Timbuktu

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER ELEVEN: Boat up the Niger River to visit Timbuktu



In this 2 to 4 day journey along Africa's third longest river, the Niger, you will set out from Mopti in Mali and take a pinasse; motorized canoe with a domed grass canopy.



"The flood plains around Mopti provide a wonderful habitat for birds of all sorts, inccluding many migratory species, and the river itself is home to many fish and the occasional manatee. You may well see hippos too -- their large, irascible presence alerting you to the fragility of your craft. The river is full of activity: local boats carry goods and livestock, fast boats speed tourists to Timbuktu, men fish, women wash clothes at the river's edge or pound millet in a time-honoured fasion. This journey is fun: from time to time the pinasse stops at a village, which you can explore while provisions are bought, appreciating the Moorish mud brick architecture and meeting tribal people such as Fulani and Bozo. Lunch is cooked on  board and at night, tents are pitched on the riverbank and dinner is cooked by the fire. Gradually scenery changes: marshlands give way to grasslands and finally, the desert. The trip ends at Korioume, just 6 miles along a paved road from Timbuktu."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.

Heli-rafting trip: North Johnstone River

Making it into the top ten wilderness adventures in the world...


DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 10: Raft the North Johnstone River

"This stunning trip in the tropical far north of Queensland offers Class IV and V white water amidst volcanic gorges and the ancient rain forests of Palmerston National Park. At night luminous fungi glow surreally on the rocks and fireflies dance shimmering arabesques through the forest canopy. A bonus thrill is the helicopter ride taking you to the start of the course, which is accessible only by air."
*National Geographic Top 10 Whitewater Rafting

TIME: 5 days
COST: about $1500
WHERE: Palmerston National Park in Australia
HIGHLIGHTS: helicopter ride there, camping in riverside rainforest clearings, unique geological formations, freshwater turtles, platypus, Breccia Falls and many amazing rapids through virgin World Heritage tropical rainforest.



Check out the website: http://www.raft.com.au/nj.html

While there, it'd definitely be worthwhile spending a couple days exploring the North Queensland’s World Heritage Listed Rainforests.

My Un-Dream Adventure

so i haven't blogged in a few days because i was hospitalized. i started having severe pain in my left abdomen under my rib upon waking up friday morning and thought it'd go away. i was due for my period so i thought it was just cramping. however, the pain didn't listen throughout the day. i had nausea spells and later and later on that night the pain turned into stabbing pain and i could barely move. my friend took me to the er. i hate the doctors just because i dont have money to pay for any medical care.

i get there and wait an hour and a half. interesting er patients = 2. one guy in handcuffs with a wrap around his head talking with the police officer about his kids and listening to them bullshit like they were old bar buddies. the second a schizophrenic.

get my room and they give me morphine. more and more. she gave me over 8mg of morphine and it still didn't get rid of the pain and i weigh 115 lbs. meanwhile as she's treating me, a shrill scream of he has a gun and a big commotion, my nurse leaves (the door open which was about scaring the shit outta me thinking some raging killer would enter my room and kill me). apparently, the police officer left him and he had 3 guns on him and the police officer had to shot him and ended up killing him.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/20411211/detail.html

and the schizo next door was slamming and throwing shit around talking about earthquakes and talking to himself about how they're [the nurses] killing him.

i had a cat scan, pelvic exam, tons of blood work (i hate needles), lab work and a couple sets of x rays and i was diagnosed with pancreatitis.

http://www.medicinenet.com/pancreatitis/article.htm

they gave me laudanum and morphine for the pain. i couldn't have any liquids or anything for over 24 hours. the pain went down after 48 hours. my friend's mom came to visit the first day. the second night my friend told me he would come visit. we're practically dating but without the ties. anyway, he kept texting me he would. and he never did. which is sadly, characteristic of him. however this time was enough. he promised me he'd never leave me alone in a hospital again (yes, i'm accident prone so i'm there once a year at least) but he did.

he chose to go to a party and get drunk and do mdma (not that I should lecture about drug use...). not that i have a problem with drugs but well, i just wished i was more important than having a good time. especially when he knows i dont have family to come visit and especially when i told him id let him come over alone and not invite other people to be with me that night.

let's just say that was the final straw out of many. i guess i'm the fool again for allowing those horrible mistakes in the first place and letting him get away with previous acts that have left me feeling shitty. i'm too nice sometimes.

day hike in Guatemala

I have been feelings kinda blue lately and hadn't felt like thinking about dreams I have that I will probably never be able to do. It's kinda disheartening to dream up and research and read about these epic journeys and realize that I will probably never have the financial resources to do most of these...but I'm kinda outta my funk so here goes...

