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snini-9 · 4 years

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Orcas VS Humans

In the wild, despite centuries of sharing the ocean, there has only been one reliable report of an orca injuring a human being. The attack occurred on September 9, 1972, when 18-year-old Hans Kretschmer was bitten by an orca whilst surfing at Point Sur. Kretschmer noticed some sea lions playing in the waves prior to the attack, leading him to believe the sudden nudge he received was a curious sea lion. When he turned to look at the instigator, he realised he was terribly mistaken. A six-meter-long killer whale had bitten down on his leg with incredible force. In an attempt to defend himself, Kretschmer punched the animal repeatedly, causing it to suddenly let him go. Once free, the shock-ridden surfer desperately swam 40 meters to shore, a swim which he survived. Upon seeking medical attention, Kretschmer’s doctor commented: “it looks like someone chopped your leg with a sharp axe.”

The injury he sustained was just as graphic with three teeth penetrating bone: narrowly missing a major artery with surgical precision. It required 100 stitches to fix. Although Hans Kretschmer holds the title as the only human being to be seriously injured by a wild orca, there have been five other incidents between humans and wild orcas.

In the early 1910s, a pod of Antarctic type B killer whales, otherwise known as pack ice orcas, attempted to tip an ice floe on which a Terra Nova Expedition photographer and a sledge dog team were standing. Pack ice orcas specialize in hunting seals by wave-washing them off ice floes. Witnesses theorized the orcas mistakenly identified the barking dogs as a family of seals and initiated their unique hunting technique. Fortunately, no one was injured.

A few months before the attack on Hans Kretschmer in September 1972, Dougal Robertson’s 43-foot wooden schooner, named Lucette (Lucy), was damaged by a pod of killer whales and sunk 200 miles west of the Galapagos Islands on June 15, 1972. Everyone on board managed to escape on an inflatable life raft and a solid-hull dinghy. After 38 days as castaways, the small group of people was sighted and rescued by the Japanese fishing trawler Tokamaru. No one was injured.

Almost 33 years later, in August 2005, 12-year-old Ellis Miller was swimming in 4ft deep water in Helm Bay, near Ketchikan, Alaska, when he was nudged by a 25ft transient killer whale. The whale bumped Miller on the left side of his chest and shoulder, then arched around him before returning to deeper waters. Experts believe the orca mistakenly identified the boy as a splashing harbor seal (which frequent the bay’s waters) then realized its mistake and aborted the attack. Miller did not sustain any injuries.

Reconstruction of the attack on Ellis Miller

In 2011, two crew members of the BBC’s documentary Frozen Planet were targeted by a group of orcas who attempted to swamp their 18-foot zodiac boat with a wave washing technique. The crew filmed over 20 different attacks on seals using this technique within a 14-day period, unaware the pod would test it out on them too. The orcas were described as very tolerant to the filmmakers’ presence, and their attacks on seals were described as training exercises for young calves in the group. Perhaps the pod was making use of this new, more challenging “ice floe” to test their attentive youngsters. Regardless, no one was injured. Watch the incident below:

https://youtu.be/SBRu3LGceAg

The most recent incident occurred on February 10, 2014. Whilst free diving in Horahora Estuary, near Whangarei in northern New Zealand, 23-year old Levi Gavin was suddenly approached by an orca who grabbed a catch bag (filled with crayfish) attached to his arm and pulled him beneath the surface. Gavin was dragged for 40 seconds when the rope attaching his arm to the bag finally became loose and he was able to escape. Although his arm became numb, he managed to float to the surface by removing his weighted belt and was aided by his cousin who brought him to some nearby rocks. Once his arm regained feeling and strength, Gavin went to Whangarei Hospital where it was established he did not sustain an injury during the attack.

Because of the stress involved in being deprived of everything that is natural and important in captivity, orcas have been held responsible for hundreds of attacks, tens of injuries, and the deaths of four humans. Six incidents have occurred in the wild over a period of around 100 years (1910s – 2014), none of which proved fatal. Yet, within less than a fifth of that time (1991 – 2010), 82 aggressive incidents occurred in captivity, four of which proved fatal, at least 9 others causing serious injuries from torn ligaments to broken bones and internal bleeding.

One of the most infamous captive orca attacks occurred at SeaWorld San Diego in November 2006. Kasatka, a 17ft long, 29-year-old, female orca attacked Kenneth Peters – the marine park’s most experienced trainer. Peters was working with Kasatka during a Shamu Show and dived into the pool to perform a water work behavior. He reached a depth of 10-15ft and was waiting for Kasatka to touch his foot when he heard a loud distress vocalization. He later learned this loud call came from Kasatka’s almost-two-year-old calf, Kalia, who was calling for her mother whilst separated in a different pool. Upon hearing her daughter’s call, Kasatka turned on Peters and grabbed both of his feet in her jaws. She held him underwater for almost a minute, violently rag-dolling him beneath the surface, before slowly bringing him to the surface, spiraling upward and blowing bubbles as she rose.

Every time Peters’ colleagues slapped the water (a signal for Kasatka to return to the stage) she would only bite down on Peters harder. She responded the same way if Peters tried to pull his foot out of her mouth. Kasatka was keeping him out of reach of the other trainers and away from the sides of the pool. She then pulled him beneath the surface again, thrashed him around, and took him all the way to the bottom of the 36ft deep pool where she laid against him and held him there for around a minute. Once Peters had gone limp, Kasatka finally brought him to the surface again. She released Peters and he managed to make it over a net (which Kasatka also crossed, coming after Peters) and escaped the pool via the slide-out area. Kasatka had broken Peters’ left foot during the attack and he sustained multiple puncture wounds. Regardless, he escaped with his life. Watch the footage of the incident in its entirety below:

https://youtu.be/RhVbH2NEeLM

Kenneth Peters claims Kasatka’s “aggression had come as a total surprise”. The attack occurred as a result of Kalia’s distress call, who had been separated from her mother briefly so Kasatka could entertain an audience of around 500 people. According to SeaWorld’s own animal profiles, Kasatka finds “being separated from other whales/calf” aversive. As SeaWorld San Diego’s most experienced orca trainer, who had worked with Kasatka for many years, Peters would’ve been more than aware of this fact. Yet, he and his colleagues demonstrated a complete disregard for Kasatka’s triggers and he almost lost his life as a result.

The heightened level of aggression towards humans in captivity is a clear indicator of how unnatural and unnecessarily dangerous orca captivity is. Here’s a collection of orca attacks caught on camera at marine parks:

https://youtu.be/Q2ZD4lcJ7EI

Shamu, the original, attacking Annette Eckis at SeaWorld San Diego (April 1971). She recalls the incident almost 40 years later.

https://youtu.be/BKiGAW2YQm8

Orky 2 crashing into John Silick at SeaWorld San Diego (1987).

https://youtu.be/Ne4BiacbDNw

Taku displacing a trainer in the water at SeaWorld Orlando (1994).

https://youtu.be/v3Bfpv7xUzc

Orkid and Splash attacking Tamarie Tollison at SeaWorld San Diego (2002).

https://youtu.be/j9qtdavR3_Q

Kyuquot attacking Steve Aibel at SeaWorld San Antonio (2003).

https://youtu.be/Pl1KpCfb0xo

Ku lunges at her trainer at Port of Nagoya Aquarium (Mid-2000s).

https://youtu.be/hTXE653JPOg

Orkid attacking Brian Rokeach at SeaWorld San Diego (2006).

https://youtu.be/Yu_yxLXFEo4

Freya attacking a trainer during a show at Marineland Antibes (2008).

https://youtu.be/b3dRREXe9eo

Shouka repeatedly lunges at her trainer at Six Flags Vallejo (2012).

https://youtu.be/TipAIojZGNs

Lolita lunges at guests at Miami Seaquarium (2012).

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kanntank · 7 years

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Galapagos diving nightmare - epilogue

Galapagos diving nightmare – epilogue

Me, practicing deploying an SMB. At Whytecliff Park, West Vancouver, B.C. Photo taken by Greg McCracken, Ocean Quest Dive Centre (February 2017) By now, you know I lived to tell the tale. The experience spooked me. Even more so after I’d returned home and had a chance to really think about what had occurred. Learning about the deaths of Donna Newton and Eloise Gale frightened me. Wanna read the…

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#danger of galapagos scuba diving #death on galapagos liveaboards #diving death galapagos #galapagos liveaboard safety #galapagos scuba diving

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mama-ivy · 3 years

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The Witch and The Wizard

Prompt: Modern witches and Urban Wizards

3068 words

Why were men so gullible? In all the years she’d been dealing with them, it was the same story. Century after century, she used the same tricks to win them over. Her system never failed her.

Seed from a Libidinous Male was by far her least favorite ingredient. Sometimes, depending on the spell, she could use a male from another species like horse, dog, or ram. The most powerful spells, though, required human males and those were the worst. Even now, in the twenty-first century, Dragon Saliva was still easier to obtain. While actual dragons died out a long time ago, she found that the saliva from the Lava Lizards on the Galapagos Islands worked just as well, sometimes better, and those cute little guys were friendly. Men, on the other hand, were a pain in her ass.

