travel and leisure

At last
solid proof for what we’ve long suspected: skiing and snowboarding are good for you. And that’s not just because they’re both great fun and put a smile on your face but because this also improves our health
happiness
red blood cell count and makes us live longer. The evidence has always been there for us to see: the bearded septuagenarian bounding past you for the fifteenth time as you struggle down your first run of the day. Here’s his secret...

Sunlight.
Are you SAD? 1 in 50 people in the UK suffer from seasonal affective disorder which is a type of depression which commonly occurs during the winter months when the days are shorter. You travel to and from work in the dark
are cooped up in the office all day
and levels of serotonin
the brain’s natural mood lifter
drop. SADs can vary from mild winter blues to a more severe form where people can’t function in the winter without treatment. So get treatment and get up on the mountain. You may get depressed about the cost of a beer on the slopes
but that’s not quite the same thing.

Adrenalin.
We’re all just animals
obviously some creationists may disagree
but we need to exercise our fight or flight responses. What safer
or better
way of doing this than searching out the steepest black run you can find
or something just a little bit beyond your normal comfort zone. The adrenalin surge will activate the beta receptors in your nervous system causing your heart to beat faster and increasing air to the lungs. This stimulates the brain
and the endorphin rush of relief when it’s over
will make you feel like a super human after every run. You can then undo the good work done by celebrating with some apr่s ski in the bar afterwards.

Altitude.
Can the news get any better? Just being at altitude can make you thin
fit and desirable - at least the first two are true. A couple of years ago the Austrian Moderate Altitude Study was carried out. Men who were overweight and suffered from high blood pressure and high cholesterol were prescribed walks at an altitude of between 1400m and 2000M. The result? Exercise at altitude improves heart function and circulation
lowers blood pressure and burns calories. There was also an increased number of young red blood cells. So
as far as the theory goes
skiing rocks and just getting off at the top of the Aiguille du Midi (3842m) could add years to your life.

Fresh Air.
Spending time in the great outdoors helps to prevent disease and boost recovery. You can avoid the pretty nasty particles which float around in the urban air. According to some Harvard boffins in their Six Cities 1993 study those people living in the most polluted cities have a 26% greater risk of dying young than those in the cleanest. So give yourself a break from the congested traffic and polluted air and breath in that fresh
crisp
revitalising mountain air.

Learning.
Learning is good for us. Your parents told you so and they were right
but they and you need to heed that advice. Learning new skills later in life can slow down the onset of dementia. Attempting challenges such as learning a foreign language - which you can practice at the bar - or new skills
such as skiing
will reduce the risk of getting age related symptoms and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

So what are you waiting for? Skiing is not only great fun but also scientifically proven to be good for you. Now that surely is an unbeatable combination.

1
- Egypt. King Tut
The Pyramids
The Valley of the Kings. The list is endless. But it’s just not the history and the culture
it’s the people too. Egyptians are some of the kindest and most generous people on the planet. They will welcome you into their homes in a second and even if they have almost nothing
they will share it with you.

An afternoon on the Nile with an Egyptian felucca captain sailing your boat as the sun sets over the Nile in Luxor is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed.

2
– China. China is not somewhere people immediately think of when planning a holiday…but they should
and hopefully after the Olympics in Beijing they will. Even if you could only afford 7 to 10 days
an itinerary that takes in Beijing
Xian
a Yangtze River Cruise and Shanghai will be a great introduction.

And for an unforgettable experience
juts visit Guilin. Guilins landscape is amazing and totally unique. It can’t necessarily be called Mountainous as such
but the peaks that do rise
rise almost vertically up into the mist.

If you get a chance take a ski lift up to one of the peaks and just stare in awe at the view
and if you are feeing adventurous
take a kart down a toboggan style run (about 3
0
feet in length) !

3
– Jordan. Handily located
if you plan it right you can visit Egypt and Jordan together to make a real trip to remember. Amman is a great city full of atmosphere
Petra is marvellous
but surely the can’t miss site is the Dead Sea. The only ocean in the world with so much salt in it
you actually float !

This alone makes Jordan a must see country and on top of what I have already mentioned
don’t forget the Wadi Rum
Aqaba
Jerash and the Kings Highway. A week in Jordan is good
but 10 days is better.

4
– Hong Kong. Although there is much more to Hong Kong than just shopping
if you do love to shop
then Hong Kong is the place for you. A stroll along Nathan Road and a visit to the Temple Street market just HAS to be done. And make sure you have your bargaining hat on as haggling is as big a part of the experience as the purchases themselves.

There lots more to Hong Kong too. The great thing is that despite it being a modern city
there is tradition around every corner. Don’t forget to take a trip to Victoria Peak and enjoy the stunning views and remember that even if it’s misty
there are 2 guys at the top who will take your picture and transpose it onto a picture of what you should see if the weather where not so poor ! I also suggest a couple of half day visits out to Lama and Lantau Islands too. A great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the craziness that is Hong Kong.

5
– Thailand. Thailand suffers a little from it’s reputation of being a very hedonistic destination and while it is true that the is a very wild side to Thaialnd (especially certain areas of Bangkok
Phucket etc) there is also an amazing culture to immerse yourself in.

There really is everything there
adventure
culture and even for the not faint hearted
a place about 1 hour north of Thailand where you can go in
yes go in
with real live tigers. No cages
no chains
just you and around a dozen tigers. For me it was a thrill of a lifetime and without doubt it is just one of the many reasons that Thailand is in my top 5 of places you need to visit in the world