Exploring Yaquina Head Outstanding Area of Natural Beauty
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area extends out from the Oregon coast, one mile into the Pacific Ocean. Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, the lighthouse has been a bright beacon of the night, guiding ships and their supplies along the west coast since the light was first lit on August 20, 1873.
The Devil’s Punchbowl on Oregon’s Central Coast is a collapsed cave where the waves create a roiling churn
The Devil’s Punch Bowl is located between Newport and Depoe Bay on the Oregon coast. This Natural Area is run by the Oregon State Parks and there is a day-use area that is very popular with visitors
Book Review – The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica
A young teenage boy in 1920s New York is determined to set out on the adventure of a lifetime to explore Antarctica. The only problem is he has no skills or experience to qualify him to join the American team scheduled to depart for the frozen continent. So, he decides to stowaway on one of the ships, starting a series of events that would change his life forever.
Book Review – Tracks by Robyn Davidson
When Robyn Davidson arrived in Alice Springs in 1975 she had a crazy plan to journey 1700 miles across the Australian desert with four camels. She knew the journey would be hard but just getting ready to go proved tougher than she expected as she had to overcome misogyny and numerous challenges to her mission’s success.
New Zealand: South Island – Queenstown, Te Anau & Milford Sound
A three-day visit to South Island, starting in adrenalin capital of Queenstown before moving to the more sedate surrounds of Te Anau which we used as a base to visit glow worm caves and the Southern Alps. The highlight of our trip was a boat ride along the incredible fjord of Milford Sound.
California: Death Valley National Park
Some may call us foolish for visiting Death Valley National Park in the summer months, but we really wanted to experience the extreme conditions that are on offer there. It was, of course, hot but you cannot but be impressed by the beauty of the desert at different times of the day.
India: Varanasi – Life along the Ganges River
When planning our trip to India I was determined to visit Varanasi, the holiest of cities for Hindus on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. I had seen countless TV programmes and read many stories about Varanasi but I wanted to see it for myself.
Peru: Cusco – The andean seat of the ancient Incan Kings
Set at 12,000 feet above sea level Cusco, is the ancient capital of the Incas. There is plenty to see in the city itself, from the Cathedral, the cobbled streets and Incan ruins. It is also a great base to explore the Andes, Macchu Pichu and the Sacred Valley.
Utah: Moab – Arches National Park
Arches National Park is just a few short miles from Moab, UT. Here the full forces of nature have taken their full toll on the Navajo sandstone, creating a number of large, spectacular arches in the rocks formations.
Newport, the ‘Capital’ city of Oregon’s Pacific Coast
Newport is the main town on the Oregon coast and home to the largest fishing fleet, with a large working harbour. It has a number of tourist attractions and is a great place to base yourself for exploring the coastline in the area
A few days exploring Depoe Bay, Oregon’s whale watching capital
Depoe Bay is known as the whale watching capital of Oregon due to a large number of migratory grey whales the pass close to the shoreline each year. It is a small community that is a great place to base yourself and explore the coastal towns and beaches in the area.
Hole ‘N’ The Rock was once a unqiue home with a diner attached now it is a tourist attraction
We never miss the chance to check out the weird and unusual on our travels. During our recent visit to Moab in Utah, I discovered closeby was the Hole ‘N’ The Rock that definitely fitted our criteria of ‘weird and unusual’ and luckily despite Covid-19 lockdowns it was open to visitors!
Hanksville – a cool place to check out en route from Capitol Reef to Moab
One of the delights of travelling is discovering something new and unexpected. During our winter trip through Utah, we stumbled across the small remote town of Hanksville which has a couple of local oddities including Carl’s Critter Garden and Hollow Mountain convenience store that are worth a stop. There are also some interesting things to explore in the local desert, including the Mars Research Centre and Goblin Valley State Park.
Five great things to do in a day at Snow Canyon State Park, Utah
Snow Canyon State Park is a 7,400-acre scenic park located within the 62,000 acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve located close to the city of St George in Southern Utah and Zion National Park. The Petrified red rock sand dunes, stunning canyons and an assortment of trails make Snow Canyon State Park an ideal destination for a day
Wyoming: 11 great things to do in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park’s 3,468.4 square miles is made mountains, canyons, rivers and lakes. It was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. It was the first National Park in the United States and probably the first in the World!
A brief stop to check out where an infamous outlaw was raised
Butch Cassidy worked hard to help provide for his family as a teenager on this homestead. It was the last place he lived with his…
A reading list of Adventure Books to take with you on your travels
If you like reading books about travel and adventure here is my list of recommendations As a traveller, I find that there is plenty of…
A day exploring Capitol Reef National Park, a quieter alternative to the other Utah National Parks
Even considering Utah’s many impressive national parks and monuments, it is difficult to rival Capitol Reef National Park’s sense of expansiveness, of broad, sweeping vistas, of a tortured, twisted, seemingly endless landscape, or of limitless sky and desert rock. While Bryce and Zion are like encapsulated little fantasy lands of coloured stone and soaring cliffs, the less-visited Capitol Reef is almost like a planet unto itself. Here you get a real feel for what the earth might have been like before life appeared when nothing existed but earth and sky.
Oregon: A visit to Cannon Beach, an iconic Oregon coastal town
Cannon Beach is the iconic Pacific coast beach with glorious sandy beaches and impressive sea rocks. It also has a delightful town to spend time…
A day itinerary for Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Bryce Canyon is one of the ‘Big 5’ National Parks in Utah. The main draw of the park is the Bryce Amphitheatre that has the highest density of hoodoos (spire-like rock formations) in the World. These hoodoos have been carved from the red sandstone over the millennia by the weather.
Utah: Zion National Park, the jewel in the crown of Utah parks
We’d not heard much about Zion National Park before visiting. It is an amazing place, with a stunning red rock canyon, huge rocks walls, waterfalls and some amazing trails to explore. It is a place we want to keep coming back to.
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