Yearly Archives: 2020

A replica of Fort Clatsop - Lewis & Clark National Monument, Astoria, Oregon
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USA (N)

Oregon: Fort Clatsop – Lewis & Clark National Monument

Back in September 1803, US President Thomas Jefferson decided he ought to find out more about the territory he had just acquired for the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. He commissioned Merriweather Lewis and William Clark to go and explore and in November 1805 after a gruelling trip they sighted the Pacific Ocean and set-up shop at Fort Clatsop near Astoria, Oregon
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Adventure Books

Book Review – Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage

This book captures a remarkable story of bravery, grit and determination. In August 1914 the 28 man crew of the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914–16) left England under Shackleton’s leadership aboard the Endurance. Things did not turn out as planned and the tale becomes not one of achievement and success in the traditional sense but an incredible journey into the unknown and a battle for their lives.
The North Head Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Park
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Washington

Washington: Cape Disappointment State Park

Cape Disappointment is home to a wide selection of trails, whether you're looking for elevation gain or a paved outing. The most-frequently photographed lighthouse is North Head, with a precarious position on a steep bluff above the crashing waves.
View from the top of Inferno Cone
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USA (N)

Idaho: Craters of the Moon National Monument

Located along US 20 between the small towns of Arco and Carey in Idaho, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. We decided to stop and explore this barren and unwelcoming landscape during our road trip from Oregon to Minnesota.
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Adventure Books

Book Review: Blood River – A journey to Africa’s broken heart

In 1874 the journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley navigated the River Congo for the first time (as a foreign explorer). It was King Leopold of Belgium who expressed the most interest in his adventures as he was looking to build an empire. Hence the Belgium Congo was born! Tim Butcher, who also worked for the Daily Telegraph decided to follow in Stanley's footsteps - not a simple task as the country is as dangerous as it was in Stanley's time.
A foraging sun bear - sun bear conservation centre, Sepilok, Sabah
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Sabah

Malaysia: Sabah – Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

The sun bear conservation centre in Sandakan has a mission to rescue these small and endangered bears from captivity and return them to the wild. We were lucky enough to get the chance to visit these charming and cuddly animals during our visit to Sandakan. The centre is just opposite the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
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Idaho

Idaho: Arco and Experimental Breeder Reactor #1 (EBR-1)

The eastern reaches of Idaho, north of Idaho Falls are pretty bleak and remote which makes it an ideal place to site dangerous things such as nuclear reactors. Experimental Breeder Reactor I, the world's first breeder reactor, is a decommissioned research reactor and U.S. National Historic Landmark located near Arco, Idaho
Veera
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Vegan Eateries

Montana, Missoula – Veera’s Donuts (Review)

There are a growing number of options for vegans in Bend, Oregon. We recently decided to celebrate the breaking of the COVID-19 lockdown in Oregon and head to a new restaurant, Deeply Rooted, that had opened its doors amidst the craziness on the pandemic. It was a great opportunity for us to support a local business.
The mighty Gullfoss waterfalls along Iceland's Golden Circle
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Iceland

Iceland: Two day itinerary

Iceland is a land of volcanoes, geysers, glaciers and powerful rivers, all of which have carved the physical and cultural evolution of this Northern land. It is a fabulous place to stop over for a few days on the way to or from Europe to North America - or just make the trip in its own right!
A dredger used for pulling the dirt up from the ponds so they could be sifted for gold - Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, Oregon
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Oregon

Oregon: Sumpter – a former gold rush town

Tucked away in the trees and nestled in Oregon's Elkhorn Mountain Range, located at 4.424 feet lies the historic gold mining town of Sumpter, with a year-round population of approximately 191. A far cry from its heyday when gold was being mined and the population was near 3500.
Karen checks out our tipi at Cody Trout Ranch, Cody, Wyoming
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Wyoming

Wyoming: Cody – Cody Trout Ranch Camp

If you are looking for a place to stay near the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park then the tipis at the Cody Wyoming Trout Ranch are a great option. They are extremely cosy and well-appointed - so this is glamping.
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Bay of Plenty

New Zealand: North Island – Rotorua

A journey of discovery into the explosive power of mother nature that grips New Zealand and a shallow dive into Maori culture. We visited the volcanic pools and vents of Hidden Valley before visiting the Maori Cultural Centre in Rotarua.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Galle old town

