Tag Archives: National Park

It was a trip I’d been anticipating for a long time: an ocean voyage on a small ship to visit remote West Papuan villages and to snorkel in the marine-rich waters around Raja Ampat and the Spice Islands. The chance to swim with giant whale sharks was what had sold me on this particular itinerary. […]

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We were starting out early: my Berber guide Mohammed was worried about the impact of the hot autumn sun on our steep climb from the trekking lodge (Azzaden Trekking Lodge) near Tizi Oussem in the Toubkal National Park in Morocco, to the mountain pass we needed to cross. I was worried too! I had found […]

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There is something very special about Haida Gwaii. It might be the fresh air and abundance of old-growth and second-growth forests; it might be knowing that the Indigenous people here have spiritual and family connections to the land going back more than 13,000 years; it might be the breathtaking natural beauty. Whatever it is, these […]

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Any visitor to these pages knows I love hiking. But, if the truth be told, I don’t always love it while I’m doing it! I discovered very quickly that there is nothing easy about hiking in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The ground is steep, covered in rubble, strewn in rubbish, and dotted with […]

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Fresh air, mountain walks, and music – it doesn’t get much better than January in Thredbo! This year marked the 30th iteration of the Thredbo Blues Festival: three days of quality music in Thredbo Village: Australia’s highest alpine resort (albeit not very high!), known for its skiing in winter and hiking and mountain biking in […]

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