Destination Explorer
Three things stand out for me about Punakaiki on the South Island in New Zealand – the blowholes walk, the enchanting forest walks, and the wildness of the region. Blowholes at Punakaiki – the Wild West The first thing to do in Punakaiki is Pancake Rocks and the Blowholes. There are boardwalks travesing the blowholes…
When people say don’t bother going to Brussels, I almost choke on my coffee. I only spent three quarters of a day and one night there, and I will never forget the Grand Place in Brussels. I would have loved to have spent longer, as there is more to explore, but my timelines just didn’t…
The first time I laid eyes on Mont Saint Michel was in a picture on the internet, I knew I had to go there. I began dreaming about being on Mont St Michel, wandering the streets alone at night, staring out to sea from the ramparts, getting lost in the ancient Abbey. Although my European…
Nothing quite prepared me for the fairytale town of Colmar in the Alsace region of France. I’d seen beautiful images of this town, but it is even more amazing in reality. Everywhere you look is quaint and like something out of a Disney flick. Exploring Colmar, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr, all located in France’s stunning Alsace…
I knew the Green Shuttle buses in Denali, Alaska were great for viewing wildlife. But I never expected to see two wolves stalking an unsuspecting grizzly bear. Hanging my head out of the window, binoculars glued to my eyes watching the grizzly foraging for food, I almost go through the roof when I hear a…
Ketchikan calls itself the Salmon Capital of the World, so I searched its gushing rivers and creeks lined with blankets of velvet green, but only found last season’s salmon skeletons. Of course I must admit, it was only the 21st May and the salmon obviously weren’t about to change their schedules to suit my travel…
Dreaming of an Alaskan cruise may be blissful, but experiencing the reality of one left me in awe. Watching the mountain scenery glide by as The Voyage of the Glaciers cruise sailed merrily from Vancouver to Whittier exceeded all my expectations. Cruising the inside passage with stops at the charming Alaskan ports of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway was…
Hiking the stunning Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park located on the South Island in New Zealand is truly living the dream. Short and easy at only a bit over three hours + return and relatively flat in many parts, the track takes you on a journey to the glacial fed…
Switzerland is a country that has some of the most jaw-dropping amazing scenery on the planet. With towering snow capped mountains, pristine lakes, gushing glacial fed rivers, spectacular hikes and beautiful unique towns, you have all pieces of the puzzle for an incredible 10 day trip to Europe. For those who have never been to…
I spent two days in Zermatt, a beautiful unique car-free village tucked away in the Swiss alps near the famous Matterhorn, and loved every minute of it. Zermatt is like the present you didn’t know you wanted until you got there and fell in love. It is such a cute village, especially in early September…
The Rainforest Circuit is a very pretty 1.2 km short and easy walking trail in Binna Burra. There are loads of great long trails in the Gold Coast hinterland, but this trail is one of the best short easy walks in the Gold Coast hinterland. It is a particularly great walk for those who haven’t…
Watching a grizzly cub galloping toward a large pond and diving in was cute enough, but then staring spellbound as he emerged from the pond with antlers, was something else! Alaska was full of surprises, but this adorable grizzly bear cub playing with antlers was certainly something I can never forget. There was no-one else…
Kaikoura on New Zealand’s South Island is a beautiful haven for wild seals and their pups. In a two days I saw seals all over the car park, pathways, rocks, streams, sea and foreshore – hundreds of them. Not only is Kaikoura a seal haven, but it is also a stunning location. The sea and…
The toughest decision one has to make when visiting Santorini, is to stay at Fira or Oia. These are impossible choices – so I booked 2 nights in Fira and 3 nights in Oia. As I discovered, they are very different villages with completely different vibes and surroundings, but both have their charms. There was…
To go or not to go to the top of Europe – Jungfraujoch? Let me try and help you decide. It’s not a cheap excursion, so I can understand why so many mull over this decision – I know I certainly did! In fact, I’d originally decided not to do the Jungfraujoch train, even though I…
Nothing prepared me for the magnificence of the Bernese Oberland. The country side around Grindelwald is absolutely spectacular with walking trails that will make you weep with joy, they are so beautiful. Three nights in Grindelwald was enough to leave me begging for more of this part of the world. I had seen books and…
Old town Lucerne in Switzerland is a beautiful place with enough to keep you occupied for a week, but I had three nights in early September, and had to make the most of it. A drop dead gorgeous town with its ancient flower laden bridges, fortifications, fast flowing river through the centre of town and…
One day in Juneau on a budget was enough to know I wanted more. Downtown Juneau sits perfectly wedged between the huge snow capped mountains of Mount Roberts and Mount Juneau, surrounded by lush greenery and waterfalls that seem to go on forever. As one of Alaska’s State Capital and one of its oldest cities,…
One of Alaska’s most picturesque towns, Seward is known as the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park and located some 126 miles from Anchorage. Home to the Alaska Sea Life Centre, an ocean wildlife rescue centre and public aquarium, it is an area rich with marine wildlife. Hiring a car in Anchorage and doing…
Driving down the Seward Highway it is difficult to keep my eyes on the road as I am craning my neck to try to find a Dall sheep on the mountains to the left and beluga whales in Cook Inlet to the right. The overwhelming beauty of the snow capped peaks and promise of exotic…
Clear natural waters with an emerald tint surrounded by lush rainforest known as the Currumbin Rock Pools lie less than thirty minutes drive from the busy Gold Coast strip in Queensland, Australia. A haven for locals in hot weather, the Currumbin Rock Pool offers more than just a refreshing dip in a stunning location. It’s…
Twin Falls Circuit in Springbrook National Park is one of the best and most scenic walking tracks in this world heritage listed area, which was once part of an ancient volcano. The 4km circuit track surprises the hiker at regular intervals with constantly changing and spectacular scenery from stunning rock formations, sheer cliffs, subtropical rainforests,…
A mysterious little journey is to be had for those who manage to find the 2.4 km return Wishing Tree Track discreetly located below O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in the Green Mountains (which forms part of Lamington National Park). The journey to the wishing tree is all downhill along a thin intriguing track passing Brush Box,…
Set deep in the Gold Coast hinterland in Queensland, Australia, is a beautiful part of Lamington National Park called the Green Mountains. The Picnic Rock track and actual rock is surrounded by lush rainforest with water gushing down shiny rocks and falling into the deep mysterious emerald landscape below, leaving one lost in nature’s most…
Cedar Creek Rock Pools are a secret – well, they’re supposed to be. Many people live on the Gold Coast their whole lives without any knowledge of this little diamond of a location. When the falls are heavy and gushing into the rock pools, the water swirls fast and furious like a cold bubbling spa….
Three days in Denali National Park allows you to take a full day Park Road bus tour, spend a day hiking the Park Road, search for moose, and visit the sled dogs. Denali National Park is home to North America’s highest peak Mt McKinley, a mountain also known by its native name of Denali, and…