adventure

UTS Adventure GMT Watch

German-made UTS watches are among the best for no-nonsense active types. With a distinct cult following, UTS watches have minimalist branding and intensely functional designs. As the refer to them, "the watches are designed by an engineer, and you'll feel it every day." The cases are made in-house by UTS, and the durability of these watches is said to be outstanding. One of the only drawbacks is that the difference between the various UTS watch models is often slight.

This new UTS Adventure GMT watch is a follow up on the Adventure Automatic. The cushion shaped case is in a very high-grade steel and is 46mm wide. Water resistant to 500 meters, the watch contains a newer Swiss ETA Valgranges A07.171 automatic GMT movement. There is lots of bright SuperLumiNova on the dial, and the legibility is top-notch. I like how the red colored GMT hand is in the center of the dial with a complete 24 hour scale. The watch comes on various straps or UTS's famous metal bracelet. Price is $4,000 and the Adventure GMT watch is limited to 200 pieces only.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: UTS Adventure GMT Watch back

Tags: adventure, german, GMT, UTS, watch

Get Wild with the National Outdoor Leadership School

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, Green

If your summer vacation consists of lolling around in front of the air conditioner sipping a chilled beverage -- and you're not so happy about that, challenge yourself by signing up for a National Outdoor Leadership School course.

This Lander, Wyoming-based outdoors school primarily serves the school-aged -- teaching teenagers and college kids about leadership, nature and survival in the wilderness in courses that can run as long as a full semester. But it's less well-known that NOLS also offers classes for adults, which typically run a couple of weeks.

I joined one of their programs in the Wyoming Wind River Mountains almost exactly three years ago, and as a decidedly non-outdoorsy New Yorker, I will never forget it. In fact, I count it among the hardest things I've ever done -- but, since I didn't have to be helicoptered out I counted it as a raging success. (I hardly ever discuss how, on the last night, I took an instructor aside and said, you know, I've just realized that my people aren't woods people.)

I learned a lot about how you live a day-to-night life in the back country, for example, how to not freak out when crossing streams by jumping from rock-to-rock with a heavy pack on one's back, and how to keep hiking with two sprained ankles. Glamping this is not, but if you want to end the summer with a sense of pride and accomplishment, a NOLS course might be just the ticket.

Tags: adventure, adventure travel, camping, nature tours, NOLS, wyoming

Raft Down The Colorado River This Summer

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Part of the reason to get awesome accommodations when traveling is so that you can get a little adventurous and be safe in the knowledge that a 24-hour chef and 3,000-count sheets are waiting to receive you at the end of it. After departing your suite at the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon – about as luxurious as it gets, but remember we are talking about a remote and giant hole in the ground – river rafting might make the perfect counterpoint.

If you really want to get adventurous, then skip the Grand Hotel and go straight for Arizona River Runners' 3- to 13-day trips down the Colorado River. A full-on vacation inside of the canyon provides a glimpse of nature and rams and stars not often seen. Sure, there are things like tents to deal with but the soul can luxuriate in the outdoors, and a few days on the rio Colorado will give the body every excuse it needs to shack up at the spa at the Mandarin Oriental when the trip is done.

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Tags: adventure, adventure travel, arizona, colorado, colorado river, glamping, grand canyon, rafting, river rafting

Talisker Bounty Boat Recreates Historic Journey

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Charity

More than 200 years ago one of the greatest open boat voyages in maritime history took place when Fletcher Christian cast William Bligh and 18 of his men adrift on the ocean in a 23ft open boat. The 19 men sailed more than 3700 miles over 7 weeks in a crowded boat and with no charts and little food or water. Now this year the adventure will take place again, as Australian adventurer Don McIntyre and three other men will attempt to recreate the "Mutiny on the Bounty" by sailing the same route under similar circumstances -- without enough food or water, no charts, and nothing but an 18th century timber whale boat between them and the sea.

The Talisker Bounty Boat Expedition is being sponsored by none other than Talisker single malt Scotch whisky, and despite their obvious hunger for adventure McIntyre and his crew are also hoping to raise more than $250,000 for The Sheffield Institute Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease to build the world's first research Institute for Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Donate to the cause and follow the boat's progress at bountyboat.com.

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Tags: adventure, sailing, scotch, talisker, whisky

Expedia Launches Indiana Jones Adventures

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

I've been seeing a bunch of Indiana Jones tie-ins ahead of the new movie Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull opening May 22 (Indiana Jones-themed M&Ms for example) but here's one that actually makes sense. Expedia has created ten custom Indiana Jones adventure tours. The tours are inspired by all four movies and include voyages to India, Egypt, Italy, Nepal, China, Peru, Jordan, Mexico and even an adventure in the old U.S. that includes a tour through the Southwest, inspired by young Indiana Jones and his spelunking through Utah's caves. The trips are also each rated by price, amount of culture shock and the trip style (mainly independent or more of a guided tour).

For those not interested in Indy style adventure there is also Expedia's Summer of Adventure trip finder tool that helps travelers search for trips by browsing categories such as "Dining Destinations," "Golf Getaways" or "Historical and Cultural Experiences." Expedia is also holding a Summer of Adventure Sweepstakes, offering a grand prize of two Indiana Jones travel experiences for two and weekly prizes such as a family movie adventure to Southern California complete with Disneyland tickets, a VIP experience at Universal Studios Hollywood, tickets to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and more.