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER NINE: hike Volcano Pacaya

I want to hike up the side of Mount Pacaya; an active volcano. Pacaya became active in 1965 and there have been numerous counts of activity from Pacaya since then (the last major eruption being in 2006). It is rather common place to see small steam eruptions and gas escaping from the rumbling volcano. The mountain is about 8,300 feet tall. With a small fee charged per person (to help maintain trails and rest stops), the mountain starts off with a small slope until you reach the old Cerro Chino crater. The rest of the hike is more difficult and steeper with loose ash and volcanic rock and sulfur clouds but never hiked a mountain before, I can only imagine the reward at the top.

The Rio Futaleufu/La Sebastiana

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 8: Raft the Rio Futaleufu

I've always wanted to travel to Chile because I am a huge fan of Pablo Neruda and he paints the most gorgeous images in my head about the Chilean landscapes with his poetic words. I bet it's just a breathtaking place.

The best time to partake in this river journey is from December to March.


I can't get over how blue the water is! The crystal blue water that flows down the Futaleufu is from the glacier-fed lakes in the high Andes of Patagonia.

"The Rio Futaleufu is no ordinary river. Born in the Los Alerces National Park in Argentina it flows west into Chile, through landscapes dominated by snow capped volcanoes and rich rain forest before arriving at the coastal town of Chaiten. Meaning 'Great River' in the local Mapuche dialect, the astonishingly clear waters of the 'Fu' flows through deep canyons and pristine wilderness to create explosive and untamed white water, unparalleled anywhere in the world. This trip is designed to immerse you in the beauty, magic and culture of Patagonia. Half a world away from the cold northern winter you will find yourself sitting on the porch of your cabana, sipping on a glass of Chilean red wine and basking in the splendour of the Chilean summer with the distant rumble of your next exciting rapid just within earshot. Described by the locals as "a place so lovely it must have been painted by God", this is an experience not to be missed."
*WaterByNature.com

The itinerary can be found here: http://www.waterbynature.com/chile/rio-futaleufu-rafting.html




DREAM ADVENTURE 8 1/2:

since I'll be in Chile, another must is visit La Sebastiana -- Pablo Neruda's house. My dream house; it's so breathtakingly beautiful!

http://www.fundacionneruda.org/ing/historia_sebastiana_ingles.htm

"You Will Remember"

by Pablo Neruda

You will remember that leaping stream

where sweet aromas rose and trembled,

and sometimes a bird, wearing water

and slowness, its winter feathers.

You will remember those gifts from the earth:

indelible scents, gold clay,

weeds in the thicket and crazy roots,

magical thorns like swords.

You'll remember the bouquet you picked,

shadows and silent water,

bouquet like a foam-covered stone.

That time was like never, and like always.

So we go there, where nothing is waiting;
we find everything waiting there.

the Noguera Pallaresa River

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER SEVEN: raft the rapids of the Noguera Pallaresa River

WHEN: May through June
DURATION: 4 to 8 hours
HOW: by raft or kayak
WHAT YOU'LL SEE: Romanesque churches, Castle of Gilareny, medieval bridges.
LENGTH: 90 miles

The Noguera Pallaresa River is the most powerful river in the Pyrenees. Along the ride down, you'll see ancient stone houses and villages, churches and Roman ruins. Pallars Sobira has almost no international tourism and is mainly a local holiday spot with many options for rafting, kayaking, trekking, camping, mountain climbing and biking.

Nahanni River

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER SIX: raft the Nahanni River



Why is the Nahanni River so Famous?

* Perhaps the most visually diverse river on the planet.
* The world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
* Fabled in 1908 by the disappearance of two prospecting brothers and the subsequent finding of their headless bodies. Headless Creek, Deadmen Valley, Funeral Range, Somber Range and Thundercloud Range were resulting place names and the presence of hot springs encouraged a legend of tropical banana growth.
* Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau paddled the river in 1970, a time when Heads of State were not known for river expeditions while in Office.
* One of Canada’s most famous National Parks and soon to be enlarged. It will become one of the largest Parks in the world, nearly the size of Switzerland.
* Virginia Falls is nearly twice the height of Niagara, the canyons are Canada’s deepest. The area was not glaciated during the last ice age and the resulting refugeum has retained an ancient antecedent river, pre-dating the surrounding mountain landscape.
* The small First Nations village at the mouth of the river is not accessible by road and is one of the few remaining as such.
* “Greatest river trip in the world” – Bill Mason, film maker, naturalist and environmentalist, author of Path of the Paddle and the film series of the same name.
* Subject of the eloquent 1950 account by Englishman, Raymond Patterson entitled “Dangerous River”, which went on to sell thousands of copies in many languages.

