Taupo, New Zealand

Skydive New Zealand

This skydiving capitol of the world brings more than 30,000 people every year that choose to jump here. The island view is breathtaking if you have any breath left that hasn’t left you upon exiting the plane.

The Swiss Alps… Switzerland

Swiss Alps kiddies

Need I say more? You’ll obviously have to dress warm as you jump over the snow-capped mountains. Whatever the ground temperature is, subtract 20 degree Fahrenheit and that’ll be close to what you’ll be jumping out in. While this location is surely a cold one to jump, boy is it beautiful.

Hawaii, USA

Skydiving Hawaii

Anywhere in Hawaii that you find to skydive and you’ll be blown away by the rolling lush landscapes, the islands, and the volcanoes. Guaranteed to easily rival New Zealand for pure beauty in this part of the world.

Ireland

Ireland view by plane

For miles and miles what you’l see will be the rolling green hills of Ireland as you jump the countryside. Truly one of the more pure locations of this planet as in many places the grassy plains will be largely void of all things human in nature. So beautiful…

Thailand, Japan, Philippines, or Indonesia

Indonesia… what a horribly ugly place to skydive at

These host of locations in the Pacific are something out of this world. Thailand and Japan you are to definitely see more human intervention on the land but they are still amazing places to jump nonetheless. Jump the Philippines or Indonesia and be prepared to see some of the most beautiful islands and water you will ever see in your lifetime. You get a full layout of the mountains and many various islands while up at that altitude. One of the most enchanting moments of my life. Check it.

Enjoy…

This is a continuation of all things good and whole that you should have with you for traveling. On the previous post we covered the GPS, the fire starter, and the solar flashlight. Here is a continued list of the gadgets that you may want to take with you:

Water purifier

Emergency water filter

Come on, dysentery isn’t very much fun even on it’s best days so let us try to avoid it shall we? That is why you should have at least a small scale water filtration unit just incase you were to need it in your travels. Obviously in strange places the best way to drink water you’re unsure of would be to filter, boil, and then chemically treat before you consume it. But we don’t always have that luxury and filtering your water is far better than nothing. With these you could literally filter the water from mud. Obviously there can range from Chevys to Cadillacs (cheap to expensive) so shop for what you need. If you just need something on the fly for a far-off metaphorically rainy day then I’d recommend a Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter System. Small enough to fit in your pocket, and cheap (just $8) while it can still can filter 30 gallons of water before the filter should be replaced so it’ll help you out in a pinch. If you are a longer term hiker that will be off the beaten path a lot, then obviously get something a little more expensive that’ll filter as much as you would realistically need and then some.

Multitool

It’s part hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutter, saw, knife, can opener… shit just got real

Obviously a multitool has it’s benefits. Not as a perfect means to hunt or kill prey but for literally anything else. Clipping wires, flathead and phillips screwdriver, needle nose priers for fishing hooks or anything else you could think of. Also the added saw in many can help with cutting brush or making shelter. The valuableness of these tiny tool sets are limited only to your imagination.

Other notes on gear and hiking:

1- Get and learn how to read a compass.

2- Paracord can be invaluable so get a bundle of it.

3- Duct tape… is even more valuable… get some. Can be used to repair backpacks, tarps, tents, sleeping bags, clothing, or hold together a stick-built shelter. Can also be used to pull a wound together in an emergency.

Angry Birds… like a boss

4- Small medical kit… get one. Also buy a bottle of iodine at the store if the kit doesn’t have one; it cleans great and you can just douse a wound with it before closing it up with duct tape or super glue.

5- A tarp can be used as a tent (paracord helps with this), water collection unit, an animal trap when covering a large enough hole and covered with dirt, or anything else you could think of.

6- A good knife is your best friend. Get two.

7- Obviously get a proper backpack.

8- Survival kit wouldn’t hurt either.

9- A wire saw can fit in your pocket and they are super cheap. I bought mine on Amazon for $0.98. Yes, I said 98 cents. They unravel to give you a lot of leverage for cutting larger branches or smaller trees.

10- Common sense… don’t leave on your trip without it.

Yes… just so… yes…

Enjoy…

We’ve all been there… lost in a rain forest with nothing but the clothes on your back and a flare gun… it happens to the best of us. So in the interest of the experiences I’ve been in I’ve assembled a fair list of things for anyone’s travel or hiking backpack… you’re welcome.

