Honking car horns, ringing telephones, screaming children.  When the sensory overload that is modern life has pushed the needle on your stress-ometer into the red, you may want to try what many believe to be the ultimate relaxation experience by literally getting away from it all in the peaceful confines of an isolation tank.

Once the exclusive playground of experimental psychologists, the isolation tank experience has gone mainstream.  Dozens of spas now offer hour-long relaxation sessions in custom-designed floatation chambers filled with roughly 10 inches of water containing as much as 800 pounds of epsom salts.

The result is a fluid environment in which the human body is extremely buoyant.  This allows your nose and mouth to remain above the surface while your ears remain underwater to reduce auditory distractions.  The water is also heated to body temperature, which enhances the floating experience by making it hard to sense the boundary between water and air.

Studies have shown this isolation tank experience—also known as floatation therapy—releases endorphins that help alleviate a wide range of chronic stress-related maladies from anxiety to depression.  The relaxation experienced has also been proven to boost theta brainwave activity associated with enhanced creativity, concentration, and problem-solving abilities.  Enthusiasts also claim the benefits become more pronounced with repeat experiences.

If you’re still skeptical, you may be interested to know that some of the most brilliant minds of the 20th-century—from comedian George Carlin to Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman—have been fans of the isolation tank experience.

If you’re interested in trying this extraordinary experience, take a few minutes to check out the very helpful and informative isolation tank FAQ and first-timer’s guide on FloatFinder.com.  The website also offers a handy map-based guide to flotation centers around the world.

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In my 20-plus years as a travel writer, I’ve been to a fair number of fancy-schmancy spas (I know, tough job but somebody’s gotta do it). And, invariably, I come away convinced that most of the exotic spa treatments they offer—especially the ones using downright bizarre ingredients—are mainly designed to separate well-heeled visitors from their money.

That said, I just heard about two unique spa treatments that I think qualify as truly extraordinary experiences. Not that I actually believe they have any real therapeutic benefit mind you but, hey, these people certainly get points for originality.

The first, offered at Japan’s Hakone Kowakien Yunessun Spa Resort, offers a chance to soak—and drink—your cares away in a giant steaming pool of Beaujolais Nouveau while a sommelier stands at the ready to keep your wineglass full. If red wine isn’t your thing, the resort also offers spas filled with hot sake, green tea and even coffee for the ultimate java buzz.

Relaxing at-166 F?

On the other end of the temperature spectrum is the new Cold Sauna treatment offered by the just-opened Sparkling Hill Resort in British Columbia’s tranquil Okanagan Valley. This European-inspired regimen starts you out in two progressively colder ante-chambers (-15 and -60 degrees Celsius, or +5 and -76 degrees Fahrenheit) before allowing you to spend up to three minutes in the final chamber chilled to an incomprehensible -110 degrees Celsius or -166 degrees Fahrenheit. Oh, did I mention you’re wearing nothing more than a swimsuit, warm hat, thick gloves and socks, and mouth/ear protectors? The treatment is said to create a pleasantly warm feeling and a surge in energy as it gives your nervous and circulatory systems a big kick in the butt. For longer-lasting results they recommend follow-up treatments, though I’m pretty certain that one time around would be quite enough for me!

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3 Places To OD On Chocolate: Hershey Spa’s Whipped Cocoa Bath

The Nose Knows: Create Your Own Custom Perfume Experience

Here’s a sad side effect of the time I spent living in New Orleans: Once you’ve been to Mardi Gras, most other parades seem downright dull by comparison. The one notable exception, of course, is Pasadena’s annual Doo Dah Parade.

This year’s event—the “34th Occasional” version of this terrifically tongue-in-cheek sendup of the city’s stuffy Rose Parade—rolls down a new route along Colorado Boulevard in East Pasadena this Saturday morning at 11. What thankfully hasn’t changed is the full-on wackiness of the festivities.

Just how oddball can a parade actually be, you ask? Well, part of what makes the Doo Dah Parade so much fun is that you never know quite what to expect, though long-time crowd favorites like the Men Of Leisure synchronized napping team, the BBQ & Hibachi Marching Grill Team, the Benzedrine Monks, and the official band Snotty Scotty and The Hankies are all expected to return for 2010.

For details on the official parade route and after-party—not to mention finding out how you can be in next year’s Doo Dah Parade—visit the event’s website here.

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Full Moon Fever: These 3 Unique Events Will Give You Lots Of Tales To Tell

For those of us who grew up on sci-fi movies and television shows like Forbidden Planet and Lost In Space, the idea of a world full of robots seems like some far-off fantasy. Which is precisely why this weekend’s RoboGames—a three-day event certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the planet’s largest open robotics competition—seems like such an extraordinary experience.

