Matador Network's Blog, page 707
February 4, 2021
Sustainable travel post COVID
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, there seemed to be nothing trendier in the tourism industry than sustainability programs. Being the greenest, most eco-friendly hotel, airline, or tour operator was a competitive selling point, one that, in a rare occurrence, benefited business owners and the planet alike.
But like just about every aspect of the travel industry, sustainability programs were immediately altered by the coronavirus, with some eco initiatives becoming suddenly incompatible with new health protocols. It wasn’t as if there was a calculated shift to punish the earth; it’s that businesses had to introduce these health protocols very quickly to stay afloat, and that meant — understandably — introducing safety precautions like ensuring certain objects were not being reused, while keeping human contact to a minimum.
Single-use surges back“The prevention of COVID-19 has added an additional level of complexity to businesses’ purchasing decisions,” explains Dr. Susanne Etti, environmental impact specialist at Intrepid Travel.
Sustainability additions like water stations and reusable totes were swapped out with water bottles and plastic bags, while disposable wipes, masks, and gloves became ubiquitous, quickly leading to a surge in litter.
While all of these items are essential for preventing disease spread, Etti says, “These significantly harm the oceans and create greenhouse gas emissions resulting from production and after-use incineration.”
For example, on many US airlines, passengers will notice the implementation of a single sanitizing wipe in a plastic pouch given out upon boarding, and a plastic bag with snacks, bottled water, and another wipe for the meal service. While the biggest environmental impact of airplanes comes from how much fuel they use (the more weight is inside the plane, the more they use), the increase in single-use plastic products is nonetheless indicative of an industry-wide shift that could have a long-standing impact.
But eco-commitments remainHowever, a pre-existing commitment to sustainability has allowed airlines like United to handle the sudden increase in waste without having to deviate from their environmental goals, allowing them to move forward with their announcement in December of 2020 that they will become 100 percent green by 2050 – meaning they’ll have net zero carbon emissions — by investing in a novel carbon sequestration plan, rather than relying on carbon offsets alone.
Meanwhile, tourist destinations are experiencing the balancing act of maintaining a commitment to the environment while reconfiguring toward fighting the spread of the virus. Belize, which earns a whopping 45.5 percent of its GDP from tourism, was months away from ending the manufacturing of 17 million single-use plastic items, plus another 35 million plastic bags when COVID-19 forced the small Central American country to push back its deadline.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, use of these throw-away plastic items increased,” explains Belize’s Oceana Vice President Janelle Chanona, who is actively monitoring the impact COVID-related single-use items have on the marine ecosystem. “Fear of transmission of the virus itself and an increase in take-away food orders completely wiped out the in-country inventory of these items.”
While that sudden loss of plastic products could have given way to non-plastic alternatives, those items were typically imported, and the makers of biodegradable items were unable to meet the sudden demand, which was not limited to Belize alone.
While Belize remains dedicated to putting single-use products behind them – Chanona believes the plastics ban will still take place this year — the uptick in their use was a direct consequence of the pandemic.
Reduced travel gives us time to strategizeThe sustainability situation as it relates to COVID-19 is undoubtedly complicated, with the re-emergence of single-use plastics at least momentarily balanced out by the decrease in global emissions — given that travel contributes eight percent of the world’s carbon emissions. No matter what, more information will be needed before a clear impact of the pandemic’s impact on the planet can be properly calculated.
What the travel halt has definitely allowed for, though, is time to reassess the way we travel and to strategize a more responsible future.
“The pandemic’s carbon emissions data has shown us that drastically reducing air travel is not the silver-bullet answer to neutralizing the climate threat; a multi-faceted approach is required,” Etti says.
It will take cross-industry collaboration to achieve a future in which climate change is no longer a threat, and buy-in from travelers that protecting the planet is not in conflict with vacationing.
Moving toward regenerative travelDespite the immediate fears of the pandemic causing a loss in focus on sustainability, the pandemic has actually spawned the conditions for regenerative travel, a concept which builds on the legacy of sustainable eco-travel.
“Regeneration is a paradigm shift,” explains Amanda Ho, co-founder and brand director of Regenerative Travel, a collection of resorts leading the way on how to embody environmental and social impact. “It requires a change in how we think to create a new framework for how we see the world and interact with nature. We say in the most basic terms, sustainability is about achieving net neutral impact, while regeneration is actually making a place better than you found it.”
