Exploring the World

California grown Jonathan got to start exploring the world at very young age. "I was lucky enough to have parents that encouraged me to enjoy the outdoors and loved taking me to see our country's National Parks." Jonathan's love for exploration has taken him around the globe searching for adventure, from snowboarding the Southern Alps of New Zealand to studying Spanish in Madrid to climbing the granite walls of Yosemite. Currently Jonathan handles Austin-Lehman's website, social media and marketing efforts. 

           

First off let me start by saying rock climbing is addicting, I just want to give everyone a fair warning! I have done a lot of sports in my day and rock climbing has to be the purest and most adrenaline pumping sport I've done. I used a photo of my twin brother on the left and a photo of me on the right to demonstrate that rock climbing is one of the ultimate family adventure vacations. The photo was taken a few summers ago in Yosemite National Park, fear not Austin-Lehman doesn't take you up El Capitan. But they do provide beginner classes where you can learn the basics of rock climbing and do some climbing of your own.

I want to clear some misconceptions about rock climbing, first off isn't like the movie cliffhanger. Whenever I mention to someone that they should try climbing the first thing they think of is hanging off of a 3,000ft cliff about to fall... well climbing isn't like that! You climb at your own pace and at your own ability, that is why it is one of the best sports. You go at your own pace and it's easy to find something fun to climb at any level. Although the addiction comes soon after when you start wanting to climb more and more and harder and harder. There is just something about having it be just you and the rock, nothing else matters in that moment and it is that feeling that is indescribable. Not to mention the adrenaline rush you get while climbing and just wait to you experience topping out a route... You feel like you conquered the world!

So why not give rock climbing a shot? Austin-Lehman not only provides a rock climbing class on our Yosemite National Park Tour, but they do it in the Mecca of rock climbing....Yosemite!

Your Friendly Rock Climber,

Jonathan 

I don't think excited is a strong enough word for how I feel about my upcoming trip to Ecuador. I will be taking my 66 year old Dad on his first adventure vacation! We've done some hiking vacations before, but they were a long time ago. This will be his first full-on multisport trip at 66! I mention this becuase it is awesome, I have to give the ole man some credit for taking me up on this adventure. 

We are first headed to the Provinces of Cotopaxi, Napo and Pichincha to see our friends at Tierra del Volcán. There we will be doing some horseback riding, hiking and biking around the National Parks, as well as helping with some conservation projects. We will be staying in some real haciendas in the Cotopaxi area. (photo of Hacienda El Tambo) We will spend 3 days treking around this extraordinary ecosystem of the Condor Bioreserve, which has a considerable amount of local endemism.

 

Next we will be heading to the Galápagos Islands for a sea and land based trip. I think the right word would be "stoked" for how I feel about going to the Galápagos. Day 1 we will head to the National Tortoise Reserve, where we will get to view giant Galápagos turtles in the wild and maybe see some short-eared owls. Day 2 we will be kayaking and snorkling around the islands, followed by a stop at the Darwin Research Center. I am pretty excited about visiting the Darwin Research Center, I'm kind of a fan of Darwins work! Day 3 we will explore North and South Plazas Islands, making a landing on South Plazas, where some of the richest flora and fauna per square foot in the entire Galapagos Archipelago. After that we will be sadly head back to Quito and then on a plane back to the States.

I will be taking a lot of photo and video gear, so make sure you check back and see some of my photos/videos. I will also try and get some travel blogs up while I'm there.

Leave a comment and tell me what you would like to see photos and video of most! I'm looking forward to getting photos of some local boobies... Blue Footed Boobies that is!

Till next time...

Jonathan

 

The Canadian Rockies... Just look at that view! You'll find the Canadian Rockies in the province of Alberta and I must say Alberta blew my mind on my last trip there. Alberta in my opinion is one of the best, if not the best place for adventure vacation packages. It is just loaded with adventure activities: hiking vacations, cycling tours, white water rafting, rock climbing and all in the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The Canadian Rockies is also home to my all-time favorite hike, going up Sentinel Pass. Hiking Sentinel Pass you'll see Lake Louise, an unreal blue-green lake, Valley of the Ten Peaks, hanging glaciers, wildflowers, wildlife, dark green forest... I get excited just thinking about it! 

