After traveling for probably a great distance as most of the guests have endured prior to arriving here - you walk into your cool room, with soft music playing to match the mood of the setting, and you realize you have arrived somewhere special. Your heart beat immediately drops a few octaves, you can feel your mood change instantaneously to a peaceful state and you wonder why you can't capture this feeling and take it with you after you leave. … [Read more...]
Victoria Falls – April 2014
Victoria Falls is best seen from both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides of the river. The Victoria Falls Bridge crosses the Zambezi River which forms the border for both countries. From the Zimbabwe side you can actually walk across the bridge and technically enter Zambia without going through the border post. Charles Darwin's son, Professor George Darwin officially opened the bridge in 1905. What has to be one of the shortest International flights … [Read more...]
The Secret of Happiness: London (UK)
On Shakespeare's "Sceptr'd Isle," in London, John M. Edwards is confronted by an Aggro Cockney near Hyde Park's Free-Speech Forum: "Speaker's Corner" I once came across a swarthy gentleman wearing a sign around his neck emblazoned with the words, “The Secret of Happiness." Obviously a palmed pound coin could loosen the red rascal’s lips. Even if the “secret” was passed down generation to generation by word of mouth within a Da Vinci … [Read more...]
A relaxing day in Fiji
After the stresses of non stop travel the past month I was ready for some serious R&R. Seashell Momi is a Diver's and Surfer's hangout about 45 minutes south of the capital Nadi. Arriving in the dark after passing through beautiful green hills as far as the eye could see, I simply crashed. It was 8pm. I awoke the next morning, 14 hours later at 10am - still tired but certainly more refreshed. Apparently there are only 5 people staying here out of … [Read more...]
Koh Yao Noi Island, Thailand
If Thailand is considered the land of smiles, then Koh Yao Noi is the island of smiles. The locals are genuine, down to earth, very friendly and yes, often you will be greeted with a smile. You will surprisingly find this small island laid back despite being only about a 30 minute boat road from two fairly developed urban areas focusing on mass tourism - Phuket and Krabi. There are no high rises here, crazy nightlife and accompanying noise, … [Read more...]
Stowe’s Simple Surprises
Sometimes luxury is in the simple things. Driving the last ten miles along Route 100 toward Stowe, Vermont, I was entering another way of life. There are no sky-scrapers, no fast-food chains, no billboards or even back-lit signs. There are independent little one- and two-storey shops, selling cheeses and maple syrups and cider doughnuts. I pulled into the parking lot at the recently renovated Topnotch Resort and Spa and quickly ducked … [Read more...]
Dispatch: The Berlin Stories Check-in at Checkpoint Charlie
Separated from his student tour group in East Berlin, a much younger John M. Edwards gets seriously lost and says, “Ich bin ein Berliner!” (I am a doughnut!), but, er, for exactly how long? It’s a race against time to find “Chuck” and bust through the border crossing before the “Iron Curtain” closes. . . . For numerology fans, both the first Mayflower landing at Plymouth Rock and the dramatic fall of the Berlin Wall fell on my birthday: … [Read more...]
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Cairns Queensland
I have spent the last few days exploring the Daintree Rainforest (the world's oldest rainforest) from the ground; now it was time to see it from above the canopy level. Fortunately the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is located just outside of Cairns. This is one of the do not miss Daintree Rainforest experiences. 7.5 Km of cable opened in 1995 and now brings passengers from near sea level up to 545 meters at its highest spot. Cable cars are … [Read more...]
They Dropped Me in a Tank with a Gator Called ‘Chopper’
The Cage of Death they call it. Sounds adrenaline stimulating and it is in reality when you are face to face with a beast that could snap your body in half without even half trying. But it is perfectly safe. You are surrounded by thick plastic - and the experience allows you unparalleled intimacy with crocs up close - within mere centimeters. The "cage" is suspended on an over-head monorail system and it can easily be moved over any of a … [Read more...]
The Delights of the Menzies Welcombe HotelSpa & GolfClub
For many years as a youngster my Mum and Dad would take me to tea at this superb property deep in the heart of Warwickshire. Only a stone’s throw from Stratford Upon Avon the hotel offers all the many delights that country house hotels are famous for. The 157 acres grounds themselves are glorious with many secret pathways leading to extraordinary sights of the rolling hills of this shire. Growing up in Warwickshire was for me always an … [Read more...]
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