White Water Rafting - Open To All

White water rafting sounds like something only fully fledged professionals would tackle or people who are into water sports big time and are really serious about the activity. To be fair, you do have to be serious to take part in this sport and you also have to have a professional attitude and be prepared to take some instruction from a professional. It is not something you just try your hand at alone, without some guidance. However, it is open to all, amateurs, beginners and experienced rafters. It is great fun, not nearly as dangerous and risky as it may look and it is very exhilarating.

One of the aspects people report after they have completed a few sessions in white water rafting is the huge sense of achievement they gain. This can come from a number of reasons. It may be that you are simply trying out something new and it is an adventure you never dreamed possible. Or it could be because you have conquered a fear of risk. Others may report simply doing something that they had never tried before gave them their sense of glory or that they never realised that they would come away with such a tremendous feeling of fulfilment.

The main thing before you begin is to listen to the experts. As with most sport, there is always going to be an element of risk somewhere. With correct support, training and usually a little know how beforehand, you can gain enough insight to overcome these risks to a great extent. Once you have the correct frame of mind to approach the activity, you are nearly there. By taking advice and not simply assuming that just because you are a good swimmer you can ignore any guidance and just do your own thing, you are truly on your way. Accept constructive criticism from your trainer and you will enjoy white water rafting.

There are different techniques to discover such as 'punching' to conserve energy and help build momentum without too much expenditure of energy reserves. Then there is 'high siding' which simply means clambering to the side of the raft which rises higher in the air. This helps prevent the raft from moving sideways. Then of course there is the well known 'capsizing'. Do not think you will be so expert on your first attempts that this will not happen to you. Be prepared to get wet. Enjoy the thrills and spills and then learn from the experience.

Garden Jenga - Fun to Play With Your Family

When you are looking for an option that can keep you, your family and your friends busy or that can get all together, you might just think about some activity that one can perform in his garden which is capable of occupying everyone around. A game would be a better idea as this is something that people among all ages enjoy. From kids to the middle aged, all enjoy getting involved in games. So, it would be a good get together or family time for all.

There are a number of games that one can take up in the garden. But keeping in mind the age factors as well, there is one game that everyone would be keen on trying. This game is known as Jenga. Leslie Scott was the founder of the game. Since then, it has been widely acclaimed by people all over the country and around. The garden Jenga involves a lot of physical and mental skills. One needs to be calculative to be a winner of the game. The number of players to this game is not limited. The greater number of players you have, more fun would you have.

The kit that you receive on buying the game would include minimum 54 blocks and a tray. The size of the blocks may vary depending upon the manufacturer. The general ratio of the size of each block is three times the width of the block to its length; and one-fifth of the length is its thickness. Depending upon this ratio, different companies have different sizes for the blocks of the game. To start with, you have to arrange the blocks in the given tray in a tower of 18 levels.

The blocks should be arranged in such a manner that if at the first level, the blocks are placed in the north-south direction, then the next level should be in east-west direction. As the game progresses, each player has to take out one block from the tower at each turn. The first player, to start with the game is the one who built the initial tower. The player must use only one hand to pull out the block. He can place that block back in the tower at the same place if he feels he needs to pick up a different one. But this must be done within 10 seconds of picking it up or before the other player touches the tower. Once a block is pulled out, it has to be placed on the top level.

If the tower falls or partially falls, i.e. if either of the blocks fall out, the game is supposed to have ended. The winner of the game is then declared to be the one who placed the last block successfully in the tower. It is calculated that the maximum number of moves that are possible in this game is 6 * (X - 2) +2, where X is the number of initial levels that were set out at the beginning of the game. If you wish to purchase a set of garden Jenga for yourself then you can either look for it in a local store or even order it online.

Flying Remote Control Planes (Part III)

Welcome back to part 3 of this series. Part 1 covered location and pre-flight check lists. Part 2 covered Resources to help you. This article will focus on the next step of learning to fly.

You have an established location and your plane and controls have checked out, and hopefully you have developed a relationship with an individual that can be your coach and keep you from crashing. So what is next? Your instructor may override what I am about to present but encourage them to allow you this experience as it is vital to proceeding to the next step.

Touch-and-Go Landings: Flying a remote controlled plane is very much like flying a real aircraft. The basic concepts apply. One of the first things (after flight school which you have not benefited from) is to practice Touch-and-Go Landing. This involves a maneuver that is common when learning to fly. It involves landing on a runway and taking off again without coming to a full stop. This is important because it gives you the confidence as well as experience to be sure that you are proficient with your air craft as well as proving out all the controls.

This process involves powering down the runway and slightly lifting off the ground. Remember that you must use the trim controls to ensure you plane is not drifting. Correct any issues here first by adjusting your trim or actual linkage. Also remember that if you are at full power (which is not needed for take-off) you may overpower the ability to land softly.

