Author: Justin

Death Valley Superbloom

Death Valley Superbloom

Last October a huge storm swept through Death Valley National Park. The driest desert in North America suddenly became one of the wettest places, receiving nearly its average annual rainfall in just a few hours. A flash flood erupted out of the mountains, ripping up roads and nearly destroying a heritage castle built back in the days when mining was the only reason most people visited this area. A few months later all that water has had a much more pleasant impact on the landscape: flowers. Lots and lots of them, more flowers than this arid valley has seen in the last decade. That’s why I finally decided to visit.
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Three Foggy Days in Hong Kong

On my way back home from a very fulfilling trip, I had a short stopover in Hong Kong. The weather was dreary. Not cold but not warm either and foggy enough to obscure most of the skyline for which the city is famous. The grey sky took nothing away from the fantastic food and colourful street scenes, however. I decided to leave my camera packed away while I snapped random photos with my smartphone. The results were rather mixed but I’m quite happy with the more candid perspective that it seemed to give me.
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Seven Continents of Travel

Seven Continents of Travel

I’ve just returned home from a very significant trip in my life of travels. Fourteen years ago I began exploring the world beyond the borders of my own country, always seeking to experience new places and cultures. This trip marks a major milestone – I’ve now visited all seven continents! I’m super excited to have finally set foot on every major landmass in the world.
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What does $2 get you on the streets of Bali?

What does $2 get you on the streets of Bali?

Bali has a reputation for being a tourist trap packed with Australian holiday-makers. There are parts of the island (or group of islands, really) where that’s certainly true. If you take some time to dig a little deeper, you’ll discover there’s another, more authentic side to this tropical wonderland. Of course, I’m talking about the food. I sat down at an unassuming stall along a busy nondescript road and ordered the first dish you should try anywhere in Indonesia – Nasi Goreng. Literally “fried rice”, this is like ordering pad thai at a Thai restaurant or spaghetti in Italy. It’s a test of the cook and how well they do this dish will either whet your appetite for more or tell you it’s best to try somewhere else. It’s usually good, sometimes very good. It’s also fast and cheap.
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100 Scuba Dives

100 Scuba Dives

I’ve just completed my 100th scuba dive! I got into scuba four years ago on a trip to Cuba and I’ve been lucky enough to explore the underwater world in some fantastic places since. Learning to dive was a big challenge for me. I’ve always felt a little uneasy around water, having grown up in a landlocked city where the only lakes and rivers are freezing cold. I remember how nervous I was the first time I strapped on all that complicated scuba gear and sunk below the surface of the water. Something inside of you yells out “but I can’t breathe under water!”. It’s a real leap of faith to suppress that sense of panic. Once I started to overcome it, I began to love diving. There’s a real sense of freedom that comes with floating weightlessly. The marine world is so vibrant and distinct from what we see in our everyday lives.
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Lava Trees

Lava Trees

Australia’s rugged southern coastline and Idaho’s volcanic desert: you couldn’t find two more different places. Or could you?

When I visited Cape Bridgewater’s Petrified Forest along Australia’s Great Ocean Road last week, I couldn’t help but think back to Craters of the Moon in Idaho. Even though they’re thousands of miles apart, both share a strangely similar volcanic landscape. What’s most striking are the lava trees.
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Australia’s Great Ocean Road

Australia’s Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road stretches for 250 km along Australia’s rugged southern coast. Built by soldiers returning from World War I and dedicated to their fallen comrades, it’s the world’s largest war memorial. It also has some of the best scenery in all of Australia. After having such a good time cycling in Tasmania, I was keen to tackle the tight turns and steep climbs of the Great Ocean Road but I hadn’t counted on the intense traffic (thousands of tourists came during Chinese New Year). After my first day, I decided to leave the bike behind and simply enjoy this stunning place as a road trip.
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