No bill's big for thrills

Skydiving, hiking, kayaking ... sports tourism takes off in China as disposable incomes rise

Zhao Manli, 29, a project manager at a language traning center in Shanghai, recently blew up $400, equivalent to her salary for a week, on a two-hour helicopter tour of Cairns in northern Queensland, a province in Australia.

For Zhao, the thrill and the sense of adventure and achievement she experienced during those two hours were worth much more than $400. "I've never thought I'd dare fly in a helicopter, but I'm so glad I did. It's so exciting. I wish I can do more of such activities in China too."