ith all of the attacks worldwide, many have become scared of flying, of taking chances and risks. Its fine to be scared, but you also have to live your life with no fear and no regrets. Extreme sports have been going on for years, but recently taken center stage for many people in the last five years or so.
Extreme sports make any trip unforgettable. Not only can you say you went gliding over the desert or skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef, and in turn, make your friends super jealous, you also now have the memories to make that trip an unforgettable and thrilling adventure. One you can live over and over again with pictures, memories and that pit like feeling in your stomach every time you think about it. Extreme sports aren't just for the experts anymore. They aren't for the faint of heart, but they are there to spice up our lives and our stories.
"In the water" extreme adventures:
Shark cage diving: Many islands offer shark cage diving, where you are taken down in a cage where sharks are swimming. You can get close enough to view the shark's big teeth and eyes without worrying that you are going to be their next meal. On Oahu (Hawaii), you can take a shark cage dive with tiger sharks. For the ultimate experience, in California, the Bahamas, and off the coast of Africa cage dives are offered with Great White sharks. Prices range from, $375 to $900 depending on how long you plan to be down there. Visit sharkadventures.com and cagediver.com for more information.
Scuba diving: This extreme adventure takes you into the ocean's depths so you can appreciate the life under the sea. Swim alongside reef sharks, octopus, manta rays and eels. If you want to try scuba diving for the first time many companies offer introductory classes that give you an in-depth look into scuba diving and then later they take you down for a supervised dive. If you're looking for a unique experience, some places like Hawaii offer night dives.
Kiteboarding: The kiteboard itself looks like a modified surfboard that is shorter and boxier, with fins at both ends and straps for your feet. Once you're strapped in, a special two-lined kite drags you along. It is said that a good way to prepare for kiteboarding is to buy a two string kite and once you've mastered that you can instinctively maneuver the kite while kiteboarding. It will help if you can steer the kite without thinking.
Surfing: While some might not consider surfing extreme, it all depends on the waves you choose to ride. Mastering the big waves is definitely tricky but well worth it once you get the hang of it.
Kayaking: Also not typically considered an extreme sport, it can be depending on where you're kayaking. The waves, no matter where you are, can be unforgiving, especially if you don't know how to watch the tides and the water levels. After you master the sport, you'll realize it was worth your effort for the exhilaration alone.
White Water Rafting: In this extreme adventure, people sit inside a raft with a lifejacket and carouse down the river. The rapids however come in quick succession so you'll catch your breath from one rapid just to hear the rumble of the next. They come in half-day or full-day trips, or even opt for overnight and multi-day adventures (if you dare).
"In the air" extreme sports:
Skydiving: Whether you are skydiving from 8,000 feet or 14,000 feet in the air, this extreme sport is a true rush and something no extreme girl should pass up. The view is amazing and the feeling of weightlessness is something you will never forget. You feel as if you are floating among the clouds.
Paragliding and Hangliding: Hangliding uses a flat surface to glide you like a bird to a destination. The key with Hangliding is to take off from the right location so you avoid getting hurt. Unlike hangliding, which many paragliders think is a dying sport, paragliding offers you the thrill of the air, but allows you to better maneuver. In paragliding you can break left or right correcting the glider, allowing you to go further. Consider tandem (with someone else) paragliding or hangliding if it's your first time and you don't want to take lessons.
Gliding: Gliding is also sometimes called soaring. There is no age limit to this sport. Gliding has said to be the ultimate free flying experience. The gliders can soar at the same air currents as birds and can enable up to speeds of 170 mph. There are two ways to launch a glider, either by winching or by bungee. Winch launching is done by attaching a long wire to the engine and pulling the glider rapidly down the runway. The glider can achieve up to 2000 ft altitude using this method. The other method, bungee, is the oldest and most interesting of the two. The glider is perched on top of a ridge and a length of rubberized rope is attached to the tow hook and teams of runners on each side of the nose run down the hill catapulting the glider into the air streaming up the face of the ridge. Some countries are so dedicated to this sport that they even have a National Gliding day, like New Zealand, whose national day is on March 11th.
"On the ground" extreme adventures:
Zorbing: Zorbing is an extreme adventure that is done around the world. Think of it this way: imagine that you are a hamster in a giant ball. Zorbing is very similar. You are placed in a giant ball and sent rolling down a hill. You can also be strapped in and the ball can be filled with a little bit of water, which feels a lot like being in a washing machine. This might not sound appealing but it's actually a lot of fun. People as young as three and as old as seventy have done this, so if they can do it so can you. Zorbing was mainly found throughout Europe, England and Australia, but it is now also available in Texas.
Bungee Jumping: Just your average jump with a big fall and several rebounds giving you a feeling of absolute weightlessness for several minutes. Believe it or not, Bungee jumping actually began with the Indigenous people of the Penecoste Islands in the South Pacific who have jumped off of bamboo towers with vines tied to their legs for thousands of years. For modern times though, England's Oxford Dangerous Sports Club started the modern version of the sport on April 1, 1978 from the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England. Then in 1988, the Kockleman Brothers in the US and A.J. Hackett in New Zealand started commercial jumping for the public quickly making bungee jumping one of the most common and thrilling of the extreme sports.
Para-Bungee Jumping: Para-bungying is said to be an experience unlike no other. In this extreme sport, a person is belted into a chair and, at the same time, harnessed to the bungy. As the boat speed increases, you are gently launched into the air at a comfortable towing speed. This joyride is done either over a lake or ocean. There are two ways down - the slow descent with the parasail still attached or the rapid free fall of bungee jumping. It's your choice.
Some say that's when the true adrenaline rush kicks in. One minute you are hanging loose up in the sky and the next thing you know you're simply dropping out of the scene as gravity takes control. In a split second, you have deserted your chute harness for a latex rubber cord that will certainly smooth your decent to the lakes level. A truly unique and invigorating experience for those who need an extra kick every once in awhile.
Helibunging: From the inventors of parabungying, comes helibunging. Most bungee jumping is done off of a bridge towards a lake, but this unique experience is one that cannot be missed. Different sites are done from various heights; this is a unique experience for true daredevils. Imagine combining skydiving with bungy jumping, this thrill of weightlessness is said to be truly invigorating and one not to be missed.
Bobsledding: The name bobsledding is actually named as such because many people thought their heads would bob back and forth while sledding at these incredibly fast speeds. That didn't happen, but the name stuck. Bobsledding was first invented in Switzerland in 1897 when a group of vacationers put some runners on a toboggan to gain greater speed down the famous Cresta Run at St. Moritz. After that, the sport of racing bobsleds down the mountain became popular among both British and American visitors.
The original sleds were made of wood, but replaced by steel sleds when people realized how much faster they could go. Until the 1950's the US had the fastest bobsleds, since there's were made of steel. Bobsledding definitely isn't an extreme sport for the faint of heart. It is a sport of exhilarating, but dangerous speed. The exact thrill that lead the sport to be a part of the Winter Olympic Games starting in 1924. The bobsled run is at least 1,500 meters (about 1,640 yards) long and it has about 15 or 20 turns.
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