Laurence Mackinreviews Ultimate Adventuresand East Coast Australia
Ultimate Adventures, Greg Witt,Rough Guides, £16.99
This book is an inspiring list of challenges for the ambitious traveller. It contains almost 400 pages of trip ideas that are far beyond the ordinary holiday, with suggestions that could make for the trip of a lifetime. The book is organised by continent, and although it has some truly extreme options, most are eminently achievable. A ratings system that is largely nonsense but terrific fun will give you some idea of the fitness needed and adrenalin rush you can expect. Some boxes of need-to-know information will be enough to start planning, and a handy calendar will quickly let you know when you can go. From rafting the Zambezi and trekking in Patagonia's Torres del Paine to tracking mountain gorillas or skiing to the South Pole, there are enough adventures here to challenge you for a lifetime.
East Coast Australia,Rough Guides, £14.99
The east coast of Australia must rank near the top of the list of adventure-travel destinations, and, flicking through this guide, it's easy to see why. Places to surf, sail, snorkel, climb, bushwalk and explore jump off the page in a comprehensive guide to an area that manages to pack in a host of visitor essentials, such as Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. Sections on ecotourism and making the most of Australia's aquatic activities should be plenty of fuel for your imagination, and these pages are crammed with suggestions for the ultimate trip to Oz.
lmackin@irishtimes.com