This six-year-old San Francisco-area geek-fest features the highly imaginative creations of individuals and teams from more than 20 countries, competing in dozens of events ranging from soccer to sumo. The stars of the show, of course, are the battling bots that come in sizes from 5.3 ounces to 340 pounds. But there’s a more civilized side to the event as well, including robots who make music and mix a mean cocktail. There’s even a chance to meet techie celebrities, including MythBusters wiz-kid Grant Imahara.

For an entertaining look at what to expect, check out CNet’s great RoboGames audio slideshow. And if you go, remember to say thanks—or should we say domo arigato—to all the automatons you meet.

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Spain’s La Tomatina Festival

Of all the extraordinary experiences I’ve had over the years, the chance to take the controls of a 55-ton British Chieftain battle tank has to be among the most memorable.

Unfortunately, the Dallas-based operation that gave me that opportunity is no longer in business. The good news, however, is that I’ve found a couple places that still allow ordinary civilians to have similar tank-driving adventures:

Lazer Tanks

This small mom-and-pop shop located just north of Reno, Nevada is now the only place in North America where individuals and small groups can spend time in the driver’s seat of Cold War classics including a Soviet-era T-55 battle tank and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle.

Tanks-A-Lot

Think of this well-established British operation as a military hardware theme park, where you can run British Chieftain tanks on a dedicated off-road course that includes the uniquely geeky thrill of driving one of these massive machines over a parked car. They also usually have a number of tanks for sale in case you’d like to bring home the ultimate souvenir!

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Bulldozer Daze: Dig This Offers Big Kids A Chance To Play In A Life-Size Sandbox

Summer Skirmishes: Playing Army At The Annual War & Peace Show

Even if this is your first visit to XTRORD.com, it won’t take long for you to figure out that this isn’t your typical “travel” website. No stale tales of traditional vacation destinations or generic activities like cruising. No “hot tips” about new low airfares to Europe or last-minute discounts to some mega-resort in the Caribbean. Mainly because that stuff bores me to tears.

Instead, you’ll find these pages filled with reports of truly extraordinary experiences you never knew existed. The kind of once-in-a-lifetime adventures that will give you great stories to tell for years to come.

Which brings me to a handful of upcoming events that seem especially novel. But, please, don’t take my word for it—get up off the couch and go see for yourself:

No BS Event

Test your arm against the locals in Beaver, Oklahoma’s World Cow Chip Throwing Championship (Warning: The record here is an amazing 182 feet!).

To Boldly Go…

Be “transported” to another world as Trekkies take over the small Canadian town of Vulcan, Alberta June 11-13 for a three-day Spock Days/GalaxyFest party that’s out-of-this-world.

Full Moon Fever

Join hundreds of fun-loving locals for the 31st Annual Mooning Of The Amtrak Day as they, ahem, greet each and every one of the three dozen Amtrak passenger trains that roll past Laguna Niguel California’s Mugs Away Saloon.

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Off To The Races: Ducks, and Camels, and Ostriches Oh My!

Magic Man: 2 Places Where The Spirit of Houdini Lives On

In a world where many people have come to view flying as an ordeal to be endured, there are still lots of us for whom the act of leaving terra firma behind remains an adventure to be savored. If you’re one of us, you owe it to yourself to book a seat on the first zeppelin to take to the skies above the U.S. in more than 70 years.

The company responsible for the zeppelin’s return to America, Airship Ventures, offers one- and two-hour flight-seeing tours around San Francisco Bay in the 246-foot helium-filled Eureka, as well as occasional cross-country flights as they reposition the zeppelin for tours in southern California or Monterey (if you have your private pilot’s license you can even take a turn at the controls). Between the zeppelin’s gentle flight characteristics—three 200-horsepower engines in rotating nacelles allow pilots to make this 747-sized airship hover, climb, and descend like a helicopter—and its huge panoramic windows, there simply isn’t a better platform for airborne rubbernecking out there.

Then, of course, there’s the sheer rarity of the experience. The Eureka is the largest airship in existence and one of only three zeppelins operating anywhere in the world, facts that should earn you some bragging rights back home.

Ultimately though, all that grown-up appeal vanishes the moment you climb aboard. From aerial views of Alcatraz and the city’s dramatic skyline to an amazing Golden Gate fly-by, even serious “been there, flown in that” aviation geeks (umm, like me for instance) are likely to find themselves with their noses pressed up against the glass like wide-eyed 10-year-olds.

