So Many Places- So Little Time

Hello everyone. I just returned from an amazing journey around the world, searching for sites for future Best of Both Adventure travel opportunities. I hugged koala bears in Australia, met with the Maori tribe in New Zealand, rode elephants in Bali and went to Buddhists temples in Singapore. These are just a few countries visited and experiences enjoyed all of which were documented along the way for different blogs, online magazines and newspapers. . I still have a few more countries to go, but I thought I would stop off in my Argentine home to get a little snow skiing in before I head off to ski in Portillo, Chile, then off to La Paz Bolivia to the famous Lake Titicaca, then to Peru to climb up to Machu Pichu and then to Equador to explore the Andes and desolate beaches. After , I will finally return to Puerto Rico for the up and coming Surf and Yoga Retreats starting in Nov 2009.

Throughout my journey many people ask- How can you be gone so long without missing your home or tiring of travel? My answer is that I feel at home on the road just as much as anywhere. India, Bali, Greece, Buda pest, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Bangkok; I feel a special kinship with all of these places because there is so much to see so much to learn and so much to do. I feel all of these places simply capture my imagination in many ways.

People ask: How you can afford to travel so much –do you have a travel trust fund- what’s the story? Well other than the fact that I own a travel company, traveling the world for me is more a matter of desire and willpower than some privileged set of circumstances. I didn’t travel much when I was a kid with my parents , nor did I have much money growing up, but at a very young age I still made my way across the world whenever possible. I felt like it was my calling and still is. I constantly tell people you don’t need tons of money to take your dream trip around the world, you just need the right attitude. Simply decide to do it. It’s actually really motivating once you’ve made the decision to set out and make your dream journey, even if that journey won’t be a reality for another couple years. What might be an otherwise ordinary two years of working in an Mundane job can actually be kind of exhilarating when you know that this work is going to finance an amazing adventure. That’s why I encourage everyone to embrace their work, even if they don’t particularly like it. Put things into perspective and realize that you’re only given so many years in life. Which memory will you remember best in your old age? A journey across Europe or maybe Africa? A uninterrupted 20-year stretch of working and saving for retirement? Ask yourself which it is going to be and what makes your life experiences richer.

I don’t mean to knock those who choose not to do this, but if you’ve dreamed of getting out and exploring the world at some point in life, I think it’s worth it to forego some stability as a trade off for that life-adventure. I have yet to hear from anyone who regrets it

Remember travel is like air we need it to live life
Dez Bartelt

2009/2010 Surf and Yoga Retreat Dates

Over the last few years I have not been able to spend as much time at our Surf and Yoga Retreats as I would have liked, but this next season will be different. I have set my plans to personally run the next five retreats in Puerto Rico. I started Best of Both to be with you, spend time with you, and to learn from you. I give my personal guarantee Best of Both Surf and yoga will be better than ever this year and I’ll be right there with you!

In response to past requests, a newly added feature this season is a more varied activity schedule. I know not everyone wants to just surf as the main activity besides the yoga and great healthy meals, so we have added other possibilities like snorkeling, kayaking, or hiking to and amazing water fall. Now you can come learn how to surf, practice yoga, eat amazing healthy meals, and enjoy a little more fun on the side all at the same price!

Best of Both teams up with actress Kristin Kreuk and Kendra Voth from Girls by Design to bring young women together. Some of you may know of Kristin from the hit TV series Smallville as well as her latest blockbuster Street Fighter- The Legend of Chun-Li.

Kendra is one of Kristin’s best friends, as well as the co producer of Smallville and co partner in Girls by Design. They work towards CREATING a PLACE where teen girls can come together to EXPLORE, EXPRESS, CREATE and realize their potential.

I started to work with them about 5 months ago, when they asked me to write weekly about my world travels. It has been an amazing experience and I recommend everyone to check out their web site (especially if you have a teen daughter!). You can check out some of my articles as well as the comments from my readers. All at http://girlsbydesign.com/blog/

My hero; a rain drop on a rock

Imagine Vienna being bombarded late in to the night of October 1942 as a small child is born to the wakeup call of Hitler. Minutes after the birth of this little girl more screeching alarms began to fill this amazing but tragic night as the mother rushes to the local bomb cellar and presses this new born to her breast with one hand. Still gripping the uncut umbilical cord with the other hand, the mother and new born child cram into the cellar with other frightened women and children who are terrified to death. They huddle in this small dark, space waiting out the long night in fear of being discovered or even killed.

