Adventure Travel for Women

Across the border to Chile and Torres del Paine National Park

2011-10-25T06:36:00.001+11:00

The past 4 days have been spent in the pristine Torres Del Paine National Park, staying in the beautiful Eco Camp within view of the towering granite massifs. This amazing location is full of natural beauty and wildlife, remote, wild and far away from Internet and modern conveniences.

At the risk of repeating myself, the wild beauty of this part of Patagonia is awesome. We stayed in very comfortable dome style luxury tents, complete with ensuite bathrooms and wood fire heaters which were very much appreciated at the end of the day.

My dream of viewing the Condor in flight and up close has been fulfilled even though I did not manage a good photo, but hopefully one of my travel companions will have a photo to share with me.

Some of our group of 7 have treked the 22 kms along the Torres trek which ends at the top of a ridge with amazing views of the towers and lake. Unfortunately, the day I did the trek it was snowing near the top and no views could be seen, though we did experience the real Patagonia with its harsh wind and snow conditions. The weather here can change within minutes. On other days we explored the flora and fauna as well as other vantage points for outstanding views and easy walks.

We are now on our homeward journey through Buenos Aires, with a little time left for shopping.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Torres Del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

Going South to the Glaciers

2011-10-20T14:48:00.001+11:00

Our adventures have taken us to El Califete and the National Park of the Glaciers. Setting sail aboard a powered catamaran we headed to the very remote Estancia Christina situated on the edge of the Upsala Glacier, accessed only by a 2 hour boat trip (by modern standards) or a 7 day hike. This remote area was a privately run sheep station from 1916 to 1999, when the area became a Natonal Park after the last family member passed away. Percival and Jessica Masters came to the area as pioneers in the early 1900's and built a sheep station and a home out of nothing and on their own. It feels like the end of the world.

We were very fortunate to have the opportunity of spending the night in one of their cabins, with plentiful amounts of wine, food and good company. An adventure experience to be rembered.

The following day was spent at the awe inspiring Moreno Glacier, where viewing platforms provide unsurpassed views of the glacier from several levels. The great thundering noise made by the glacier as it sheds a section into the freezing waters is an exciting sound. We endured snow and sunshine intermittently throughout the day. This is an area of quickly changing weather with 4 seasons in as little as an hour.

The wild beauty and magnificence of the area must be seen to be believed.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:El Califete, Patagonia, Argentina

I think I'm in Heaven

2011-10-18T14:26:00.001+11:00

We have spent the last couple of days in Bariloche, the northern part of Patagonia. It is very European in style, remindng me of a Swiss village.

Picture postcard beautiful with snow capped mountains and lakes. The scenery and views are simply stunning. You can climb and paraglide here in the summer and ski in the winter. The houses are very northern european mountain resort style. They also have the most amazing chocolate shops...I think I'm in heaven.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon aboard a large catamaran on the lake, exploring islands and forests.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Bariloche, Argentina

Time for some adventure in Iguazu

2011-10-16T11:35:00.001+11:00

We have arrived and are ready for some adventure in Iguazu. Even though it is raining we headed off in our very attractive wet weather gear, on the first day for some wet rapelling and flying through the forest canopy on a zip line. With steely determinaion and very little hesitation these ladies clicked on their harness, stood on the precipice of a 15 metre cliff with an overhang, in the rain, and one by one rapelled down to the valley below on a single rope. What brave hearts!

Then came the best and most exhilerating part when we launched ourselves into the tree canopy of the forest along a zip line. WoooHooo ! Through the tree tops!

The next day we spent at the falls, beautiful and so powerful. Iguazu falls are the largest in South America. Not only did we see the falls from the top, but also under the falls in a boat. Wet weather gear was definately the order of the day to see the falls so up close and personal.
A great experience to be had by all.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Iguazu, Argentina

Ah ... Buenos Aires ... at last we have arrived

2011-10-15T14:50:00.002+11:00

Known as the Paris of South America for very good reason. Buenos Aires is a beautiful city with many flavours. The people are friendly and the city is full of life. We enjoyed a coffee at the famous Gran Cafe Tortoni situated in the worlds widest avenue, Avenida de Julio. This cafe has been open since 1858 and has been a favourite of many successful writers. We have been to The colourful area of Caminito in La Boca where it is said that Tango was conceived.

With time for sightseeing, taking in a Tango show, discovering how delicious the the local empanada is and shopping (great for leather jackets and shoes), our time in Buenos Aires was wonderful.

Tomorrow we leave for Iguazu Falls and some real adventure.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bulgaria, Discover the Unknown Europe

2011-08-17T17:52:00.000+10:00

NEW TRIP JUST RELEASED
14 Days departing 18th June 2012 (ex Sofia)

This exceptional and unique journey will see you hiking in the wild areas of Rila and Central Balkans National Parks, walk around the Sacred Seven Rila Glacial Lakes, visit monastries and painted churches, experience the local culture and traditional village life including the annual Enyovden celebrations, taste the Balkan's culinary traditions and cuisine.

This trip also includes the unique Enyovden Celebrations on 23rd and 24th June. This is one of Bulgaria’s most celebrated national holidays, along with Easter, Christmas and St. George’s Day. It is both a religious feast and a traditional folk ritual. The celebrations of this day have mystical pagan roots and are related to the summer solstice, healing waters and wild herbs.
Click here for more details about this trip.

signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Land Beneath the Wind - Sabah, Borneo

2011-08-05T07:47:00.000+10:00

A group of adventurous ladies have arrived for our journey into Sabah, a place teeming with wildlife and natural beauty. They will learn about ancient traditions, Homestay with the Dusun people, Make friends with the orangutans, Witness sea turtles lay their eggs, Trek the Mt Kinabalu Heritage Walk, Be inspired by incredible views, Stay at the Sabah Tea Plantation, Enjoy scouring the local markets in Kota Kinabalu.
Some will endure the ascent of Mount Kinabalu to catch the sunrise at the summit. GO GIRLS!

Information and Slide Night

2011-05-14T14:13:00.001+10:00

ARGENTINA EXPLORER, IGUAZU AND PATAGONIA

ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION, THE GREAT SOUTH LAND

Slide and Information Night in Sydney - Wednesday 18th May at the Greengate Hotel in Killara, The Terrace Room at 7pm.
http://www.greengatehotel.com.au/index.html

Please register as numbers are limited, by sending an email to info@womensownadventure.com.au

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off
www.womensownadventure.com.au

Southern India, the last leg of our journey

2011-02-20T17:31:00.001+11:00

Someone I met the other day said it so well, that "India should be viewed as a continent rather than a country". I feel that statement is so true.

We have flown from Udaipur to Cochin in the Kerala region of southern India. Upon exiting the aircraft it was as if we had arrived to a tropical island that is so vastly different from Rajasthan. Here the people are much more relaxed, the clothing and architecture not as ornate and the environment very tropical. We were greeted by blue skies and friendly folk. The streets of Fort Cochin are full of small interesting shops where you can feel comfortable browsing without any pressure to buy. Being a coastal town, fresh seafood is readily available by the shorefront markets.
This region of India has a strong Christian influence with many small churches of varying protestant Christian faiths.

Photo of traditional Kerala theatrical performer we had the privilege of seeing.

The next morning we enjoyed a relaxing lunch on a privately owned island

where fruit and vegetables are grown and harvested for their own kitchen. What can I say, except that it was another delicious meal, though the Kerala style of cooking is quite different from that of other regions of India. Here coconuts are plentiful and used generously.

We have had the pleasure of sharing a meal in the homes of these lovely Indian ladies.

Spices of course are used liberally in all Indian meals.

Having spent a relaxing afternoon and night aboard a houseboat on the river, we enjoyed the most spectacular sunset and moon rising with shadows of local villagers passing in canoes and beautiful rice fields along the river. It doesn't get much better.

Our last 2 days are spent relaxing by the beach at the Marari Beach Resort, before it is back home with memories to last a lifetime.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off
www.womensownadventure.com

Location:Kerala, India

Textiles, Designs and old Indian gentlemen

2011-02-15T23:53:00.001+11:00

Our journey over the past few days has taken us from Jodhpur to Udaipur by road with a stop over in Narlai. There don't seem to be any road rules in India, it is chaos on the roads but miraculously we have not come across an accident of any kind, not even a minor bingle and have not seen any road rage either. The drivers are very polite to each other as they drive on the wrong side of the road overtaking at every opportunity with the blast of a horn and minimal use of brakes. Our driver has been sensational, even navigating through tiny back streets of the old town.

While we waited for our transport at a hotel in Jaipur, the Dalai Lama just arrived to speak to a gathering and we were fortune enough to see him.
Jodhpur is well known for beautiful textiles, both block printed and embroidered. The colours and designs of Rajeshstan are stunning in not only the textiles but also in the architecture. There is such detail and intricacy.

We have been introduced to so much knowledge;
How to roll and tie a Turban
How to block print onto fabric
How to screen print designs in so many colours
How to tie and wear a sari
How to create paper from left over fabric pieces
How to drive on Indian roads
How to enjoy a hot oil Indian head massage
How to bargain in the markets
How to tell which is a real pashmina
How to get onto a camel and get off again with dignity
How to ride in a bullock cart under the stars
How to ride an elephant with dignity
How to be humble in temples, both large and small
How to peer through veiled walls as the queens had to
How to eat curry at every meal

I am sure we still have a lot to learn.

At Narlai we have been treated to a bullock cart ride in the evening to dinner under the stars. This was very special as the local villagers decorated their step well with candle lights and an open fire. They positioned our seating around the well while the sound of indigenous music wafted through the night air. The dinner was delicious and was overseen by an elderly Indian gentleman of 78 who had served as a captain in the army from 1956 to 1985. He was so proud to show us his photo in uniform displaying his many medals. These are the kinds of personal interactions that we remember.

Look at the ears on the horse, all the horses have ears like that.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off
www.womensownadventure.com

Location:Jodhpur, India

Palaces and Elephants

2011-02-13T03:29:00.001+11:00

Jaipur as an ancient city was surrounded and protected by Fort Amber, whose walls ran across the hills of the valley and whose palace graced the hillside. Today we rode to the Fort on Elephant back. A wonderful way take in the scenery on the way up the hill as you get a real sense of how life was in this ancient world.

Returning from the Fort with jeeps through narrow streets.

Our next stop was the City Palace, a beautiful and grand building in the centre of Jaipur. Then shopping was the order of the afternoon. India has such an abundance of fine fabrics with beautiful designs and colours.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off
www.womensownadventure.com

Location:Jaipur, India

Tigers and Bears

2011-02-12T13:05:00.001+11:00

On our very first morning in Ranthambore we encountered a Royal Bengal Tiger on our early morning safari through the game park. This large male tiger of over 200kg was resting by the river and took our presence in his stride. We had a very clear view of him at a distance of no more than 15 metres, and we had plenty of opportunity to observe him for over half an hour from our open topped jeep. This photo is the one I took.

All of the animals in the game park are free and wild, however they are accustomed to the jeeps and are not disturbed by them at all. Though our guide did warn us not to get out of the jeep as the tiger could then feel threatened.

We enjoyed an evening game drive by the lake and found lots of deer, gazelle, peacock, samba, crocodile and birds. The evening light and mild weather were just beautiful. Then our last game drive the next morning took us to a different area of the park where we were lucky enough to spot a sloth bear grazing through the forest. This topped of the whole experience for us, feeling very fortunate indeed to have spotted so much wildlife.

After a delicious meal, our luxury tent with a view over the plains, under a star lit sky, was waiting.

Oh, did I mention the camel ride through the local village after lunch?

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Ranthambore, India

Oh WOW!

2011-02-10T19:20:00.002+11:00

Words are lost as I gaze at the beauty of the Taj Mahal.

A majestic tribute to womanhood, the monument that is the Taj Mahal was built as a token of love. This monument took 20,000 people a total of 20 years to build and the result is an absolutely exquisite, feminine building
which from a distance looks like it is made of white lace, then as you step closer the colours of the marble become apparent as does the detail of the inlays and intricate designs. I have never seen a building so beautiful and so feminine.

