When visiting magical Italy, travelers won’t be able to avoid sensory overload, from the stunning sites and sounds of bustling piazzas, to the beautiful lively people, and who can forget about the food. You just can’t get a bad meal in Italy! Paolo Rossi, shares his top 10 favorites for this week’s feature. Enjoy!

Paolo Rossi’s Top 10 Italy…

1. Taste the food.

Spaghetti, pizza, tiramisu, espresso and mozzarella are just a few products of the popular Italian cuisine, which is famous for its diversity and its use of natural products. As nearly every region in Italy has its own traditions and specialties, you can try a tasty new dish every day during your tour across Italy.

My personal favorite: Pizza Calzone with an espresso.

2. Learn about Roman history.

The history of Italy goes back thousands of years, with the Roman ages as the most well known period. The Roman emperors left behind evidence of their reign across the entire continent, but the most impressing ruins and historic buildings can be found in Italy. You can’t leave the country without having visited the Colloseum, Foro Romano, Valle dei Templi or a similar site. Seriously. They will check this at the border.

My personal favorite: The ancient city of Pompeii.

3. Pick your favorite gelato flavor.

Yes, I know that I already mentioned Italian food, but gelato is something different. It’s unique. It’s an experience. It’s… well, you’ll have to come and try it yourself. And since everyone has his or her own taste, it’s your obligation as a visitor to find out what your favorite flavor is. Do you prefer the fresh taste of fruit, or would you rather have something extra sweet?

My personal favorite: Lemon.

4. Enjoy the nature.

Although Italy is one of the largest countries in Europe by population, there’s still a lot of unspoiled nature left to enjoy. The Amalfi Coast is absolutely breath taking, but the Italian Alps in Valle d’Aosta, the Tuscan hills or the Apulian nature are nothing less than amazing as well.

My personal favorite: Arcipelago di La Maddalena (Sardinia).

5. Visit the Vatican.

When you’re visiting Rome, you’ll have to visit the Vatican as well. Not just because the Holy See is literally a small country inside Rome, but because Piazza San Pietro is probably one of the most beautiful squares in the world. Also because Saint Peter’s Basilica is simply stunning, and because it’s probably your best chance of catching a glimpse of the pope.

My personal favorite: the Sistine Chapel.

6. Go diving.

Most people think about the Red Sea or the Maldives when it comes to diving, but Italy has several great diving spots as well. The clear blue water of the Mediterranean can best be enjoyed around the islands of Sardinia and Ustica, but the Costacuti Reef (Tuscany) or the shipwrecks off the shores of Apulia also are excellent places to dive.

My personal favorite: Cala Gonone (Sardinia).

7. See the inside of a church.

Beautiful architecture, amazing mosaics, painted ceilings and arches that seem to reach the sky; most Italian churches are an ode to God both from the inside and outside. There must be thousands of churches, cathedrals and basilica’s across the country, so there is no excuse not to visit one during your stay. Even when you’re not religious. Once you’ve entered one, you’ll have absolutely no regrets that you took the time for the visit.

My personal favorite: hard to choose, but I love the Duomo di Milano.

8. Take a stroll through an old city center.

The historic centers of over a dozen Italian cities are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which is an indication of the beauty and historic value of these city centers. The small streets, old buildings and unique piazzas make you want to stroll, not walk. And stay, not leave.

My personal favorite: Sienna (Tuscany).

9. Visit a museum.

The Vatican Museum is the most popular (and crowded!) Italian museum, with over 4.5 million visitors each year, but there are many other places to go to if you don’t like long waiting lines. No matter how small the town in Italy, there’s a museum. And each and everyone of these museums has a collection with the most beautiful paintings, archaeological findings or other pieces of art.

My personal favorite: Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Tuscany).

10. Taste the wine.

France may be the most well-known country in the world when it comes to wine, but the Italians make some fine wines as well. Actually, Italy is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world, together with Greece. Since the 2nd century BC, the Italians have been practicing their wine making skills, and you can taste this experience from nearly every bottle of Italian wine.

My personal favorite: a nice red Barolo.

Jess Berlin, on assignment for Adventuregirl.com set out to find the luxe and unusual places in Fiji. Matangi Island, one of Fiji’s private island resorts, is in the northern set of Fiji’s islands, just off Vanua Levu.

