The cruise director on the Basecamp Ortelius on our Antarctica cruise with Oceanwide Expeditions said something that perked my interest, "Antarctica is a feeling" and I immediately wondered what type of feeling it would induce in me once I arrived. It turns out it is not just one feeling but rather many. What you see in front of you evokes numerous feelings and reactions including awe, the grandeur and magnitude of your surroundings gives you … [Read more...]
Springtime in Shiraz Is …
... the smell of citrus blossoms - the fragrance that follows you as you pass numerous orange trees planted as urban vegetation on city streets. It is the smell of running water on hot sidewalks as a young man washes his motorcycle. And the mulberries - I am reminded they are among my favorite fruits - yet I rarely get to gorge in this capacity. They are beginning to ripen, their sweetness runs all over one's fingers - their flavor only leaves me … [Read more...]
First Day Exploring St. Kitts
I met a Brazilian traveler today - he has not traveled much at all and this was his first time to the Caribbean. He did not speak a word of English so I ended up helping translate through his language barrier using Spanish as our common language. After what I estimated to be a 15 minute walk into town from the B&B where I am staying - turned into a hour, I was more than ready to rent a motorbike. I found a shop run by a man named Matrix who … [Read more...]
Red Eyes & Rum: My Arrival to St. Thomas, USVI
From Jet Blue coach to Spirit Air coach I quickly discovered the differences in seating space. The flight I was on from the 'lower 48' had the most legroom of any standard coach seat I've ever sat in. Then it was on to a Spirit Air flight connection in Fort Lauderdale - down to St. Thomas, USVI. I had slimmed down my normal light weight backpack to my camera and laptop and a few thin shorts and shirts. My plan was to wear all the shorts and … [Read more...]
A Few Interesting Notes about St. Barths in the Caribbean
Here are a few notes from what I was told by those living on the island and or from first hand experience. - Flying onto the short airport runway in a small plane is an exciting experience - The island is only 8 square miles but due to its mountainous topography feels bigger than it actually is - The island's electricity is powered by diesel generators - Homes have cisterns to collect rainwater - The roads are narrow and windy and people … [Read more...]
Notes from Basecamp Ortelius, Drake’s Passage
Upon boarding the Basecamp Ortelius in anticipation of our Antarctica cruise (the ice breaker ship we will be on for the next 13 days) I immediately noticed a few of the staff wearing shorts. Remarking to one of them that it is awfully cold for that kind of apparel, they quickly replied with, "if you think it is cold now, just wait until we get to Antarctica!" Nonetheless, the wind was bone chilling as we pulled out of lovely Ushuaia - the … [Read more...]
Sometimes The Unscripted Tour is the most Memorable
We disembarked the Holland America Line, MS euroDam and I caught a whiff of some crew chatter about some sort of strike on the island. I didn't think much of this at the time. Soon we were driving through the "Dutch" countryside and a few minutes later we were driving through the "French" countryside. The island of St. Martin is a divided territory between the Dutch and the French - on the French side the Euro is used and the Dutch still use (at … [Read more...]
What to Wear When Skiing
With the ski season now in full swing, you may be looking to get in on the action. Before you hit the slopes though, you’ll need to know what to wear. If you’re wearing the correct clothing you’ll feel much more prepared, meaning you’ll enjoy the experience a lot more! Dressing in layers is far more effective than wearing a couple of warm items. Although it may sound easier and more practical to just wear a thick jumper and an insulated … [Read more...]
Exploring Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
Today we skirted the edges of Santo Domingo - the oldest city in North America founded by Europeans. It dates from 1496. Now we find ourselves in the small but very busy town of Las Terrenas on the Samaná Peninsula - about a 2.5 hour drive from Santo Domingo. Kite Surfing is popular here - several outfitters offer introductory courses - usually lasting 6 - 9 hours spread out over several days. We became inspired by the combination of … [Read more...]
A Delayed Introduction to the Dominican Republic
We had been planning a short getaway to the Caribbean for some time (and the timing was right to escape the cooler coastal California weather we often have this time of year) - my brother had been to the Dominican Republic a number of years ago and recommended we visit the Samaná Peninsula in the northern part of the country. We arrived to Punta Cana and were the first ones from our flight off the bus from the plane to the terminal. Three hours … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- …
- 62
- Next Page »