Even if we had witnessed nothing else in all of India, the journey is already worth while after only 2 days, and I am sure that my travel companions agree.
- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Agra, India

Our first day in Delhi, the New and the Old

2011-02-08T05:38:00.001+11:00

Delhi, the gateway to India has a precious monument heritage steeped in
history. Of the 1,300 listed monuments of Delhi's ancient and modern cities, we explored 2 of them this afternoon. But first we were in for a real treat with a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi's tiny narrow market streets.

These streets are shared by cars, motorbikes, pedestrians, bicycles, rickshaws and buses, with everyone bustling past each other while trying not to get run over by anything. It was an experience that brought the character of the city to life with the crowded street bazaars. It is certainly a city of vast contrast between the old and the new. Surprisingly the new city is clean, and with 17 million people I have seen much more crowded roads in Bolivia then here.

Yes, this is a photo I took of snakes responding to the music.

We paid a visit to The Laxmi Narayan Temple, a beautiful place of worship for the Hindus, our local guide explained the basics of the Hindu beliefs and way of life while we explored the temple.

Later in the day we walked through the Humayun's Mausoleum and garden tomb. This beautiful building shows intricate Jaali work on windows inside the tomb. In between the sightseeing we had a delicious buffet lunch at the Lalit hotel, and also found time to shop for amazing fabrics and rugs made of the most exquisite silk in the most beautiful colours and designs.

It has been a long journey over here and a full day, so sleep is calling.

- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Delhi, India

Woman, thy name is entrepreneur...

2011-01-20T18:08:00.005+11:00

This great video was brought to my attention by Sue from Inspiring Women.

I love it and want to share it with you.
Please let me know what you think ... Marika

Our India Journey begins in February

2011-01-09T08:48:00.001+11:00

On February 6th, 2011 a small group of adventurous women will travel to India with Women's Own Adventure's Indian Safari, The Great Epic Adventure.

You will be able to follow us on this blog, where we will share our journey and photos with you.

Signing off from Marika at Women's Own Adventure (www.womensownadventure.com) - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

What is your personal challenge for 2011?

2011-01-04T07:16:00.000+11:00

As women we often place our own personal needs at the bottom of the list. Will you plan time out just for yourself in 2011? Please share your thoughts with us.

Merry Christmas to You

2010-12-14T19:05:00.003+11:00

from Marika

Peru, a land of many faces

2010-09-04T23:22:00.001+10:00

On my third trip to Peru, I am sill discovering so many more faces to this amazing country and friendly people. I am here as partly work for Women's Own Adventure and partly vacation, to learn more, to improve my Spanish, to experience paragliding in Lima and to spend time with some of the people I work with.

Having arrived in Lima we travelled south 260 kms to Paracas the next day. Paracas is a small seaside village which is the gateway to the Ballestas Islands. These islands are Peru's secret oasis of life in the coastal desert. The coastal landscape is very dry with almost no rain at all year round. Taking a large open speedboat across the water to the Ballestas Islands we spotted a pod of dolphins lazily swimming alongside us in the thick soupy waters. These waters don't compare to our Australian waters at all. There is a darkness and heaviness, a smell and an aura full of life. It invades my senses with the beginnings of life. So many birds have never seen before, as they dive for food, hover above and perch on the rocky outcrops, share the same space are penguins, cormorant, seagulls, pelicans and others I can't name. Sea Lions are also abundant on these rocks, sleeping in the sun. A humbling experience to be amongst so much life.

Our journey then takes us a little further south to Ica, where the only true Oasis in the actual desert still exists in the whole of South America. The city of Ica is surrounded by massive sand hills, extending for some 60kms. With little imagination, the locals favourite past-time is sand surfing and sand buggy riding. They build dune buggies big en0ugh for 10 brave hearted people to strap themselves in and have the ride of their lives, speeding across the dunes with hills larger and steeper than any roller coaster ride. Those of us who are unable to master sand boarding (like snow boarding) lying on my stomach on the board and pointing downhill worked even better and faster. Great fun, but probably not for everyone.

A little further south again, brought us to Nasca, home of the amazing Nasca Lines. Many theories exist about this archeological wonder on what its purpose was, having been etched in the ground between about 100bc and 400bc by he Nasca people, well before the Incas came into being. The high plains of the desert area are etched with hundreds of lines and markings, many of which clearly portray images that can only be deciphered from the air. Such images as a spider, condor, hummingbird, dog, monkey and others. So, in order to get a birds eye view of these amazing images, some spanning 100 metres wide, we took to the air in a light plane. The view was spectacular and the images so clearly visible from the air, it has raised so many more questions in my mind about the diverse culture and history which makes up this remarkable country of Peru.

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Arrivederci Roma

2010-06-24T10:50:00.001+10:00

The time has come to depart this amazing city with it's ruins and history. One last walk around the Colosseum and the ancient Roman Forum will keep me sustained for a while, though I am sure that I will be back.

My journey home will take me via Japan, then onto Sydney, completing a 6 week round the world adventure. I have been honored to meet wonderful people along the way and to spend time and to share experiences with like-minded women adventure travellers.

Why don't you join us on our next adventure?

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Sienna, Florence and Cinque Terre

2010-06-21T06:41:00.001+10:00

Our time is Tuscany is coming to a close, with one final day of walking, eating and drinking the local wine. Then we travel for about an hour with our fantastic drivers, Carlo and Marco, to spend the afternoon in beautiful Sienna then onto Florence where we enjoy 2 nights.

Florence is full of art and history, everywhere you look, the buildings, the streets, the bridges are full of beautiful sculptures, paintings and frescoes from the Renaissance times and earlier. The highlight for me was seeing the real statue of Michelangelo's David in the Museum as well as the Duoma Cathedral; spectacular.

It was then time for us to part company as some of the girls travelled to Rome, while another 9 of us took the optional 3 day add-on to Cinque Terre. The sea and the cliffs are stunning in their raw beauty and even more so with the 5 villages clinging to the cliffs along the rugged coastline. This part of Italy was accessed by water only right up until 1970. These 5 coastal villages are joined together by a stunning cliff walkway, though today there is also a train joining them.

This is a wonderful way to end our journey and say arrivederci.

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Cooking, Wine and Olives in Amiata

2010-06-16T03:34:00.001+10:00

Our wonderful and flamboyant host and chef, Enrico, treated us to a cooking class at his olive farm, where of course, the farm produced olive oil was used with gusto in our creations.

From learning that the basis of Italian cooking is onion and celery, to brewing a delicious and hearty mushroom and beans soup, to handmade pasta and of course authentic pizza base, we thoroughly enjoyed our creations at lunch and enjoyed even more seeing our soup and pasta being served to guests in the restaurant.

The afternoon was spent lazing about the poolside or walking to the next gorgeous village. Dinner was a special occasion as well with live music ad plenty of wine and dancing. The Australian girls do know how to have fun.

In the morning we walked about 6 kms to the modern art park of Daniel Spoerri, whose sculpture garden is a special mix of art and nature, where time alone amongst the sculptures allowed me to feel some of what the artist portrayed.

The next day we enjoyed a morning walk from the breathtakingly beautiful and simple San Antimo Abbey, which dates back to the 8th century.

We then met some busy locals in the village, ate some wild cherries straight from the tree and walked through stunning countryside for about 1.5 hours to arrive at an organic winery where Katia and her son Daniel treated us to a wonderful lunch under the old oak tree, while overlooking the valley below. The afternoon was like being invited to lunch at a friends place. This small winery produces DOCG wine in the organic way. It was a very special afternoon, and our walk continued after lunch to arrive at another beautiful family run wine farm where we are enjoying 3 nights in comfort, surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature as well as more walks through this beautiful Tuscan land. Ahh, it feels like heaven!

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Wild Roses in the Tuscan Countryside

2010-06-11T22:12:00.012+10:00

Beautiful wild roses grow along the side of country trails while the other wild roses from Women's Own Adventure walk along these same winding trails.

We are now staying in a beautiful olive farm with a pool and a view to die for. The hills of Tuscany are simply beautiful. Today we walked for about 4 hours through little country roads and picked wild cherries along the way, wild strawberries, through chestnut forests, saw almond and walnut trees and of course lots of olive trees and grapevines as well as so many different coloured and scented wild roses. We also met an Australian man who moved here with his wife and live in a beautiful house that was rundown and empty for 30 years, they were here on holidays about 8 years ago and decided to stay and bought the old house and fixed it up.

Lunch was served in a 10th century castle which is now owned by an English family and has been restored from almost ruins over the past 10 years. They grow grapevines and olive trees, making their own wine as well as their own olive oil. Both are fantastic! The local wine, especially the red wine is very good and is served with every meal (except breakfast thankfully).

The other morning, while some of us enjoyed a hilltop walk of some 8 kms to be rewarded with beautiful 360° views all around, two of our group took the opportunity for a 40km bicycle ride through winding roads to arrive at the natural hot springs, which are like a hot bath with waterfalls, out in the open and surrounded by trees and the sounds of birds. The Tuscan countryside is so very beautiful and very special. Their are no tourists here, so we are experiencing authentic Tuscan culture with wonderful people. This countryside is like walking through a picture postcard.

Tomorrow morning we will be having a cooking lesson at the olive farm and everyone is looking forward to that, as we will be eating our creations for lunch. Yum!

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Santa Fiori - song, dance and laughter

2010-06-08T03:44:00.009+10:00

The first day of our journey through Southern Tuscany saw us leave the hustle and bustle of Rome behind. As it is Saturday we are doing what every local Roman does, leave the city to the tourists over the weekend. We travelled for about an hour and a half before stopping for lunch in a beautiful lakeside town. The lake is actually the crater of an ancient volcano with the water a bright blue colour against the dark sandy shore.

Another hour further on brings us to Santa Fiori, a Medieval town which has a long history, more recently that of a mineral mining town , but now houses only approximately 1,000 residents. It has a charming atmosphere with a town square of course and being built high on the hillside it has a stunning view over the valley and adjoining hills.

The highlight of our day, and a wonderful start to our trip was the evening meal and entertainment. OK we were actually the entertainment, or at least a part of it. As the evening turned out, we were guests at a party in our hotel with brilliant live music. The Australians (that is us) were seated at one end of the room and the Italians at the other end of the room. Neither of us could speak any of the other's language, however as we all know, music and dance is an international language. We were of course the rowdy lot in the room and it didn't take long for Marion to get the old Italian gentleman up and dancing, which was the incentive needed for everyone else on the Italian side of the room to join the rowdy Aussies on the dance floor. What a great night we had! The musicians played on in their own time for hours and did not want to stop with such an appreciative audience. Exhaustion finally saw us all tumble up to bed. A great start to our Tuscan experience.

- signing off, from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Roma, a city steeped in history

2010-06-04T17:47:00.001+10:00

Having the opportunity to spend 5 days in Rome has given me a massive lesson in history.

The entire first day was spent in the Colosseum and the Roman Forum with my eyes as wide as saucers. With a history dating back over 2,700 years and watching people sit on ancient relics and walk over cobbled streets that were built so long ago has been a remarkable experience for someone who lives in a country which is a mere 200 odd years young. Fallen marble columns and other relics adorn the streets of ancient Rome, and it is an eery feeling indeed as I walked with my head looking up at the massive structures, some of which took hundreds of years to build. It was all built on such a grand scale than we mere mortals must have felt then, as I feel now...quite insignificant in the scheme of things.

Rome is a bustling city which does take some getting used to. It is filled with tourists from all over the world as can be heard from the many different languages spoken around me. Every monument and museum is filled with people. The Vatican sees 30,000 visitors through its doors each and every day!

In having said that however, given the choice, I would not miss the opportunity to visit Rome again. The Italian men are also quite dashing (as you can see by the photo). Listening to the beautiful Italian language with its colourful intonation has me trying to mimic the sound at every opportunity. Thankfully, most people are pleased to hear me trying to communicate with them in their own language and style, and equally thankfully, most know a little English and the hand gestures do the rest.

