 Modern sport is a far more civilized substitute for millennia of constant warfare. The world's major events are not only wild celebrations, they're a chance to discover any destination at its festive best. I enjoy my sport, but although I enjoy the Die Hard movies, I wouldn't consider myself a die-hard fan. Still, here are just some of the sporting events on my bucket list.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/luefkens/ The Tour de France Three weeks and 3500km – think of it as the ultimate European road trip. The world’s most famous bicycle race pushes its competitors to the very edge of endurance (it has been compared to climbing three Everests and running a dozen marathons) but for the travelling circus that follows the riders, it’s just a great excuse to experience beautiful French countryside. It typically starts in a neighbouring country before the pelotan makes its way throughout France, with stops in Barcelona and little-known gems like Andorra. Following the caravan, you can expect to meet outrageous characters and encounter millions of people who line the route. Three weeks and 3500km – think of it as the ultimate European road trip. The world’s most famous bicycle race pushes its competitors to the very edge of endurance (it has been compared to climbing three Everests and running a dozen marathons) but for the travelling circus that follows the riders, it’s just a great excuse to experience beautiful French countryside. It typically starts in a neighbouring country before the pelotan makes its way throughout France, with stops in Barcelona and little-known gems like Andorra. Following the caravan, you can expect to meet outrageous characters and encounter millions of people who line the route.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgio/ Tennis The four main events or ATP Grand Slams are held in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York. Each tournament offers something unique for the tennis traveller. Melbourne is a sports-mad city, enjoying scorching temperatures often resulting in heat-breaks for the players. The crowd loves the underdogs, and the shade of their umbrellas. Roland Garros in Paris is played on red clay, with the French always rooting for homegrown players. Join them, and you might find a great improvement in service! Wimbledon is the most traditional of the Slams, suffused with strawberries and cream, champagne, and overnight line-ups. New York is the most daring, with arguably the most vocal crowd, and stadiums packed with celebrities.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickwebb/ Formula One Speed, money and power converge in the world’s richest sport, the highest class of auto racing, precision, technology and driving skill. There are between 17 and 20 FIA Grand Prix’s held each year, in destinations as diverse as Malaysia, Hungary, Brazil, and Turkey. For weeks before, cities like Shanghai, Singapore and Abu Dhabi get caught up in the frenzy, wooing massive crowds cheering on their Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull favourites. Billions of dollars are spent on cars every year, capable of achieving speeds of up to 360 km/hr with an ear shattering roar. My pick is Monte Carlo, home of a famed street circuit lined with stylish crowds, overlooked by the world’s wealthy elite. Indy Car and NASCAR races also deliver their own thrills and atmosphere. Don’t forget to pack a pair of earplugs!  FIFA World Cup Every four years, over a four-week period, the best national teams in the world join together to battle for the greatest prize in football. For a sport that crosses the widest of social and economic divides, the World Cup Finals is nothing short of a religious holiday. Business shut, traffic vanishes, and nearly a billion people tune in the most watched sporting event in the world. In 2014, soccer-mad Brazil once again hosts the finals, the biggest sporting event in the world. It’s a unique moment in the country's modern history, where adventurous travellers will be able to experience the best of the country.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/syume/ The Olympics Both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the world coming together. Host cities spend spend billions on construction and infrastructure upgrades to host what is effectively a non-stop party. Being able to support Team Canada (and Team South Africa) is secondary to the spirit of the event.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyngpao/ The Kentucky Derby It’s billed as the “Most Exhilarating Two Minutes in Sport”, a thoroughbred horserace that has captured the imagination of the world. Inaugurated in 1875, the race is the main draw card for a two-week long Kentucky Derby festival that includes the Great Balloon Race, the Great Steamboat Race, and an assortment of music and cultural events. Writer Hunter S Thompson once used the race to capture the essence of the American south, and visitors might take heed when they read his seminal “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved”. Whatever you find in Kentucky, soaked in its mint juleps and tradition, chances are it will be a world away from the world’s richest horserace, the Dubai Gold Cup.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/climens/ Golf The four major golf tournaments create a sporting mecca for both players and fans. The US Masters in Augusta, the Open Championship in St Andrews, the US Open and PGA Championship bring the world’s best players together, along with those that would pay good money to see men hit little white balls into little shallow holes. Securing a ticket is expensive, or sometimes not even possible. The Masters only makes tickets available to club patrons, but you can enter a lottery to see Tiger Woods on the practice rounds. If golf is your ticket, it might be easier to attend one of the less prestigious Open tournaments, held in over two-dozen countries annually.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/climens/ Surfing Following the pro-surfing or windsurfing circuit combines two crucial elements for the weary sport traveller: the atmosphere of a major sporting event, with the bonus of being on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Throw in string bikinis and tanned hunky surfers, and one could do worse than hop on the ASP World Tour, annually visiting top beach towns in Brazil, Tahiti, Australia, South Africa, Spain and France.  Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjmeade/ Cricket I don’t have the space to explain the rules of cricket. Yes, test cricket can last five days without crowning a winner, and yes, there is a position called the Silly Mid-On. Hugely popular in England, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, South Africa, Australia and the West Indies, if you ever find yourself in one of those countries with the opportunity to catch a match, do so. As a local explains the rules (which are quite easy once you slow down a bit) you can soak in an electrifying atmosphere of exploding cherry bombs (South Asia), steel drums (West Indies), BBQ’d boerewors (South Africa) or beer swilling songs (Australia). When India meets Pakistan, it’s nothing less than two countries at war, the tension so thick it could bowl you over.
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 Common Sense Rule #8: Never argue with a man holding a loaded AK-47 Having solo-travelled extensively on six continents, I’ve always maintained that travel is perfectly safe and more enjoyable if you use common sense, and aren’t afraid to be a little social. In my experience, people would rather help you than hurt you. That being said, sour apples that can spoil any cider, and some regions better suited to solo leisure travel than others. Solo travellers might be picked out for all manner of mischief, like a stray animal who wanders from the safety of the pack. I’ve met solo female travellers who have been harassed in taxis, although I’ve also met plenty of solo female travellers who have managed fine in some pretty challenging countries. Some guys fall in with the wrong crowd, or might be targeted as oblivious drug mules. I’ve been drugged a couple times (never accept a Flaming Lamborghini from pretty flight attendants in Hong Kong, let’s leave it at that) but once again, the kindness of strangers helped me emerge unscathed. It might be safe to travel in parts of the countries and regions below, although it’s well worth doing your research about conflict zones, hot spots and the latest political turbulence. Hopefully, with improving political and economic stability, this list of volatile places to avoid will grow smaller, not longer.
The reality is that, depending on the type of person you are, you shouldn’t travel alone anywhere OR it's best to travel alone everywhere. While some travellers need a tour bus, others might be particularly resourceful in the event of conflict. Some travellers might enjoy a little adventure, others less so. I can certainly testify that supposed hot spots like Johannesburg, Sao Paulo, New Delhi and Bogota are wonderful places to visit, provided you don’t end up in the wrong part of town, and especially with the wrong type of company. Every year, thousands of solo travellers visit the countries above without any incident, amazed at the people and experiences they encounter. Weigh up the risks, take precautions and use common sense. When it comes down to it, paranoia is one of the worst weapons the modern traveller should worry about.
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Greetings.
Please come in. Mahalo for removing your shoes. After many years running a behemoth of a blog called Modern Gonzo, I've decided to a: publish a book or eight, and b: make my stories more digestible, relevant, and deserving of your battered attention. Here you will find some of my adventures to over 100 countries, travel tips and advice, rantings, ravings, commentary, observations and ongoing adventures. Previously...
May 2023
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