Another bonus of our Alberta adventure vacations is our amazing guides, this year we were able to get both our Canadian guides to return. Marcy is our veteran and lead Canadian guide, she's an Albertan local and absolute expert on the area. She will be guiding with Anne, an outdoor enthusiast with an incredible passion for sharing her love and knowledge of the outdoors. I was lucky enough to have both of them as my guides last summer and it made my trip having such professional and awesome guides. The photo below is of Anne (left) and Marcy (right) on the Sentinel Pass hike, with Valley of the Ten Peaks in the background.

 

Your friendly Alberta lover,

Jonathan

P.S. If you're reading this Marcy and Anne, thanks for showing me your beautiful country!

Being National Park Week I wanted to share what Austin-Lehman is doing to protect our nation's most valuable treasures. Every year since 2010, Austin-Lehman Adventures has supported US National Park preservation by selecting a recipient National Park program and donating a portion of its profits, this year we have chosen to help Canyonlands National Park. Last year with the help of our amazing guest we raised $5,400 for the Yosemite Conservancy.

In times of reduced Federal funding (National Park programs suffered a $101 million funding cut in the 2011 Federal budget alone), ALA has pledged a $100 per person donation to a designated non-profit organization for each guest reserving a spot on its 2012 small group Arches to Moab Multisport Adventure.

“New guests and our loyal alumni love knowing that a portion of their trip fee helps preserve our national treasures” said Dan Austin.

Our Arches to Moab proram lets you explore Canyonlands National Park. See the amazing Colorado River by raft and pedal between burnt-orange sheer-walled canyons and enormous white-rimmed sandstone towers on a road snaking through Colorado National Monument. Marvel at how itty-bitty you feel as you traverse looming, crimson rock formations at Fisher Towers. Hike by ancient petroglyphs remains etched in stone, a glimpse into the rituals and beliefs of the Fremont, Anasazi, Navajo and Anglo communities of thousands of years past.

It is our privilege to be the stewards of these natural wonders and to protect something that has given us so much. Helping to make sure that these natural treasures are around for future generations. Austin-Lehman offers family adventure vacations and adult advenutre vacation packages to see Canyonlands National Park.

Your friendly nature lover,

Jonathan

Something we really pride ourselves on here at Austin-Lehman is working as a team. Whether it's in the office or in the field, working as a team is essential to our success. In the spirit of this we decided to make an adventure team for some upcoming adventure races here in Montana. Our team consisted of Kasey Austin, Ryan Morrissey and myself. First we took on the Grizzy Peak adventure race, a 2 mile ski, 6 mile bike and a 2.5 mile run. We were all in the top 10 in our divisions and it was a great race. As you can see below we got a little dirty on the biking section.

Race #2 and to help celebrate Earth Day this past weekend we competed in the Peaks to Prairie triathlon. The race consisted of a 9 mile run which Kasey did, a 50 mile bike ride by Ryan and a 23 mile Kayak by myself. 

There's always that point during a race when you are pushing as hard as you can, you don't think there is an end, you're tired, dehydrated and sometimes you think "what am I doing?" But then when you cross the finish line and you see your teammates there with big smiles on your face you can't help to think how worth it was! Also it's not too bad when you see the results and your team gets 3rd place in your division. 

Like most great things in life, you need to work for it. A saying I've heard that I really like is "conquerors of the useless", it really doesn't matter how many hiking vacations or cycling tours you do, its what you take from them that matters. 

That's why I love working with this amazing team here at Austin-Lehman, in the office, in the field or in a race. I know we all working together to to help share these amazing opportunities to be "conquerors of the useless" and help make memories that will last a life time.

