photo by Face Adrenalin

 

As far as adrenaline rushes go, bungee jumping is right up there with base jumping and parachuting from a plane. Maybe you'd like to finally give bungee jumping a go. Or maybe you've made previous leaps but want to make the 'ultimate' jump. If so, a trip to South Africa could be exactly what you're looking for.

 

Near the Garden Route at the Tsitsikamma Forest Village Market is the world's highest single span arch bridge in the world, Bloukrans Bridge, overlooking a river by the same name. The main draw of Bloukrans Bridge is the bungee facility which is the highest commercially operated bungee jump in the world at a whopping 707 feet. A leap from here is one to brag about even to hardcore adrenalin junkies. If you can't summon the nerve for the jump, an option is to ride the cable line (zip line) out to the center of the bridge, something that even families can do. Even less nerve-wracking is a walk across the bridge, which is the highest and largest in Africa and the third highest in the world. But if you decide you'd like to go all-out and experience all that you can, your best bet is to pair the cable ride with the bungee jump for the greatest rush possible.

 

 

For an once-in-a-lifetime experience you can't get without boarding a working submarine, try booking time in an underwater hotel. Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida provides this unique opportunity for both divers and non-divers who'd like to safely sleep with the fishes.

 

The lodge started out as a research laboratory and was converted into a comfortable living facility capable of housing two couples or groups up to six. It holds two bedrooms, a common room, a small galley, and the central wet room where divers surface to enter the lodge. Filled with compressed air, the lodge is kept at a comfortable temperature and features many common amenities of a typical hotel including an entertainment center with TV and DVD player, bathrooms, and a feature unique to the lodge: 42-inch windows which allow you to admire your undersea neighbors. The lodge is monitored by experienced staff 24 hours a day and a 'mer-chef' dives down to prepare your daily meals.

 

Divers can enjoy multiple dives in the organism rich lagoon where the lodge is located. Non-divers are equally welcome and need only participate in a three-hour instructional course before going below. Certifications for open water diving and Underwater Habitat/Aquanaut dive specialty are also available.

photo by Sean O' Sullivan

 

Discovering a great story or fantastic new author is exciting. Beyond telling your friends and family about your favorite reads, why not share your literary discovery with the world?

 

Sites like BookCrossing encourage readers to spread their love of great books by literally sharing them. After registering as a free member on the site you then record your books which are given trackable ID numbers. You write the number in the book along with any encouragement you'd like for the finder to visit the site. Then you leave the book in a public place. Ideally whoever picks up the book will not only enjoy the book but also log onto the site and report the book's ID and perhaps leave a brief message about what they thought of it. Results are trackable on the site and you also receive email notifications when one of your books is found.

 

Joining a site to record a book's progress is fun and easy and allows you to interact with other readers in forums. But joining a website certainly isn't necessary if you'd like to drop off "A Carnivore's Dilemma" or perhaps "The Catcher in the Rye" on the bus or in a park. If your goal is simply to share, you'll doubtlessly find a kindred reader out there. So whether you decide to include your email address inside the book cover or leave the gift entirely anonymous, book sharing is a 'novel' way of spreading your love of words and ideas and perhaps inspiring others to do the same.

Reasons to Explore will be on vacation until Nov 12, so check back when we resume posting articles to inspire an extraordinary life!

photo by skyseeker

 

Tour operators like Access Trips offer adventures to see foreign countries through sport, in this case Japan via snowboard or skis. Tours are usually divided based on participants’ skill levels and there are often trips suited for complete beginners.

 

The snowboard trip adventure in Nagano begins in Tokyo, where you can experience the lights and excitement of places like Akihabara before boarding the bullet train to Nagano. Once out in the snow country you’ll stay in powder lodges which are basic but comfortable Western-style lodges. Powder runs are what’s emphasized, and you’ll tree-ride, tackle the backcountry, or coast on the easier slopes. You also have the option of dipping into the crater of a dormant volcano. Side trips include hiking to Zenkoji, one of Japan’s most famous temples, and Jogokundani, home of Japan’s snow monkeys. After a long day of riding the slopes you'll relax in onsens, traditional Japanese hot springs, and sip sake while admiring your view of the Japanese Alps.