We arrived in at Beijing International, always an overwhelming airport based on its immense girth. But our gate was very close to immigration and we breezed through without much delay as officials kept opening new lanes as the lines swelled from the arriving flights. We discovered a small short-stay airport hotel and without hesitation spent the $40 for a two hour stay. Showers after long flights are one of the best things one can gift one's body … [Read more...]
Why do I Climb Mountains?
For years I have wondered why I am obsessed about climbing mountains and being at high altitude. It has been difficult to answer. The obvious reason and it is very true, is the stunning visual beauty. But beyond that I never had an answer. And logically it makes no sense. All the hardships. The suffering from altitude sickness. And there has been loads of this over the years. And the ever present danger. One time we were high up on Rainier - … [Read more...]
Cruising the Beagle Channel on the Paludine, Ushuaia Argentina
I wandered into one of the small tour operator huts down by the harbour in Ushuaia this afternoon to escape the rain and the cold. After inquiring about one of their tours I was soon booked for the next morning - a sailing trip through the Beagle Channel on the Paludine. Allowing only 8 people maximum on board, these sailing tours are intimate and a great way to see the wildlife. After an hour drive on both pavement and a graded dirt road we … [Read more...]
Start Building a Bucket List For 2015. Consider these!
It is never to late to build your personal bucket list - creating a list of must do activities and experiences. Our motto as it relates to travel is, "do it while you can", and now is the perfect time to start planning some trips and experiences for 2015. One company, Contiki Tours offers a number of worldwide based activities and experiences for those in the 18-35 range. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Climb a Mountain - choose … [Read more...]
Enjoying Victoria Falls…as in the Waterfalls
Just like with the Iquazu Falls in South America where you can enjoy views from two countries (Brazil & Argentina), its the same here between Zimbabwe and Zambia. We entered the Falls National Park on the Zimbabwe side and surprisingly had the trails and viewpoints all to ourselves for the better part of 3 hours. These are among the world's greatest waterfalls - you can walk well over a kilometer to see their span. A highlight of a walk here … [Read more...]
Top 3 Favorite Trips & One Bad One!
Time spent using public transportation are good opportunities to reflect on previous travels. One does not always get to do this; when you are addicted to travel you are often thinking about your next trip even during your current trip. I came up with a list of my top 3 favorite trips and the one "trip from hell". #1 Trip to Nepal I took in 1996 - this trip really turned me on to International travel and the hardships I personally faced … [Read more...]