Nahanni River Info

Departing from Virgina Falls (twice as high as Niagara Falls!), this rafting trip is the experience of a lifetime. The best times to go are June through August and the whole trip takes about 1 week.

"Over the course of this 150 mile journey from Virgina Falls to Blackstone Landing, this fast flowing river drops a heart pumping 1300 feet. Each section of this epic voyage takes you through canyons, over rapids and past some of the most stunning scenery on Earth.

Even the names conjure up images of danger and excitement as you tumble through Hell's Gate, pass Headless Creek and camp out in Deadmen Valley. So remote is this region of North-Western Canada that the only practical way to arrive is by air. This start to the voyage could not be more spectacular, as you land alongside the towering Virgina Falls [pictured above].

...Towards the end of this epic voyage you pass Kraus' Hotsprings where you can soothe your aching limbs, rejoice in nature and congratulate yourself on nearly completing this most exhilarating of journeys..."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.

The pictures show such a remote place in wilderness that would be amazing to witness the nature at it's untouched best. I can only dream about being hurtled down a river for hours a day and stopping to get a well needed rest each night; camping out under the stars.

I want to catch it while I can

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER FIVE: visit Antarctica

One of my life goals is to set foot on every continent; including Antarctica. They're quite expensive but the fact that so few people have ever set foot on our southern ice cap adds to the appeal. I can only imagine (until I get to visit) the snow covered mountains and giant icebergs. Researching arctic cruises. the best time to go is November to March (the arctic summer in which there is usually 20+ hours of daylight per day, average temperature between 20 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) and they normally take anywhere between 10 days to the grandest tour around the whole South Pole taking 3 weeks. Average price is between $8,000 to $10,000 for a 10 day to 2 week cruise.

I want to go there to see all the whales, seals and penguins living in their natural UNDISTURBED habitat. It's scary to think that with global warming their habitat is diminishing at a quicker rate that years before.

They more expensive cruise is a 6000 mile trip that circumnavigates around the whole continent of Antarctica (from Argentina to New Zealand) but most of the trips to this winter wonderland leave from South America.

It's scary to think that it may not be around for too many generations past mine...

November & Early December (Late Spring / Early Summer)

	Winter pack ice is starting to melt and break up. The scenery is white, clean and pristine with pack ice and giant icebergs.
	Courting season for penguins and seabirds � see spectacular courtship rituals.
	Seals visible on fast ice.
	Spring wildflowers in the Falklands and South Georgia.
	Elephant and fur seals establish their breeding territories.

Mid-December and January (Mid Summer)

	Normally Antarctica's warmest months.
	Longer days create great light conditions and fabulous photo opportunities at midnight.
	Antarctic chicks hatch.
	South Georgia and the Falklands � first penguin chicks emerge and fur seals are breeding.
	Seal Pups visible on South Georgia and the Falklands.
	Receding ice allows for more exploration.

February and March (Late Summer)

	Whale sightings are at their best.
	Penguin chicks start to fledge.
	Receding pack ice allows ships to explore further south.
	More fur seals in the Antarctic Peninsula.

http://www.coolantarctica.com/Travel/antarctica_travel_home.htm

utopia in venezuela

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 4: visit Angel Falls in Venezuela



"Sixteen times higher than Niagara, Angel Falls has an uninterrupted drop of 3,212 feet and are the highest in the world. Their exotic reputation is enhanced both by their remote location in southeastern Venezuela...

WHEN TO GO: June to November when the rainy season has raised the water levels.
TIME IT TAKES: 2 days minimum from Canaima, the tourist base and air strip; more usually take the 6 to 10 day hike that includes exploration by river of the Canaima National Park.
HIGHLIGHTS: the Churun river rapids, going through Devil's Canyon. The spectacular foilage-festooned cliffs at sunrise and set, reflected against the multi-colored sky in the river's soft ripples. The irresistible moment, when your dugout canoe is alone on a jungle river... Walking behind and diving out of the beautiful waterfalls of El Sapo."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.

Apparently, it takes about a week to travel to the falls via motorized canoe and by sleeping in a hammock at campsites along the way. It sounds like the Garden of Eden; vines and flowered foliage hanging down across a beautiful river with pristine clear water. It sounds like something in dreams; pulling aside tangled flower vines to cross paths...walking behind waterfalls...even the sound must be heart-stopping. It'd be an amazing trip to take; visiting traditional Indians and villagers along the way, stopping at the gorgeous beaches and witnessing all the beautiful sunsets and hiking up along the falls.

This makes me want to add Venezuela to the top of my list of countries I most want to visit.

