How to Choose a Biking/Hiking/Walking Tour

Who wants an unexpected and unpleasant surprise on a biking, hiking or walking tour? I’ve signed up on numerous active adventures, some solo, others with a friend, and sometimes with a group and a guide. But, on any of these, untoward things can occur, including finding out that the roads are in poor conditions, the bikes don’t have low enough gears, the terrain is more mountainous than you imagined, wildlife roams free on the roads, the list can go on. A romantic hiking tour in Italy may leave little time for stress-free romps through wildflower-laden meadows or espresso breaks with the locals because of the hair-raising and heart-pounding treks up precipitous paths in the Dolomite Mountains. How do you assure that the tour you signed up with is what suits your needs and interests? Check out this article I wrote for Berkeley Wellness so that you’re not unpleasantly surprised on your next adventure.

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Adventure Travel Sweepstakes

You know I'm all about authentic travel, especially if it involves an adventure component, such as biking, hiking or kayaking. Well, how would you like to enter a contest where you could win a $5,000 credit towards a trip for two with an award-winning adventure tour company? Interested? Read on:

Austin Adventures - Adventure Travel, that's been ranked as the "World's Best Tour Operator" by readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine, is an active travel company that's been setting adventure tour standards in The Americas, Europe, and Africa and other places around the world. They recently named J The Travel Authority as one of its Top 10 Travel Blogs. The winners were selected based on unique content, honesty, integrity, video/photos, useful links and other criteria.




"These bloggers are truly the best in the blogosphere, providing beautifully written travel posts that highlight their expert knowledge, undeniable passion, cultural insight and unique, personal experiences," said Dan Austin, founder and owner." "Each blog provides the most fascinating, up-to-date content on travel tips, destinations, active travel, family adventures and the everyday life of a traveler. These blogs are imaginative, fun, original and poignant; reaching to the heart of what traveling is all about: discovery, adventure and finding yourself," said Austin.

As recognition for excellence, readers of J The Travel Authority now have the opportunity to win a trip for two on any Austin Adventures - Adventure Travel of their choice. Among the options are bicycle tours, hiking trips, multi-sport adventures, kayaking trips and family adventures. (Terms and conditions apply.) Among the options are biking trips in Slovenia, hiking and white water rafting in Southern Africa, and kayaking in Peru.

The promotion runs through 11:59 PM, May 19, 2011, with the winners announced the next day (May 20, 2011) on Austin-Lehman Adventures blog.

To enter the sweepstakes, go here and enter your name, email address and the name of the blog (J The Travel Authority) that brought you to their site.

Here is their list of the Top 10 Best Travel Blog Finalists, in no particular order:

http://ellenbarone.com

http://wanderlustandlipstick.com

http://www.jthetravelauthority.com

http://travellogged.com

http://almostfearless.com

http://theplanetd.com

http://www.wildjunket.com

http://www.amateurtraveler.com

http://www.motherofalltrips.com

http://mantripping.com

Go to the Austin-Lehman Adventures Blog to see the complete list of the 125 Best Travel Blog Semi-Finalists.

Wishing all my readers the best of luck and happy travels.

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Radio Show: Unexpected Findings in Macau

I've posted and guest posted quite a bit recently on my travels in Macau and all of the unexpected treasures, whether it was a cutting edge art gallery exhibition in a colonial-style building, or a secluded garden or a hiking track that's smack in the middle of the city, but feels quite remote. Recently, Pat Boyle at the Travel Show on KPAM 860 radio in Portland, Oregan interviewed me on Macau.


I'd like to share with you some of the many curiosities I found, including a museum exhibit of caskets and tombstones reserved for prize-winning crickets (from the heyday of betting on cricket fighting); a hilltop summit that's home to a centuries-old fort, chapel and lighthouse (the oldest on the China coast); and a jogging path where quite a few of the locals jog on a sweltering day barefoot. Listen to this radio interview and you'll see why I fell in love with Macau, a place that has something for everyone, including those gastronomes or oenophiles in your group.

You can listen to my interview on Macau by clicking on the audio player below:

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