What will you conqueror? Leave a comment at let us know what you get from adventure vacations!

Jonathan

Something I can't thank my parents enough for is taking me to Yosemite National Park when I was young. The first time I went to Yosemite I remember going to Mariposa Groves and standing below the Giant Sequoias. I remember looking up and smiling at how huge these tree's were. I use to love climbing trees and when you see a tree that big, how can you not dream about climbing it?

Next, we drove into Yosemite Valley, I don't think my eyes had ever gotten that big! I was ready for one of my first serious hiking vacations into this amazing valley. The grandness of Yosemite is truly on another scale and that's what makes this place so special. Not only do they have the tallest trees, but the tallest waterfalls and some of the tallest cliffs in the world. 

Yosemite might not be the same if it weren't for a few early and brave pioneers. The "Yosemite Valley Grant Act", which was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, in 1864, granted the permission for the formation of a national park in this area. The sincere efforts of John Muir, a naturalist, and Galen Clark, helped form Yosemite National Park on 1st October, 1890. The first territory ever set aside by Congress for public use and preservation.  

Now when I visit Yosemite I still get as excited as I did when I first visited. I get that feeling of absolute wonder and astonishment seeing nature at it's purist and untouched! But now when I look up I see the granite walls and dream about climbing them rather than the trees.

Cheers to protecting and preserving our National Parks for all the generations to come.

So what are you waiting for? Family adventure vacations are the perfect way to make memories that last a lifetime...

Jonathan

In an effort to help preserve and protect our National Parks Austin-Lehman started the Preserve a Park Program . Every year since 2010, Austin-Lehman Adventures has supported US National Park preservation by selecting a recipient National Park program and donating a portion of its profits. In times of reduced Federal funding (National Park programs suffered a $101 million funding cut in the 2011 Federal budget alone), it is now more important than ever to help protect our National Parks. Last year we selected our Yosemite National Park Tours  and was able to raise $5,400 for the Yosemite Conservancy with the help of our amazing guest that booked our Yosemite tours.

The money raised will help fund 27 projects in the park this year from supporting trail crews in the Tuolumne and Merced watersheds, to restoring historic trails originally built in the 1800s, to saving bears through an expanded electric monitoring project. In addition the donations also benefit the youth in Yosemite, by brining a diverse group of young people into the park through educational, leadership, and career programs developing the next generation of stewards for Yosemite.

This year ALA has pledged a $100 per person donation to a designated non-profit organization for each guest reserving a spot on its 2012 small group Arches to Moab Multisport Adventure.

So if you want to see how our Preserve a Park Program has helped, check out our hiking vacations in Yosemite National Park or if you want to help protect and save a National Park check out one of our adventure vacation packages on our Utah Arches to Moab Adventure

Your friendly nature lover,

Jonathan

 

We did it again! National Geographic Traveler has chosen ALA for their 2012 50 Tours of a Lifetime! This time with our ground breaking Cuba Tours, Austin-Lehman is one of only a handful of adventure travel companies to be granted a "people to people" license that allows us offer cultural tours to Cuba. ALA Director Dan Austin recently returned from our first Cuba tour and couldn't have been happier, Cuba was better than he had imagined. Dan came back with a ton of amazing photos, video and a greater appreciation for this beautiful country. To see some of Dan's amazing photos check out of photo gallery of Cuba photos.

For more information on our Cuba Tours please visit our Cuba trip page: The Real Cuba

Below is a guest quote from our first Cuba tour and a video from Dan's adventure in Cuba.

"I'm convinced that the best way to get off the tourist path and behind the scenes where the real Cuba exists is on a small group people-to-people adventure with Austin-Lehman. I was curious before the trip, now I'm totally fascinated by the people, enchanted by the country and itching to go back!"  Dave Wiggins, Boulder, Colorado
 

Kasey's Kids Webinar

Kasey Austin is leading a group of young adventurers into an interactive webinar about what kids really want from their family adventure vacation. We first said we would give the first 25 kids a "certified cool" kids pack and an ALA gift. But since the boss is out of town till after the webinar, Kasey and I have agreed to give every kid that attends a "certified cool" kids pack and an ALA gift!!!! Is that cool or what?

