Sri Lanka’s Central Hills
Sri Lanka’s Central Hills are great territory for hiking, picturesque train journeys, and taking in the verdant and undulating tropical landscape against a backdrop of low mountains.
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Yala National Park
Yala National Park is a popular destination for safaris in the south of Sri Lanka. It has the highest population density of leopards in the world.
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The Fortress City of Galle
Sunset from the fortress city of Galle is quite a sight. Locals take their evening stroll along the old fortress walls with the mist rising from the sea. Families picnic on the palm-tree flanked open green while children fly their kites.
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Vancouver
Following two weeks trekking and canoeing in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, it was time to board The Canadian again for the thirty-hour train journey from Edmonton to Vancouver. I figured that an economy seat would be fine for that leg of the journey – wrong! Unlike the sleeper carriage, where passengers were friendly and chatty,…
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The Athabasca River
The Athabasca River is just over 1500 kilometres and the longest river in Alberta. Whilst the area has a wide diversity of wildlife, the only creature I saw during four days of canoeing and camping was an eagle.
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Jasper National Park’s Maligne Lake
Jasper National Park’s Maligne Lake is the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. A long with a day backtracking to the Colombia Icefield made a great culmination to our hiking in the Rockies. I enjoyed the beauty of Maligne Lake and its surrounding mountains and glaciers at leisure drinking coffee and eating cake. As…
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Icefields Parkway
The next leg of the journey through the Canadian Rocky Mountains was following the Icefields Parkway that runs from Lake Louise to Jasper. It’s a journey of approximately 230 kilometres along Highway 93 North passing through spectacular scenery giving a great opportunity to appreciate stunning glaciers, lakes and mountains on the way.
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Lake Louise and Yoho National Park
After a couple of nights based at the campsite outside of Banff, our next step was to drive the 60 kilometres to Lake Louise. We spent the next couple of days exploring Lake Louise and Yoho National Park.
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The Canadian Rocky Mountains
This is the first of a series of photographic posts focusing on the highlights of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, including Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, Peyto Lake (part of the Banff National Park), Jasper National Park, and the Athabasca River.
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The Canadian
People travelling in the sleeper carriage of The Canadian were chatty and friendly. Meals were included in the restaurant carriage for sleeper class which added to the social atmosphere of the journey, making it one big party.
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Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is made up of three waterfalls on the boarder between the USA and Canada. The largest, Horseshoe Falls, runs along both sides of the border.
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Toronto
Downtown Toronto is compact, easy to move around with plenty to see and do. The Royal Ontario Museum with its impressive collection of dinosaurs and East Asian artefacts is well worth a visit. While the St Lawrence Market makes for a tasty and entertaining exploration.
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Quebec City
Montreal to Quebec was a quick hop by Canadian standards – a train journey of about three and a half hours. I felt very much at home in Quebec City.
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New York to Montreal
Montreal has a population of almost two million and its centre has the feel of a large city. I stayed in the suburbs which had a very English feel to the extent that they even looked like the residential areas of Havant – near my hometown in England.
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New York City to Vancouver by Train
New York City to Vancouver by train. A journey exploring New York, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, The Canadian Rockies, and Vancouver.
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The Mayan Murals at Bonampak
The Mayan murals at Bonampak are in outstanding condition despite being open to the elements.
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Yaxchilan – A Hidden Mayan Gem
Yaxchilan – A hidden Mayan gem in the jungles of the Chiapas, while remote, is now easily accessible from Palenque. It takes about three hours by bus to get to the Usumacinta River which forms the border between Guatemala and Mexico.
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The Mayan Ruins of Palenque
The Mayan ruins of Palenque lie in the jungle of the Mexican state of Chiapas. While some areas in Chiapas are considered dangerous, the route from Palenque airport to the town and the amazing ruins are usually safe.
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Lhasa – Monasteries
Lhasa – Monasteries: A peaceful couple of days exploring Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery, and the equally impressive Ganden Monastery outside of Lhasa.
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Lhasa
Lhasa – besides the amazing temples and palaces, the most interesting part of Lhasa is the old quarters known as the Barkhour. it is still strongly Tibetan.
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Nepal and Kathmandu
The beginning of a journey from Kathmandu to Lhasa overland. First stop at the three cities of the Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.
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Patan
Patan is a separate city from Kathmandu. The short walk from Kathmandu to Patan goes through narrow alleys leading to quiet courtyards and old temples.
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Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur has all the pleasure of a small and familiar centre with the advantages of a city. It has impressive historic areas and is close to Kathmandu.
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Kathmandu to Lhasa overland – Day 1
To go from Kathmandu to Lhasa, overland, you have to use a tour operator because travelling in Tibet is very tightly controlled. I found a five-day option.
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Kathmandu to Lhasa overland – Day 2
Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland – Day 2 – crossing the border and carrying on through mountain rainforests to reach the mountain deserts surrounding Tingri.
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Kathmandu to Lhasa overland – Day 3
Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland – Day 3 – The river valley widens revealing villages surrounded by fields of yellow canola with high peaks in the distance.
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Kathmandu to Lhasa Overland – Day 4
Kathmandu to Lhasa overland – Day 4 – exploring one of Tibet’s most important monasteries, Tashilhunpo, and on to Gyantse to visit the Kumbum.
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Kathmandu to Lhasa overland – Day 5
Kathmandu to Lhasa overland – Day 5. From Gyantse to Lhasa – the scenery was every bit as amazing as on the previous days’ journey.
