April 4 – 9 Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland Many things have been said of Ireland’s Iveragh Peninsula, which is better known for the (in)famous coastal road that circumscribes it: the Ring of Kerry. The “inspiration of poets and writers”, “magnificent coastal scenery”, a “mystical & unspoilt region”, are the words of some. In actuality,… Continue reading Off the Beaten Path in Ireland: Escaping the Ring of Kerry
Tag: mountains
Over the Sea to Skye
March 2 – 9 Isle of Skye, Scotland We approached the Isle of Skye cautiously on a morning when it was shrouded in a winter’s mist, carefully crossing the Kyle of Lochalsh via the long, cantilevered bridge that linked Scotland’s largest island to a dramatic corner of the mainland. Earlier, our drive had taken us… Continue reading Over the Sea to Skye
Take A Hike Series: The Hill Walkers
February 25 – March 2 Glen Coe & the Western Highlands, Scotland “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves… Continue reading Take A Hike Series: The Hill Walkers
Chasing Waterfalls
Iceland: August 1-22 Aside from foraging for wild blueberries in the heath, one of our favorite pass times while touring in Iceland has been “collecting” waterfalls. Few natural phenomena are more emblematic of the county than these examples of cascading water, and many of them are well marked alongside the tourist-trampled Ring Road. Gullfoss (golden… Continue reading Chasing Waterfalls
Wild Westfjords
August 6-10, Westfjords, Iceland The two young Parisians sharing a farmhouse with us at the base of the Vatnsnes Peninsula were trying to conceal their amazement/horror as I single-handedly attempted to scrounge up a passable meal for our two kids. It was 11pm and the sun had finally slipped into the Arctic Sea beyond the… Continue reading Wild Westfjords
The Obstacle Is The Path
Annapurna, Nepal November 24 – December 1 With our suntans only just beginning to peel from our week in Thailand’s south, we arrived in Nepal, the highest country in the world, if you don’t include Tibet. Katmandu’s (or “Captain Do” as Ollie would say) dusty warrens spiraled outward from Durbar Square, and amid teak pagodas… Continue reading The Obstacle Is The Path
Hill Tribes
SaPa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – SaPa , North Vietnam October 7 – 9 “Lovely jubley!” The cockney slang for “awesome” came from neither of the two good- looking Brits sitting across from me. Like mine, their surprised faces broke into enormous grins as they watched 23 year-old Thom,… Continue reading Hill Tribes
River Town
Yangshuo, Guangxi Province, China September 20 – 24 Reflecting on the past month spent in China, I am preparing to put pen to paper but am suddenly compelled to give up my seat to a family of water buffalo passing by the river’s edge. Ryan and I jump up in unison, a squealing, lunging Oliver… Continue reading River Town