Booking at Matangi Island Resort, means guests literally get the whole island. Matangi is an exclusive privately owned 240-acre unique horseshoe-shaped island paradise, with a virgin tropical rainforest, white sand beaches, set against a backdrop of volcanic rocks rising from turquoise clear waters.  A haven for honeymooners and destination brides, Matangi’s Horseshoe Bay is the ultimate in romance hot spot, and noted in Patricia Schultz’s book,  “1000 Places To See Before You Die”.

Jess’s favorite things about Matangi

1. It’s a private island!

Matangi is a privately owned horse-shoe shaped island that has been in the Douglas family for five generations.  There are no cars and no roads on the island. You really do feel like a VIP as you can explore the island freely, while barely running into anyone.  At night it is so quiet, I really felt like it was just me on the island.  This is truly a family run resort with more of a personalized bed & breakfast feel.

2.  The bures

The spacious bures here are incredibly well appointed with a sitting area and four poster beds (complete with built in air conditioning).  ROMANCE ALERT! The beautiful bathrooms have outdoor rock showers (which makes showering even more fun).  Two chairs on each bure’s front porch were the perfect place to read in the mornings and opt for an afternoon nap at the hammock on the beach– an the ideal place from some down time.

3. The snorkeling

The snorkeling just off Matangi is the best I have ever seen.  Just like in those magical underwater photos seen in magazines, the clear ocean waters are chocked full of rainbow colored reef compete with hundreds of  fish- so many that they can be spied as far as you can see.  Matangi can also organize a daily snorkeling trip for a day of adventure off island.

4.  The animals

Be prepared for the animal friends you will make, too!  The Douglas family cares for many stray and injured animals on their little  island.  There is an aviary for the injured birds where you can get a close up, and learn about their several bats, doves and parrots.  The island of Matangi is also home to a few cows, goats, pigs and a few wild horses, remnants of a former working plantation.

5.  The sense of community

Because Matangi is so small, visitors get to know all staff and other guests extremely well.  The staff’s welcoming and hospitality makes for one of those “part of the family” experiences. My trip lent for some instances when we (the guests) had all of the tables pushed close  just so all we guests could eat together and share our adventures of the day at Matangi.

For more Information on Matangi: http://www.matangiisland.com

]]> http://adventuregirl.com/fiji-all-things-matangi/feed/ 0 http://adventuregirl.com/adventure-the-other-butt-cheek-part-2/ http://adventuregirl.com/adventure-the-other-butt-cheek-part-2/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:54:34 +0000 Loretta Henderson http://adventuregirl.com/?p=2790

Loretta Henderson’s story on her solo cycling adventure in Mongolia continues here…

A man standing in the center of the bus terminal courtyard notices what I’m doing and comes over.  I show him the map, the bicycle and the money.  He smiles and takes Pandemic over to the trunk (boot) of his car.  Pandemic, even without her wheels, won’t fit into the trunk.  His friend comes over and picks up Pandemic and her wheels and tries to fit them into his trunk.  And then his friend and his friend and his friend repeat the same effort.  But Pandemic the stubborn magic bicycle will not give an inch.  Asking a whole bunch of men lingering at a bus terminal in China, to fit a bicycle into the trunk of car, could be a sitcom all of its own.  China is a country where the ratio of bicycles to people is 10:1, and each of those people has a PhD in bicycle.

A caucus of dissertations and head scratching debates fills the courtyard as Pandemic the magic bicycle floats from one trunk to the next to the next, splattering her sandy Gobi remnants across the courtyard.  Eventually, as a result of a lengthy seven way debate, someone points to Pandemic’s back rack and motions for me to remove it.  I have the Allen key tool in my pocket, but I am enjoying the how many clowns can you fit into VW bug circus act far too much to do anything about the rack at the moment.

A woman shimmies through the testosterone filled circus and grabs hold of my arm; she is waving her cell phone.  She presses the cell phone up to my ear.  She had called her English speaking friend and wants to invite me in to her café for free Chinese dumplings and she wants me to have a nice visit to China.  She motions for me to leave the courtyard circus and the bicycle which is in view of the café window.  I sit like a geriatric patient on my left butt cheek and have a nice visit via cell phone translations over dumplings and tea.

