There are frequent buses into Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, from  Johannesburg and Nelspruit (where you’ll be able to visit the Kruger National Park) Nelspruit in South Africa, minibuses from Durban and from Manzini, Swaziland. You can also fly to Mozambique, but flights can be pricey.

Spend a couple of nights in Maputo, a city that bears the scars of a civil war, reminders of Portuguese colonization, but also shows forward propulsion to becoming a world class city. You’ll want to walk the streets, eat seafood at the local fish market, drink local brew and visit the museums to understand the country’s past. However, it won’t be long before you want to head up coast to find palm trees, warm blue seas and white beaches.

Mozambique has five star luxury accommodation, but it is also home to some of the best backpackers I’ve ever stayed in, meaning you don’t have to have gambled on Jackpot Capital Casino Online to afford big meals and great accommodation. Starting in Maputo, a reputable backpacker’s is Fatima’s. Conveniently, Fatima’s Nest can also be found in Tofo, Inhambane, the first great beach town up the coast. But there are plenty of others to choose from.

Driving in Mozambique is not advised. Between challenging roads and difficult policemen and old landmines off road, there are plenty of shuttle services operated by backpacker hostels. There is also a local bus service – a journey which will include travelling with livestock, coconuts and people sharing seats; an adventure guaranteed.

Head north. Tofo is popular – it’s one of the best places in the world to swim with whale sharks, a great surfing spot, or just a great place to hang out in one of the hammocks on the beach. Further north, Vilanculos is another backpacker-friendly spot. Here, the beaches are whiter, the water warmer and temperature higher.

Here, you can take a traditional Dhow to the Bazaruto Archipeligo, and enjoy world class snorkeling. Vilanculos is quite rural, so you’ll be walking on sandy roads to the market and bartering for sarongs, eating fresh fruit and cashew nuts.

Mozambique has seen an investment into its tourism industry. It is an extremely affordable country that offers enough third world adventure to match its world class picturesque beaches. It’s an affordable option for South Africans, so an extremely affordable for anyone carrying the dollar or euro and a worthy detour from your trip to Southern Africa.

Kenya

Yes, Kenya is an obvious choice to volunteer abroad in Africa. But the project you choose doesn’t have to be – like living and working with the renowned Masai tribe of warriors.
You’ll live alongside the villagers and be a part of a host family’s daily life – helping with cooking, washing, looking after the livestock, playing with the children, even taking part in Masai celebrations. You could also get involved in teaching at the local school, or at the hospital if you have medical experience.
In your free time you can explore nearby Nairobi or even go hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara reserve. Many volunteers take the time after their placement to experience more of this beautiful, scenic country – taking in a famous wildlife safari, snorkelling in the Indian Ocean or even climbing Mt Kilimanjaro!

Morocco

The Saharan dunes, the Marrakesh markets, the High Atlas mountains, the picture-perfect coast – volunteering gives you a unique opportunity to discover the real Morocco beyond the tourist trails.

Based in bustling Marrakesh, there are a number of experiences you can take part in – helping with a street kids project, running rural sports sessions, working in a children’s home or teaching in a remote Berber village. You don’t have to be qualified in anything except enthusiasm, friendliness and a desire to make a difference – which you will, far more than you can imagine.

In your free time you can try and come to grips with the maze of Marrakesh’s souks, head off into the desert on a camel trek to a Bedouin camp or visit the popular coastal resorts of Essasouira and Agadir.

Ghana

A world away from the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh, tropical Ghana is one of the most peaceful, relaxed places in Africa.
The volunteering options are equally relaxed and open, where you can pick and choose from teaching in schools, caring for younger children in day nurseries, running sports activities, building projects or community outreach healthcare placements for medical and nursing students.

Every weekend you’ll have free time to explore the area – from local trips to the must-see Kwahu Tafo waterfall to a mini-safari break at Mole National Park to see elephants, giraffes and more. You could also enjoy a weekend break on the Gold Coast or discover the often-bypasses neighbouring countries of Togo and Burkina Faso.

South Africa

Like Kenya, South Africa might seem like a too popular, too obvious choice for volunteering in Africa – but are you going to let silly notions like that keep you from the rare experience of working hands-on with cute, lovable monkeys?

A monkey sanctuary near Pretoria urgently needs help with the injured, orphaned and elderly monkeys they care for, many of which cannot be returned to the wild as they have been kept as pets and then abandoned.

