Changes

Maybe some readers will only have a week of precious holiday to plan. Others, of various ages, might be able to indulge in gap years or longer. Some will be beginners tasting an activity for a couple of hours (oh but do we really need rites of passage like bungee jumping?). Others will be enthusiasts with considerable experience, tailoring a serious expedition to time, budget and ability. The book's suggestions fall within these parameters. I'm really only able to comment on some entries, since my experience of air and animal adventures is nil.

On the other hand, relinquishing responsibility to a provider shouldn't be undertaken lightly, since other countries have differing levels of safety consciousness. With the hindsight of a whitewater rafting accident, I'd always advocate a 'what if' risk assessment of any adventure sport venue before signing your life away. I'm surprised the author didn't deal much more comprehensively with skills training, safety, insurance and international security issues in the text and/or contact section at the back.