Olympia Exhibition Centre welcomes anyone with wanderlust this weekend, as the annual glut of outdoor holiday opportunities descends on London.
The twelfth incarnation of the Adventure Travel and Sports Show will be back in London this weekend, complete with the usual mixture of hang-gliding simulators, miniature dive pools, polystyrene ice walls, and zillions of travel ideas. Many of them aren't specific to climbers - motorbiking ventures, overland trucks etc. also play a part - but there are plenty of walking, kayaking and climbing options in the mix. From mountaineering in the Himalayas to Kite Surfing in Kenya, you'll find it here.
To whet your appetite, see the full list of adventure holiday providers.
The talks ...
As well as the stalls run by travel companies, there are seven holiday 'theatres', each with a pretty comprehensive list of talks. Some are country specific (Malawi, anyone?), some concentrate on expeditions such as the Army attempt on Everest last year, and some give specialised advice to groups such as lone travellers and round-the-world travellers.
We fancy dropping in to Icicle Mountaineering's advice session on safety skills for altitude trekking and climbing, and perhaps drooling over the slide shows from Scandinavia and the Grand Canyon. Or perhaps we'll drop in on a spot of virtual sea kayaking in Greece - that doesn't sound bad ... Decisions, decisions.
There's also a theatre dedicated to Travel Photography, so if you're determined to win next month's instalment of Bridgedale Trekkers in the OM gallery, you can pick up the pros' tips here:-)
See the Full Programme of talks.
Where and when?
The show's up and running from 10am to 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (12th to 14th January) at its usual venue of the Olympia Exhibition Centre, Kensington (on the District Line) - see map. The cost is £10 on the door, or £8 with an advanced ticket, which you can buy up until 2pm on Thursday - book book online or call 0870 161 2122. Children get a reduced rate of £6, with under fives free, and £28 for a family ticket.
A few tips ...
A few handy hints we picked up last time:
- Bring along a daysack to put all the brochures and freebies in. Otherwise, you'll end up with a household full of plastic bags and very sore hands.
- Bring your lunch or some cash. Getting money from inside the show hall is a 'mare (and it costs you).
- Enjoy drooling, but alas, there will always be more tempting treks on offer than years in the average human lifespan:-)
Now, where shall we go on holiday this year ...?:-)
More information from the Adventure Travel Show.
