With winter just around the corner I know many of you are looking forward to breaking out the ski and snowboards so you can hit the slopes. To get you ready, checkout this beautifully shot video that features pro snowboarders Travis Rice, Chris Davenport, John Jackson and Lynsey Dyer as they head out into the backcountry in search of the perfect line. Honestly, snowboarding videos don't get much better than this.

Is there a more interesting character from history than Genghis Khan? The Mongol leader managed to unite the legendary horse clans and build the the largest contiguous land empire that the world has ever seen. The Great Khan was a legendary leader, a fearsome warrior and an unrelenting enemy. More than 700 years after his death, he still casts a large shadow over the Mongolian people and his mark on history is undeniable, altering the destiny of two continents.

Of course, the Kahn and his Mongol Horde were able to accomplish great things because they were perhaps the greatest horseman to ever live. It is with that spirit in mind that Australian adventurer Tim Cope set out to accomplish something that hadn't been done since the time of Genghis Kahn himself. With little previous experience in the saddle prior to setting out, Cope launched a 10,000 km (6000 mile) journey starting in Mongolia and ending in Hungry. An expedition that he chronicles in his new book, On The Trail Of Genghis Khan.

Before he ever launched this epic excursion, Cope new he was in for a challenge. After all, he was an inexperienced rider with thousands of miles of open steppe to conquer on his own. The trip began in June of 2004 and would ultimately take him three years to complete. Traveling with a number of horses and his loyal dog Tigon, he faced harsh and difficult climates, wild wolves, horse thieves and a host of other challenges. He also met some incredible people and was continually surprised and humbled by the hospitality and kindness of the strangers he met along the way. Tim's journey was as much about finding himself on the trail while following in the footsteps of a legend.


Cope's new book takes readers along for the ride as he wanders across Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea, the Ukraine and finally Hungary. The story is a compelling one for anyone who enjoys a good tale of adventure but Tim's writing style draws readers in even more. It is a wonderful mix of his personal experiences framed against a historical backdrop that gives us a glimpse of what the Kahn experienced when he made a similar ride centuries earlier.

Reading On The Trail, it is impossible to not get swept up in Tim's infectious sense of adventure. His story is an amazing one, but he also approaches it in such a way that you'll think that it might be possible for you to attempt an epic adventure of your own. That's the kind of inspiration that Tim creates through his writing, which is at times very sensitive and thoughtful in its approach. If the writing were less compelling, the 450+ page book could run the risk of feeling as long as Cope's journey across Asia and Europe, but fortunately that isn't the case. It is a real page turner that will leave you staying up later than you intended so you can read "just one more chapter."

On The Trail Of Genghis Kahn is available in bookstores now and is wonderful read for anyone looking for a grand adventure. With the holidays fast approaching, it would also make a great gift for your favorite adventurer or traveler. If you've ever dreamed of escaping to a far off, remote destination with hundreds of miles of open space all to yourself, you'll likely appreciate what Tim has accomplished. His tale is the very definition of the "epic" and by the time you finish reading it, you'll be ready to set out on  your own journey. That's what a great book is all about.

Hore Abbey (also known as St. Mary's Abbey of the Rock) sits both literally and figuratively in the shadow of the mighty Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. Although the Rock of Cashel is one of the most visited heritage sites in Ireland, very few spend the extra time on a short walk to visit the wonderful Abbey below.

The name Hore Abbey has a number of possible derivations - the first is that the name 'Hore' comes from 'iubhair' Gaelic for Yew Tree. Another theory suggests that the name refers to the dull grey coloured tunics that the monks wore.

Hore Abbey is a Cistercian monastery, and most of the visible remains date to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. You can still see the well preserved remains of a refectory, a large church with nave, chancel, and transepts all in good condition. Each of the transepts has a small chapel, and you can see the remains of an archbishops tomb just north of the chancel.

The cloisters are in a very unusual position, usually the cloister is always positioned to the south of the church - however at Hore Abbey they are positioned to the north. Possibly because the Rock of Cashel is so prominent to the north, they wanted to maximise its impact.