She stared at him from across the bar. He was sitting alone in a small booth half covered by the darkness of the corner, but she could tell from her high perch that he had been staring at her for an uncomfortably long time. His eyes were a piercing blue and she could feel them boring through what was left of her soul. She swallowed the last of her favorite drink, Death in the Afternoon, the absinthe burning her throat on the way down, and sauntered over to the booth to settle herself opposite him carefully checking that her empty vial was still tucked in her corset.

He was tall, she could tell despite his seated position, and incredibly handsome; rugged, chiseled, the perfect amount of stubble. His hair was as black as a raven and fell in almost perfect waves over the tips of his ears and collar. His expensive Italian suit jacket lay across his knees and a red silk tie, loosened at the neck, lay across his muscular chest perfectly placed in between his pecs. Most unnerving of all was the fact that while he never took his eyes off of her, he also never said a word as she sat down. He only lifted his tumbler of scotch to his lips and took a long sip.

She smiled inwardly and outwardly. Finally, she thought, I may have found a challenge. This collection might just be fun.

“Can I help you with something?”

Can you jack off into a cup for me? “I need some company. You look interesting.”

“That would be a first.”

“That I need company?”

“That I’m interesting.”

“You’re not interesting?”

“If I say no, will you go away?” He took another long sip of the scotch.

“Probably.”

“Then, yes, I’m terribly interesting.”

She smiled again. “And I am terribly thirsty.”

He raised two fingers towards the bar. The bartender nodded his acknowledgement. “So what line shall I use on you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Come here often? Did it hurt? What’s a nice girl like you doing in a dive like this?”

“None of those, thank you.”

“You don’t like them?”

“None of them apply.”

“You’re not a nice girl?” Another long sip.

“I certainly didn’t fall from heaven, so I’m going to go with no.”

He chuckled at that. It bellowed up from the pit of his stomach and rolled off his tongue like a threatening storm. Her insides melted just a little. “I’m glad. Nice girls are boring.”

“You’ve had one before?”

“A nice girl?” he grinned. She nodded. “One too many times.”

“So just the one.” Another chuckle from him. More melting in her.

He looked away from her eyes long enough to thank the bartender who delivered the drinks – duplicates of what they had been drinking. “Absinthe. Not what I expected, honestly.”

“How do you get table service in a place like this?” she took her drink and sipped it.

“Owner is a friend of mine.”

“So you come here often?”

“If I’m not allowed to use the line on you, then I don’t think it’s fair that you use it on me.”

“Duly noted.” She smiled at him again over the rim of her glass. “So how long do we have to tolerate the small talk before we can leave?”

He studied her for a moment and then looked at his watch. “I’d say just this long.” He stood and held out his hand to help her up. She took it and rose to meet him. He dropped several bills on the table and escorted her out into the night.

He truly enjoyed ingredient gathering – the thrill of the hunt and all that. Nothing like spending a night camping in the woods tracking bats for wings, frogs for eyes, filling the vials with swamp water and crossroads dirt. This ingredient though, was the only one he despised. Fiery Mane of a Salacious Woman. The biggest problem with this ingredient was not the gathering. He never had any trouble getting women into his bed. The problem was that very few women now a days were truly red-headed. So many dyes and chemicals. It’s not like he could just walk up to a redhead and ask either. He tried that exactly once and sported a black eye for a week. Used to be that every time he ran out, he’d vacation in Scotland for a week and restock. Now they’re just as rare there as anywhere else, so why waste the time and money?

His favorite spot for hunting Fiery Mane was his buddy’s bar. Gino and him went way back and was one of the very few people that knew his secrets. And he let him drink for cheap. Gino’s mother was a hairdresser and taught Gino a few tricks. He could spot “virgin hair” (as he liked to call it) from across the room. No dyes, no treatments, just the real deal. He had been sitting in the corner booth nursing his drink for almost an hour that night she walked in. Both Gino and him noticed her immediately and Gino nodded his approval. It’s real.

She was tall, lithe, and moved like a cat slinking across the floor. Her black leather pants clung to all the right curves and shimmered in the dim overhead lighting. Cascades of curls the color of blood fell down over her shoulders and past her breasts, partially hiding her bright, golden eyes. She’s perfect. He watched her drink soft green liquid from the martini glass while she surveyed the room. She was looking for something. Or someone. His best and favorite tactic was to wait. Inevitably, some dick would try something and he could swoop in and rescue her from certain doom. He tried not to stare, but she had already noticed him. He watched as she gulped the last of her drink and slunk over to his table.

She sat for a moment just looking at him like he was the last man on earth.

“Can I help you with something?”

“I need some company. You look interesting.”

More than you know, sweetheart. “That would be a first.”

“That I need company?”

“That I’m interesting.”

“You’re not interesting?”

“If I say no, will you go away?” Please, don’t go away.

“Probably.”

“Then, yes, I’m terribly interesting.”

“And I am terribly thirsty.”

She was gorgeous, funny, said all the right things. This collection would be fun. Maybe he could set up a regular thing. A steady supply. It took all his strength to not jump out of his seat when she asked to leave. He dropped a couple bucks on the table for Gino and waved goodbye at his friend while leading her out. Gino responded with a thumbs up.

His flat was spacious and extremely well decorated. She could see evidence of family money everywhere. Paintings covered the walls, antique furniture mingled with modern, large bookshelves held rows and rows of old volumes. “Make yourself at home.” He said as soon as they entered. She allowed herself to be led to an open living area full of comfortable couches and sat in the one opposite the picture window that looked out onto the city. He laid his suit jacket across the back of the couch beside her and walked towards the bar in the corner of the room. “I don’t have absinthe.”

“Scotch is fine.” She watched him as he rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing gorgeously toned forearms, and prepared two tumblers. “You have a lovely place.”

“It belonged to my parents before they passed.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s been years.” He walked over to her and handed her the drink before sitting down beside her.

“I have a confession.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t normally do this.” Liar.

He grinned at her and placed his drink on the table in front of them. “I would say the same, but with my ‘no nice girls’ rule, you’d know I was lying.” She smiled seductively at him and placed her drink beside his. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

“Please don’t. Careful is no fun.”

His lips tasted like the fine scotch he had been drinking all night. His tongue was warm and welcoming. She expertly let out small hums just when she knew he’d like them and allowed him to weave his fingers into her hair. “Come with me.” He whispered into her mouth. “The bed is so much more comfortable.” He led her down the hallway each leaving small pieces of clothing trailing behind them; shoes, socks, a red tie.

They spent the better part of the night taking turns exploring each other. She had to admit, he was every bit her equal and she couldn’t remember having this much fun gathering before. Spent, they lay back in the spacious bed looking up at the vaulted ceiling. “Would you care to stay the night?” he asked slowly rising from the bed. “I’m a pretty good cook when it comes to breakfast.”

“Do we have to sleep?” she called out after him as he made his way into the adjoining bathroom. She watched him turn the corner and quickly reached down and pulled the empty vial out of her corset that had unceremoniously been dumped on the floor. Careful not to spill any of the seed that he had deposited on her belly, she scooped it up and replaced the cork, tucking it back into the inner pocket for later use.

“Of course, not.” He called back. “We can explore all the rooms of the flat, if you’d like.”

She followed him around the corner, her bare feet padding softly on the luxurious rug, and snuck up behind him, wrapping her arms around his broad waist. “I’d very much like a shower first, if you don’t mind. Would you like to join me?”

“Would you care to stay the night?” He sat up slowly, willing his muscles to not ache. It had been far too long since he had experienced a woman with that much flexibility. “I’m a pretty good cook when it comes to breakfast.” He stood and strode towards the bathroom to get the hot water going. Anything to loosen the muscles.

“Do we have to sleep?” He grinned at the question. Maybe not sleep, love, but shower, definitely. Brush our hair, possibly. Not pay attention while I cut off some of yours, please.

“Of course, not.” He called out. The longer he kept her here, the more ingredient he could get his hands on. “We can explore all the rooms of the flat, if you’d like.”

“I’d very much like a shower first, if you don’t mind.” His heart jumped in his chest. How the hell did she sneak up on him like that? He was losing his edge. “Would you like to join me?” She wrapped her arms around his waist, and his gut started to burn. Jesus, this woman. The softness of her skin gave him butterflies.

“I was having the same thought.” He turned around to face her and lifted her up so she could wrap her long legs around him. She crashed into his lips and hungrily searched his mouth with her tongue while he carried her to the shower using muscle memory to get there unscathed. The water was hot and comforting, easing the muscles all down his back. He ran his fingers through her hair, carefully unweaving the stray strands that came entangled themselves in his hands and setting them aside on the small shelf in the corner.

“That feels good.” She hummed into his mouth. “It’s been a long while since someone played with my hair like that.”

I’ll do this all night, sweetheart. “I find that hard to believe. I’ve been wanting to do this since the bar.”

