The Turquoise Coast? I know…it sounds like the ultimate tourist cliché. In reality, Turkey’s southwestern coastline is just that—a dazzling blend of ocean and sky in a vibrant turquoise palette. It’s staggeringly picturesque! Come experience it with me both by sea and by land…
Read morePLUCKED FROM A FAIRY TALE
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s us…floating over Cappadocia!
Cappadocia’s bizarre wonderland of Fairy Chimneys and honeycombed hills blew me away. And its human history matches the fantastical scenery. Centuries ago, the original inhabitants of these valleys hollowed homes, sacred sites—even entire underground cities—out of the region’s soft volcanic stone…
Read moreGETTING NAKED WITH STRANGERS IN ISTANBUL
“Go for a hammam,” my girlfriend said. “You won’t need to shave your legs for the rest of your trip!” Experiencing an authentic Turkish Bath (or Hammam) can be a little intimidating if you don’t know what to expect – but I’ve got you covered with this first-time guide to the Turkish Hammam!
Read moreTHE POWER OF AWE
The Sahara Desert
Have you ever had a moment? For me, it’s an otherworldly feeling and happens only rarely when a sight so transcends my normal, I can’t help but gaze with awe and wonder. Well, I had one of those in the Sahara Desert!
Read moreMOROCCO UNVEILED
My little, photogenic friend in the medina of Chefchaouen, the “Blue City”
Salam Alekum, welcome back to Morocco! Come mes amis, delve deep into the alleyways of spice-scented souks, loose yourselves in the star-studded Sahara skies and experience the share-worthy wonders of this exotic kingdom with me….
Read moreROCKIN' THE KASBAH!
The grand kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, unchanged since the 11th century…
Morocco, a kaleidoscope of colours, cultures and mind-twisting contrasts! This North African country lies across the Strait of Gibraltar, only thirteen kilometers from the southern coast of Spain, but trust me - it’s a world away.
Read moreAHH, ANDALUCÍA!
It’s the Spain of everyone’s dreams: groves of shimmering olive trees; the scent of bougainvillea; the swish of fiery flamenco dresses; ancient mosques next to Moorish palaces; and white-washed villages perched atop distant craggy hills. Andalucía…
Read more"AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH”
I beg to differ. Italy’s answer to the Alps was certainly high enough for our group of twelve friends.
For one week we trudged kilometers up ever-ascending trails full of twists and whip-lash turns…
Read moreCYCLONES & SUNSHINE: CYCLING THE WEST COAST!
"Gidday, mates. How ya’ going? Straight up, we’re knackered! Just cycled the Coast, sweet as! Beaut of a ride…took nine days. We almost got buggered by Cyclone Gita...
Read moreINTO THE WILD & WET
Remote and rugged, magical Milford knocked our hiking socks off. I understand now why it is one of New Zealand's nine Great Walks, routinely touted as “the finest walk in the world” and has UNESCO World Heritage status.
Read moreSHE'LL BE 'RIGHT, MATE!
Meadows, mountains, glaciers, geysers, fiords, forests, volcanos and 15,000 km of stunning coastline. Beauty is served up raw in New Zealand. No part of this country is more than 128 km from the sea.
Read morePONDERING THE PRICE OF WAR
Wave upon continuous wave of troops stormed the coast of France at the crack of dawn on June 6th, 1944, a day known in history as D-Day (or Jour J to the French). They braved everything from heavy seas, machine gun fire, mines and grenades, to clamber ashore and fight their way inland. . .
Read moreNORWAY, A NATURAL DRAMA QUEEN!
Simply stated, coastal Norway is stunning. There is something mystical - even spiritual - about the fjords as they plunge deep into the interior through mountain walls towering close to two-kilometres above the sea . . .
Read morePEDALLING THROUGH THE PETALS...
Pedalling through the petals, an experience much like tip-toeing through the tulips but on big-ass bikes weighing at least forty pounds. An umbrella and a basket of blooms out front and voilà, we would have passed for a peloton of Mary Poppins!
Read moreTHE KING OF CHEESES!
When he proclaimed, “Cheese – milk’s leap toward immortality,” American writer and media personality, Clifton Fadiman must have been referring to France’s iconic Roquefort. Cholesterol, salt and fat be damned...
Read moreEMBRACING THE DETOURS IN GORGE-OUS VERDON
The Gorges du Verdon is France’s answer to the Grand Canyon! Like a giant saw, the rushing blue-green waters of the Verdon River have cut and carved a jagged limestone gash in the Provençal landscape. The largest canyon in Europe, it’s vast. . .
Read moreHIKING, BIKING & HEAVENLY HILLTOWNS!
Entrechaux: Yet another beautiful village of the Côtes du Rhône
“Carpe diem"....Latin words to live by! Usually translated as “Seize the day”, the Roman poet, Horace, exhibited the gift of insight when he penned that phrase. It just happens to be carved in the cornerstone of the rock manor-house we are renting...
Read moreWHEN IN "RHÔNE"...
In our continuing quest to experience as much of France as possible in our year “Away, eh!”, we’ve moved! We’re now living in the village of Vaison la Romaine, about 140 kilometers north of coastal Marseille. It’s perfectly Provençal and in Côtes du Rhône Country, a region famous for its namesake wines.
Read moreFAIRYTALE VILLAGE & TEMPLAR TALE
Entering through the north gate, the watch tower thrusts defiantly upward, daring dark forces to attack. The first images I see are the primitive Templar castle and the solid, square bell tower of the adjacent church...
Read moreHAPPINESS IS A ROAD TRIP!
Bonne Année, mes amis, or perhaps more appropriately I should be wishing you a Fantastique Février! I know...we’re already pushing into the second month of 2017, yet...
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