Destinations as broad as New Zealand and Hawaii are exploring ways to put the principles of regenerative travel to work — emphasizing things like quality over quantity and an interest in the local culture. Travel operators want to move away from the scourge of overtourism and ensure instead that trips support local economies and development in a meaningful way.
As travelers use this time to consider how they will move around the world in the future, there is a clear emphasis on that ethos, with more interest in local travel, longer-term adventures, and connecting more deeply with destinations.
So while single-use plastics may be getting their final moment in the spotlight, it’s clear the next act of green travel is only just beginning. 
The post Can sustainable travel survive in a post COVID world? appeared first on Matador Network.
Watch Danny MacAskill bike cliffs
Videos like these can give someone the sudden thirst for an adrenaline rush, or make them afraid to mount a bike ever again. Famous trial cyclist Danny MacAskill has released a video of his latest feat: riding down the steep Dubh Slabs on the Isle of Skye. Sure, the views are beautiful, but it’s tough to pay attention to the scenery when your eyes are fixed on MacAskill’s life-or-death ride.
In the video, MacAskill explains, “I am a big fan of rock climbing and have been inspired by the various men and woman who set new routes and test themselves on some amazing faces around the world so I set out to find some challenging Slab Rock routes on my home Island of Skye with an aim to ride them in a continuous line and test what was possible on my bike. The remote Dubh Slabs rising out of Loch Coruisk in the heart of the Black Cuillin ridge provided some of the steepest terrain I have ever ridden as well as an amazing backdrop for the film.”
While it’s always good to get a dose of inspiration for your own adventures, this probably isn’t something you should attempt yourself. MacAskill is a professional rider and has a whole channel of videos dedicated to his biking exploits to prove it.
The post Watch this mountain biker shred down one of Scotland’s wildest cliff faces appeared first on Matador Network.
History and origins of egg waffle
When I ask my friends who grew up in China but moved abroad in the early aughts whether they have had egg waffles, most say no. Some of them have never heard of it, or only have a vague idea of what it is. The conversation typically goes like this: “What’s that?” “A waffle that looks like a giant bubble wrap.” “Oh, I think I’ve seen it on social media.” “What’s the context?” “Something from Hong Kong.”
Their naivete is no surprise. Until recently, egg waffles have remained a niche regional specialty, with a humble origin story: Grocery stores in the 1950s put their cracked eggs to good use by turning them into a pastry. Soon after, peddlers began to sell them in push carts to make a living and support families.
Growing up in mainland China before the age of the internet, mobile phones, and so-called foodie culture, I had never heard of egg waffles until I went to Hong Kong for an exchange semester during college. On weekend nights, my two roommates and I would go out for “snack crawls” around Causeway Bay or Mong Kok, roaming the jam-packed pedestrian streets for hours and sampling whatever street food that looked appealing — milk pudding, curry fish balls, cuttlefish skewers, and egg waffles, or egglets in literal translation (in Chinese egg waffle is written as 雞蛋仔, 雞蛋 meaning eggs, 仔 meaning small).
Photo: Studio Peace/Shutterstock
If you’re on the hunt for an egg waffle, you’ll notice the sweet, buttery smell first. A row of stove burners occupies most of the egg waffle shop, almost always a narrow, no-seat storefront. The shop owner tends a few batches at the same time, pouring batter into cast-iron molds, flipping the molds (which resemble waffle irons, but punched with round divots) every two minutes or so, and occasionally opening them a crack to check doneness. When a batch is done, they peel the waffle off the mold with a spatula, loosely fold it in half, slide it into a brown paper bag, and hand it to the customer. You don’t eat an egg waffle. You pick at it, literally. Pluck a bubble off the sheet and pop it into your mouth. It is milky, mildly sweet, not unlike a regular waffle but slightly airier in texture.
After a semester in Hong Kong, I went back to Beijing, finished college, and moved to New York. Egg waffles, along with milk pudding and curry fish balls and the rest of my life in Hong Kong, became an afterthought. Sometimes photos of it would sneak into my social media feed, a bubble-wrap-shaped sheet of waffle in a brown paper bag, against the background of crammed street signs iconic in Hong Kong. Occasionally, some food blog would write about a new dessert shop in Beijing or Shanghai selling “authentic Hong Kong egg waffles.” But the snack remained largely unknown in mainland China.
