Just What Is Adventure Travel?

What is Adventure Travel? To some it used to mean travel reserved for thrill seekers -- shooting rapids, canyoning, zip-lining, glacier traversing. But, true adventure travel doesn't just embody the high-thrill mode.



True adventure travel is where your travel becomes an adventure. It is exploring something new. It is going places where the tour bus doesn't run. It is getting in touch with other cultures. To taste adventure, you don't need to hang over the edge of a cliff or rush pell-mell down a scree slope on a mountain bike. Instead, you need to open your eyes to the world around you. Slow down a bit and truly enjoy life and the adventure it brings us when we are receptive.



Look for the little things. The early morning mist over a Tyrolean village as you stroll across a picturesque meadow. The smell of fresh mown hay in the midday sun. The sound of cowbells tinkling on a nearby hillside. It's all an adventure.

An Expo In Seattle

This will only be of interest if you live in Seattle. Unfortunately, that's a bit far away for me. I just found out that they are holding a large adventure travel expo.

I have no idea if it's worthwhile going, but they are listing a number of attractions with some notable speakers and stage shows. Also, it's a great chance to shop the booths and see what's on offer. Lots of tour companies, of course, but also groups like NOLS and some countries' tourist information centers.

At: Washington State Convention & Trade Center, 800 Convention Pl, Seattle, WA

Time: Saturday, Sept 13 from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. Sunday, Sept 14 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Admission: $12 and kids under 12 are free

Trekking Ireland's Dingle Peninsula With Its Magnificent Views

The spectacular Dingle Peninsula on the West Coast of Ireland, is a beautifully rugged coastline fringing incredibly green pastures that stretch as far as the eye can see. This wild, and often uninhabitable coastline offers complete solitude - with only the occasional small herd of sheep or goats to be seen.

Spectacular views of mist-covered mountains vie with the wild stretches of coastline where deep fissures have been carved by centuries upon centuries of pounding Atlantic Ocean. The Dingle
Peninsula is a great place to spend a week, walking and taking in the Irish air.



This is a stronghold of Irish language and traditions. It is steeped in history and mythology. Nowhere else in Europe will you find a landscape with such a variety of archaeological monuments - including the famed beehive huts. The remoteness and lack of any large-scale agriculture has preserved the Dingle Peninsula's archaeological heritage and provides a fantastic trekking experience.