5 thoughts I had while horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan

Without a doubt the best way to experience the mountains and backcountry of Kyrgyzstan is on horseback. And this is coming from someone who isn’t a big horseback rider.

Yes, I love adventure. Sure, I love animals. I mean, yeah, horses are cool. But am I a tried and tested rider with heaps of experience in the saddle? Nope. In fact, I am still pretty skeptical borderline total scaredy cat when it comes to riding things that have a mind of their own ever since the Great Camel Fiasco of 2013. Somethings just leave a scar.

But in spite of my fears, I yearn for adventure and overcoming challenges while traveling even more. And if there is a place that couldn’t be more suited for that, it’s Kyrgyzstan.

A country that pretty much defines the cliche “hidden gem” Kyrgyzstan is standing up now and just asking to be noticed. A growing modern corner of Central Asian that is a melting pot of languages, cultures and histories, while tourism is only starting to grow there, the traditions of the nomads remains strong.

And nothing is quite so central to Kyrgyz culture quite like the horse.

Once you get into the wilds of Kyrgyzstan, you have pretty much two options – your feet or a horse. I initially was planning on doing a multi-day hike but ended up arriving with bronchitis, and luckily was able to switch to a horse trek instead.

See you can do that there. Trails are trails, and the pony is still a very much acceptable form of transport. Hell, even when we are driving out of Bishkek you would see a road worker canter by you on the road carrying a shovel in one hand. Watching Kyrgyz people ride blows me away. They are the most incredible horseback riders; nothing with throw them off and they are so good at making it look effortless.

I was no stranger to long horse treks after spending a month riding with the eagle hunters in remote western Mongolia in 2014. Just like riding a bike, right? Right???

Here are some of my favorite and most memorable thoughts I had back in the saddle horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan this summer. Enjoy!

25 photos that will inspire you to visit Kyrgyzstan

1. How is this so amazing?

If I’m being totally honest here, I was actually a bit nervous the day we started our horse trek into the mountains. The original plan was to hike for three days, but instead we swapped last minute to riding because I couldn’t walk 10 feet without hacking up a lung.

After a mellow morning at our yurt camp at Kara-kyz in the Jerghez Gorge, we managed to acquire horses and porters and we were off. As you do.

It was just like riding a bike! Even after years of not riding, it felt like it all came back to me. I had forgotten how much I loved riding. I had the biggest grin on my face as we made our way up into the mountains, further and further from civilization.

Completely lost in my own thoughts, it was the happiest I had been in a long time.

2. Is that marijuana?

We rode through colorful fields of flowers, through lush green valleys with towering mountains in the distance. It smelled divine. I was in heaven.

Then my inner monologue about finding my true purpose in life and joyous reverie was broken by my friend saying “that looks a lot like marijuana. Wait that’s definitely weed. Ditch weed.”

Turns out weed grows wild in the remote valleys of Kyrgyzstan. Who knew?

12 things you probably didn’t know about Kyrgyzstan

3. Shit, my ass hurts

After hours of trail riding through the mountains we start to climb up to a huge wide open valley at the end of the day. Smoke trails rise in the distance from the shepherd’s huts and we begin to see other horses in the distance.

Full of confidence and joy, I kicked my little horse into action and cantered/galloped into the camp with the biggest smile on my face. We camped with local shepherds that night.

Fuck guys, it gelt so amazing.

Til I climbed out of the saddle and basically fell over. Man, riding hurts the bum and the knees. Takes some getting used to.

4. OMG am I dead?

We spent the next day winding our way up into the mountains, making our way towards some of the alpine lakes, crossing many rivers and weaving our way through the valleys. It was a big day. I’ll also disclose that helmets aren’t really a thing in remote Central Asia.

Trail riding in Kyrgyzstan is mixed terrain. It’s not really even a trail. At one point we were heading up over slippery mud  rocks and my horse stumbled. I think it caused the saddle bags to slip because a few seconds later my saddle slid off depositing me on the rocks.

I landed on my elbow and ribs. Blind pain, white light, am I dead? You know that sharp pain you get as a kid when you hurt yourself during recess and you cry; it was like that. Deep breaths, don’t cry in front of the men. Ok, I can move my arm. I’m not dead. Ok, I’m alive, I can keep going. Surely I won’t fall off again.

Guys, I fell off again.

The very next day too. And that time it was totally my fault; I accidentally led my horse into a mud pit avoiding more slippy mud rocks and I flew over her head into the mud. At that point my horse had had enough of me and bolted clear across the valley through a bog.

Blink, blink, ok I’m not dead but I was upset and that time I threw a bit of a tanty. I mean, who falls off daily? Fucking hell, someone teach me how to stay on a horse in the mud.

