World
Santiago
The thief stole from the shadows of the Mercado Central, grasped Florence’s gold necklace with both hands, pulled firmly with practiced efficiency and disappeared into the throng. A bad start to our first day in South America. After an 11-hour intercontinental flight, the morning had been leisurely. We wandered jet-lagged and giddy through Santiago’s hectic streets. At the central market,…
Mendoza, Argentina
Chile’s Ruta 60 starts peacefully, wending slowly out of Santiago through a succession of fertile valleys. Then the Andes abruptly intrude and things get serious. From the low foothills the road quickly escalates into a series of tight, treacherous switchbacks. Our front-row perch offered an Imax-like view of the ribbon of looping asphalt stretching into a thin line above and…
Croatia – Pedal and Sea
On our second day of riding, while huffing and puffing up an absurdly steep Croatian road, I said to my wife Florence, ‘Perhaps it would be wise if you were to switch to an e-bike. The guide says the grade is going to get even tougher over the next few days.’ As she pedaled away, Florence remarked, ‘If you need…
A Rainy Day in Montenegro
Room 703, Valamar Hotel, Dubrovnik, Croatia. I had a strange dream last night. Well past midnight there came a quiet rap on the door. An apologetic bellboy pointed to a small man standing quietly in the hallway. The man sported a fine suit and monogrammed luggage. ‘I’m sorry,’ said the bellhop, ‘the Valamar is sold out this evening. This gentleman…
The Spices of Kerala
After three chaotic days in Mumbai we boarded a plane for the relative calm of Kerala on India’s extreme southwestern tip. The “land of coconuts” is a tropical paradise dense with rain forest, wild elephants, monkeys, tea plantations – and spices. Kerala is home to a wonder of zesty flavours: pepper, cinnamon, licorice, chili, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, coriander, cumin, turmeric.…
Taj Mahal and the Ganges
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal. Constructed of ivory marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, the Taj Mahal is described as the world’s most perfect building. The Taj does not disappoint. The grand mausoleum is best viewed in the early morning light, but…
Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Sharm el Sheikh. The name evokes visions of a warm tropical sea lapping on a desert shore. A place where Bedouin tribesmen cast nets into a shallow lagoon. Where abaya-clad women, drawing buckets from a village well, chat and laugh shyly. Where young boys, with gentle shouts of “tut, tut, tut,” guide camels along an ancient caravan trail. Located at…
Cairo, Egypt
Security in Egypt is intense. I was screened once, scanned twice and patted down thrice between the time we landed at the airport and the moment we finally stepped out into the muggy Cairo evening. At our hotel the scrutiny continued with a final search of our luggage in the lobby. Although Egyptian security is abundant in quantity, the quality…
Bordeaux
One of the keys to enjoyable travel - and recovery from a seven-hour jet-lag hangover - is to give oneself time to acclimate. And what better place to do that than in the City of Lights? On tap was a week-long bike ‘n barge in southwest France. But rather than simply change planes at Charles De Gaulle airport and continue…
Abu Simbel, Egypt
It is exciting to look out the window of an airplane at the earth far below, noting where land meets water or observing the eroded remains of some ancient formation in the changing light. Alas, the grimy desert sand hadn’t been cleaned from the windows of our EgyptAir jet, so we couldn’t see a thing as we flew over Lake…
Jordan
The driver met us at the Amman airport, puffing on a cigarette. He crammed our luggage into the rear hatch, ushered us into the cramped seats, and off we careened westward toward the Dead Sea. I made small talk with Ahmed as he drove. His English was rudimentary but effective. He disclosed that he had recently been released from jail…
Sailing the Nile – Part II
There were only 15 guests on board the Malouka: nine polite Americans and our group of six raucous Canadians. We were on a six-day sail up the Nile River. The vessel was a traditional double-masted dahabiya, part of the Nour el Nil fleet. Dahabiyas have been plying the waters of the Nile for millennia. But this was a cleverly-constructed, modern,…
Sailing the Nile – Part I
The Nile River is a mind-boggling 6853 km long. It is the longest watercourse in the world. Mind you we were only sailing about 200 km of it, from Luxor to Aswan, on an Egyptian dahabiya. But since we were relying on the prevailing north wind to carry us upstream - to the south - even that took nearly a…
