Posts Tagged ‘Thailand’

Now before you all start yelling understand that we are talking about fish – therefore the blue whale, a mammal, which is the largest animal on the planet, cannot, in this instance be considered a fish. We are of course talking about the whale shark – Rhincodon typus – which can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh over 20 tons and because it is a filter feeder, presenting no threat to divers, and an inefficient swimmer, being capable of an average speed of about 3mph, divers can get very close to the whale shark.

As can be seen in the photo above, in comparison with the diver they are very large and inspiring.

But first some stats – as a filter feeder it has a large mouth which can be up to 1.5 meters wide. It has five pairs of large gills and 2 small eyes at the front of its flat head. It has a pair of pectoral fins and two dorsal fins. It is mainly grey in colour with a white under belly and on its back and sides has whitish/yellowish spots which are individual to each whale shark.

They feed on algae, plankton and krill and other small creatures such as squid by sucking in water and then expelling it through the gills during which time the food substances are trapped on a sieve which is called the dermal denticles before being swallowed.

They can be found around the globe in the world’s tropical and temperate seas. It is believed that they are migratory which could be for reasons of food and/or breeding. So do your research but the main places to go to dive with these graceful creature are:

• Belize – Gladden Spit
• Western Australia – Ningaloo Reef
• Honduras – Utila
• Philippines –  Batangas, Donsol and Pasacao
• Mexico, Yucatan – Islas Holbox and Mujeres
• Indonesia – Ujong Kulon national park
• Madagascar – Nosy Be
• Mozambique – Tofo Reef
• Tanzania – off the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia
• Thailand – Koh Tao

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it should get you going. It should be noted that the whale shark is fished for commercial reasons but the Philippines, India and Taiwan have banned any commercial exploitation of the fish – well done them. The species is considered vulnerable by the IUCN(International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources).

Their behaviour towards humans who are diving or snorkelling with them can be almost playful but generally they just continue with the business of survival. To behold these giants in their natural environment is an experience that you could not forget – see in the video below from LiquidVDO what these divers experienced off  Koh Tao, Thailand and then start planning your next dive adventure – extreme or what?

A young Brit on holiday in Thailand survived a near fatal crash when the equipment that he was using to bungee jump failed and he was plunged into the water below.

Rishi Baveja had paid the $60 fee to the Jungle Bungy Centre in Kathu, Thailand only because they boasted a 100 per cent safety record.

It is unfortunate that it was Baveja who has smashed their safety record but ironically it is fortunate that he hit the water, at 80 mph, with his chest rather than his head. Fortunate for had it been with his head the consequences would have been worse than they were.

The poor man spent a month in a Bangkok hospital recovering from a ruptured spleen, torn liver, collapsed lungs and massive bruising.

In the video from widowsbreath you can see the near fatal jump – remember to check out the small print and make sure the company you are jumping with has appropriate and internationally recognised insurance. This is an extreme sport, you are risking yourself to severe physical and or mental damage if something goes wrong - nota bene.

We said earlier in the week that our research into the game of polo had turned up some weird and wonderful variants of the game which could only be described as extreme. Well the first such extreme of polo is played on elephants.

Elephant polo is a variant of polo played whilst riding elephants. Although elephant polo was first played in India at the beginning of the twentieth century, the modern game originated in Nepal where it is played in an annual tournament organised by the World Elephant Polo Association at Tiger Tops in Nepal.

It is also played in Sri Lanka, Rajasthan in India and in Thailand.

The pitch is three-quarters of the length of a standard polo pitch, due to the slower speed of the elephants. Two people ride each elephant – the polo player and the mahout who controls the elephant. A polo stick is used, which depending on the size of your elephant can be 5 to 9 feet long, to try to hit the ball and score a goal. Due to the cumbersome elephants the ball can disappear under their great bulks for long peroids sometimes only emerging as a flattened relic more akin to a frisbee.