Now Imagine talk show host Oprah Winfrey Alicia Keys, Bill Clinton, Bono, Chris Rock, Iman, Jessica Alba, Johnny Clegg, Lenny Kravitz, and Shakira, just to name, a few all dressed in stylish black clothes striking poses surrounded by accessories and props to promote helping children in Africa to get the vital AIDS drugs they need. This is all helpful and we love them for it, but……..

Now go back to this little girl from Vienna that has lived a life that you and I as well as the celebrities I just mentioned could not even begin to understand.

This amazing little girl is now a 66 year old women doing more alone to combat aids in Africa then all the celebrities in their stylish dress and fancy parties ever could. This amazing woman gives every last penny she has from her pension(which let me tell you is not much) to support the aids victims in Africa. The key to her success is not just money however, but education. She gives her life and her talent to teach the young and old how to avoid aids. The celebrities can send as much money and drugs they want and all is needed, but unless people have the education it will never stop. This amazing woman risks her life every day to travel to small villages in war zones of Africa to produce educational plays. One of the main things we forget is that handing pamphlets out to villages will often just be used to start a fire for cooking because most Africans in the villages cannot read. On the other hand, to see their faces enlightened when a play is preformed and understood is truly amazing. As she performs her shadow play she is like the famous drop of water on the hot rock. Even as the water quickly evaporates, she believes that each life counts and she continues unshakable and endures as energetically as she can. She is a single woman all alone in the shadows.

This is an amazing story and an even more amazing woman. I will be travelling with her next year to help her in this amazing project. I will be the next drop of water on the rock and my goal is to seek other people to do just the same and add to the rain drops and make a puddle, then a pond, and maybe even in the future a lake of rain drops which will not just evaporate as if it were just one.

Lindsey Smolan is our new public relations consultant for Best of Both Adventures for Women. With a passion for travel, the environment, and the media, it was only natural that Lindsey be the publicist for Best of Both Adventures. She has experience with both public relations and the travel industry, and loves working with the media and spreading the word about Best of Both Adventures.

Ever since she was younger, she was always fascinated by journalism and the media industries, and knew that she wanted to somehow incorporate that into a career. When she found out about Best of Both Adventures and its aim to empower women by teaching them to push themselves physically and mentally, she knew that the company had a lot of potential and wanted to be a part of it and help to promote it.

After studying for two months in Australia while in college, Lindsey’s wanderlust was sparked and she knew that she wanted to spend the rest of her life traveling and learning about how doing so can impact oneself and the world we share. Subsequent travels have included destinations such as Toronto and Florida, and she hopes to visit Brazil, Thailand, Spain, and Morocco in the not too distant future.

“With Lindsey on board, she has ski rocket Best of Both Adventures into a wealth of web and print publications. Helping to spread the word about our trips and events. She also handles all of Dez’s personal appearances. For all media contact, Lindsey can be reached at lindseysmolan@gmail.com.” Thank you Lindsey we love having you on board

‘Sup GBD! Dez is still waiting for the king to approve Part 3 of her Maori trip. Yah…the KING needs to approve her post. Dez is no joke people. Anyway, she didn’t want to leave y’all hanging, so she wrote about some of her later adventures. This post is about her trip to Mount Aspiring National Park and Mount Cook.
Thanks to Dez and Lindsey!

Leaving Queenstown, I head north along beautiful country roads with my eyes set on Mount Aspiring National Park. After a couple hours, I find myself going across cattle guards from one station (ranch) to another, and come in to view of the glaciated peaks in the distance. The foreground is spectacular with the New Zealand sheep herds grazing in the pastures. I have to stop and get photos of the animals so I don’t find myself in the ditch.

As I find myself at the end of the road, I head up the river valley towards Rob Roy glacier. Rob Roy was a fellow Scotsman, so I have to see what he had found, so I hike amongst the thick woods and outflow of the glacier. After a couple hours I reach the glacier view point, but ever in search of tranquility, I decide to head up on what is about as wide as an animal track beyond the main trail. I hike to a place suitable to sleep and pitch my tent. A bit rocky, but it’s all mine and directly across the valley from the ice fall and waterfalls from Rob Roy. Thunderous ice avalanches keep me in awe, but it is time to build a comforting fire.

What’s for dinner? Chicken, but how to cook it is the question. Instead of a stick, I decide on a thin piece of slate over the flame and soon the dinner is sizzling away. A nice glass of wine — yum, yum, yum. After filling my belly, I feel somewhat mellowed by the wine, so it is time to sleep in the mountains.