Skellig Islands – Ireland
Although the fine details of our trip to the Emerald Isle had been neatly settled months before leaving Canada, the folks at https://www.irelandwalkhikebike.com contacted me shortly before our departure to suggest a change in the itinerary. We could skip a day of hiking and instead visit the Skellig Islands, a craggy set of rocks poking forlornly out of the Celtic…
Hiking Ireland
“A good walk spoiled” is how Mark Twain described the game of golf. But clearly Huck Finn’s author never had the pleasure of strolling the links of Ireland. Having said that, after eight days chunking shots and misreading putts at Ballybunion, Lahinch, and a number of other venerable golf courses with seven buddies, I was more than ready to hang…
Ireland – a buddy trip
Despite my bona fide Irish heritage, I never had any burning desire to visit the Emerald Isle. But some years ago when I asked my mom if there were any place she’d like to go, she leapt at the chance to see Ireland. “Your father and I were there in 1970 and I’ve always wanted to go back.” So my…
The Jungles of Belize
Had I known termites were on the menu for lunch, I’d have eaten a bigger breakfast. We were hiking in Belize’s remote Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve when one of my travelling companions innocently asked about the brown growth on the side of a gnarled tree. “That’s a termite nest,” said Augusto, our amiable guide. “Is the nest solid?” I inquired.…
Sailing in Belize
Imagine sailing on a private yacht in the Caribbean, where every coral reef and mangrove island is yours alone to enjoy. Where the cook jumps overboard to spear lunch and the captain serves cocktails at dusk. My bucket-list is not that deep. Many destinations have been checked off ✔since I abandoned the working-stiff life a few years ago. But every…
The Slums of Mumbai
It was in the rooftop restaurant of the Intercontinental Hotel in Mumbai, that we first encountered Joe Tourist. He was at the other end of the open-air bistro, ordering sushi. "Hey,"" he shouted across the floor at the flustered waiter, "make that four tuna belly and throw in an extra order of unagi." Ordering sushi in India is ill-advised –…
Delhi and Rajasthan
“India. Are you nuts?” an incredulous friend remarked. “Why would you want to go there? It’s dirty, crowded, smelly and full of stray cows.” So, I was anxious as I stared out the window of the Dreamliner 787 on descent into New Delhi after a 14-hour flight from Vancouver. But Delhi was nowhere to be seen. The worst smog in…
Cozumel
One of life’s great experiences is snorkeling in a warm ocean, peacefully drifting over a coral reef surrounded by colourful tropical fish. And one of earth’s finest snorkel sites is the Island of Cozumel, in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Or at least it was until Hurricane Wilma hit in 2005. The most intense tropical cyclone ever to strike the Atlantic, Wilma…
Riccione and the Tuscan Hills
The Most Serene Republic of San Marino is located in the middle of Italy. At 62 sq. km. it is one of the smallest nations in the world. Although only a few dozen kilometers from Italy’s Adriatic Coast, San Marino’s summit is almost 800 meters above sea level. And crowning this mountainous micro-state is the medieval Fortress of Guaita. My…
From Rome to the Heel of Italy’s Boot
On a lonely country road near Ostuni, in the Province of Puglia - the heel of Italy’s boot – I stopped to photograph a field of poppies in an olive grove. After a few happy snaps I jumped back in the car and motored on. Fifteen minutes later I reached for my daypack and realized in horror that I had…
Spring in Italy – Rome and Puglia
On a lonely country road near Ostuni, in the Province of Puglia - the heel of Italy’s boot – I stopped to photograph a field of poppies in an olive grove. After a few happy snaps I jumped back in the car and motored on. Fifteen minutes later I reached for my daypack and realized in horror that I had…
Quito – Capital on the Equator
When the plane hit the tarmac in Quito I exhaled a sigh of relief. My queasy week at sea in the Galapagos Islands was over. I could finally re-gain my land legs. But Ecuador’s capital is located 2800 metres above sea level, where altitude sickness reigns. So was it out of the frying pan and into the fire? The Plaza…
The Amazon
Sergio Mamallacta is a short, powerfully built man. He bears a strong resemblance to an ex heavyweight boxing champ, so his fellow guides nicknamed him Tyson. He sports the permanent grin of someone who is pretty sure he can wop your ass. But Tyson, like all the Kichwa people we met in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is a gentle person, keenly…
The Galapagos Islands – Take a Picture!
