Innholdsfortegnelse for April - May 2020 i Adventure Magazine

This is day six of the COVID-19 lockdown in New Zealand (I usually would not mention that we were in New Zealand, but as you can see with this digital issue, we have expanded free to the world). The world media seems currently either in team ‘this is terrible’, or they are ‘it's all fine’, stay home and ‘enjoy the time off’. The reality is it is still very early days, and the virus has had an enormous impact on some people already. Lots of people in the travel and adventure industry have lost their jobs, and our heart goes out to them. It is scary not knowing what the future holds. I am not going to rattle on about change, or how bad it will get or even that…

A volcano is defined simply as “an opening in the Earth’s crust that allows molten rock, gases, and debris to escape to the surface.” A volcanic eruption does not always involve lava, but will throw debris, volcanic ash and steam into the air at speed and this can travel 100’s of miles from the volcano. They are unpredictable, often extremely violent and can happen without warning. The violence of an eruption is measured by the volume of materials discharged and the height of the column. This is known as the VEI (volcanic explosive index). The eruption of Whakaari White Island in December last year threw steam and ash 3.7km into the air and had a VEI of 2. "They are unpredictable, often extremely violent and can happen without warning." In…

Last issue we talked to Robert Bruce, founder of the adventure group Got to Get Out, who'd just completed his fourth group trek to Nepal, this time to Everest Base Camp (EBC). With 30 mostly Kiwis (or people with strong NZ connections) they headed into the Nepal winter enduring temperatures of -20 to -40, while we enjoyed the NZ summer. As leader of this large group, Rob learned the hard way no matter how prepared you are, at altitude there's always a chance that things can go wrong. He shares what it was like arranging an emergency evac from the foot of Mt Everest.. Some guests got altitude sickness, tell us about that? What happens up high? Altitude sickness is an unfortunate reality of trekking at altitude, and despite EBC…

American kayaker Dane Jackson has revealed the story behind his breathtaking 134-foot descent down the Salto del Maule waterfall in Chile, after his paddle over the edge became the second highest in history. The reigning ICF canoe freestyle world champion grew up travelling the USA in an RV with his family, getting homeschooled by his mother and chasing kayaking competitions with his father, Eric Jackson, an Olympic paddler and founder of the company Jackson Kayaks. The 26-year-old, who has now completed six waterfalls that are at least 100-feet high, has spent the last decade travelling the planet in search of new places to freestyle kayak as well as dominating the competition scene since he won the Whitewater Grand Prix in 2011. Here is what the Tennessee native had to say…

OUTDOOR RESEARCH HELIUM BIVY A perfect shelter for solo fast-and-light adventures. It features durable, waterproof, breathable Pertex® Shield+ fabric and an optional single pole. 459g. RRP $299.99 BIVOUAC.CO.NZ KIWI CAMPING ROVER LITE SELF-INFLATING MAT Compressible foam core inflates/deflates with the twist of a valve. Tapered mummy design fits in most sleeping bags. Durable soft stretch fabric for extra comfort. Weight: 900gm RRP $99.00 KIWICAMPING.CO.NZ MARMOT CATALYST 2 PERSON TENT Designed as a roomy, livable tent that is still light in weight, the freestanding Catalyst 2P has all the ideal features for a casual camping trip, like a seam-taped catenary cut floor, colour-coded poles for easy set-up and two D-shaped doors, along with enough room and pockets to stash and organize all your necessary gear. RRP $399 Special price $259 (while…

The quest for fresh powder and the need to carve first lines has always been an addiction for skiers. What is different is the fact that more and more people are choosing to embark on this quest in the NZ backcountry. With winter fast approaching, and after being self-isolated for weeks on end, you too might be finding yourself dreaming of that sweet moment of peeling skins off your skis, a slight sweat on your brow from the uphill, and dropping in for your first run of the day. If so, it’s time to ask some serious questions: “Is this more than a hobby? “Can I stop if I want to? What can I do about it?” To get you started, here are a few of our top NZ Southern…

Seeing a spectacular sight for yourself is one thing, but watching your kids’ reaction to a natural wonder is something else entirely. Vanuatu is packed full of family-friendly adventures that will have you talking about your holiday for years to come. If you have ever travelled with kids, you will have heard "I’m bored" more times than you care to remember. Not in Vanuatu! As well as the facilities in your resort or hotel, such as man-made swimming pools and kids’ clubs run by enthusiastic locals, the tours and natural excursions in Vanuatu are a chance to experience new things with your kids. Family holidays here will have them on the edge of their seats with excitement and exhausted by the end of each day. Check out these top nine…

In the immediate aftermath of the White Island eruption on December 9th 2019, I was overwhelmed, as was everyone I am sure, by the level of support and compassion shown for those affected by the tragedy that unfolded. Heroic actions by the tour guides and other tourists visiting the island along with the local helicopter pilots were shared around the world and once again our country became united by another tragedy. It didn’t seem to take long before the naysayers were out in full force, criticising every aspect of the devastating event; the way the cruise ship responded, the way the police and rescue crews responded, and then questioning why tourists were even allowed on the island in the first place. I know that if I had been on the…

