James Todman asked:


The latest Bond car for the film “Quantum of Solace” is the Aston Martin DBS. Low-profile 20inch car tyres, smooth lines and curves, flared wheel arches and an overstated front grill; it is the epitomy of British cool with which to save the world.

The Aston Martin’s 6.0-litre V12 engine has a distinctive throaty roar that is capable of 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 191mph.

This has to rate as one of Bond’s best looking cars but to compare I have compiled a list of 5 other classic Bond cars:

1) Recently voted the most iconic car of all time, the Aston Martin DB5 appeared in ‘Thunderball’, ‘Goldfinger’ and more recently ‘Casino Royal’.

It was originally introduced in 1963. Its film debut was in the 1964 Goldfinger, starring alongside Sean Connery. Its distinctive silver livery, streamlined bodywork and large front grill was new for its time.

However the aesthetically pleasing body hid a vast array of lethal surprises to confound even the most troublesome of Bond’s enemies. You may remember a scene in Goldfinger where one rear brake light spurted oil onto the road. And the other released triple-spiked nails to burst the car tyres of the pursuing villains.

Other clever features devised by Q included a revolving licence plate, an exhaust that expelled smoke-screen canisters and wheel hubs that revealed knives to slash car tyres.

2) The white Lotus Elite used by Roger Moore in 1977 ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ surprised everyone with its ability to be driven underwater.

In an attempt to escape a pursuing helicopter the Lotus was driven off a pier into the sea. At the time you would have thought this was the end for the car. But with typical Bond creativity the car tyres retract and it was transformed into an operational submarine, complete with fins and a periscope. The persistent helicopter soon meets its demise with a missile fired from the car beneath the water.

3) The 1987 film ‘The Living Daylights’ saw a return to the Aston Martin. This Aston Martin V8 had a powerful engine to compliment its macho looks. It used a fuel injection system that replaced carburetion. Due to the compact nature of this new technology the car could be designed with a flat bonnet, unlike the curved bonnets of its predecessors.

As with any Bond car there were a number of clever additions including self retractable spikes in the car tyres for extra grip on icy surfaces, lasers behind the front hubcaps and missile launchers behind the headlights.

4) It was bold move not to use a British manufactured car in the 1999 ‘The World Is Not Enough’ but BMW Z8 soon won over the Bond fan. Its retro styling and red leather interior was backed up by a 400-horsepower V8 engine that had a top speed of 158mph.

Hidden accessories included missile launchers in the side vents and a windscreen that displayed important data. The car could be operated remotely using the key chain.

5) The Aston Martin was back in the 2002 ‘Die Another Day’ starring Pierce Brosnan. This time it was the V12 Vanquish, sometimes referred to as ‘a DB9 on steroids’.

The classic styled V12 nearly met its match when confronted with the villain’s Jaguar XKR. But the front mounted Gatling gun, rocket launchers in the doors and bombs in the boot soon put paid to that.

Two other clever features, which eventually won the battle for Bond, were the car’s ability to become invisible and the spikes hidden in the car tyres. The latter helped the car drive up an ice wall to avoid the fast approaching enemy, causing the Jaguar to have a unceremonious demise at the bottom of a lake.

As wonderful as the Bond cars are, thankfully features like spikes in car tyres have not become common place on our modern vehicles. If they ever do be sure to consult a specialist before changing a punctured car tyre.

James Shenton asked:


For those who came of age in the 1980s during a time of sleek consumerism and homogenous globalization, Indiana Jones was something of an idol. Harking back to a time when the jungles of South America and the Pyramids of Egypt were truly a world away, the Indiana Jones trilogy excited in us a feeling of adventure that has been rarely seen before or since.

The popularity of the Indiana Jones movies stems not just from the fact that they were directed and acted by some of the greatest Hollywood talent of the day, but also from the fact that the movies were classic adventures. They were swashbuckling epics that found an ideal mix of adventure, intrigue and mystery, steeped in myth and mysticism.

This formula was clearly successful. The first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was the highest grossing movie of 1981 and was nominated for eight Academy Awards (of which it won four). The following two instalments, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade, fared almost as well, each winning an Academy Award and grossing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Since 1989, though, all has been quiet on the Indy front. Despite regular calls for a fourth movie there were no developments for years. Rumor and hearsay surrounded plans for the fourth Indiana Jones movie since 1995, when Last Crusade writer Jeffrey Boam was asked to write a script.

Since then, several screenwriters and directors have attempted to take on the project—including Chris Columbus (Home Alone), M Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) and Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption)—without success.

Finally, though, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford have accepted a script written by David Koepp (Spiderman, War of the Worlds). As of July 2006 Spielberg and Koepp were fine-tuning the screenplay in advance of pre-production, expected to begin in early 2007.