 Local legend has it that the Abbey was given to the Cistercian order in 1270 AD, as the Archbishop of Cashel, MacCearbhaill, had a dream that the Benedictines [who were the original owners of the site] were plotting against him. He drove the Benedictines from Cashel, and invited the Cistercians to take their place.

The last Abbot of Hore Abbey was Patrick Stackpole, he had held the position for several decades, but peacefully surrendered the Abbey to the Crown Forces during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in circa 1540. The lands were granted to the powerful Butler Family, and were eventually transferred again by Queen Elizabeth Ist to Sir Henry Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex.


If you are visiting the wonderful Rock of Cashel, do allow an extra little bit of time to view the wonderful remains of Hore Abbey, as an extra incentive you also get a great view of the Rock from there!

If anyone would like to learn more about the history and legends of the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey you can download our audioguide from www.abartaaudioguides.com

Ok, yes, I know, I said I was out of town and wouldn't be updating, but I had some time this afternoon, and decided ten bucks for Internet access in my hotel room was probably worth for me to get back in touch with the world.

I found this article over at National Geographic Adventure to be very interesting and sad at the same time. It tells the tale of Elisa Santry, a 16 year-old girl from Boston who was a member of the Outward Bound Program. She was participating in a 22 day hike across southern Utah when she went missing. After searching for her for hours, the guides and other members of her team found her dead on the trail, her pack still on her back.

Elisa's death opens a lot of questions about the 46 year old program that is amongst the best known youth wilderness training programs in the United States. But how did one of these young people get left behind on the trail? How come no one noticed until they stopped to make camp? And how did she get into a position where her life was threatened while hiking? Were there signs of her struggling on the trail? If so, why were they ignored?

The article notes that this isn't the first death in the Outward Bound Program. In fact there have been 24 fatalities in it's history, despite claims that safety is the number one concern. Of course, this has put the spotlight clearly on the leadership of the organization, and their policies for taking care of the young men and women in their care.

I don't know about you, but for a program that has been around for 46 years, 24 deaths seems like a lot! That's more than 1 every two years over the course of the life of the program, although it should be noted that this is the first death in ten years. Lets hope that some changes are made and good judgement prevails here, but those questions remain, and someone needs to answer them.

Thanks for the tip on this one Ryan!

So you live in Colorado, and the weather is starting to turn for the better, and you've decided that this year, you're going to climb at least one of the 54 fourteeners in your state. (That's mountains of 14,000 feet or better for those just joining us) Well, The Denver Post is here to help with some great tips on preparing for a high altitude hike.

They recommend making a number of smaller hikes first if you are not an experienced hiker or use to spending time on the trail. Going from 5000 feet to 14,000 feet in one day can be dangerous the article warns, and you never know for sure what how your body will react to altitude. They also suggest stretching, doing yoga, lifting weights, and a good cardiovascular workout in preparation for your climb.

Other tips include waiting until mid-June to avoid snow and sudden bad weather, which can be common in the mountains. Bring the right gear for the day and know how much water, food, and other items you'll need to take with you. And finally, don't be afraid to turn back. Altitude can do odd things to you, and the weather can change very quickly, so play it safe and don't risk injury or worse. Finally, they also list their "Ten Essentials" of gear that should always be in your pack. Good advice all around.

Thanks Tom!

Last year a team of paddlers kayaked the length of the Amazon River, source to sea, covering 4200+ miles (6760 km ) in the process. The expedition was called The Amazon Express and we followed it very closely here on the Adventure Blog as the paddlers made their way through some incredibly difficult and challenging areas on their way to making history. It was the first time that anyone had managed to kayak the entire length of the river before.

Now, the team is hoping to produce a documentary about their adventure and they've launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to do so. Unfortunately, I only just learned about their efforts in the past few days and since I've still been digging out from my travels over the weekend, I hadn't had a chance to post about this sooner. As I write this, there are only a few hours left on the clock for this to get kickstarted and they are well below the funding they were seeking. Perhaps they'll give it another go, but at the moment it looks like that barring a miracle of some kind, this documentary won't getting made. Still, the video below gives you an idea of what they have in mind. Hopefully they'll find the funding they need. I'd definitely like to see this film at some point and I can't be the only one.

