Alarm went off at 6, you know that we do not really relax on vacation, we are pretty much up and going everyday around 6. The bed a bit soft and the memory foam made it a bit warm, but the ocean breeze in the room all night since we left the windows all slightly cracked. Tarragon slept well, until 4, then it was time to prowl. I think he was talking to the house cat under the door of our room.
To Read on...
Airlie Beach lies in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, and consequently, its marketing slogan is The Heart of the Reef, which is also a reference to the nearby heart shaped coral cay that is Instagram famous. The Whitsunday Islands are located just offshore from Airlie Beach and its sister town, Shute Harbour, with the most recognizable being Hook Island, Hamilton Island and Whitsunday Island. Read on...
My next camp location was in the Carson National Forest in New Mexico. I do not like driving the USA Interstate Highways, so I drove North Of Flagstaff, Arizona to US Hwy 160 in the Navajo Nation. This is an unique area with interesting rock formations, and Native American ruins and rock art. (Maybe next summer I will contact the Navajo Nation to get information about the areas open to the public, Read on...
The Kiwi House at Otorohanga is popular, particularly with overseas visitors, because of the opportunity to see kiwi. But for me, the best thing about visiting the Kiwi House is being able to see tuatara.
For those who arent familiar with our tuatara, they are reptiles which look lizards. However, they are the last members of the order Rhynchocephalia and are endemic to NZ. They predate the dinos Read on...
I mentioned yesterday that the sun was missing and only just visible through thick cloud. I didnt say that the cloud was oddly coloured.
When we woke we found out what that colour was. Sandy. So sandy we could barely see through the motorhome windows as it rained in the night, not enough, but sufficient to deposit a good coating of Saharan sand all over everywhere. This was the same sandstorm whi Read on...
Among the earliest settlers in the Lynden area was a family farm homesteaded in 1883 by Hans Berthusen and Lida In 1944, the entire Berthusen homestead was given to the people of the city of Lynden. It is now a beautiful city park with walking trails, a camping area, historical buildings and markers, and some amazing vintage equipment from the early days of the farm.
We were fortunate to be able Read on...
I need to get up early to try to repack my entire belongings into 1 manageable pack from which to work from for this next chapter of the trip- it takes an hour to create order from the explosion of my stuff from yesterday. Head down the stairs for an early breakfast- it is too early for Marians so sit in the garden for a bit until the kitchen guy is organised. Eggs, coffee, yoghurt, muselei, chees Read on...
(Day 112 on the road) The area south of Medellin is coffee country. My flight from Cartagena put me right in the thick of it, in the city of Pereira. And thus I spent the next few weeks exploring the region, starting with some beautiful hot springs near the village of Santa Rosa de Cabal, before moving on to the hot springs near Manizales. Now, Manizales is one of those Colombias cities which mos Read on...
We have decided that Manchester Airport is the pits! We queued to check in baggage with emirates (1 hour 20 mins) , then we queued to go through security - 3 lines open (1hour 10 mins) 😩- then when we thought we might be late for the flight, the flight was delayed so we waited in a soulless room then finally waited for zone F to board - it was last.. 😡
Ok flight, we watched House of Gucci i Read on...
Lee Chapel. Washington and Lee University. Brick chapel built in 1867 on the campus of College. Renamed University Chapel in 2021. National Register of Historic Places 66000914 DSC_0028
The wedding of our niece (Susans brothers daughter) took us to Lexington, Virginia. We arrived the day before so as to have plenty of time to explore the town. This was our first time staying in an Airbnb. The ho Read on...