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Nevada: Valley of Fire State Park

The Valley of Fire State Park makes an ideal day trip from the chaos that is Las Vegas. You will enjoy the spectacular red rock formations that give this park its name and it is a great place to see petroglyphs, ancient rock art. There are plenty of trails, including many short and easy ones that take you into beautiful canyons and up to spectacular view points.

Sri Lanka: Highlands – Horton Plains

Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. It is one of the most popular outings when staying in the Highlands city of Nuwara Eliya.

Book Review – No picnic on Mount Kenya

Confined to an endless cycle of boredom and frustration, one prisoner, Felice Benuzzi, realizes he can bear it no longer. When the clouds covering Mount Kenya part one morning to reveal its towering peaks for the first time, Benuzzi is transfixed. The tedium of camp life is broken by the beginnings of a sudden idea, an outrageous, dangerous, brilliant idea - to escape and climb the mountain.

Nevada: Hawthorne – Ordnance Museum

Located in the high desert of Nevada is the Ordnance Museum located in the small town of Hawthorne, which sits close to the Hawthorne Army Depot. This is apparently, according to the big sign outside the base, the World's largest Army depot,

New Zealand: North Island – Lake Taupo

Lake Taupo. is located in the North Island of New Zealand. It is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second-largest freshwater lake by surface area in Oceania

USA: Oregon – Tillamook Air Museum

Tillamook Air Museum is located in a rural setting close to the Oregon Pacific coast. In World War II this was the site of a Naval base used to deploy K Class airships (blimps) across the Pacific ocean to detect enemy ships and submarines.

Oregon: Astoria

Astoria is located in the far northwestern corner of Oregon, where the mighty Columbia River spills into the Pacific Ocean. There is plenty to do in this small coastal town and it is blessed with several microbreweries, restaurants and pubs. It is also a great base to explore the area's State Parks such as Cape Disappointment State Park and Ecola State Park as well as the coastal towns of Gearhart, Seaside and Cannon Beach. Also, this is where the explorers, Lewis and Clark, ended their expedition to map the Western Territories.

Illinois: Chicago – Architecture Boat Tour

I have grown to love the skyline of Chicago. It is probably one of my favourites in the world - and almost certainly in the United States - including New York. We decided what we'd like to do was take a boat tour along the Chicago River and see these impressive buildings from there.

India: Delhi – The Red Fort & Old Delhi

When visiting India's capital city you simply must explore the somewhat crazy and super busy area of Old Delhi. The main sites include the Great Mosque and the UNESCO listed Red Fort. We also stopped to pay homage at the tomb of Gandhi and visited the famous India Gate.

Wisconsin: Lake Geneva

Nestled 50 miles south of Milwaukee and Madison in Wisconsin is the resort town Lake Geneva, a quaint little town on the banks of Geneva Lake. This area was once the getaway of Chicago's rich and famous - vestiges of its glamorous past remain today

Wisconsin: House On The Rock

Visit the House on the Rock in Wisconsin's Wyoming Valley and discover the bizarre and crazy world of Alex Jordan and his amazing collections. I never experienced anything like it before.

Wisconsin: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin

The UNESCO listed Taliesin is the home, estate and studio of the great architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He built this home after leaving his wife, to live with his mistress, Mamah Borthwick - who was later murdered in the house along with six others.

Wisconsin: Mount Horeb

Located in Wisconsin's Dane County, not too far from the State Capital of Madison, Mount Horeb is a small village with around 8000 people. It has become known at the troll capital of the world

Louisiana: New Orleans – Mardi Gras World

Mardi Gras is about music, parades, picnics, floats and excitement. It's one big holiday in New Orleans! The parade season lasts several weeks, with over 70 parades taking place throughout the city. Nowhere else does Mardi Gras like New Orleans.

Louisiana: New Orleans – St Louis Cemetary #1

Saint Louis Cemeteryis the name of three Catholic cemeteries in New Orleans, Louisiana. Most of the graves are above-ground vaults constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries.Cemeteries No. 1 and No. 2 are included on the National Register of Historic Places.