It was good that food from the Salt Lick was being served for lunch today, as I haven't eaten from these guys in a very long time. And I'd totally forgotten about how much I loved that coleslaw with those celery seeds. Franklin definitely still has the upper hand on the brisket though.

My original impetus for starting the Around The World Blog was that I wanted to write a restaurant guide of Bangkok. I still haven't gotten to Thailand, but, of course, I haven't forgotten. I was thinking I'd finish up on the series I'm doing on Bali and then get to Thailand after that. But this morning I got an e-mail from a friend in Thailand, T., and it... shall I say inspired me to write something about one of my favorite places on earth. I can't believe that the first thing I'm going to write about Thailand, a place I've been to a dozen times, is going to be something negative. Not just something negative but something that barely even impacts on tourists in any way at all-- at least not directly.

If you've been following this blog at all, you may have noticed that I rarely mention the politics of any of the countries. I save that kind of stuff for Down With Tyranny, my political blog. But T's letter got me thinking. I was in Thailand several times when Thaksin Shinawatra, the current prime minister, was running for office. He's a Thai version of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, the richest man in the country, a populist who thinks rules and laws are for other people, not for him. His elections, particularly his re-election one year ago, were rife with fraud.

T. wrote that "In Thailand the PM spent the past two years re-shuffling the army [he put in his less than qualified cousin as commander-in-chief], destabilizing the courts, bribe-packing the senate, rushing through odd loopholes; and now, he just sold the national satellite, phone company and BBC to Singapore-- All profits in his pocket, all legally within the newly minted laws. And no chance of a last minute coup or even election to put it all right."

Thaksin always gets compared to Berlusconi-- a whiff of fascism-- but lately people are also seeing a resemblance to George W. Bush. Like Bush's Republican Party, Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party once again proved Stalin's famous dictum: "It isn't who votes that matters, it's who counts the votes." And in 2005 Thailand had an awful lot in common with Florida and Ohio, with plenty of Katherine Harrises and Ken Blackwells. Last year even as mild-manner a bunch as CNN accused him of being a dictator and in July the very establishmentarian ECONOMIST wrote "THAKSIN SHINAWATRA'S shrillest critics have long depicted him as a dictator and a bully. Now the Thai prime minister has the legal powers to live up to the insults. An emergency decree signed into law on July 17th allows him to detain suspects without trial, tap phones, ban public gatherings, expel foreigners and censor media reports that could adversely affect state security, peace or public morality.…"

Bush's catastrophic (non)-response to Hurricane Katrina, the grotesque incompetence of the lackeys and cronies around him, was also something that everyone compared to Thaksin's response to the tsunami that devastated so much of southern Thailand. The American Prospect talks about how Thailand's corrupt and incompetent dictatorship really has impacted on the lives of its citizens. The writer, Josh Kurlantzick talks about a recent trip to Thailand
"when the country was threatened by a major outbreak of avian (bird) flu, which was spreading across Asia at the time. As with the tsunamis-- and with the previous SARS epidemic in 2003-- Thailand’s increasingly authoritarian government, run by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, initially denied that anything was wrong. Thailand’s neutered press and civil society, threatened by the government and co-opted by Thaksin, whose family has bought into important media outlets, essentially played along with the bird-flu cover-up. Civil servants also said little, even as the crisis worsened. (Over the last four years, Thaksin has replaced or retired most independent thinkers in the government.) And even when the government began to admit the scope of the virus (after several Thai children had already died), Thaksin had created such a culture of top-down rule that important officials seemed paralyzed, unable to decisively launch a cull of potentially infected birds."

Everyone who goes to Thailand who I ever met come away thinking about the Thai people as the sweetest, kindest, most polite and accommodating people they've ever met-- and with good reason. So it's difficult ti imagine these smiling, gentle, peaceful, easy-going Buddhists as having anything to do with fascism. It's a juxtaposition that doesn't compute. But it's a very rich country with an awful lot of very poor people-- and not a whole lot of very, very rich ones. Thaksin represents the interests of the latter and has been very adapt at placating the former with empty verbiage. The unique Thai social contract is fraying around the edges a bit.

