“The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” Known as the Calgary Stampede is simply an excuse for cowboys to have a great party! Nine days in July, it culminates in $1.8 million prize money being given away for the best cowboys in various disciplines. Of course it is also a great opportunity for the people of Alberta and Calgary in particular to show off their own brand of ‘something special.’ We are now recovering from our week of non stop partying and look back at our time filled with lots of Yahoo’s, Yeeha’s, dancing, laughing and meeting some wonderful new friends. [View Full Entry]

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Medan: English Lesson with a Happy Ending It’s a day faster and with Air Asia it’s actually cheaper to fly KL to Medan, Indonesia's thrid largest city, a quick hop arcoss the Straights of Malaka but I need to reach it by sea, want to relive bygone days of explorers and spice traders. The ship, however, is oblivious to any romantic notions, a low aluminium hull tosses its cargo from port to starboard and back mile after nautical mile, air con preserving passengers like produce in a refridgerator, no promenade deck for shuffleboard, just a muddy window pane, and a neighbour [View Full Entry]

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There was a blinding white light. Laura readjusted her sunglasses and pushed them higher up on her face. It was not a welcomed sight, nor was it a lethal image, but it was painful, raw and innocent. Like a child fresh from the womb, the light emanated and seemed to freeze everyone near. Time stopped while people stood in their tracks. They were locked in their gaze. Their mouths hung open. However, instead of the delivery of a newborn baby—revered with praise—this light was epitomized. Like a demon from the depths of shadows, it emerged and brought shock. And like a [View Full Entry]

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Mat: Dave, Trace and I hopped on a sleeper train on Friday the 13th and trundled our way south and east towards Krakow in Poland. Our cabin was pretty lush, a three bed sleeper. After a couple of "goodbye Germany" beers we headed to our bunks and woke up heading in the opposite direction. Not sure how this worked, but we did arrive in Krakow. Krakow was spared from bombing in WWII, so its beautiful Old Town has survived. Its central Grand Square has been the hub of the city ever since its Old Town developed the present grid of streets [View Full Entry]

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QUICK STOP IN NAAGAR Loving the scenery and peace of the Parvati Valley (minus the Israeli crowd), we decided to go to the town of Naagar on the Kullu Valley. Another great breakfast at Moon dance Cafe taking in the mountain views, than another rollercoaster bus ride on the super narrow roads, with the squeeky brakes, the blind curves and the old bus packed beyond capacity. I set by an interesting local man carring a basquet full of fresh roses. He said to pick the flowers from his garden every morning, filling the basquet which he drops at a road side [View Full Entry]

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I arrived into Dublin from New Zealand last Monday after a pretty grueling 34 hour journey resulting in jet lag, swollen legs, and in need of adjusting to a warmer temperature (and the accents!). I spent a few days looking around Dublin but I will post an Ireland blog later that will include my other explorations to come. It must seem odd, but only after a few days in Dublin, Alan and I decided to go on a "city break", as the locals call it, to Prague - the capital city of the Czech Republic. Not that I really needed a [View Full Entry]

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Panama City and the Canal And so after 10 months of travelling we left South America and headed up to Central America. We took a flight from Cartagena to Panama City and - apart from big security checks on the Colombian side - it all went very smoothly and we were in our Panama hotel by lunchtime ready for some exploring. We spent the afternoon discovering Panama's historic old town which until a few years ago was mostly off-limits to tourists. It had apparently become very rundown and was not a safe place to wander. But lots of regeneration has taken [View Full Entry]

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After dozing for three quarters of the journey to San Agustin, I woke up to find a landscape of rocky hills with a light covering of trees, and a welcome appearance of cacti. There was an unexpected selection of accommodation touts at the bus station in San Agustin, but I was soon in a pleasant pension that was half the price of anywhere else I've stayed in the country. San Agustin definitely warrants the use of the adjective "sleepy", its spacious main square tranquil and dotted with bird crap-peppered benches. The squawking of bright green parrots filled the quiet in between [View Full Entry]

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