Tomorrow our group of Women's Own Adventure ladies will be arriving and beginning our Cultural Taste of Southern Tuscany, out of the city, which will be a welcome change of pace for me. I will keep you updated on our journey through Tuscany over the next 2 weeks.

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Arriving into Santiago de Compostella

2010-05-31T02:32:00.001+10:00

We enjoyed a beautiful evening in another Galician Manor House on the last evening on the Camino where a beautiful meal was enjoyed by everyone and served by our wonderful hosts. The Manor House is surrounded by lush gardens and fruit trees. The region near Santiago is very green and of course it receives rain much of the year. The Galician region has been influenced by the Celtic culture in their music, dress and traditions as well as the weather. We were however very fortunate and only experienced a slight drizzle on one of the days.

The last day of our journey we walked 23 kms though beautiful oak forests, along rocky paths and through gum tree forests as well, finally arriving on weary legs to the Monte del Gozo “Mount of Joy”, we could see the city of Santiago de Compostella and the Cathedral below. Another 5 kms to walk.

We arrived into Santiago in the afternoon of 27th May 2010. It was a joyous moment, even though we hid it well behind our weariness. But we all made it!

Those who wanted to, received their Compostella (Certificate) for having walked the last 100kms to Santiago. The streets of the city are full of life and people from so many different countries. The old town is a pleasure to wander through, discovering the many small shops, bars and restaurants. On the last evening together we were even treated to some local music, with Paty and Jane showing off their dance steps.

Friendships have been formed and our journey has come to an end as we look forward to sharing stories and photos with loved ones and staying in touch with each other.

I am meeting my next group in Rome next week, for our Journey through Southern Tuscany. You can read about here.

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Important Lessons along the Camino de Santiago in Spain

2010-05-27T03:41:00.001+10:00

Thousands of Pilgrims have travelled the path of Saint James all through the centuries, the same path that we have walked. Each Pilgrim completes their own journey with lessons they have learned along the way.

Here are some of the lessons the group from Women's Own Adventure have learned.

Lesson 1 - available men are in abundance

Lesson 2 - how to stop and smell the roses

Lesson 3 - improved fashion sense

Lesson 4 - Social Graces

* the art of napkin folding into unmentionable things (the photo has been censored)

* how to mix our drinks, vino tinto, vino blanco, tinto de verano (red wine, white wine, red wine with soda) at every meal and between meals.

Lesson 5 - Local Customs and Cuisine

* yes, there is a Jamon Museum

* fine dining table service sometimes means 3 courses served in 10 minutes and/or when the waitress stands there not saying anything with a gruff face it means 'may I take your order please?'

* sometimes fruit for desert means a whole apple or a whole orange on a plate

* listening to flamenco guitar and singing right outside our bedroom window at 11.30pm after walking for the better part of 20kms.

Lesson 6 - A Man's Home is his Palace

There are many bargains to be had when seeking shelter along the Camino.

It is a wise Pilgrim who once said 'No Pain - No Glory' as we nurse our sore and bandaged feet while hobbling along with legs that just don't want to co-operate with the body anymore.

Buen Camino! and it is!

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Walking through pre-Roman and Medieval Villages

2010-05-22T07:11:00.001+10:00

It has been a few days since the last entry, as time and a lack of internet access prevented me from updating this blog.

Our group of women adventurers are now actively trekking along the Camino de Santiago (The Spanish Pilgrims Trail). Castrillo de los Polvazares was our starting point for day 3. This is a small Medieval stone village that has been declared a National Monument. Though every village we have walked through is actually a walk through history from as far back as pre-Roman times. Some villages have restored buildings and others have been left abandoned and with few people. We walked to Rabanal and stayed in an Albergue overnight where we shared the accommodation with pilgrims from all over the world. Everyone was happy to rest weary legs and attend to blistered feet. That evening we attended the village church and were treated to beautiful singing by the priests as well as a message delivered in many languages for all the pilgrims to hear. The pilgrims are many, with some on bicycle and others walking, though at times we don't meet anyone on the Camino for quite a few kilometers then at other times that pilgrim greeting "Buen Camino" is exchanged over and over again. Most of the pilgrims carry a shell as a symbol. In fact, the symbol of the shell marks the way.

At any moment now, the Knights of the Templar should greet us on galloping horses along these Medieval trails; that is the image in my mind. On the road to Villafranca we each carry a stone which we place onto a massive conical pile of stones at the Cruz de Ferro. Adding a stone to the pile is an important ritual and many pilgrims bring stones from home to place here.

The beautiful green countryside is dotted with windmills and snow capped mountains as a backdrop for our days of walking.

This past day, walking uphill into Cebreiro we have passed by the most beautiful views, with rolling hills covered in multi-coloured wild flowers. Then to arrive at the top of the hill to this pre-Roman village boasting 360 degree views over all the valleys was simply stunning. Josefina, our local guide had a beautiful lunch of Spanish tortilla, salad and fresh bread waiting for us at the top of the hill and it was a very well deserved meal. We then enjoyed a warm bed overnight in this village. Some of the girls have also discovered Tinto Verano, a light red wine and lemon drink which helps cure the sore feet. All the meals we are experiencing are sensational.

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure.

Starting our walk along the Camino

2010-05-18T16:27:00.001+10:00

Our first day along the Camino was very exciting. We began our walk from Puente de Orbigo, one of the most famous bridges along the Camino. The weather had warmed up considerably, so we were faced with bright warm sunshine on our backs, blue skies above and a stone pathway at our feet to lead the way. The walk was only 12 kms today, for which I think everyone was quite thankful. This allowed us to ease into our boots and our walking legs. As the scenery was already so gorgeous with snow capped mountains in the distance and lush green fields along the road, our spirits were high. Passing though villages we have learned the greeting for fellow Pilgrims along the way as the locals greeted us with 'Buen Camino".

Astorga is the home of magnificent architecture in the form of Roman walls, a 15th Century Cathedral and Gaudi's neo-gothic Bishop's Palace.

We are all looking forward to tomorrow where our walk will begin from a Castrillo, small medieval stone village, just outside of Astorga. This village has been declared a national monument.

- signing off from Marika, Women's Own Adventure

Arrival into Leon, our starting point

2010-05-15T16:35:00.001+10:00

I have traveled to Spain several times, and it never ceases to amaze me how the Spanish people know how to enjoy life. No matter which village, town or city, no matter what day of the week, the streets, bars and restaurants are filled with people every evening. Their culture is such a wonderfully social one. The days are always long, with the sun still shining at 9:30opm (it is not summer yet), what a wonderful contrast to Sydney, where it was already dark before 6pm when I left the other day. Even though it is quite a lot cooler here, people just rug up and are out on the streets walking, talking, eating, drinking and socialising.

I arrived in the afternoon and found all the shops and services closed for the lunch period (from 2pm to 5pm), except the bars and restaurants. Everything opens again from 5pm till 9 or 9:30pm, so the days become long where a lot of activity can fit into one day. The evening meal is eaten after 9.30pm and the streets are full of activity until past midnight, including small children playing on the streets. Viva! The Spanish people know how to live life!

Leon is one of the most historic towns of Old Castile, with a history spanning from the 11th Century and boasting the beautiful and magnificent Basilica de San Isidoro. This is considered to be one of the greatest Romanesque treasures along the Pilgrim's Way, and is one of the best examples of a Gothic Cathedral in Spain. Featuring vaulted ceilings, magnificent stained glass windows and flying buttresses.

We will spend some time exploring this beautiful town, once the group of Women's Own Adventure ladies all arrive in the next day or two, before setting off on the start of our Pilgrim's Walk.

- signing off from Marika - www.womensownadventure.com.au

Embarking on the Pilgrims Way in Spain

2010-05-10T05:33:00.005+10:00

A group of intrepid women, on a journey with Women's Own Adventure will be departing for the Northern part of Spain this week and I will be accompanying them. The Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago - the Camino de Santiago as it is called in Spanish, or “Way of St. James” is a journey of the soul and spirit, that takes the traveller in the footsteps of millions of others over a millennium, who sojourned from all over Christendom to this green and misty spot in the northwest corner of Iberia to venerate the tomb of the Apostle St. James - Santiago as he is known in Spanish. The site, now known as Santiago de Compostela, came to be Christianity’s 3rd Holy City, along with Rome and Jerusalem, and Santiago became the Christians’ patron saint and inspiration in their long struggle to reconquer Spain from the Moors.

Today, the Camino - “One of the world’s 2 or 3 great journeys”, according to American writer James Michener - is undergoing a renaissance unlike anything known since the 13th century peak of the pilgrimage. Modern-day ‘pilgrims’, like their forerunners, come from all over, but nowadays those with purely religious motives are joined by lovers of adventure, art, history and legends, all with a desire to take part in an experience that is unique in the modern Western world.

Our destination is the cathedral in Santiago’s fabulously preserved medieval centre, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety. We follow the ancient pilgrim’s way through storybook-beautiful landscapes and tiny stone-built villages where time seems to have stopped, visiting Gothic cathedrals and Romanesque chapels, and a profusion of art of all kinds created throughout the centuries in honour of St. James. Over the 1000-year history of the pilgrimage, various principal routes to Santiago evolved. These days most pilgrims follow the so-called Camino Francés or “French Way”, and this is our journey through the most picturesque parts.

Our group will commence walking from Leon on 17th May and end the journey 173kms later when we walk into Santiago de Compostela on the 27th May to collect our stamped Camino Creditionals proving to ourselves and to the world that we have completed our pilgrimage.

Our journey will be documented along the way (with photos) on this blog, so please keep coming back to read about it.
signing off - Marika Martinez , Women's Own Adventure www.womensownadventure.com.au

Women's Month

2010-03-16T06:16:00.006+11:00

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910
In 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.

1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.

1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.

1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.
Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.
(This article is sources from www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp)
- signing off, Marika Martinez, Women's Own Adventure (www.womensownadventure.com.au)

Travel and Culture Shock?

2010-02-16T21:27:00.008+11:00

Travel is an adventure in itself. Travel connects us with other cultures and gives us the opportunity to be immersed in their customs and traditions and to develop a deeper understanding of other people.

Although travelling is an enriching experience, sometimes it can be difficult coming to terms with the way in which other people live, in particular when we travel to second or third world countries for the first time.

Culture Shock is a fact of travel. No matter how much you have travelled, some degree of culture shock is inescapable when you are confronted by a new destination. Culture shock can best be described as the anxiety produced when a person moves to a completely new environment. One of the reasons what we feel out of place in a new environment is because we have not yet learnt the cues of interpersonal communication for the culture we find ourselves in. Such things as body language, words, facial expressions, tone of voice, idioms and slang are different in different cultures.

Fortunately we can minimise our own culture shock to a large degree by being aware and doing some research on your destination prior to travel, to learn about local customs and traditions and be culturally sensitive.

If you are simply planning a short holiday, then you will most likely experience only the first stage of culture shock, however if you are planning on an extended stay in another country you may wish to consider the different stages of culture shock that you will most likely experience.

The Honeymoon Stage

As you can already guess from the name, in this stage you feel excited about your adventure. The newness and differences are still a novelty. The day-to-day difficulties haven’t set in yet. Most people feel energetic and enthusiastic during this stage.

The Crisis or Cultural Shock Stage

In this stage, reality sets in as you try to make a new home for yourself. You become aware of the differences between your own culture and the new culture. You try to communicate in a new language you might not know very well. You’re not sure how to interact with people and where to find things. In this stage many different feelings and emotions may arise, from confusion, anxiety, homesickness, and loneliness, to being unsure of yourself, feeling less competent than in your home country, feeling overwhelmed, and feeling angry for being in this situation.

Participate in your new environment. Start out with small steps, as you feel comfortable. Read a local newspaper to get informed, find others in the same situation, and see what help is available to you. Slowly but surely you will build a new support system and move into the next stage.