Perched high above the valley floor, nestled into the curve of the hill away from the chill of the southerly wind, I gaze out across the horizon through the soft light of a winter's afternoon. I’m surrounded by peaks, lakes and valleys as far as the eye can see. From this altitude you take in the true magnitude of the Southern Alps. Twinkling lights in the distance draw the attention of my eye; the lights of Cardrona to the south west, Treble Cone to the north west and the urban sprawl of Wanaka and the Upper Clutha start to sparkle in the fading light. It feels a world away from civilisation yet I only left the bustle of Wanaka a couple of hours ago before driving up to the Snow…

AMALEN Waterproof Multifunctional Military Lensatic Compass High strength engineering metal body, rugged and capable of working under extreme weather condition. Special design of fluorescent light, you can use it and read data on it in dark environment after absorbing enough sunshine. High accuracy, built-in a bubble level, which can improve its accuracy and decrease its errors First Aid App by American Red Cross This smartphone app provides step-by-step instructions (with videos and animations) for multiple emergency medical situations: bleeding, heatstroke, broken bones, shocks, burns and much more. It also includes strategic safety tips for situations ranging from winter storms to earthquakes and tornadoes. Most importantly, all the intel is pre-loaded, so everything’s handy even if you don’t have wi-fi. Garmin GPSMAP 64st, TOPO U.S. 100K with High-Sensitivity GPS The new…

Mighty and iconic, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is without a doubt one of the most legendary hikes in New Zealand - if not the world. It's no wonder it attracts tens of thousands of adventurers to the Tongariro National Park each year - all looking to tackle its rugged terrain, steep slopes and otherworldly landscapes. But while it is a must-do activity for many, the Crossing is simply not for everyone - it is after all, an almost 20km trek across a volcano! Most hikers will find completing the Crossing a challenge, and for some, the sheer distance, sharp inclines and uneven conditions underfoot make it a near impossible feat. Fortunately, there is a multitude of other excellent walks in and around the Tongariro National Park for those who can't…

Who would have thought that we would be sitting here today in a world that changed overnight. Where today, is an incredibly different today from yesterday, and where tomorrow still brings with it many unknowns. Some of us relish in the adventure, grab it with both hands, excited for the changes, adapting to the new reality and ready to explore. Some of us struggle to adapt, living with the fear of the unknown, anxious, uncertain, wondering what next. No matter where you sit right now on this current new adventure we are all in….take a moment. Breathe in. Sit back and dream for a moment of where you might want to go to next. It seems that as kids, we were better at dreaming than what we are now. We…

Before technology had really caught up with the outdoor industry, Geoff and his friends found themselves in trouble when their tent was unable to withstand the weight of a heavy snow storm. Today, the modern design of tents would have meant a very different experience, but we’re talking the 1970’s when touring tents were a triangular shape with two poles. Geoff shared his experience of his night in the snow on Franz Josef glacier. Cold and hungry we faced a choice - the snow had been falling so hard that our tent was collapsing on us, even with two people outside at all times clearing snow. Time to decide - we could not go anywhere with the weather the way it was but we did need to do something. We…

Anyone who knows our editor well, knows he has a knack of telling a great tale. So when he called in a panic to say he'd just been chased by a Great White, I must admit, I sort of didn't really believe him. But when I saw him an hour later and he was still shaking, I began to think that this may have been true. I'll let Steve tell the story and you can decide for yourself... Yes, I know they are always there. Yes, I know there has never been an East Coast fatal shark attack in the North Island. BUT – while fishing off Stanmore Bay Point (not long before the lockdown), a popular area just as the tide turned, I was ‘investigated’ by a 2.5+ meter…

Gavin and Sarah Bisman’s lives were turned upside down in late January when their 4yo son Oscar was diagnosed with a severe form of Leukaemia. Unaware of their plight, I was catching up with friends around this time and pondering my next bucket list challenge, when the crazy idea to enter the 2020 Tarawera Ultramarathon (New Zealand’s biggest trail running festival) came up. An ultra distance race is typically a race of any distance beyond the standard marathon length of 42km. The most common ultra races begin at 50K and can span up to 100 miles (160km) long, lasting throughout the entire day (sometimes even the night). Usually, they take place on roads, trails, or tracks and often in beautiful, far-flung locations. In all honesty, running is not really my…

Andy Belcher is a talented Bay of Plenty freelance photographer with 82 top photographic awards to his credit. They include British Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Australasian Underwater Photographer of the Year and Nikon Photo Contest International. Ask him a question on his photographic career and he’ll usually answer you with “Gosh, where do I start?” And that’s the way it’s always been for Andy. Utterly self-taught, with no qualifications (and proud of the fact) Andy believes his open minded approach to learning has enabled him to break photographic boundaries – simply because he never knew they existed. Andy’s business success can be partly attributed to his versatility. He shoots a wide variety of commercial photographic imagery from tourism to underwater, he runs photo workshops, offers private tuition, writes and…

If you ask someone to describe New Caledonia, they’ll likely conjure images of white sand beaches, cocktails by the pool and days spent languishing in the blue lagoon waters. And these are all certainly things you can enjoy in New Caledonia. But there’s so much more adventure to be had, which is great news for the inquisitive travellers out there. At less than three hours from Auckland, New Caledonia is one of the most easily accessible overseas getaways from New Zealand. A French territory in the South Pacific, it offers travellers a unique mix of French and local cultures, gourmet dining, striking landscapes and outdoor experiences to explore. One such outdoor experience is the country’s over 500 km of marked trails. Labelled by the FFRP (French Federation of Hiking), these…