Sports + Travel Hong Kong May Jun 2015

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MAY - JUN 2015 ISSUE 42

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©Gunther Deichmann

06 Journey Through Rajasthan

©Clare Gallagher

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LOFOTEN LUXURY

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Now or Never Myanmar’s Rural Pah-Oh

© Wee Keng Rui

© Liang Kaixiang

Throne Room of the Mountain Gods

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TREKKING TO CONCORDIA

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The Varangian Road FROM THE BALTIC TO THE BLACK SEA

Ski Destinations Around the World

REGULARS 05 Publisher's Note

09 Travel Tips

12 Gear Guide

28 Events

OUR TEAM PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER FINANCE & ADMIN

Sports and Travel Limited publisher@sportsandtravel.com.hk Aaron K. Stewart astewart@sportsandtravel.com.hk Lynn Ooi Marilyn Wong mwong@sportsandtravel.com.hk Hylda Low hlow@sportsandtravel.com.hk

ADVERTISING SALES ADVERTISING SALES AUSTRALIA HONG KONG INDONESIA MALAYSIA PHILIPPINES THAILAND

advertise@sportsandtravel.com.hk Sabine Senne ssenne@sportsandtravel.com.hk Chris Ng cng@sportsandtravel.com.hk Akram Razak arazak@sportsandtravel.com.hk Sukdev Gill sgill@sportsandtravel.com.hk Jil North jnorth@sportsandtravel.com.hk Jesse Ting jting@sportsandtravel.com.hk

CONTRIBUTORS

SPECIAL THANKS

Clare Gallagher Haley Read Gunther Deichmann Ken Berg Liang Kaixiang Wee Keng Rui Wilson Low

Bergstop Giordano Lowe Alpine Malaysian Holidays Roy Safaris

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Sports + Travel Hong Kong is published by Sports and Travel Limited Hong Kong. All articles published are in good faith and based on bona fide information available to The Publisher at the time of press. The Publisher accepts no responsibility other than that stipulated by law. The Publisher also accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies, or other material. The Publisher accepts no responsibility or liability in any way for the contents or any of the advertisements, articles, photographs or illustrations contained in this publication. Al rights are reserved and no part of this publication may be reproduced in part or full without the previous written permission of The Publisher. Neither can any part be stored or recorded by any means. The opinions expressed in the publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily endorsed by The Publisher. Sports + Travel Hong Kong is published bi-monthly and distributed throughout Hong Kong. Trademarks and copyrights for all other products, logos, and depictions contained herein are the properties of the respective trademark and copyright owners.

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Publisher's Note

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Dear Fellow Travellers, We kick off this issue with a piece on one of India’s most classic journeys – one through the desert state of Rajasthan. With a photo essay by photographer Gunther Deichmann, we take you through the 3 desert cities of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

Another country with a newly-implemented Visa on Arrival, tourism in Myanmar has practically exploded here since 2012. Visitors now are looking for destinations beyond the usual tourist trails, hence we’re featuring a hike in rural Pah-Oh. A mountaineer’s dream, Concordia (located on the border between Pakistan and China) was once described as the throne room of the mountain gods. From here, sweeping views of the mighty Himalayas can be had from the base of the world’s second highest peak.

For a long-distance, multi-country journey,

we included in this issue, a sojourn along the Varangian Road, named for the Vikings that traded along the route that stretched from the Baltics to the Black Sea. Beginning from Riga and ending in Ukraine, a journey through this part of Europe is like going through a time warp.

Those who ski and/or snowboard or are planning to learn the sports can check out our 6-page special on ski destinations around the world. From nearby hotspots like Niseko and Yongpyong to Europe gems like the Dolomites and Chamonix, to those on the American continent like Banff, Mammoth and Cerro Catedral, there’s bound to be a ski destination to suit your ski style and budget.

Until then, Happy Trails!

Sports+Travel Ltd

GEAR GUY: Ken Berg

GOING There are a number of things that can contribute to making a product more ethical than others. Is its impact on the environment as low as possible? Is it going to lessen the impact on the surroundings that you are travelling to?

Are the people making the product treated fairly? It is a lot to consider but here are some products and organisations that are doing it right.

GOOSE DOWN

Whether you are travelling or doing something in the outdoors, keeping weight low is key, and down is unparalleled in its warmth to weight ratio for cold weather clothing and sleeping bags.

Recently it has come to light that some of the down that is on the market comes from places where animals are liveplucked and/or force fed in order to get foie gras. Since then, Patagonia and North Face have come up with programs to make sure that their products do not come from these sources. Their programs include key principle.

If you’re thinking to avoid down altogether, consider that the International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory came out with a study in 2010 that said that down had the lowest carbon footprint of any insulator (natural or synthetic).

WOOL

It might not have the warmth to weight ratio or low carbon footprint of down, but merino wool has a few advantages too.