5. When can I do this again?

For me horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan is the epitome of a true adventure. It may not seem like it but for me it was really challenging, not something inherently easy or that I was fearless doing, which means once you do it, it feels all the sweeter.

For me, true joy in travel comes from making me do things that are hard, learning new skills and overcoming fears. That’s what I’m all about.

Even though I’m a complete and total liability on a horse apparently, I still had an amazing time, with crazy highs and lows and before we even finished I was thinking, damn where can I do this next?

I guess I really did love it.

Have you ever considered doing a horse trek? Do you enjoy overcoming personal fears and challenges? Is Kyrgyzstan on your bucketlist? Spill!

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I’m keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post 5 thoughts I had while horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan appeared first on Young Adventuress.

from Young Adventuress http://ift.tt/2xwJxc3

5 thoughts I had while horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan

Without a doubt the best way to experience the mountains and backcountry of Kyrgyzstan is on horseback. And this is coming from someone who isn't a big horseback rider.

Yes, I love adventure. Sure, I love animals. I mean, yeah, horses are cool. But am I a tried and tested rider with heaps of experience in the saddle? Nope. In fact, I am still pretty skeptical borderline total scaredy cat when it comes to riding things that have a mind of their own ever since the Great Camel Fiasco of 2013. Somethings just leave a scar.

But in spite of my fears, I yearn for adventure and overcoming challenges while traveling even more. And if there is a place that couldn't be more suited for that, it's Kyrgyzstan.

A country that pretty much defines the cliche "hidden gem" Kyrgyzstan is standing up now and just asking to be noticed. A growing modern corner of Central Asian that is a melting pot of languages, cultures and histories, while tourism is only starting to grow there, the traditions of the nomads remains strong.

And nothing is quite so central to Kyrgyz culture quite like the horse.

Once you get into the wilds of Kyrgyzstan, you have pretty much two options – your feet or a horse. I initially was planning on doing a multi-day hike but ended up arriving with bronchitis, and luckily was able to switch to a horse trek instead.

See you can do that there. Trails are trails, and the pony is still a very much acceptable form of transport. Hell, even when we are driving out of Bishkek you would see a road worker canter by you on the road carrying a shovel in one hand. Watching Kyrgyz people ride blows me away. They are the most incredible horseback riders; nothing with throw them off and they are so good at making it look effortless.

I was no stranger to long horse treks after spending a month riding with the eagle hunters in remote western Mongolia in 2014. Just like riding a bike, right? Right???

Here are some of my favorite and most memorable thoughts I had back in the saddle horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan this summer. Enjoy!

25 photos that will inspire you to visit Kyrgyzstan

1. How is this so amazing?

If I'm being totally honest here, I was actually a bit nervous the day we started our horse trek into the mountains. The original plan was to hike for three days, but instead we swapped last minute to riding because I couldn't walk 10 feet without hacking up a lung.

After a mellow morning at our yurt camp at Kara-kyz in the Jerghez Gorge, we managed to acquire horses and porters and we were off. As you do.

It was just like riding a bike! Even after years of not riding, it felt like it all came back to me. I had forgotten how much I loved riding. I had the biggest grin on my face as we made our way up into the mountains, further and further from civilization.

Completely lost in my own thoughts, it was the happiest I had been in a long time.

2. Is that marijuana?

We rode through colorful fields of flowers, through lush green valleys with towering mountains in the distance. It smelled divine. I was in heaven.

Then my inner monologue about finding my true purpose in life and joyous reverie was broken by my friend saying "that looks a lot like marijuana. Wait that's definitely weed. Ditch weed."

Turns out weed grows wild in the remote valleys of Kyrgyzstan. Who knew?

12 things you probably didn't know about Kyrgyzstan

3. Shit, my ass hurts

After hours of trail riding through the mountains we start to climb up to a huge wide open valley at the end of the day. Smoke trails rise in the distance from the shepherd's huts and we begin to see other horses in the distance.

Full of confidence and joy, I kicked my little horse into action and cantered/galloped into the camp with the biggest smile on my face. We camped with local shepherds that night.

Fuck guys, it gelt so amazing.

Til I climbed out of the saddle and basically fell over. Man, riding hurts the bum and the knees. Takes some getting used to.

4. OMG am I dead?

We spent the next day winding our way up into the mountains, making our way towards some of the alpine lakes, crossing many rivers and weaving our way through the valleys. It was a big day. I'll also disclose that helmets aren't really a thing in remote Central Asia.

