YOU'D be surprised to discover, as I was, that 'Walking in the Mournes' is one of the 1,000 Ultimate Travel Experiences on earth - according to Rough Guides.

But you'd be even more surprised, actually alarmed might be a better word, to read that 'Seeing the Belfast Murals' is also in the world's top one thousand travel experiences... at least that's according to a new book, MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME ON EARTH, A Rough Guide to the World.

Granted that's the only two, specific Northern Ireland listings, in the 600-plus page book, although Supping Guinness in Dublin, Watching Hurling at Croke Park, 'Barging' Down the Barrow and Losing Yourself in Connemara and a few other travel experiences in the Republic are included - and I suppose you could just as well 'Enjoy a Traditional Music Session' in Belfast as in Dublin, or anywhere else in Ireland for that matter.

In the British Isles section of the book, The Isle of Man TT gets a deserved mention, as does Celebrating Hogmanay in Scotland and Listening to a Welsh Valley Male Voice Choir, although Watching Football at the Theatre of Dreams (Old Trafford) - is not a choice that will be too popular with Liverpool supporters! Catching the Last Night of the Proms and Dressing Up for Royal Ascot are also recommended as just three of a score or more reasons to visit England.

In the Miscellany section of the British Isle segment of the book, the Giant's Causeway gets a mention as one of the top tourist attractions as does the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Edinburgh Castle.

The title for the Most Haunted Hotel in Britain awarded by the Poltergeist Society on two occasions is the Schooner Hotel in Alnmouth, which has 32 rooms and a reputed 60 ghostly guests, while Ballymaloe House, near Cork, is listed in the book as one of five luxurious country retreats to discover.

But back to the 1,000 Travel Experiences Listings...

The book is laid out in geographical regions, with the Rough Guide's contributors from various parts of the world making their selections, and giving their reasons - sometimes a bit obscure and even controversial - for making them.

However, it's interesting to compare your own particular favourites in the countries you've visited, and you'll probably be surprised that basic traveller fare like a Scandinavian Smorgasbord, Beer in Brussels and Wine Tasting in Bordeaux are just three of the more mainstream experiences which get a recommendation.

Of course, there are many, many, others which are way off the beaten track, and much more difficult and expensive to savour. Experiences like Losing Track of Time on the Trans Siberian Express (high on my personal wish-list of must-do travel experiences), Meeting the Pandas in Chengdu, Drifting Down the Amazon, and climbing Chichen Itza in Mexico.

Other intrepid adventures include Trekking to the Source of the Ganges, Cycling the Karakorman Highway and Mountain Biking along the world's most dangerous road in Bolivia.

Among the Most Perfect Places to Stay, the book lists Sleeping in a Yurt in Mongolia, Chilling Out at the Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden, and Spending a Night in a Borneo Longhouse.

Amazing Wildlife recommendations includes Encountering Gorillas in Central Africa, Looking for Lemur in Madagascar, Platypus-Watching in Australia and going on a Polar Bear Safari in Canada.

For Ethical Experiences, suggestions include Tagging Dolphins on the Spanish coast, Volunteering with VSA in Cambodia and Going Organic in Australia's Northern Territory. Spectacular festivals include Mali's Amazing Festival in the Desert, Carnival Time in Trinidad, and the Camel Fair in Pushkar.

The last few pages of this weighty tome are dedicated to providing extra information about the 1,000 Ultimate Travel Experiences such as useful websites, safety tips, opening times and addresses and sometimes even phone numbers. And lastly there is a listing of the names of the contributors to Rough Guides who have made the choices readers will no doubt argue over for many hours.

If, like me, you decide to count up how many of the big 1,000 you can chalk off your list, prepare to begin some serious saving for some even more serious global travelling. I've still got another nine hundred and thirty six travel Experiences to go and I've been working in Northern Ireland Travel News for the last 19 years!

Among the more challenging expeditions (for me) have included Hill Tribe Trekking in Northern Thailand, Lapping up Life in Lappland and Island Hopping in The Philippines, (all listed in the book), but now that I've spent hours perusing and taking issue with the Rough Guides' Experts' opinions, I might just be a little more adventurous in future.

So, see you on Table Mountain...or perhaps I'll be Hiking the Inca Trail.

But more likely I'll still be in the Travel News office and dreaming about The Great Karoo, The Midnight Sun and the Copper Canyon Railway.

* MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME ON EARTH, 1000 Ultimate Travel Experiences, A Rough Guide to the World, is published by Rough Guides, and Distributed by the Penguin Group, price £18.99p.