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for actors Val Kilmer, Liam Neeson, and George Clooney. He’s put together a dizzying variety of classes: Fight choreography will teach you the art of giving and receiving a punch in the face. Rappelling shows you how the pros jump out of a helicopter and live to tell about it. Car hits will teach you how to take a fender to the gut. Precision driving not only offers a lesson in stunt driving, but also teaches defensive driving skills that might come in handy on your daily commute. And after a class on fire gags, being engulfed in flames will be a no-brainer. StuntWorld also has an impressive list of trainers with years of experience who act as instructors and safety experts, ensuring that what happens in Vegas stays out of the ER. —ML

StuntWorld Action Camp ( 702/982-5097;www.stuntworldactioncamp.com).

When to Go: Open year-round; check website for class schedules.

Las Vegas.

$$ Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd. ( 800/732-7117;www.lvhiton.com). $$ Luxor Las Vegas, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. ( 888/777-0188;www.luxor.com).

309

Survival Skills Weekend

Stayin’ Alive

Verona, New York, U.S.A.

The hiking trail you were on has disappeared in a dense woodland, and darkness is gathering around you. The only sound you can hear is the howling of a distant wolf. Quick—what’s the most important tool you’ll need to survive in the wilderness? Dry matches? Water? A flashlight? Actually, it’s none of these things (though each is good to have on hand). The answer to survival questions like these is familiar to graduates of the Survival Skills Weekend courses, held in a 200-acre (81-hectare) private wilderness in upstate New York.

There are many wilderness survival schools, but John D. McCann’s series of Survival Skills weekends (there are three levels, beginner to advanced) stands out for its hands-on, deep-woods approach and the practical experience he brings to his students. A former Marine drill instructor, McCann is also the author of Build the Perfect Survival Kit, the first book of its kind. The 48-hour weekend courses are limited to a maximum of 10 students and cover everything from water purification and squirrel trapping to clever ways to start a fire, like connecting the positive and negative ends of a cellphone battery with a length of steel wool—the steel wool will ignite. (Kids, don’t try this at home!) Campers are asked to bring their own food, clothing, and basic camping equipment; a cookout dinner is provided for all on Saturday night.

Though it sounds like a lot of serious work—and much of it is—participants also rave about the fun and excitement involved in the survival experience, otherwise known as bushcraft. McCann also helps students avoid the pitfall of buying a lot of unnecessary or overpriced equipment they won’t need. A CD, for example, is reflective enough to signal a passing plane, and an Altoids tin comes in handy as a makeshift frying pan. But the most useful piece of survival equipment, according to McCann, is the one you’re least likely to forget at home—your brain. —ML

Survival Skills ( 845/471-2434;www.bepreparedtosurvive.com).

When to Go: Courses are scheduled throughout the year; check website for dates.

Albany International Airport (113 miles/182km).

310

Tornado Chasing

Whirlwind Tour

Great Plains, U.S.A.

The day started out clear and bright, but by noon the skies have darkened, and ominous storm clouds now block the sun. A few raindrops splatter on the windshield as you race across the prairie, following a tip from the satellite tracking system. You and your fellow adventurers scan the horizon, looking for signs of trouble, when the clouds in the western sky begin spinning around in a slow, deadly waltz. Then, like a dark sword, a funnel cloud dips toward the earth, and the race begins—you’re chasing after a tornado!

Ever since Twister tore into movie theaters in 1995, tornado chasing has gained a new cachet, and a number of professional outfits have sprung up around the Midwest offering storm chasing tours. Prices and schedules can vary widely, but most offer van or SUV-based tours