The breakthrough came in 2014, when Nicolas Tse, a Hong Kong actor, featured the snack in his food show. In one episode, aired to millions across China, Tse sampled egg waffles at various sellers, interviewed the owner of a 60-year-old shop, and created a spectacle cooking egg waffles with three thousand fans in scorching summer heat. Almost overnight, the humble egg waffle was transformed from a niche Hong Kong snack to a phenomenon that everyone suddenly wanted to experience. Egg waffle shops mushroomed across the country.
It took no time for chefs and cafe owners to go rogue with their recipes. Matcha, chocolate, and oreo flavors are only first steps. The bubbles on the waffle can be “molten,” filled with melted cheese, or chewy, stuffed with tapioca pearls. Some shops advertised mille-feuilles with egg waffle layers, or sandwiches with egg waffle bread. Each new iteration would start a mini social media frenzy, at least locally, but at the culmination of the hype is the now-iconic egg waffle ice cream cone — a giant ice cream ball, sometimes two, sitting inside a fat waffle cone, with lashings of nutella, a copious amount of crunchies, and maybe a cookie on top. One can never be too indulgent.
Photo: CL-Medien/Shutterstock
Even plain egg waffles, still popular, look more glamorous than its old Hong Kong self. Stylish egg waffle franchises now occupy premium spots in high-end malls and pedestrian streets. To capture the home cooking market, waffle franchises and food companies now sell egg waffle mixes on e-commerce platforms, vetted by mega influencers such as Austin Li and Viya in their livestreaming sessions.
Given all the social media fanfare, it is no surprise that new-generation egg waffles eventually made their landing on the other side of Earth. Since 2015, egg waffle shops have popped up in cities such as London, Melbourne, and Toronto. In New York, I remember Chinese food blogs excitedly announcing the opening of an egg waffle shop called Eggloo in Chinatown. Essential to the posts were, of course, photos of extravagantly garnished egg waffle ice cream cones.
Mike Tan, the co-founder of Eggloo, frequented New York City’s Chinatown neighborhood as a child, and still remembers visiting the famous Chinatown egg waffle lady.
“Sometimes there is a line around the block. And she was very nice to our kids,” Tan recalls. The lady has long retired, but the memory has stuck with him. “My friends remember her too,” he said. “It’s something in the community.”
Photo: Eggloo/Shutterstock
So when he and his friends opened Eggloo at a small storefront in the neighborhood in 2015, Tan felt that he was “doing something for Chinatown.” There is a tiny problem, however. The menu felt too simple if only plain egg waffles were sold, so the idea of pairing egg waffles with ice cream came naturally. It looks great on Instagram. Word spread, and customers flooded his shop.
“We have a diverse customer base,” Tan told me. Among them are Asian Americans nostalgic about their childhood snack, Chinese Gen Zers, thrilled to find the trendy dessert at home in their adopted country, and those who have never heard of egg waffles but are drawn by the shop’s candy-colored Instagram grid. For first-timers, the dessert is “experiential,” as Tan puts it. People try the food, pose for the photos, and learn about its history as a popular street food in Hong Kong.
The rise of egg waffles coincided with an overall boost in interest in Chinese food in the Western restaurant scene, partially fueled by rapid growth in the number of young Chinese students in the United States (the number tripled between 2009 and 2019). I myself have felt it too. Unlike ten years ago when local Chinese food options largely consisted of Cantonese (dim sum) and Shanghainese (soup dumplings), now niche regional Chinese dishes can be easily found on the Upper West Side and West Village, where Chinese college students congregate.
The pandemic, of course, has once more reshuffled the industry. With few tourists and almost zero incoming Chinese students, businesses in Chinatown have been hit hard. Eggloo closed its brick-and-mortar store temporarily, and switched to selling egg waffle kits and mixes online. Mike, however, tries to see it in a more positive light.
“We were already thinking about [selling mixes] before. The pandemic only accelerated the process,” he says.
