Journey to the Centre of the Earth

JOURNEYE OF THE The Northern Lights begin on the surface of the sun, frequently seen at the world's highest latitudes. The splashes of coloured light come from nitrogen and oxygen mixing with the atmosphere, which in many cultures are a sign of good luck. Iceland is one of the CENTREH EARTH best locations on Earth to see them from. FORGET A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, TAKE A JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH AND RE-TRACE THE STEPS OF PROF. OTTO LIDENBROCK IN JULES VERNE'S CLASSIC SCIENCE-FICTION NOVEL. JULES VERNE The team's adventures begin in Iceland, a hot spot and geothermic activity. Iceland is a combination of staggering mountains, imposing glaciers, and crystal clear rivers and lakes, with nearly 24-hour daylight in summer and 24-hour darkness in winter. volcanic Called the Father of Science Fiction, Jules Verne also wrote epic classics 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days - predicting space, air and underwater travel long before they were invented. Rising out of the sea, Scartaris Mountain stands 5,000 feet high, its peak casting a shadow to the opening which Professor Lidenbrock uses to descend into the centre of the Earth. The Earth is made of many layers - working from the outside in, they are: Crust, Upper Mantle, Mantle, Outer Core, Inner Core. 300 years prior, Arne Saknussemm left markings to find his way back from his own journey to the centre of the Earth, and the 3 parallel lines chiselled into rock help the team along the way. CRUST As the team descend into the Earth, they encounter a huge cavern full of crystals. Earth's largest known cave passage is Vietnam's Son Doong cave. Big enough to park a 747 inside, it's yet to be fully explored. Further down towards the Earth's core, the team encounter a field of giant mushrooms which they use to make a raft to cross a vast underground ocean. A giant honey mushroom colony spanning over 2,200 acres in Oregon, USA is the largest reported living fungus, while the largest puffball mushroom was found by a schoolboy in England measuring a whopping 66.5 inches. UPPER MANTLE MANTLE Watch out for the giant Lizard! The team have a narrow escape when they are attacked by a huge reptile. A new species of giant lizard was discovered in the Phillipines, growing up to 2 metres long and weighing 10 kilograms. Lidenbrock and his team get sucked in - literally - when they chance upon a giant whirlpool in the underground sea where the magnetic forces of the North and South Poles meet. Finally the team enter a cavern containing the ruins of the lost city of Atlantis. Legend has it the city of Atlantis disappeared into the Atlantic Ocean some 2,300 years ago - since then, explorers and naysayers have searched for traces without any success. CORE Talk about close calls - after being pushed through a narrow shaft back to the surface of the Earth, the team end up in Stromboli, Italy - still the site of one of the world's most active volcanos today. Feeling adventurous? It's a long way down to the Earth's core - about the same distance as the Amazon river. It's pretty hot down there as well. Temperatures have been estimated to be approximately the same as the surface of the sun. 6,395KM 5,505°c DOWN FROM THE SUR FACE AT THE EAR TH'S CORE Start your own journey to the centre of the Earth in the place where it all began for Professor Lidenbrock and his crew in Iceland, the land of ice and fire, with Voyages Jules Verne. VOYAGES JULES VERNE www.vjv.com