Trail riding in Kyrgyzstan is mixed terrain. It's not really even a trail. At one point we were heading up over slippery mud  rocks and my horse stumbled. I think it caused the saddle bags to slip because a few seconds later my saddle slid off depositing me on the rocks.

I landed on my elbow and ribs. Blind pain, white light, am I dead? You know that sharp pain you get as a kid when you hurt yourself during recess and you cry; it was like that. Deep breaths, don't cry in front of the men. Ok, I can move my arm. I'm not dead. Ok, I'm alive, I can keep going. Surely I won't fall off again.

Guys, I fell off again.

The very next day too. And that time it was totally my fault; I accidentally led my horse into a mud pit avoiding more slippy mud rocks and I flew over her head into the mud. At that point my horse had had enough of me and bolted clear across the valley through a bog.

Blink, blink, ok I'm not dead but I was upset and that time I threw a bit of a tanty. I mean, who falls off daily? Fucking hell, someone teach me how to stay on a horse in the mud.

5. When can I do this again?

For me horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan is the epitome of a true adventure. It may not seem like it but for me it was really challenging, not something inherently easy or that I was fearless doing, which means once you do it, it feels all the sweeter.

For me, true joy in travel comes from making me do things that are hard, learning new skills and overcoming fears. That's what I'm all about.

Even though I'm a complete and total liability on a horse apparently, I still had an amazing time, with crazy highs and lows and before we even finished I was thinking, damn where can I do this next?

I guess I really did love it.

Have you ever considered doing a horse trek? Do you enjoy overcoming personal fears and challenges? Is Kyrgyzstan on your bucketlist? Spill!

Many thanks to USAID for hosting me in Kyrgyzstan, like always I'm keeping it real, all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me. 

The post 5 thoughts I had while horse trekking in Kyrgyzstan appeared first on Young Adventuress.

from Young Adventuress http://ift.tt/2xwJxc3

Surfers Rally to Support a U.S. Ban on Shark Fins

Earlier this month more than 85 surfers, surf businesses and surf publications sent a letter to Congress in support of the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act (S. 793/H.R. 1456), which would ban the buying and selling of shark fins in the United States.

Renowned surfers like waterman Laird Hamilton, world champion Sunny Garcia, The Inertia Founder Zach Weisburg, filmmaker Kyle Thiermann, Mikey DeTemple, Maya Gabeira, Mary Carmel Osborne, Sebastian Steudtner, Ocean Ramsey and Mike Coots, signed the letter, which states that a nationwide ban would reduce the demand for shark fins by removing the U.S. from the global market.

While shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters, fins continue to be bought and sold throughout the U.S. Fins from as many as 73 million sharks end up in the global market every year. The demand for fins drives finning, a cruel and wasteful practice that involves cutting the fins off a shark, often still alive, then dumping the body back into the water to be eaten alive, bleed to death or drown.

Excerpts from the letter:

“Sharks have important ecological value, playing critical roles in structuring ocean food webs. This means that declines in shark populations can create a domino effect of unintended consequences, including the possibility of damaging other marine animal populations.

Twelve states and three U.S. territories have already banned the sale or trade of most shark fins. The Chinese government has stopped serving shark fin soup at official government banquets. Private companies are also refusing to ship or sell shark fin products, including Amazon, GrubHub, many hotels and major airlines, Disney and multiple shipping companies.

Even surfers who have faced risky encounters with sharks while enjoying their craft support protecting these important apex predators. Hawaiian surfer Mike Coots suffered injuries from a tiger shark encounter when he was 18-years-old, but soon after became a shark conservation advocate. He promoted legislation banning the possession of shark fins in Hawaii, and in 2010, the state became the first to pass such a law.”

Oceana campaign director Lora Snyder released this statement in response to the letter: 

“Oceana applauds these top surfers for their support of a national shark fin trade ban. Surfers, who are on the water every day, know firsthand how important sharks are to healthy oceans. This letter shows they recognize the serious threat the fin trade poses to shark populations.

The United States has the chance to put a significant dent in the demand for shark fins that encourages finning worldwide. Oceana stands with these surfers in calling on Congress to pass the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act.” 

Background:

The demand for fins is primarily driven by the market for shark fin soup, which is considered a delicacy in some Asian cuisines. More than 70 percent of the 14 most common shark species involved in the Hong Kong trade are considered at high or very high risk of extinction, and some shark populations around the world have declined by more than 90 percent due to overfishing.

In March, Oceana released an independent report finding that shark-related dives in Florida generated more than $221 million in revenue and fueled over 3,700 jobs in 2016. This stands in stark contrast with the total U.S. shark fin export market ($1.03 million in 2015).

