I've never come across such a wide range of plays of light and darkness in a single day as today, my first introduction to Iceland. Enormous dark clouds layered themselves over plateaus in the distance - themselves layered by alternating white and dark between land, snow and glaciers. The sun shone in the foreground contrasted by the darkness in the background. The play of light and color between the water, the sky and the clouds was impressive … [Read more...]
Why Are Personal Trips Interesting?
If you are used to traveling in larger groups, it is time to consider an alternative type of travel; a private tour with a guide. With a private guide you can customize the type of tour you like including it's duration, route, mode of transport, and pace among other options. Consider this well-known image: a man with a flag or a sign in his raised hand leads a string of camera toting tourists. This is one way to see a city. However, your … [Read more...]
Almost Blown off the Mountain in the Snæfellsnes, Iceland
Today I set off for western Iceland. After several hours and multiple stops I reached Snæfellsnes, a peninsula in Western Iceland. I found a random scruffy hitch hiker standing by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. I quickly stopped and found out he had hiked down to the main road from his campsite in this remote part of the peninsula because his 6-year old son had somehow turned the car radio on and drained the battery. I delivered … [Read more...]
The Unique Beauty of Antarctica
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...]
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