It is not surprising to learn that the game has attracted stern criticism from animal rights organisers who consider the game to be no more than the expoitation of animals for the amusement of man.

The WEPA are holding their next tournament from November 29th to December 5th and although it is not announced we presume the location will be Tiger Tops in Nepal.

Below is a journeymanpictures video of elephant polo in Jaipur, India.

Another variant which does not attract the negative criticism from the animal rights hoodies is cycle polo and we will post a blog on this form of the sport in the next few days.

Having travel insurance which covers every eventuality when you are abroad is not cheap but it is a prerequisite. I know from personal experience – my son was on his ‘gap’ year, travelling round the world and had got as far as Thailand where he had a horrific accident on the motorbike he had rented. To cut a long story short he was picked up from Koh Samui by a private jet and flown to Bangkok, as there were no hospitals that could deal with the extent of his injuries in the south of the country. He was on the slab for 10 hours – every bone in his head had been broken and there he stayed for at least two weeks – the bill – zero, de nada, rien.

The message for me is clear – this is the case of the well spent pound, dollar or euro – just do it.

Below is a useful Q & A about mediacal insurance for all activities expertly put together by Hugo Matin from the Los Angeles Times – thanks Hugo for this great advice.

Q. How do I know if my medical and life insurance policies cover my sport?

A. Most medical and life insurance policies have an exclusion clause that lists the high-risk sports that are not covered. The list of high-risk activities varies by provider and is based on actuarial numbers and accident statistics.

Motorcycling, skydiving, bungee jumping, white-water rafting, parasailing, and spelunking are among the activities that might not be covered. Check the exclusion clause on your policy.

Q. What do I need to know about getting travel insurance for a high-risk adventure sport?

A. You don’t have to cancel your current policy just because it does not cover your sport. You can buy supplemental coverage to add to your existing policy. You can buy year-round supplemental insurance or a short-term policy to cover the time you will be traveling.

Q. What does insurance for high-risk activities cost?

A. The price for such policies varies, depending on your age and the amount of coverage and services you want.

For example, Travel Insurance Services Inc. offers the Voyager Annual Plan, which costs $218 a year for a person younger than 69.

The policy covers activities including motorcycling, skiing, and skydiving, and pays as much as $10,000 in medical bills and as much as $100,000 for medical evacuation costs per incident, among other services.

Q. Are there any other ways to get coverage for high-risk activities?

A. If you participate in a professional or amateur competition, such as a mountain biking race, the organizers often carry insurance to cover all participants. To be safe, check with the organizer before participating in any race.

Q. If I hire a professional guide to take me rock climbing, mountain biking, or to take part in some other adventure sport, will the guide’s insurance pay if I get injured?

A. No. Guides for high-risk sports typically require that clients sign a liability waiver. Don’t expect the guide’s insurance to cover you.

If, however, the guide, through negligence or failure to act, causes your injury, you might be able to sue to recover your medical cost.

But don’t rely on that. Get the extra coverage before you leave home, and if something goes wrong, your insurance company can try to recover your medical costs from your negligent guide.

Q. What do evacuation policies cost?

A. Birmingham, Ala.-based MedjetAssist charges members younger than 75 an annual fee of $225. Members injured at least 150 miles from home will be evacuated from almost any airport in the world. MedjetAssist offers short-term memberships, such as a seven-day deal for a fee of $85.

Q. Who sells policies for high-risk, outdoor adventurers?

Travel Insurance Services, which the Sierra Club recommends to its members: 800-37-1387, travelinsure.com.

Adventure Advocates, a nonprofit membership organization: 800-211-9002, adventureadvocates.com

Global Travel Shield, underwritten by American Express: 800-332-4899, globaltravelshield.com

MedjetAssist, medical evacuations only: 800-527-7478, www.medjetassist.com

And there are many more so look around. It may take you a day to sort out the wheat from the chaff but it will be worth it _ as i mentioned above a bill of in excess of $30,000 would have landed on my doormat had I had no insurance – do it.