Tagged With: unique nature
South Island’s west coast, New Zealand
There were two reasons why I loved the South Island as much as I did: it's basically one huge playground in terms of outdoor fun and I got to share it all with my three steady travel companions, Angela, Corentin, and Guillaume. Queen Charlotte Trek Hiking and camping 71 kilometers in only mildy rainy … Continue reading
Routeburn Track, New Zealand
The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks, a series of popular multi-day hikes which require hut or campsite reservations booked well in advance. Several months ago, I booked my December dates to do the 3 day Routeburn hike but ultimately had to cancel when I realized I would have had to race … Continue reading
Fox Glacier, New Zealand
Just down the road from Franz Josef is the Fox Glacier where I spent a day walking on the glacier with my three travel buddies. Our first view of the glacier. Crampons! The walk wasn't strenuous but it was beautiful. There were lots of features in the glacier to check out. … Continue reading
Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
One of New Zealand’s big attractions is the south island’s Franz Josef Glacier. If you’ve got several hundred dollars, you can take a helicopter to the glacier and walk around on it. Or, if you’re like me and my three travelmates and on a budget, the alternative is to walk to the lookout about 500 … Continue reading
Wadi Rum, Jordan
I love the desert. I always have. The desert holds mysteries and secrets. Some people think mountains do, but I don't. I think mountains are gorgeous and impressive and I respect them and love the peace I feel when I'm hiking, but there are no great secrets to be revealed in the mountains. I grew … Continue reading
Petra, Jordan: day 2
For our second and final day at Petra, Chris and I were joined by Amber, a Dutch backpacker we met at our hostel. There's only one way in so we passed the Treasury once more. Because we arrived just as Petra opened, we had the Impressive building all to ourselves. We investigated a few … Continue reading
Petra, Jordan: day 1
Of all the places I've ever been, Petra easily earned a spot in my top 10. I spent 2 days here and could have happily spent the rest of the week exploring the rocks and caves. The oldest of the buildings were carved over 2,000 years ago by the Nabataens. The city is a series … Continue reading
Madaba, Mount Nebo, & the Dead Sea, Jordan
Back in June, I spent a week traveling through Jordan and I didn’t have time to post about my trip until just now. Just outside of the capital is Madaba, a small city with a long history. At the end of the 19th century, a 6th century mosaic map of the Middle East was uncovered … Continue reading
4 minute guide to Malta
I'd like to deviate from the Tour de France for a minute (actually, 4!). I'm starting to put together a series of 4 minute guides to some of my favorite places, so I hope you enjoy this one on Malta! Don't worry, there will be more Tour postings to come!
Comino & Gozo, Malta
By far the smallest of Malta's 3 islands, Comino is just 3.5 square kilometers. What it lacks in permanent residents (the number varies between 1 and 3 depending on your source), it more than makes up for with hotel guests and day trippers when the sun is shining. The island is reachable with a quick … Continue reading