We spent the day travelling along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, stopping to snap some photos of the stilt fisherman before visiting the UNESCO listed Galle Fort which was founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century and has since been added to by Dutch and British colonists.
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Prague

Czech Republic: Prague – Sex Machines Museum

I am always on the lookout for unusual places to visit and in my research, before visiting Prague, the Sex Machines Museum jumped out at me. It was not something I expected to find in Prague, especially with its location in the heart of the Old Town of Prague, close to the main square.
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Baker City

Oregon: Baker City – Geiser Grand Hotel

We spent a night at the splendid Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City, Oregon. This historic hotel opened in 1889 and saw a meteoric rise during the Gold Rush times when it got its nickname "The Queen of the Mines" and was described as the best hotel between Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Czech Republic

Czech Republic: Prague – The Alphonse Mucha museum

Mucha's artwork can be found in many places in Prague including the Municipal House, the National art gallery, and even his design of a stained-glass window in the St. Vitus’ Cathedral in Prague. But there is no better place to go to see Mucha's famous art than the Mucha museum in the centre of Prague.
The monument marking the geographical centre of the Nation
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South Dakota

South Dakota: Geographic Centre of the Nation

With the addition of Alaska and Hawaii to the Union, the geographic centre of the United States moved from Lebanon in Kansas to a point on the borders of South Dakota/Wyoming/Montana. The nearest community to this point is the small town of Belle Fourche (some 20 miles away) where there is a memorial to the commemorate the nearby geographic marker.
A herd of bison in Custer State Park, South Dakota
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South Dakota

South Dakota: Custer State Park

Custer State Park is famous for its bison herds, other wildlife, scenic drives, historic sites, visitor centres, fishing lakes, resorts, campgrounds and interpretive programs. In fact, it was named as one of the World's Top Ten Wildlife Destinations for the array of wildlife within the park's borders and for the unbelievable access visitors have to them.
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National Parks & Monuments

South Dakota: Wind Cave National Park

Regarded as sacred by American Indians, exploration of the the area known a Wind Cave did not begin until 1881, when the entrance was noticed by two brothers, Jesse and Tom Bingham. They heard a loud whistling noise, which led them to a small hole in the ground, the cave's only natural opening.
The Devil's Tower National Monument is difficult a difficult to miss feature on the Wyoming landscape
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USA (N)

Wyoming: Devils Tower National Monumment

The Devils Tower in Wyoming was America’s first National Monument. This incredible rock has been visited by man for millennia, from first nations people to today's tourists. It is visited by over 400,000 people each year, drawn by its unique geological character and imposing presence.
'Otto' the World Largest Otter is located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
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Minnesota

Minnesota: Fergus Falls – Largest Otter & Giant Goose

Many years ago on a family road trip across the USA, I had set out in search of Otto, the world's largest otter, located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. This detour almost resulted in the end of our marriage. Fast-forward 12 years, armed with Google and smartphones we successfully located Otto!
The World's largest prairie chicken located off I-94 in Rothsay, Minnesota
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Minnesota

Minnesota: Rothsay – A Giant Greater Prairie Chicken

One of my quirky interests, as I have travelled around the United States, is to try and see as many "roadside" attractions as I can. Many of these are next to highways, but occasionally we have had to head off the beaten track. During a road trip that passed through Minnesota along I-94, we were lucky to come across one such attraction in the city of Rothsay, the Prairie Chicken capital of Minnesota
The ball of twine in Darwin has the distinction of being made of sisal and was rolled by an individual - Darwin, Minnesota
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Minnesota

Minnesota: Darwin – The World’s largest ball of twine

If you should visit the small town of Darwin, Minnesota (pop. 350) you will find, located inside a specially constructed gazebo, a local oddity that has become a well-known roadside attraction - a nine-ton ball of twine that was rolled by one man, Francis A Johnson. This is the largest ball of twine in the World rolled by an individual. Weird yes - but fascinating!
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: South-West Coast

We had the chance to spend a day exploring the beach towns and attractions north of Galle along Sri Lanka's south-west coast. This included taking a river safari, a sea turtle hatchery, a tsunami memorial and a gemstone mine.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Mirissa – Whale Watching Tour

We have had the opportunity to go on several whale tours over the years and have loved every minute. Sadly, the tour we took from Mirissa in Sri Lanka was put if frankly horrible due to the unpleasant way that the flotilla of tour boats stalked and hounded the poor whales.
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Adventure Movies