OK, that's it for politics and Thailand for me (although I just did find this really interesting post from a Thai website called Fringer on which Mr. Fringer has also been very viscerally struck by the rather unpleasant similarities between Thaksin and Bush and their authoritarian propensities). From now on I'll just be reporting on how much I love Phuket, how much I used to love Koh Samui (pre-airport), how much I love Bangkok, Chiang Mai and every single place I've ever been in Thailand.


APRIL 4th UPDATE: THAKSIN STEPPING DOWN!

Last night the odious Tom DeLay said he would resign from the U.S. House of Representatives. Now it turns out the equally corrupt Thai Prime Minister is also bowing to public pressure and leaving office. Sunday's elections-- even as rigged as they were-- dealt Thaksin a stunning blow. If only George Bush would follow suit!

For those who are hard-core fans of South East Asian photojournalism, OPEN-i hosted a live webinar a few months ago which featured work from photographers living and working in South East Asia, and who discussed the challenges and rewards of working in that region.

The webinar (moderated by Paul Lowe) is unusually long (about 105 minutes), and the acoustics are not great, but it offers insight into the work and working conditions of 4 photographers/photojournalists.

Jack Picone - Thailand
Justin Mott - Vietnam
Veejay Villafranca - Philippines
Rony Zakaria - Indonesia

OPEN-i is a global online community of practice for the professional photojournalism industry where members can discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in live webinars and online forums.

I grabbed this from the breakfast spread at the hotel this morning, all of which were things that one is pretty much told not to eat, including biscuits with gravy, eggs with chorizo, sausages, and hash browns. I figured that maybe I'd just take a couple of bites of each just to taste it, and then leave the rest. But somehow I just could not stop eating it, and before I knew it, I had nearly cleared the entire plate. I'd better go work out tonight.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks bad, I've been contributing travel related stories at the new FlightNetwork.com blog. Here's a sampling of some of the more interesting things that the team has been posting there.

• Snow Report: Major Ski Resorts Ready For Thanksgiving
• Gear Review: booq Boa Squeeze Laptop Bag
• Travel in a Minute - South African Safari
• National Geographic Traveler Announces Best Trips 2014
• A Unique Museum: The Four Seasons Serengeti Safari Lodge

There are plenty of other interesting travel stories to read on the blog beyond these, but this is a good example of the kinds of articles that are being written there. If you have some time, we'd love for you to stop by and check us out. 

By now I'm sure that many of you have seen this dramatic footage, but if not it is definitely worth a look. Two planes carrying skydivers collided in midair in a fiery accident that probably should have been a disaster. Thankfully, everyone got out alive, jumping out of the two planes and parachuting to safety below. Quite an amazing site to say the least. Check it out below.

That was kinda cool. This hot pot place (16 North Jianguo Road Section 2, 2506-3622) was fueled by charcoal rather than gas. And while that meant that my hair and clothes came back smelling like smoke, it was in an old building with wooden shutters that just gave it more of that old school charm.

Interestingly though, a colleague of ours from the mainland was in town, and she pointed out that the seasoning here was definitely a Taiwanese adaptation compared to the proper Sichuan grease bombs that she's used to getting in Beijing. Either way, it was cool to try out that "18 day" Taiwan Beer, which did not have the aftertaste that the normal (pasteurized?) version has.

Okay, I've now seen it, touched it and toyed with it for a while at the Apple store. Yes, it's beautifully designed, sleek and really cool...and I'd love to win it in a free contest (or something like that).

However, I don't see its necessity for photographers as yet. Photoshelter's blog recently posed the question as to whether the Apple iPad will revolutionize the way photos are presented and consumed? Various "pundits" responded, and I tend to agree with the views expounded by Stella Kramer, such as this one:

"From discussions I have had and demos I have seen, there is very little that excites me about translating the telling of stories onto the iPad."

I've seen that the iPad shows off photographs incredibly well, and the scrolling of web pages is intuitive and it's light and well designed, and it's...well, cool.

But being cool doesn't translate into it being a necessity nor a tool. Yes, there are some commercial photographers who will use their iPad instead of high end leather-bound portfolio books to show clients, and wedding photographer will certainly upload their work on iPads to give to their high-end clients (and build its cost in their invoice), but the rest of us into the story-telling business? Not much. Perhaps if we had $500-800 to spare and wanted a sleek platform (although the Mac Book Pro 13" display is phenomenal) to show off our photographs...

