The past few days I've been enjoying life with a group of nomads who move around the deserts of central Iran. They regularly herd large numbers of sheep and goats; I was able to join them as they moved one such herd from the flat lands up into the mountains. It is a life in motion for the herders and their animals; both are moved around continuously in search of food and water. Donkeys accompany the herds carrying shelter and additional food and … [Read more...]
Cultural Differences and Odd Superstitions
It is a truth universally acknowledged that tourists on holiday are likely to make fools of themselves. From telling an Italian to “rock on” with the seemingly-innocent hand gesture (which locally implies that his wife is being unfaithful) to giving a local Thai guide the thumbs-up (the native equivalent of the middle finger), it’s perfectly easy for the travelling man to offend his hosts, be ejected from a taxi and eternally shame himself, all … [Read more...]
Far and Away, Flat Out, The West’s Best Road Trip
It feels like we’re driving to the edge of the world where the water falls off. Infinity is just ahead. To the right are mountains that arc up from the basement of time. On the left, a dry lakebed now glassed with salt. This is the driest state in the country, not so surprising, but it is also the most mountainous, with some 300 ranges. If you look at a satellite photo of earth at night one of the brightest pixels is Las Vegas in … [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...]
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...]
Heli Ski Alaska? Heli Yes!
My penultimate bucket list ski experience has always been to heli ski in Alaska—miles of untouched powder and fresh lines for days. No lift lines, no resort creature comforts and nothing but badass skiing. As my blog will tell you, after a year of planning I was pretty stoked when my brother and I joined up with Dean Cummings’ H2O Guides to heli ski the 4,000 square-mile playground called the Chuggach Mountains near Valdez, Alaska. Whether … [Read more...]
The Hardest Place in the World to Visit
The covering has the disconcerting effect of obnubilating as well as illuminating the woman behind it. Shrouded in black niqab and ankle-length abaya, she floats towards me. Behind, her friends are firing salvos of cell-phone photos, as though we foreigners are exotic beasts in a zoo. She stops, and through her veil, in perfect English, asks, “Where are you from?” “California.” “What city?” “Los Angeles.” “What part?” … [Read more...]
Five Ways Travel Helps Your Writing
Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar There’s a plummy quote from Thoreau’s Walden that must open this discussion: “Not till we are lost ... not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves … Henry David was centering on getting lost in nature there, and thus freed of some of the day-to-day material constraints and pressures, but the message applies well to writers, and to the value of getting “lost” in travel. Value sometimes in getting … [Read more...]
8 Great Things to do in South America’s Triple Frontier
If you’re planning your first South American vacation then the tri-border between Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil might be just what you’re looking for! From the breathtaking Iguazu Falls, to passing by the best duty free in the world, to a surprising bar made of ice, the area has plenty on offer for tourists. It's an incredibly rare thing to be able to enjoy the opportunity of visiting three countries in one day (although we’d strongly … [Read more...]
A Surprise Weekend in Glorious Budapest
Everyone had just left. After celebrating my birthday and some basic tidying up we sat down for a moment. “Why don’t you check your email?” she asked. I took the hint. Taking out my iPhone I opened the email app. And there I saw confirmation I was flying to Budapest on Friday. Now that confused me - she was supposed to be attending a conference in Budapest the following month. She quickly filled me in on the details. She was … [Read more...]
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