GPS

Earthmate PN-60W

While I tend to pride myself in being able to navigate the land with either the sun and a wristwatch or the stars and nothing else… this does not however mean that everyone has this awesome wilderness navigation ability. Let’s face it, not everyone can be as cool as me though. So for those of you that aren’t as cool as me… grab a handheld GPS unit that can standalone with the rest of your gear. The Delorme Earthmate PN 60W Handheld GPS ($300) is a great place to start your look with its impact resistant case, color screen, and even texting capabilities. But shop around to find your best option.

Flashlights

Ultimate flashlight. Found for $10-$25. Waterproof, will float, solar powered, battery back up, and cheap. Read and weep.

It doesn’t matter if you carry a knife with a fire starter with you… which definitely helps; especially for cooking food on the fly or fighting bears. But I digress. Sometimes you need a good ol flashlight to help you see the light… get it. Man am I funny. My personal favorite lights are water proof flashlights that float and are also solar powered. The lights being water proof and floating are just safety measure because I get into some rough spots at times. The fact that I prefer solar powered flashlights is simply because I can’t be bothered to remember to bring extra batteries. So I clip my flashlights to the outside of my bag and they charge while I’m on the fly. My personal recommendation would be the hybrid-solar powered flashlights that are waterproof. They will run on solar power until the power is drained, then you can switch to the lithium backup batteries. Search “solar power flashlight waterproof” on google and you will find some between $10-$25 so they won’t break your bank.

Fire starter

The man you wish you were and/or the man you wish you were banging. He is such an avid camper he can start fires with his mind.

No Bear Grylls hopeful is going to get far without fire at some point in your off-the-beaten-path travels. Sure, you can bring all the propane cooking canisters you want but they are just extra weight, extra space, and they will run out. My number one recommendation would be a small knife that holds a fire starter. You will have two invaluable things that take up no room at all in your gear. They can even fit in your pocket. I bought my blade and fire starter for just $9. Check out this 7 inch hunting blade with a fire starter and paracord wrapped around the handle that could also be used during an emergency. Don’t use fire starters in porto jons, firework factories, newspaper factories, or gas stations… it’s frowned upon.

Enjoy…

This island nation off the southern coast of India is a hidden splendor that you may not have thought about before right now… no, right now. So here is a list of things to visit just for you hoodlums:

Dambulla Cave Temple

A one-of-a-kind place

Also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is situated in the central part of the country. Though, admittedly the country isn’t too massive with only being 139 miles wide and 268 miles long. This is Sri Lanka’s largest rock cave temple built on a 600 foot high rock. This temple is home to many Buddhist murals and 157 statues for you to gander. So leave your flare gun in the car.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pet the elephants like a boss

You bet Sri Lanka would have an elephant orphanage where you can be around them or even pay a pinch extra in order to be allowed to bottle feed milk to some baby elephants… how bloody cute. Side note: elephants do not like it when they are shot at with flare guns… who would have known…

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Hideous place… I know

This spot is located in south-west Sri Lanka and is the country’s last area viable area of primary tropical rainforest. But what better way to preserve the wonders of nature than trampling through it for your own amusement? I know, I got nothing. More than 60% of the trees on this reserve are considered rare. This rainforest is also the primary home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals and insects.

Sri Pada

It’ll be a magical climb to the top… yes, I said magical… jerk

If you go here be prepared for one of the best birds-eye views you could ever ask for of Sri Lanka. This is a conical mountain that rises to more than 7000 feet up giving you a prime view of your world. This colossal landmark is in central Sri Lanka and the Sri Pada or “sacred footprint” is a rock formation near the summit which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the footprint of Buddha. An enchanting place to capture the world.

Enjoy…

It is a notorious land, a place of legends really. Countless movies have been made here, song sung about this town… a place where some don’t return and what happens there is suppose to stay there, this, is Sin City. For those of you living in a cave (with internet service), Sin City is the name given to the true capitol of sin… Las Vegas, Nevada, USA… and this is why you should go there;

Bellagio water show erupting below.

Once you land (and hopefully it’s at nighttime) you will be bombarded with all things unholy in life… strippers, gambling, alcohol, prostitutes, and scantily clad shows around every corner… if you’re in for sin then Las Vegas is where you want to visit.

