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...]
Great American Road Trips: The Olympic Peninsula Loop
Introduction Quite simply, Highway 101 that circles the Olympic Peninsula has it all. The approximately 330-mile-long loop offers a bucket-list of natural wonders that have to be seen to be believed. Pristine lakes, waterfalls, striking shorelines, expansive mountain top vistas and even rainforests are all accessible along this stretch of road. Starting Point No matter what interests you most, almost any point along the loop is a good … [Read more...]
Upcoming Antarctica Trip, Ortelius Basecamp – Oceanwide Expeditions
Antarctica has been on my list of remote places to visit for years - I never have done so because of a variety of reasons, one has to cross the Drake Passage (supposedly one of the world's most treacherous waters - I get very bad sea sickness at times) and the cost of getting there - which as demand grows to visit the costs seem to have gone down (just a cursory observation). I randomly met Dan and Audrey of the travel site, Uncornered Market … [Read more...]
A Most Random Encounter on Saba
While on Saba during my latest trip to the Caribbean something happened that I've dreamed about but in all my years of traveling has eluded me until now. I was standing at Fort Bay waiting to board the ferry back to Sint Maarten in a crowd of people when I spotted a couple standing near me. I am usually good with recognizing faces I have seen before - the man looked very familiar and I initially thought maybe I had met him on another trip. I … [Read more...]
Oceanwide Expeditions Antarctica Contest
I recently started working with Oceanwide Expeditions, a Netherlands based cruise company focusing on the planet's remote extreme north and south destinations (the Arctic and Antarctica). Founded in 1996, they are a pioneering company in the exploration of these parts of the world via cruise ships. Today they offer 25 cruises to Antarctica alone using small ice-hardened expedition vessels. Their ships are the 'basecamp' anchored off shore for a … [Read more...]
Another Day of Caribbean Island Hopping
I began my morning in the brand new Antigua International Airport on my way to Princess Juliana Airport in Sint Maarten. To call an airport 'International' in most of these small Caribbean Islands is probably redundant as most of the airports have flights connecting to other Caribbean Islands. Princess Juliana Airport is well known for Maho Beach, a small strip of sand that lies at the foot of the runway where sun bathers look up at times … [Read more...]
Saba Anyone?
I recently counted the times I've either flown, ferried, or come in on a cruise ship to Sint Maarten in the last two months; my arrivals and departures added up to 14 times (interesting considering I had never visited the island until late 2015)! During my stops in Sint Marteen, my eye has caught glimpses of the intriguing, mysterious and prominent shape of Saba (a municipality of the Netherlands) in the distance, sometimes clear, sometimes … [Read more...]
Another Beach. Another Bar. Another Bottle.
Another Beach. Another Bar. Another Bottle. Perhaps, but this place is a bit more special than that generic statement. The gentle lapping of the surf languidly caresses the golden sands of Pigeon Beach on the southern part of Antigua. I find myself here along with a few locals, a scattering of tourists and a few yachtie's who are anchored off shore. Along with the natural beauty of the bay and surrounding hillsides part of the attraction of a … [Read more...]
Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and a Crazy Taxi Driver
Today we left Tunis in search of some urban relief which we found in the much smaller communities of Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and La Marsa. Our first stop was the UNESCO World Heritage site of Carthage - originally settled in 814 BC and at one time it supposedly rivaled Alexandria for being the largest city in the Roman Empire. We visited the old baths - there is not much left here but some of the archways and columns have been restored. The … [Read more...]
My Time Exploring Tunis, Tunisia
I did not think twice of going to Tunisia for holiday. But then I had to wade through the thick flotsam of fear about the warped realities of travel to Tunisia I encountered when I informed people I was going to this country. Ultimately this fear messed with my psyche and did so until I was on my final flight to Tunis when I finally was able to relax. But such was my luck the night I arrived - a suicide bomber killed himself and 12 other … [Read more...]
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