Exotic places...

Nak masuk tahun baru, mulalah aku berangan mana nak pergi jalan-jalan... mana tempat yang aku patut jelajah... actually bukan tunggu tahun baru je... almost every other day, kalau ada je orang ajak berjalan... rajin je aku berangan... orang tak ajak pun rajin je aku pikir...

anyway, listing bawah ni aku dapat dari forwarded messages, (tp pic tu aku cari kat internet, tak tahu lah ada copyright ke tak.. hehehe) so bagi sesapa yg suka berangan mcm aku, blh lah berangan g ke tempat-tempat ni... ada yg mmg logically blh buat and tak mahal sangat lah... like item number 9, 4 & 2...

no 10, 8 n 5 tu tak lah interested sangat... no 7, 6 dan 1 tu mcm mahal and perlu byk persiapan mental n fizikal... and no 2, maybe dah ramai pun orang makcik2 kat M'sia dah buat sambil shopping2 kan... but there's a possibility i might go for number 9, 4, dan 3... anybody wanna join???

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With the arrival of 2008, it’s time to do something different, something daring, something exhilarating. After all, we only live once -- or twice, in James bond’s case -- so why not make every second count? Whether it’s skiing down a mountain or hot-air-ballooning across the skies, you’ve got to "up" the excitement level in your life if you’re ever going to say you’ve truly lived. So, make like Richard Branson and scour the Earth for your next kick; here are 10 such exhilarating activities to mark on your 2008 to-do list.

Number 10
Ice fishing in Canada

If you’ve ever wanted to make like the Inuit and catch your own fish straight from a hole in the ice, now is your chance. There are many places in the world to do it, but Ontario, Canada, offers up over one quarter of the world’s freshwater, with plenty of trout, bass and pike to go around. Travel to Algoma Country on the northern part of Lake Superior -- the largest freshwater lake in the world -- then bait-up, cast your line and wait for something juicy to bite. Try contacting Ontario Ice Fishing to get started.Highlight: Undoubtedly, the highlight of this activity is cooking your catch on a crackling fire by night, holed up in a cozy lakeside cabin. After all, just because you’re fishing like the Inuit, doesn’t mean you have to stay in an igloo.

Number 9
Running with the bulls in Spain

While the locals think nothing of running away from a bull during the nine-day San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, it’s one of the most exhilarating activities an outsider can do. During the festival, part of the town is sectioned-off and transformed into a makeshift bull-run. While you could watch the action from one of the many overhanging balconies, you’ll have to join the hordes of participants to really feel the heat. When the protection barricade is opened, six or so raging bulls charge down the street, bucking and snorting.The aim of the game is to run as fast as you can and escape injury by ducking into alleyways along the way or completing the run before the bulls. There’s usually a few injuries, with people being trampled or gored by the beasts, so if you walk away unscathed, you’re one of the lucky ones. If you're interested, contact PP Travel, who offer a number of San Fermin bull-run packages.Highlight: As well as being able to enjoy the nine-day booze-fest that precedes this activity, running with the bulls is all about bravado and will enable you to demonstrate your prowess as a man (that is, if you aren’t kicked to the cobbled streets by a well-placed hoof).

Number 8
Motorcycle trip up Highway 1

There are few road trips that manage to pack in the best of both the natural and the man-made worlds, but a motorcycle trip up the road linking Los Angeles and San Francisco does just that. The trip affords drivers sights of everything from jaw-dropping mansions to awe-inspiring coast lines, but in order to bring this ride to the next level, we suggest hopping on a motorcycle that will make the road the main attraction -- a feat easily accomplished with help from the fastest bike on the market: the 2008 Hayabusa.Designed to change the lives of even the most jaded motorcycle aficionados, the Hayabusa’s 194 horses and 13400cc, 4-stroke, 4-cylinder engine will make you feel like you’ve just burned through California in an F-14 (without the less-than-exhilarat ing Kenny Loggins soundtrack, thankfully).Highlight: The undoubted climax of the trip comes from stopping to take in the awesome beauty of the coastal mountains in the Big Sur, then jumping back on your bike and accelerating to the speed limit quicker than you ever have before.

Number 7
Bungee jumping in Zimbabwe

While you could just appreciate the beauty of Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls with a walking tour, the more daring among you can bungee-jump from a perch at the nearby Victoria Falls Bridge. Until recently, the highest legal bungee-jump spot in the world, Victoria Falls is undoubtedly one of Mother Nature’s most terrifying creations.With a frighteningly frayed-looking rubber band tied around your ankles and the unnerving “five, four, three, two, one” countdown booming from the eager bungee staff, you’ll fall 364 feet towards the fierce Zambezi River that gushes below. It’ll only last seconds, but the jump will feel like an eternity as you fall through the air, with the thundering noise of the water behind you. Jump with Safari Par Excellence, who have an excellent track record.Highlight: Twice as high as Niagara Falls,Victoria Falls separates Zimbabwe from Zambia, and bungee jumping from it will make you feel like you’re on the edge of the world.

