing the Romeo and Juliet Love Theme on repeat:
1. Mush Better - Scandinavian Husky Adventures
How about getting right back to basics, and sampling life in some of the most sparsely populated regions of Scandinavia? Not only will you and your loved one find yourselves plunged into wilderness far from the rat-race, these holidays will also equip you with some essential skills necessary to survive in such remote terrain.
In Sami capital Karasjok, nestled in the heart of the Norwegian Lapland, any dog lover will be enraptured as couples are treated to some of the best dog sledding safaris in the world. Crossing fjords, spending nights in isolated log cabins on barren ice plateaus, and riding alongside the Arctic Ocean, this is. Despite being pulled by a fairytale husky sleigh, this is by no means for the faint-hearted as the holiday will take you right into the remotest parts of the windswept wintery desert.
Experiencing individually designed and self-contained log cabins, remote wilderness cabins and the famous Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, which is exactly what it says on the tin. Although viewing the famous Aurora Borealis isn’t guaranteed, you are certainly in for a stargazing treat as ink black skies present the perfect canvas for an impressive astrological display.
Other activities include snow shoeing, kick sledding, snowmobile rides, reindeer safaris, and real Scandinavian saunas.
For more information on this and other wintry adventures in Scandinavia, see http://www.activitiesabroad.com/page/hands-on-adventures
2. Get Your Running Shoes On
Having trouble shifting that spare tyre after the festive season? Why not break a sweat and inject a little competitive spirit into your Valentine’s Day by running a race with your other half? As luck would have it, charity races, half-marathons and fun-runs abound all in the name of our beloved St Valentine. It is a well known fact that exercise releases all those endorphins that’ll leave you loved up and wanting more. Why not have a bash as, after all, there is nothing less sexy than witnessing your better half kitted out in short-shorts and a vest, gasping for breath as sweat runs down their beetroot face.
Here are the top picks of that’ll are sure to get you out of bed and in the mood for some strenuous exercise. Cupid’s Chase, the national 5K run, takes place on the same day and at the same time in 24 cities throughout the United States. Raising money for Community Options Inc., a not-for-profit organisation that develops community-based homes and employment support for people with disabilities, you and valentine can burn some of that latent energy in collecting money, training and running, all in the name of a good cause.
For something a little shorter, yet somewhat more ‘exposed’, try Cupid’s Undie Run in Washington DC. Competitors run around the US Capitol in nothing more than their underwear in order to raise money for The Children’s Tumour Foundation. See if you and your partner have got what it takes to strip off and quite literally jog on.
For more information on the above and others charity races see
3. Samba Sensation – Carnaval Brazil Festival
If you are a couple who just love to boogie, then the Carnaval Brazil Festival is right up your street. Although sometimes falling a little later than Valentine’s Day (depending on dates of Easter), the Carnaval is a last-gasp celebration before Brazil locks down for the duration of lent. With a hell of a lot of celebrating, eating, drinking, and dancing to do, this is a perfect opportunity to let your hair down, enjoy the music, and shake that thang.
Rio, Salvador de Bahia and Olinda are renowned for the best Carnaval atmosphere, with streets full of dancers, music, costumes, and road-side munch. The Rio Carnaval is a flamboyant four-day affair, with the whole city taking partIf worried about your dancing skills next to the Brazilian best, head to one of the hundreds of Samba Schools in each city before the Carnaval itself. That way, you and your partner can don you dancing shoes and really enjoy the meticulously prepared yet fantastically vibrant culminating Samba Parade.
For more information, visit http://www.rio-carnival.net/
4. Light Up Your Life – the PingXi Lantern Festival
For something a little bit different, yet no less adventurous nor less romantic, head to the mountain village of Shrfen in Taiwan to see in the Chinese New Year. Normally a sleepy little town, come the turning of the New Year, thousands of people flock to PingXi to celebrate the celebrated lantern festival.
A legendary tradition, Chinese lanterns first came into being during the Ching Dynasty when Taiwanese locals, fleeing from bands of outlaws, sought refuge in the nearby mountains. The village watchmen would use the lanterns to inform the residents that it was safe for them to return to their homes. Today, the lanterns are used to send hopes and prayers to the gods, and festival goers write their wishes on giant paper lanterns before releasing them into the sky when the sun goes down.
What more could you want than to stand hand in hand with your loved one watching thousands of flickering paper lanterns glide gracefully into the night sky?
For more information, on the PingXi Lantern Festival, see www.lonelyplanet.com
5. Fly Away With Me – Hot Air Balloon Safaris in Africa
Despite tending a little more towards the soppy side of Valentine’s Day, treating your loved one to a Hot Air Balloon Safari is still a far cry from a box of milk tray and breakfast in bed. Share the experience of a life time and take to the skies in a Hot Air Balloon Safari for a truly unique and inspiring way to view the world.
The early rising may not sound very appealing, but soaring above the Serengeti as it wakes is an experience like no other. Surrounded by complete silence, punctuated by the occasional blast of the balloons powerful burners as well as faint calls from wild animals and birds below, you will feel as though you are literally on top of the world. The experienced balloon pilots can precisely control the altitude of the balloon, gracefully moving from treetop height to 1000feet or more, offering incomparable panoramic views.
With a champagne toast after landing taken as standard, followed by an ‘Out of Africa’ breakfast, this is adventure, luxury, and romance all bundled into one.