I return to the courtyard of circus bicycle engineers and remove the carrying rack from Pandemic’s bicycle frame.  A driver has finally won the prize at the circus and fit a square through a round hole and gotten Pandemic to fit into the trunk, a puzzling success.  I squat in the back seat of the VW Jetta for 2 ½ hours as we rush towards Hohott, the regional capital.  Half Ass Helen is about to erupt, hot pussy lava is gathering pressure and heat in explosive anticipation.

Half Ass Helen erupts for three long days burping out red puss and blood on a rhythmic hourly schedule while I lay around on top of a towel in a sterile hotel room.  Helen doesn’t ground any planes or anything, but the volcanic shaped cone blows her top and exposes a deep canyon lake, an abyss large enough for antiseptics.  The lake has since dried up, the abyss has healed and all that remains of Half Ass Helen the volcanic abscessed butt wound is a scar the size of coin and a story to tell.

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Loretta Henderson – Solo Female Cycling Around the World

I hit a huge rocky dirt rivet in the trail and bounce right off Pandemic, my magic bicycle’s seat, and land on the solid steel cross bar.  I think I just gave myself an epistiotomy. I immediately stick my hand down my throbbing pants to check for blood.  I am grateful I haven’t seen anybody for a few days and can only imagine what they would think of this strange woman alone in the desert on a bicycle with her hand down her pants.  There isn’t any blood but I am fairly certain I have rendered myself infertile.  I am cycling out of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, into China.  My 2 month visa time is ticking away like rosary beads at a prayer ritual.

By that afternoon, I am sitting on the sandy floor of the Gobi Desert, my bicycle wheel laid out in pieces.  I am concerned about the tube part that appears to have been hit again by an array of machine gun shrapnel.  I am at least 80 kilometers lost or I think I am lost.  Cycling the hardened clay labyrinth trails is like cycling through a bowl of spaghetti.  I have been picking a path in the spaghetti maze and taking it with confidence, that all of these sandy hardened clay “roads” will eventually lead south to China.

I am thirsty and repairing yet another gasping puncture, air leaking through multiple stab wounds.  I am scrapping the bottom of the barrel of my trusty patch kit and the spare tube is holier than a preacher at the pulpit on Sunday morning.  Each full patch, I cut with my nail clippers into two or three tiny patches.  I begin to examine the 7 fresh holes in the tube and patch each one with a freshly cut, tiny jagged edged patch and a whole lot of glue.  I inspect the tire for the cause of this multiple stab wound puncturing madness out here on the semi-arid desert floor.  The villainous culprit is a tiny coral looking fraggle rock with hair of sharp rocky thorns.  The wind is at a constant howl and the tiny thorny fraggle rocks appear to blow with ease and loiter in crowds on the hardened clay “roads”.

As I reassemble the wheel and pack up the trusty patch kit, I sit back and get stabbed with a sharp rocketing pain.  The final puncture of the day has been to my gluteus maximus.  I quickly stand up and pluck the fraggle rock out from my right butt cheek.

After 6 more days of cycling, I cross the Mongolian/Chinese border and I find myself sleeping in my sleeping bag on my belly, bottoms up.  Each evening and morning in the tent, I touch the growing bump, which I have named Helen.  Helen has taken over one half of my buttocks.  Half Ass Helen is named after Mount Saint Helen, the volcano in the pacific northwest region of America.  Half Ass Helen has a cone shaped top and is increasing in painful pressure and is threatening to erupt.  I don’t have a mirror so I can’t see her and can only touch her with a dirty finger.  Half Ass Helen’s location is a bit of a mystery.  I have antibacterial hand wash so I have been rubbing that on Half Ass Helen since her debut to the center stage of my butt crack sometime last week.

I stand up and peddle for 23 miles and then push Pandemic the magic bicycle in the dark another 10 miles towards the street lights of the town of Sonid Youqi in inner Mongolia, China, to contemplate the impending eruption going on inside my pants.  After another night of bottoms up, I wake and push Pandemic the concerned magic bicycle to the town center in search of a bus.  Hohott, the region’s capital and a computer, are about a 2 hour drive away.  Hohott would have medical supplies, a mirror and a computer so I could contact an ex-boyfriend who is a doctor in America and an old friend who likes to laugh at the predicaments I get myself into then helps me sort them out.  Half Ass Helen, the volcanic butt wound, will not disappoint the doctor.