You’ll have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the monkeys’ care, from bottle feeding to stimulation activities, behaviour monitoring to medical care.
And you’ll have free time to take in the sights that South Africa is justly famous for – Kruger National Park, Table Top mountain, Johannesburg, Cape Town, not to mention just enjoying the amazing scenery this diverse country has to offer.

Uganda

In rural Uganda, there’s a chance to get stuck in and help an exciting school and community project get off the ground – whether it’s working with children at the fast-growing school, getting involved at the local hospital or helping a local family on their farm.

Everything is on site, so you can make yourself truly at home in your shared African-style hut and become a real part of the community, experiencing its local culture and traditions in a relaxed setting.

In your free time you can explore the untouched tropical rainforest, visit the local villages and markets and go on an organised safari in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. And at the end of your placement, if your budget will stretch to it, you could go on a once-in-a-lifetime trek to see the gorillas in the mist.

About the author
Shannon Forbush is an American who has ‘volunteered’ to live in the UK for the past umpteen years. She’s a freelance writer by trade, traveller by nature, with swimming in the Dead Sea currently being her most recommended travel experience.

On our second night sleeping under the desert stars, one of our Bedouin guides who spoke English told us about the tribes traditions and history.

“Many members of our tribe are born deaf,” he explained. “So we all use sign language to communicate.”

He cupped his hand around his chin.

“Man,” he said, explaining the signal, derived from the fact that all the men have beards. “Woman,” he said, using his hand to cover his face from his nose down. Women in the Bedouin tribe wear clothes to cover everything but their eyes.

“This one is important,” he said, as freshly cooked rice and chicken was passed around and threatened to distract us from our lesson in sign language. “I want…” he began, hooking his right index finger towards his belly button, “…to pee,” he finished, pointing his finger in the direction his pee would travel.

I remembered this lesson as I rocked gently with the rhythm of my camel on our fifth day of trekking. Zayed, who was holding the frayed rope lead of my camel, was walking slowly ahead of me. I’d practiced my sign language on him the night before, asking for sugar in my tea by tapping on my tooth. (The Bedouin know that sugar rots your teeth…) But with the language barrier, we hadn’t managed to communicate much, and I had a sudden thought:

If Zayed is deaf, how do I get his attention to sign that I need to pee?

Just as I was beginning to panic that I’d be stuck up there, bursting, forever, Zayed turned around and smiled at me.

“I want to pee!” I signed quickly. He laughed at my desperate expression, and nodded.

We found a stone mound, behind which I could hide my modesty, and Zayed stopped my camel. You may well have heard that getting on a camel is a bit of challenge. But getting off, even if you’re not in need of the loo, is a whole lot worse. Think bucking bronco slash violent rollercoaster. But Zayed helped, and I made it down just in time.

A couple of minutes later, we were back at the rear of the group. Looking at the impossible sharp mountain peaks in the distance, I sighed to myself:

“Goodness this is beautiful.”

Daisy is a freelance writer and an avid traveller who has recently grown some roots in Paris. She likes nothing better than to pack up a backpack, set a destination, and get totally lost on the way. Which is pretty much exactly what happened when she decided to trek across the Sinai desert with a group of friends.

Cheap air flights are available into most of the larger cities in East Africa such as Nairobi, making all the countries of East Africa very accessible to backpackers and budget travelers.

Land of superlatives: Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the most popular countries in the whole of Africa, home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the Islands of Zanzibar, the natural wonders of the Serengeti, Lake Victoria and the wide expanse of the Ngorongoro Crater.  As well-traveled as the country is, it is still easy to get off the beaten track and enjoy some rarely-seen sights, including Lake Manyara National Park, the Usanbara Mountains and Tukuyu, and the underrated climbing alternative to Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru. The fifth-highest mountain in Africa, Mount Meru is a shorter trip than Kili, less expensive and more scenic.  Another beautiful and little-traveled area is the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Rich bio-diversity, rare species and several hiking trails are all found there and are accessible from nearby Mikumi.

Malawi’s “Calendar Lake”

Landlocked Malawi is home to the beautiful Lake Malawi, known as Lake Nyassa in bordering Tanzania.  The lake is very popular with backpackers, offering up warm golden beaches and accommodations to suit the most meager of budgets.  Cheap, compact, beautiful and stress-free, Malawi is a great spot for backpackers.