Who is Kasey Austin? Kasey Austin is one of our top veteran guides and has been guiding family  adventure vacations since she was 6 years old. Kasey's passion for the outdoors is contagious and she is always a hit with the kids. The few trips I've been on with Kasey there is always 1 or 2 kids that say "I want to be a guide like Kasey when I grow up."

Last summer Kasey guided our Yellowstone tours, Alaska adventure vacations and cycling tours in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

This summer she will be guiding and working in the office, sharing her knowledge and passion for the outdoors to help us create even better trips. That is the focus of Kasey's Kids Webinar, to find out what kids really want from an adventure vacation. Then we can take knowledge we get from this webinar and apply it in the field to make our family adventure vacations the best they could be!

For more information on Kasey's webinar check out www.austinlehman.com/kids

Or to sign up for this webinar, please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/571338808

This Webinar is Sunday, April 14 @ 4pm EST.

Thanks and hope to see you there!

ALA Adventurer,

Jonathan

El Capitan with Half Dome in the background, is there a better view? You can find these amazing wonders of geology in Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Valley was carved out by glaciers around 1 million years ago and the ice is believed to have reached 4,000 feet thick during the early glacial episode.

Yosemite National Park is truly a mecca for rock climbers, but it is also a mecca for anyone who loves nature, history and geology and wants to see them on the grandest of scales. Not to mention Yosemite is a top destination for hiking vacations, there are over 800 miles of wilderness trails and 761,266 acres of virtually untouched wilderness inside the park. Yosemite National Park is also home to Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America and third highest in the world, standing out at 2425 feet.

Unfortunately Yosemite can get busy during summer time, that's why going with the right adventure travel company is so important. Professional guides show you the areas that you wouldn't find on your own, giving you the freedom to relax and take as much of it in as you can. Yosemite provides amazing adventure vacation packages for families to see the full range of activities offered in the park. We still have room on our Yosemite Adventures if you and your family want to join us in discovering this epic destination. 

Below is a photo of me rock climbing followed by a mother and daughter rock climbing.Three different generations sharing the same thing, the rock, and that feeling that nothing else matters in that moment. Our National Parks have a way of bringing the generations together, as we can all appreicate the natural wonders our country has to offer.

Come find that feeling and discover why John Muir described Yosemite as "by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.”

 

till next time get out and explore this amazing world we live in!

Jonathan

 

To celebrate my one year anniversary of living in Montana I decided to have a little winter survival test. Every winter I spend a good amount of time snowboarding in the backcountry and have gotten myself into some pretty serious situations, but lucky enough I have gotten out without having to spend the night in the backcountry. I decided it was time to put myself into a winter survival situation to be prepared if the time ever came where I really had to survive. The plan was to head into the backcountry with only the gear I would bring snowboarding: snowboard clothes, snowboard, snowshoes, space blanket, a bottle of water and a few granola bars. I headed up to the Beartooths, which is about 30 miles from Yellowstone National Park and hiked 3 miles to where I decided would be a good spot to set up camp for the night. Once I decided on the spot I found some tracks from a Lynx, that seemed like it had been following a deer. But I wasn't afraid of a little kitty so I decided to go ahead and start building my snowden. I had never built a snowden before, but I ended up building a pretty sweet one. What I did was dig a hole about 3 feet deep, then laid logs across the top and to insulate it I covered in pine branches. No doubt I have watched an episode or two of survivorman. It took me about 3 hours to build the snowden, it was a lot of energy walking back and forth in the soft snow to get all the logs and branches.