In a broad sense, his process — inventing new recipes and marketing them through social media — is not dissimilar to the transformation of egg waffles in mainland China earlier. It’s about how food cultures transform and evolve in the internet age. It’s also a story of businesses trying hard to adapt, survive, and thrive in an ever-changing world. When the refugees who created the egg waffle arrived in Hong Kong from the mainland, they gave all they had to build new lives, with creativity and resilience. Ultimately, the dish they created launched a globe-spanning phenomenon that captured the world’s attention, solidifying the egg waffle as a formidable symbol of Hong Kong’s culinary influence over the rest of the world.
The post How the egg waffle, a Hong Kong speciality, became a global phenomenon appeared first on Matador Network.
Natchez pay you to move
When someone offers you money to move to their town, you might think there’s a catch — like the entire town is about to fall into a giant sinkhole or something. In Natchez, MS, a small town of 15,000, there’s no catch. It’s offering a new resettlement package of up to $6,100 to entice remote workers to relocate there. This includes up to $2,500 in moving costs, plus a monthly stipend of $300 for the first year to cover living expenses.
In return, applicants (18 and over) must have a job based outside of the region and be able to work remotely, buy a house worth at least $150,000, and live there for at least one year, and adopt Natchez as their primary residence. That’s a pretty easy proposition when a town has as much to offer as Natchez.
Located on the Mississippi River, the town has gorgeous historic mansions — many of which are open to the public — an annual crawfish boil and rock festival, and a lively bar scene.
There are 30 slots available in the program, and they’re likely to go fast. More information is available online.
The post This small Mississippi city will pay you over $6,000 to move there appeared first on Matador Network.
US considers mandatory testing
US-bound international travelers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arriving, and that requirement may soon be extended to domestic travel.
President Biden and his administration are reportedly considering implementing the same mandatory testing procedure for domestic flights to slow the virus’ spread. Currently, domestic air passengers have to acknowledge via online questionnaires that they aren’t experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, but no other requirements are in place, except additional temperature checks and screenings conducted by some airlines and airports.
Although it’s not clear who would enforce such a requirement, Hawaii and Alaska serve as helpful examples, as both have required testing before entry for months.
The post The US is considering mandatory COVID-19 testing for domestic air travel appeared first on Matador Network.
Fastest roller coaster in the world
A new roller coaster currently under development in the Middle East will break records of speed, track length, and height. Planned to open in Saudi Arabia in 2023, the “Falcon’s Flight” roller coaster will debut at the new Six Flags Qiddiya.
Photo: Six Flags
The roller coaster will travel 2.5 miles of track, dive over a vertical cliff into a 525-foot-deep valley, and run at speeds of 155 miles per hour. It will take up to 20 passengers on three-minute rides with panoramic views of the park. The park itself is slated to include 28 rides and attractions across six different themed lands.
The current longest roller coaster is the Steel Dragon 2000 in Japan’s Nagashima Spa Land amusement park, at 1.54 miles. The Falcon’s Flight is set to break the Steel Dragon’s record by over one mile. The current fastest roller coaster, the Formula Ross in Abu Dhabi, currently travels 149 miles per hour.
A press release issued by the Qiddiya Investment Company said, “The Falcon’s Flight will also be the world’s tallest free-standing coaster structure, featuring a parabolic airtime hill allowing a weightlessness airtime experience.”
The post The world’s fastest roller coaster is coming to Saudi Arabia appeared first on Matador Network.
New Zealand’s new curriculum
New Zealand is taking steps to ensure that its children are well-educated about the country’s history of British colonization and the indigenous Maori people.
Reuters reported that on Wednesday, the government proposed a national curriculum covering these topics that all teachers must follow. The curriculum is planned to be introduced next year.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, “Let us teach it, let us learn it and let us remember it. Let us share our history with every student in every school…”
The proposed curriculum would cover the arrival of the Maori to New Zealand, early colonial history, immigration and colonization of New Zealand, and the Treaty of Waitangi, which was signed by the British and Maori chiefs in 1840 and has shaped the relationship between the Maori and non-indigenous people in New Zealand ever since.
The proposal comes just in time for Waitangi Day on Saturday, February 6.
The Maori compose around 15 percent of New Zealand’s population. During the country’s colonization by Britain, the Maori had their land stolen and suffered atrocities often not mentioned in history classes.