They stayed in the shower until the water ran cold and then warmed each other back up in the bed. He watched her hair like a hawk, secretly stashing away every stray that fell from her head.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had stayed up all night with a man. She had lost count of the orgasms – six, maybe? Seven? Her vial was filled to the brim and she was thoroughly enjoying her night. He was not only sexy and talented, but interesting and intelligent as well. She was excited to see how his cooking went since he bragged about it so much. She had put back on her corset and pants and was strolling around barefoot in his flat while he cooked with only dress pants on.

“You have a lot of books.” She ran her fingers across the spines.

“I do a lot of research.” He answered without turning around from the stovetop. The smell of bacon and eggs was beginning to fill the flat.

Tucked away in the corner, she found an antique podium which held a very old and very large book. She ran her fingers across the page as she glanced it over. Page 452. The Spell of Longevity and Regeneration. Ingredients: 1 gram Imp’s breath, 1 Amanita Mushroom, 2 drops of caster’s blood, 1 strand of Fiery Mane of a Salacious Woman. Stir well and chill before drinking.

She had to read it twice to make sure. “Out of curiosity, how old are you?”

“I thought it was rude to ask a person’s age.” He answered without turning around. “I’m old enough for you to not get into trouble with the law if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“That’s not what I was nervous about at all.” She walked back over towards the kitchen. “Your book over there. It’s very interesting.”

He stopped cooking and turned to face her. “I have some interesting hobbies.”

“Fiery Mane of a Salacious Woman. Have you been gathering from me?”

“What do you know about gathering?” He slowly and carefully walked towards her, stopping only long enough to take a wand from its hiding place near the door.

She started to laugh. Of course, this is how this night would go. She pulled the vial from between her breasts and held it up for him to see. “Seed of a Libidinous Male. You can put your wand away and finish my breakfast.”

The relief was visible on his face as he grinned. “You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“You have a lot of books.” He could barely hear her over the sizzle of the bacon in the pan and the grumble of his stomach at the smells.

“I do a lot of research.” It wasn’t a lie. Probably couldn’t be counted as the whole truth, but still, not a lie.

She was quiet for a moment and he quickly glanced over his shoulder at her. Shit. She found his spell book. He knew he should have put it away. Maybe she wouldn’t know what it was and drop it.

“Out of curiosity, how old are you?”

Nope. Not dropping it. “I thought it was rude to ask a person’s age.” He really didn’t want to answer the question. “I’m old enough for you to not get into trouble with the law if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“That’s not what I was nervous about at all.” He could hear her coming towards the kitchen. He needed to cut her off soon, because if she got any closer, his wand would be out of reach. “Your book over there. It’s very interesting.”

Yup. He was definitely going to have to deal with this. He wracked his brain trying to remember if he had all the ingredients for a forgetful spell. Slowly, he turned around to look at her. “I have some interesting hobbies.”

A sly smile crossed her face. “Fiery Mane of a Salacious Woman. Have you been gathering from me?”

FUCK! His wand. He needed it. Now. Don’t startle her. Don’t make it seem like you’re rushing out the door. Most of all, don’t kill this nosy bitch. He slowly crept towards the door and opened the chest holding his wand. Gripping it so tightly his knuckles started to turn white he asked, “What do you know about gathering?”

She started laughing. Seriously? Laughing. She pulled a small corked vial out of her corset and held it up. Was that…?

“Seed of a Libidinous Male. You can put your wand away and finish my breakfast.” Fuck all the gods. It was. He could feel the sigh coming all the way from his toes.

“You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“Will you answer my question now?”

He grinned at her. “Three hundred and twenty-seven, and yes, I started gathering shortly after you did, apparently.”

She followed him into the kitchen and sat obediently at the small table in the corner. He placed her breakfast in front of her and sat opposite. “So this research that you do.”

He replied in between bites. “Old spells. I barely practice other than my regeneration spell. You?”

“White Magic. Mostly healing.”

“What exactly is my seed going to be used for?” he chuckled under his breath, but she definitely caught it and giggled.

“Fertility potions. I have a couple of women that have exhausted modern medicine’s options.”

They ate in silence for a moment, until she broke it. “Did you get enough fiery mane to last you?”

He nearly choked on his eggs from the stifled laugh. “Not by a long shot, but that just means a second date.”

She laughed. He smiled. He did love her laugh. “Yes, I suppose it does. Maybe we can work an arrangement.”

“I would like that very much.”

Masterlist

#The Collection #writing prompts #short stories #witch #wizard #magic

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apneagalapagos-blog · 4 years

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Learn Freediving Techniques from Apnea Galapagos

What is FreeDiving? Freediving is diving by breath It's a competition and a physical challenge for many. Since the dawn of time, humans have been freediving, drinking or hunting for food. It has become more recently a beautiful leisure past-time, a form of self-expression, and inner discovery. It is also a competitive sport that offers athletes the chance to explore their true potential. The ocean calls us all in search of greater freedom-for pleasure, relaxation and a way to travel through our emotional depths.

Freediving Tours provides you professional freediving instruction. It gives you perfection in your freediving learning. Obviously, we educate technique, safe, and physiology as well as all the essential things which everyone requires to become a skilled, healthy and confident freediver. But we are moving much further than that. Once we freediving we are breathless, our most obvious and important source of life.

Freediving is similar in many ways to a form of yogic practice. Focusing on slowing down your heart rate and keeping in your breath leads to lower stress and depression rates. Those reduced levels of stress last even when you're out of the water and not consciously freediving. Of course, I've breathed my entire life, but on a freediving trip in the Galapagos, I also learned How to Freedive Longer. Freediving also strengthens confidence in oneself. You also had relatively higher confidence in the internal control locus. That means they know that their own lives have more control over activities. The more freediving you do, the better the body gets to use oxygen effectively.

The Freediving Tour is something extraordinary! Immerse yourself in the ice-cold water in a wetsuit is an experience you won't miss. In all mammals, this is a natural phenomenon where the body optimizes respiration, reduces heart rate, and redirects oxygen to the vital organs. This reaction also allows extra red blood cells to be released into the body by the spleen. Freediving requires an intense concentration on one thing at a time, much like a form of meditation. All your daily distractions melt away when you dive, as you focus on diving. This applies to some degree to all underwater sports but especially to freediving. Better performance in other water sports is one of the best health benefits of freediving. Capable of holding your breath for a long period of time is a useful skill for any water sport, and one day the difference between life and death might mean. One of Freediving's major health benefits is a positive effect on joint health.

Apnea Diving have been shown to suppress adrenaline and cortisol stress hormones. Therefore, doing the ' breathe-up ' first thing in the morning will serve as a kind of meditative practice, helping you relax, stay calm and concentrate by increasing blood flow to the brain's prefrontal cortex. A healthy human is for the most part just two deep breaths away from 100 percent saturation of blood oxygen, so using the ' breathe-up ' has more to do with calming than with true saturation of oxygen. Relaxation, however, facilitates oxygen accumulation in the body, and the movement of the abdomen draws air into the lungs ' voluminous base. The breathing process used in the ' breathe-up ' also helps to rid the body of toxic air that has built up throughout the day in the lungs, or after exercising.

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g9trip · 4 years

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Exodus Travels: 13 Tips for Flipping the Script on Travel in 2020

As we enter 2020, Exodus Travels is challenging travelers to resist what’s “trending” for 2020 and focus instead on “adventure as a means to discover and grow our best selves.” Here are 13 “non-trends” and tips that Exodus says can help the intrepid get the most out of their travels in 2020:

1. Back-to-Back Getaways

It’s a fact that in the fight to preserve our planet, we all need to fly less, Exodus Travels says. Fortunately, there are ways to see the world that help lessen one’s carbon footprint: For instance, booking two trips back-to-back and in the same destination not only allows eco-conscious explorers to spend less time in the air—it also lets them see, do and learn far more about a place than they normally would on a single trip.

2. Embrace the Layover

Another way to fit two trips into one flight is by building a second stay into your layover. Skip wasting hours at the gate and take advantage of a well-timed stopover with a “micro-adventure” instead. Global hubs like those in Reykjavík, the Netherlands and Beijing offer plenty of opportunities to see more of the country, and many airlines encourage stopovers from anywhere between six hours to eight days, depending on when and where you fly.

3. Step Outside Your Social Comfort Zone

This year, Exodus Travels suggests taking a friendly acquaintance (an “overworked colleague or frazzled gym buddy,” for instance) on an escape and connect with someone in a whole new way. Exodus’ Refer a Friend program allows past travelers to receive $100 off their next trip when they refer a new Exodus guest – and gives the new guest $100 off their first adventure.

4. Find Unexpected Fun in Famous Places

Rather than hitching onto the ghoulish “Last Chance” travel trend, which encourages vacationers to visit rapidly changing destinations before they disappear due to climate change or overtourism, aim for unexpected experiences in a well-known region instead. Rather than beelining for crowded Barcelona, go further afield and discover the secrets of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands; skip the queue of safari trucks in South Africa and break away for a week of wine tasting, kayaking with penguins and surfing on sand dunes, or pass over the crowds of Rome to cycle the backroads of Italy’s Prosecco hills.