I ended up choosing a great night for this challenge since it wasn't too cold, it only got down to around 25°F and it was a crystal clear night. The Milky Way was brighter than I have ever seen it and I spent the evening stargazing by the fire. When it was time to retire for the night I crawled into my den and slept on my nice bed of pine branches. Using pine branches to sleep on kept me a little dryer and gave me some insulation from the snow. At first I was a little worried I might be cold using just a space blanket, but it worked pretty well. Definitely something everyone should carry with them incase of an emergency. When the morning came I got up and enjoyed the sunrise over the Beartooths. The only real problem I had during the whole excursion was putting my frozen boots on in the morning, that and the fact I had to hike 3 miles back wearing frozen boots...

That's it! I made it and it was a great experience. Now I am already looking forward to my next adventure! Below is a little video I made while I was out there. 

 

 

If you have any ideas for my next survival test leave a comment and let me know! I am always up for a challenge!

till then, keep exploring!

Jonathan

Austin-Lehman Adventures is proud to be the recipient of the 2012 Outside Magazine Hall of Fame Travel Awards, recognized for being one of the first U.S. adventure travel companies to offer Cuba tours. 

"GET YOUR LIFE LIST OUT—HERE ARE SOME OF OUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE" -Outside Magazine

 

I bet you're wondering why I'm writing about my top 5 reasons why I want to go to the Galápagos and not top 5 reasons YOU should go to the Galápagos... That it is because traveling should always be about YOU and what YOU want to see and what YOU want to do. That is one of the many glories of traveling, seeing the stuff, things, people and places that you want to see and be apart of. So with out further adieu, here are my top 5 reason why I want to go to the Galápagos Islands.

1. Darwin- In 1831, Charles Darwin sailed to the Galápagos Islands in the HMS Beagle. It was the unique diversity of the Galápagos Islands that sparked Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. No where else can you see such a clear effect and role of evolution. Did I mention the 13 different spiecies of Darwin finches that still populate the islands?

2. Wildlife- The Galápagos Islands might just be the best place on the planet to see wildlife in their natural habitat. The Galápagos is home to an incredible mix of polar and tropical species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, many of which are endemic to the islands. Where else can you travel that the wildlife gets up close and personal to investigate you, while you are investigating them?

3. Volcanoes- The 13 islands that make up the Galápagos were born from fiery volcanoes. I think all hiking vacations should include a trek up a volcano. Nothing competes with climbing up the slope of a volcanoe, reaching the apex, at looking over an impressive caldera!

4. Cruising-  There is just something about cruising the open ocean on a yacht! But that's not the only way to cruise the Galápagos. You can also cruise the islands by kayak and experience the rich shores and reefs of these islands.

5. The Boobies- You knew it was coming... But it is true, the Galápagos is home to three different species of boobies. The Blue-footed booby, Red-footed and the Nazca booby. The awkward walking, the endearing dance, the name... what's not to love?

To find out more on Galápagos tours or to see all of our adventure vacation packages that we offer visit us www.austinlehman.com

Let's hope we both get there!

Jonathan

 

 

 

On March 1st, 1872, President US Grant signed the law creating Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world. Often called America's greatest invention, Yellowstone National Park paved the way for preserving our country's greatest treasures. Approximately 10,000 thermal features and more than 300 geysers are found in Yellowstone Park giving Yellowstone the highest concentration of gethermal features in the world. The photo above is of Grand Prismatic Geyser, the world's third largest hot spring and a true wonder of color and geology. Not many people know that soon after the Park was created in 1872, the US Army was brought in (and remained for over 30 years) to protect the Park’s resources and wildlife from exploitation, poaching, and development. The settlement created by the army was a tent camp for the first five years called Fort Sheridan, but then became a permanent settlement of sandstone buildings called Fort Yellowstone, which still remains in the area of Mammoth Hot Springs today!