The Adjustment or Recovery Stage

After having been in the new country for a while a daily routine sets in. Your new neighborhood becomes more familiar, you know where to get all your basic things, and you are able to communicate better. Your sense of self comes back and you even return to the excitement of the “Honeymoon Stage” more often. This stage could be described as an oscillation between the two first stages, from feeling excited to being down, from feeling out of place to being an active participant in your new environment.

The Adaptation Stage

Your life resumes with a familiar pattern but now has a different background component from the new culture. You’re ready to develop a realistic understanding of the similarities and differences between your own culture and the new culture. By comparing both, you have the unique opportunity to learn about two different approaches and can decide what fits best for you.

The author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck says:

“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Big Boy's Own Adventure

2009-12-16T06:35:00.013+11:00

In the style of “The Two of Us”

Interview and story by Beth Jessup

John Travers, 65, a 6ft 1inch English/South African and Mario Martinez, 57, a Spaniard, two-thirds his size are middle-aged adventurers. They first met on a wharf on Scotland Island twenty years ago.

JOHN
Mario was cleaning his dinghy at the end of the jetty one afternoon when we struck up a conversation. We both lived on the island for sometime but had never crossed paths. After a few hours I mentioned I was going cross country skiing in the Snowy. His face lit up, “Cross country skiing! I’ve always wanted to do that!” Mario had married and had children early. He’d dreamed of skiing in the wilderness, climbing mountains and being an adventurer.

We bonded that trip…all boys stuff, crossing freezing rivers, camping out, miles from nowhere, no arguments, it worked a dream, Toward the end though he was getting anxious. Unbeknownst to me, he’d told his wife, Marika, we’d be back in five days. He knew it would take longer. I’d told my then partner, Mary, nine days. Seven days later, Marika got worried, phoned the cops and all hell broke loose!

On our last day, we heard this “cluck, cluck, cluck” noise coming up the valley. It was two helicopters. We waved and surprisingly they landed, so we rushed over to have a chat”!

The copper said, “right, you’re John and you’re Mario”! You could have punched me in the stomach! I’ve done a lot of sailing and you just don’t get rescued! I was mortified, Mario thought it was wonderful! It got on national news.

Our group of two has grown over the years to five, sometimes six but Mario’s the visionary. Only a small percentage of his dreams come true but he dreams enough to make things happen. I have a deep friendship for him. He’s unbelievably enthusiastic. Mention Tierra del Feugo or ice flows and his eyes glaze over. He gets us all fired up. He knows he has a waiting team who’ll do his bidding but he’s cunning. He’s got this saying, “look, it’s nothing, my grandmother could do it!”
He tried that on us down in the Snowy a few years ago. We arrived at an ice lake that none of us would step foot on but Mario felt obliged. As he was walking, he was explaining “how it was as safe as houses, my grandmother…..” Then one leg goes down, he’s half submerged saying, “don’t worry bout that, it’s nothing”! He climbs out…plop! All we could see, was his head and his arms flailing about which stopped him going through the ice. We all collapsed laughing.

He’s thorough but he’s not cautious. Another time, he decided to paddle solo from Manly round Barrenjoey and back to the island. He’d picked a certain weekend, the fact it was blowing a gale didn’t stop him. Marika dropped him and within an hour it was howling. He figured he was okay and he was but Mario being Mario didn’t go far enough out to sea, rounded a Point too close to the breakers, a rogue wave hit him and down and down he went. Luckily, the kayak broke in half enabling him to swim out. He took the two ends, used them as floatation and got ashore. A surfer who’d seen him alerted Care Flight. Just as he reached the beach the chopper approached. He hailed them that he was alright. Absolutely wrecked, he walked to Pittwater Road thinking Marika might be driving by. He laid on the median strip with the two bits of kayak and went to sleep. Awhile later Marika was coming by and the kids yelled out, “look, there’s Dad”!

He’s become a known factor with Care Flight. Has a dozen or two care bears perched on his office window. The one with the goggles, the one sun baking in Hawaii, Superman, the nurse etc. Whenever there’s a new model, he’ll buy one, cause he feels he should.

We’re very different; it’s surprising we’re so close. He knows what’s right and wrong, whereas I don’t know anything really. I analyse stuff too much and I’m all over the place. I’m a stoic where he’s like a Latin caricature, one minute he’s a great lover, the next he can be a real prick!
When I was a little kid I used to dream of being a polar explorer and that’s Mario for sure.

___________________________________

MARIO
John had travelled widely before I met him. His stories of sailing and other adventures fascinated me. We’d often discuss different places and he’d say, “I was there in ’64 or ’75.

During apartheid in ’78 he decided to buy a boat, stow all his worldly possessions and escape South Africa. He’d done a bit of sailing on the bay in Capetown but it took a year before he got the courage to go outside. So the day he sailed out and made that right hand turn, he knew full well there was little chance he could get back in. He was out for good and he didn’t have a motor or radio, the life raft leaked! His navigation was rudimentary at best and he had a crew who were depending on him, cause they didn’t have a clue! I’m in awe of that, it’s unbelievable, and he’s the worst swimmer! I remember his quote “I was expecting to find Africa on my right-hand side and low and behold on the right day there it was…. Africa!”.….Pretty hard to miss Africa!

He was a red hot, right winger when I first met him but he’s swung right over and worked up his social conscience now. He’s quite environmental and sympathic to the aboriginal cause. He’s got enough of a brain to realise what went on in South Africa wasn’t right.

That first ski trip was a roaring success. We broke into cabins we shouldn’t have, read Banjo Patterson books in Mawson’s Hut during bad weather. From then on, every year we went on a ski trip.

Two years ago, I said to the boys, “Why don’t we become lifesavers and contribute a little. John and Stephen agreed. We went down to Mona Vale Surf Club and joined up. In our very first class as potential life guards, John says to the instructor, “is it necessary to know how to swim?!?! We just stopped – the lifeguard said, “nobody could be that silly. But John was serious saying, “I’m not really a good swimmer but I can breastroke! So Stephen and I spent many, many afternoons at the rock pool teaching him to swim.

He’s nice to everyone, the consummate gentleman but his shirts are always wrinkled! He’s the only person I know who’s done the 111km Hawkesbury River Kayak Classic in a pink business shirt. He only cottoned onto Lycra a little while ago. In some ways he’s quite old fashioned, you’d never call him a twitterer! But I trust him implicitly where life decisions are involved. I can tell when he’s serious. That confidence is what I like.

These little blocks of hard adventure really do bring out the best in us. I want to sail to Lord Howe Island but John wants to do it in a dinghy. I don’t want to do it in a bloody dinghy….it’s always the hard way round with him.

We’re getting older but we’ve not quite finished growing up yet.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Cultural Walking in Southern Tuscany

2009-10-18T09:47:00.010+11:00

Women's Own Adventure have a group of just starting the Tuscany trip, and here is a text message I received just yesterday from one of the ladies on the tour "First day in Tuscany was magic. Superb views, great accommodation. We are in a village built in 12th century and a lot of it is still standing".

Our 2010 "Journey of the senses, cultural walking in southern Tuscany" departs 5th June. See a detailed itinerary and prices by clicking here TUSCANY

- signing off, Marika Martinez, Women's Own Adventure

Travel Traditions

2009-09-07T20:18:00.005+10:00

Travel Traditions are the little things people do on holiday that makes it memorable for them. For example, some people keep a well recorded travel diary and include all sorts of bits and pieces such as ticket butts, dried plants, menus, brochures, etc.
Other people take photos of plants from their travel destinations and still others write emails home to themselves from internet cafes along the journey.

We would love to hear about your travel traditions, so that we can put together a story to share with others.

Please click on the comment link on this page to share your Travel Traditions.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Blue Mountains Adventure weekend

2009-09-02T20:19:00.005+10:00

Our weekend getaway was enjoyed by a group of 10 adventurous women. After perfect weather over the past few weeks, we had the misfortune of rain on Saturday, but we didn't let that spoil our great bushwalk in the Blue Mountains. We walked down into the Grand Canyon in Blackheath and along the Cliff Top walk. Even though the view was blurred by clouds, it did clear up for us later in the day.

The afternoon was filled with a 2 hour long yoga and relaxation session which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
Bright and early on Sunday morning the group of bushwalkers transformed into a group of abseilers as we scampered down ropes and worked up to a 30 metre abseil with an overhang! We were all so proud of our accomplishments.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Thoughts on the journey of travel.

2009-07-16T15:06:00.004+10:00

Here are some thoughts on travel that have been passed onto me from my new friend in Chile, Consuelo.

Travelling is not merely to move to another place or distance. It is a journey where we leave behind the life that we are used to, and suddenly be able to watch from afar. Remoteness makes us feel different, it opens the possibility of looking at who we are, and also to those around us. The distance allows us to be spectators and watch our life like a movie.

When we get to the destination we recover our capacity for surprise and astonishment at the novelty of where we are. We do not only discover unknown places, we discover ourselves in the process. The trip is not only distances covered, but a journey into ourselves. And when we leave, when the experience ends, a part of us stays there is some place and a part of that place will be alive in us.
- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Desert Landscape

2009-07-13T21:31:00.013+10:00

June was an exciting month with our Women's Own Desert Trek in the Larapinta. The sky is just so blue and the landscape is just so orange!

The early hours of the morning saw a group of 11 women set off for the start of our outback adventure. Dressed for warmth against the coolness of daybreak, we boarded the 4WD vehicle and drove 5km past Telegraph Station.

The days of walking that followed saw us meander through spectacular gorges, camp alongside dry creek beds while gazing at the stars, walk through beautiful red earth country, rise to ridges with panoramic views as well as ascend Mt Sonder in the dark to reach the summit for a spectacular sunrise.

The group enjoyed delicious campfire meals every evening and were also treated to some amazing scones baked in a camp oven. Yum! The company of women was outstanding and the chatter around the campfire as well as while walking made the trip very special for everyone.

- signing off, Marika Martinez -

Women's Own Adventure

On Elephant back in the Chitwan Jungle

2009-04-19T16:46:00.004+10:00

After spending two relaxing nights in Pokhara, with time to catch up on some laundry and shopping, we began our journey to Chitwan, in the south of Nepal. The last part of our journey was by 4 wheel drive through small, rough tracks and crossing rivers.

Arriving at the eco friendly Jungle Lodge in time for lunch, we are struck by the peace of the jungle and the array of bird calls. Our home for the next 2 nights is comfortable with hot showers.

Our first afternoon was spent on elephant back and we were treated to a remarkable sight of a mother and baby one horned rhinoceros in the wild.

The jungle experience was great with jungle walks and elephant washing in the river.

Our time in Nepal is coming to an end with one more day to be spent in Kathmandu where we visit Hindu and Buddhist Temples and manage some last minute souvenir shopping.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Trek in the beautiful Annapurna region of Nepal

2009-04-15T21:50:00.005+10:00

We left Pokhara for the one and half hour bus trip to the start of our trek. With small day packs, walking poles and sturdy boots our group of 8 women joyfully began a 5 day trek through hills and villages, starting from Birethanit.

Walking straight uphill for the first two and a half days, through the many small villages, along roughly formed stone steps and dirt tracks, we were greeted along the way by many faces with the local greeting of "Namaste". Our group was also accompanied by 3 young and very strong porters who carried all our gear, our leader guide and 2 helper guides, as well as our wonderful cook. Our cook created delicious and healthy meals each day, even delighting us with his famous apple pie, which was cooked on an open fire place.

In the evenings we stayed in lovely, clean Teahouses. These are run by local families and provide twin share rooms for weary bodies seeking a good nights sleep, before rising early for another day of trekking. The scenery along the way was beautiful and dramatic with an ever changing landscape. We walked through dense forests past waterfalls, traversed along the side of hills and took in amazing views of snow capped mountains.

We also enjoyed High Tea and High Yoga as you can see in the photos.

On Day 3, our group of women adventure seekers, rose in the darkness at 4:30am to climb Poon Hill. This peak sits at 3,210 metres and offers a stunning sunrise view of the surrounding mountains, including Annapurna South and Fish Tail. I love the mountains!

Just as rain clouds started gathering, we stopped for a late lunch at a small family run Teahouse within a deep valley.

