Issue #8

This issue features hanging off 25 metre waterfalls and being hit with their full power. The real trick to actually getting free upgrades, breakfasts and saving money on accommodations, as well as a look at wolf tracking in Sweden, and the creature that never dies.

Oh, and theres a few of my dumb travel moments thrown in just incase you wanted a quick laugh at my stupidity. Enjoy!

Abseiling Down Waterfalls

If someone asked me to describe Da Lat in Vietnam in one sentence, it would probably be along the lines of “ a beautifully picturesque city, where you can spend your free time throwing yourself off waterfalls”.

and I’m sure you guessed it, that’s exactly what I spent my time doing.

Arriving at the start point in the Datanla Waterfall region of the city, we went through a quick briefing and a few practice descents on man made walls to get familiar with the techniques and equipment, before heading off into the jungle and to our first waterfall. The guides handled all the ropes and set up (thankfully), so your job is mainly to clip in, lean backwards off a cliff, with powerful water blasting at you, as you trust in the rope and hopefully sail down to safety.

As the day went on we worked our way down multiple waterfalls, hiking through the jungle from one to the next, there’s also natural rock slides and natures own lazy river, where you just lie in your life jackets and let the current take you to the next part.

Some of the waterfalls you abseil require you to detach before the bottom because either the rock or the rope just stops. Meaning you’ll be hanging for a moment like a temu version of Spiderman, before dropping into the water below.

But the real highlight, and stand out waterfalls were two fold. The first I’ll mention is one charmingly called the “Washing Machine”. You start by abseiling over an overhang so you’re completely suspended in mid air. Then you lower yourself directly into the powerful stream of the waterfall where the guide then tells you to detach from the rope as you drop into the pool below.

Sound simple enough?

Well, what actually happens is the waterfall drags you under the surface, spins you around like a dirty sock in a spin cycle, and eventually spits you out downstream, where another guide fishes you out of the water like a drowned rat. It is essentially white water drowning, but just supervised.

Then comes the other highlight, the big one. A 25 metre (82 foot) one you abseil down the face of. It looks incredible, with the water coming down hitting you with the power of a small car. Naturally I decided it would be a brilliant idea to lean right into the main stream of the waterfall and try to drown myself.

The guide later told me he was shouting for me to move to the side, but unfortunately I couldn’t hear him, as I was preoccupied with trying to to drink the entire waterfall. We had a good laugh about it though after, mainly cause I survived, so still had the ability to do so.

But all in all it was an incredible day. So if you’re passing through Da Lat and like some unique adventure, I’d absolutely recommend it.

Quick Details:

If you want to see how epic these waterfalls are and my attempts to drink a waterfall solo, feel free to check it out in the video below👇

Pick One Platform

Most travellers check five different hotel apps trying to save £2, and when I started travelling I’ll admit, I did the same.

But overtime I realised something, loyalty levels on booking platforms can actually be worth way more than these small individual savings.

Instead of jumping between sites, I now just stick with one platform and build up status. For example, platforms like Agoda (the one I personally use) have tier systems (bronze, silver, gold etc.), and the higher you climb the more perks you unlock:

After a very short while the benefits easily outweigh the few pounds you might save hopping between platforms.

Most of the time the upgrade or free daily breakfast alone saves well more than the price difference you would of found somewhere else.

Pick one platform and level up, your future self eating a free hotel breakfast will thank you.

_{^{Wolf Tracking - Sweden}}

Imagine spending multiple days, deep in the Swedish wilderness, tracking wolves. Not in a zoo, not from a jeep, but on foot with professional trackers.

Sweden has one of Europe’s most fascinating wolf populations, and several companies run multi day wolf tracking expeditions where you can learn how to read tracks, follow trails through forests and actually spot the wolves in the wild!

The adventure will have you multi day trekking, camping in remote forests, learning new skills and tracking wolves as well as other wildlife. You’re basically living in a nature documentary minus the David Attenborough narration (I just use the voices in my head).

It’s never a guarantee you’ll see wolves, but I think that adds to the actual adventure and makes it even more magical if you do. Just let the outcome unfold itself and enjoy trekking through the snowy forest either way.

The Immortal Jellyfish

There is a species of jellyfish that can technically live forever. It’s called Turritopsis Dohrnii (Good luck pronouncing that) but it is more commonly know as the Immortal Jellyfish.

When most animals get old they die, but this jellyfish does something slightly more strange. When it is injured, stressed or ageing it can reverse its own lifecycle, transforming back into a younger state and starting life all over again. Which is ironic because when humans stress out, don’t we age quicker? hmmm…

Theres a lot of science behind this but essentially the jellyfish could repeat this cycle indefinitely, making it biologically immortal.

In reality most of them get eaten or die from disease so they haven’t quite perfected it yet, but still they’ve definitely got one up on us.

1-0 to the Immortal Jellyfish… well played

My first ever backpacker confusion

Two days into my very first official backpacking stint, I had already arrived in Bangkok, and was still feeling tired from the longest travel I’d ever done at that point, but very, very excited.

Whilst I was back in the UK I had pre booked a sleeper train to take me down south towards the islands. Now most of the time they (the tickets) are sent to your phone for ease of access, but when leaving from Bangkok you have to go and pick them up from the office (this was a 12goasia booking for reference).

So I typed in the address, jumped in a taxi, and followed google maps to the location.

Simple.

Except the office didn’t exist, or it was starting to look like it didn’t.

I was standing directly on the location pin but all I saw was a busy road, a railway bridge overhead and shops on a middle level. Naturally I assumed it must be upstairs then, so I climbed up wandered around and saw nothing, and then jumped in the elevator I spotted which only took me directly back to where I started… brilliant.

I asked people for directions but the language barrier kicked in and I just got a bunch of rough directions of people pointing, so I continued to wonder round for 30 to 40 minutes looking like an absolute muppet, convinced google maps was stitching me up.

Turns out the office was exactly where the map stated.

It was underground.

There was a small entrance across the road leading down into a subway style shopping mall where the office actually was. So technically I had been standing directly on top of it the whole time

But here’s the best part. About a month later I was back in Bangkok to catch a train to the north, and this time I knew exactly where the office was. But when my taxi dropped me off this time, I noticed several groups of backpackers wandering around the same area looking completely lost staring at their phones.

It was like glimpsing in to the past seeing a perfect reflection of what my dumbass must have looked like.

Got a travel f*ck up or “why did I think that was a good idea?” moment? Reply to this email and the best ones might get featured in a future issue (anonymously if you'd prefer).

I’d love to hear from you.

👉 What’s the weirdest, funniest or most ridiculous thing that’s ever happened to you whilst travelling? Or maybe you have your own trick, tip or favourite piece of gear to share?

Hit reply and share, I might even feature your story or advice in a future issue.

Until next time,

Chase the Adventure.

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