There is another technique known as Stop-and-Go where you lift off, then land and stop your plane. I recommend this approach in the beginning. You will move on to the Touch-and-Go next depending on the length of your runway. Power your plane down the runway and gently bring yourself to a flight mode no more than 4 feet off the ground. Power back on the throttle and gently adjust your aileron and rudder to put yourself in a landing position. Remember that flying the plane is the easy part, the hardest part is landing. This will give you experience that you will need when you come in for a real landing. You need to know the control sensitivity and this exercise will allow you to obtain this touch and relate your plane and controller together. There are always 2 devices that you have to balance. Do not over drive the servos of your plane... Gentle adjustments are the best way to become familiar with your controller and the response of the plane. Hard over adjustments of the controls are the best way to crash. Ensure you have a runway long enough to allow you some margin. If you don't, then you will most likely have to react to a difficult landing. You would be better off in this situation to climb and come back in for another chance.

Back to Touch-and-Go... Some resources that you may use may suggest that this is a step that is not needed; Instructors who favor the use of Touch-and-Go and Touch-and-Stop offer the possibility for you to practice more landings per session. Remember, you can do whatever you want in the air but If you cannot land without damaging your plane then you will end up buying a new plane. (Hopefully from Us)

Part IV in the series will focus on Flight (keep it simple).

Flying Remote Controlled Planes Alone (Part IV)

Welcome back to part 4 of this series. Part 1 covered location and pre-flight check lists. Part 2 covered Resources to help you. Part 3 covered Touch-and-Go Landings. Now let us look at some important aspects of taking flight.

Taking Flight: If you have not read the instructions for your aircraft and controller, stop and go get them and look up a very important fact. Listed in the specifications will be a statement specific to your plane receiver and transmitter. This range is most often listed as the maximum and is a good guideline, but there are many factors that will reduce this range. The condition of the batteries in the controller are the most relevant to the range. As the controller batteries weaken, your expected range shortens. The charge on the battery pack in your plane which not only powers the servos also powers your receiver. Most importantly, have fresh batteries in the controller and a good charge on the plane battery pack.

Why is this so important? Turn on your controller first, then plug in or turn on the switch for the plane battery pack. You will notice that the trim controls you have set on your transmitter will be activated and the plane will respond by automatically adjusting to these settings. When you are in flight and you get out of range or your batteries become weak, your settings for trim will fail acting as if you turned off your transmitter and your plane will become unresponsive and pretty much do whatever it wants and very likely crash.

If your plane gets out of range, it is highly suggested that you close the gap between the plane and transmitter as quickly as possible. In other words, I hope you are good at the 40 yard dash. If you are able to get control, turn your plane so that is flying back closer to the transmitter and then land soon.

Also, remember that electrical interference from high power lines will also affect your transmitter's ability to reach out and be heard by your receiver.

Remember as your plane lifts off the ground to perform any fine tuning that may be required on your trim settings to ensure you have level flight with the controls in their neutral position. Adjust your throttle down enough to maintain level flight but not go to fast to cause you a shorter time to perform these adjustments.

Now you are flying. Your job now is to "NOT CRASH". The best way to crash is to overdrive your controls on the transmitter. Use gentle, gradual adjustments to see how your plane reacts. There will be plenty of time for acrobatics later. Again, don't let your plane get out of range... unless you want to practice your running skills.

Which Countries Play Cricket?

You probably have heard about cricket in past years. If you reside in a country where the sport is played often, it is likely you have engaged in some cricket matches yourself. Cricket enthusiasts thoroughly enjoy playing the game, and spectators have a blast watching the game being played. Few people actually know the facts about cricket. The game of cricket has a long history, and it has evolved many times before it has become what it is today.

A Brief History on Cricket

There is debate about who actually invented cricket. Some say that Prince Edward, who was the son of Edward I, played a variation of cricket called creag at Newenden, Kent in 1301. However, there is no real evidence that creed and cricket are the same. As a matter of fact, little was recorded about that particular creed account. Definite evidence of cricket can be traced back to a write-up that makes reference to the game being played in 1598.

Over the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, cricket went through a number of developments. At first, the game was played like hockey and sticks were used. As cricket evolved, it was played similarly to bowling, as players pitched the balls to the batting men. Later on in the eighteenth century, the hockey stick was replaced by a sort of club. Now, the game is played almost like baseball in that actual straight bats are used, and the game is played in innings. Some elements of bowling still remain, as the ones who pitch the balls are still called bowlers.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is quite simple. In order for a team to win, that team must get more runs than the other team. The opposition has to be dismissed as well. When these criteria have been met, the team is a winner.

The number of innings played varies on the match at hand. Two umpires regulate the game, and the scorers keep score by watching for hand signals given by the umpires. Examples of signals to watch for are that the umpires will raise a forefinger if a batter has been dismissed and put both arms above his head if the batter has hit a ball for six runs. The laws of cricket dictate that the scorers must keep record of all runs in the game.

Where is cricket played?

Cricket is not actually an Olympic sport, though; it is played between nations where the game is popular. The first international cricket match was played between Canada and the United States; however, neither nation was ever considered a test playing nation. The first actual test matches took place between Australia and England. Nations that were later included were India, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,, South Africa and Bangladesh. South Africa ended up being banned from 1970 to 1992 due to enacting an apartheid policy. Cricket is not quite as popular in most other countries, though; groups of people may opt to play the sport for fun.