sports

The Santos cycle Tour Down Under is an ideal opportunity for you to see and experience Southern Australia and especially Adelaide.  The tour takes place in January and last for seven days. This short break is especially for those of us who experience the harsh cold of winter and offers us the chance to escape the cold for a week or two, and lap up the Adelaide sunshine, take in the laid-back life style of Adelaide.

The Tour Down Under has become a major fixture in the road cycling calendar; it draws some of the world’s best cyclist; those that have ridden here in the past includes Lance Armstrong, Andre Greipel,  Cadel Evans and Britain’s team sky.

Whether your favourite team in Formula1 is Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull it does not matter, because this short break idea is just for the sheer glamour, glitz, excitement and luxury that if offers.  I am inviting you to see the world or just a part of it with a Formula1 weekend break.

The season starts in early spring and follows the sun around the world for the rest of the year. There are nineteen events in some of the world’s must see locations. Each event last for a whole weekend; practice on Friday, qualification on Saturday and the race on Sunday.

There are nineteen Formula1 events in each season, but not all of them offer the same experience. They all might offer the glitz and glamour and maybe the racing experience, but outside of that things can be very different. One Formula1 destination that offer that difference or should I say stand out is the Singapore Grand Prix.

Located at the bottom of Malaysia, Singapore is made up of a cluster of small islands, together Singapore is less than half the size of Greater London. Because of the size of the county, it is a plus for visiting and a selling point for those want to experience Formula1 in a foreign country.

If you are someone who likes to travel fast and being scared at the same time then this ride is for you. The ‘death slide’ we called it or the Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angels according to the Italians) is meant to recreate the intoxication of real flight. It carries you face down via a high wire/cable in a baby walker look-a-like contraption across the 400m deep valley, from the hills of Pietrapertosa, 1020m high to Castelmezzano – 859m high.

Unlike riding on a roller-coaster where you know the drop will last for only a few seconds.  The journey on the Flight of the Angels takes about 14 minutes and can travel up to a speed of 68mph/110kph. So the rider has enough time to enjoy the scenery – if their heart allows it.

Under the theme “come for the run, stay for the fun” the Reggae Marathon is run in Negril, on the western point of the Island over looking the Caribbean Sea.  According to Reggae Marathon website, the Reggae Marathon was started in 2001 and has grown over the years. The event now has visitors going to the island just for the race.

If you are not up to a full marathon you can take part in the half marathon. After running so many miles you can relax with your feet in the water on one of Negril’s many white sandy beaches. “Negril's powdery white beach is Jamaica's most famous and among the best in the entire Caribbean”.

Most of us associate India with warn sunshine, delicious foods and Bollywood. Unknown to many of us the town of Gulmarg is a skiers paradise.  This small Himalayan town is 52km south-west of Srinagar in Indian Kashmir and stands at an altitude of 2,850m.

Gulmarg has the world’s highest gondola ski lift which takes you nearly 4,000m up Mount Apharwat - with extremely beautiful views.  According to the Gulmarg.org website Gulmarg was originally called ‘Gaurimarg’ by shepherds, its present name was given in the 16th century by Sultan Yusuf Shah, who was inspired by the sight of its grassy slopes emblazoned with wild flowers. Gulmarg was a favourite haunt of Emperor Jehangir who once collected 21 different varieties of flowers from here. Gulmarg also has the highest green golf course in the world, at an altitude of 2,650m.