5. Power Down

When was the last time you actually forgot to check your phone? In a world filled with digital distractions, being able to truly unplug has become the epitome of self-care and indulgence. In 2020, challenge yourself to leave the tech at home in favor of a tech-free experience—you may be surprised how much more meaningful a getaway can become. Rather than scrolling and sharing, surf and stretch your way through a wellness-focused Digital Detox in Portugal, let your senses lead you through a street food tour of Saigon or see how long you can live without a selfie on an expedition of the Sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand.

6. Don’t be Scared of Off-Seasons

With so much to see and do, there’s really no such thing as a bad time to travel these days. It’s a good thing, too, because not many appreciate how magical it can be to snowshoe in the Dolomites or go winter walking in the Austrian Tyrol—unless you’ve visited outside high season. As overtourism continues to be a concern around the world, travelers should be encouraged to visit their bucket list destinations when they’re less likely to be overrun with fellow travelers. Exodus says to consider a safari in Namibia at the tail end of its rainy season in March, when prices—and crowds—are lower, or experience Mexico at its best before and after the snowbird season in April and November.

7. Make Your Childhood Dreams Come True

Most of us caught the “travel bug” before we were even allowed to walk to school by ourselves. For those looking for a new source of vacation inspiration, recollecting your childhood ambitious can be a great start, Exodus Travels says. Whether your young self’s travel dreams included a Jungle Book-driven visions of an India tiger safari, pirate-inspired longing to sail the high seas or a Galapagos obsession brought about by biology class, honor your inner child in 2020 by fulfilling their quest-related fantasies.

8. The Heart of Adventure is in Hollywood

While last year saw wildlife-focused films like “The Lion King” inspiring animal-lovers to seek out their favorite characters in the wild, the big screen of 2020 is shining a spotlight on the thrill of adventuring abroad with premier films such as the Agatha Christie adaptation “Death on the Nile” starring Gal Gadot, Disney’s live action remake of “Mulan,” Pixar’s upcoming road trip animation “Onward” and the adventure flick “Jungle Cruise.” Exodus suggests to “trade perilous for premium” on a cruise down the Nile, learn about China’s feudal past while trekking its Great Wall, embrace a family tour of India, and tackle the jungle on your own riverboat on an Amazon River Cruise.

9. Face Your Fears

Travel is incredibly powerful, Exodus Travels says. Make this year about personal reflection and discovery by challenging your perceptions: Consider a destination that you’d be uncomfortable visiting and seek to understand it better by speaking with someone who lives there or has visited before; improve your awareness by asking questions and learning about its history, then think about taking an Egyptian odyssey, cycling through Colombia or tracking leopards in Sri Lanka. Facing your travel fears in 2020 won’t just open your eyes to something new—it will positively impact destinations that rely on tourism as well.

10. Have a Very “Beary” New Year

With globetrotting grizzlies, panda twins and Discovery’s hit new show “Man vs. Bear,” the family Ursidae is having a moment, and is Exodus’ “It” animal for 2020. Catch a glimpse of polar bears hunting on the ice floes of Spitsbergen in Norway and see the brown bears fish for salmon along Canada’s Orford River. Follow the “little bear” trail on a wildlife walk into Finland’s brown bear habitat or watch bears from a hide deep in the forests of Romania, and learn why these creatures are so crucial to their respective ecosystems.

11. Lay Waste to Excess – Buy Experiences Instead

A recent analysis conducted by the Center for Generational Kinetics found that 74 percent of Americans are prioritizing experiences over products or things. Set a New Year’s resolution to choose exploration over excess: Trade in 12 months of shoddy shoes for a tour of Marrakesh and the Sahara; brown bag a year of lunches in favor of a Vietnam Food Adventure, and resist the urge toward that new car smell by opting to explore Russia’s Kamchatka instead, Exodus says.

12. Foray into the Final Frontier

Not space travel. Intrepid explorers can seek out a whole new world a little closer to home by taking a deep dive into the other final frontier: the oceans. Plunge deep beneath the surface of the planet’s most mysterious destination via small ship cruise into nautical regions beyond the tourist track. Surround yourself with 850 species of fish while snorkeling in the Seychelles, discover the underwater topography of reefs, atolls and channels while diving daily in the Maldives and see the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside marine biologist and expedition leader.

13. Get Real About Travel

Exodus Travels says there’s no better time to practice the art of mindfulness—”accepting the unexpected and learning to live in the present moment”—than on a self-guided trip. Travel is by nature unpredictable and challenging (flight delays, getting lost); plus, Exodus adds, there’s nothing more rewarding that realizing your own self-reliance, being real and keeping calm as you lose your way along Spain’s Camino de Santiago or walking the wine villages of Italy. Show yourself what you’re capable of bicycling from Vienna to Budapest or reap the rewards of a foodie-focused tour of Burgundy. Remember throughout the next year that, ultimately, it’s the ups and downs of travel that make it such a fun adventure.

Palau Bans ‘Toxic’ Sun Cream as Tourism Takes its Toll on Island

How to Avoid Crowds in the Cinque Terre

Natural Habitat Adventures to Offset Travelers’ Carbon Output

Azamara Expands Partnership With World Wildlife Fund

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The post Exodus Travels: 13 Tips for Flipping the Script on Travel in 2020 appeared first on G9Trip.com - Everything in 9 Global Trips.

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actutrends · 4 years

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Exodus Travels: 13 Tips for Flipping the Script on Travel in 2020

1. Back-to-Back Getaways

2. Embrace the Layover

3. Step Outside Your Social Comfort Zone

4. Find Unexpected Fun in Famous Places

5. Power Down

6. Don’t be Scared of Off-Seasons

7. Make Your Childhood Dreams Come True

8. The Heart of Adventure is in Hollywood

9. Face Your Fears

10. Have a Very “Beary” New Year

11. Lay Waste to Excess – Buy Experiences Instead

12. Foray into the Final Frontier

13. Get Real About Travel

Palau Bans ‘Toxic’ Sun Cream as Tourism Takes its Toll on Island

How to Avoid Crowds in the Cinque Terre

Natural Habitat Adventures to Offset Travelers’ Carbon Output

Azamara Expands Partnership With World Wildlife Fund

The post Exodus Travels: 13 Tips for Flipping the Script on Travel in 2020 appeared first on Actu Trends.

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tripstations · 5 years

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Top Adventure Activities in South America

If you’re looking for adventure and activities to unwind, South America has abundant, exciting options. Spanning over nine beautiful countries, you cannot exhaust what the continent offers.

First, it is notable for the vast Amazon forest, which is a beauty shared by several countries. But apart from the Amazon, each South American country is distinctively beautiful. Irrespective of your landing point, you’ll find nature beckoning for exploration.

In your tour, you’ll come across many exciting things to do in South America. But the next adventure packed activities dominate the rest.

Top 5 Adventure Activities in South America

Hike and Explore the Machu Picchu

Every year, more than a million people take the daunting Inca trail, at Cunca, Peru. It features a distinguished sanctuary, and it is a UNESCO heritage site. You’ll start the hike at Piscacucho, trek for over 80 kilometers, before reaching the Sun gate at Machu Picchu. With breathtaking picturesque sceneries, daunting steep slopes, ancient terraces, and stunning archaeological sites, you can’t think of anything as exciting and exhaustive. Look for various tours and trips to and around Machu Picchu here.

Skydiving in Sao Paulo

At Boituva, Sao Paulo, you’ll find plenty of Skydiving services. Known as the capital of national sky diving, Boituva is a fun-filled haven. If you fear heights, rock Boituva right off the bat. You’ll take free falls from heights of up to 12,000 meters. With beautiful landscapes and well-selected landing points, there is no reason you should not try Boituva skydiving. Apart from skydiving, you can take air balloon rides, and explore every scene of the gorgeous Sao Paulo.

Climb the Aconcagua Mountain

Ready to test your resilience? The Aconcagua Mountain awaits in Western Argentina. Being the highest mountain in the Andes, Aconcagua is the most challenging mountain climb in South America. Known for an easier trek than other mountains, anyone can climb it. But its daunting nature, means few people complete the trek to the top.

SnowBoarding in the Slopes of Portillo

Discover Portillo slopes, a place with activities that will sail you to the extremes of adventure. Once listed by Forbes, as a top 10 skiing zone, Portillo has everything an adventurer can imagine. With hundreds of skiing and snowboarding slopes, no place can rival it. In Chile, Portillo offers a world-class experience. There are no towns, villages, or distractive infrastructure in Portillo, making it an exclusive joint for unlimited fun.

Mountain Biking Across the Death Road

If you have tried everything adventurous, cap your escapades by taking a mountain bike in the world’s most dangerous road in La Paz, Bolivia. The 60 km road winds around the cliff-hanging slopes of Yungas forest. Tourists troop Bolivia for biking adventures in the risky route.

Scuba Diving

The marine life is amazing on the Galapagos islands and scuba diving is a popular pastime that you should partake especially since clear waters make it great for viewing. If you need a better reason to go scuba diving, then maybe diving with whale sharks will grab your attention. One of the must-see attractions in Galapagos Islands, whale sharks are found year-round.