The lakes and plains of Kenya

Kenya is nearly synonymous with safaris and the “big five”, and while the country is home to the Maasai Mara and its iconic plains and animals, there is more to Kenya than simply big game.  The lakes of the north, Turkana and Nakuru, are well worth the trip if only to see the millions of flamingoes that call these waters their home.  The oldest town in Kenya, Lamu is a great place to stop-off and unwind and has been recently discovered by backpackers.  Transportation is primitive, the sounds of motors replaced by the melodic crash of ocean waves.  Another cheap alternative to Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya can be climbed easily with a guide’s assistance, though casual climbers rarely attempt to scale the jagged peak.

Journey back to the past in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a truly unique country, seemingly steeped in the past.  In fact, it truly is in the past compared to the rest of the world.  Having never adopted the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopia is seven years behind the rest of the world.  Home to one of the world’s great ancient empires, the Aksumites, it is also home to some of the oldest Christian communities in the world.  The medieval architecture of Lalibela features churches literally carved from the rocks.  Ethiopia is an ideal backpacking route, with plenty of interesting food and culture, friendly people, rustic towns and breathtaking scenery to satisfy a wide variety of travelers.  As an added plus, the altitude of the country decreases the risk of exposure to malaria significantly.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is located off the coast of Tanzania, in the Indian Ocean. Sailors have mentioned many times that the journey to this country often takes them back in time. As you are sailing to Zanzibar; you will be able to imagine the erstwhile kingdoms of Persia, the sultans of Oman and music and perfumes of India. All ships arrive at the ancient Stone Town, which is one of the most beautiful locations in Africa. You can sail around in the clear turquoise waters off the coast of the town and visit the idyllic beaches on the Spice Island. Most visitors use the traditional dhow to explore the islands and waters off the coast where there are some exceptional snorkelling and diving sites. Famous people like Freddie Mercury have been lured by Zanzibar.

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador are an explorer’s dream come true. This is where you can see Darwin’s theory of evolution on display. No other place on earth has the ecological diversity or landscape that these islands boast of. Instead of travelling all the way to these islands by boat, most sailors reach these islands by flight and then rent boats to sail around the island for a week or two. There are sailing yachts and motor boats available and you can leisurely cruise around the island and explore its unique flora and fauna. During the daytime, you can interact with animals like Iguanas, Tortoises, Sea-lions, etc.

Croatia

Croatia is fast becoming the new travel destination and is often referred to as the “new Riviera”, “new Tuscany” or the “new Greek Islands” by sailors. The brilliantly blue Adriatic Sea offers breath-taking views and adventurous sailors have more than a thousand islands to choose from if they feel like exploring the waters. Sailing is the best way to explore the vast coastline that this country offers. Although Hvar is the most popular docking spot, intrepid seamen can visit ancient fishing villages and remote islands like Elafiti and Kornati. Sailors also recommend that you visit cities like Dudrovnik and Split.

French Polynesia and Tahiti

What is more exotic or tropical than the French Polynesian islands? They evoke images of lush tropical hillsides and white sandy beaches. You can sail to and explore more than hundred tiny islands around the French Polynesia and interact with the locals. These islands are spread over an area measuring over 2000 square miles. As a result, you have a lot of opportunities to sail across azure waters in sunny weather.

Grace is an expert associated with The Boating Hub – leading providers of boating training courses in any location.  Visit the website for more information on sailing and boating or click here – www.theboatinghub.com/rya-sailing-courses for more information on the courses they offer.

Legend

There is an interesting story behind the origin of Snake Boats. The kings of Alleppey and nearby places indulged in river battles to gain supremacy over each other. Picturesque Alleppey canals play host to their battles as they fought ferociously with each other from their boats. One king suffered huge defeats one after another. The embarrassed king somehow wanted to end the long streak of losses. He hired some skilled boat architects to build him an unconquerable vessel to ensure victory over the rival kings. Drawing from all their experience, the veteran boat builders build him a superior boat. Fighting from the new boat, the king won over all his enemies and he was never defeated. This was the first snake boat ever built and the fame of the boat crossed boundaries.  Whatever be the fact behind this story, snake boat races in Kerala still carries the thrill and excitement of a real battle.

