http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Maisondubonheur/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Maisondubonheur en-us Thu, 20 Jun 2013 08:15:35 +0000 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 08:15:35 +0000 There are few of these places that most of us consider as the end of the world. I believe we can easily put Easter Island as one of these places. Normally you don39t go back to these places once you have had the joy to experience them...well...at least not for a while I would actually love to go back to Antarctica and Greenland...but with my kids...one day.... My first visit to Easter Island http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Easter-Island/blog-791312.html Next stopFakaravaand dont worry if you have never heard of that atoll before reading this blogRangiroaFakaravathese are the Louboutin and the Jimmy Choo of the diving world.and if you are lost here its ok since when divers know about beautiful stilettos So 45 minutes little hop to Rangiroa and here I am in Fakarava. This time staying at Marama pension managed by http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/French-Polynesia/Fakarava/blog-790834.html I know some of you have read my last post less than 10 days ago...in South Africa...and what now...Rangiroa...oh yes and I39m sorry to have to admit it I enjoy it tremendously So after a week home I took few more flights from Buenos Aires to Rangiroa. And it39s only the third time over the last few years that I spent my night camping in Papeete airport. I landed just after 1am an http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/French-Polynesia/blog-790080.html Not yet 10 years of diving....but officially that will be for the end of this year...and still...these few days I39m on for my 500th dive. I could have done it in Socorro Mexico back in February this year...but my planning was not the best...than it could have been in March at Protea Banks but that day the winds were too strong and we couldn39t launch...then here I am back to dive Prote http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/blog-785380.html Not the last blog about Argentina...but I guess the last blog published outside of Buenos Aires....end of June is coming pretty fast. After 18 hours on the bus we made it to Mendoza from Salta. I knew there was not a lot to see in the city. The fun here is just outside town. Regardless Mendoza is a very peaceful city...full of gorgeous restaurants I would certainly not mind moving here for an e http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-785136.html This is our second entry around Salta but this time we are venturing north for a loop of 500km following first the tracks of the Train in the clouds followed by the Grande Salinas finishing by the amazing scenery of Purmacarca before heading back to Salta. But first while exploring the provinces of Salta and Jujuy we stay a total of two nights in Salta. The city is pretty compact there are http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Salta/Salta/blog-784409.html Sad to say...we have less than 2 months left in Buenos Aires....so here is our last trip in the northwest provinces....but what a trip We39ll have to agree that I book my trips months ahead...playing with the school calendar as soon as I can put my hands on one...summer 2017 anybody Well this is Argentina...last year the school was off for the all week of 1st of May. This year I fly in on http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Salta/Cafayate/blog-784034.html I39m writting this on my last leg of a crazy little trip...in JFK ready to head home...ASAP Do you consider yourself travelling when you take a metro ride to go for a lunch or dinner with friends that you haven39t seen for a while. Well I don39t...so this is maybe not about travelling...expect that prior and after the metro ride I had to add a few plane rides the last two weeks. Trave http://www.travelblog.org/Oceans-and-Seas/blog-782042.html If there is one crazy weekend to travel in Argentina it is Semana Santa. On top of that the next Tuesday is a public holidays...in honour of losing the Malvinas War 30 years ago...and to make things easier the government has given Monday off too. For info Argentina is running high the last three years as the country with the highest number of public holidays...a lot of them just given out by http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Misiones/Iguazu-National-Park/blog-779252.html Another weekend and another venture out of Buenos Aires. I39ve jsut calculated it we should have visited 15 at least of the 23 provinces of Argentina this year...not bad and for sure more than most people leaving in Buenos Aires. So this weekend we head for the dry Cordoba...except that when we arrived at 7am on the Saturday morning it is raining in Cordoba...and that39s not normal. T http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Cordoba/Cordoba/blog-778267.html Moving to a new country for a year....and still be on the road the last four months I know some will not understand me. Leslie and Tiffany have no started a new schoold year nearly a month ago and everything is going pretty well. Leslie is improving seriously fast with his castellano Tiffany it39s something else. And as we have been here for long enough everybody feel only normal to speak http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Buenos-Aires/Buenos-Aires/blog-776570.html We were in Cusco on a Monday morning...and ready to resettle in our flat on Monday night. Than Tuesday morning I left for 2 weeks to Africa...via Sao Paolo and Johannesburg...direction Kinshasa. Everything should have gone smoothly but it simply didn39t. Congo aka DRC is seemed to be ranked 192nd for ease of doing business by the UN...out of 192 countries....yes doing business or simply http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/KwaZulu-Natal/Shelly-Beach/blog-774525.html I have to admit this is the last entry of our southern hemisphere summer school holidays. For those who follow us....be happy the emails will not come anymore on a regular basis over the next few months....but trust me the trips are not over and yes we still have a lot of adventures planned ahead of us for the coming months. First act was July to December 2012 in Buenos Aires. Second act was http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Machu-Picchu/blog-771905.html Short flight from Lima and here we are in Cusco. This is only my third visit here first one in 2002 second one in 2006. The past two times it was Cusco and Matchu Pichu for me but this time it would be way more. My only real issue was to find out how Tiffany and Leslie would react to an altitude of 3400 meters. Altitude sickness is not something to take lightly in Cusco. At the same time Tiffa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Cusco/Cusco/blog-771900.html Oh Limathis place is just so special in my heart. If we are on this site it is because we love travelling.but life is not only about travelling life is about our friendsour familiesand our children Lima is way more than a place for meeven if I have to admit it has some of the best food in the world. I may have been blogging only once or twice about Lima in the past but I39 http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Lima/Lima/blog-771747.html Leslie and Tiffany have joined me in Lima since the 5th of February...and I can tell you...it39s been a lot of fun the last few days. The school summer holidays are soon over in Buenos Aires. Time to go back to a normal life...school and resettling in our flat for the next four months and the first part of a new school year. But before that we still have two weeks of fun in Peru...and this http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ica/Huacachina/blog-771584.html As a human being you allways try to do better...and when it comes to discover....to go one more step further. Thanks to Chip I had put for the last few months the Socorro Archipelago way high on my diving wishlist. I39ve so far dived in 39 countries and my top list would read something like Galapagos Palau Protea Bank South Africa Tubataha Philippines PNG or even Sipadan...all do http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Baja-California-Sur/Cabo-San-Lucas/blog-770881.html Here we are....the last entry of our little North America excursion...don39t worry too much....school is only due to start end of February for Leslie and Tiffany. Another iconic place for our last entry and actually...more than a place another iconic drive this time to the Southern Point of the United States. I had the chance to drive to Key West some years ago with the godfather of Leslie.. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Keys/blog-770283.html If you39ve followed Travelblog.org you are already aware that this is not only a great website it39s also an amazing travel community...a way better way to have unbiaised travel insides...but even better a great way to meet amazing new friends I met Mike on a short stopover 18 months ago for a morning coffee at Miami International. At the time Leslie and Tiffany where on holidays in Vi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Miami/blog-770244.html This entry is all and about the joy of two children enjoying...being children And with that you can top it up with a verry happy Dad It was back more than 2 years ago...one day Leslie was looking at National Geographic...and they had that show about those huge cruiseships....he came to me...Papa can we do one of those one day. Well I39m not at all into big cruise ships...really not my thin http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-769734.html