Oregon: John Day Fossil Beds

Since moving to Oregon several years ago we had long talked about visiting John Day Fossil Beds National Monument but had never managed to get our act together. So, finally, we bit the bullet and planned a trip, planning to stay for a couple of nights in the small town of Dayville.

Mexico: Quintana Roo – Playa del Carmen

When we stay on the Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, we avoid going into Cancún at all costs, especially during the Spring Break season. As an alternative we tend to head into the small town of Playa del Carmen, some 45 miles (70km) south.

Mexico: Quintana Roo – Tulum Mayan Ruins

We desperately wanted to leave behind the commercial hubbub of northern reaches of Cancún and it's party vibe for the more relaxed towns of the southern Riviera Maya. During previous visits to the area, a lot of people had talked fondly of Tulum, and so we decided to head down and check it out.

Book Review – Into Thin Air

In the 1990s John Krakauer was a contributor to Outside Magazine, a renown adventure publication when in 1996 they asked him to join a guided team to ascend Mount Everest. Krakauer was in a team led by Rob Hall. At the same time, another team was attempting the ascent led by Scott Fischer. Both men successfully guided clients to the summit but experienced severe difficulty during the descent as a massive storm hit the mountain. Sadly, several people, including the head guides lost their lives. This book tells the story from the perspective of John Krakauer.

Oregon: Florence and Yachats

The Oregon Coast is beautiful and rugged, but even in the height of the summer there are few days where you would describe it as a "beach" holiday in the true sense. The Pacific Ocean crashes hard into the Oregon coast, especially in the winter when the waters are stirred up but frequent storms. It has more than it's fair share of rain and wind.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

Oregon: Sumpter

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.

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.

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.

Book Review: Running the Amazon

Despite his lack of experience of water adventure, in 1995 Joe Kane joined a group of adventurers intent on being the first American to travel the full 4,200-mile length of what may be the world’s most treacherous river: the Amazon.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Minnesota: Big Ole – America’s Biggest Viking

Big Ole, located in the small town of Alexandria, Minnesota, is the purportedly the World's largest Viking. Ole was built in 1965 as an exhibit for the New York World's Fair. When completed Ole stood 28 feet tall with the words, "Alexandria, Birthplace of America" emblazoned on his shield.

South Dakota: Mount Rushmore National Park

Mount Rushmore is a relatively recent creation and started as a concept by state historian Doane Robinson in 1923. The choice of artist was Gutzon Borglum, a radical sculptor with a sense of scale and outlandish ambition. (National Park / USA /United States)

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.

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!

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

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!

Sri Lanka: 8 Great Things to do in Colombo

For most people visiting Sri Lanka the country's capital, Colombo is not high on their list of places to visit. That said it is worth a day to hit the few tourist attractions that the city has to offer and simply wander the streets of some of its more historic districts.

Connecticut: Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic Seaport, a museum of the sea, in Connecticut is a fantastic day out and for those who have not been before we would recommend it highly. You can climb aboard tall ships and visit reconstructions of 19th-century houses and shops.

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.

Book Review: The River of Doubt

"The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard sets out to tell the story of Roosevelt and his partners in their journey on the previously unexplored river, the Rio da Dúvida, or River of Doubt in the dense Amazon rainforest of Brazil. If you like stories of adventure and exploration then this is a great read.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Spain: Andalusia – Ronda

Perched on an inland plateau riven by the 100m fissure of El Tajo gorge, Ronda is Málaga province’s most spectacular town. It has a superbly dramatic location and owes its name to the encircling Serranía de Ronda. A great place to spend a day or two wandering around!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Oregon: Bend

Bend, Oregon is a fantastic place to visit at any time of the year. There are plenty of activities for those who love the great outdoors - especially if you love winter sports, biking and hiking. If you want a more relaxing time there are numerous entertainment options that meet a variety of tastes.

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.

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.

Arizona: Page – 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!

Colorado: Colorado Springs – Garden of the Gods

Comprising 1,300 acres of sandstone formations the Garden of the Gods, close to Colorado Springs, is a wonderful place to explore on foot, by bike or even try out some rock climbing. Come to see what has drawn human beings to this wonderful place for millennia.

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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