The question that will be repeatedly posed by fans of the series over the next couple of years is this: will it be possible to recreate the magic of the original trilogy? Hollywood has moved on since the 1980s, and audiences have come to demand big budget CGI and dazzling visual effects. Despite winning the Academy Award for Visual Effects with Temple of Doom, the appeal of the Indiana Jones movies was never in their special effects. In fact, Temple of Doom—admitted by Lucas and Spielberg as the most visual effects-heavy of the trilogy—saw the most disappointing box office performance of the three.

The main concern, though, is Harrison Ford’s age. Already in his 40s in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ford will be at least 65 when filming begins on the fourth movie. Even with the use of makeup, camera trickery and stuntmen, how can it be possible to remain faithful to the original trilogy when the star is old enough to draw a pension?

Despite these worries, however, one thing is certain. Come the release date a couple of years from now we’ll see a sudden surge in the sales of fedoras and bullwhips. He may be old enough to qualify for a buss pass, but there’s something about Indiana Jones that brings out the child in us all.

Atticus Fits asked:


Adventure travel often conjures up images of mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, scuba diving and four wheel driving. While these are certainly activities associated with adventure travel, adventure travel may involve something as sedate as a wine tasting tour in Bordeaux, France. Adventure travel is simply to go above and beyond one’s normal known area, seeking out experiences which are unfamiliar. The travel destination may be as close as a few kilometers from your home, or it can be thousands of kilometers away in an exotic location in Africa or Asia.

Maybe it has to do with the stressful and fast-paced lives we are leading, that adventure travel has become one of the fasting growing segments of the travel industry. More and more travelers are abandoning the usual beach resorts, and are actively seeking new experiences in their travels. These trips often bring significant personal discovery, development of new skills and knowledge and cross-cultural experiences.

Adventure travel is not for everyone. It is for an individual with the thirst for new experience, one who dares to forsake the well-trodden path. Health and age may restrict the traveler to less-strenuous activities, but that does not stop the traveler from other forms of adventure travel.

It is undeniable that some adventure travel activities carry additional risk. Trekking across the desert is definitely more dangerous than planting yourself under an umbrella at the beach. As in most travel situations, having adequate planning and practicing common sense will go a long way in minimizing risk.

An adventure travel need not be expensive. In most cases, you would not be staying in five star hotels, eating in fancy restaurants and taking limousine rides. Instead, you would probably be staying in guesthouses, eating at local food stalls and taking public transport. These usually more than help to hold the line on the total cost.

If you need more reasons to start your adventure travel, here are some motivating quotations I have collected.

“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de Castro

“The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him.” – Daniel J. Boorstin

“All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary” – Sally Ride

“It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Take action and start your adventure travel today!

Joel Owens asked:


James Bond is no Superman. Though this may be true, his propensity for saving the world can rival that of any popular superhero we know. With his martini-toting allure and appeal that every man wants to have and every woman wants, James Bond has become the very epitome of masculinity on and off screen. No one can deny it. James Bond films are a phenomenon in Hollywood box office history with millions of ticket and merchandise sales under this franchise’s belt.

Almost 45 years of BONDage gave us 22 007 films. In every offering, we James Bond actors put on their moves to channel the Bond suaveness. In these films, we found ourselves awestruck by action-packed scenes, galvanizing gadgets and vile villains that made the viewing experience more exciting. So relive the excitement and reminisce as we look back at some James Bond films that made our jaws drop.

5. Dr. No

This film first launched the Bond fever on the silver screen that’s why it made the list. Aside from that, this film has introduced us to the world of suaveness as Bond takes care of the deed to save the world from megalomaniacs. The exciting storyline brings Bond to the depths of Jamaica to look into the suspicious disappearance of another British spy. He faces the sinister Dr. Julius No, a demented scientist who schemes on firing rocket missiles to destroy the western world. In this film, we do not only see Bond duke it out with the vilest nemeses. We also see him bag the very first James Bond girl, Ursula Andress.

4. From Russia With Love

This 007 film has introduced us to a lot of fascinating James Bond villains like the SPECTRE, our favorite spy’s worst archenemy. Not only that. This is the film where we first catch a glimpse of Ernst Stavro Blofeld…well, even if it was just his hand, and his Persian cat.

This is the first 007 movie focused on the secret agent’s love ventures and action adventures. The plot is basically about the Russians sending a voluptuous female spy, Daniell Banachi, along with other antiheroes to annihilate Bond and stop his conquest to save the world.

3. Diamonds are Forever

James Bond goes on a cat-and-mouse chase to foil his vilest enemy, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. He goes to countries like Japan, Egypt and Maui to finally put an end to the man who is responsible for the death of Tracy, one of the many women he has gotten himself involved with. The most fascinating thing about this movie is that we see Bond suffocating the bald evil of a man, Blofeld.

