Chapelle de l'Hospitalet Mr, Mrs & Dog

Two weeks of delight in May of 2023 when I joined Road Scholar [my second and counting] to explore Southern France. Beginning in Bordeau we visited many wineries, then to beautiful Sarlat (my favorate) where we explored the Rouffignac Cave, then to Rocamadour to explore the deep natural chasm of Gouffre de Padirac, and lastly to Toulouse where we admired the post-impressionism of Toulouse-Lautrec. View my annotated photo album.

Soprano Singer Villa Belza

In May of 2023, before joining Road Scholar in southern France, I visited New York City for theater & museums, and then hopped over the big ditch to the delightful French seaside community of Barritz. For a few days I explored miles of coastline enjoying fabulous views of the ocean tideline, I visited museums, and I dined on marvelous French cuisine. A most exceptional way to relax. View my annotated photo album.

Church of Saint Francis of Assisi Lama Monachile Beach

In May of 2022 I joined Road Scholar for a visit to Southern Italy. It was a brilliant holiday after a 2 year respite from Covid. The cuisine was absolutely stupendous as we ravished local varieties of Italian cooking that were each an orgasmic delight and uncommon at home in the States. Our small group of 18 visited 24 cities from Bari (along the Ionian Sea) south to Reggio Calabria (near the channel to Sicily). View my annotated photo album.

Court Lady Gazebo at West Lake

In October of 2019 I explored China with the Sierra Club for 3 weeks visiting national parks from Shanghai to Beijing. I hiked everywhere and enjoyed stupendous real Chinese food. In Shanghai, on the Bund, I rollicked on China's 70th birthday with scads of others jammed curb-to-curb. I visited the Yellow Mountains, the Memorial Archway, the Great Wall, Suzhou aka Venice of the Orient, the Forbidden City, and much more. View my annotated photo album.

Lana Folklife Museum Ninh Binh NP

In November of 2019, after my China visit, I traveled to Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore. In Vietnam I cruised Halong Bay and then roamed Ninh Binh NP by rowboat and bicycle exploring caves, bird sanctuaries, monuments, and more. In Thailand I visited Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Bangkok, most remembering Doi Inthanon NP and a thrilling elephant ride. Singapore brought modern sights and friendly food. View my photo album.

Cittadella Malta San Michele Church, Sardinia

In June of 2018 I traveled to Malta for 1 week and then to Sardinia for 2. Malta was fine, but Sardinia was great. While in Malta I visited both its main island and smaller Gozo. In Sardinia I traveled from the far north at Porto Torres to Sassari, Alghero, Bosa, Tinnura for its stupendous murals, Oristano, and Cagliari. Along the way I viewed historic sites, museums, and lots of art, and dined spectacularly on the best food anywhere. View my annotated photo album.

Street Art of Mazara del Vallo St Mary's of the Stairs, Ragusa

In May of 2018 I joined a small group with OAT to Sicily - from Palermo to Catania. Along the way we visited Mazara del Vallo, a city landscaped with hundreds of storied ceramic tiles; Valley of the Temples, a place with numerous Doric style temples; Villa Romana del Casale, a 4th century Roman villa; Raced the narrow streets of Ragusa in classic Fiat 500s; visited the Greek theater of Taormina, and conquered Mount Etna. View my photo album.

Grey Bamboo Lemur Sakalava Weaver

Utter madness - dust, heat, humidity, famously rutted roads, and more - things I survived while enjoying the wonderful and exotic nature of Madagascar. It's a place of the adorable: Lemurs and geckos and chameleons and frogs and birds and fun bugs, but I won't mention the not-so-fun bugs. Everywhere I journeyed the always smiling Malagasy people were a delight. In November 2013 I traveled with a small group for 3+ weeks of sublime madness. View my photos.

Woolly Mule Ears

We celebrated the 4th of July in high (9000 feet altitude) style by walking the PCT above Carson Pass, soaking in Grover Hot Springs, and dining at Markleeville's Stonefly. View my annotated photo album.

Violet Clay Mariposa Lily

A fine road trip in June of 2016 along the Sierra Scenic Byway near Yosemite. 100 miles of back roads, lovely wildflowers, beautiful glacier valleys, the Nelder Grove Giant Sequoia Redwoods, and more. Enjoy my annotated photo album.

Columbine Mariposa Gunnisonii Lily

In July of 2014 I spent a week at Crested Butte, Colorado, with a group of friends where the countryside is carpeted for as far as the eye can see in floral excellence. During the days we walked the diverse wildflower landscape taking in the floral bouquet in the thin air often at 11K feet. Late afternoons we relaxed in a soothing hot tub, then in the evening we dined at one of the many fine restaurants nearby. Enjoy the flowers of my photo album.

Blackhead Point Roseland Heritage Coast

It was as good as it gets, walking bits and pieces, 80 miles, of the Cornwall Coast from Land's End (most western locale in England) to Lizard Point (most southern) to Plymouth. Exquisite coastline, lovely port towns, fine B&Bs, superb locally caught seafood and succulent lamb, fabulous cast beer, all with occasional fits of fickle weather. Read my report to plan your walk, view my pictures, download a comprehensive set of GPS waypoints.

Saint Michael & All Angels Church Broadway

A 100 mile walk of England's Cotswold Way from Chipping Campden to Bath. A fine walk with wonderful history and monuments, many golf courses, and an outrageous scarecrow festival. Read my report to plan your walk, view my pictures, download a comprehensive set of GPS waypoints.