The animals of the Galapagos can only be described as… stupid. During our eight-day circumnavigation of the islands we were constantly stepping over, through and around colonies of iguanas, sea lions, blue-footed boobies and a myriad of other odd creatures. They paid not the least attention to our superior human existence. Silly creatures. But their lack of concern has an…
Panamania
Our dear friends, who recently moved to Victoria from Red Deer, have discovered Panama as a winter haven. Panama boasts first-world amenities but maintains a shade of third-world edginess. Panama frequenters are not rookie snowbirds. They’re seasoned travel vets. Many previously sought out winter refuge in more typical tourist destinations like Florida or Mexico. But this adventurous lot appreciates Panama’s…
Thailand – Then and Now
Nostalgia is a fickle mistress. She lures you into recalling past events through rose-coloured glasses: a miserable all-night bus ride on a treacherous Asian highway is magically transformed by the passage of time into an exhilarating and thrilling adventure; a damp cockroach-ridden beach hut is converted by reminiscence into idyllic oceanside accommodation. When I finished law school in April 1982,…
New Zealand – People and Places
Before visiting New Zealand I knew only one Kiwi. But she has lived in Canada for over twenty years, so Beryl may not count. She has a brother who, in the 1980s, played for the All Blacks, New Zealand’s beloved national rugby team. We are also acquainted with two Canucks, Dick and Marilyn, who live in New Zealand a couple…
New Zealand – An Adrenaline Zone
New Zealand is diverse, unique and spectacular. Glacier-capped mountains shine down on arid valleys speckled with emerald lakes. Giant boulders lay inexplicably stranded on pristine beaches fringed in golden sand. Flightless nocturnal birds screech out from the darkness of primordial forests. I scarcely know where to start. So why not begin with… lawyers, the personal injury kind. There aren’t any.…
New Zealand – Land of the Long White Cloud
In the southern hemisphere February is our August. Late summer. Reports to the contrary, New Zealand is not a small country. It stretches 1500km from the subtropical north, where olive trees bake in the hot sun, to the Antarctic-cooled waters of the south, where penguins march on pebbled beaches. And because Kiwi terrain is crumpled, the going is slow. It…
Bhutan II – Gross National Happiness
I thought Bhutanese the kindest, gentlest folks on earth - until our mountain-sickness medication went missing. Paro’s high altitude had hit me hard and I needed relief. We searched everywhere. Obviously, a hotel employee had rifled our room and stolen the precious pills. (Probably to sell on the black market, I reasoned). Our guide Tsewang, before retiring for the evening,…
Bhutan
On the fourth morning someone finally mentioned weird dreams. Our breakfast conversation erupted, everyone speaking at once. Since arriving we’d all been beset by bizarre, vivid night visions. Not your typical “I can fly” dreams but a netherworld where childhood friends were engaged in odd departure rituals; an octogenarian mother was with child. Even Dale, the non-dreamer, was visited by…
Turks and Caicos – The Road Less Traveled
I once had political aspirations. It was the early 1980s. A federal election was brewing. At the same time a tiny chain of British islands in the Caribbean – the Turks and Caicos - had expressed interest in forming an association with Canada. What a great idea: Canada’s own warm, winter destination. No more currency exchange swindles or fighting with…
Zanzibar
There is something disconcerting about watching a group of well-fed Italian ladies trundle down a white-sand beach in string bikinis while, in the same viewfinder, conservatively dressed Muslim women wade in the sea harvesting clams at low tide. But incongruity is the heart of life in this archipelago off Tanzania's east coast. Zanzibar. The name evokes the exotic: melding fragrances…
The Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda
We'd spent three days with Amon before he talked about the 1994 genocide. A month earlier arrangements had been made via e-mail for him to pick us up at the airport in Kigali, Rwanda's capital. A glitch arose on arrival. We were unaware that a pre-issued visa was mandatory. A plea of ignorance was offered to the stone-faced authorities. They…
The Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda – Part II
Have you ever seen a silverback up close, in the wild? This is a massive, majestic, frighteningly powerful creature; capable of bending a bamboo tree sideway with one arm while casually enjoying the plant's tender shoots with the other. Gorilla terrain is steep and challenging. Rain-forest obstacles (stinging nettles are a rookie treat) await the unwary. While almost human-like in…
A Better World?