The bus terminal is bustling with activity but I am denied a bus ticket to Hohott.  Perhaps there isn’t a bus or perhaps they won’t accept magic bicycles.  I don’t speak Chinese so I am not sure which.  Therefore, I do something I am normally very opposed to doing and start acting like a rich tourist.

Tourists in Asia have the reputation for being very affluent.  I have never related to this image much.  I subside on a meager diet, always travel on a budget of limited means and share or trade what I do have with those around me.  But the seismic activity brewing in my pants makes this a special occasion.  I take out my Chinese map and 200 yen (about $37) and bring Pandemic over to a taxi.  I point to the map, the bicycle and the money.  The taxi driver just shakes his hand at me, which is Chinese for no, no, no.

Part 2- What happens next? Read it here!

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The Farm at San Benito, a serene, luxurious tropical medical and wellness resort in the Philippines, embraces advice from ancient times, by Greek physician Hippocrates: “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food.”

Meals at the Farms “85/15″ restaurant not only please your senses. Nutrients are carefully preserved by heating most edibles not over 40 degrees (C). (The name “85/15″ reflects the ratio of ‘live’ uncooked food (85%) to cooked (15%) food served here.)

Mind you, this wellness farm is not for everyone. Not because it’s exclusive, or because of the occasional celebrity you see here. It’s because when they say ‘wellness’, they mean it: No meat is served. No smoking. No alcohol allowed except with meals. Use of mobile phones, computers, radios, TV…even perfumes, is strongly discouraged. Not without good reason, since he focus is on unwinding, de-stressing…renewal of body, mind and spirit. Your stay here is meant to be a retreat from the noisy, hectic ‘outside’ world.

You can enjoy a daily dose of traditional and modern wellness modalities from East and West: Massages, reflexology, medical consultations, salt baths, foot scrubs, Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong and meditation classes, swimming and walking.

And to complete the day in style… how about a moonlit hot bath in your private,  outdoor designer tub, or a massage under the stars poolside.

The friendly therapists and physicians here want you to get the most out of your stay – no matter who you are or what shape you are in. They even offer detoxing and customized programs to address chronic health conditions.

During the day, between treatments, why not check out a book from the on-site library. Or chat with other guests over a juice or tea. Stroll, smell the orchids, relax in a meditation pagoda…or count the swans in the pond.

The next day, after sleeping in, yet another massage and a leisurely walk, I get to enjoy the wellness brunch by the South Pool. Home made coconut ice cream for desert! Makes the Farm’s motto “Eat for Health” even easier to embrace…

What a difference five days at The Farm made. How peaceful and energized I feel, compared to when I arrived. Now I feel better than ever prepared to face the hectic outside world again.

The Farm at San Benito

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Journalist Jess Berlin, on assignment in Fiji for Adventure Girl, brings back stories of these magical south pacific islands.

Jess kicks of the multi-part series with

“Fiji: These Are 5 of My Favorite Things”

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Shortly after 10 pm, a dozen adventurers from around the world carefully navigate dimly lit tunnels on an electric mine train. ”Watch your heads! says our guide.”

Destination: a cave 700 meters in the Bavarian Alps. A dozen miles or so from composer Mozart’s birthplace- Salzburg, Austria, also the nearest airport to our salt cave destination.

One of less than a handful open to the public in the world, this salt crystal cave is said to have special powers enhancing well being. We’ll spend the night there and find out.

In times past, bloody battles were fought over the massive salt deposits in this area – for control over the “white gold.” Thankfully, today’s battles here are confined to winning over stress and chronic conditions.

Our guide explains, “This salt grotto immerses us in energy of millions of tons of salt from the original ocean on Earth, 250 million years ago. Salts ability to shelter us from outside influences, including radiation, helps us de-stress, can help to activate self-healing powers and enhance relaxation.”

The wood floored cavern reminds me of a huge sauna, roughly the size of a tennis court. Indirect lighting adds to a womb-like ambiance. Mother Nature keeps the temperature at a constant 12 degrees (C), night and day, all year.

As we settle into sleeping bags on wooden cots, we feel a hint of sole ( ‘so-lay’, water & salt ) in the air and enjoy gentle sounds invoked from a Tibetan metal bowl by our guide – backed by the gurgle of a sole fountain in the center of the cave.

We’re advised to direct our awareness to the salt energy, we soon drift off into a dreamy state…and a few hours later awaken to the chimes of another Tibetan bowl ’sound massage’. It’s morning, time to return to the outside world.