Just when you think the chase between these two is over, the plot thickens. Bond goes on a spying-spree to investigate a diamond-smuggling operation in South Africa. The mission takes him to the City of Sins where he meets the voluptuous villain, Plenty O’toole, and foils the scheming she was trying to pull. Then, there are the cool gadgets like the moon buggy and the submarine that the characters use in the race against time to save the world. When he is already about to do the final kill to finish the mission, he is surprised to find out that Blofeld is indeed alive and now has a clone! As always, our spy survives the mission and goes on doing the things he’s best at—spying and womanizing.

2. Die Another Day

James Bond is trapped in North Korea after a failed mission that almost cost him his life and honor. Being a true spy, he survives all the torture and when a prisoner trade has been done by Korea and the world peace forces, he goes back to England accused of being a traitor for spilling secret information. Bond pursues the enemies and once again, is commissioned by the government to go on a mission to stop terrorism.

The story, soundtrack and the overall appeal of the movie are awesome, although this movie might be too long for some audience to stomach. However, I admit that what made this Bond film join the roster of top Bond films, are the gadgets. That invisible James Bond vehicle is just stunning. With a technology like that, it is no wonder that Bond is able to dodge the fastest bullet and survive the harshest explosives.

1. Tomorrow Never Dies

Tomorrow Never Dies revolves around a demented media mogul trying to make superpowers of the world clash against each other to create pandemonium. Together with Wan Lin, the tough Asian chick portrayed by Michelle Yeoh, Bond fights the mastermind and brings world peace back.

The plot may be common, and the ending a usual mission accomplished for Bond. However, this movie boasts of ass-kicking fight scenes that we haven’t seen so beautifully captured on camera. The James Bond girls in this movie are tough and believably lethal to boot. The gadgets are a big plus, as well. The BMW0il and BMW1200 motorcycle are eye candies especially when Bond rides them and had an uncanny car chase scene with Michelle Yeoh. No doubt about it, this movie is the definitive piece among the 22 James Bond films.

Obaidul Haque asked:


Today, India invites adventure lovers from all across the world. The varied topography and the climate in India give rise to a number of exciting adventure sports. Over the years, the scope of adventure tourism in India has only increased as well as the popularity of these sports with tourists. Whether you are looking for soft adventure sports or want to go for some extreme sports options, Indian tourism offers opportunities for all abilities. Adventure sports like river rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, trekking, skiing, snow climbing, scuba diving and angling have now become an essential part of tourism in India. The best part about these high-adrenaline activities is that you have a good variety of locations to enjoy them. Wildlife tourism in India also gives you many options of enjoying adventure in the form of wildlife safaris.

As adventure tourism grows more and more in India, options are made available for tourists to get top quality adventure gear. New shoOps and centres are opening up each day to assist tourists and to help adventure tourism grow even more. For tourists, there are short adventure courses also available at different places across the country. Many of these centre are run and maintained by the state governments of India.

The trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh (Jammu & Kashmir) offers a number of adventure sports for adventure lovers in India, contributing a lot towards the state tourism. Jeep safari in Ladakh is one of the most liked and done adventure sports for tourists. Ladakh tourism also offers some of the most wonderful treks in the Nubra Valley and the Markha Valley. Wildlife safari and camping are also much popular with tourists coming to Ladakh.

The Garhwal and Kumaon region of the Northern Himalayas has huge India adventure tourism potential. Most of the adventure tourism in India owes its credit to this region of the Himalayas. To enjoy adventure sports including river rafting, mountaineering and rock climbing, one can easily head to the state of Uttarakhand. The state is blessed with bountiful supplies of nature and offers a number of exciting adventure sports. Trekking, river rafting, camping, wildlife safari and angling are much liked adventure sports in the state.

The ranges of the northern Himalayas has contributed immensely towards Indian adventure tourism. These ranges have always been and are some of the best places to indulge in a variety of adventure sports in India. There are a variety of scenic locales available in these areas adding much to your experience. For example, you can enjoy trekking in mountain villages, valleys, meadows and around rivers and lakes. There are more options available. The sport of golfing, ice skating and skiing also adds to the Indian tourism potential.

Travellers can also head towards the Thar Desert in Rajasthan to experience the thrills of India adventure tourism. The state tourism of Rajasthan is taking good care of the adventure tourism here. A jeep safari across the expansive Thar Desert and up to the dunes can bring back memories of the glorious past. There are areas from where once passed the merchants along the trade route. Undertaking a jeep safari across the desert, camping in the Thar, visiting desert villages and interacting with locals will only make your adventure experience richer.

Tourism in India provides a number of other Indian adventure sports options. Just be determined and loose yourself free amid the surroundings and find out what adventure tourism in India has in store for you. Experiencing adventure sports in India will become the epic adventure of your life.