Every journey has to have an ending. This long journey would end in South Africa. However, there was still a lot to see and do before that moment. First we had to get through our final camping experience. We woke up early the next morning, as we did most mornings, as we wanted to get into the Namib NaukLuft National Park as soon as the gate opened. It was still dark when we woke up, and the night sky was…
Continue Reading “Final Days Down to South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope”
Whenever people travel, they always have some kind of expectations about their time on the road. Maybe they’re hoping for some rest and relaxation. Perhaps they are looking forward to some new and interesting experiences. Sometimes as people travel there are certain activities that just seem to be a necessary activity to participate in or experience. These may not be something that excites them, but when they get back home they know people will ask about it so they just…
Continue Reading “Travel Experiences that were Better Than Expected”
My daughter Andrea has been an avid traveler for some time. I have referred to her on numerous occasions. She has traveled with my wife and me to Spain & Portugal, Ireland, New England, Taiwan, Hawaii, and most recently Alaska. She is a second grade teacher living near San Jose so her summers have given her the opportunity to travel. I tell you this because this series is about our first father/daughter trip that we have taken. Last spring the…
Continue Reading “Iceland Interlude: Amazing Geologic Wonders”
Thursday we were ready to travel north again to Hanalei. After being thwarted on Tuesday, we now knew when the highway would be open. We had everything timed out, and we were ready to go. Our first stop of the day was the Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens (Lands by the Sea). Like many gardens, this one began as a private garden. Joyce and Ed Doty moved to Kauai in the late 1970’s and began to create a garden. As…
Continue Reading “Enjoying a Garden, a Lighthouse, and Hanalei Beach”
Long Beach, Washington claims their 28 miles long beach is the longest beach in the United States. That makes it a good place to visit because in reality Washington does not have the greatest of beaches. Those in California and Oregon are generally better than Washington’s. Part of that is because a major part of Washington’s coast line is in the Puget Sound region. Here you don’t normally get the crashing waves one thinks of when going to the beach.…
Continue Reading “Discovering Washington’s Record Setting Beach, Long Beach”
Our second full day in Melbourne was the day of the Grand Final, but we had other plans. We started with a visit to the well know Victoria Market. For us it was a stop on our tram ride to the city so an easy stop. We planned to eat breakfast there. Later we would continue our tram ride out to the beach community of St. Kilda and see the St. Kilda penguins. To begin our day, however, we needed…
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When you think of international travel, what places come to mind? Caribbean countries and Europe probably come to mind most readily. However, there are many places to travel which will not have the hordes of tourists you might find in some of these places. May I suggest Taiwan as one such place. In 1971 when I toured around the world, Taiwan was one of the places we visited so last year when my daughter suggested my wife and I meet…
Continue Reading “Noodles, Art, and Sand, Discovering Kaohsiung, Taiwan”
When most people think of Washington, they think of Seattle, the Space Needle, and Mt. Rainier. Washington is far more than that, however. The Cascade Mountains divide the state into two distinctive regions. To the west is the rainy, cloudy region that most people associate with Washington. To the east one finds a much drier area which is hotter in the summer and often colder in the winter. Through this eastern region flows the mighty Columbia River. In the southern…
Continue Reading “Discovering Washington’s Dry Side: Tri-Cities”