Number 6
Cage diving in South Africa

If you’ve ever seen Jaws, then you’ll be familiar with the fear associated with a sharp gray dorsal fin slicing ominously through the water. Fortunately, in this case, you’ll be in a robust cage with an oxygen tank strapped to your back as the undisputed king of the deep approaches, eyes wild with anger.Setting off from Kleinbaai Harbour, a boat will take you out to a channel between the Geyser and Dyer islands, where a great white will be lured with bait. Give the White Shark Company a call, and get hooked.Highlight: Underwater for 30 to 45 minutes, you’ll be able to experience the thrill of being close to a great white without the fear of being torn apart, limb by limb. You’ll be able to see its gleaming white teeth, its dead black eyes and its torpedo-like body, all from the safety of a cage. When you come this close to the devil, you’ll feel like you’re playing God.

Number 5
Tandem skydiving in England

The best way to experience the thrill of falling to Earth, tandem skydiving involves you being strapped to an instructor as you leap out of a plane 10,000 to 12,000 feet above the ground. Without you needing to worry about pulling the cord at the right time -- thus ensuring survival -- you can enjoy the thrill of the jump without the fear of dying. Organize your free fall through Virgin Experience Days to make like daredevil Richard Branson.Highlight: There’s nothing quite like a 5,000-foot free fall at 120 mph, after which you’ll be able to safely float to Earth while taking in the panoramic views of the countryside below you. What’s more, with a tandem skydive you get to experience the thrill without all the time-consuming training.

Number 4
Camel trekking in Morocco

Make like Ali Baba and embark on the adventure of a lifetime in the Sahara Desert -- on camel! Sure, you could take a 4x4, but it’s more fun plundering dunes and battling sandstorms atop a hump. Starting in the mysterious city of Marrakech, you’ll follow the ancient camel caravan routes through the desert to Jebel Saghro and up towards the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Log on to CamelTrekking. com for a first-class trek.Highlight: Camping each night beside a crackling fire at small, palm-fringed oases, you’ll feel like Aladdin on his first wish. Just make sure you use your second wish for water and your third wish for a compass, should you get lost.

Number 3
Hiking the Inca trails in Peru

Hiking 28 miles in the Peruvian Andes, you’ll come across the stunning ruins of the long-forgotten Inca city of Machu Picchu. Like Indian Jones, you’ll cut away foliage with a machete as you make your way through the subtropical jungle, cross deep ravines, scale long flights of stairs, and pass through the crumbling passageways constructed by the Incas thousands of years ago. Along the way you’ll be able to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery that this part of the world affords, as well as age-old monasteries and nature’s most beautiful creatures. Schedule your hike with Sungate Tours.Highlight: Reaching the city of Machu Picchu is the highlight, as it’s like stumbling on El Dorado. Hidden deep in the jungle, you’ll become part of history as you explore an open-air museum without velvet ropes or artifacts in glass boxes.

Number 2
Walking the Great Wall in China

The world’s longest man-made structure, stretching over 6,300 miles from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, walking the Great Wall of China will do wonders for your ego.OK, you don’t have to walk the full 6,300 miles, but walking a section of the wall is certainly viable. What’s more, it’s a great way to experience the country’s history, culture and breathtaking scenery. But be warned: You’ll need physical strength and stamina to keep up, as this is not an activity for the weak. Opt for tour company AwimAway.com if you think you can hack the pace.Highlight: One of the most legendary man-made structures in history, walking the wall is an achievement that’ll be hard to beat. The highlight of the trip, however, has to be the chance to explore Beijing a vibrant metropolis that is a fusion of old and new.

Number 1
Trekking to Everest’s South Base Camp in Nepal

The adventure of a lifetime, trekking to Everest's South Base Camp in Nepal is the only way for explorers to truly prove their mettle. Start at the city of Kathmandu before making your way to Lukla and up the Khumbu Valley towards the South Base Camp. In addition to breathtaking snow-capped mountain ranges, you’ll take in the Khumbu Icefall, Sherpa villages, the famous Namche Bazaar, and a number of Buddhist monasteries along the way. This is the only way to soak up Nepalese culture. Organize your trek with ResponsbileTravel. com.Highlight: The highlight of the trip is reaching the base camp and standing at the spot where so many adventurers have set off to climb the world’s tallest mountain -- it is simply awe-inspiring.
living every minuteWhile many of these activities involve a lot of effort, any red-blooded man will tell you that a life that doesn’t require such dedication is a life half-lived. So strap yourself in and get ready for the ride of your life.