Fruited Plain Thatched Roof Cottage

A 100 mile walk of England's South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne. With a rhythm of morning rambles, the afternoons morphed into sightseeing dazzles to such places as Brighton, Lewes, Arundale, Chichester, and the like before dining and slumbering at fine hovels. Read my report to plan your own walk, view my pictures, download a comprehensive set of GPS waypoints for the route.

Richmond Castle Waypost Medallion North Sea Cliffs

A wonderful walk, 190 miles across the north of England from St. Bees by the Irish Sea to Robin Hood's Bay by the North Sea. Along the way I delighted in the grand scenery of 3 national parks: Lake District NP, Yorkshire Dales NP, and North York Moors NP. I experienced millenniums of history, lovely inns, stupendous beer, great food, lots of local colour, and the making of new friends. In 2010 I walked the entire route, while in 2016 I returned to walk 110+ miles from Grasmere to high atop the North York Moors. Read my reports from 2016 and 2010 to plan your own walk, view my photos from 2016 and 2010, download a comprehensive set of GPS waypoints of the route.

Robin Hoods Bay

A 110 mile walk circling the North York Moors NP. The best was the day's walk to Clay Bank Top and the many days walking along the North Sea coast especially Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Robin Hoods Bay. View my photos.

Elephant Crowned Crane

A trip of a lifetime. In February of 2010 I was in Tanzania viewing nature's absolute best of unrivaled wildlife on a safari with Footloose Forays. We observed the great migration, witnessed births of wildebeest and zebra, viewed big cats of lions, cheetahs, and leopards, saw giraffes, rhinoceros, gazelles, baboons, monkeys, elephants, numerous and often exotic birds, and much more. Enjoy the photos and story.

Colorado River Apache Plume

It started in 2008 rafting with AzRA through the Grand Canyon, I had to return to view the Spring bloom. So in April 2009 I tramped 4 days in the Canyon and got hooked. The following year in May 2010 I returned for 6 more days to explore the Canyon paradise, a year when kind Winter rains brought the Canyon alive with lush desert blooms. Enjoy my 2010 Photo Report and/or my 2010 Photo Album and/or my 2009 Photo Album.

Colorado River Little Colorado Dory

September 2008 was my first 14-day, 226 mile, raft trip through the Grand Canyon. Then I never thought I'd float the Colorado River again, but the thrill remained. So after hiking the canyon by foot in 2009 and 2010 I joined AzRA for two more adventures on the water in May 2016 and May 2019. All 3 river trips were exciting, had fabulous food, great river companions, the best guides, and the never to be forgotten rapids of Lava Falls. During my third raft adventure I explored more side canyons than in the previous two, and was graced with guitar music from the guides. View my 2019 and 2016 and 2008 photo albums.

Puffin Bárður Snæfellsás Dynjandi Waterfall

Made from fire and ice, Iceland is a place to enjoy nature's diverse rhythms. Birds from around the world fly here for summer breeding: Sea birds for abundant fish, land birds for rich meadows and wild rivers, and water birds for a myriad of lakes and fjords. Although 10th century Vikings were birds of a different feather, nonetheless they followed this lead for its summer abundance.

In July 2008 I traveled to Iceland to take in the long summer days, a 3 week holiday. The first half I joined REI to hike and tour the south coast. The second half, with solo travel via West Tours, to play photographer and view birds in the Westfjords.

While in Iceland I enjoyed the stellar panoramic views atop Kristinartindar, striking multi-colored landscape at Landmannalaugar, a plethora of waterfalls, the dichotomies of lava and glaciers, hot spring soaking, wonderful bird sightings especially at the Látrabjarg Cliffs, and maybe best of all was the superb food particularly if you appreciate fish and lamb as I do.

Share my fun, read & view my adventure and search the links of activities I found best.

Paradise Tanager Slender-footed Tyrannulet

Birds, birds, birds, birds, also butterflies, monkeys, snakes, piranhas, arachnids, and tolerable bugs. In June of 2011 I returned to Ecuador for my 2nd visit to the Galapagos and my 1st visit to the Rain Forest. Blessed with cooperative Rain Forest weather [it rained only during my down time] I viewed wildlife in the raw. Staying at La Selva Lodge, I was teamed with a stupendous naturalist. View the photo album of my combined Galapagos and Rain Forest holiday.

Nazca Booby Chick Galapagos Tortoise Red-footed Booby

Perfectly located on the equator and 700 miles west of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands achieve their rarity by this remoteness and by being situated in the ocean doldrums that literally feed them. These doldrums are the combination of northerly clockwise and southerly counter-clockwise ocean currents that merge at the equator to allow abundant food to drift through.

For the three centuries since their discovery in 1535 there was little interest in these islands. Then between 1811-1844 a near wholesale taking of giant tortoises occurred. But in general the islands were left alone and its fauna never learned to fear man.

Now the islands are a place of world renown tourism. The only way to view the islands is by yacht. In May of 2007 I spent 15 days aboard the Tip Top IV with Galapagos Travel and in June of 2011 I spent another 11 days plus 5 days to the Ecuador Rain Forest. View the 2007 photo album or 2011 photo album of my holidays.

Marble Mountain Wilderness

One of my favorite places, so in July 2009 I journeyed to the Marble's NE corner to Little Elk Lake for a 3 day outing. View the photos and read the report of the adventure.

Emigrant Wilderness

I finally made it to Karls Lake in Emigrant Wilderness, when last tried I got pleasantly lost. View the photos of my five day tramp, read the report of the adventure.