Too good to believe…

The night time will captivate you with more lights than you’ve ever seen. With the light upon the Luxor casino and hotel so bright that it can be seen from over hundreds of miles away. This is a true city that never sleeps. If you are the cheap type you won’t even have to spend a dime to see many amazing attractions such as the nightly water show at the Bellagio, the nightly fire shows at the Mirage, the street-covering light show of Fremont Street every night, or the nightly pirate shows at the Treasure Island… the list truly goes on and on and on…

Fremont Street. That’s right… the ceiling that stretches the length of the street is one big show for you.

This is a place where dreams can come true to those determined to be awesome and also a place where lesser men and women are seemingly swallowed alive by greed, lust, alcohol, drugs, and downright insanity… there is a reason you won’t want your stories to leave this town.

You will find these guys all over town. The city was just too much for them. They will be missed.

The attractions will go on for miles without you being able to see them all if you were to even stay there for two weeks. You can rent exotic super cars and run them around the track a few times, you can shoot assault rifles, you can jump off of the 1000ft stratosphere hotel and casino, or race some go-karts at the Pole Position raceway. You can visit a strip club or see the Rat Pack performing… or one of the many Elvis impersonators in the city. You can zip line over Fremont Street during the massive light show or you can ride roller coasters up on top of the 1000ft stratosphere hotel and casino. Or head out of town for an afternoon and check out the hoover damn while you sober up. That’s what my group did last year. The options here are truly limitless to the open and willing mind.

The Stratosphere casino and hotel. 1000ft high. Where you can do roller coasters on the top or jump from the top to be lowered down while hooked to a cable.

Just remember though… what happens in Sin City should likely stay there…

Enjoy…

You may be thinking to yourself; “But Matt, I don’t even know where the DROC is nonetheless why I would ever go there…” to which I must say “Shut your mouth, I’m getting to that” in the nicest way possible. You see, I recently did some goodwill work in the DROC (D-Rock… only the cool kids abbreviate it) and found that there are a few things there to do in this central-African nation of the forest.

Kinkole Fish Market

Hey… this isn’t France

Head on down to the Kinkole Fish Market and check out the local stalls and everything that they have to sell. No worries about breaking your bank as things will not be expensive there.

Congo River

Get lit on the palm wine and relax in this beautiful slice of nature

Check out this main river of the country where you can hire a priogue to be paddled down the river for $10 an hour but they can easily be talked down to $3 an hour… shhh, my secret. Spend the day getting paddled down the river as you get smashed on the intoxicating palm wines of the area. Chill on certain shores and try the countries liboke (fish stewed in certain kind of leaves of which I do not know the name to).

Chutes de Lukia

Smile monkey, I’m paying you

While in Kinshasa, check out the Chutes de Lukia where you will find a decent restaurant (as in one… ha), lakes to swim in, and a Bonobo (that’s right, a freaking orphanage for chimpanzees) where they will let you even play with the baby chimps too. A lot of foreign aid workers end up here on the weekends you’ll find.

Kisantu Botanical Gardens

Kisantu Gardens

Here you will find beautiful gardens with trees that are over 100 years old and from all over the world. There are gentle rivers in the area of which you can swim or just relax by. A peaceful change of pace to this country if you needed a spot to get away and relax.

Some Kisantu trees… I had to add it.

Enjoy…

We’ve all been there… lost in the desert with nothing but your underwear and your five million dollar rolex watch. You soon come to find that your watch isn’t moving slowly at all… it’s broken. If only your ridiculously fancy watch had been splash-proof or moisture resistant and did more than just tell time. Now you are likely cursing yourself for dropping it in that pot of cooking oil the night before… now all you’ve got is your underwear and a watch that will be right at two points throughout the day… it’s going to be a rough trip.

Luckily for you, I’ve done some research for you to find some of the best watches for travel that hopefully will not break your bank.

Techtrail Axio Max hiking watch (£130 / $169)

The Swiss did it again with their watch perfection on this gadget. It measure not only time, but also altitude, temperature, pressure (incoming storms change the pressure rapidly), and even has a compass. Also, no worries about dropping it in cooking oil or the pool, this watch is water resistant up to 50 meters.

Zambezi 24-Hour Travel Watch (£155 / $200)

This rugged watch is also water resistant up to 50 meters and will keep track of two time zones simultaneously for you. One for the timezone you’re in and the other can be set for the timezone that your family, friends, french mistress, or drug dealer resides in. A good travel companion for you despite the steep price.

