From the cloak of Wadi Rum serenity to the nutrient-rich mud from the Dead Sea, Jordan delivers to the heart and soul of travelers. When I traveled there this past spring, I was struck by the misconceptions the West has of the Middle East. Americans, especially, tend to think of it as a menacing place, but nothing is further from the truth, considering that Jordan enjoys a crime rate well below that of Sweden. As soon as I said I was … [Read more...]
Dubai – A Piece of The Pie
The following is taken from Dave's Journal regarding a long weekend spent in Dubai I took a quick trip up to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates 3 weeks ago in the midst of the annual Shopping Festival. Thirty years ago this was a local regional city. Today its an international nightmare, depending on your perspective. Perhaps it is a city that will cause you to have a strong visceral reaction. Lots of craziness with the terrible traffic, … [Read more...]
Penang Malaysia, Exit 161
As you cruise down the main north south freeway in Malaysia take exit 161. This will lead you across the 12km bridge connecting the island of Penang to the mainland. Penang, Malaysia is a fast growing city; the new very tall apartment complexes that seem to sprout everywhere from its shores are testament to this. Part of the island is a "free trade zone" and many International businesses are located here including Aigilent, Dell, Bosch and more. … [Read more...]
The Fire Temples of Darius
Just down the street from where the Ayatollah Khomeini's simple house stands in a leafy northern suburb of Tehran, someone had scrawled the following on a wall: 'America: there is not a damn thing you can do!' It was spray painted in English. Elsewhere, I spotted large murals depicting skulls on the American flag with the words "Down with the USA!" across it. Also in English. None of this came as a shock to me; in fact I expected to see such … [Read more...]
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza has a population of about 1 million people. The city is located in a large desert valley next to the great Andes mountains, whose peaks dominate the skyline from the outside of the city. The valley here is truly desert, once you are outside of Mendoza one quickly sees the native vegetation is similar to desert scenery. However, there is plenty of water in the region as the great Andes are Mendoza's neighbor. A large drinking water … [Read more...]
Mendoza, Argentina – Wineries
Bienvenidos al tierra del Malbec - or in English, Welcome to the land of Malbec! Numerous wineries within the region make this wine and it is commonly served in local restaurants. Lesser common, is Bonarda, also a red grape and Torrontés, a white grape. With that said, Mendoza is known for Malbec but the region certainly produces wines from numerous other varietals. Within an hour's drive of the city of Mendoza are several hundred wineries. … [Read more...]
Mendoza, Argentina – Restaurants
As with other Latin countries, Argentinians take siesta which often runs between 1 and 4 to 5pm. Nearly all shops are close including restaurants. Most restaurants (aside from some of the main tourist ones) will reopen in the evening around 8 or 9pm. Restaurants typically will not be crowded until at least 10pm; it is not uncommon to see families with children dining at this "late" hour. We found restaurants to be quite crowded on the weekdays … [Read more...]
Africa Adventure
Our tour through Southern Africa began in Zambia and on arrival into Livingstone we were transferred to our accommodation on the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles upstream from the Victoria Falls. Arriving in plenty of time before the tour began I made the most of the opportunities available in the area - this being one of Africa's adventure capitals offering a range of activities, from bungy jumping to sunset cruising. Our first day was … [Read more...]
Falling for Africa
"Only two of us have had malaria so far," said Heidi as I joined the group of seasoned overlanders in their fifth week on a truck safari from Nairobi to Cape Town. "Weren't you taking malaria stuff?" I asked naively. "Yeah, but it doesn't always work," was her heart-stopping response. I added 'contracting permanently-relapsing malaria' to my list of African hazards to watch out for - something I thought I'd taken care of with a quick trip to … [Read more...]
AFS Taj & Tigers of Incredible India with Pushkar Camel Festival
We arrive with our Adventures For Solo Travelers - $1198 land) to the land of 1000 languages and 1000 gods. At the Intercontinental, the women in my group are welcomed with marigolds and branded with the typical red dot on our foreheads. This hotel is an oasis of luxury in a polluted city of 14 million people. Two days are spent touring Delhi. The obligatory sites include Gandhi's Tomb and many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. No where else have … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- …
- 34
- Next Page »