Come experience a true part of America's history with a Yellowstone National Park Vacation 

see you there,

Jonathan

Jonathan taking on the mountain

Whether you’re a skier or a snowboarder, fall is when your anticipation for winter is at its peak! The snow starts to blanket the mountains white and you can feel the crisp winter air blowing in. I have been snowboarding for 15 years and snowboarded all over the world, but this will be my first winter living in Montana and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Montana is home to Big Sky Resort, which is home to “the BIGGEST skiing in America” and is where Travel + Leisure Magazine has chosen their “Trip of the Month”, but T+L didn’t chose any trip for their trip of the month; Austin-Lehman custom built a exclusive Big Sky Winter Getawayitinerary for them!

It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert skier/snowboarder or just starting out, Big Sky Resort has terrain for all levels and if you’ve never skied/snowboard opt for a lesson from their knowledgeable staff. With eight square miles of runs and 4,350 vertical feet laid out before your wide eyes you’re sure to find some open turns and fresh tracks. With an average snow fall of 400 inches, Big Sky Resort has plenty of snow to fulfill your winter dreams.

Don’t ski or snowboard? Austin-Lehman offeres a lot more than just a ski trip up to the mountains on this exclusive T+L itinerary. They offer 6 days/5 nights of the perfect winter getaway, Ski in/ski out hotels, dog sledding, a snow coach ride up to Montana Dinner Yurt, cross-country skiing in Yellowstone Park, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and a evening featuring a ride to dinner in a horse-drawn sled up to a cozy cabin.

Dog sledding is something I have always wanted to try and ALA’s winter getaway gives you the chance to channel your inner-Iditarod champion and take the reins of the sled yourself! Another great activity ALA is offering is snowshoeing and cross-country skiing into Yellowstone National Park. See Yellowstone as very few do in the heart of winter and maybe catch a glimpse of a wolf pack on the hunt!

No matter what your favorite winter activity is join Austin-Lehman and Travel + Leisure for this exclusive winter getaway at Big Sky Resort in beautiful Montana. You can find more details, photos and video about Travel + Leisure’s “Trip of the Month” by checking out our Big Sky Winter Getaway page.

See ya on the slopes!

Jonathan

Back from my recent trip to Big Sky and I have to tell you that Big Sky is unbelievable! First off as a snowboarder or skier you will be blown away by the terrain, 3,832 acres - 155 named runs covering over 85 miles on three separate mountains. Also If you are looking for that sweet sweet powder then look no further, Big Sky gets an average of 400+ inches! I was lucky enough to see what our Big Sky Winter Getaway trip was all about while I was there and I must say that it could be the perfect adventure vacation for couples! Besides including a snowcoach ride into Yellowstone Park, snowmobiling, ski in ski out accommodations and dog sledding, the kicker of it all might be the snowcat ride up to a private yurt for an amazing night of fun. The Montana Dinner Yurt provides an extraordinary experience, imagine a dinner where after each course you have a sled break!!! 

Although this trip could be quite the romantic getaway, I feel at the same time it could be the perfect family adventure vacation! This trip is way more than just a family ski trip, it is the total adventure vacation package, an absolute immersion into a winter wonderland. Families have the chance to get ski or snowboard lesson, cross-country ski on a Yellowstone tour and maybe spot a pack of wolves on the hunt. 

Alright enough from me for now! All this talk about Big Sky and snow is making me want to get back out there!!!

see ya on the slopes,

Jonathan

P.S. Check out my video from my trip!

Solo Italy trip!

Traveling solo is an amazing opportunity to see the world. It gives you the freedom to do what you want, when you want. Although I enjoy traveling with friends and family, some of my best memories were from trips where I traveled by myself. Traveling with friends and family can keep you from branching out and meeting new people. Traveling solo pushes you to try new things and meet new people, something that I think is a necessity when traveling. Trust me, I know the thought of getting on a plane and going to another country by yourself, where they don’t speak your native language and you don’t know anyone; can be a little overwhelming. That is why I came up with my top 10 tips for planning your solo adventure.