The next day I awake to a Kea bird, which is a large parrot native to the area, squawking away. I think he wants breakfast, but I remember the rule to not feed the wildlife so eventually he flies on. OK — how to make my coffee? I got it!!! The wine bottle from the night before heats up the water nicely on my trusty piece of slate. Now the descent and off to my next stop - the famous Mount Cook.

As I pass the green blue glacial lake, the big mountain finally comes into view. I had driven a few hours and am happy to be arriving with clear skies and a fabulous view. Tonight I treat myself to the Hermitage lodge where the Sir Edmund Hillary climbing center is. The view is spectacular with glaciers all around and the prominent peak strait across from the lodge. I go to the old climbers café and suss out my approach for tomorrow and decide on a route to a glacier to the side of Mount Cook that is doable as a overnighter. Unfortunately, the approach to Cook is too far and not smart to do solo.

The next morning is clouded in so I decide on a leisurely day of writing and reminiscing. The clouds are persistent - no climbing for me, so the next day I decide to fish. Out to catch the big one. I head back down valley and head for Tekapo lake, which gets its water from the Mount Cook forest. I see on the map that a dirt road leads to the far end of the lake where the river feeds the lake, but find myself stopped short by a private station. What to do? Can the rental car handle the little track towards the lake before the fence? Let’s give it a try! After fording a few small streams, the little Toyota bumps and scrapes along and I find myself on gravel bars from the higher water flow in the spring, but actually make it out to the edge of the lake and am soooo relieved.

So I look miles around to a beautiful landscape and set camp. ”What were all those little traps I passed on the way in?” I started to think. Well, it turns out they are for those pesky weasels I heard about and so I guard my camp and food. The next thing is - What is that large booming sound? What is that rocket doing shooting towards the stars? Is that automatic gun fire? Am I in Iraq? Why are there so many birds here? Do they think I will protect them?

It turns out there is a military range the next valley over. What I thought was the perfect destination turned out to be a weasel infested paradise bordering the weapons range. I drift to sleep to find the birds nested all around me stirred up by those pesky weasels and ongoing bombing. Needless to say, I did not sleep well! I wake up early and head to the nearest town for my strong coffee and then back to Queenstown for my next adventure to the famous Milford sound on the coast.

Source: http://blog.girlsbydesign.com/2009/05/18/trippin-with-dez-outdoors-in-new-zealand-edition/

Dez Bartelt is a world traveler and environmentalist who runs an adventure vacation company for women. Dez in currently traveling around the world in an environmentally friendly vehicle that will support women’s projects.

Diva Maverick Mavens: - When did you begin traveling?
Dez Bartelt: - Fifteen years old. I backpacked around the US No mom mom did not know. They thought I was at a summer camp. I was climbing all around the US.
DMM: - Do you think you got your spirit of adventure from your parents?
Dez: - My mom yes.
DMM: - How?
Dez: - Well that’s hard. She was not a climber or anything like that. However. When she wanted to do or see something she did it. She told me to do what I wanted to do as long as I was safe.
DMM: - How has this philosophy helped you with your present day business?
Dez: - The thing is. I hope people let go of all the issues that hold them back. they have to know there is more to life then work. People want to explore but they tend to hold back. I try and help them understand nothing should stop them for life.
DMM: - Tell me if you could encourage a woman who did not have this kind of support, what advice would you give her?
Dez: - Well lets see. Life will not stop for them. If they don’t live it. It will pass them by. They can go back to the 9 to 5 job but if they take some time to explore their inner adventure. The 9 to 5 will be like a cake walk so will the day to day with the kids and husbands.The 1st step in the support is to sit down and say what I have wanted to do. Surf, ski, travel to a different country. Then start to research. There so many vacation packages on the world wide web now a days for women to take an adventure. They don’t have to go with someone like me but they need to do the research. Traveling with a company like “Best of Both Adventures” will make their trip so much easier and less stressful. We have a group of women and they bond and that make a life time trip.
DMM: - I read that you do white-water rafting, sea kayaking, ice climbing, and skiing, as well as teaching wilderness survival techniques. Tell me about these hobbies?
Dez: - Well, I would not call them hobbies. Most of them I did as a pro.
DMM: - Tell me about being a pro?
Dez: - It takes lots of hard work. As a woman in the world of extreme sports it’s not easy. However it is fun and life changing.
DMM: - What has been your biggest challenges in business and with being a pro in these extreme sports?
Dez: - In the past when I was sponsor. It was making sure the sponsors had the same beliefs and ideals as I do. I would not work with companies that did not work to help the environment. I would not work with companies that did not support women. Now days I guess it is the same. I was lucky there were very few women pro climbers so I could be a little strong in my beliefs. Funny story. Last week. I went to buy a new pair of climbing paints. It was in a north face store. I happen to have a dress on. Not looking like a climber I guess. When I asked the sales guy if they had some alpine paints. He asked for whom. When I said me. He started to chuckle. That was always very hard for me in the past and also in business. I pointed out that he may want to look in his North Face books as he might come across a picture of me in them.
DMM: - What advice can you give for a woman running into this kind of chauvinism?
Dez: - Just as long as she knows who she is. she can do anything. Chauvinism is insecurity.
DMM: - Good now tell me how you started Best of Both Adventures for Women and why?
Dez: - I had a co-ed adventure company before hand. But I found the women on the trips held back. I found that Insecurity frustrating as heck. I went home and told my husband tha I was changing directions. I’m going with only women’s trips. Women need their time. They need to feel the support of other women. They need to feel strong and I wanted to help with that.