Charles Darwin Research Station

Scientists and science enthusiasts will be well sated by this research station in the Galapagos islands. It chronicles Darwin’s observations as well as how his work continues to be advanced on these islands. The research also outlines the work being done in the preservation of the many species that are unique to the Galapagos islands.

The post Top Adventure Activities in South America appeared first on Tripstations.

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toptecharena · 6 years

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Add these amazing science movies and TV documentaries to your Netflix queue.

These films and series showcase the beauty of the planet, delve into the details of how food arrives on your plate, and explore the mysterious and alien underwater world in oceans around the globe.

The downside to having all of those options is that there’s a lot to choose from. To make it easier, Business Insider reporters and editors have picked some of our favorites from Netflix’ selection.

Films come and go from the platform every month, but as of the date of publication, everything on our list should be available. We’ll update the recommendations periodically to reflect currently stream-able documentaries.

Here are our favorites, in no particular order:

“Icarus” (2017)

What it’s about: In 2014, filmmaker and amateur cyclist Bryan Fogel contacted Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the director of the Moscow anti-doping center, for advice about how to get away with using performance-enhancing drugs. In 2015, Rodchenkov was implicated in state-sponsored doping efforts by the World Anti-Doping Agency. So he decided to flee Russia, travel to the US, and to reveal everything he knew about the widespread Russian doping program.

Why you should see it: The film mixes crime, sport, international intrigue, and the science of manipulating human performance. It’s both thrilling and disturbing — and is especially relevant given the recent ban on Russian athletes competing for their country in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Because of Rodchenkov’s revelations, the world will never look at sports — the Olympics especially — the same way again. [Click to watch]

“Cooked” (2016)

What it’s about: In this four-part docu-series, journalist and food expert Michael Pollan explores the evolutionary history of food and its preparation through the lens of the four essential elements: fire, water, air, and earth.

Why you should see it: Americans as a whole are cooking less and relying more on unhealthy, processed, and prepared foods. Pollan aims to bring viewers back to the kitchen by forging a meaningful connection to food and the joys of cooking. [Click to watch]

“Blackfish” (2013)

What it’s about: This film highlights abuses in the sea park industry through the tale of Tilikum, an orca in captivity at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Tilikum has killed or been involved in the deaths of three people while living in the park.

Why you should see it: This documentary opens your eyes to the troubles of keeping wild animals in captivity through shocking footage and emotional interviews. It highlights the potential issues of animal cruelty and abuse involved with using highly intelligent animals as entertainment. Sea parks have historically made billions of dollars by keeping animals captive, often at the expense of the health and well-being of animals. This documentary played a huge role in convincing SeaWorld to stop their theatrical “Shamu” killer whale shows. [Click to watch]

“Chasing Coral” (2017)

What it’s about: Step into the alien world that teems with life beneath the sea. This film, by the team behind the film “Chasing Ice,” is an attempt to document the transformation and loss of coral reefs around the globe. The filmmakers face rough oceans as they dive underwater to plant cameras and document the changes to reefs. What they reveal is both fascinating and tragic.

Why you should see it: Coral reefs cover less than 2% of the sea floor, but a quarter of marine life depends on them to exist. Without these fascinating and complicated creatures, much of the ocean as we know it wouldn’t exist. The filmmakers reveal the otherworldly beauty of these underwater creatures, and capture just how fragile their existence is at this point. [Click to watch]

“Planet Earth” (2006)

What it’s about: David Attenborough narrates this dazzling high-definition documentary series, as well as its sequel (see below). Each episode offers incredible footage of the world’s breathtaking natural wonders — oceans, deserts, ice caps, and more.

Why you should see it: “Planet Earth is why HDTV was invented. It has some of the most amazing visuals ever. And when you learn the lengths the crew went to for the footage, such as camping out for days on end in camouflage, you’ll have a great appreciation for the people behind the show. They truly want to give you a one of a kind experience,” said Sam Rega, the former producer and director for Business Insider Films.

“You’ve never seen nature like this. I’d argue that Planet Earth, with its high definition footage that took five years to shoot, changed the way nature documentaries were made — all for the better.”

It’s a journey around the globe to the incredibly varied environments that make up our world. Every episode shows you things you’ve never seen: caves with their eyeless creatures, jungles brimming with life, and to the mountains which tower over us. [Click to watch]

“Planet Earth II” (2017)

What it’s about: There’s one way to top Planet Earth, and that’s to take everything that was great about the original show and combine those techniques with new technology like 4K cameras and drone footage to shoot even more stunning scenes.

Why you should see it: If you have any appreciation for nature documentaries, the drama of the natural world, stunning vistas, or David Attenborough’s narration, this is a can’t miss. Once you see a young iguana in the Galapagos start the race for his life to escape a swarm of snakes in the first episode, you’ll be hooked. [Click to watch]

“The Blue Planet” (2001)

What it’s about: This critically-acclaimed series plunges into the mysterious depths of the world’s oceans by traveling to a variety of coasts and poles to examine creatures big and small. Like both Planet Earth series, it’s narrated by David Attenborough, one of the most famous voices in documentary filmmaking. A sequel Blue Planet series is currently airing on BBC America, and will hopefully become available on Netflix someday soon.

Why you should see it: Our planet is covered by water, yet the mysteries and alien creatures in the oceans seem like they’re from another world. The next-best thing to exploring that yourself is watching footage of those incredible environments with David Attenborough’s narration. You’ll see fragile and colorful coral reefs, the dark abyss of the deep ocean, and the lives of the powerful creatures of the open sea. [Click to watch]

“Life” (2009)

What it’s about: This stunning, 10-episode British series was made over four years and filmed on every continent and in every type of habitat in the world. It chronicles some of the most unusual and bizarre behaviors that plants and animals adopt to survive.

Why you should see it: In many ways, every creature on this planet is incredibly unique, adapting to fit whatever niche allows it survive. A clownfish, for example, makes its home inside the tentacles of a sea anemone that most other creatures can’t be near without being stung. Yet in other ways, many animals have developed similar behaviors to other creatures, like ways of communicating or sharing tools. Seeing these behaviors shows just how adaptable life really is. [Click to watch]

“Into the Abyss” (2011)

What it’s about: A Werner Herzog masterpiece, this documentary tells the story of death row inmate Michael Perry, who was convicted of a triple murder in 2001.

Why you should see it: This film delves into the fraught realm of capitol punishment through interviews with convicted killers and their families, as well as members of the Texas criminal justice system. It explores the psychology of why people — and states that enforce the death penalty — kill. [Click to watch]

“The Ivory Game” (2016)

What it’s about: Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson document the struggle to protect elephants. They follow armed law enforcement officers who fight poaching in Africa and try to infiltrate the black market for ivory in China.

Why you should see it: Persistently sad, thrilling, and beautifully shot, this film shines a light on one of the biggest criminal enterprises on the planet. It’s tragic to watch these intelligent, social, majestic animals get slaughtered for their teeth, and this film shows the scope of the problem. It also offers a glimpse of what it would take to prevent these animals from being hunted to extinction. [Click to watch]

“Cowspiracy” (2014)

What it’s about: Documentary filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn reveal the eye-opening environmental impacts that meat production has had on our planet — including global warming, habitat loss, pollution, and more.

Why you should see it: The US is one of the biggest consumers and producers of meat, yet most people rarely understand how their food choices tie in to larger problems like climate change, drought, habitat loss, and pollution. As meat consumption continues to rise, so too will its negative effects on the environment. [Click to watch]

“National Parks Adventure” (2016)

What it’s about: There’s something truly special about the idea that the greatest natural wonders and most beautiful places on the planet should be open to everyone and are too valuable for individuals to own or develop. In this film, produced for the 100th anniversary of that park system, Greg MacGillivray takes viewers to more than 30 of those parks, following climbers Conrad Anker, Max Lowe, and Rachel Pohl.

Why you should see it: There’s one thing that this film does very well and that’s show off just how beautiful these places are. Watch it on the biggest screen you can. [Click to watch]

“Virunga” (2014)

What it’s about: In the midst of a civil war and fight over the Congo’s natural resources, a team of embattled and devoted park rangers risk their lives to protect eastern Congo’s Virunga National Park from poachers and armed militia.

Why you should see it: This film has a dynamic and impressive mix of investigative journalism and nature. It brings to light the troubles of protecting one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, which is home to the few remaining mountain gorillas in Africa’s forgotten national park. [Click to watch]

“Explained” (2018)

What it’s about: Explained isn’t purely a science show. Some topics are very scientific — there are episodes about gene editing, dieting, and marijuana. But others touch on more cultural phenomena like cricket and K-Pop. Whether the topic is scientific or not, the Vox producers have created a series full of excellent short documentaries, each approximately 15 minutes long.

Why you should see it: No matter which subject an episode tackles, you’ll come away 15 minutes later feeling much better informed. It’s a well produced, interesting, and fun show with fantastic expert interviews. [Click to watch]

“Valley Uprising” (2014)

What it’s about: When it comes to adventure that’s connected to nature, there’s little that compares to the sport of rock climbing. “Valley Uprising” is a historical — and fun — look at the evolution of the sport. The film focuses on the climbers that popularized Yosemite Valley, following a journey from the “Golden Age” climbers of the 1950s and 60s through the “Stonemasters” era in the 1970s all the way up to the climbers of the present, like Alex Honnold, who recently became the first to climb all the way up El Capitan without ropes.

