Portland, Oregon - September 02, 2001 Victoria and the lower Forty Eight The planned few days off in Victoria turned into two weeks, thanks to the relentless hospitality of my friends Gil and Lynne Blair, both of whom I met on a cycling trip two years ago in Washington State. I am greatly indebted to them for providing me with thousands of calories, electric light, this thing that spews hot water (they call it a 'shower'), and teaching me … [Read more...]
Fjord Water isn’t Salty….Impressions of Scandanavia
I hadn't been in Sweden for one hour and I found myself sitting in the back of a police van, bicycle and all. Now, I am normally not that much of an outlaw but this time I had decided to buck all Swedish rules against riding on the freeway, when I got picked up by one of the cops. It turned out that Stockholm's international airport was a good forty five kilometers from the city itself, a perfect distance to put my airplane cramped legs to good … [Read more...]
Where can you find Islands the Shape of Palm Trees?
All my preconceived notions about the rigid cultural conservativism of countries in the Arab peninsula were thrown out the minute I entered Dubai, a sprawling and mushrooming megalopolis rising up between the fringes of the Arab deserts and the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia may still be the country of chokingly strict laws, but Dubai seems to be the total opposite. Actually it is one of two major cities in the United Arab Emirates, a country roughly … [Read more...]
Malaysian Malls & Singaporean Housing Estates
Although now deposed from their reign as the tallest buildings in the world by Taiwan's "Taipei 101 Tower", the Petronas Twin Towers of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur still command an attention and respect. Like the late World Trade Center, they are identical twins, but unlike the World Trade Center, they are shaped almost round and taper to two mighty sphere topped spires at a lofty height of 452 meters (1483 feet). Day and night they gleam and … [Read more...]
Finland has no Fjords
October 17, 2002 The advantage of freezing weather is that foods like milk, cheese, and meats don't go bad when they're stuffed in the panniers (the saddlebags) of a bicycle. It also seems to slow the rotting of fruits and vegetables. And drinking water is always refreshingly cold. The disadvantages, however, are that the bicycle chain seems stiffer and more resistant to pedaling no matter how much lubrication it gets. The camera's film … [Read more...]
Huaraz, Peru – Day Trips & Activities
As the gateway to this part of the Andes, most travelers will make travel arrangements through a variety of tour operators headquartered in Huaraz. It is helpful to communicate with agencies in advance of your trip - but we have found that trips can often be arranged last minute. Regardless, shop around, services and prices vary between each company. We have been to or participated in the following area activities. Read on! Bike Riding A … [Read more...]
Goats with Death Wishes
Driving in Malawi comes with a unique set of challenges and yummy fried chippies. "Distances between [Malawi's] major centers are short and the roads are good."? --Lonely Planet's Getting Around "Short" and "good" are relative terms, as places can be physically close together but feel far away in reality. Roads can be paved, but that doesn't mean you can drive freely on them. The stress of driving is one factor that makes Malawian car … [Read more...]
La Gomera
La Gomera: Island of whistling wind and whistling people. La Gomera, the second smallest of the Canarian Islands, is an island rich in culture, food and history. Some travelers believe that the nearly perfect round shape of the island helps to concentrate a lot of positive energy in this place. Whether this is true or just a cross between Chinese "Feng-Shui" and "New Age Beliefs" doesn't really matter. What really matters though, is that La … [Read more...]
Visit Santa Barbara
Ninety some miles north west of Los Angeles lies the lovely beach city of Santa Barbara, California where you will find some of the cleanest and best tended beaches on the west coast. The city of Santa Barbara which includes Hope Ranch and Montecito has a population of approximately 90,000 (not counting the students who reside at UC Santa Barbara.) yet it hosts millions of visitors each year. The residents of the city are, for the most part, … [Read more...]
Argentina Yours Truly
Although I have made it a relentless point in my life to take advantage of every free moment (and buck or two) I've had in my vertiginous existence to discover a new place in the world, nothing has impressed me more than Argentina. The idea of visiting this far-away country had been in the back of my head for a few years, but somehow I always ended up in another spot (usually a hidden beach in Mexico or the South China sea). That was until 2003, … [Read more...]
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