All in Travel / Adventure
“At the end of the road westward out of Sesreim is a stunning and magnificent experience in the area called Sossusvlei... It’s a chance to witness the grandeur of the world’s oldest desert, the Namib, and its dunes, which are among the largest in the world. The sand is red due to abundant levels of iron oxide, and is reportedly five million years old.”
“After a few days in Windhoek… my friend and guide, Ian Brown and I set off again. The first stop: Etosha National Park. Established in 1907, it is Namibia’s second-largest wildlife park. All the super-cool African wild animals are there. I asked if we might see a honey badger, as I’d dearly love that, but sadly, it was not to be.”
“It was a nice mid-winter day in July when my friend Steeve and I set out from Namibia’s capital city of Windhoek with our exceptional guide, Ian Brown. This meant the temperatures were nicely tolerable, instead of the extreme swelter of summer. The week ahead would take us around the southern half of the driest sub-Saharan country in Africa, where most areas get less than 2" of rain per year.”
“…I have always admired Queen Elizabeth II. Say what you want about the monarchy, the woman herself was truly special. Her reign of seventy-plus years included giving birth to four children while (oh by the way) serving an Empire. Time and world events pressed in constantly, but somehow she maintained steady, reliable composure in the face of innumerable governmental, personal and social conflicts. Impressive.”
“The idea of visiting Norway tantalized me for years. In May 2022, my ticket finally got punched to spend two weeks in Svalbard, and then two weeks hiking with a group of new friends on the Norwegian mainland. What better way to see such a beautiful place than to put your feet on the ground.”
I had never heard of the Lofoten Islands until I read this: “Take in the magnificent archipelago within the Arctic Circle, with its jagged peaks, sheltered bays of bright blue water, white sand beaches, and windswept grasslands.” A visit there was being pitched as “the grand finale” of an itinerary to Norway. Of course, I was immediately intrigued.
“It has been a year of unleashed wanderlust, after the restraints of the Covid era. I thank my good fortune plus the ability to spend my time as I see fit (even though I am not retired!) plus that all-important ingredient: gumption. These are what enable my adventures out into the world.”
“July 14, 2022: Please don’t do it. My fingers fumble on the mini-keyboard of my cell phone, trying to input the required information, but it is not going well. Sandeep is trying to help me. He’s a nice man, but he will have to close the jetway door in five minutes. I urge silently, please don’t do it, Sandeep. Please! Please!”
“For two years (thank you, Covid), reservations for a three-night stay in Norway’s second-largest city lingered, awaiting my eventual arrival. At last! The opportunity came and I grabbed it. I’ll just put it out there: I fell in love with Bergen.”
“Known for having more snow machines (snowmobiles) than automobiles, Svalbard’s capital town of Longyearbyen (pop. 2400 in 2019) is at the latitude of 78 degrees North, making it the northernmost community of greater than 1,000 inhabitants in the world…”
“We went to Nazaré at the suggestion of my longtime friend and master trip organizer, Linda. Our group of six had just completed our main objective and rode the bus two hours north of Lisbon to Nazaré for a couple of days of relaxation before leaving this delightful nation. I was wowed.”
“You know: Odeceixe. Portugal. No, I’d never heard of it, either, until my friend Linda made me walk there for the final leg of our four days on the Fishermen’s Trail… The cool thing about Odeceixe is the way its unusual name reminds me how much there is I do not know about this world.”
“Our primary goal in Portugal in April was to trek 76km (47miles) along the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean along the famous Fishermen’s Trail… The easy two hour ride south from Lisbon took us to the quiet seaside resort town of Porto Covo, where our walk began.”
“With my attention on the long walk we had ahead, I entered Lisboa, as the locals call it, a bit haphazardly… My delightful but too-brief introduction to this captivating city will surely draw me back someday. Situated on seven hills (as so many famous cities are), Lisboa is chock full of interesting history, beautiful sights, and welcoming people.”
“Travel” implies movement, going from one place to another. I am always mindful of my good fortune to have the health and gumption and ability to go. It’s not quite the same as a holiday or vacation trip. To me, travel is about duration and distance, the farther and longer the better.”
“Over the years, I have driven ambulances and fire trucks, and hauled lots of fully-packed horse trailers. I can go forward or backward, no problem… Lately, I have realized that driving has been sort of a life coach. That is, the many lessons of the road can and do often inform my approach to various situations that life throws at me. Driving on ice is one of the best teachers.”
“Weary of the stay-at-home routine of the past almost two years, my traveling shoes recently begged for a little adventure. The clamor for something to do got loud enough that I finally yielded and packed them and a weekender bag. I decided to check out the northern Michigan area near the town of Petoskey. A good book on tape made the 190-mile drive feel brief.”
“I have always loved flying… There’s something magical about gazing out dreamily, letting the landscape below serve as a motion-picture screen of terrain and geography. I muse about the people down there. Who are they? Are they happy? How are they doing in these times?”
“Elephant Nature Park, 60km outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand, is populated by many elephants with stories of abuse and neglect. This remarkable place was founded in the early 1990s by Lek Chaillert, a visionary woman who set out to change long-standing use (and misuse) of these majestic animals.”
“Far-away places seem ever so much more so lately...but let’s go to the Weddell Sea anyway. It’s an historical Sea, often trapping explorers and thwarting expeditions… As part of the icy world cupping the southernmost extent of the planet, the Weddell Sea is about as far away from our COVID world as a person can get.”
