The year was 1951. At three o’clock in the morning, under the dim lighting of street lights on a vacant lot next door, a young man of nineteen stood contemplating the 16-pound shot put in his hand. This iron ball was his barrier, his Everest, his four-minute mile. Despite his copybook style and powerful arms, he just could not put it farther than 55 feet.

That night he decided to explore simple laws of physics. If he could only apply his strength to the shot for a longer period of time, then surely it would go further. No rules specified which direction a shot-putter had to face when beginning the put or the action of his legs. The only rule he had to comply with was that the shot had to be put not thrown using only one hand.

continue reading »

Hawaii, especially the island of Oahu, has long been considered the birthplace of surfing. The first written description of he’e nalu - the Hawaiian term for surfing – is described in a journal entry of Captain James King in March 1779, three months after the death of Captain James Cook, credited with first discovering the Hawaiian Islands in 1778:

“Twenty or thirty of the natives, taking each a long narrow board, rounded at the ends, set out together from the shore. Their first object is to place themselves on the summit of the largest surge, by which they are driven along with amazing rapidity toward the shore.”

continue reading »

Capsizing and Escaping from a Closed Cockpit Kayak - The Basic and First Procedure

Introduction

continue reading »

You can find a Royal Caribbean cruise review to help you make a decision on your vacation. There are hundreds of reviews available to look at online, as well as reviews in magazines such as Travel and Leisure. Travel guide websites offer interesting personal reviews.

Sovereign of the Seas

continue reading »

On-Board the Super Star Virgo luxury liner

We started our getaway with a cruise on the Superstar Virgo from Singapore to Port Klang. We spent 2 days 1 night on board. We departed Singapore at 10:30pm and reached Port Klang the following afternoon at 3pm.

Our cabin was on the 11th floor without a pothole. We were surprised by the welcome gifts awaiting us on the dressing table. The room was cozy and have comfortable beds that will definitely allow you to have a beautiful night’s rest. The cabin isle is long which shows that its a long ship

continue reading »

The Elation is a ship built in 1998 for Carnival Cruise Lines. It was the first ship to have the azipod propulsion system. Everything you read about the Elation will include a small blurb about the azipod system. You may wonder what the heck that is so I’ll tell you. It’s much like having font wheel drive on your car. Instead of the energy source pushing the ship it pulls it instead. This makes maneuvering the ship much easier so you can be confident there won’t be any listing or tipping over of the ship on your cruise. Also it reduces those vibrations that cause motion sickness in people like myself.

Enough about mechanics though because Carnival’s got the fun don’t they? Yes sir, they do. The Carnival Elation has three swimming pools. One with a 214 ft water slide! This is where the music is and the pool games. Expect it to be busy the first few days. My favorite pool is the one at the back of the ship on verandah deck because it takes new passengers about 3 days to find it so for the first couple days of your cruise it is uncrowded. The last pool is the kiddie pool on promenade deck at the ship’s aft (back). This pool is a bit like swimming in a toilet with all the babies in their swim diapers-which are not allowed.

continue reading »

I got an email from a friend of mine here not so long ago. He is late 20s - a few years younger than me - and in this email, he told me how he had taught himself to swim.

He explained in great detail the embarrassment of holding on to the edge of the pool blowing bubbles, practising the breathing technique before graduating to a kick board and doing laps up and down the pool.

continue reading »

Cruise ships are huge and have a large crew to cater to every individual traveler’s needs. Hospitality rates high on cruises, and travel agencies offer vacation packages that are costly, but at the same time, offer a luxurious once in a lifetime experience. Many consider vacationing on the high seas to be the most romantic kind of vacation, and cruise liners are striving to prove them true with elegant and romantic settings aboard ship.

Most ships are equipped with swimming pools, music and dancing in the stateroom, casinos and special parties and entertainment shows. Some have entertainment for children. Service, ambience and cabin comfort are all part of a well-maintained ship. The crew must ensure that the passengers have no cause for complaint. Fitness centers, gymnasiums or other health related equipment must be state-of-art models and be in good working condition. Cleanliness along with subtle romantic touches is essential in providing the right atmosphere for an enjoyable, relaxing vacation.

continue reading »