Film Review: Pedal The World

The documentary, Pedal the World, available on Netflix is the amazing story of a young German, Felix Starck who undertakes the huge personal challenge of cycling around the World for a year. In that time he covers over 11,000 miles and 22 countries and along the way discovers the soul of humanity and himself.
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Guardians of our planet

Film Review: Food Evolution

"Food Evolution" the movie looks at the controversial subject of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) from the perspective of the food science community. My personal bias, through the media I gravitate to, has made me anti-GMO so I watched this movie with an open mind to get a different perspective.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Yala National Park

Yala National Park is a large wildlife conservation area found in the south-east of Sri Lanka bordering the beautiful Indian Ocean. It is a fabulous place to see all sorts of wildlife, birds and reptiles. What it is best known for are leopards and is the best place to view these timid big cats in the wild.
Giant lily pads - Singapore Botanical Garden
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Singapore

Singapore: The Botanical Gardens

On a previous visit to Singapore, I had visited the Botanical Gardens and the image of these amazing UNESCO listed verdant gardens had stuck with me over many years. So, when we returned to Singapore I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to revisit the gardens.
The Island has almost no motorised traffic - Mackinac Island, Michigan
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Michigan

Michigan: Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island (pronounced MAK-IN-AW) covers around 3.8 square miles and is located in Lake Huron. Today, it is a living museum making it a delightful journey back into the past when things were gentler and a slower pace.
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Guardians of our planet

Film Review: Seed – The Untold Story

SEED: The Untold Story, follows passionate seed keepers intent on protecting our 12,000-year-old food legacy. It follows the story of the dedicated few working to preserve what remains of our crop diversity against powerful corporate forces who are seeking to drive us to use their products exclusively against our best interests.
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Uncategorized

Film Review: Unbroken Ground

As part of Patagonia's mission to educate they commissioned a documentary, Unbroken Ground, to be made that focuses how farming practices can be changed that don't do permanent damage to the environment, destroy biodiversity and drive climate change.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Ambuluwawa Tower

Ambuluwawa is a biodiversity complex and Sri Lanka’s first multi-religious sanctuary situated in the central highlands of the country. From the top of the Ambuluwawa Mountain, there are spectacular views across the valleys and highland mountains.
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Guardians of our planet

A world drowning in plastic waste!

There has been a lot of news coverage of the huge amount of garbage, particularly plastic, that is finding its way into our rivers and seas. The most talked-about example of this is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific Trash Vortex. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area of floating trash estimated to be in excess of 600,000 square miles, or twice the size of the state of Texas, and weighing 3.5 million tons.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Kandy – The cultural capital

Kandy is a large city in central Sri Lanka., set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and biodiverse rainforests. It is a bustling city and was the last capital of the Sinhala kings until the occupation of Sri Lanka by the British in 1815. Today, it is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Arizona

Arizona: Page – The spectacular Antelope Canyon

You have probably seen photographs of Antelope Canyon even if you did not know it where it was. This amazing corkscrew canyon has been carved by the fast-rising waters of flash floods. Antelope Canyon's sandstone walls are an amazing contusion of colours and shapes. Definitely worth the excursion!
Main entrance and porter’s lodge pavilions - Park Guell, Barcelona
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Spain (U)

Spain: The Works of Antoni Gaudi

UNESCO has recognized the works of the great architect Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), in particular, seven properties in or near Barcelona, which are a testimony to Gaudí’s exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Dambulla Cave Temple

Dambulla Cave Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site close to Sigiriya and about 50 miles north of Kandy. Its five chambers hold over 150 statues of Buddha and other prominent Sri Lankans from the time of kings.
Rock formations in the Canyon de Chelly, Navajo Nation, Arizona
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Arizona

Arizona: Chinle – Canyon De Chelly

On the recommendation of a good friend, we took a detour on our journey through Arizona to visit the Canyon De Chelly and we fell in love with the place. The rim trail is a great place to view the valley, but the climb to the bottom is not too difficult and well worth the effort.
Metal Dog ice-cream store, Tirau, New Zealand
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New Zealand

New Zealand: Giant metal dog and sheep ice-cream store.