The rain began and very quickly developed into hail. The roofs and ground became enveloped in white. The decision was made to stay and hope the weather clears by morning, as the steep descent from the mountains is not wise to negotiate in wet conditions. The afternoon was spent playing cards with our porters, joking and eating.

The following morning did dawn clear and spoiled us with beautiful snow capped mountain views for most of the day.

Our descent on the final day was a little hard on the legs, but we all managed with smiling faces and a great sense of achievement.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Stupa of Pokhara

2009-04-15T21:47:00.003+10:00

Our group of Women's Own Adventure in Nepal had to make a slight change of plan today. There were demonstrations outside the town which prevented us from reaching the start of our trek. So we had the pleasure of an afternoon spent in Pokhara.

This beautiful town is a contrast to Kathmandu. At a much slower and peaceful pace, it is surrounded by mountains. Our journey to Pokhara was via a half hour flight on a small aircraft which afforded magnificent views of the snow capped mountains.

This afternoon we crossed the lake by boat to walk up a steep track to the Budhist Stupa which overlooks the town. It sits at 1,100 metres above the lake. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the way and marveled at the view. There were a handful of colourful paragliders on the opposite peak enjoying plenty of thermal lift. Nepal and its people are bright and colourful, with splashes of colour everywhere.

Tomorrow we leave for our trek with our wonderful guide Ang. So you can read all about it in on our return to Pokhara in 6 days time.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Shangri-La Nepal

2009-04-06T01:43:00.002+10:00

After travelling for what seems like such a long time, our group of 8 women adventurers have arrived in Kathmandu. Upon landing at the airport we are struck by the local smells and sounds of a bustling and chaotic city. Kathmandu has a population of two and a half million people. The narrow roads are home to all manner of vehicles armed with very loud and incessant horns.

Today we explored the market area of Thamel and some, shyly tested their bargaining abilities in purchasing well priced Pashminas and other assorted items.

Tomorrow, early in the morning we fly to Pokhara an begin our trek in the beautiful Anapurna region. As internet access will be limited on our 6 day trek through the villages, the next update will be quite some days away.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Departing for Nepal on 4th April

2009-03-30T09:57:00.010+11:00

A group travelling with Women's Own Adventure are ready to embark on a 6 day trek in the Annapurna region of Nepal. These adventurous women will enjoy trekking around spectacular mountain scenery through charming villages.

April in Nepal and especially around the Annapurna region is the season of the brilliant rhododendron flowers.

Our adventures will then take us to the Chitwan National Park where we will search for the white horned rhino on elephant back through the jungle.

We will keep you up to date over the next 2 weeks with photos and stories of our journey as much as access to the internet allows.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Trekking and Wildlife Adventure in Nepal

2009-03-10T17:15:00.002+11:00

Adventure travel company for women only;
Women’s Own Adventure embarks on a trekking and wildlife adventure in Nepal.

NEPAL
Nepal's acronym of Never Ending Peace And Love, does well to characterize this nation of good natured and accommodating people; a land of majestic Himalayan scenery comprising eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including Mt Everest: the uppermost place on earth at 29,029ft (8,848m).

Nepal is well endowed with glorious scenery - verdant terraced valleys, rushing rivers and ice-blue lakes that originate in the Himalayas. The uplifting sight of soaring mountains is a magnet for mountaineers and trekkers, offering some of the greatest challenges and most scenic walking opportunities on earth.

The Annapurna Sanctuary is the most intensely scenic short trek in Nepal. The trek starts from Pokhara, a natural jewel in the heart of the Annapurnas and winds through lush, subtropical forests and traditional farming villages. Every ridge boasts a Himalayan panorama while Annapurna South and Huinchuli soar above you. A trek up the narrow Modi Khola valley will bring you almost to the base of Machhapuchhre and into the Sanctuary where you can gaze in awe at the snow-covered peaks above and the beauty of the landscape around. Wherever you stand in the Sanctuary, the 360 degree views are unspeakably beautiful.

Director of Specialist Adventure Travel Company for women only, Women’s Own Adventure, Marika Martinez has tailored her Nepal trips to accommodate the female travelers seeking to incorporate cultural interaction and wildlife experiences with a sense of adventure. “This is why Women’s Own Adventure focuses on packaging the very essence of Nepal’s diverse scenery and culture into our adventure holiday,” she said.

Enjoy trekking in the spectacular mountain scenery through charming villages. April in Nepal and especially around the Annapurna region is the season of the brilliant rhododendron flowers. After the trek, indulge in a day of yoga and meditation in beautiful Pokhara.

Nepal’s Royal Chitwan National Park is among Asia’s most famous national parks, renowned for its dense concentration of wildlife. With images of rhinos emerging from the mists, and elephant safaris cutting across waves of tall grasses an early morning game viewing on elephant back provides the best opportunity of seeing the many animals that reside in Chitwan National Park. You will search for the white horned rhino, tigers, leopards, bears and dear. In the afternoon you can enjoy a river trip in local dug-out canoes while searching for crocodiles and the many bird species along the riverbanks.

Women’s Own Adventure is an Australian company, which specializes in adventure travel for women only.

In the company of other like-minded women there is a sense of freedom to be just ourselves, to laugh, sing, relax and chat. Women want to experience the journey and the friendships along the way, not just to conquer the mountain.

In recent years women have taken on travel experiences in a big way. More women are leaving the men at home. More than 50 percent of adventure travellers are women and most fall between ages 41 and 60, according to a 2006 survey by ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association).

Women’s Own Trekking and Wildlife Adventure in Nepal
- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Contact: Marika Martinez
Ph: 1300 883 475 or 0449 570 102
E: info@womensownadventure.com.au
W: http://www.womensownadventure,com.au/

Cultural and Historical Adventure in beautiful Sabah, Borneo

2009-03-02T15:03:00.003+11:00

If you are a woman who enjoys adventure travel, this Women's Own Adventure might be for you.

Explore a mystical land on our journey into Sabah, a place teeming with wildlife and natural beauty. Malaysian Borneo is one of nature’s most exciting playgrounds. From rugged mountain tops to idyllic islands, this land is a blueprint for true adventure. Pockets of pristine wilderness cover much of these Malaysian provinces, but there are also some fascinating modern cities and contrasting traditional villages to be explored. We visit remote communities where our local friends introduce us to their traditions and customs. You’ll remember every minute of this unforgettable adventure!

This special trip combines the best elements of a wildlife adventure, cultural interaction with the local people as well as an important moment of our history. This trip is fully escorted by renowned Historian Lynette Silver, author of the internationally acclaimed book ‘Sandakan - A Conspiracy of Silence’.

In 1942-43, over 2,500 Allied prisoners of war were transferred from Singapore to Sandakan, Borneo, to provide slave labour for an airstrip. Three years later, at war's end, only six were left alive. The fate of the others remained shrouded in uncertainty and mystery until 1998, when Lynette Silver broke the conspiracy of silence which had lasted 53 years. Join her as she unravels the story behind Sandakan's tragedy - one of world War II's most deadly secrets.

Australian history and Australians at war in the Far East have been the passion of Sydney-based author Lynette Ramsay Silver for more than 20 years. Lynette, who has published a great deal of her research, has amassed comprehensive archival material on all her specialised subjects, particularly information on the fate of many hundreds of Allied soldiers and prisoners of war who died in Borneo (Sabah) in the Sandakan and Ranau POW Camps, and on one of the infamous death marches. Using data not readily available to the general public. Lynette is able to provide replicas of POW Death Records as well as other relevant information.

Lynette will provide expert historical commentary on the Death Marches of Australian and British POW’s during World War Two. She knows the Sabah region like the back of her hand, having travelled there extensively over many years. Experienced, local English and Malaysian speaking guides also accompany this trip.

The track cut for the death marches soon became completely overgrown and for sixty years defied all efforts to locate it. However, in August 2005, Australian investigative writer and historian, Lynette Silver, and Tham Yau Kong, Sabah’s premier trekking specialist, combined their considerable talents to identify the path taken by the prisoners of war. After sixty years, you too can now walk in the footsteps of the Death March heroes.

This trip offers a unique experience for those who are reasonably fit and with a spirit of adventure. The scenery is fantastic, and the historical and cultural experiences unforgettable.

You will also learn about ancient traditions, Homestay with the Dusun people, Get close and make friends with the amazing Orangutans, Witness sea turtles lay their eggs, Trek the Mt Kinabalu Heritage Walk, Be inspired by incredible views, Stay at the Sabah Tea Plantation, Enjoy scouring the local markets in Kota Kinabalu and spoil yourself with a massage and spa treatment.

Cultural and Historical Adventure in Sabah, Borneo
12days departing 31st July 2009
Price: $2,755 (land content only)
Package Price: $4,490 (including airfares and taxes)

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Contact: Marika Martinez
Ph: 1300 883 475 or 0449 570 102
E: info@womensownadventure.com.au
W: http://www.womensownadventure.com.au/

Share Your Travel and Bushwalking Stories

2009-01-13T13:44:00.003+11:00

This blog is for you to share your travel stories with others. The stories can be as long or as short as you wish, you can make comments, or let us know of bushwalking tracks. Over to you!

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

WINNER

2008-12-08T22:58:00.008+11:00

Women's Own Adventure is the WINNER of the Working Women's Network OUTSTANDING INNOVATION, 2008 award. This was awarded to Marika Martinez on Wednesday 10th December 2008 at the Gala Dinner and Awards Night held in Killara.

Amazon Jungle, the Final Frontier

2008-10-11T09:41:00.002+11:00

Dawn in the Tambopata National Reserve, accessible only by boat, one and a half hours up river from Puerto Maldonado we find ourselves in the heart of one of the best preserved tropical rainforests in the world. The songs of hundreds of birds resonate in the ancient trees and the unique sound of the Howler Monkey reverberates in the jungle. So the peace of the early morning fog lifts in the jungles of the Peruvian Amazon.

After a 30 minute boat ride along the Tambopata River from our Eco Lodge we arrive at Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake with the anticipation of seeing for the first time the giant Otter, Caiman, Horned Screamers and an array of birdlife. The elusive Otter remained elusive this morning, however we were treated to a spectacle by the Horned Screamer and the Black Caiman while gently and silently floating across the lake.

For those with a quick reflex, a spot of fishing saw us catch Piranha from the Lake. These small fish with very sharp teeth turned out to be not quite the man eating fish that Hollywood has been known to portray, but I still would not like to be in the water with them.

The 3 days spent at the Eco Lodge were amazing, with our comfortable accommodation open to the sights and sounds of the jungle. Our group of women's own adventure travelers were treated to nature walks through the jungle where we observed the Parrot clay lick from a specially built blind. To our amazement there was a flurry of birds frightened away, and in the blink of an eye we had the absolutely unique sighting of an Ocelot (a large cat related to the Leopard) attempting to pounce on the unsuspecting Parrots and Macaws. It was right there in front of our blind, a mere 15 metres away and in clear view. We held our breath as the sighting lasted about a minute before the Ocelot disappeared back into the jungle.

That was certainly a once in a lifetime experience for us all. The Amazon Jungle, The Final Frontier was also the final part of our amazing Chile and Peru Adventure.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Machu Picchu - through the Sungate

2008-10-06T04:56:00.002+11:00

The first view of the Citadel of Machu Picchu is absolutely amazing. You cannot help but to marvel at the sight. The lost city of the Incas is built on a saddle shaped ridge slung between 2 giant peaks. Near vertical slopes drop away on either side, down to a massive bend in the Urubamba River.

Looking down at the Citadel of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate

Looking up at the Sun Gate in the top left corner of the photo

Our group of adventurous women hiked up to the spectacular Sun Gate (INTIPUNKA), this is where the Citadel is viewed for the first time by those that trek the Inca Trail.

The second day visit to the Citadel saw us catch the early bus at 5.30am from Aguas Calientes, in order to experience the quiet and mystical feel of a sunrise over the Citadel. Even though the morning was shrouded in clouds, the surreal and spiritual experience was overwhelming.

