Category: travel

Off the beaten track in the Grand Canyon

Off the beaten track in the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is the second most visited national park in the US. Five million people come here every year to catch a glimpse of the iconic mile-deep tear in the earth. You’d think, then, that this would be a pretty busy place for someone who likes to explore remote corners of the earth. Yes, it is crowded, but drop down into the canyon, turn off the main trails and you’ll be all on your own. That’s all it takes – from millions of people to none in just a few short miles.

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6 of the Greatest Travel Adventures To Try

My favorite part of travel is discovering new places and having an adventure. Some people like relaxing on the beach or taking a cruise but I’d rather be hiking over a snowy mountain pass, visiting an incense-filled monastery, or cycling through charming little Italian villages. Here are six great travel adventures on my bucket-list.
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Chengdu – Home of Mouth-Numbing Sichuan Pepper

Chengdu – Home of Mouth-Numbing Sichuan Pepper

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan, that region of China famous for its spicy food. Chillies are a vital ingredient in almost every dish but what’s not well known is that chili peppers originated in South America – not Asia – and have only been part of Sichuan cooking for around 300 years.
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Chengdu China – Home of the Giant Panda

Chengdu China – Home of the Giant Panda

I’m stopping over in Chengdu China on my way back from visiting the “Stans” of Central Asia. Chengdu is famous as the home of the endangered Giant Panda. The weather here is perfect for them – warm and wet – just what you want for growing lots of bamboo. I’m very lucky that it’s actually clear and sunny! A rare occurrence, especially in winter, and a great opportunity to capture some photos of people enjoying themselves outside.
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Finding beauty in the most unexpected places

Finding beauty in the most unexpected places

Urumqi, China isn’t on anyone’s travel bucket list. My good friend, Charles, and I only ended up here due to bad planning. And a cheap flight. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it has terrible air pollution and there’s just really very little for a tourist to see. Or is there? If frequent travel has taught me anything, it’s that everywhere is interesting and how much you like a place has a lot more to do with your state of mind than the place itself. Here are a few of the things I enjoyed seeing in this rarely visited city. Continue reading “Finding beauty in the most unexpected places” →

Caught in a snowstorm in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Caught in a snowstorm in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is our last stop in Central Asia before heading back to China for our flights home. It’s a huge country but we just have time to see Almaty, the capital city.

Kazakhstan claims to be the birthplace of apples and they show their pride in some interesting ways

As we set off to explore this very modern metropolis, the forecast calls for a bit of snow. Little do we know how much of a storm it will turn into. Continue reading “Caught in a snowstorm in Almaty, Kazakhstan” →