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Discovering the magic of South Africa in Parys

It was our third day in South Africa and we were on our way from Pilanesberg National Park to Parys, a small town southwest of Johannesberg. Parys is Afrikaans for Paris. “I bet it even has its own Eiffel Tower”, I joked. To my surprise, Kate, our South Africa Tourism host, turned around and said, “yes, [...]

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Dear Weather Gods…

It has been a gorgeous winter. Crisp cold air, stunning snowy scenes and curling up next to the fireplace. I truly enjoyed it. It’s spring now yet snow continues to fall from thick grey clouds and the mercury is barely above the freezing point. Please wrap up the snow clouds, blow some warmth into the [...]

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A Dutch winter wonderland

It all started with a blizzard. High winds and snow that fell to the ground almost horizontally! Within a few hours, Amsterdam and almost the entire country was covered by a thick blanket of snow. Temperatures stayed below freezing for a week, ensuring the snow and ice stuck around for a while. It was cold [...]

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The smoke that thunders

Locals call it Mosi-oa-Tunya – the ‘smoke that thunders’. No other name describes the Victoria Falls better. Straddling the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Victoria Falls are one of the most impressive falls in the world, spanning more than a mile. I saw a photo of the falls in a geographic encyclopedia as a [...]

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Highlights of 2012

Wow, another year has passed. Well, almost. 2012 has been an incredible year for me, full of unforgettable travel moments, speaking engagements and many highlights shared with family and friends. I spent the first half of 2012 traversing the globe and the second half, erm… doing the same. And what a ride it’s been! Here [...]

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Six months of travel around the world

Woohoo! I’m home! After six months of almost non-stop travel across four continents, it’s time to stop for a bit, enjoy my time at home and reflect on my travels in the first half of the year. It’s certainly been an amazing six months with innumerable fun (and dorky) moments, many lessons learned and several [...]

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A personal source of inspiration

This time three years ago, I was roaming around South America, having the time of my life on my first solo round-the-world trip. After ten years of focusing on my career, this trip certainly opened my eyes to the world outside my comfy ‘bubble’. I learned to value the relationships I have with my family [...]

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The hike to Baird Glacier

The hike to Baird Glacier in southeast Alaska A page from my Travel Journal. I hopped off the boat and landed on a bed of finely-polished stones. In the distance, I could just about make out the distinct appearance of a glacier, with its white-blue craggy surface. A cold wind blew down from the mountains, [...]

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Crossing the Andes from Mendoza

Crossing the Andes from Mendoza, Argentina to Valparaiso, Chile (A page from my Travel Journal). I left Mendoza on Sunday morning for my second Andean crossing, this time back into Chile, to Valparaiso (Valpo) on the Pacific coast. The seats on the bus were very comfortable and I was served (by a steward on board!) [...]

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Seven mornings in Alaska

On board a small-ship cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage Excerpts from my Travel Journal My recent trip to Alaska was a dream come true. Cruising through southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage on board InnerSea Discoveries’ small cruise ship, the Wilderness Discoverer, I got to experience some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable. I stood out on [...]

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