Category: Asia (Page 2 of 7)

Transcaucasian Trail nears completion

2021-08-03 / Downshift

Since 2015, the Transcaucasian Trail Association (TCTA) has been developing a 3,000km hiking trail across the Caucasus Mountains. The finished Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) will consist of two 1,500km sections spanning Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

The northern route follows the Greater Caucasus Mountains and connects the Black and Caspian Seas. The southern route spans the Lesser Caucasus Mountains from the Black Sea to the Aras River.

While the trail is still being developed in Azerbaijan, there are currently hundreds of kilometres of trail open to the public. The TCTA hope that a 1,200km route from northwest Georgia to southern Armenia will be fully open by 2022.

» Transcaucasian Trail

Book » Van Living 1971 » London to India and back

2021-07-16 / Downshift

Anyone who grew up in the 1970’s in North America or Europe will know that van life is nothing new.

Months after meeting, Gay and Jack Reineck outfitted a VW van in London and set out on an adventure. Living in the van for the next 12 months, and 25,000 miles, they travelled through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, to India, and back.

Available from Rufus Guides, the couple have written about their adventure.

A travel diary, journey of discovery, and personal memoir, VAN LIVING 1971 is the story of two young designers beginning a life together.

…

Along the way they created an enduring love that would last for more than 50 years.

74-year old Rosie Swale Pope restarts her 8,500km run from England to Kathmandu

2021-07-02 / Downshift

On June 25th, 2021, at 12 noon, the exuberant 74-year old Rosie Swale Pope restarted her 8,500km run from Brighton, England to Kathmandu, Nepal.

In July 2018, Rosie started her 8,500km run that would have taken her through 18 countries. But for pandemic, she was ordered to stop her run in Turkey.

Rosie has remained determined to reach Nepal, but instead of continuing on from Turkey, she has restarted from the UK and is taking a different route in an effort to reach Katmandu and raising funds for the “charity PHASE Worldwide who work with remote Nepalese communities.”

Rosie previously ran around the world from 2003 to 2008.

Top 30 countries ranked for adventure (2021)

2021-06-09 / Downshift

The US News and World Report has again ranked countries according to how well they break from the norm and fulfill people’s wanderlust and desire for adventure.

The top 30 adventure rankings for 2021 are »

1. Brazil 🇧🇷
2. Italy 🇮🇹
3. Spain 🇪🇸
4. Greece 🇬🇷
5. Thailand 🇹🇭
6. Mexico 🇲🇽 (Up from #11 in 2020)
7. New Zealand 🇳🇿
8. Australia 🇦🇺 (Up from #10 in 2020)
9. Portugal 🇵🇹 (Down from #6 in 2020)
10. Costa Rica 🇨🇷 (Down from #8 in 2020)

The Newcomers’ Guide to The Seven Summits and the continental conundrum

2021-06-03 / Downshift

Seven Summits (Source » Wikipedia)

Martin Walsh, Explorersweb »

The Seven Summits has become part of the adventure lexicon, shorthand for the highest mountain on each continent.

The most commonly accepted list is:

Mount Everest, Asia, 8,849m

Aconcagua, South America, 6,961m

Denali, North America, 6,194m

Kilimanjaro, Africa, 5,895m

Mount Elbrus, Europe, 5,642m

Mount Vinson, Antarctica, 4,892m

Puncak Jaya/Carstensz Pyramid, Oceania, 4,884m

Mountaineers have sought to climb the highest peak on each continent since at least 1956 when American William Hackett completed five of the seven. However, he climbed Mont Blanc rather than Mount Elbrus and Mount Kosciuszko rather than Puncak Jaya, as these were considered the highest peaks in Europe and Oceania respectively at the time.

The best countries for long distance cycling

2021-03-29 / Downshift

150 travellers who completed epic cross-continental cycling journeys were surveyed.

Alee Denham at CyclingAbout.com writes »

Each of the 150 cyclists got three votes to cast, and I simply tallied up the results. In the end, 80 different countries were favourited, which is pretty cool because that means most corners of the world have something, for somebody.

These are their top picks for the best countries for long-distance cycling »

10. 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
9. 🇨🇱 Chile
8. 🇲🇽 Mexico
7. 🇦🇺 Australian
6. 🇮🇷 Iran
5. 🇮🇳 India
4. 🇨🇳 China
3. 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
2. 🇺🇸 USA
1. 🇹🇷 Turkey

Watch this video on YouTube

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The People’s Congress in Beijing formally announced it will construct the “Polar Silk Road” through the Arctic, despite not being an Arctic nation

2021-03-09 / Downshift

Heiner Kubny writing for the Polar Journal »

China has been steadily increasing its presence in the Arctic since it defined the far north as a “new strategic frontier” in 2015 and began promoting a “Polar Silk Road” three years later. Moreover, in 2018, Beijing declared itself a “Near Arctic State,” a move that primarily served to underscore the interests of its Arctic claim.

The government in Beijing has its eye on lucrative minerals and other raw materials in addition to the Arctic transport link. There is particular interest in interests in the Canadian Arctic and in mining rights in Greenland. This is because the Arctic is rich in natural resources such as fish, precious metals and fossil fuels.

Read the whole article at Polar Journal »

Category: Asia (Page 2 of 7)

Transcaucasian Trail nears completion

Book » Van Living 1971 » London to India and back

74-year old Rosie Swale Pope restarts her 8,500km run from England to Kathmandu

Top 30 countries ranked for adventure (2021)

The Newcomers’ Guide to The Seven Summits and the continental conundrum

The best countries for long distance cycling

The People’s Congress in Beijing formally announced it will construct the “Polar Silk Road” through the Arctic, despite not being an Arctic nation

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