Redesigning many photography websites from being both Flash-based and iPad-ready may be a boon to web designers and website providers, but photographers can ill afford this additional expense at this time.

The iPad comes in three "flavors": 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive, so it may be useful to commercial and wedding photographers to have by their side on photo shoots, but other than that, I'm still scratching my head at its usefulness. Perhaps in the very near future, there will be really "must-have" applications ("apps") that will convert it from being a toy to being a tool, and while I completely agree that it's a harbinger of the future of internet browsing and more, it's not yet on my list.

It's been reported by a think-tank that 50% of all computers sold for children by 2015 will have touchscreens...perhaps touch is indeed the future, but until the iPad grows up from being a toy to a tool for photographers, I'll be happy to drop by the Apple store and just play with it whenever I feel like it.

I love a beautiful mountain biking video and that is exactly what we've got here. It follows pro rider Richie Schley as he rides through Squamish, the Whistler Bike Park and up into Whistler's high alpine regions. There is a lot to love here and it will inspire you to want to break out the bike for autumn ride. If only my trails looked this good.

The Trinity from Leo Zuckerman on Vimeo.

Have you ever wondered how people actually can get away to climb Everest? Forget about the $20,000+ (bare minimum) that you would need to make the climb for the moment, and just think about the two and half months you would need off work to give it a go. Well, if you've got the money, but not the time, perhaps you could go the same route as Mike Marolt who has managed to slip off to Everest while keeping his day job.

Marolt is an accountant from Boulder, Colorado, who went to Everest with his twin brother. However, the Marolt boys didn't want to stay out of touch with their business while they were gone, so they used an array of technology to keep tabs of what was happening back home. So, equipped with a sat phone, satellite Internet, and a subscription to GoToMyPC.com, which allows users to have remote access to their computers back home and have full access to files, e-mail, and more. The results are that they were able to make it through the busy tax season, even while they're on the other side of the globe pursuing their dream of an Everest summit.

This is a pretty cool story for a number of reasons. First of all, it's amazing that technology has evolved to a point where this is possible. Sat phones and Internet access on Everest have really opened up the level of communication on the mountain. All this technology also means that sooner or later, someones going to need an IT Guy in their base camp, and I'm just the guy for the job! ;) So if any base camp managers are reading, and think they might need someone on their next expedition, send me an e-mail!

I would also note that these guys own their own business, which makes it easier to get away. When you're the boss, and you want to climb, the only person you have to convince is yourself. They also live in Boulder, which also makes it easier. When customers ask where their accountants are, and they are told that they are on Everest climbing, they are likely to just nod their heads in understanding. :)

As always, thanks for the story Carl. It's another good one!

A few years ago a team of friends entered the amazing Mongol Rally and went on an overland adventure from London to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. Along the way they visited some amazing places and they have been releasing some videos of their journey that are sure to capture the imagination. Take the one below for example. It shows the boys arriving at the "Gates of Hell," a massive hole filled with natural gas that was lit by Soviet scientists back in 1971 and it has been burning non stop ever since. The result is an eerie scene that looks like something out of a horror movie.

A riad is an urban house situated in the medina or kasbah. It isn't a random loosely defined lodging but one whose plans and arrangements are rigorously codified. Since Moroccan architecture is more inward looking and given to isolation and intimacy rather than showing off, a riad is a private, cloistered place of escape from the busy swirl outside its thick walls. A riad is organized around a central square courtyard, often decorated with zelige (traditional mosaic patterns) centering on a fountain and orange or lemon trees. 4 paths intersect in the middle. The central courtyard is usually surrounded by an arched colonnade giving access to the living rooms and kitchen. More sleeping areas are constructed on the upper floors, creating a covered arcade around the patio with balustrades running around each story. Traditionally roof top terraces use awnings to protect against the sun; great place for a meal.