We have a great liking for weird and quirky roadside attractions and were delighted to in Tirau, New Zealand, an enterprising local had exercised their creativity in building a wonderful example of functional art. Using their ingenuity, corrugated steel and paint they created two buildings, one shaped like a sheep and another like a dog. Much to my delight, the corrugated steel dog housed an ice cream store which served the most amazing creamy honey and fig ice cream. Yumm!
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Sigiriya – Traditional Village Tour

One of the joys of travelling is to see cultures very different from the ones we experience from day-to-day. The Traditional Village Tour we went on in Sri Lanka was a great way to experience the village way of life that continues in many rural areas to this day.
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Granada

Spain: Andalusia – The Alhambra

The Alhambra, in Granada, Spain is a large palace and fortress complex that sits high on a hill high above the old city of Granada. It is one, if not the most visited tourist site in the whole of Spain. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inspiration for many songs and stories.
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Travel Books

Book Review: Travel As A Political Act

I have been watching Rick Steves travel shows on Public Television for several years. He comes across as a jovial chap and his shows are informative in a light and fluffy way. So, I was somewhat shocked when I recently caught one of his programmes entitled "'ravel as a Political Act'
St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans French Quarter
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Louisiana

Lousiana: New Orleans – 20 Great things to do

New Orleans is a great city to visit. Those of us who have been are drawn back as there are countless opportunities to have fun, with a diverse range of entertainment options. In this article, I outline 20 ideas of fun things to try out when visiting the "Big Easy"
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa

Some 800 years ago Polonnaruwa was a bustling commercial and religious centre for the Chola dynasty, as can be seen by the amazing density of ruins of temples, palaces and other buildings. In the early 13th century the city’s glory faded and it was abandoned.
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Environmental Movies

Film Review: Ice On Fire

Documentaries about climate change are sobering and somewhat scary intending to frighten people into action. HBO's "Ice on Fire" is no different but it does have some enlightening moments that provide us with some opportunities to reverse the direction we're heading with respect to climate change and how to live in a more sustainable way.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Sigiriya Rock Fortress

The Sigiriya palace and fortress complex in central Sri Lanka is recognized as one of the finest examples of ancient urban planning, which has resulted in it being recognised in 1982 as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Hong Kong

China: Hong Kong – arriving during a tropical cyclone

We were greeted in Hong Kong by some wet, miserable weather. The weather in the tropics are complex. For Hong Kong and this part of South East Asia this time of year can be wet, and our arrival coincided with a passing tropical storm. I was happy though, because I hadn't seen any rain for 3 months! Karen was concerned by the warnings at the airport, but we were assured that the "standby signal No. 1" was nothing to be concerned about.
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
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Hawaii

Hawai‘i: Volcano National Park

Hawai’i, the Big Island, like all the other islands in the 50th State of the US, has been formed by volcanic activity and is the youngest of all the islands. It sits over a hot spot in the Earth’s crust, resulting in two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Visiting Volcanoes gives you the opportunity to get up and close to a volcano and learn more about the science of volcanology and its role in the creation of these islands.
The cathedral in Mexico City, Mexico
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Mexico City

Mexico: Mexico City – Historic Centre

The energetic heart of this megalopolis has oodles of historical and beautiful places to visit, plus some great eateries and shopping. During our visit to Mexico City, we discovered the wonderful Palacio de Bellas Artes, explored the Aztec ruins of the Templo Mayor and marvelled at the stunning murals of Diego Rivera at the National Palace.
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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Anuradhapura

The ruins of Anuradhapura are one of South Asia’s most evocative sights, a sprawling complex contains a rich collection of archaeological and architectural wonders
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Czechia (N)

Czechia: Bohemian Switzerland & Saxony National Parks

After a few days of trudging around the hard pavements of cities, we felt the need to escape to the countryside and get some fresh air and slow down the pace of life somewhat. I had booked for us to take a tour from Prague to the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, which takes about 90 minutes to drive.
Tower in the Alcázar gardens - Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City
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Mexico

Mexico: Mexico City – Chapultepec Castle and forest

We spent a day visiting Bosque de Chapultepec, one of the largest urban parks in the Western Hemisphere, in the heart of Mexico City. As well as walking through the shady paths of the park we also took time to visit the amazing National Anthropology Museum and the historical Chapultepec Castle
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Catalonia

Spain: Figueres – Teatre-Museu Dalí; Salvador Dalí museum

Reaching Figueres late morning meant we beat the rush for visiting the Teatre-Museu Dalí, which houses a fabulous collection of his works and is also the site of his burial. The museum itself was originally a theatre that had fallen into ruin after it was burned during the Spanish Civil War. In the 1960 Dalí and the town mayor decided to rebuild it and dedicate it as a museum to the town’s most famous son.
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