Last year, Oceana released a poll that revealed eight in 10 Americans support a national ban on the buying and selling of shark fins. Other supporters of a ban include 328 businesses, 131 non-profits, nine aquariums and multiple recreational fishing interests. In May, over 150 scientists from all over the world sent a letter to Congress in support of the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act.

To learn more, please visit http://ift.tt/2c3yHzq.

Please use the following link to share this release: http://bit.ly/2xv5NY0

Guest post by Oceana

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one third of the world’s wild fish catch. With nearly 200 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that one billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.

 

The post Surfers Rally to Support a U.S. Ban on Shark Fins appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2iaoB4f

Surfers Rally to Support a U.S. Ban on Shark Fins

Earlier this month more than 85 surfers, surf businesses and surf publications sent a letter to Congress in support of the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act (S. 793/H.R. 1456), which would ban the buying and selling of shark fins in the United States.

Renowned surfers like waterman Laird Hamilton, world champion Sunny Garcia, The Inertia Founder Zach Weisburg, filmmaker Kyle Thiermann, Mikey DeTemple, Maya Gabeira, Mary Carmel Osborne, Sebastian Steudtner, Ocean Ramsey and Mike Coots, signed the letter, which states that a nationwide ban would reduce the demand for shark fins by removing the U.S. from the global market.

While shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters, fins continue to be bought and sold throughout the U.S. Fins from as many as 73 million sharks end up in the global market every year. The demand for fins drives finning, a cruel and wasteful practice that involves cutting the fins off a shark, often still alive, then dumping the body back into the water to be eaten alive, bleed to death or drown.

Excerpts from the letter:

"Sharks have important ecological value, playing critical roles in structuring ocean food webs. This means that declines in shark populations can create a domino effect of unintended consequences, including the possibility of damaging other marine animal populations.

Twelve states and three U.S. territories have already banned the sale or trade of most shark fins. The Chinese government has stopped serving shark fin soup at official government banquets. Private companies are also refusing to ship or sell shark fin products, including Amazon, GrubHub, many hotels and major airlines, Disney and multiple shipping companies.

Even surfers who have faced risky encounters with sharks while enjoying their craft support protecting these important apex predators. Hawaiian surfer Mike Coots suffered injuries from a tiger shark encounter when he was 18-years-old, but soon after became a shark conservation advocate. He promoted legislation banning the possession of shark fins in Hawaii, and in 2010, the state became the first to pass such a law."

Oceana campaign director Lora Snyder released this statement in response to the letter: 

"Oceana applauds these top surfers for their support of a national shark fin trade ban. Surfers, who are on the water every day, know firsthand how important sharks are to healthy oceans. This letter shows they recognize the serious threat the fin trade poses to shark populations.

The United States has the chance to put a significant dent in the demand for shark fins that encourages finning worldwide. Oceana stands with these surfers in calling on Congress to pass the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act." 

Background:

The demand for fins is primarily driven by the market for shark fin soup, which is considered a delicacy in some Asian cuisines. More than 70 percent of the 14 most common shark species involved in the Hong Kong trade are considered at high or very high risk of extinction, and some shark populations around the world have declined by more than 90 percent due to overfishing.

In March, Oceana released an independent report finding that shark-related dives in Florida generated more than $221 million in revenue and fueled over 3,700 jobs in 2016. This stands in stark contrast with the total U.S. shark fin export market ($1.03 million in 2015).

Last year, Oceana released a poll that revealed eight in 10 Americans support a national ban on the buying and selling of shark fins. Other supporters of a ban include 328 businesses, 131 non-profits, nine aquariums and multiple recreational fishing interests. In May, over 150 scientists from all over the world sent a letter to Congress in support of the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act.

To learn more, please visit http://ift.tt/2c3yHzq.

Please use the following link to share this release: http://bit.ly/2xv5NY0

Guest post by Oceana

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one third of the world's wild fish catch. With nearly 200 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana's campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that one billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.

 

The post Surfers Rally to Support a U.S. Ban on Shark Fins appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

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GDS: The forgotten leisure channel?

Global distribution systems are the key to generating online bookings and leisure revenue. Here are some tips to get the most out of your GDS.

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Trivago’s growth slows down

Trivago's third-quarter results weren't as attractive as they've been in past quarters. Revenue was up just 17% from the year-ago quarter, coming in at 287.9 million euros and decelerating dramatically from the 67% growth rate that Trivago posted last quarter.

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Booking.com shows greater love for tourism start-ups

Booking.com is turning its attention to mentoring start-ups at that are at seed level with Booster Lab, an offshoot from its Booster program launched in June.

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