The post New Zealand proposed a new curriculum teaching Maori and colonial history appeared first on Matador Network.
February 3, 2021
What to do in the California Desert
Next week marks the anniversary of a big day for US public lands. Five years prior, on February 12, 2016, President Barack Obama extended national monument designation to three Mojave Desert sites in eastern California: the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains. Collectively, these areas make up the California Desert Monuments, encompassing 1.8 million acres of desert landscape originally inhabited thousands of years ago by the Chemehuevi, Kawaiisu, Mohave, Serrano, Cahuilla, Southern Paiute, and other Native American tribes.
To mark the designation’s fifth anniversary, a group of Mojave-based nonprofits, led by the Mojave Desert Land Trust and the Native American Land Conservancy, are calling on adventure travelers to celebrate. One way to do so is to make plans to visit the monuments to enjoy the stunning-but-rugged scenery. All three are admission-free and though established trails and routes are often rugged, the experience is true to the desert landscape.
Experiencing the California Desert Monuments
Photo: Mojave Desert Land Trust
Mojave Trails National Monument itself spans 1.6 million acres, making it the largest such monument in the lower 48. Its designation has spurred a nearby town into action to protect and promote the monument, and to serve as its gateway.
“The town of 29 Palms recently voted to become an official gateway to Mojave Trails National Monument,” Jessica Dacey, director of communications at the Mojave Desert Land Trust, told Matador. “To the town’s citizens it’s a source of great pride that they are home to the biggest national monument in the contiguous 48 states. Over the last five years, tourism to the California desert region has steadily grown, and there has been a direct economic benefit for gateway communities like 29 Palms. There is a growing recognition of the importance of preserving these places.”
If you’re able to make the road trip in the spring or summer, no shortage of options for foot-powered exploration await once you arrive. Mojave Trails National Monument, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, epitomizes desert hiking in the western United States — dry but beautiful, with year-round access and a diverse collection of wildlife including coyotes, jackrabbits, and even roadrunners (meep-meep).
Make the three-mile round-trip hike to Amboy Crater, one of the country’s youngest volcanoes. Explore the Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness and hike along Afton Canyon for expansive desert sky views and rock formations. You’ll likely stumble across ancient fossils along the way, a popular collector’s item within the monument (watch this US Department of the Interior video for info on how and where to fossil hunt).
The US Forest Service maintains Sand to Snow National Monument, home to 30 miles of the famed Pacific Crest Trail which you can check out on a day hike or backpacking trip. The popular San Bernardino Peak Trail is currently closed, but if there’s still snow when you go you can cross country ski in the San Gorgonio Mountains within the monument. Once there, you’ll find everything from the 0.7-mile Marsh Trail to the 11-mile Morongo Canyon Trail. While hiking, keep your eyes peeled for the more than 240 types of birds that call the area home at various points of the year.
At Castle Mountains National Monument, the place to start is in the Joshua tree forests southeastern California is known for. Drive along dirt roads, in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and keep your eye out for wildlife bighorn sheep and golden eagles. Mid-Hills Campground and Hole-in-the-Wall Campground host overnight campers, but often the best way to experience the area is to simply drive through and pull over when a particular view or path calls to you.
No matter which part of the California Desert Monuments you visit, come prepared for solitude. Bring water, food, cold-weather clothing (yes, it gets quite cold in the desert at night), a good pair of hiking boots, and a GPS map such as Gaia GPS.
A monument to honor original inhabitants, and to promote peace
Photo: Bob Wick
Also celebrating the declaration of the California Desert Monuments is the Vet Voice Foundation, which supports American military veterans in reintegrating to society by becoming active members of their communities by working on both domestic and international civic projects.
“Five years ago, we applauded the permanent protection of the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains National Monuments. We know many service members and veterans have turned to the California desert to help ease the transition from the military to civilian life,” said Major General (Ret.) Paul Eaton, senior advisor at Vet Voice Foundation. “The California Desert National Monuments provide opportunities for recreation and recovery from the stresses of war and reintegration. We’re thrilled to celebrate these lands and know they’ll continue to be a space for veterans and their loved ones for years to come.”