In the end, it’s this sense of wonder that makes these zeppelin flights such an extraordinary experience. Even for all those poor jaded folks who insist they don’t like flying.

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If you read Part 1 of this series, which featured seven way-cool summer camps for kids, you may have come away wishing there were a way us grown-ups could get in on the fun. At least I know I did.

Which lead me to put together this list of adult-only “camps” that’ll give the tweens and teens in your life just as many reasons to be jealous:

Hollywood TV Star Fantasy Camp

Get ready for your close-up as you play your part in this “made-for-TV” crime drama.

Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camp

Five days of jamming in laid back settings ranging from small combos to big bands.

Camp Winnarainbow

Run away to join the circus at this far-out program put on by hippie legend Wavy Gravy.

World Poker Tour Boot Camp

Raise your game to the next level at these two-day clinics taught by tournament pros.

Space Camp

Always wanted to be an astronaut? Well, now you can at least train like one!

Bull Riding Camp

Here’s your chance to experience the longest eight seconds of your life from atop a rodeo bull.

CIA Boot Camps

Foodies can join Culinary Institute of America instructors for the tastiest “camps” anywhere!

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Rock-n-Roll Fantasy Camp

Michael Jordan’s Basketball Fantasy Camp

Trolling around the internet last week, I noticed that today is Harry Houdini’s birthday.  Which got me thinking about the state of “magic” in our culture and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke’s famous quote:

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

In an era of computer-generated trickery ranging from software-doctored photos in magazines to entire computer-generated worlds in movies like Avatar, the idea of someone performing old-school prestidigitation seems almost quaint.  Just the same, anyone who’s ever been wowed by updated versions of these traditional magic acts as performed by the likes of David Blaine or Penn & Teller understands that there’s some part of the human psyche that truly enjoys the experience of being mystified by illusions so finely crafted and deftly executed that the word magic definitely seems to apply.

Whether you’re an aspiring professional magician or just a curious amateur looking to pick up a few simple tricks to amaze and amuse friends and relatives, I think you’ll find these two annual events to be true extraordinary experiences:

Society of American Magicians Annual Convention

June 30 – July 3, 2010; Atlanta

Founded in 1902, Harry Houdini was the longest-serving president of this organization whose members include everyone from Siegfried & Roy to David Copperfield.  Their annual get together includes special programs for young magicians, a circus sideshow-style midway, contests, and nightly gala performances.

International Brotherhood of Magicians Annual Convention

July 6-10, 2010; San Diego

With 12,000 members in 73, countries, the I.B.M. is the world’s largest organization for professional magicians and amateur enthusiasts. Their four-day convention includes lectures and workshops taught by internationally known magicians, a dealers area where you can try and buy some of the latest tricks, and several large-scale nightly magic shows.

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A Visit To Hollywood’s Magic Castle

As a general rule, I’m not a big fan of cruises.  The idea of watching the world pass by from atop a floating high-rise hotel, visiting over-commercialized ports-of-call with thousands of fellow passengers in what feels like an invading tourist army, and sitting through sequin-encrusted musical revues just isn’t my idea of a good time.

Which makes it all the more surprising that I find myself drawn to these two remarkable “cruising” adventures.  Though they differ in scale, both offer a chance to have true extraordinary experiences that go way beyond simply oohing-and-ahhing at the elaborate ice sculpture anchoring a traditional cruise ship’s midnight buffet:

Tall Ships

While the region you’re traveling through is the most obvious attraction to any cruise, there’s a lot to be said for sailing aboard a ship that has its own unique appeal.  Like the 439-foot Royal Clipper, for example.  With its 42 sails unfurled from five masts, the world’s largest sailing ship is an imposing spectacle you’re not likely to see again anytime soon.  And if feeling yourself being carried along by the power of the wind isn’t enough of an adventure for you, there’s the chance to visit distinctly less touristy destinations and try once-in-a-lifetime on-board activities like climbing up to the crow’s nest to enjoy the panoramic view.

Small Boats

While the idea of chartering a sailboat and island-hopping through the Caribbean sounds romantic in theory, from a practical perspective the lofty price tag and steep learning curve put the experience out of many people’s reach.  Which is where the idea of being a crew member aboard one of the luxury sailboats that ply the waters of this yachter’s paradise comes in.  While you’ll need some sailing experience for most paying gigs, there are a few boats that will take complete novices who are willing to pay a reasonable daily rate and invest a little sweat equity by raising sails and pitching in with a few chores.  To learn more and get an idea of whether this affordable cruise ship alternative is right for you, check out this New York Times story of one such trip aboard the two-masted schooner S.V. Illusion.

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