Are you an adventure traveler? I saw a piece of news on the TV about a new adventure idea called skyaking. It’s jumping out of a plane in a kayak. While the visuals looked awesome on TV, I am not jumping out of my desk chair to try this one. So perhaps I am not an adventure traveler.

However, I believe adventure travel can be defined in many ways. Each month GT features an “Adventure Add-on” destination article, ranging from eco-tours to trekking the mountain peaks of the Andes. Personally, I think the pictures accompanying the article are stunning. But I’m quite happy reading about and looking at them from the pages of GT.

On the other hand, I am one to get on a plane and go anywhere off the beaten path. I believe it’s just as adventurous to go to a politically unstable environment as it is to jump out of a plane. One opportunity involving sport and travel that I would take advantage of, if it came my way, is heliskiing. Jumping out of a helicopter is a little more manageable for me than an airplane, especially since there are fresh tracks to be skied that have yet to be touched by another person.

What’s your idea of adventure travel? Don’t forget to take a look at GT’s auction to see what prize suits your adventure needs!

– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

After reading Fran’s recent blog on his daughter’s upcoming “Adventure of a Lifetime”, I cannot stop the flood of memories from my first experience traveling on my own.

Global Traveler’s dedicated staff is made up of unique, intelligent people from many different backgrounds who all share one thing in common — a true passion for travel and discovery.

When Fran first notified the GT team of Kate’s much-anticipated journey, I immediately sensed the apprehensive, nervous tone of a concerned father, similar to my own father’s reaction when I abruptly told him I would be backpacking in the Philippines for three months.

I was Kate’s age when I embarked on my journey through the Philippines. It was my first time leaving the country and my first time traveling alone. At the time, I didn’t think about how my parents would react to my decision. Instead, I was proud that I had earned the money for the trip myself and planned my entire itinerary and budget without the assistance of my parents.

The response I received from my parents and my grandfather? A unanimous “WHY!?!?” Although my dad and his family were from the Philippines, no one could understand why I wanted to travel in the developing country. My grandfather even tried to convince me to change my plans and travel to Europe, study the arts and further my education. He failed to see that I was looking to further my education.

I was not seeking the academia that is learned through texts or in museums. I was seeking to discover something within myself. I wanted to discover my roots and test my ability to make important decisions as a young woman on the verge of adulthood. I wanted to challenge and surprise myself. I am sure Kate’s goals are similar to my own. She will be pleased to discover, on her own, creating your own adventure is the absolute BEST way to achieve all of your goals—and more.

My family eventually came around and shared the same excitement and pride. They even visited me for two weeks. It was my dad’s first time back in the Philippines in 30 years and my mom’s first time ever leaving the country! I was happy to be able to share this special experience with the people I love most.

It is hard for parents to let go. In the end, I had the most eye-opening experience I could ever have imagined. I carried with me all the life lessons my parents taught me and wrote and called home as much as I could. Often, when I was traveling, I could hear my mom’s voice in the back of my head telling me “use your good judgment!” and I did just that.

One of the best things about traveling is knowing there is a true “home” awaiting your safe return. I congratulate Kate on making this decision and preparing her trip on her own. And I’m proud of Fran for letting Kate go!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

Over the last couple days, I have gotten to know one of the bravest, determined and together people I think I have ever met. I have known this person for a very long time — 20 years in fact — but I never knew her this way. The person is my daughter, Kate.

She is beginning an adventure of a lifetime; one that I must admit I am envious of. This week, she boards a Greyhound bus to travel to the Appalachian Trail, where she will be hiking, camping out and discovering her inner self while experiencing some of the beautiful protected areas of the United States.

She is prepared, with all the needed supplies and equipment. Countless hours have been spent, by her alone, to gather the necessary camping gear, survival apparatus and food stuffs. Eight large re-supply boxes have been created, including soups, noodles, snacks, energy bars, nuts, batteries and other needed supplies, which will be mailed to post offices along the route. The boxes are held for general delivery, as she makes her way from one town to the other. The boxes are addressed as such:

Kate Gallagher
ATTN: Hold for AT hiker ETA “ARRIVAL DATE”
“TOWN NAME”, “STATE” Post Office
General Delivery
“TOWN,” “STATE” “ZIP CODE”

The hiking distance differs from point to point; the longest is 107 miles and the shortest is 50 miles. It is a true test of ones’ will and determination. I am very proud to know a person with those qualities, and even prouder that she is my daughter.

-Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

Yesterday, I spent the day at GT’s World Headquarters in Pennsylvania. As I left my apartment in Brooklyn around 6 a.m. to catch a train at Penn Station, about 3 inches of snow covered the sidewalk — and the snow was still coming down. It was pretty, quiet and peaceful.

I have always preferred summer to winter, but there are aspects about the chilly season that I do enjoy, such as the peace and quiet of an early morning snowfall. I also enjoy winter sports, but it wasn’t always that way. As a kid growing up with the “winter blues,” my parents tried to encourage me to discover the fun in winter. Every year they would enroll my sister and I in skiing lessons at Mt. Tom (sadly, no longer a ski resort) in Vermont. This was something I dreaded every winter.

As a young tyke, there was something about carrying my equipment and walking in ski boots, while bundled up in a snowsuit, that really frustrated me. Before even reaching the resort, I would smell the hamburgers from the parking lot and ask my mom why I couldn’t just sit in the warm lodge all day and eat hamburgers while my parents skied. Her response was something along the lines of, “Because that’s not good for you and you have to go to your ski lesson.” That never really made much sense to me.

As the years went by, however, I graduated from the bunny hill and began to really enjoy skiing. I liked the feeling of the fresh snow beneath my skis. I liked breathing in the cool air while making my way downhill. I liked the warm sun that heated my face. It was great to find a sport that finally made me feel really good in the winter. I don’t ski as much anymore, but I do find ways to overcome the winter blues in the city. A warm museum, restaurant or movie theater can always cheer me up.

Once in a while, I revisit the slopes and spend a day skiing with friends or family. And I always make sure to end the day with a big, fat hamburger in the lodge!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

On Tuesday night at 7pm, I finally returned to my apartment in Brooklyn from a nine-day excursion through the beautiful islands of Palau. Well, six days were spent in Palau, the rest were traveling. To be honest, I had never heard of Palau before I went, and now having been there, I can’t understand how it has remained such a hidden treasure for so long.

As part of Micronesia, this archipelago of islands is literally a paradise of wonder and full of history for such a nation of small, beautiful islands. Gaining its independence finally in 1994, Palau was explored by the Europeans, ruled by Spain, sold to Germany and invaded by Japan. Many artifacts from World War II remain, lying in decay and nestled within the beautiful tropical scenery. It is hard to imagine that such an atrocity took place in such a beautiful environment. Sunken war ships and rusted cannons quietly whisper stories of horror and despair while nature slowly chafes away at the evidence.

Palau is made up of only about 25,000 Palauans, as most have left to work or serve in the States. A big issue now with elections coming up is how to get Palauans to return or stay to help their own country. With a minimum wage of about $2.50 per hour and the influence of television and video games, it is hard to convince them to stay. However, the small population leaves a beautiful, naturally preserved cluster of islands filled with the most spectacular variety of fish, animals, coral and habitats.

Jellyfish Lake is a fresh/saltwater lake in the middle of a limestone island. Filled with nearly 11 million jellyfish, this lake once had an outlet to the ocean. Over time, the lake became closed off from the ocean, isolating the jellyfish from any predators or even prey. Having no need to defend themselves, the jellyfish slowly evolved, losing their stinging tentacles, leaving them completely harmless to human contact. The lake itself is more dangerous to tourists as it contains sulfide, and diving deeper than two minutes would result in suffocation. But a tourist can happily snorkel in this lake surrounded by 11 million pulsating organisms that approach you like curious little puppies (even though they have no brains). The jellyfish feed off of algae inside their membranes, leaving them completely dependent on the sun.

For scuba divers, Palau is a paradise. I had never been so close to so many sharks while scuba diving and snorkeling. One of my favorite dive sites was the Ulong Channel, filled with a variety of corals and marine life to observe as you drift along, following the current. Helmet Wreck was another favorite, as it is the remains of a Japanese ship. Helmets, bullets and saki bottles lay untouched, almost frozen in time.

Six days allowed me to get a taste of what these beautiful Pacific islands have to offer. I can only wait for another opportunity to return!

 Courtney Centeno, Account Executive

 *  Global Traveler remembers and honors all those who were affected by the attacks of 9/11 — those who lost their lives in the attacks on the World Trade Center and in the Pentagon, the heroes on United Flight 93, the rescue workers,  the families who live with the losses of 9/11 every day, and many more. And for those who continue to fight for our freedom, thank you.