1. Be prepared- Have a detailed list of all your flights, trains/buses and hotels. As basic as that sounds, it is good to cover all the bases when traveling solo. I know I have found myself caught up into the moment and rushed the basics and forgotten important details. I find creating a packing list is very helpful and then checking that list the night before you leave. It helps you sleep a little better the night before a big trip when you feel comfortable that you have everything. Making a contact list is another good idea and print everything out. Also be mentally prepared, prepare for the time differences, prepare for some culture shock and prepare to be in some sticky situations. Freaking out when you are by yourself is the worse, so just be prepared to roll with the punches.

2. Have a back up plan- Make a copy of your passport that you take with you, I always carry a photo copy of my passport in my wallet and leave my passport in the safe box at the hotel. Although it is highly recommend to have your passport on you at all times when traveling abroad, I find a copy will work in most situations. Have a back up bank card and cash, please DON’T EVER carry all of your money and credit cards in the same place. I always have a back up bank card or travelers card and some cash in another bag, just in case something happens to my wallet.

3. Keep an open mind- You’re traveling to another country, a lot of things will be different! Food, culture, traditions and personalities aren’t the same every where you go, so don’t judge. Be open to new foods, join in a local tradition, make an effort to meet some locals, try something new! A good phrase to remember is “you only live once”, so step outside of your bubble and take advantage of being somewhere new.

4. Be social- You never know who you’ll meet and people are a lot friendlier than you think. I can’t even count how many times that just taking that first step to introduce myself to someone led me onto a new adventure or made a lifelong friend. Here are some good icebreakers: ask for directions and then ask a question like, where is a good place to eat or where do all the locals hangout. Make the effort to make the first contact, I have asked someone for directions and then ended up hanging out with them and their friends at the coolest local spots. I have even had people walk me to the destination I was looking for, people are just generally nice if you give them the chance.

5. Know some basic phrases-  This ties into #4, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten a great reaction by trying to speak the language vs blurting out what I needed in English. No one cares if you “slaughter” their language and no one expects you to be fluent, but knowing the basics can go along way. Here are a few basic ones to know: Hello, please, thank you, how much?, I am looking for, I’m lost, can you help me? and do you speak English?. Just knowing a few phrases will go a long way,  you can use them as an icebreaker to meet  some locals as well. I usually pick up a phrase book before I go and study the basics. It’s always handy to keep it on you, just incase you need it. Here is some basic language tips for 5 common languages that are a great read before your trip.

6. Don’t have set plans- Roll with it, sometimes plans change for the better! Obviously you want to have a full schedule in order to make the most of your time, but be sure to have some wiggle room in case you find something better to do. Sometimes I’ll be set on seeing something and then meet someone who tells me it is a waste of time and suggest something much better to see. Just keep in mind that plans don’t have to be set in stone.

7. Take photos- You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have a fancy $5,000 camera to capture great moments or beautiful photos. Having a small digital camera that you can keep in your pocket or purse is priceless when those special moments arise. Also take a ton of photos and bring an extra memory card, you never know when that perfect photo will happen. If nothing else, it is a great way to relive the moment when you get home.

8. Keep a journal- Keeping a journal is also a good way to kill downtime and gives you the opportunity to recap your travels when you get home. Just because your friends couldn’t make it doesn’t mean you can’t share your travels with them when you get back! Time and time again I’ll go back and read my writings from my travels and be so excited to be reminded of a great time that I forgot about.

9. Be yourself- A lot of times people find themselves playing a roll and think traveling gives them the chance to be whoever they want to be. Just be you! Here is a quote from a friend that is priceless in this situation. “If you’re just being yourself, then know your bringing something that nobody else is brining- because nobody’s you. And that’s the beauty about being here on this earth, is that you’re you. So be it.” – Lonnie Kauk

10. Be confident- Yes, being alone in a new place can cause some anxiety. But it doesn’t mean that you have to let it get the best of you, whenever you feel overwhelmed take a step back and remember you are there to have fun. Confidence is a huge part of that, whether it is trying something new, venturing out with strangers or just introducing yourself; be confident! Sometimes having confidence when you’re alone and in a new place can be difficult, but trying is better than not trying. Don’t succumb to your fears and make the most of every situation.

