Top 10 sports to try abroad

If the recent Olympics inspired you to get active then don’t let your travels break your athletic stride. Trippy.com has come up with a list of sports to try while you are abroad. Remember, you’re on holiday; no one’s watching.

1. Falconry in California

Lest you assume this sport went the way of chariot races and gladiators, think again. At the West Coast Falconry Centre in Marysville, California, students are schooled in various species of birds of prey as well as how to work with a trained hawk who sits on and flies to the glove when called.

www.westcoast-falconry.com

2. Dressage in Spain

While most people have seen the stunning balletic movements of dressage horses, it’s the rare non-equestrian who can tell you what this pas de deux between horse and rider actually is or how it’s mastered. Luckily this can be remedied at the Epona Equestrian Centre in Spain where they teach both pros and beginners alike.

www.eponaspain.com

3. Pètanque in France

Nothing says France like a group of serious-looking, competitive men standing around a sandbox with a cigarette in one hand and a pètanque ball in the other. If you fancy yourself as a decent boċċi player, why not challenge the French at their own similar game?

4. Fencing in England

While it may not be much help in a modern-day street fight, this sport of kings will give you a fabulous workout. Trippy.com recommends London’s Blades Club where the cost of admission to a taster session can be put towards your first few lessons.

www.bladesclub.com

5. Caber tossing in Scotland

Unless you happen to already know how to throw an almost 90kg, seven-metre log into the air and have it land with complete precision Trippy.com recommends a few practice sessions at Mavis Hall Park in East Lothian, Scotland. For those who prefer something less challenging, the park also offers wellie tossing.

www.mavishallpark.co.uk

6. Croquet in New Zealand

While it has a reputation for being a bit twee, don’t expect to be able to hold a teacup and play at the same time. Players in this part of the world take their bisques, hoops, and peg outs seriously so be prepared.

7. Orienteering in Sweden

For those with the patience of a very buff, athletic saint, orienteering is the ultimate mind/body sport. Armed with compasses, participants navigate through a pre-determined route set up by organisers, often through some beautifulterrain.

8. Rowing in Boston

If you want to feel as if you’re in the opening credits of a movie, almost nothing beats this one. That said, it’s a serious sport that requires not only endurance but proof of swimming abilities (just in case), so make sure you’re up for the task before starting. Community Rowing, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts, is a great place to start.

www.communityrowing.org

9. Snowkiting in Germany

If snowboarding and parasailing had an overachieving baby, it would be snowkiting. Challenging, fun and absolutely glorious to watch, participants in this sport are guided along the snow by the sails of a kite. Schools abound in this part of the world so you’ll have no problem finding one.

10. Bullfighting in California

If you love the grace but hate the violence, Trippy.com recommends the Dennis C. Borba cruelty-free method of learning . Although you’ll get your Hemingway moment in the ring, the technique here is billed as “bloodless”. Just remember, though, that’s the school’s name for it, not the bulls’.