Spy Watch 4GB (£80 / $105)

Spy Watch

This watch is not only cheaper on your budget but might also be up your shiny, and tech savvy ways with its ability to record video, take pictures, and record audio. With a mini-USB port it will also transfer date data to your computer if necessary. However, don’t go all out spying with this watch to everywhere as it’s only splash proof and not rated for deep water resistance.

Note though, you don’t need any of these watches to travel. The idea is there though. In my mind any watch that is waterproof / water resistant is basically all that is needed for travel. I personally look for water resistance up to 50 meters, a stop watch, and a back light. With all of that you’ll be pretty much set. Check out Dakota Watches for possibly cheaper watches that meet all of your travel needs.

Dakota Watch Company watches… love them

Enjoy…

Now I’m sure you’ve probably heard of the drug violence that has been ongoing in Mexico. If you haven’t then just ignore this paragraph. The vast majority of that violence happens in the interior of the country around places like Mexico City. The coastal areas where you vacation is actually quite safe and luckily for you… those are the exact places that I will be recommending.

Cabo San Lucas

Beach of Cabo

A place so beautiful and relaxing should be visited at least once in your life. Here among the beautiful beaches you will find big-game fishing, kayaking, diving, snorkeling, jet skiing (yea boi) and a slew of parties. Shop around and find an all inclusive resort and end up getting all of your meals or drinks (even alcoholic) included with your room. The resorts here have events planned all year long for everyone. From cooking and quilting classes for your boring grandmother named Margaret or even kids zones or drinking, dance-offs for the other crowds in your party… you know, the alcoholic, break-dancing children that you hang out with.

Cancun

The good times we had together Cancun…

Come and visit Cancun any time of the year you want but the parties will be going there the most during spring break where thousands upon thousands of college girls go there to get drunk and make very bad decisions with some really douche bag guys. Once again the resorts here cater to both the lonely traveler of solace that just wants to read, drink, and snorkel alone all the way to the family groups that want excursions or diving instructions in the crystal clear waters alone the pristine beaches.

Akumal

Akumal beach. In Akumal, Mexico. Near Akumal

This haven is an hour south of Cancun but once you arrive it’ll feel much farther away. The beaches are just as gorgeous as Cancun and the water just as clear with a plethora of coral… the only difference is that Akumal isn’t a massive party destination. A peaceful place for the solace of your mind in this beautiful land. Akumal translates to “Place of the Turtle” in Mayan and you are bound to see one swimming around you while snorkeling there. Don’t touch them though, it’s prohibited by law to protect the rare and beautiful species.

Enjoy…

Are you lonely and in or near France? Well no worries in the land of love… whether you are trying to find love in the land of love or just rock it solo… then here is a list for you.

Ski or snowboard

O the dirty things I would do to a mountain like you Courchevel…

If you are single then you will understand how skiing or snowboarding can keep you occupied. Don’t know how to ski or snowboard? Then learn! It’s never too late to learn how and what better place than in the land of the upper class alcoholics? I can’t think of any place better to get loose on wine and then hit the slopes. Don’t want to do anything on the slopes that requires skill of any kind? Then try your hand at riding the bobsleigh run at La Plagne. You’ll fly at up to 56 miles an hour in a self-steering single rider bob sled. Your echoed screams of pure thrill will have you forgetting you were ever single.

Bayonne chocolatiers

Berkeley chocolate club in Bayonne, France… yes, I said a freaking chocolate club…

These are kind of like the musketeers of chocolate makers with some of them using the same machinery for over the past hundred years for some of the most authentic chocolate you are sure to find. And come on… you women will eat a full tub of ice cream in the solace of your own home… rock out with some of the best damn chocolate the world has to offer in one of the most beautiful 1st world countries to visit. Cazenave, Daranatz, & Pariés are the big three for authentic and prize-winning chocolate. Eat your heart out.

Beachside Corsica

Wine optional…

Visit Plage de Saleccia for one of the most isolated beaches in Northern Corsica. Beautiful white sand and turquoise water reside here in the location that was used as a filing location for The Longest Day. Bring a tent and even stay at the beach campsite as you fall asleep to the warm air and the sound of the water washing up on the shore.

Enjoy…