Hi Everyone, I'm having a great time in China. I'll have to let the photos talk for themselves cos internet connections aren't so hot here. I got to visit the Great Wall at Badaling, the FObidden City, The Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and too many jade, pearl and herbal medicine stores. Managing to find my way around with no troubles. I get to take off on my own adventures between the planned events. Just ate a dumpling meal of unknown contents. Tasted great! You don't ask too many questions about food in China. For those of you I haven't talked to in a while, I'm on facebook under Richard Johns so look me up. Take care all. Cheers, Richard ... read more

West Indies 2007Richard P. Johns Hi Friends and Family, I didn’t manage to get my travelblog up and running for my vacation this year but so many of you have asked me for photos and a description of the West Indies that I decided to post a belated blog. I left from Vancouver, Canada on June 22. I went straight from work to the airport with my small knapsack in tow. It’s a very free feeling not to have to lug a backpack or suitcases around (I guess that’s why they call them luggage). I had three legs of my flight to the West Indies. I stopped in Calgary, then Toronto and finally in Trinidad. I got of the plane in the early evening and went about checking that the guesthouse in my Lonely Planet guide ... read more

Friends and Family, I have finally escaped the confines of Vancouver, B.C. to escape abroad again. Just a quick week-long trip to bonnie olde England to visit more family and friends. Some of whom I haven't seen in 6 years. I've added a couple photos to show some highlights. I did a quick run around of London and took photos of some of the famous places for Cara. I had the weekend in Oxford with Rich and Rhiannon and their new baby, Owen. We bumped into James Bond punting on the River Thames. No seriously, we actually saw Pierce Brosnan in Oxford punting. He was in town giving the University Union Address. Then I was off to Manchester on Monday. The metro was broken, but I managed to find a train to Altrincham to get in ... read more

Hi friends and family, Arrived in Uyuni, Bolivia on Thursday night. Not too much to see there, but a great transfer point for the Salt Flats. I got to see the Hostel made completely of salt, and was driven out to the Isla de Pescadoes in the middle of the Salt Flats. A truly uniquie landscape. I got to celebrate St. Patrick´s Day with some Irish friends and we told all the Irish jokes we could think of. We (all the guys from my salt flat tour) got an overnight bus into La Paz. There was no sleeping as the roads were rocky. The view on entering La Paz is amazing. You follow the highway in a downward spiraling bowl around the city. La Paz itself was noisy, busy and is considered the most dangerous city ... read more

Hi friends and family No photos today because the computer is too slow. Not much to take photos of anyway on my 27 hr bus ride to Salta through a heavy rainstorm. Lts of thunder and lightening was fun. Of course the bus was delayed until 2 am but fortunately everything is still open here at that time. Another traveller already had a hostel booked and they managed to squeeze me in too. About to head out to the bus station to find out how Im getting to Bolivia. Hopefully through San Pedro in Chile but there may be delays. I visited Paraguay yesterday (well, before the bus ride, whatever day that was) and saw the largest hydroelectric dam in the world at Itaipu. A really rushed day but I travelled across 4 borders to get ... read more