Season

Backwaters of Kottayam, Payippad, Champakkulam, Alleppey  etc. will sparkle with the excitement of boat races in the monsoon-Onam season. Snake boat races in Kerala are normally organized in connection with Onam celebration with most of the races being held from July to September. The famed Nehru Trophy Boat Race will fall on the second Saturday of August. Aranmula boat race is held on the last day of the 7-day long Onam festival. The Champakkulam Moolam is in June/July while the Payippad Jalotsavam is held in September.

Nehru Trophy snake boat race

The Nehru Trophy snake boat race is one of the most sought-after events in the cultural calendar of Kerala. And certainly the most important boat race in the state. Named after the first Prime Minister of India, the boat race draws international attention. The first edition of the event was held in 1952 when India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, visited the state. Hugely impressed by the excitement of the event and the affectionate welcome extended by the people of Alleppey, Nehru donated a trophy to the winners. The trophy was a replica of a snake boat in silver. The race is held annually on the Punnamada Lake at Alappuzha.  Apart from the snake boat race, competitions are also held in the categories of Veppu, odi and Churulan categories.

Aranmula boat race

Held in a predominantly religious atmosphere, Aranmula boat race is the oldest water regatta in Kerala. The boat race is organized at Aranmula, near lord parthasarathy temple. Cheered on by an exciting crowd, the snake boats which move in a pair carry the offering to the temple in perfect rhythm. Snake boats participating in the race are reverently called palliyodams as they are considered the divine vessel of Lord Parthasarathy.

Other celebrated snake boat races in Kerala are Champakkulam Moolam Snake Boat Race, Ochirakali boat race and Payipad boat race.

Source: Wannadive.net

It is well known that Africa offers some of the best Dive sites in the world. With the summer months fast approaching us, why not make the most of the hot sun and go diving this summer. Diving is something which is out of the ordinary and is guaranteed to bring adventure to the hearts of many. Holidays to Africa can be booked today with, Mahlatini.com.

Sodwana Bay, South Africa

Offering a vast array of diving options Sodwana is the place to be for some spectacular diving action. Travel to the seven mile reef, notable for its endless beauty and diverse variety of fish and ocean scenery. Dive below the waves to see a green coral tree surrounded by clouds of goldfish. The immaculate reef is home to such treasures as rays, turtles, schools of snapper and kingfish, black-tip sharks and the rare paper fish. If you take a boat trip to the reef you may also be treated to sightings of whale sharks and pods of dolphins.

Ras Mohammed, The Red Sea

In the deep blue waters that meet the desert of Ras Mohammed lies one of the most spectacular coral reefs in the world.  Shark and Jolanda reefs at the southern end are the most famous and best sites.  There are strong currents so it’s important to have a lot of experience behind you as you observe the vibrancy of the colourful life dwelling on the reef.  Whilst diving the seaward sides, you may catch sightings of big pelagics, sharks and massive shoals of snappers and batfish.

Manta Reef, Mozambique

On a stretch of Mozambique’s coastline tenderly referred to as the manta coast, Manta Reef is the most prominent site around and for good reason too.  Visibility is normally very good in the warm water with most dives taken at a depth of 25 metres. While there are an array of colourful fish and other sea creatures it is the manta rays that are the true spectacle. Circling around Manta Canyon parasites are nibbled off these graceful creatures by cleaner fish, who are always happy to help.

 Thistlegorm Wreck, near to Sha’ab Ali Reef, Red Sea

 Lying upright in 30 metres of water off the Sinai Peninsula sits the SS Thistlegorm; a British Merchant navy ship that was sunk by the Germans in 1941. Explore the old wreck’s cargo hold with its BSA motorcycles, ammo and rifles and Bedford trucks. There is something distinctly eerie about this experience as it is the site where nine sailors lost their lives.

Aliwal Shoal, south of Durban, South Africa

For an action packed dive like no other Aliwal Shoal is the place to be. Over the year all number of sharks congregate off the coast, from ragged-tooth sharks to hammerheads. This dive can be quite the adventure.

Justin’s Caves, South Africa

Found in Cape Town, Justin’s Caves are set to be as soothing an experience as the cool waters of the Atlantic. This relaxing dive will have you wishing never to bob back up to the surface. The soft but vibrant colours of the coral are complemented by many caves to explore and fur seals will often grace a visiting diver with their presence, swimming right up to you before speeding away into the ocean blue.

