Congrats to Team Salomon of the Netherlands. A fantastic finish with a :40 second lead over the second place finishers. Standings for the 2010 Drambuie Pursuit:

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Teams cross the finish line in the 2010 Drambuie Pursuit.

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Everyone seems ready. A chance for teams who have fallen behind to catch up and move ahead in the standings. All they have to do is handle their canoe, manage the one rapid and paddle like crazy downstream. Let the best team win.

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Teams get a chance at some real speed during the buggy race. It looks like only one team had to walk back after doing something they shouldn’t have… Oh Canada?

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Nothing like a good night sleep before 12 hours of running, biking, rafting and all the other stuff. I wonder what wild animals there are in Scotland? My tent is the blue one.

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Lets get a little archery on. The night before the PURSUIT.

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Lets catch a little more action at the Castle. Bow and arrow… check. Cell phone… check. Target…. check.

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Everybody lets get your bow on. The first stage of the 2010 Drambuie Pursuit.

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This week I’ll be hopping a plane to London to embark on a 4+ leg journey through the Scottish Highlands. I am an expert packer, usually managing to only carry-on (screw the man!) and never forgetting a single beauty essential. But I’ve also never been on a trip that has called for me to spend half the time adventuring through the great outdoors and the other half enjoying culture and celebrations in swanky UK establishments with a cute celebrity and a gang of my peers. How do I pack smart for this kind of variety? 0diggsdigg

To give some background on my packing dilemma, I’ll be travelling on a press trip with Drambuie to check out The Drambuie Pursuit, the brand’s annual race through the highlands and the Isle of Skye. It’s a mix of indoor/outdoor adventure, taking in the more swanky sides of London and some lovely castles and Inns in Scotland with other journalists and a celebrity guest—Josh Duhamel—which means no gym outfits or bed head. But the majority of my time will be spent following adventure-junkies on an outdoor race through Inverness, the chilly fields of the Highlands and the rough terrain of the Isle of Skye. I started polling friends and veteran travelers on their travel essentials that work double-time to cover a trip with a range of travel conditions. Here were their pro-picks:

1). 3floz.com
Beauty Junkie’s POV: Their site says “For those who travel, those who are curious, and those who can’t commit.” Sounds about right. I spoke with a representative at the company who first asked me what the most important things to get in my bag were. “Products that transition well from day to night, or casual to swanky.” Their mini, travel size versions of your favorite products is what makes the company incredibly useful: DDF Sunscreen and Ole Henriksen Micro/Mini Peel kits in tiny sizes to put next to your all purpose makeup-removing wipes (I like the Say Yes to Cucumbers brand).  For those who need an all-purpose kit, they make custom packages designed for the occasion. If you’d like to treat yourself to a mini-spa on your next tropical vacay, take a look at the In-Hotel Spa Kit, or take advantage of the easy-to-carry Gym Kit. The products, by the way, aren’t anything you’re going to find in the travel section of the drugstore. Expect Phyto, Malin+Goetz and Nickel over Suave, Bic and shower caps.

2). Organic Sleep Balm by Badger
Beauty Junkie’s POV: It was unanimous amongst all the expert travelers I badgered for information that jet-lag was the concern number one. Since I will be on the road pretty consistently and would also be working, I needed a way to manipulate my sleeping patterns. Since I’ve waited too long to try to get my hands on a prescription drug, this organic sleep enhancer came highly recommended. When rubbed on lips, pressure point, nose and neck the essential oils of bergamot, ginger, rosemary, lavender and balsam fir calms nerves and helps to put a traveler to bed like only whiskey could.

3). Nasal Spray
Beauty Junkie’s POV: One of the reasons we get sick or run down on flights is because of the dry air. When our sinuses get dried out, germs can penetrate much more quickly without the moist mucus barrier (ew, but true). A simple saline nasal spray helps to keep your sinuses moist during the travel legs of a long trip.

4). Dry Shampoo
Beauty Junkie’s POV: Everyone had their favorite brand, but many shared the same sentiment: since I’ll be around other professionals and even a celebrity at times, I’m going to want to look fresh without taking an hour to blow-dry. I like Umi Hair powder because it can be purchased in a 2oz bottle size and, unlike the sprays, is fool proof and mess-free.

5). Daily Facials Express
Beauty Junkie’s POV: Olay’s Daily Facials, a brand name that would make some giggle, is a line of disposable soft-cloths that remove makeup and lifts dirt to thoroughly cleanse your skin, without adding another bottle of liquid cleaner to your travel kit.

6). Makeup Palettes
Beauty Junkie’s POV: I don’t want to be sifting through eye shadow, lip gloss and loads of colors that somehow become permanent fixtures in my makeup bag. Palettes offer color themes and useful products in one slim case. Chanel’s Multi-Use Makeup Palette in Lumière Tendresse, ($85) was a big hit with the pros, but I’m into some cheaper options. Mally has a new face palette that comes complete with tools for $45.

7). Wisps Disposable Toothbrushes
Beauty Junkie’s POV: When I am adventuring through the highlands for hours and need to interview a battle field expert (this is all hypothetical reasoning for why gum would not suffice) I need fresh breath and can’t be chomping bubblicious like a teenager, Wisps work to not only take care of your breath, but also cleans your teeth. Perfect for waking up in next to a snoring stranger on an overnight flight.

By Cayte Grieve

www.blackbookmag.com

Drambuie unmasks its new bottle for the anniversary of 100 years in production. The new celebratory, clear bottle is taller and thinner for easy pouring. Drambuie fashioned the bottle to represent a more elegant 21st Century style.  Also released is the new icon of the interlocking “DD” with dueling swords as a remembrance of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his escape to the Scottish Highlands after a failed attempt of overthrowing the king. The icon is encompassed with four diamonds to portray the four values that motivated Prince Charlie, risk, rebellion, passion and mystery.

The Drambuie Fizz.

This concoction is a bit like a mojito but has the smokiness from the scotch whisky and derives its sweetness from the honey rather than sugar or simple syrup.

Here’s the recipe from the bartender:

Muddle 5 lime wedges in a rocks glass, then fill with crushed ice.
Add a shot and a half of Drambuie and top up with a splash of club soda.

Most everyone thought when you got to the landing point you were all done, not so much. Jump out of the raft with your tired self and then lift a massive raft and carry it up a slippery slope to the finish line, then you’re finished. This way Events 22 didn’t have to carry the rafts to the trailers… you all did.

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