Why you should see it: The story of climbing and the people who helped make the sport what it is today is an amazing and entertaining one. There’s a lot of nostalgia and human drama in the film — enough that some climbers have criticized the focus on personality and on some characters to the exclusion of less exciting but equally historically important ones — but none of that changes the fact that this is a fascinating tale. Plus, it’s beautiful. [Click to watch]

“Encounters at the End of the World” (2007)

What it’s about: Few places are as strange and alien as Antarctica, and iconoclastic director Werner Herzog provides quite the perspective on life at the bottom of the world. This film is a mix of travelogue, anthropological inquiry, and exploration of the unique environments and creatures of the southernmost continent.

Why you should see it: “Encounters at the End of the World” is both beautiful and fascinating. There are few filmmakers better equipped to ask why and how humans live in such an inhospitable environment. And while you learn about the serious environmental issues that are being confronted in Antarctica, it’s also possible to sit back and just be stunned by the scenery. [Click to watch]

“Making a Murderer” (2015)

What it’s about: This true crime series tells the story of Steven Avery, a man who spent 18 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of a crime.

Why you should see it: If you’ve avoided this captivating series so far because you weren’t sure it would live up the hype, give it a shot. This twisting tale looks into how forensic science can go wrong or be wrongfully used — and asks serious questions about how our justice system treats the vulnerable, whether or not they are guilty. [Click to watch]

“Food, Inc.” (2008)

What it’s about: Director Robert Kenner offers a deep look into how the food industry has changed drastically since the 1950s, driven mostly by multinational corporations and fast food companies. The film was nominated for an Oscar, and for good reason.

Why you should see it: “Everyone eats food, but very few of us stop to consider where all of it comes from. And when you look as deeply and as widely as author Eric Schlosser did with ‘Fast Food Nation,’ which director Robert Kenner based his documentary on, the picture is shocking and often disturbing.

“There are some political leanings apparent in Food, Inc., and a few facts that seem suspect. But the larger picture — a desperate need for a better, healthier, more humane food system — remains firmly intact. If you eat food in the United States, you must watch this movie. It’s as moving as it is informative.” —Dave Mosher, science and tech correspondent. [Click to watch]

“Into the Inferno” (2016)

What it’s about: Director Werner Herzog and volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer scour the globe, examining the power of active volcanoes.

Why you should see it: This film delves not just into volcanoes themselves, but into the spiritual beliefs and practices that have developed around them. It’s a look at how humanity interacts with dangerous natural phenomena — plus, there’s some stunning imagery. [Click to watch]

“Rats” (2016)

What it’s about: You guessed it — it’s about the four-legged survivors that surround humanity and feed off our trash around the globe.

Why you should see it: A horror flick in documentary form, “Super Size Me” director Morgan Spurlock’s Discovery Channel documentary is based on the Robert Sullivan book “Rats: Observations on the History & Habitat of the City’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants.” It’s a bit sensationalized, sure, but it’s captivating. Business Insider’s Jason Guerrasio writes that it’s “one of Spurlock’s best films in years” and that “Spurlock expands the deep dive into the rats that inhabit New York City and shows how the rodents are dealt with — and in some cases worshiped — around the world.” [Click to watch]

“The Farthest: Voyager in Space” (2017)

What it’s about: In 1977, NASA launched the twin Voyager spacecraft to explore our solar system — and beyond. The trip gave us unprecedented looks at Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first object to leave our heliosphere and began its journey into interstellar space. The epic journey of these two probes continues, and they’re still sending back data to tell us what it’s like out there.

Why you should see it: If you’re intrigued or inspired by the audacity of launching the first mission into interstellar space, you need to watch this. “The Farthest” documents the challenges and people involved in the remarkable effort to get as far away from Earth as possible — and to keep going. [Click to watch]

Anything missing?

Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know by emailing [email protected].

This is an updated version of a post originally by Julia Calderone.

Go to Source Author: Kevin Loria Tech: The 21 best science movies and shows streaming on Netflix that will make you smarter Add these amazing science movies and TV documentaries to your Netflix queue. These films and series showcase the…

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musichall · 6 years

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Telluride by the Sea 2018: What We’ve Seen So Far

Every year, the Telluride by the Sea Film Festival brings six debuts from Telluride Film Festival in Colorado to The Music Hall’s big screen. The titles are not announced until Labor Day Weekend, which means you may get to experience something entirely unexpected.

As we are celebrating our 20th year, I thought it might be nice to go back in time to see what titles were brought to TbtS.

How many have you seen?

Year 1—1999

The Straight Story Wisconsin Death Trip Mifune Me Myself I Kadosh East Is East

Year 2—2000

Jazz The Widow of Saint-Pierre Shadow of the Vampire The Endurance A Time for Drunken Horses Better than Sex

Year 3—2001

The Cat’s Meow Fat Girl A Song for Martin Lantana The Mystic Masseur No Man’s Land

Year 4—2002

Talk to Her Morvern Callar Respiro Bowling for Columbine City of God The Cuckoo

Year 5—2003

Dogville I’m Not Scared Girl with a Pearl Earring Touching the Void Osama The Barbarian Invasions

Year 6—2004

House of Flying Daggers Kontroll Finding Neverland Bad Education Enduring Love Being Julia

Year 7—2005

Breakfast on Pluto Edmond Capote Paradise Now Fateless Caché No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

Year 8—2006

Volver Ten Canoes Venus Fur The Italian The U.S. vs. John Lennon

Year 9—2007

Into the Wild Persepolis Margot at the Wedding I’m Not There The Diving Bell and the Butterfly The Band’s Visit

Year 10—2008

Happy-Go-Lucky Gomorrah Kisses I’ve Loved You So Long Helen O’Horten

Year 11—2009

Coco Before Chanel The Solitary Life of Cranes/The Last Truck The Last Station An Education Vincere Bright Star

Year 12—2010

Tamara Drewe Oka! Amerikee The King’s Speech Never Let Me Go Baseball: The Tenth Inning: Bottom of the Tenth — Special showing! The Princess of Montpensier The Illusionist

Year 13—2011

Albert Nobbs Le Havre A Dangerous Method We Need To Talk About Kevin In Darkness The Kid with a Bike

Loft Series—“Past Gems”

Fitzcarraldo Burden of Dreams

Year 14—2012

Midnight’s Children Rust and Bone Hyde Park on Hudson A Royal Affair Corman’s World (2 screenings) No

Loft Series—“Film Noir”

Year 15—2013

Nebraska The Lunchbox The Invisible Woman 12 Years a Slave Before the Winter Chill The Galapagos Affair

Loft Series—“Silents, Please!”

Safety Last! La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc Lonesome

Year 16—2014

Mr. Turner Two Days, One Night The Imitation Game Wild Tales Diplomacy Wild

Loft Series—“Masters Classics”

Rosetta Life is Sweet Circle of Deceit

Year 17—2015

Suffragette Ixcanul 45 Years Spotlight Rams He Named Me Malala

Loft Series—“What’s Up? Docs!”

Huey Long Gates of Heaven Life in a Day

Year 18—2016

La La Land Things to Come Neruda Arrival Graduation Maudie

Loft Series—“Lost & Found”

People on Sunday I Know Where I’m Going! The Spirit of Beehive

Year 19—2017

Downsizing The Other Side of Hope Hostiles The Shape of Water First Reformed Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool

Loft Series—“Spotlight on Paul Schrader”

Taxi Driver Mishima Affliction

Year 20—2018 We’re not telling you…until August 31. Keep an eye on this blog and our social media channels for the titles. See you on September 14!

The post Telluride by the Sea 2018: What We’ve Seen So Far appeared first on The Music Hall.

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travelworldnetwork · 6 years

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A travel writer raised in war-torn Yugoslavia goes back to search for her lost country two decades after it fell apart.

By Anja Mutic

26 April 2018

I come from a country that no longer exists. In autumn 2011, two decades after its collapse in the early 1990s, I set out on a journey to find Yugoslavia. The fact that the country I was born and raised in no longer existed on the map didn’t matter.

I belonged everywhere and nowhere

At the time, though, New York was my base. I was a perpetual and professional wanderer who made my living by leaving. There was surface glamour to my travel writer’s life: one day I was sailing in the Galapagos, the next I lounged in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora. I could be walking down a side street in Lisbon or travelling along a dusty Bolivian road. My life revolved around having once-in-a-lifetime experiences on a regular basis.

But what ran beneath the back-to-back journeys was a pesky displacement. I belonged everywhere and nowhere. And while I knew there was a blessing in not belonging, I couldn’t make peace with it.

Through all these journeys, there were always two nagging questions:

Where is Home?

Is this the Place?

That quest was what blew wind into my sails. Somewhere far away, there would be that Place. There would be that Home.