Marrakesh is the riad capital of Morocco-- and they are more than giving the hotels a run for their money. A concierge in Tangier told me he was trying to book a room for a client who was going to Marrakesh the following week and there was not one room available anywhere in town! Europeans and forward-looking Moroccans have been buying up stately old homes, restoring them to their original splendor and turning them into riads. Their thick walls protect the inhabitants from the heat or the cold and most of the outside noise and hustle and bustle. More often than not, you find them along a derb (narrow alleyway) with no access by car.

This was my 10th visit to Marrakesh but the first in a riad. It so beats hotels I don't know where to begin. I guess the 2 things that impressed me most of all were how personal the service was and how integrated you feel in the rhythm of the media which you feel like a resident of. In the past I've stayed at the the Mamounia Hotel, easily the best hotel in the country, and always a contender for best hotel in the world. It was famous for being a home-away-from-home for European aristocrats and for Winston Churchill. The chilly, aloof, snooty service still seems to be expecting Churchill-- and we did see Mick Jagger's ex, Jerry Hall there on New Years Eve when we went over to see if the gardens were still as gorgeous and lush as we remembered them (they were)-- but... well, you're more likely to be hanging around a busload of Belgian housewives on holiday than anyone with a von or van in front on their name. The last time we stayed there Roland left some considerable amount of cash in the inside pocket of a suit jacket inside the wardrobe (never a good idea but I guess he felt safe in "the best hotel in the world"). We were at dinner for 90 minutes and when we got back, the cash was gone. It isn't like he left it on a bench at the bus station. I mean how many people had access? But the hotel management was aggressively unhelpful and when we called the police, the hotel became downright nasty. Beautiful rooms, beautiful gardens, rapidly accelerating rates and not a place I'd ever stay again. So... weren't we happy to find that riads had sprung up all over the medina and were reputed to be offering as wonderful an experience as the Mamounia!

There seem to be riads at many price ranges. I read about them online and found one that looked like it would be good for me, the Riyad el Cadi-- and did I ever come up with a TOTAL WINNER! Maybe there are better riads in Marrakech but I will probably never find out because I loved the el Cadi so much I'll always go back. Their website and this general riad site have good descriptions and details. But after the utterly impersonal service at the gorgeous (and formerly very personal) Palais Jamai in Fes, the wonderful total service/family atmosphere of the el Cadi was perfect. Anyone looking to get away from impersonal hotel service and arm's length relation to the life of the country should try a riad. In a way it's total immersion as well as a somewhat authentic Moroccan style of accommodation, offering a haven of tranquillity in the midst of the medina. They are pretty much all architectural treasures, that will give you an insight into tradition, culture and craftsmanship. The el Cadi's art collection is really beautiful and displayed everywhere.

The riad concept is taking off in Tangier and starting in Fes. Essaouira has 'em-- although I didn't pick as well there. If you're planning a trip to Morocco, I urge you to do a little research and think about riads instead of hotels.

Actually, this is the exact same shop as the salad place from yesterday, but at night they convert over to lobster rolls...or at least, they started to this past week. It turned out to be better than I thought it would be, even if it was a bit tiny. Yeah, I'm kinda liking these guys enough to try out their other shops.

I'm getting ready for my trip to Senegal and Mali. It was a bit of a hassle getting the Mali visa-- which sat on the desk of someone at the DC Embassy for a few weeks-- but there's no need for a visa for Senegal. The Malians charge $131. The Malians also insist on a Yellow Fever vacination so after unsuccessfully pleading with a doctor to just give me the form that says I got one without actually shooting me up with whatever poisons the vacination is made from, I did get the shot. And I made reservations to rent a 4WD vehicle and a driver and made some reservations for hotels and a flight from Dakar to Bamako and I'm very busy running around buying food bars and hand wipes and silk sheets and an ergonomic backpack for my trek in the Dogon Country. But a friend sent me some music from Senegal today that I thought listening to that would be an even better way to get ready for my trip.

I'm a fan of Malian music, especially of Ali Farka Touré, the bluesman who died a couple years ago. And I have an intro from a friend to meet Bassekou Kouyate whose music sounds great. But I don't know anything about the music of Senegal, other than the world-renowned music of Youssou N'Dour, of course. Djele Lankandia Cissoko plays Kora music from Casamance. It really appeals to me and I'm hoping I can find some live music like this in Dakar.