About The Author: This article was brought to you by John-James Grice. John-James is a keen travel enthusiast and loves to explore the many wonders of this world. Africa is a continent full of adventure, and is one he has visited several times

The most interesting part of visiting South Africa is definitely learning more about the country’s history. Johannesburg is not the most attractive city but let me tell you that it’s comparable to visiting a museum. It’s safe to say that most of us are aware of the apartheid, at a minimum. We know that there was segregation between the white and the black population. And until Nelson Mandela came to power in the 1990’s, there was a lot of oppression against the black population. The best part of being in Johannesburg was to get the opportunity to really understand what happened and how people felt about it.

Let’s start from the beginning. Johannesburg became popular after an Aussie discovered gold mines in the area in 1886. This is when Europeans (primarily Dutch and English) began flooding the city and the mining industry began to boom. Since the Dutch were the first to settle in the country, the Afrikaans language was enforced mainly because they were afraid of losing their power with the overwhelming number of English immigrants and schools. It’s safe to say that Afrikaans is an adapted version of Dutch.

SOWETO, a neighbouring city of Johannesburg is a town filled with such history. It stands for SOuth WEstern TOwnship. It’s where Nelson Mandela lived and where the famous Orlando stadium is located. Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie still actually lives there. It’s in SOWETO where black men coming from villages would stay when they arrived in Jo’burg to work in the mines. Most men left their villages to stay in the township’s hostels while their families stayed back home. SOWETO unfortunately welcomed a flux of people in 1948 when the Afrikaans National Party took power and began evicting the black population from Johannesburg. That’s when segregation officially began in South Africa, meaning that the whites and blacks would be treated differently for almost the following 50 years. They were required to travel with a dom pas (dumb pass in English) every time they stepped out of their designated areas. They were not allowed to simply walk in the streets of Jo’burg. If they were caught without the dumb pass, they were automatically arrested. The police or white people could request to see the dumb pass at any given time.

SOWETO gained negative popularity on June 16, 1976 when a student protest erupted in gun shots after the National Party wanted to set Afrikaans as a mandatory language to be taught in schools. Unfortunately, that day is now remembered by all South Africans due to not only the event but an infamous picture of Hector Pieterson. The older boy carrying him went on exile soon after that picture was taken and the girl is his sister. She now works at the Hector Pieterson museum.

If you’re heading to Johannesburg for one reason or another, do make sure to make a stop in SOWETO. I would strongly recommend booking a B&B and spend a few nights there.

Even if you’re not a wine junkie, you most probably know that South Africa is one of the top new world wine producer. If you didn’t, well now you know! South Africa was introduced to wine when the Dutch arrived in South Africa. The first vineyard was introduced in Constantia which is the closest vineyard to Cape Town, perfect for a one day trip if you’re tight on time. Otherwise, you can visit Stellenbosch or Franschhoek which are about an hour away from Cape Town. We decided to take a tour to Stellenbosch so we wouldn’t have to worry about drinking and driving. And it’s a good thing we took a tour because we began wine tasting at 10am and ended at about 6pm. Five vineyards and 30 glasses of wine later, let’s just say we couldn’t taste the differences in wine anymore.

I must say that the vineyards we visited got progressively better as the day went on. We decided to buy one bottles from each vineyard. What a great idea. I can’t wait to open a bottle. It will bring back great memories from South Africa, that’s for sure.

Interesting Facts that I learned during my tour:

• Stellenbosch is knows for its wine making with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Pinotage wine grapes. Pinotage is a blend of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that was created in South Africa.
• Red wine is achieved by fermenting the juice and the skin of the grape while the fermentation of white wine is done using the grape juice only.
• Yeast is necessary to begin the first fermentation. It converts the sugar into alcohol.
• The second fermentation most often involves red wine sitting in oak barrels for a set period of time (depending on the wine maker). Barrels are toasted (light, medium or dark) so the wine can pick up its oak aromas. Barrels cost a few thousand dollars so wine makers will reuse their barrels a few times before buying new ones. This will of course impact the aroma of the wine.
• A sommelier is a wine expert/professional.
• So why do wine glasses have a stem? So you can see the color of the wine and so that your hands don’t warm up the wine.