Support the California Desert Monuments even if you can’t visit right now
Photo: Mojave Desert Land Trust
You can still show support to the California Desert Monuments even if you aren’t able to visit in person.
“Nonprofits like the Mojave Desert Land Trust (are) working to protect and restore these landscapes from overdevelopment and to educate the next generation of stewards,” Dacey said.
The organization uses donations to acquire and protect land, and advocates for responsible recreating. Each year on National Public Lands Day, which falls on September 25, 2021, volunteers head to Mojave for a clean up of parts of the area that makes up some 25 percent of California.
The best way to support the California Desert Monuments is to pay them a visit, following Leave No Trace guidelines, of course.
Dacey adds, “Together, Mojave Trails, Castle Mountains and Sand to Snow National Monuments offer residents and visitors the chance to experience the best of the California desert: recreation, stunning vistas, otherworldly landscapes, special wildlife, and rare solitude.”
The post Celebrate these stunning California Desert Monuments with a road trip appeared first on Matador Network.
What to eat before mountain climbing
If you’ve ever hiked a tough trail or gone on a serious climb through the mountains, then a stomach inspired question likely crossed your mind: What do mountain climbers eat to maintain energy and help their bodies get through the strenuous exercise? The key is in preparation — and, according to professional climbers and mountaineers, plenty of high-calorie food and carbohydrates.
The perfect diet is one that’s tailored to the individual. Still, one version of the ideal food list for mountain climbers, thru-hikers, and your average weekend warrior starts with a carb-heavy dinner and ends with a small high-sugar treat for energy.
Here’s what you should eat while hiking and climbing to improve your performance and stamina, according to certified professionals.
1. Start planning before you go to bed the day before.“Fueling the night and an hour before a climb is critical for achieving optimal performance during the climb,” Chris Higgins, a trainer certified by the American College of Sports Medicine who works with Calisthenics Gear, says. “The key is in carb-loading the body, no matter what eating pattern you’re following, to ensure you have lots of energy all throughout the activity.”
Carbs — in particular bread, crackers, and pasta — are at the top of the list the night before a big climb for Higgins.
According to the Appalachian Mountain Club, a balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates, and at least one fat source is ideal before a climb or hike. Oatmeal, quinoa, nuts, and seeds are all high-carbohydrate foods that will give you sustained energy.
Studies on carbs and exercise support these day-before food choices. One study from Mississippi State University found that carbohydrate ingestion can increase both your muscle exertion as well as boost the amount of time it takes before you feel exhausted. Another study states that the most likely contributors to fatigue are dehydration and depleted carbohydrates for endurance exercise that lasts 30 minutes or longer.
2. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.What you eat on the morning of your hike or climb matters just as much (maybe more) as what you eat the night before. Higgins opts for carbohydrates from fruit and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes. Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, cheese, and high-fat meats like salami and pepperoni made the cut as well “so my body will not burn carbs as fast as it can and leave me feeling tired and unable to finish the climb.”
Cody Bradford, an American Mountain Guides Association climbing guide who can be found on 57Hours, experienced how helpful eating the right food can be first-hand during a climb in 2017.
“I went to climb in Potrero Chico in Nuevo León, Mexico, in 2017 and was astounded by some of the folks I met who just showed up to the crag with a Snickers and some crackers,” Bradford says. “They climbed so much harder than me and I was curious, so I asked for their food routine. They told me it was all about breakfast, and choosing something high in protein and carbs to start their day so that, later, they could eat lighter and faster.”
It’s important to note that while what you eat matters, so does what you drink. “Most importantly,” Higgins says, “my body should be hydrated with fluids & electrolytes during mountain climbing.
“I feel like [my pre-climb diet] is the trick for me to have more endurance, energy, and improved power, during extreme sports like mountain climbing,” Higgins says. “I simply came up with this routine by thinking of my body as a car needing to be loaded with fuel (carbohydrates) in order to make sure it gets to its destination and beyond.”
3. Tailor your diet to the type of climb.Books like Training for The New Alpinism and Training for The Uphill Athlete can provide guidance as you get started in climbing. For many climbers, however, trial and error is the best way to find what works best for their body and the climb they plan to tackle that day.