Back on the surface, we celebrate our salt adventure over breakfast. How does it feel, a night in a salt cave? “Great, I had my mental ‘batteries recharged,” says a silver haired gentleman, “and not tired, though I stayed awake most of the time.”

How do you explain phenomena like this? Does the salt in our body resonate with salt in this cave, even receive beneficial ‘information’ on some level? According to a German scientist and author, this possibility may not be as far-fetched as it may sound.

www.salzheilstollen.com

The Red Sea is undoubtedly one of the top diving destinations in the world with warm, crystal clear waters offering an unparalleled experience and has something to offer for all levels of experience; whether you are a seasoned diver or someone looking to submerge yourself into an underwater world of adventure for the very first time.

Labeled as a marine eco-region and an area of conservation by the Worldwide Wildlife Federation, the Red Sea is home to some 1,200 different species of fish, 1,000 invertebrate species and 200 hard and soft water corals that form a patchwork quilt of vibrant colours and intricate structural formations that play host to some of the oceans most exotic inhabitants.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 Red Sea dives off the Egyptian coast:

1: SS Thistlegorm wreck: a military vessel carrying armored gun carriers, jeeps, trucks, rifles & ammunition and a large supply of Wellington boots that sank in the Gulf of Suez in October 1941.  A spectacular dive site and amongst the most popular in the world; an explosion hole in 120 metre hull makes it easy to enter to see the schooling barracuda and giant tuna that frequent the wreck.  She is deteriorating fast so one to see before it’s too late!

2: Giannis D wreck:  the cargo ship sank in April 1983 in the Straits of Gubal when she struck a reef.  At only 27 metres in depth she makes for a spectacular and largely intact wreck (although in 3 separate pieces).

The engine room and accommodation can still be seen and a variety of marine life has made the wreck home including the Crown of Thorns Starfish.  A nearby reef also offers a spectacular array of coral and fish, many of which have crossed over to the wreck.

3: Steamship SS Dunraven wreck: An 80 metre long Victorian sail and steam ship.  Carrying a cargo of spices, timber and cotton, she sank in 1876 in 28 metres of water (also in the Gulf of Suez), coming to rest upside down after capsizing.

When exploring the cave like hull of the ship, the boilers and collapsed metal work can still be seen, along with Yellow Goat fish and Giant Morays.  Outside the wreck is a wide variety of marine life including the rare Ghost Pipe fish and schools of Bat fish which make for a brilliant photo opportunity.

4: Carnatic wreck: A P&O passenger ship measuring 90 metres in length, was carrying wine, cotton bails and £40,000 in Royal Mint gold when she sank on the Sha’ab Abu Nuhas reef in September 1869.  You won’t find any gold (this was recovered immediately afterwards) but this wreck certainly doesn’t disappoint and considering its age, is one of the finest examples in the world.

The wreck has been colonized over time by various species of coral and has her own indigenous reef fish population including Lion fish and Grouper.  The interior has also been colonized by Glass fish making this wreck a dream come true for photographers.

5: Ras Mohammed National Park: Lastly, no diving experience would be complete without visiting the spectacular reefs within this protected area.  Bordered on land by barren desert, the reefs offer a stark contrast with striking tapestries of colour and an abundance of marine life.  Easily accessible from Sharm El Sheikh- the park incorporates an Eel garden, the vertical coral walls of the “Main Beach” and a newly opened reef (Marsa Bareika) containing excellent coral specimens, Barracudas and Snappers (and the odd shark or two), along with calm water which makes this an easy dive for the beginner.

These are just a few of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring examples of dives in the Red Sea but no visit to Egypt should be complete without visiting one of the most beautiful diving destinations in the world.

by: Prime Sarmiento

Travellers often skip Manila to enjoy Boracay’s famed white sand beach or to dive the renowned Tubbataha reef. But the Philippine capital, with its rich history and cosmopolitan vibe,  has many things to offer especially to culture/heritage buffs, foodies, shopaholics  and party girls.

1. Take a walk in Intramuros,  The centuries-old “walled city” was built during the Spanish colonial era. This area is now home to country’s most beautiful churches (Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church) and museums (Casa Manila and Bahay Tsinoy). Don’t forget to go to Fort Santiago, perhaps the most historic place in Manila. This defense fortress was built for the Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi at a site where the palace of Rajah Suleiman, the chieftain of pre-colonial Manila once stood.