Three members of our group led by our fearless leader Jose climbed the towering Huayna Picchu which is the pinnacle peak overlooking the Citadel. Pan, Sharn and Robina achieved the very steep climb to the top in 45 minutes, from where the view is spectacular.

We enjoyed a tour detailing the fascinating history and archeology of Machu Picchu, and the rest of the morning was spent walking through the ruins imagining the life that existed there. Machu Picchu should be experienced at least once in your lifetime.

The small town built over the Urubumba River below the mountain is called Aguas Calientes (meaning Hot Waters). It enjoys hot springs, a melting pot of people and plenty of market stalls, this was our overnight stopover.

Our journey then takes us to the bustling city of Cusco, filled with restaurants, shops, churches, museums and people from all over the world.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Across the Andes to the Sacred Valley

2008-10-02T06:14:00.002+10:00

On the 28th of September we flew across the Andes mountains from Lima which is on the coast to Cusco which is in the mountains at 3,000 metres.

From here we traveled to the Sacred valley, a most beautiful valley with the Urubumba River flowing through the centre. We had the privilege of visiting the local Sunday markets in Chinchero which has got to be the most beautiful outdoor market in all of Peru, surrounded by snow capped mountains and spectacular scenery as far as the eye can see. Both Liz and myself were fortunate enough to celebrate our birthdays in this special place.

The following day we visited some of the archeological sites at Pisac and Olyantambo, along the Sacred valley. There is so much fascinating Incan history all around.

The next 2 days were spent trekking through beautiful hills and valleys with a backdrop of mountains and the most stunning vistas to arrive at a small community village where our group of Women's Own Adventure were greeted with the warmest welcome possible. As honored guests we helped the families plant 5 trees as a memorial of our visit to their community and had a wonderful opportunity to interact with these lovely people.

We stayed in their homes and spent time at the pre-school with the beautiful children. In the morning we trekked back to our lovely hotel in the Sacred valley to enjoy another wonderful Peruvian meal.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Our Chile and Peru Adventure has begun.

2008-09-27T12:25:00.002+10:00

A group of 10 women travelling with Women's Own Adventure arrived in Santiago ready to practice our Spanish and get into the culture of South America. After a walking tour of this beautiful city we visited the Pre-Columbian Art Museum which has the most amazing art pieces from the whole of South America.

Today we had the pleasure of visiting the artisan market at Pueblitos Los Dominicos where beautiful arts are crafts are made by the very talented local artisans. The variety of creative pieces is amazing.

We were then met by our local chef who took us shopping for an array of fresh seafood and herbs for our cooking class of a mouthwatering Chillean meal. The afternoon was filled with plenty of local wine, great food and lots of laughs.

Tomorrow we leave for Lima, Peru where we will be met by Carmen and a group of small children from nearby villages. With Carmens help we are able to give gifts of clothing that we have brought to Peru for the poor families.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

In the Jungles of Borneo

2008-09-06T00:09:00.002+10:00

The journey in Sabah, Borneo for our group of women adventure travellers is coming to a close after 14 days of adventures, challenges, new friends and exciting times. We have travelled by boat to our rough jungle camp on the Kinabatangan River where a night jungle walk reveled the Civet Cat near our camp. Having spotted an abundance of birdlife, monkeys and crocodiles on the river, we enjoyed a hot meal and a good nights sleep to the sounds of the jungle in hammocks.

The following day we were treated to a cooking class by the local village women where we enjoyed a sumptuous lunch and were entertained with a traditional dance. A homestay experience with local families really allowed us to appreciate the way of life in a small village.

One of the highlights of our trip was to see a large turtle lay her eggs on Turtle Island in the cool of the evening. Some 44 turtles came to lay their eggs on the island that night, with each turtle laying up to 100 eggs each.

Women's Own Adventure and the group of 11 women on this journey have jointly adopted a baby orphan Orangutan from the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. These amazing creatures are fascinating to watch as they are rehabilitated back into the jungle. The wildlife experiences in Sabah, Borneo have been fantastic in a country that has very strong conservation policies.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

We climbed Mt Kinabalu

2008-09-04T09:35:00.002+10:00

The summit of Mt Kinabalu at 4095 metres is the goal. Ten of us started the steep climb from the base at Kinabalu National Park from where the lofty peak can be seen through the fast moving clouds. The track winds over steep and rough terrain for 6km to Laban Rata at 3,250 metres, our overnight resting spot before the final 2.7km climb to the summit. The climb to Laban Rata took up to 8 hours of uphill slog. What a welcome sight was the lodge on the hill, with a hot meal and a warm bed waiting.

The final climb to the summit started at 2:30am the next morning (yes it was dark). We rugged up against the cold and climbed for up to 4 hours, I reached the summit at 6:45am to watch the beautiful sunrise. The view from the top was exhilarating and certainly worth the effort. To feel as though you are at the top of the world on a beautiful clear morning is absolutely fantastic.

However we were not done yet, as we still had another 7 hours of downhill to get back to the base of the mountain. The downhill was very hard on the legs, by the end of which we were limping along on sore knees and weary muscles. Relief was in sight in the hot springs of Poring, where we spent the next day recovering.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Good times with the Dusun people

2008-08-28T20:39:00.003+10:00

We travelled by mini bus and 4 wheel drive vehicle to the village of Kiau Nuluh which is set among the lush green forest on the mountain side. The Dusun people number around 1,000 with another 3 nearby villages. Our reception was delightful with a special performance by the mothers group and a dance by the local children. With a spectacular backdrop of the surrounding mountains it was a wonderful afternoon with many smiling faces. The evening we were treated to the most delicious dinner as special guests of the village. The array of food cooked by the women was amazing, and all from local produce of the village. Then came the very potent rice wine which soon melted away the shyness of everyones attempts at both the Malaysian and English languages. The locals all loved the opportunity of talking to us and practicing their English. There were laughs and singing all around into the night.

The next morning we enjoyed the wonderful hospitality again with breakfast and a beautiful view. A morning village walk was in store where we ascended to a high point that gave us our first view of Mt Kinabalu, the peak forming an awesome rocky outcrop that would regularly disappear into the clouds. This will be our challenge in 2 days time!

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

ARRIVING IN SABAH

2008-08-24T01:21:00.002+10:00

Our group of 11 adventurous women from as far afield as Esperance in Western Australia, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney landed at Kota Kinabalu on Friday 22nd August, 2008. We spent our first day and a half exploring the local markets (always a favourite) where beautiful batiks and sarongs were bargained for. The early morning was spent taking a speed boat to 3 of the nearby islands while the water was smooth as glass. The first island was our very own with no other people on it. The sand is white and the water is the most gorgeous turquoise in the shallows, here we happily swam and floated in the warm waters. What a joy after the wet and cold of Sydney. After exploring and swimming on the third island the boat ride back to port felt wonderful with the wind in our hair, the salt spray of the sea on our faces and the sun on our backs.

A little more time was spent exploring the local shops then for me and some of the others, a reflexology session was in order. An hour long foot massage...heaven. Tonight we are celebrating 2 birthdays, so there will be a special dinner with some local Lyche wine and a birthday cake. A celebration for us all!

The Malaysian people are friendly and beautiful. It is a joy to walk the streets and the markets without being harassed by street vendors.

Tomorrow we travel to the base of Mt Kinabalu and will stay in the homes of the Dusun people.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Sabah Advenuture in Borneo

2008-08-16T19:28:00.002+10:00

We are to begin our Women's Own Adventure trip to Borneo on 22nd August. This trip will see us climb Mt Kinabalu. There are 11 women adventurers, 6 from Western Australia, 1 from Queensland and 4 from New South Wales. I will keep this blog updated during our trip.

- signing off, Marika Martinez - Women's Own Adventure

Hope Within - a very special story

2008-07-09T13:14:00.003+10:00

Cancer. The very word is pregnant with emotion, with sadness, with fear. But as these three women share their very different experiences, they reveal that out of sorrow can come hope, joy and an unshakable belief in the strength of the human spirit.Words

When Samantha Naudin was having chemotherapy this year, her son, Wilsen, knew exactly how to cheer her up. For each of the six treatments, Wilsen carefully etched a branch on his powerfully colourful healing tree to help his mum and her recovery. That tree is a testament to the difficult road to recovery. Then came the 30 doses of radiation therapy. Difficult to create another tribute for his mum’s triumphs in the face of adversity? Not for a five-year-old.To Sam’s puzzlement, Wilsen suggested a giraffe. A giraffe with no spots. But now, after her last treatment, the formerly spotless giraffe is complete, with Wilsen’s tenderly coloured circles celebrating the end of another round of treatment. It also celebrates the life and love of his mother suffering from cancer.Cancer. The word carries so much weight.

If you peer into the eyes of people who are suffering there is pain, stress and, more importantly, fear. Cancer is an unpredictable disease and affects vast swathes of people with an estimated 106,000 cases diagnosed in Australia each year.Sam’s is just one of those cases that cause trauma and torment. “That random thing where it could happen to anyone. People were thrown that here’s Sam at 43, fit and active, the world is spinning and she’s laughing all the time. That’s cruel and awful, but cancer doesn’t discriminate,” she explains. Its effects are far-reaching, not limited to those who endure the shock of diagnosis, hours of treatment, hideous side-effects and an anxious wait for the all-clear. These are the most frustrating things about cancer: worry, fear and waiting.

Then there’s hope.Sam Naudin has a reason to celebrate her last radiation therapy for aggressive grade three breast cancer. There is only a 30 per cent chance of a relapse. Good odds for the former athlete and mother of two – Wilsen and Lili, now 2. “For me, to actually lose a breast was not a big issue,” Sam says. “But to go home and tell my 21-month-old she wasn’t able to breastfeed any more was enormous.” Sam’s “whirlwind” journey started last November. After discovering a lump “that felt like a golf ball” under her arm, she thought something was wrong. “I went from running 5-10km a day to not even being able to walk up the road,” she remembers.The doctors, thinking it was benign mastitis and an infection, prescribed antibiotics for a few months.

The mammograms, blood tests and scans were unclear. “Because I was still breastfeeding, there was so much milk that they couldn’t tell what was happening. But from there, I just got really sick,” says Sam who, despite the exhaustion and pain, continued to care for her children and teach learning support at Sunshine High School.Things changed after the biopsy. “The afternoon doctor call. The four o’clock call. They leave the really good ones until last,” Sam says, unable to resist injecting some humour. “The doctor rang and said, ‘I don’t have good news’. And I said, ‘I know I’ve got cancer’. I knew something was wrong and almost wanted her to tell me that something was wrong because I was so ill.”

From then on, it was tense. “It was telling my partner of nearly 15 years that I had breast cancer. It was telling my family and friends. It was telling work colleagues. It was kind of surreal because it felt like I was sitting in the control box and I knew I’ve got to do something about this. And everyone around me just crumpled. And they’d cry. I suppose they shared that feeling of not being able to do anything.”Her diagnosis came on Valentine’s Day, an irony that isn’t wasted on Sam. “Oh great. Woo hoo. Happy Valentine’s Day.” Scheduled for a week later, surgery took out the right breast and 16 lymph nodes, two of them cancerous.

After surgery, the regular rounds of chemo and the long trail of daily radiation therapy were “tormenting”. “The first round of chemo knocked me so hard I didn’t want to go back again. And I’ve run marathons and had two difficult childbirths,” she shakes her head. “But I tell you what, if they hadn’t said this will save your life, I wouldn’t have gone back again.” Because the therapy can last hours, Sam loaded herself with books and a sketchbook, but this proved futile. To prevent problems with her fingers and toes during chemotherapy, she had to wear over-sized mittens to stop her doing anything with her hands. “The chemo is so lethal, it can lift the nails off the nailbeds,” she explains. “It was unbelievable torture, but the thought of my nails coming off was enough for me to just sit there and go, ‘You know what, someone will read to me’.”“It’s such bubbly disgusting stuff,” Sam continues, in a rush of horrific images. “When they hook you up to this bottle and you’ve come from a lifetime where you’ve trained and known everything you put in your body. Then, all of a sudden, this toxic thing gets hung above you. And the person who’s hanging it is in a suit that looks like they’re going to the moon. If anyone drops any of it, it’s like run for your life. And that is what’s going inside you. It was so hard to get my head around the fact this stuff was going to help me.”As if that wasn’t enough, Sam’s partner, Mandy, left after the third round of chemotherapy. “It was fright and flight,” Sam says, her vibrant spirit muted for a second. “Look, it still makes it really difficult that in your greatest time of need, someone who’s known you for that long steps out.”