To announce this partnership, Expedia sent me a pretty cool piece of PR swag, a cute little suitcase decorated with travel stickers containing one Indiana Jones fedora (size medium). Want my Indy swag? Let me know in the comments why you love Indiana Jones, one commenter will be chosen at random for this giveaway on May 1.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, Thursday, May 1, 2008. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on May 2, 2008.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about why you love Indiana Jones.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before Thursday, May 1 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the Indiana Jones hat and suitcase, value undetermined.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

See complete contest rules here.

Comments are now closed. This contest has ended. Congratulations to the winner Jim C.

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Tags: adventure, expedia, indiana jones, travel

Financial Guru Takes Off On Global Adventure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

Financial advisor and radio talk show host, Keith DeGreen has quite the life. He has set up his Nordhavn 55 boat as a mobile studio and taken off around the world. He's calling it The Global Adventure and will be hosting "The Keith DeGreen Personal Finance Show" from all around the world. As quoted on BYM News, De Green says the journey is an inspiration for his audience: "The trip is an aspirational lifestyle of the market I serve." He also hopes to use the trip to learn about world economics and investment opportunities. His trip is open-ended and he and his crew are currently in Hawaii and headed toward the Marshall Islands. You can follow DeGreen's progress and listen to his show to get financial advice on how to fund your own adventure through his website.

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Tags: adventure, global adventure, keith degreen, KeithDegreen, nordhavn, travel, yacht

"Run from Reality" with Preferred Boutique

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Some days I know I'd like to run from reality, don't we all sometimes? Preferred Boutique is banking on it with their newest set of adventure-themed packages geared towards getting away from it all. It's a given that most vacation and resort packages want that "escape reality" feeling, but they don't all imply the adventure that "running" from reality does. And the "Run from Reality" package name is backed up with the thrill of tandem paragliding, whitewater rafting, or (for those who want a calmer adventure) horseback riding. Starting at two nights minimum, the getaways are available now until the end of August this year.

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Tags: adventure, escape, get away, GetAway, horseback, journeys, paragliding, Preferred Boutique, PreferredBoutique, rafting, riding, Run from Reality, RunFromReality, travel, vacation, whitewater

Sport Fishing in Costa Rica

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing, Sports

Sport fishermen are a breed unto themselves, each holiday offers the chance to hook that one fish that dreams are made of. For those in pursuit of the big one, a new game lodge has been developed to offer a pleasant vacation while fishing in the abundant waters off Costa Rica. The Bahia Escondida Big Game Lodge in Golfito is situated in Algo Mas, the former management home of Chiquita Banana, which offers accommodations for six. The Lodge also has the services of a personal chef and a concierge so that you can focus on the fish. But if you are interested in the fishing, you are going to need a boat. The 51-foot Whiticar known as Shamrock is guided by Captain Tommy Lynskey into prime areas to catch sailfish, tuna and marlin. A five-day, four-night package includes a private charter from San Jose, four nights at Algo Mas and three days of fishing on Shamrock for $10,900 for up to six guests.

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Tags: adventure, costa rica, CostaRica, fishing, travel, vacation

Bitter End Yacht Club Pro-Am Regatta Week

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

Golf, tennis and other sports often hold tournaments pairing professionals with excited amateurs. If ou want the same experience for sailing, you need to head to the Bitter End Yacht Club in the Virgin Islands for their Pro Am Regatta Week. They pair novice sailors with America's Cup skippers, Olympic medalists, Around the World Race winners and world champions. Racing takes place aboard Freedom 30s and Hunter 216s. Other activities include windsurfing, snorkeling, wine dinners and an awards dinner. The event takes place October 28 through November 4.

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Tags: adventure, sailing, travel, virgin islands, yacht club, yacht racing

Echo Valley Ranch Birding Package

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Of the many reasons to visit a destination spa, birds aren't usually on the list. They are the star attraction this month at the Echo Valley Ranch in British Columbia. Their Birding package which is only available in April, is a chance to observe and learn about birds in the raptor family. Their birding package includes falcon training demonstrations, looks at the nesting areas of the great gray owl and the golden eagle,a guided marsh walk and plenty of opportunities for general bird spotting. Only two four-night packages are offered each April, with a total of ten participants per package. The package includes four nights accommodation in Dove Lodge or Lookout Lodge, meals which are prepared in an open kitchen, use of ranch facilities including an outdoor hot tub, sauna, indoor heated swimming pool, fitness center and a games room with pool table. There is also a morning Thai stretching class and the opportunity to help with the ranch animals. This unique destination spa is run by Norman and Nanthawon Dove. He was a mechanical engineer originally from England and she is from Thailand where her mother was a practitioner of Thai medicine. The ranch offers both Western and Thai spa treatments as well as a Thai night with authentic Thai food and traditional Thai dancing. The birding package costs $1116 (Canadian) per person.

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Tags: adventure, birding, canada, nature, spa, tourism, travel, vacation, vacation ideas