That is it for my top 10 tips for planning your solo adventure, I hope these help and be sure to check out all of our travel planning resource for adventure travel.

your friendly solo traveler,

Jonathan Burnham

Voting is now open for the 4th annual Shorty Awards and Austin-Lehman Adventures is nominated for The Best Travel in Social Media. In light of the nomination and the success of the Shorty Awards, Austin-Lehman will be randomly choosing one voter to win an ALA goodie bag for casting their vote for @austinleham. Please make sure you vote with the #travel as the category. It is very simple and quick to cast your vote, simply follow this link http://bit.ly/xD69sT and copy and paste this into the nomination box: “I nominate @austinlehman for a Shorty Award in #travel because…” You need to fill out the because… part in order for your vote to count.


“The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media, recognizing the people and organizations producing real-time short form content on across Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Foursquare, and the rest of the social Web.”

Every year millions of people tweet their vote, showing their support for companies and the people producing the best content in the social media arena. Please help ALA take home the award for The Best Travel in Social Media.

A big thanks from all of us at Austin-Lehman

Canal in Harlem

Today I met up with Anneke (one of our European guides) and our guest in Haarlem (located in western Holland) to check out the tulips on our Haarlem to Odoorn tour. Holland is a breathtaking country, where biking is the standard mode of transportation. There are almost as many bikes as there are people in Holland, 16 million and counting! Everyone bikes here and since the country is so flat, it makes for an ideal location for a biking tour. Not to mention it’s home to the Kuekenhof, the worlds largest flower expo. Today was the first day of biking on the trip, so we set out through the streets of Haarlem and along the canals that run through the city.

Once we got out of the city there are fietspads (dedicated trails for biking and walking) everywhere. We headed out to the countryside and through the woods. All of a sudden you find yourself in the dunes just outside Zandvoort. The dunes are part of a nature reserve, with a fietspad going through it all the way to the beach in Zandvoort.

We made it to Zandvoort where our guide Anneke was waiting with bananas and apples served up on a silver platter (the ALA way) we enjoyed our WOW moment while overlooking the beach and taking in the sea breeze.

Once we left Zandvoort and headed back inland, the tulip fields started popping up left and right. That’s when we knew we were getting close to Lisse, home to the Kuekenhof. The Kuekenhof was almost overwhelming to see; there are over 7 million hand planted flower bulbs each year, including 4.5 million tulips in 100 different varieties. Needless to say it smelled wonderful there and they had flowers that I couldn’t have dreamed up.

Sue playing in the tulips

After we got our dose of tulips we rode back into Haarlem where they were still displaying the floats from the flower parade. The theme of the floats was musicals; there were floats from the Sound of Music and Mary Poppins.


Sound of Music float in Haarlem

Holland is great choice for a biking tour: easy rides, plenty of fietspads (bike paths) and an amazing diverse landscape. I don’t know any other country that you can stroll by canals, play in the sand and frolic through tulip fields, all in the same day! That’s it for my first Austin-Lehman adventure, it started in Holland and ended in Holland. But along the way I got to drive on the autobahn though Germany, see the Austrian Alps, cycle through Tuscany, save the leaning tower of Pisa and smell the tulips of Holland.

This has been a trip of a lifetime, a big thank you to my boss Dan Austin for sending me on this adventure. With a 35-year legacy as an adventure travel company and specializing in multi-sport, hiking, biking and family travel experiences that are immersed in history, wildlife, culture and geography’s natural beauty. It’s no wonder why Travel + Leisure ranked us #1 in 2009 and #2 in 2010. The service and experiences that our trips provide is extraordinary. With guides who go the extra mile to make each and every moment special to offering adventure vacations all over the world. I got to see first hand that ALA is the real deal and I can’t wait for my next adventure!

Never stop exploring,

Jon