First of all it can be used as a base layer and in socks, and secondly it doesn’t absorb odour the same way synthetics do. That means that you

Ken grew up on the doorstep of the Canadian wilderness, backpacking, paddling and rock climbing in this rugged land. Armed with a degree in recreational studies, he has been working at Canada’s premier outdoor retailer for over 10 years, putting gear to the test whether it’s cycling in -35ºC winters, running marathons or travelling to the far reaches of the planet.

are washing it less and therefore using less resources in the long run. In fact even one load on a cold cycle that is hung to dry is estimated to put 0.6 kg of CO2 into the air.

If you’re concerned about the way the animal is treated, look for mulesing-free wool (it’s where a chunk of skin is cut away from the hindquarters of a sheep).

Smartwool and Icebreaker are among the brands that make great products that are also mulesing free. Country of origin can also help you select the wool, as New Zealand has almost completely phased out the practice whereas Australia has not.

SOLAR RECHARGING

Gadgets have become essential for travel, but keeping them charged can be difficult depending on availability of power sources.

Solar chargers are getting better and better in terms of energy output and reliability; they’re not only convenient, they’re better for the environment.

Goal Zero’s Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit can charge 4 AA batteries in approximately 3 hours of sunlight

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and holds enough of a charge to power up an iPhone twice.

Enerplex also has a charging case for an iPhone – besides protecting your phone from dings, it provides twice the amount of battery life, and the solar charger gets a bit of a charge even from indoor light.

COOKING AND CHARGING

There are a number of options for charging batteries as you cook.

The Power Practical Power Pot V is a pot that uses the difference in temperature from the pot and your heat source to generate electricity. In fact, it generates a similar amount of charge to what you would get if you plugged into a wall. It does require water to work, so it’s appropriate for every meal.

Biolite is a stove that uses biomass to heat up your food, and still has enough charge left over to provide energy in the backcountry. The company also works on providing cleaner burning home cooking solutions in developing countries.

ECO HOTSPOTS FOR 2015 If you’re thinking of an eco destination to travel to for 2015, here are some of the top choices chosen by experts on ecotourism. These are based on data regarding responsible, sustainable tourism opportunities each place has to offer.

Cape Verde: A model for political and civil rights in Africa, the World Bank commended Cape Verde for its efforts to expand tourism while protecting their communities and environment. The nation is aiming for 35% renewable energy use over the next 2 decades.

Kelmtu, British Columbia: Situated in the remote Great Bear Rainforest, Kelmtu is a small Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation community only accessible by floatplane

or boat. Focusing on natural and cultural tourism, the Spirit Bear Lodge (SBL) is a significant conservation model.

Tortuguero, Costa Rica: Tortuguero is roadless and remote, and the main draw is its sea turtles which nest along the black sand beach (Feb and Nov). Turtle tours and other eco activities have brought income to locals and helped to slow poaching of turtles and their eggs.

Uruguay: Uruguay has a goal of 90% renewable electricity by 2015, and plans to introduce electric taxis and buses in 2015.

Already, visitors to Colonia del Sacramento, one of the oldest towns in Uruguay and a World Heritage Site, can tour the town by electric car.

Samoa: Samoa’s breathtaking coastline, coral reefs, marine wildlife and rainforestcovered volcanic peaks are greatly valued

by Samoans. The government recently invested $1 million into a new project which aims to increase biodiversity and combat the effects of climate change.

Events Calendar

HONG KONG

If you have an event that you feel should be included on this page, please email us on events@sportsandtravel.com.hk

13 Jun

Royale International Kayak n Run Discovery Bay www.actionasiaevents.com Kayak & Run 4.9km & 8km

13 Jun

HK BMX Age Group Race and Open Race - Series 9 www.cycling.org.hk BMX Bike

20 Jun

Sun Life Stanley International Dragon Boat Championship www.dragonboat.org.hk Dragon Boat 270m

21 Jun

HK Road Cycling National Championships - Individual Time Trial www.cycling.org.hk Road Cycling

21 Jun

Olympic Fun Run

28 Jun

14th Hong Kong Dragon Boat Short Course Race

28 Jun

HK Road Cycling National Championships - Individual Road Race www.cycling.org.hk Road Cycling

4 Jul

HK BMX Age Group Race and Open Race - Series 10 www.cycling.org.hk BMX Bike

11 Jul

HK Track Cycling Race - Series 7 www.cycling.org.hk

12 Jul

HK Mountain Bike National Championships cum HK Mountain Bike Race - Series 7 www.cycling.org.hk

19 Jul

www.hkrunners.com

Run 5.6km www.dragonboat.org.hk

Dragon Boat 200m

Track Cycling

Mountain Bike (Downhill)

HK Mountain Bike National Championships cum HK Mountain Bike Race - Series 8 www.cycling.org.hk

Mountain Bike (Cross Country)

9 Aug

Southern District Cross Country Run www.hkrunners.com

6 Sep

RunOurCity Streetathon 5K @ Central www.hkrunners.com Run 5km

4 Oct

Lantau 2 Peaks 15k & 21k

25 Oct

MSIG HK50 Series - Hong Kong Island www.actionasiaevents.com

www.actionasiaevents.com

Run 9km

Trail Run 15km & 21km Trail Hike & Run 24km & 50km

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