But her mum stepped in. Helen, 70, has nothing but praise for her daughter. “I am so proud of Sam because of everything she has gone through.” Helen has moved into an extension at the house to be close to her daughter and, despite her age, isn’t slowing down. “Mum’s this exercising, aerobics, cardio-funk, dancing thing. She’s full of energy. She’s wild,” Sam laughs. Although her mum’s love of ironing is “a bit weird”, she’s been a big help.Helen, in tandem with their extended family and friends, has supported Sam through her difficult time. “These people are making a big difference to making me want to get up and not ever letting go of the belief in the fact that I would survive this,” Sam says. It is touching to see such tenacity. Sam’s drive and determination are infectious but it is her positive spirit that beams. Although the past eight months have writ enormous changes in lifestyle and taken her from an athletic buxom girl to a shadow of herself at just 50kg, she maintains her optimism.

During her therapy, she kept a journal and some words radiate from the pages: I am grateful for this experience. I must now add to this happiness. Life seems like it’s going in the direction of that shining light. Here I am again sitting in ‘you can do it’ mode. “There are times. My God, I’ve sat in the corner of my wardrobe and cried so hard and thought I’d never come out again,” she recalls. “But normality seems to keep things flowing. “The whole way through this experience, my two and five-year-old kept me grounded. Because if I think about the past and how difficult it’s been and I look at what my future is going to look like, it can be quite daunting. But then my kids will ask me ‘What’s for lunch?’ They kick you into the now.” Her journey has inspired those around her. A friend lost 20kg after taking up running; others push themselves further in their sports or make appointments for checks. Now, Sam gets to “come back as a healthier me, that’s for sure”.“For me, support, motivation and getting me back on track is about athletes,” Sam admits, allowing glimpses of her indomitable strength. “It’s the whole scope of looking after each other as well. I missed that a little bit when I was racing at a high level. I thought it was about me; I’ve got to win. I thought that was the important part. When really, the important part was being out with a whole crew of people and the people behind you making it happen.”Her inspiration has come from sources as diverse as fellow cancer sufferers Lance Armstrong and Raelene Boyle to Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive. Family as well. Sam sees it as a blessing to “hold the hands of my children through this time”.

However, she’s not looking forward to some things: “I’ve got to shave my legs again. It’s such a pain.” With a low chance of relapse, Sam does not feel like she’s in “a bad space”. Indeed, her motivation is ingrained in her favourite quote, “Keep moving forward until you can look back with joy”. She explains her philosophy in her own humble words, “You’ve got to be laughing and having fun at the same time. You can’t stay in the black hole”. And her return to full health? “Imagine what I’m going to be like when I’m firing on all cylinders.”

samantha naudin
inspired by your website and the opportunities for women to explore the world!

naudov3@bigpond.com

Machu Picchu Peru - a History Lesson

2008-07-02T22:30:00.004+10:00

Everything about Machu Picchu makes you marvel that it ever came to exist. The lost city of the Incas is built on a saddle-shaped ridge slung between two giant peaks. Near vertical slopes drop away on either side, down to a massive bend in the Urubamba River. Machu Picchu was constructed around 1450, at the height of the Inca Empire. It was abandoned less than 100 years later. It is likely that most of its inhabitants were wiped out by smallpox before the Spanish conquistadores arrived.

Machu Picchu was hidden by jungle since the 16th century until it was rediscovered in 1911.

Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As Peru’s most visited tourist attraction and major revenue generator, it is continually threatened by economic and commercial forces. In the late 1990s, the Peruvian government granted concessions to allow the construction of a cable car to the ruins and development of a luxury hotel, including a tourist complex with boutiques and restaurants. These plans were met with protests from scientists, academics and the Peruvian public, worried that the greater numbers of visitors would pose tremendous physical burdens on the ruins.
A growing number of people visit Machu Picchu (400,000 in 2003). For this reason, there were protests against a plan to build a further bridge to the site and a no-fly zone exists in the area .UNESCO is considering putting Machu Picchu on its list of endangered World Heritage Sites.
The population of Machu Picchu is believed to have numbered over a thousand and the people were so distant from other settlements that they would have produced much of their own food. This accounts for the intricately terraced fields, which have survived remarkably intact thanks to the care and skill that went into their construction. Maize and potatoes were grown, and advanced irrigation techniques were used to ensure that rainwater didn’t just run off down the hill to the Urumbamba River far below.

Most of the construction in Machu Picchu uses the classic Inca architectural style of polished dry-stone walls of regular shape. The Incas were masters of this technique, called ashlar, in which blocks of stone are cut to fit together tightly without mortar. The Incas were among the best stone masons the world has seen, and many junctions in the central city are so perfect that not even a knife fits between the stones.
Other Inca buildings have been built using mortar, but by Inca standards that was quick, shoddy construction. Peru is a highly seismic land, and mortar-free construction was more earthquake-resistant than using mortar. Inca walls show numerous subtle design details that would prevent them from collapsing in an earthquake. Doors and windows are trapezoidal and tilt inward from bottom to top, corners are usually rounded, inside corners often incline slightly into the rooms, and "L" shaped blocks are often used to tie outside corners together. Walls do not rise straight from top to bottom but are offset slightly from row to row. As a result, Machu Picchu is a city that has stood up well to earthquakes over the years.

The Incas never used the wheel in any practical manner. How they moved and placed enormous blocks of stones is a mystery, although the general belief is that they used hundreds of men to push the stones up inclined planes. A few of the stones still have knobs on them that could have been used to lever them into position. After they were placed, the Incas would have sanded the knobs away.

The space is composed of 140 constructions including temples, sanctuaries, parks and residences (houses with thatched roofs). There are more than one hundred flights of stone steps – often completely carved from a single block of granite – and a great number of water fountains, interconnected by channels and water-drainages perforated in the rock, designed for the original irrigation system. Evidence has been found to suggest that the irrigation system was used to carry water from a holy spring to each of the houses in turn.

According to archaeologists, the urban sector of Machu Picchu was divided into three great districts: the Sacred District, the Popular District, to the south, and the District of the Priests and the Nobility.

Located in the first zone are the primary archaeological treasures: the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun and the Room of the Three Windows. These were dedicated to Inti, their sun god and greatest deity. The Popular District, or Residential District, is the place where the lower class people lived. It includes storage buildings and simple houses to live in.

In the royalty area, a sector existed for the nobility: a group of houses located in rows over a slope; the residence of the Amautas (wise persons) was characterized by its reddish walls, and the zone of the Ñustas (princesses) had trapezoid-shaped rooms. The Monumental Mausoleum is a carved statue with a vaulted interior and carved drawings. It was used for rites or sacrifices.

As part of their road system, the Inca built a road to Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail.
No one knows for sure why Machu Picchu was built. Some surmise that it was a royal or religious retreat for one of the Inca rulers. Certainly its remote location and altitude of nearly 2500 metres would seem to rule out any trade or military function. Whatever its use, the obvious effort that went into its construction indicates that it was considered important and held in high regard by those who created it.

View our Peru Adventure to Machu Picchu

WOMEN TO KNOW

2008-06-22T10:39:00.009+10:00

Kay Cottee
Solo Round the World Sailor

It was a childhood dream and a love for the sea that drove Kay Cottee towards her goal of being the first woman to sail alone, non-stop and unassisted around the world.

Twenty years ago in June 1988, Kay Cottee returned to Sydney a heroine, not just for sailors, but for women. Sailing Blackmores First Lady, a 37 foot cavalier she built herself, Kay covered over 22,000 nautical miles of the world’s oceans and around the 5 great Capes in the Southern Hemisphere. During the 189 days at sea with only a radio for company, she did not eat fresh food and woke almost every hour (or less) to check her course, to scan the horizon for ships and to ensure the sails were trimmed.
Kay survived seas of over 80 feet, winds of 100 knots, rudder and boom damage and First Lady was almost run down by a tanker!

Kay set seven world records on this incredible voyage, and has become a source of inspiration to thousands of people worldwide. When Kay Cottee's voyage ended, the accolades began. She was named the Bi-Centennial Australian of the Year in 1988, made an Officer of the Order of Australia and is the second only ever recipient of the Cutty Stark Medal - UK.
Kay’s words .. “get out there and give it a go”.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Sydney Mother and Daughter Team climb Mt Everest

2008-05-31T21:50:00.004+10:00

Cheryl and Nikki Bart have just become the first mother and daughter duo to climb Mount Everest.
They reached the 8850-metre summit of the world's tallest mountain just before 9am Sydney time on 24th May. The remarkable pair - dubbed "Oz Chicks With Altitude" on their website - set out for their latest adventure on April 1. They have now climbed the tallest peak in each of the seven continents. Mrs Bart and her 23-year-old daughter received oxygen as they took in the view from the top of the world.

The eastern suburbs pair had to contend with delays on their trek - aside from minus-30 degree temperatures and a lack of oxygen - including stopping for the Olympic torch relay. Their communications gear was temporarily confiscated amid the tight security surrounding the relay.

Mrs Bart, a mother of two, lawyer and board director, says on the website that she enjoys heliskiing, snowboarding and rock climbing. Nikki is a sixth-year University of NSW medical student and co-chairwoman of the Medical Students' Aid Project, which donates medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to Third World hospitals. She spends her spare time volunteering on charitable projects, skiing, snowboarding and participating in outdoor sporting competitions.

The Barts have already climbed Australia's Mount Kosciuszko (at 2228 metres), Antarctica's Vinson Massif (4892 metres), South America's Aconcagua (6962 metres), Africa's Kilimanjaro (5895 metres), North America's McKinley-Denali (6194 metres) and Europe's Mount Elbrus (5642 metres).

"Sometimes we are mother and daughter and other times we are like sisters."

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Share Bushwalks in your area

2008-05-07T21:29:00.002+10:00

This is the place to post a great bushwalk in your area. This can then be shared with others.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Share Your Travel Stories

2008-04-14T23:00:00.001+10:00

We would love to hear about your own travel adventures. Share your stories with us here; the good ones, the bad ones and the funny ones.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Favourite Quotes

2008-04-14T22:47:00.001+10:00

Please add your favourite quote!

'It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn - which is what life is all about.'
- Oprah Winfrey (1954 - ), Oprah Magazine, May 2004

'Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing at all' - helen keller

'Not all those who wander are lost' - j.r.r.tolkein

“I came to your shore as a stranger, I lived in your house as
a guest, I leave the door as a friend”
- Rabindranath Tagore

"Nothing in life is accidental. How you deal with the tragedies & opportunities offered, is the measure of your success"
- Joy Joyce

"She soars with eagles and navigates by rainbows"- Lesley Hazleton

"We make a living by what we get...We make a life by what we give" - Winston Churchill

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Adventure Travel to Chile and Peru

2008-02-25T07:16:00.004+11:00

In Chile you will discover the beautiful arts and crafts centre and enjoy a culinary tour.
In Peru, you will be awestruck by Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. These are truely the most inspiring and most beautiful sights. You will learn of the history and archeology of the ancient cultures, discover the techniques and designs of the ceramics and weaving. One of the highlights of this trip is a 2 day Misminay Indian Community trek through spectacular scenery surrounded by mountains to arrive at 3,700m altitude to the village. Another highlight of this adventure is the 4 days spent in the Amazon jungle.

To find out more, click here

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Adventure tourism grows in popularity

2008-02-10T07:49:00.001+11:00

(Thursday, 07 February 2008) - Written by MEGAN K. SCOTT, Associated Press Writer - Last Updated ()

Forget the tan, the Mickey Mouse photos and the cliche souvenirs.