Hot Air Balloon Safaris can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. For more information, see http://www.balloonsafaris.com/
6. Beating the Chill – Caving, Canyoning and Ice Fishing in Canada
Renowned for its extreme winters, Canada presents the perfect opportunity for all Snow Queens and Jack Frosts to indulge in some icy adventures. With sub-zero temperatures freezing the canyons, caves and crevasses in the regions of Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper in Alberta, travellers are able to access areas that wholly inaccessible in the warmer months. Hand and hand with your other half, you can climb the glacéd canyon walls and walk across giant sheets of ice that joining one magnificent rock formation to another.
Whilst in Canada’s winter wonderland, try your hand at ice fishing. When else do you get the chance to step onto a frozen lake, drill a hole in the iced water, insert a fishing line and (potentially) hook yourself a prize catch? Head just north of Toronto onto Lake Simcoe and sit aside seasoned professionals in the icy wilderness as you marvel at the breathtaking scenery, remote isolation, and unrivalled peace and quiet. A few moments of calm will allow you to catch up on all those lost moments with your other half, and if that doesn’t do it for you, you can always push them into the icy waters when no one is looking! Other top fishing spots include lakes in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, British Colombia and Quebec.
For more information on Canadian adventures, see www.lonelyplanet.com
7. Heli-Skiing in the Caucaus
It can be little clichéd to take your loved one on the so-called ‘adventure of a lifetime’ and merely pop them on an EasyJet flight to an extortionately expensive yet painfully mediocre Alpine ‘paradise’ for a couple of bang average ski-runs, a few runny cheese fondues and a hell of a lot of grumpy Italian tourists. Why not try something a little different, a little more glamorous, and far more adventurous by sampling the world of Heliskiing? With endless descents, pristine pistes, unspoiled snowscapes, and a healthy dose of adrenaline, this makes for the Valentine’s Day of a lifetime.
Although Chamonix, the Swiss Valleys and Val Veny in Italy are renowned for Heli-skiing, it is also possible to head a little further afield to the Caucasus, where you have the chance to ski in the 1,350km long mountain range separating Russia and Abkhazia at its westernmost extremity. Yak and Yeti Tours take skiers to Russia’s Krasnaya Poliana resort, where non-glacial terrain, sheltered pistes and breathtaking scenery make for an unforgettable skiing experience. The close proximity to the Black Sea makes for an inimitable level of perfect powder snow cover, a real skiers paradise.
For more information, go to http://heliski.yak-yeti.com/index.php
8. Leap of Love – Bungee Jumping
Share the ultimate adrenaline rush with your other half and try a double bungee jump. Couples are strapped together, and take the plunge as a duo, wrapped in an embrace they’ll never forget. Head to the stunning Haute Savoie for the ‘Love Jump’ at St Jean de Sixt, where you really will feel your heart in your mouth. Or pop across the channel for true test of faith with a bungee jump in Berkshire, UK. Leaping lovers can treat themselves to a Valentine’s Day deal which includes a post-jump bottle of champagne as a reward for your bravery (or insanity)!
For the really wild, check out the Valentine’s Day festivities in Nanaimo, Canada. As the centrepiece of the annual ‘Naked Weekend’ celebrations, couples are invited to bare all and leap over 140 feet together above the ice-cold water below. This is certainly not for the fearful, nor for the easily embarrassed! Although it will no doubt inject some serious excitement into your relationship on Valentine’s Day.
9. Get on Your Bike - Cycling in Vietnam
If you really what to get to know a country, the best way is to do as the locals do! Famed for its two-wheelers, the best way to discover the stunning scenery, bustling villages and awe-inspiring monuments of Vietnam is by bike.
Perfect for ‘athletic beginners’, you and your partner will be kitted out with Trek 4500 bikes and, with a daily average distance of about 24 miles, will make your way from Hanoi through the rolling Vietnamese countryside to former Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh). Not only will you experience the bustling city life in Vietnam, you will also be able to relish the beauty of the pearl white beaches, mountain hill towns and the many mythical temples en route.
The trip includes traditional water puppet performances, visits to the famous Cu Chi tunnels where Vietcong guerrillas sought sanctuary, and a boat trip and snorkel to the Coral Islands. There is also an opportunity to stick around for an extra four-day tour of Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
For more information, see http://www.trustedadventures.com/
10. Dublin for my Valentine
How about celebrating Saint Valentine himself and heading to Dublin, where the relics of the patron saint of love are kept. Received by Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin, from Pope Gregory XVI in 1836, the church has long been a pilgrimage for all lovers wishing to celebrate their affection. A special venerating service is held on Valentine’s Day itself and the church holds a special ‘blessing of rings’ ceremony for couples wishing to marry.
There’s plenty more to see and do in and around the city itself, although if on the hunt for an adrenaline rush with your other half, spend a day at the Golden Moments’ Rock Climbing and Abseiling Experience. Get out into the Irish countryside and feel the physical and mental thrill of climbing some of Ireland’s most scenic spots. Put your trust in your loved one as together you climb sheer rock faces before being treated to spectacular panoramic views. With trained instructors, this experience is perfect for complete beginners right through to old-time climbers.
For more information, see www.goldenmoments.ie
Also, as a rather sad postlude, Celyn's family dog, Nero, passed away completely out of the blue last week. A four year old German Shepherd, Nero was a major part of the Thomas family and will be very sadly missed. As neither a major pet nor dog fan, I can genuinely vouch for what a great dog Nero was and am brutally aware of how much his absence will be felt.
No comments:
Post a Comment