My penchant is for sleeping, not humanitarianism. My resume as a seasoned snoozer overwhelms my credentials as helper of fellow man. So why travel halfway 'round the world to the deep corners of tropical Africa, overcome by fatigue and jet lag, into malaria-infested jungle on a fourteen day journey to help the poor and underprivileged? God only knows. But here…
A Better World (Too?)
Africa is a continent of enormous contrast, geographically, politically and economically. While there are some rich, a middle class seems non-existent. But the poor are everywhere; the great majority survive on wages of about $100 a month. Ironically, tourist amenities are frighteningly expensive. Hotels are often $300 a night. Park fees are $60 per person per day. As one of…
London November 4, 2011
Yesterday at London's Natural History Museum we met the brightest human being I have ever encountered. We were enjoying a guided tour in the basement of the Darwin Centre, which stores the world's largest collection of animal specimens. Many of these were collected during Darwin's voyage aboard The Beagle in the 1830's. This bright fellow introduced himself as Cameron Alrich.…
Camping Mexico
The Canadian Government has issued a stern advisory for Canadians travelling overland into Mexico. We are told to excercise a high degree of caution due to a deteriorating security situation in many parts of the country. Non-essential travel is discouraged. “Canadians should avoid crossing Mexico’s northern border by land, as shootouts, attacks, and illegal roadblocks may occur at any time.…
Swift Current, Chihuahua
The Copper Canyon Railway is a remarkable feat of engineering. From El Fuerte in the State of Sinaloa to Creel in Chihuahua the train gains over 7000 feet in elevation, passes through 86 tunnels and traverses innumerable trestles. This 300km journey takes over seven hours – if you take the first class train and pay double, as did we. God…
Montezuma’s Revenge
We have met many wise folk in Mexico. A Canadian lady we lunched with in the fishing town of Teacapan offered the following sage advice: “If you encounter a problem while travelling the byways of Mexico - and you will” she said, “don’t worry. Consider your predicament an opportunity.” So that’s what we did when we both became so sick…
Staring Down an Uzi
On market day we were negotiating our van through the narrow warrens of La Peñita, a busy seaside village near Puerta Vallarta, searching for a rare and coveted parking spot. We spotted a woman and her husband stuffing a piñata and an armful of other cheap trinkets into their van. It sported Alberta plates. I stopped and asked if we…
Kat on a Hot Tin Roof
Teacapan in the State of Sinaloa south of Mazatlan is a quaint fishing village. The place is remote, off the beaten track – actually it is on a beaten track… of dirt. Teacapan’s huge salt-water estuary makes it renowned for bird watching. One can hire a panga - a small fishing boat - for a tranquil glide through mangrove swamps.…
The Hopperettes
Pulled into Mazatlan, I was feeling about half-past dead. Just looking for a place where I could park my va-a-a-n. There was plenty of room at the inn. One lonely rig inhabited a far corner of the RV lot, towered over by adjacent three star all-inclusives. I meandered over and introduced myself to our solitary neighbor. “Hank, from Ohio” is…
Vamanos
I told everyone at home that before making the final decision to cross the Rio Grande (well not actually the Rio Grande; that is further east in Texas, but you get the point) that we’d camp out near the Mexican border and hook up with some like-minded travelers and scope out the situation. That didn’t pan out too well. At…
Tope a Poopooa
Many people put Mexico down saying it is hot, overcrowded, dirty and full of Mexicans. How narrow-minded. Three hours after crossing the border at Nogales, we passed through the community of Hermosillo, Sonora. The temperature was 95ºf, the highway “bypass” went right downtown, all 700,000 residents were jaywalking, and a sewer eruption was spilling effluent a foot deep down the…
The Firefly
The Firefly on the Caribbean island of Mustique is reputed to be the “most exclusive hotel on the most exclusive island” in the world. Tourist charter flights and large jets are not only unwelcome on Mustique but also unable to land. The tiny airstrip facilitates only small aircraft. If you overrun the runway you'll end up in a schoolyard full…