These days, travelers want to experience something more than the gated resort and the cruise ship buffet. They want to go on a walking tour, climb a mountain and kayak down a river — adventures that can make a vacation more meaningful.
"In travel, people are increasingly seeking the authentic unique experiences that stretch the imagination and create potent memories that last a lifetime," says Chris Doyle, vice president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). According to the organization, adventure travel is the fastest growing segment of the leisure travel industry.

Of course, adventure is in the eye of the traveler, and ranges from a walking tour to whitewater rafting. But because of that, it remains relatively unaffected by the weak dollar and economic downturn, says David Larkin, managing director of AdventureUs.com, a social networking and directory for adventure travelers.

Here, according to the experts, are some of the latest trends in adventure travel.

GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS: More women are leaving the men at home. More than 50 percent of adventure travelers are women and most fall between ages 41 and 60, according to a 2006 survey by the ATTA. "We used to think of active holidays for 20-somethings," says Evelyn Hannon, creator of journeywoman.com, an online travel resource for women. "Now it's not unheard of for 50- and 60-year-olds to be going kayaking, mountain climbing, surfing."

VOLUNTEER VACATIONS: Combining volunteerism with vacation continues to be a growing trend; Global Volunteers saw a 30 percent increase in participation last year, according to co-founder Michele Gran. Baby boomers still rule, she says, but the fastest growing demographic in the last 18 months has been people under age 20, more than likely baby boomers who bring their children with them.

EXPEDITIONARY TRAVEL: More people are helping researchers through the Earthwatch Institute, an international volunteer organization supporting science. Expeditions include surveying coral reefs on a remote Bahamian island or feeding and caring for cheetahs in Namibia. Most of the trips are two weeks, and no special training is required. (Exceptions may be trips that require scuba-diving certification or a high fitness level). Other examples include
conservation-minded tours to watch giant sea turtles lay their eggs in coastal areas of the southeastern U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica.

CHARITY TRAVEL: Think an extreme version of a walkathon. Venture Expeditions, a Christian-based organization, sponsors trips to raise awareness and funds for various organizations, such as biking through Thailand to raise money for an orphanage. Travelers pay for the trip and then make a minimum donation to the charity.

ACTION-PACKED VACATIONS: Some people call action-packed vacations "The Bucket List" for the movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, two terminally ill patients who want to complete a list of things to do before they kick the bucket. Ultimate 5 Lifetime Adventures packs five of what it calls the World's greatest adventures into one week: a military-developed Ropes Challenge Course, skydiving, Indy car racing, rappelling and piloting a primary combat trainer aircraft.

FAMILY ADVENTURE VACATIONS: Some families (including multigenerational) are forgoing theme parks and all inclusive
resorts for "more genuine nature-based, cultural, and education and learning excursions," says Doyle. He attributes this in part to baby boomers who have the means to travel "coupled with a strong interest in bonding more deeply with families." GordonsGuide.com, a Web site on adventure and active travel, says the top vacation requests are all family friendly — dude and guest ranches, houseboat rentals, whitewater rafting and horse pack trips and trail rides.

SOFT ADVENTURE VACATIONS: An increasing number of people are choosing a vacation that centers around a theme, such as a culinary tour in Asia or wine vacation in Israel. Yoga has also seeped into the mix. Best of Both Women's Adventures has yoga on all of its trips and a specific yoga and surf vacation in Puerto Rico. (Surfing is one of the top activities that women want to do, says Dez Bartelt, co-founder of Best of Both Women's Adventures.) Other combinations include yoga and snowboarding or yoga and wine tasting.

EXPEDITION CRUISING: Look for more people to take expedition cruises to Antarctica, the Galapagos and Alaska, says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com, three places that are hard to see without sailing there. The cruises, while less glitzy than big ship cruise lines, include lectures and presentations about the place. "On an expedition cruise, everything revolves really around what you see off the ship," says Brown. "On the big ship cruises, everything revolves around what happens on board and the ports are sort of an addendum."

ROOTS VACATIONS: With an increasing number of people swabbing their cheek to find their roots, some are taking it a step further and traveling to the places where their ancestors lived. Discover Natural Ancestry (amazingdna.com) not only provides DNA analysis and genealogy services, it puts people in touch with tour operators who plan the trip for them. "If they are breathing, then they have a genetic story hidden within them and we help them to discover and explore the unknown secrets about their heritage," says Yvonne Walker, marketing director for Discover Natural Ancestry.

AFRICAN TRAVEL: While the Kenya Tourist Board says the sporadic and isolated violence has calmed and tourists were never in danger (the situation was internal and occurred in places where tourists generally don't go), there has been a downturn in tourism in Kenya and some spillover to other countries in East Africa, says Wil Smith, director of Deeper Africa, a tour operator with trips to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

"I believe the bounce back in the neighboring countries is going to be swift," he says. "I think it's probably going to take
best scenario, six months for Kenya to recover."

When the region recovers, look for more people to go gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda; visit Ethiopia, an emerging
destination, and climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, before the snow on its peak, which has been gradually receding, disappears.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Join us for a social bushwalk

2008-02-04T22:58:00.000+11:00

For those of you who are based in Sydney, you may be interested in joining us on a free bushwalk on Sunday 17th February.

The walk will be in Kurring-gai National Park, and I will email details of where to meet by the end of this week. We are planning to start at 9am and finish at approximately 3pm.

If you are interested in joining us, please email me at marika@womensownadventure.com.au if you havn't already, so that I know who to expect.

Chile and Peru Adventure trip to be launched

2008-02-04T22:56:00.000+11:00

If you have been wanting to go to South America, this is THE trip to Peru.
You will spend 2 days in Chile first visiting the beautiful arts and crafts center in Pueblito de Los Dominicos where over 120 craftspeople work at their art in public view. You will learn the secrets and history of classic Chilean cuisine in beautiful surroundings during the culinary tour, visit the local farmers markets and prepare outstanding Chilean meals under the direction of our Chef.

In Peru, you will be awestruck by Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. These are truely the most inspiring and most beautiful sights that I have even seen. You will learn of the history and archeology of the ancient cultures, explore the local ceramic studio to discover the techniques and designs from ancient Peruvian cultures.

One of the highlights of this trip is a 2 day Misminay Indian Community trek through spectacular scenery surrounded by mountains to arrive at 3,700m altitude to the village. The local people will treat you to a welcome tea and show you traditional weaving techniques. Here, the children of the village are friendly and curious. Lunch will be at the community.

Another highlight of this adventure is the 4 days spent in the Amazon jungle. Here you will be transported up the river to the native community of Infierno. You will be treated to an amazing array of birds, mammals, reptiles, giant river otters, butterflies and amphibians. Enjoy canopy tower walks, wildlife viewing through the jungle and a night walk. Once again you will contribute to the community and interact with the local children while being treated to special dance and musical performances.

This will be an amazing trip, one that will leave a deep impression.

We have only 16 places for this trip. Please let me know if you are interested.

The trip is scheduled for late September to early October for 15 days. I will post prices once the airfares are finalised in the next couple of days.

Interview on ABC radio

2008-01-22T21:51:00.000+11:00

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Belinda Sanders during her morning program on ABC radio. As the first Australian specialist adventure travel company for women only, I was interviewed regarding the travel trends of women and how we fill a gap in the market for Australian women, particularly in the 40 to 60 age bracket.

Who is the adventure seeking woman?

2008-01-22T21:41:00.001+11:00

According to the world travel and tourism council "The adventure seeking woman" has purchasing power. She crosses all ages, family configurations and fitness levels. She's carving time in her schedule and finding wiggle room in her budget for new adventures that involve everything from rock climbing to Tuscan cooking.

According to research conducted for the Ministry of Tourism in New Zealand - women constitute the dominant market for the packaged, overnight adventure tourism industry, typically comprising more than 60% of all participants.

Our survey has revealed that women are searching for cultural interaction, wildlife encounters with short treks as well as being pampered. These are the most sought after travel experiences.

There seem to be many women in society now who are either single or who have partners with different interests. As women, we have focused on our families for the past 20 years, have worked hard and are now ready to meet our own personal challenges and experience as much as we can. We are fit and healthy and want to explore more.

Many of our friends may not be in a position to travel with us, or have different interests as well, yet we don’t want to travel on our own. We are searching for something different, but in good company.

The important aspect is to provide women with a product that will enable them to overcome a range of social, time and societal barriers which may otherwise restrict them from participating in Adventure travel.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Paragliding, first cross country flight

2008-01-20T22:24:00.001+11:00

I could hear the high pitched sound of my vario going beep.beep.beep as I looked around me and found myself alone at 1,000 metres above launch. The radio came to life with “Marika, remember that height is your friend”.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, the other pilots were all landing. From my birds eye view, I could see one had landed in a tree (resulting in a broken arm), another had just landed between the trees on a narrow dirt track and the third was losing height very rapidly. None of my friends had time to land in the bomb-out field.

With only a few strings and a piece of material over my head I managed to take control of the fear that was gripping me. This was my first solo inland flight, and I was not supposed to be so high or so alone. I fought against the deep seated desire to land and be close to the ground, instead, as I felt the next thermal and heard the high pitched sound of my vario again, I leaned far over to the right, pulled down on my right brake and steadied my wing slightly with the left brake. Circling in the thermal and gaining more height I started to feel in control and my mind was totally focused on the task at hand…fly the paraglider.

The mountain that I launched from was now far below me as I straightened out my glider and headed to the next ridge. Beyond these mountains lay beautiful green paddocks. I kept my eye on a distant country road and one of the paddocks along side it. Approaching from high, the farmhouse looked very small and I remembered how important it was to keep a watch for the powerlines running from the farmhouse to the road. These powerlines are almost impossible to see, so I knew to keep away from the most logical path. I wanted to land as close to the road as possible, while avoiding the barbed wire fence and the powerlines. Circling above my anticipated landing spot to gauge the wind speed and direction, I put into action all that I had learned and positioned myself into wind then flared my wing for a perfect landing.

After my radio call back to the retrieve vehicle, informing them of my position from the GPS, I was absolutely elated and brimming with a grin so wide that I could hardly contain myself. I had mastered my first cross country flight, totally on my own, making all of my own decisions, and yes, in a paraglider, height is definitely your friend.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Australian women are travelling

2007-12-27T17:05:00.001+11:00

Women – young, old, single, married, widowed, mothers, active working women, adventurous grandmothers - Australian women are travelling overseas in ever-increasing numbers.

Here are some interesting observations:
Of those who currently take nature, adventure or cultural trips, 75% are women.
The average adventure traveller is not a 28-year old male, but a 47-year-old female.
70% of all travel decisions are made by women,
Regardless of:
who they travel with,
who pays for the trip,
or where they go,
A woman is the decision maker.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Making Connections

2007-12-26T22:20:00.001+11:00

When on holiday, leave those business cards behind. Instead carry colourful postcards from home and give your new acquaintances a glimpse of where you live. Relevant contact info can be printed on the reverse.

Carry ball-point pens for the kiddies you meet. In some Third World destinations young irresistible children will beg you for candy. Why help to rot their teeth? Instead, before you leave home, check your local phone book for those companies that personalize ball-point pens. They generally have no use for their misprinted stock and will be happy to give you some free of charge. Bright texta colours and blank exercise books are also well received by the children.

www.womensownadventure.com.au

Backpacks - a female invention?

2007-12-26T22:08:00.001+11:00

The backpack is probably the most practical piece of luggage ever invented by man. Or more likely woman, who probably devised the first one to lug babies around in. Consider the advantages of a backpack:
· It leaves your hands free so you can fumble around for your tickets and passport more easily.
· It usually has neat little pockets that are ideal for hiding dirty socks.
· It can often pass the carry-on-luggage test at airports.
· And you don't have to put it down on wet dirty floors whenever (and however) nature calls
(Source: Paul Waters, Travel Editor, Montreal Gazette, May 1998)

www.womensownadventure.com.au