View image of Anja Mutic spent six weeks exploring the nations that once made up Yugoslavia, her home country (Credit: Credit: Anja Mutic)

Growing up in Zagreb – back then Yugoslavia’s second largest city, today Croatia’s capital – I collected Smurfs. I had seven Barbies, all with long, blonde shiny hair except one, who I decided shouldn’t be blonde so I cut her hair short with scissors, took a marker pen and dyed her hair black. I had a pair of pink Nikes my father brought me from a business trip to Mexico in 1984, a cherished commodity. As a teenager, I watched Beverly Hills 90210 and I was in love with Dylan. I read the poetry of TS Eliot and listened to The Smiths. My parents argued a lot but, that aside, I had a perfectly normal childhood.

But while Yugoslavia collapsed in a vicious war that raged through much of the 1990s, the world shrunk around me. As the war unfolded, it felt as if the ceiling was a few feet above my head, and once I grew I’d hit my head and there would be nowhere else to go. I could bang, try to make a hole in the ceiling, but ultimately it wouldn’t work. I’d be stuck, the top of my head pushed against the ceiling. Instead I wanted to grow into an open sky, and so I left.

I was not a refugee. I was not forced to go; my exile in 1993 was self-imposed. But more than 15 years later, having lived and travelled all over the world, I knew I hadn’t made peace with leaving. It had felt like suddenly, overnight, somebody pulled out the carpet from under my feet and I had nothing to stand on. All I had to balance on was a mishmash of memories of this almost mythical country, some of which I wasn’t even sure were real.

View image of Yugoslavia's collapse in the late 20th Century created six new nations, including Macedonia (Credit: Credit: Anja Mutic)

Then an idea came to me one snowy evening in my Brooklyn apartment. I would retrace the borders of my former homeland. I would try to understand the succession of wars that started with Slovenia declaring independence in 1991, Croatia’s fight for independence that raged through 1995, the brutal war in Bosnia that officially ended with the signing of the Dayton Agreement in 1995 and then the Nato bombing of Serbia in 1999. But so many years and a whole lifetime later, it was uncharted ground, a former political entity to which my passport had long expired. I wasn’t interested in diving into the politics of the past anyway. I wanted to capture the emotion that the lost country and its demise left on its people, and on me.

I had a limited budget, grand plans and a fear of what I would find. I was scared I’d be opening a Pandora’s box full of sorrows and losses brought on by war.

I flew to Zagreb and headed out one chilly October evening. It was 18:00 as I boarded window seat 39 on the rickety Cazma-Hisar Tourism Bus heading to Skopje, Macedonia’s capital city. I was about to travel for 12 long hours to get to a place where no-one was awaiting my early morning arrival. Many people found my quest to travel to all the former republics of Yugoslavia strange. “What is driving you to this odd journey?” they asked.

I knew I hadn’t made peace with leaving

I travelled for six weeks, as planned, roughly a week in each former Yugoslav republic, now independent country: Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Macedonia. I’d brought a couple of long-expired guidebooks, published right before Yugoslavia’s descent into civil war. Along the way, I met people for what I called ‘coffee conversations’. In Yugoslavia, having kava (coffee) with someone reigned supreme as a social ritual. On my journey, I wanted to honour this tradition.

After a day and a half, I quickly became more interested in the stories people shared with me, and the guidebooks dropped to the bottom of my big rucksack.

Throughout the trip, I harboured hope that along the way somebody would say one thing that would crystallise it all – my own life of rootless drifting and the vicious and slow death of Yugoslavia that left an entire generation with a lingering feeling of displacement. I knew I was not alone in feeling lost, but I had to understand how others processed the same collective experience we had as a fragmented nation. Surely, somebody would say that one-line kicker I was after, with all the small wisdoms woven into it. I would set my eyes on a street, a village or a forest clearing, and all would click into place. I would finally get permission to move on.

View image of Mutic shared kava (coffee) with people she met during her travels and listened to their stories (Credit: Credit: Elena Pejchinova/Getty Images)

None of that happened. But something else did.

The stories of others became the unexpected backbone of my trip.

Over the course of my journey, I met 50-plus people and recorded our coffee conversations. I sat down with paramilitaries, philosophers, politicians and poets. I had coffee with activists, artists and actors. I chatted with musicians, teachers and NGO workers.

“I have to admit, Yugoslavia never ended for me. I have a case of Yugo nostalgia,” said my first coffee date, Danche, on my first night in Skopje. “Yugoslavia is just part of my growing, it’s part of who I am, and it will remain that way.” I had reached Danche through a mutual friend back in New York. Daughter of a famous Macedonian poet, she was a poetic presence herself. Bleached hair, wide face with strong features and sparkling eyes, she said ‘draga’ (dear) a lot and put her arm under mine right away, as if we were long-lost friends.

The stories of others became the unexpected backbone of my trip

One unseasonably warm evening, I wandered through the streets of the Stara Čaršija (Old Bazaar) quarter in Skopje. As an old man shooed two Roma children away, I ambled through this cobblestoned community of craftsmen in their leather, copper and textile shops, passing stalls that sold only glittery wedding dresses and opanci (traditional leather shoes worn by peasants in south-eastern Europe).

Out of a courtyard came a dusky scent so potent I just had to follow it. Under the shade of plane and fig trees, two kerchiefed women were stirring a huge pot of red puree with a giant wooden spoon. Sabrije Elezi and Usnije Fetahi were preparing ajvar, the ubiquitous Balkan relish made of roasted red peppers. Traditionally prepared in mid-autumn, the pepper season, it’s a labour-intensive process that involves hours of preparation. We sat in the yard under the fig trees, taking turns stirring the pot. Usnije made Turkish coffee, and on a carved wooden tray Sabrije brought out slatko, traditional fruit compote that’s overwhelmingly sweet (‘slatko’ literally means sweet). This one was made of raspberries. I asked Sabrije what she remembered of Yugoslavia. “Life was so much better back then,” she said.

View image of In Skopje, Macedonia, Mutic helped two women prepare ajvar (red pepper relish) while they shared their thoughts on Yugoslavia (Credit: Credit: Anja Mutic)

As my coffee companions talked, I listened. Like a travelling therapist, I sat captive to their tales, sipping my 14th coffee of the day, asking questions about Yugoslavia. Listening, recording, bearing witness to unleashed emotions, holding space… Some waxed political and pointed fingers, offering their own theory of Yugoslavia’s collapse. Others zeroed in on a slice of their personal life: a childhood friend they had and never saw again; an estranged family member. There was anger, melancholy, frustration, disappointment, betrayal and the general sense that we all lost something precious. I kept getting glimpses of answers, but no Answer.

When I returned to New York, I would sift through all their stories. Like a beachcomber, I would find those shells that still had the sound of sea in them. But their stories froze me. I was suddenly seized by the responsibility of having to pass on what they shared.

There was the general sense that we all lost something precious

Sometimes in life you set out to chase that big story. Seven years have passed since that chase I thought would cure my curious condition. By retracing my roots, I would find that elusive sense of belonging. I would find closure with my ex-country.

But I am largely the same (though of course I’ve changed – and aged). The journey didn’t quench my wanderlust, as I had hoped it would. Instead, it gave me an intimate window into people’s lives before, during and after Yugoslavia.

View image of Anja Mutic: “The journey… gave me an intimate window into people’s lives before, during and after Yugoslavia” (Credit: Credit: Anja Mutic)

And seven years on, I am beginning to accept that home is a shapeshift thing, belonging is just as elusive, and the country that raised me is an imaginary land that once was, and is no more, except in our collective memory.

And sometimes a journey is just that, a journey. Back to where you began.

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enchantingvoidsheep · 7 years

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Read Some Fascinating Facts About Tour Packages And What Entails It

By Ronald Allen

Nowadays, tourism has become a highly developed industry that many nations and governments can benefit from. It has gone a long way since it was first established and has caused numerous benefits to an economy and increasing the availability and visibility of certain places across the world. As a result, there are numerous places to visit when a person decides to go on vacation or a backpacking trip across continents. There are plenty of available choices to select from when planning a trip or vacation. When deciding upon a country to visit, men and women need to consider a variety of factors like their allocated budget, vacation time, preferred weather, activities to do, and more. Read some fascinating facts about a Galapagos Tour Package, and what sort of recreational pursuits entail it. The great thing about this island is that it has so many areas to visit and things to do, that you are guaranteed a fun and worthwhile trip. A famous attraction in this area is meeting the giant tortoises that have been kept there for around a hundred and fifty years in captivity. These animals are considered a symbol and the Chato Tortoise Reserve is known for having tortoises that weigh up to nine hundred pounds. The area is known for its diverse species of indigenous animals. Another activity you can consider doing is bird watching since it is known to have around nineteen species of beautiful and exotic birds of the tropical variety. Visitors are allowed to wander around the area and view these birds close up and take photographs, as long as they adhere to the rules set. The area is a tropical island rich in various bodies of water like lakes, sea, and is near the Pacific Ocean. This makes it a prime spot for activities like scuba diving, surfing, and even snorkeling. Interested participants are required to wear the necessary safety gear and are allowed access to the plentiful species of marine wildlife located under the surface. For men and women who prefer spelunking, it also houses the Santa Cruz Lava Tubes, which is basically a large cave sculpted through the molten lave that has been drained and formed into large hallway. Be aware though, that is does have some challenging areas that require participants to wear shoes designed for this purpose and will require them to crawl into some spots. As such, a guide is also necessary to those who have never been. Those who are fans of the works of Charles Darwin will be pleased to know that there is a research center located here. It has plenty of attractions to offer, such as a breeding center for certain animals and informative exhibits regarding his work before death. The aim of this center is to raise awareness in preserving different species of animals. For those who prefer hiking, the Sierra Negra Volcano is the prime spot for this activity. It involves following a hiking trail that circles around the volcano, and also has many geological features to examine. This garners the interest of not only naturalists, but those who engage in geology as well. Due to its prime spot, it has many restaurants and bistros that offer seafood cuisine. Furthermore, tourists may also purchase these ingredients at the local market in Puerto Ayora. The market has plenty to offer, including fresh fish, squid, crabs, and even lobster.