2. Go on a food trip in Binondo, Manila’s famed Chinatown district – Dump your South Beach diet and indulge yourself in Filipino-Chinese carbo-based goodies including noodles, dumplings, spring roll, siopao, hopia and  tikoy (a.ka. Chinese New Year Cake). Buy a copy of Binondo Food Wok map if you want to locate the best food stalls and restaurants in the area.

3. Build you art collection and invest in contemporary Philippine art – Filipino visual artists are hot and the high quality of their work have been breaking records in regional auctions. Some galleries that you can visit to view (and perhaps purchase) contemporary Filipino art include Galerie Joaquin Finale Art Gallery and Silver Lens.

4. Go to Ocean Park  – The  Philippines is famous for its marine biodiversity, but if you’re no scuba diver, you  can still get that under the sea experience and marvel at the country’s diverse marine species by going to the city’s oceaanarium – the Manila Ocean Park.

5. Sign up for John Silva’s tour of the National Museum- Get a crash course on Philippine history, culture and arts. Highlight of the four hour tour is Silva’s mini lecture on the country’s most celebrated art piece.

6. Shop, shop, shop – Manila is home to Mall of Asia, one of the world’s  biggest shopping malls – where you can shop till you drop given its wide array of stores, products and brands.  But if you’re more interested to buy high quality and unique Filipino delicacies, furniture, accessories and gift packs, then head to and the eco-friendly shop, Echo Store.

7.  Bring your mat- Keep up with your regular yoga practice at several of the city’s shalas including Iyengar Yoga Center Manila  and Bikram Yoga Manila.  Iyengar Yoga Manila also invites some of the world’s  most experienced senior yoga teachers to teach here, so  be sure to attend one of these special sessions to deepen your practice.

8. Enjoy Manila’s night life – Booze the night away in bars, cafes and clubs that line Morato St. in Quezon City; Adriatico st. in Malate and Bonifacio High Street in Taguig.

9. Indulge in indie- Catch award winning Filipino indie films being shown at the University of the Philippine’s Film Institute.

10.  Tour the Manila Chinese Cemetery– The second oldest cemetery in Manila was built  for Chinese immigrants who were denied burial in Catholic cemeteries during the Spanish colonial period. This may sound ghoulish, but a trip to this cemetery is highly recommended for those interested in Philippine-Chinese architecture as  represented by temples and mausoleums that abound in this place.

For More information: http://www.manila.gov.ph

by Anthony, The Travel Tart–

I went riding down this road/glorified goat track on a mountain bike in late 2007.  Yungas Road  is located between the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, and the town of Coroico.

This ‘Road of Death’ claimed an average of 20 vehicles each year (and numerous lives) until a new highway opened in 2007 – in fact, the locals were so pissed off with using the old road, that they used the new highway during the construction period!

Just remember, Yungas Road was a two lane ‘highway’ – but it’s barely wide enough for one car width in some places!

The drop over the edge is ‘only’ usually 600 metres (1900 ft).  Only travellers are silly enough to use this road now via mountain bike trips.  In fact, about 10 people have lost their lives mountain biking down this magnificent part of Bolivia.  I guess that means they don’t score the ‘I Mountain Biked Down The World’s Most Dangerous Road’ T-shirt.

The trip is about 70 kilometres (44 miles) long and starts at 4000 metres (13000 ft) above sea level – sometimes in the snow –  and finishes at 1500 metres above sea level – in tropical forest. It takes about 6 to 7 hours cycling downhill.  The hardest part is a 3 kilometre uphill pedal at 3500 metres – which almost burst my lungs.

Some masochistic people have cycled up The World’s Most Dangerous Road – and this takes about 12 hours.

Believe me, it’s worth risking your life to ride this fantastic track!  I was on a high for days after cycling down The World’s Most Dangerous Road – in fact, I wanted to go again!

It’s easy to organise a trip – many places in La Paz organise the trip there, which also includes chocolate and bananas for extra energy!

Also, please find attached a video link here with some great footage about the road:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGnLyGtN1I

My website is: The Travel Tart – Offbeat Tales From a Travel Addict (http://www.thetraveltart.com)

Twitter: twitter.com/thetraveltart