Are you sick of the slick super-sized rental ski shop where you seem to get herded through? Wouldn’t it be great to find a friendly little ski shop where you could return each year and have the same loyal helpful staff as the year before? A shop where their commitment to service still exists?

Well, these places do still exist and I happen to know just the shop- Gene Taylor’s in Snowmass Village, Colorado. My worst fear was having to go into a rental shop and feel overwhelmed errrrrrrrrrrrr, but here’s the deal- I own my own gear, but to travel around the world with your skis and boots is not an option. So back to the days of rental and when you have your own, renting can be hard. But this shop took such good care of me it made me believe in rental again.

I always felt kind of strange when I went into a ski shop because it felt like I was getting more checked out by the rental guys then actual help for the rentals I needed. Having them fit the boots for me was like a slim bath, but not this gem. They treated me like one of the boys and not like a piece of meat. The thing is that most of the staff has been there for 10 to 15 years and some as long as 30. It’s like a family and they know what they’re doing because the employees are all very passionate skiers and riders. GT’s is a no fuss no muss shop and it’s a way of life for them that’s built up with strong relations. I could not have been in better hands then with the team at Gene Taylors. They have only high quality products such as Rossi, K2, Fisher, Atomic and Solomon. Each year they set up the best skis for the season and have 3 different packages from standard to Demo to fit your needs. They are the most reasonably priced in the area and have no problem with you switching skis whenever you want as well as always sending you out with a fresh tune. They even cater specially to women with skis designed just for us! Yep, I loved the skis so much I’m shipping home a new pair of K2s since I still have 6 months of travel remaining.

Adapting to the changing industry and economic climate along with the staff’s commitment to service has helped this shop survive through good times and bad. I know in my line of work I want the shop that thinks of me and not just a big sale. They do have a full selection of hard goods and soft goods, but they will only sell you what’s right for you instead of just trying to make a sale. Great service is the backbone to this shop.

Ladies - when you come to Snowmass or Aspen and you need to rent this is the place. It’s your rental ticket for the start of an amazing ski vacation. I would love to hear more stories like this so if you know of a ski shop like Genes at your favorite area please write me.

Contact info for Gene Taylor Sports:

Phone- 970-923-4336

Address- Bldg 54 on the mall
Snowmass Village, CO 81615

Free phone:800-748-1248
Fax: 970-923-8877
Email: snowmassrentals@genetaylors.com
Website: http://www.genetaylors.com

Dez Bartelt shares her advice - I can’t afford to travel right now…

How many of your friends use this one?

I have lots. And I’m honest with them. Put your plasma-TV dream on hold and open up a travel savings account. You can make your travel dollars worth a fortune in a very short period of time.

By depositing $25 a week for 6 months, your savings will be $600 plus interest. That should help cover your flight. And unless you’re set on vacationing in 5-star style, you can do accommodations and food relatively cheaply.

Don’t let the small stuff get in your way of an adventure of a lifetime.

I’ve been traveling around the world for more than 25 years and sometimes it felt like I had very little money. But as I was sitting on a seaside cliff looking over the Mediterranean Sea, I relished the fact that I didn’t need a lot of money to enjoy the truly finer things in life.

The view is free for the taking. I just need to travel and the sights are mine for the taking.

OK GBD girls here’s your first challenge. Find away to start your travel fund. please email me back with creative ways you are doing this.

Keep traveling

Dez Bartelt
Founder of Best of Both Adventures

Even though I have not started the world trip, I took a look at the GBD site and saw there were some comments on the upcoming trip so here are some answers. It looks like everyone is curious about the same thing- How can I afford to do such an amazing trip especially during this crazy economic crisis?  If it’s ok, I would like to address all of these questions with the same answer.  For the reader’s sake, I have also added the questions from all the girls below.