Wine Tasting Steps:

1. Before you taste wine, you need to look at your wine. Is it clear? Is it dark? For white wine, the lighter the color, the younger the wine is. For red wine, it’s the opposite. If you’re red wine is darker, it most probably means it’s a young wine. Of course, there are other factors that come into play but you can always keep this in mind. You can also swirl your glass it to see how thick and how quickly the “legs” drip. This will determine if the wine is high in sugar and alcohol content. If the legs come down quickly, it means it’s low in sugar and alcohol. And vice versa. Lastly, you can tip your glass to the side and see if the wine at the border is clearer than the middle part. This would tell you how concentrated your wine is. Sometimes, when the vineyards experiences a rainy season, the grapes are filled with water and that will have an impact in the concentration of the wine they make that year.
2. Once you know that, it’s time to smell your wine and guess what aromas you smell? Does your wine smell fruity? Floral? Woody? Spicy? Like chemicals? Mineral?
3. Now, it’s the fun part… let’s taste the wine. This will confirm your smell of aromas. Does it really taste like lemon? Is the wine dry? Acid?

You’re ultimately looking for a well-balanced wine. Meaning that there is a good level of sugar and acid. It can be disappointing when you smell nice aromas and when you actually taste the wine, it’s very acid. Yuck! But all this to say, if you’re in South Africa, or in any wine making region for that matter, do make a stop at the vineyard. It will be an interesting experience, guaranteed!

Devil’s Pool, Zambia

Perched at the top of Victoria Falls in Zambia, the appropriately named Devil’s Pool is becoming a favourite spot for bathers visiting the world’s largest waterfall. This seem fairly tame, until you look over the side of the pool and see the 100 meter drop into the frothing plunge pool and raging rapids below. Despite this, still people get their swim gear on and take a nervous dip in the shallow natural pool above the waterfall. Often they lean over the edge to get a glimpse of the extreme power the water has as it tumbles over the cliff edge. The pool resembles an infinity pool, with the backdrop of the green African country side. The only thing is, that it’s just a small wall of rock that separates the bathers from sliding down into the deadly explosion of water below. Definitely an activity that could bring on an uncontrollable bout of the shakes, but great for photo opportunities!

Tubing, Laos

The small town of Vang Vieng in the Laos jungle is home to one of the most dangerous and hedonistic activities on the traveller trail. Tubing is its name, but it’s much more than just floating down a river in an inflated inner tube. First of all let’s bring the rope-swings, jumps, slides, and flying foxes into the mix. Just these by themselves are dangerous enough, with people launching themselves high into air before landing in the rocky river below. By themselves the swings and jumps are exhilarating, but once you bring the crazy hedonism into the equation, it’s really becomes something that can leave you trembling, laughing, and even crying, and that’s just when you watch! Tubing in Vang Vieng is one activities that has to ticked off every travellers list, just be careful.

Cage Diving with Great White Sharks, South Africa

Off the coast of South Africa are a lot of big and dangerous sharks, the type of beasts that most people would not survive an encounter with if they got close enough to see it. All this has changed with special cage diving operators that give you the opportunity to come face to face with one of the world’s most brutal predators. Having a 6 metre Great White Shark swimming straight towards you is sure to bring on a feeling of dread, but luckily the cage is there to protect you. Can you bring yourself to getting into a metal cage and dangled in front of a man eating shark as if you where its next meal? If you can’t, there is always the option to check them out from the boat as they propel out of the water to snatch away an unfortunate seal. Be prepared to be scared.

Fly By Wire, New Zealand

So everybody’s heard of skydives and bungee jumps, but what about the Fly by Wire? Well it is a little more complicated than throwing yourself out of a plane or jumping off a bridge. The Fly by Wire ride involves strapping yourself to a rocket with a sixty horsepower airplane engine, which is attached to a wire, before being dropped into a canyon. Once the engine is started the rocket is propelled forward at speeds exceeding 170 kilometres per hour in just a few seconds. As crazy as it sounds, the rocket stays attached to the wire and you can enjoy the feeling of flying as you soar through the air, or perhaps scream until it finally comes to a stop. If you want to try the Fly by Wire ride, head to Queenstown on the South Island.

Which Will You Try?

So, it’s time to suck in your fear and try something scary. Now you have some ideas, it is up to you to decide which exhilarating to try, or perhaps you will give them all a go.  Just remember it is supposed to be fun, even if you are completely terrified!

Jenny Harrison is a freelance writer from England who writes on behalf of a number of good causes including how to help an alcoholic family member or relative.