My youngest son is about to fly the coop and start college, joining his older brother in the fall at San Diego State. This means that my wife and I are about to become empty nesters, giving us the chance to fly the coop ourselves and travel more. With this looming rebirth of freedom, I am beginning to look into the wonderful (and complicated!) game of acquiring points as a means of knocking down the costs of airfare, lodging, restaurants, and … [Read more...]
Why skiing in Turkey is an Awesome Experience
“One-third of the world’s population lives within a 4-hour flight from here. That’s why we call it the nearest ski resort in the world.” The winds of change are finally drifting across Turkey. The country is not exactly the first place that comes to mind when we think of skiing. Less than 1% of the country participates, and its international reputation for the winter sport is non-existent. But that may change if Yucel Ikiler has his way. He … [Read more...]
10 Inspirational Travel Instagram Accounts Worth Following
This wonderful planet features a diversity of inspirational and beautiful places. Some travelers have been able to create careers out of exploring a range of often niche experiences or locations. For them, travel is a passion and certainly a huge part of their lifestyles. And in deciding which accounts to feature here, I started pondering - what would Ansel Adams or more recently, Galen Rowell think about the incredible amount of digital … [Read more...]
What to see and do in Boise, Idaho
Currently the fastest-growing city in the US, downtown Boise also happens to be easily walkable, laid out in a grid with Grove Plaza at its heart and Julia Davis Park at its southern edge. Within the space of a short week, I got to explore some of the best the city has to offer. Street Art Head straight to Freak Alley (between 8th and 9th Streets closest to Bannock Street). Colorful styles of graffiti abound everywhere you look and the … [Read more...]
Rocky Mountaineer, Western Canada – February 2018
One of the world's great train rides is through the awe inspiring Canadian Rockies. Rocky Mountaineer offers a number of journeys both along the coast in British Columbia as well as both east and west rides through the mountains. Starting points are either Vancouver or Calgary. The train follows historical railways both in British Columbia and in Alberta. You do not sleep on the train, rather at the end of each day waiting coaches will … [Read more...]
Road Trip: From Marble Colorado to Fort Worth Texas
We decided to take a road trip after our holiday from Marble, Colorado to Fort Worth, Texas to visit some friends. It was going to be long, tiring and dusty. But we were intrigued by a number of magical and odd sights along the way. First stop: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. GPS tells us it will take 5 hours from Marble climbing over mountains. We ascend slowly up to 10,200 feet and reach the pinnacle of the Rockies on the 10th … [Read more...]
Hiking and Hot Springs in the Rockies
This spring, I was invited to visit rural Marble in Colorado and experience the great American outdoors. Growing up and working in cities all my life, I had never been on a hiking holiday before and Colorado was going to be my introduction to the American outdoors. I flew into Denver, Colorado before driving to Marble, a 4-hour drive away. A friend had a family holiday home there on the outskirts of Marble where they had been visiting since he … [Read more...]
A Family Discovery of the Natural Beauty of Jasper and Its Environs
Packing up the van as we loaded up the children and luggage from our hotel in Edmonton, we embarked on the Jasper area of the Canadian Rockies adventure hoping to find snow-capped mountains, turquoise lakes, raging waterfalls and animals of the area. My daughter Muna and I were travelling with my eldest grandson Laith, Maria his wife and their two inquisitive sons, Bilal and Tamer. As we left the city anxious to visit Alberta’s natural wonders … [Read more...]
Lets Go Climbing – Where Are We?!
"Do not start climbing over there - that seal is in the way". Were we mountain climbing or clambering over cliffs at some sunny beach in California somewhere? I've done a bit of mountain climbing around the world but have never heard a seal referenced as we are about to start a climb! The reason for this, is we are mountaineering in Antarctica as part of an Oceanwide Expedition Antarctica cruise. Climbing here is surreal - the amount of ice … [Read more...]
A Grand Venue for Country Tunes
Even if you’re not a fan of the style, there’s something about live country music in the actual country that makes it vastly entertaining. I’m not into country music, but last summer, atop a nearly 10,000-foot mountain under a Colorado sky bluer than any I’d ever seen before, with snow-dotted southern Rocky Mountains on the horizon and nothing but fresh air and great tunes all around, I converted in a hurry. At least for that day. The … [Read more...]
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