Jessicaf Says:
March 9th, 2009 at 12:19 am
This is pretty bad a**!! I can’t wait to read about this, since I can’t afford traveling the world myself. This is going to be really exciting to read. yay!

Kathy Says:
March 9th, 2009 at 12:36 am
I know right??
Here’s my question for Dez…How the heck are you able to afford all of this?? lol.

Jessica Says:
March 9th, 2009 at 12:46 am
I know. I wonder how? Maybe smart investing! Or sponsorships? Either way I’d like to know…maybe I can start my own “travel the world” fun later on in my life bc I’m stuck working on the “send Jessica to school” fund.

Emma-Lu Says:
March 9th, 2009 at 1:48 am
it sounds A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I was also wondering about funding?
At least now we can travel vicariously through Dez for a bit. Probably definitely sponsorships or maybe an inheritance fund?!

Yes, I have to say I’m very lucky to be able to travel. I have been traveling around the world since I was 18 years old.  I would work every day after school and save as much money as I could and during every school break I was out of there.  Most of the time, I went climbing in the Dolomites of Italy or around Fitz Rory in South America.  I also spent a lot of time on short breaks climbing in the mountains of the US.

Here’s the thing. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy the outdoors. I had my tent and climbing gear. I cooked all my own food and enjoyed nature.   Yes I had to buy plane tickets, but that was where my saving and hard work came in. In the end it is a cheap adventure.

As time passed I expanded my travels.  I wanted to do more than just climb and so I worked out a new plan- I started my own travel company. Now I’m not saying quit your jobs and do the same, but for me it only made sense. I have been in the outdoors all my life and until 12 years ago I was a professional alpinist so I had some amazing opportunities to travel and it taught me a lot.  Starting my own adventure company was an easy choice for me and has given me more opportunities to travel and to see the world.

But how can I afford a 7 month world tour? Because of you! I could not do this is if it was not for all of you that read my articles and blogs as well as travel to one of my Best of Both locations. For without you, this would not be possible.

Emma-Lu’s comment was that definitely sponsorships or maybe an inheritance fund helped out. The answer to that is hum I wish so, but no.  None of the above. It is years of hard work, owning my own adventure travel company and having such amazing women to travel with me.  The 7 month trip is to show all of you how you can travel. Remember that you don’t have to do a world trip. You can read about just one of the amazing places I will be in and start there.  Start slow. No one said you have to do the world the 1st time.  You can do it in stages and I will give you insights on each country and help you work out how it’s possible to travel there.  There are lots of ways to make this happen and the easy one is to save your money. Now I know saving money doesn’t sound easy in this economic crisis. You can though, maybe not a lot but if you cut back on some of the frills and you and take that money and add it to your travel fund then you will be surprised how fast you can get on the road. You can also give back and work with a world charity organization which not only helps people or even animals but you can see the world at the same time.  There’s many ways so don’t let the small stuff get in the way of your adventures!

Dez is embarking on a journey around the world, searching for sites for future Best of Both Adventure travel opportunities. As she sets off heading first to Australia, New Zealand, Bali then Singapore she will be writing a travel blog about the trip documenting what women face when traveling and how to get around the issues.

She received an email from someone who signed up for a Best of Both trip this fall that was sobering, thought provoking, and a fascinating perspective on travel:

“I strongly suspect that there will come a time in the near future when the average Jill won’t be able to afford airfares and air travel will once again be restricted to the rich and famous. It’s so weird to
think that just 2 generations back, the farthest my grandparents ever traveled, and a grand trip in their estimation, was to a lake about 1 hour drive from home?

A generation later, however she will continue on, touring around the world starting in March. Looking for the best deals out there for a Best of Both Adventures. Weird to be able to even contemplate such possibilities!

Understandably, many of us are feeling so financially insecure that we don’t feel able to travel right now. And yet, ironically, it is right now - with the good exchange rate, low gas prices and airfare wars - that travel is probably more affordable than it may ever be again.

As Dez continues her travels on to Germany, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, England, Italy, Austria, Scotland, Ireland, Greece and then on to Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador we will soon have a first hand account of what it is like around the world.

Meanwhile, back in Puerto Rico the Surf and Yoga trips continue to fill with eager women, ready to relax and rejuvenate. Puerto Rico is an affordable travel destination with a Best of Both Surf and Yoga Adventure priced at $1900. Flights are a great deal to the island and the weather is always perfect! There is still room in our March and April trips. Call or email today for more information!