“Determining what to use for fuel before a climb depends on whether it’s a long, alpine style route, wherein aerobic performance will be the driving factor of success, or a shorter and maybe more challenging rock climb that requires quick bursts of anaerobic performance,” Bradford says.
A high-fat and high-carb breakfast is ideal for longer routes (Bradford goes with egg, avocado, and potatoes on a tortilla or piece of toast). “This ensures my body can go at a steady, consistent pace over diverse terrain without stopping very often,” Bradford says. For shorter climbs, a lighter, protein-rich option like an energy bar with yogurt, banana, and peanut butter will give you the fuel it takes to perform without weighing you down.
4. You don’t have to stick to highly processed food.There are many highly processed and packaged foods on the market that promise to deliver optimum performance. Sometimes sticking to whole foods that your body knows is what it really takes, though, says Gaby Pilson, an outdoor educator and guide that’s worked all over the world, from Antarctica to Scotland.
“When it comes to fueling up before a climb, I find that there’s nothing better than sticking to real food that I’d eat in my day to day life,” Pilson says. “While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the nitty-gritty details and benefits of different gels and energy bars, at the end of the day, nothing really fuels you better or makes you feel as good as eating quality, wholesome, naturally nutritious foods.”
Pilson eats oats with dried fruits, nuts, and seeds for breakfast before a climb, for example (along with lots of water and plenty of coffee). Her snacks during the climb include homemade trail mix, wraps, and sandwiches. Pilson keeps a tasty treat (hello, chocolate) for the summit for an energy boost.
“Although I’ve dabbled in energy bars and gels, I’ve found that the above routine, which focuses on real food, works best,” Pilson says. “Not only does it provide me with both the fast sugars I need for quick energy and the fats/proteins for long-lasting energy, eating real food just makes your body feel better in the long-term. While you can probably get away with eating nothing but Clif Bars and energy chews for a day, that stuff just isn’t going to cut it day after day and week after week on a major climb. Plus, our bodies love routine, so sticking to foods you’d normally eat at home while in the mountains is a solid choice.”
5. Eat what you enjoy, but be flexible.“I’d say that the more you travel to climb, the more you realize that fueling up with regular ol’ food that you like and enjoy (with an eye toward getting a good mix of macronutrients at all times) is the best way to go,” Pilson says. “If you’re climbing in Nepal for two months, you’re not exactly going to have access to an endless supply of energy bars. Sure, you can pack five protein bars for each day of your trip, but your luggage will weigh a ton and you’ll probably despise the protein bar flavors that you packed by the end of your trip.”
That said, the food you enjoy and typically eat isn’t always available depending on where you’re climbing.
“Ultimately, being able to get creative with whatever food you have available to you in more remote locales is a key skill that any climber or adventurer ought to learn,” Pilson says. “To me, the key is to understand the core tenets of nutrition and how various foods affect your body. If you can master those fundamentals, pre-climb nutrition becomes something that you can do well anywhere in the world.”
The post What to eat before going hiking or climbing, according to expert guides appeared first on Matador Network.
The world’s tallest swing ride
Swings, fixtures of the typical playground, are usually considered a children’s pastime. But that’s definitely not the case with the one that just opened in Dubai, however. The 460-foot-tall thrill ride that just opened at Bollywood Parks Dubai is taller than the Great Pyramids of Giza, and is the tallest swing ride in the world. Bollywood Skyflyer, which debuted last week, is made up of 421 tons of steel and took 120 days to install.
Photo: Bollywood Parks Dubai/Facebook
According to the park’s website, the Skyflyer “gives you the experience of hang gliding and swinging — all at the same time. You will also experience motions like lifting, dropping and rotating at varying speeds. Riders are seated in a double seat next to their family and are secured in their seats. Moving up and down and rotating around the giant tower — take in the amazing views of the park and the surrounding areas while you’re swinging freely or screaming with joy.”
Bollywood Parks Dubai is one of the three theme parks that make up Dubai Parks and Resorts, and was closed for several months due to COVID-19. The park reopened on January 21 with nine new rides, including the Bollywood Skyflyer.
During its closure, the theme park opened nine new rides, including a 180-foot-tall ferris wheel, a rollercoaster, and a drop tower.
The post The world’s tallest swing ride just opened in Dubai appeared first on Matador Network.
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