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Find a summary of the advantages of booking Ecuador tours and more info about a fantastic Galapagos tour package at http://ift.tt/2vFGY97 today.

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kanntank · 7 years

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Left to #die #scuba #diving in #Galapagos?

The zodiac (panga). The yacht had two. This is how we were taken to/from dive sites. I’ve never before had the feeling I might not survive a scuba dive. It happened THREE times diving in the Galapagos in December 2016. The most terrifying was when the inflatable zodiac (aka panga), to which I was assigned, left me bobbing alone in the choppy surface waters after a dive. Took off without me. Jose…

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#danger of galapagos scuba diving #diving death galapagos #galapagos liveaboard safety #galapagos scuba diving

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mrbobgove · 7 years

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Recognizing the Limits of Your Comfort Zone When Scuba Diving

Leaving your comfort zone when scuba diving can be a good thing if it leads to a larger skill set and higher competence levels. But how much stress is too much on a dive? Although you want to improve as a diver, it’s also important to recognize the limits of your comfort zone when scuba diving. Finding yourself overworked or overwhelmed in everyday life can lead to mistakes, but these are usually not life-and-death decisions. Underwater, though, mistakes can be unforgiving.

From time to time, divers must reassess and reevaluate our comfort levels, experience, and abilities for certain diving environments, sites and tasks. Here we’ll examine four common scenarios wherein a diver might compromise his comfort level and safety by taking on a situation without the right training and experience.

Diving deeper than your training or experience allows

The traditional depth limits for recreational diving are 60 feet (18 m) for Open Water divers and 130 feet (40 m), 100 feet (30 m) feet for Advanced divers, and a maximum of 130 feet (40 m) for divers with deep-specialty training. When newly certified divers advance beyond 60 feet they risk suffering from gas narcosis, which can affect their decision-making skills and situational awareness. This is particularly true in environments that can increase susceptibility to narcosis, such as cold or low-visibility water.

When divers advance beyond 100 feet, no-decompression time falls significantly. The PADI recreational dive planner allows for a bottom time of 20 minutes at 100 feet or 10 minutes at 130 feet, so extra diligence and time awareness is more critical at these depths to stay within NDLs. At 130 feet, a diver will breathe through his air supply 2.5 times faster than they will at 30 feet (10 m), so it’s imperative to check air frequently and maintain a relaxed breathing rate.

Most resorts, guides and instructors are quite conscious of safety in popular scuba destinations, as tourism is an important part of the local economy. Ultimately, though, it is each diver’s own responsibility to know their depth/training limits and stay within them. If you’ve signed on for a dive that exceeds your training, sit it out or sign up instead for more advanced depth training.

Diving in overhead environments

Caves, caverns and wrecks present unique hazards to scuba divers. All dive-training agencies mandate special training to safely enter and exit these overhead environments. With no direct access to the surface, navigation becomes more complex, especially inside a wreck or cave with many passageways. There may only be one safe exit. Inside a cave or wreck can be other hazards as well, such as entrapment, falling debris, rapid loss of visibility due to a silt-out, and disorientation or vertigo. Cave/wreck/tec training teaches all divers that they can call a dive and abort at any time without question. Recreational divers should adopt this tactic as well if they are not trained or are uncomfortable with any type of dive. Local guides may sometimes take untrained divers into overhead environments such as caverns or wrecks, which can result in tragedy. There is nothing inside a cave or wreck worth dying for, so if you are untrained, do not participate in these dives. Period.

Task loading on a dive

With so much to see underwater, it’s no surprise many divers can’t wait to get their first underwater camera. Because there are so many affordable underwater cameras today, underwater photography is no longer the exclusive domain of experienced divers and committed underwater photographers. Cameras are accessible to entry-level divers, who may still need to work on fundamental dive skills like buoyancy, trim, situational awareness, and improved air consumption. Taking pictures underwater can also distract divers from checking in with their buddy, which can cause further complications. A new photographer might also neglect to check his air as often as he should. Distracted divers with minimal situational awareness may not realize they’re diving deeper than they should, or that currents have carried them away from the site or group.

In short, divers should not carry cameras or other unnecessary equipment until they’ve dialed in basic skills. Wait until you are comfortable with your buoyancy and trim, and have good air consumption and situational awareness. Don’t let taking photos underwater distract you from checking your air supply or with your buddy. It’s also smart for photographers to carry a pony bottle as a redundant air supply.

Diving in strong currents

Some of the world’s best dive spots are subject to strong currents. The Galapagos, Indonesia and Cozumel in Mexico are good examples. Currents are a challenge even for experienced divers, and in these situations, it’s vitally important to dive with a reputable dive center and boat captain. Good operators and locally knowledgeable captains can read currents and know the local patterns. They will typically not drop you into a bad situation, but if a search response becomes necessary, the best topside professionals will be involved.

You must also have a level of comfort with currents in general. Most current dives are drift dives, so you’ll go with the flow of the water and not against it. This should keep exertion levels to a minimum.

However, currents can change direction underwater, especially in places such as Indonesia and the Galapagos. Divers may suddenly need to work hard against a current or fight cross current. In some places, downcurrents and upcurrents are relatively common. You should be healthy and fit to dive in currents, as well as possessing good situational awareness so you can tell if the current is changing direction or recognize if you are suddenly caught. Carry and know how to deploy an SMB on a reel from underwater in a current in case you are separated from the group. Finally, especially if you’re diving in notoriously current-heavy locales, carry a Nautilus Lifeline, a submersible radio with built in GPS and emergency-distress beacon.

As divers, we need to recognize our own limits and dive at sites that fit within our training, comfort level and experience. While diving on the edge of your comfort zone can advance your skill level, never do so without trained professional supervision. Be wary of guides or operators who are keen to take you to sites and areas that you may not yet be ready for. Situational awareness and respect for the dive site can go a long way in preventing you becoming a statistic. And finally, never be afraid to call a dive or say no if you’re uncomfortable.

The post Recognizing the Limits of Your Comfort Zone When Scuba Diving appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2qEZ9HO

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apneagalapagos-blog · 4 years

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Best Freediving GalaPagos

Freediving is diving by breath It's a competition and a physical challenge for many. Since the dawn of time, humans have been Apnea Diving, drinking or hunting for food. It has become more recently a beautiful leisure past-time, a form of self-expression, and inner discovery. It is also a competitive sport that offers athletes the chance to explore their true potential. The ocean calls us all in search of greater freedom-for pleasure, relaxation and a way to travel through our emotional depths.

Freediving Galapagos provides you professional freediving instruction. It gives you perfection in your freediving learning. Obviously, we educate technique, safe, and physiology as well as all the essential things which everyone requires to become a skilled, healthy and confident freediver. But we are moving much further than that. Once we freediving we are breathless, our most obvious and important source of life.

Freediving is similar in many ways to a form of yogic practice. Focusing on slowing down your heart rate and keeping in your breath leads to lower stress and depression rates. Those reduced levels of stress last even when you're out of the water and not consciously freediving. Freediving also strengthens confidence in oneself. You also had relatively higher confidence in the internal control locus. That means they know that their own lives have more control over activities. The more freediving you do, the better the body gets to use oxygen effectively.

The Freediving Tours is something extraordinary! Immerse yourself in the ice-cold water in a wetsuit is an experience you won't miss. In all mammals, this is a natural phenomenon where the body optimizes respiration, reduces heart rate, and redirects oxygen to the vital organs. This reaction also allows extra red blood cells to be released into the body by the spleen. Freediving requires an intense concentration on one thing at a time, much like a form of meditation. All your daily distractions melt away when you dive, as you focus on diving. This applies to some degree to all underwater sports but especially to freediving. Better performance in other water sports is one of the best health benefits of freediving. For any water sport, being able to hold your breath for a long period of time is a useful skill, and one day the difference between life and death might mean. One of Freediving's major health benefits is a positive effect on joint health.

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wayneooverton · 7 years

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Recognizing the Limits of Your Comfort Zone When Scuba Diving

Diving deeper than your training or experience allows

Diving in overhead environments

Task loading on a dive

Diving in strong currents

The post Recognizing the Limits of Your Comfort Zone When Scuba Diving appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2qEZ9HO

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