Saturday evening was our train to Leningrad. A very adventurous way to enter the Soviet Union thought I! The train departed from Helsinki Station, designed by Eliel Saarinen, with its destination Finland Station in Leningrad. The Soviet Railways (SZD) train backed down to the platform, and very mysterious looking it was. The sleeping car for four passengers, each with two bunkbeds and a table at t Read on...
We are camped a good Glenn Maxwell throw from the current bank of the muddy khaki coloured Diamantina River as it slowly moves downstream to flow into Lake Eyre. A lone pelican drifting with the current greeted us as we began our walk to the causeway and onto the Bridge over the Diamantina River approximately 4kms away.
Before we reached the road leading onto the causeway, we could see that traf Read on...
Today it rained virtually the whole day. We still walked most of the route, stopping to make a decision before each section.
We drove through Devon lanes, i.e., hedges close on both sides of the road – close enough to brush the van most of the time. On the moor the wind blew the rain horizontal, over the tops of the hedges and more or less above the van.
We stopped at a crossroad and walked fo Read on...
The US Tennis Open starts today. It is a great event, though not quite as majestic as Wimbledon. Watching on TV, I see familiar faces, including Brad Gilbert, who I saw as a snotty little kid in Oakland back in the 70s. People change, the world changes. What can I say?Enjoy the Open. Written in 2008.
Having been a very avid tennis player and fan most of my adult life, I jumped at the chance to at Read on...
Russia has eleven time zones, and I crossed EIGHT of them on the Railway. The time difference between Vladivostok, where I boarded the TSR, and Moscow is SEVEN hours. It is a mere 6152 miles from Vladivostok to Moscow, and I rode every single one of those miles or kilometers. It is normally a six- or trip, depending on the schedule. So, the problem is quite simple. The train runs on Moscow time, Read on...
It was a beautiful morning in Rome, and the sun was shining bright. I started my day by visiting the Colosseum, one of the most iconic landmarks in Rome. The Colosseum is a massive amphitheater that was built almost 2000 years ago. It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as animal hunts, mock sea battles, and dramas based on classical mythology. The Colosseum is a must-vis Read on...
Grouse Mountain is located on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples: the Squamish, Musqueaum, and First Nations. Rising 1,250 metres (4,100 feet) above Vancouver.
The Mountain was named by the first recorded hikers to reach the summit in October 1894. The hardy group of hikers slogged through snow, scrambled over rock and up through the dense forest. Along the way, they hunted a Bl Read on...
The West Coast of Tasmania has always held a special place in Andrews heart, and I too fell immediately in love with it on my very first trip to Tasmania in the Ive now visited the region quite a few times, and I should be able to say I know it reasonably well; but it has a certain mysterious quality that makes me think it would take a lot more than a few trips to get under the tough skin of the Read on...
The eastern part of South Dakota is very similar to Iowa and has green, rolling hills. As we drove west, the landscape changed. It was flat and arid. Later, it became mountainous and forested.
It feels fantastic to be on vacation! On Friday afternoon, Andrew, the kids, and I set out from Des Moines to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We did a brief overnight there and then headed to Rapid City, making Read on...
Sunday: St Patricks day parade in downtown hollywood with a friend I met at board game night. Perfect weather- not humid and about 75*. Went up to the top of her high rise building and got a pretty good view- can even see the guitar hotel in the distance. Also witnessed some glass blowing and just overall good downtown festivities.
Thursday: An evening walk on the boardwalk? yes please. However t Read on...