Trans-Canada train trip

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER THREE: trans-Canada via train



I have never been to Canada. I think it must look a lot like the Pacific Northwest but more cold and less populated. I also absolutely love trains. I have never gone on a long trip on a train but I have gone cross country on a greyhound bus (ah, to be poor and adventerous). Looking at pictures of Canada though, I think it would be such a relaxing and beautiful place to train across. There are a few places I'd like to stop and see; being on the top of that list is Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. I've always wanted to visit the falls. I think they're one of nature's most breathtaking sights.



below is an excerpt from 501 Must-Take Journeys*:

"Completing the journey currently compromises three stages. The first from Halifax to Montreal takes you from the extremely picturesque Nova Scotia coast, through New Brunswick. Skirting the Appalachian Mountains, you are then transported to Montreal, the beating heart of French Canada. The second leg allows you to sample the most modern railway Canada has to offer. The Motreal to Toronto link feels strangely normal compared with the rest of the trip. Business people barely look up from their laptops as the train passes along the St. Lawrence River, past the Thousand Islands and along the shore of Lake Ontario. From Toronto, Canada's most modern cities, you embark on the truly monumental part of the train ride. The seemingly endless forests of Norther Ontario eventually five way to open prairies as you cross the Continent's interior -- the vastness of it all is quite breathtaking. After two nights on board, the train approaches the Rockies. Waterfalls and sheer rock faces heave in to view one after another and this is them time to grab a seat in the panoramic dome car. After this, Kamloops is the last major stop before arriving in Vancoucer..."
*501 Must-Take Journeys. London: Octopus Publishing Group Lmtd, 2008.

and from Vancouver I'd just continue on the train to my home town which would only be a few more hours.

estimate on price:
flight from my hometown to Halifax = about $400 with tax
train from Halifax to Montreal = $136 cheapest to around $250 for a cabin (trip is 20 hours long)
train from Montreal to Toronto = about $80 (trip about 5 hours)
train from Toronto to Vancouver BC = cheapest berth is about $900 (trip is about 3 and a half days to 4 days)
train from Vancouver BC to home = under $50

The trip takes about 6 days; so about $1500 for the whole trip -- Plus sight seeing and food which realistically could easily be under $250 for the week if you were budgeting. Unless I decide to stay in a hotel somewhere for a day. However, meals are paid for if you buy a spot in a sleeper cabin or berth. Of course, it'd be wonderful to take a day here and there to stay the night and sight see around some of the old towns in Canada.

hot air balloon ride

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER TWO: hot air balloon ride

I went sky diving a few months ago and the most pleasurable part of that experience was after I pulled my chute and was just floating there alone. It was eerily quiet up there and very serene. I would love to replicate the whole floating peacefully in the sky feelings by hot air ballooning. Plus the whole idea of going up into the sky on a hot air balloon is so mysterious and fairy tale like. Who even came up with the idea of putting a giant balloon on a basket and flying into the clouds with it?

I looked up a few websites in my area.

http://www.airialballoon.com/flights.htm

http://www.letsgoballooning.com/Seattle/seattle.html

http://www.1800skyride.com/HotAirBalloons/Oregon/

http://www.portlandroseballoons.com

Looking at pictures I think it would be fun to go ballooning over a snowy mountain or witness a beautiful sunrise from the sky. It'd be so romantic in the true sense of romanticism. The price range seems to be around $200 which isn't that bad.

They are even hot air ballooning festivals in my area except I'm sure they cost a lot more to go on a ride during the festival but it still be a pretty thing to witness and take pictures of.

Great Barrier Reef

I'm a 20 year old with big dreams. Unfortunately I am not a millionaire and don't have the money to go out and do everything I dream of doing but I believe a healthy dose of daydreaming about these great adventures, that one day, I may be able to partake in will help keep my sanity of my mundane life.

To start off, I dream about visiting the most beautiful, in my opinion, World Heritage Site.

DREAM ADVENTURE NUMBER 1: go diving in the Great Barrier Reef



The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest reef system composed of about 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching over 1,600 miles. The reef is located in the Coral sea, off the coast of Queensland in north-east Australia. The reef can be seen from outer space and it the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef supports a wide diversity of life, and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Wiki has a great ecology section about the Great Barrier Reef as well that talks about all the species of life that are found there.




 It's late and I'm a little too sleepy to type up what I've been looking at but I've looked up classes you can take a couple places that do dive tours or teach you how:

divethereef.com has a great collection of local dive places in Australia
and
Diving Cairns



Goodnight now. I know I'll have some pretty sweet dreams after looking at all these beautiful pictures.