Adventures abroad
Kings Canyon - Fighting the forest fire
As we drove through King's Canyon, I knew there was a forest fire burning nearby. I just didn't expect one of the firefighting helicopters to descend right next to us! It came down to refill its bucket from the river. So there I was, filming it with an iPod out the top of the convertible... Read article...
Orca whale watching in the San Juan Islands
One of the highlights of our trips to the San Juan Islands each year is an orca whale-watching trip. The San Juan Islands are a group of hundreds of islands, islets, and rocks located near Seattle, WA. Most of these are very small - in fact, so small that many disappear at high tide! ... Read article...
Sedona in the movies: Broken Arrow
I finally watched the 1950 Jimmy Stewart movie, Broken Arrow. I say "finally", because I've been meaning to for years. Sedona, Arizona was a big place for making movies, especially back in the days of the westerns. The thing is, for decades they were making movies here, but never calling it Sedona! ... Read article...
British Virgin Islands - How to get to the BVI
The British Virgin Islands are a paradise for sailing, snorkeling, diving, swimming, sunning, beachcombing, relaxing, and tropical drinks. Getting to the BVI isn't too hard, but there are options to consider. Here are some tips on how to get to the BVI...
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Orcas on the beach, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina
About a third of the way down the coast of Argentina, there's a large peninsula that juts out into the South Atlantic Ocean. From an aerial view, it looks like it should have been an island. This is Peninsula Valdes, a major wildlife preserve... Read article...
Taos, New Mexico - Rio Pueblo Gorge (video)
The Rio Pueblo Gorge, near Taos, New Mexico: This river comes from Taos Pueblo land and runs into the Rio Grande River. It's a deep gorge, but not as deep as the Rio Grande Gorge, which is a spectacular gash across the high desert - almost shocking when you first see it. We go rafting on the Rio Grande... Watch the video...
San Juan Islands - scuba diving (video)
OK, I'll say it right up front. We do NOT go scuba diving on our San Juan Islands trips! I'm a wimpy warm water diver, who only likes the tropics (think British Virgin Islands!) However, even though that water looks pretty chilly to me, it's fascinating to know what lives down there... Watch the video...
Bevagna, Italy - Medieval feast at Le Gaite
Bevagna is a small town in Umbria. It's a charming and picturesque walled town, that was an important place in ancient Roman days, situated along the Via Flaminia. It's also home to a festival called Mercato Delle Gaite. For a few days each spring, the town is time-warped back to the middle ages... Read article...
Travel insurance and swine flu
If there's a disease outbreak like swine flu, what does your travel insurance cover? This recent information release from Travelex (our partner for travel insurance) is great information on what would happen if YOUR trip were to be affected by something like this! Here's a rundown on possible situations... Read article...
Awesome Argentine Armadillo
Peninsula Valdez in Argentina is a sweeping, open space, where the dusty brown desert stretches right to the sparkling sea. Where else do you see armadillos and elephant seals all on the same walk? Not to mention guanacos and sea lions, killer whales and rheas! I'd always heard armadillos were shy... Read article...
