INSPIRATION & EXPERT ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS
In the midst of a dense, old growth forest at the foot of Mt. Fuji, sits a small shrine complex with a special connection to the sacred volcano. Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine (Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine) is the traditional starting point of the Yoshidaguchi Climbing Trail. Pilgrims would come here to pray before beginning their...
On the northwest side of Lake Saiko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes, is a charming village called Saiko Iyashi no sato Nenba. This traditional Japanese village was once a small farming community until it was destroyed by a typhoon in 1966. It has since been recreated and turned into an open air museum where...
Oshino Hakkai was a place I missed out on during my first visit to the Fuji Five Lakes region, so on my second trip I made it a priority to visit. What piqued my interest was a photo I saw of thatched roof houses on the shoreline of a pond, backed by a snow-capped Mt....
Perhaps no other place in Japan is iconic as Mt. Fuji. The allure of this sacred volcano attracts many tourists to the Fuji Five Lakes, an ideal area for viewing Mt. Fuji’s perfect cone. There’s just one problem. Mt. Fuji is notoriously shy, often hiding behind low hanging cloud. Where Are You Mt. Fuji? I’ve...
As we wandered through the colourful markets of Pisac, all I could think about was visiting the Pisac ruins. “No more shopping,” I urged Mike, “let’s get to the ruins!” I was eager to see this spectacular site, known for its steep hillside of agricultural terraces. The Pisac ruins were the only archaeological site in...
In a world where things seem to change in a blink of an eye, Deadwood remains much as it was in 1876 during the height of the Black Hills Gold Rush. Once a lawless town that attracted gamblers, gunslingers and gold seekers, the Deadwood of today still is a destination for people looking to experience...
On our last day in Cusco we drove part of the Andean Baroque Route, a scenic road in the South Valley known for its four churches of the Andean Baroque artistic movement. We visited only one, San Pedro Apostol de Andahuaylillas, about 40 kms from Cusco. San Pedro Apostol may not look very grand from...
Take a name like Moon Valley, combine it with a penchant for unique landscapes, and you can bet I was intrigued to visit Valle de la Luna in La Paz, Bolivia. In a city surrounded by dramatic terrain, Moon Valley is a showpiece of the region. Tall, tan-coloured pinnacles rise up from the eroded hillside,...
Riding my bike from Quebec City towards Montmorency Falls, I excitedly anticipated doing my first via ferrata route. My enthusiasm was oblivious to the fact that I didn’t have a clear idea what exactly via ferrata was, only that it sounded like a fun adventure. So with no preconceived notions or expectations, I readied myself...
Early on an August morning, while Tokyo was just beginning to wake up, I was already standing in front of the large wooden torii gate marking the entrance to Meiji Shrine. Breathing in the fresh morning air, I happily began walking down the wide graveled path leading to the main shrine building. Shaded by tall...
There was only one place during our 3 week trip to South America that I was nervous about visiting- La Paz, Bolivia. A lot of what I’d heard about the city was not positive. On blogs I read stories about encounters with fake police, and heeded my guidebook’s warnings about taxicab “express kidnappings”. Then toss...
One of the joys of travelling is learning about different cultures, especially ancient ones that no longer exist. I knew nothing of Tiwanaku culture, or the city that was the centre of their empire, until I visited the Tiwanaku archaeological site on a day trip from La Paz, Bolivia. Exploring the ruins with our guide,...
We found ourselves in Santiago, Chile more out of necessity than any real desire. We were going to Easter Island for a few days and Santiago is one of only two places you can fly there from. Since we were passing through, we decided we should spend at least one day in Santiago exploring the...
Ah, Tokyo. Just hearing the name conjures up images of densely packed skyscrapers, streets lined with larger-than-life advertisements and crowded public spaces. Yes, that vision is correct, but as we discovered during our 4 days in Tokyo, there is much more to the city than first meets the eye. Tokyo is a city where the...
When we were in Manzanillo, Mexico, we decided to get off our resort for a few hours and do an ATV tour to the top of el Cerro del Torro (Bull Mountain). As the area’s highest mountain, it offers exquisite views of the Pacific coastline and the twin bays of Manzanillo. Bahia de Manzanillo (on...
“I’m sandboarding in Peru!” I yell at my GoPro as I proudly surf down the wind-sculpted dunes of Huacachina. This is my first time sandboarding and I’ve got to admit- I’m better than I thought I would be. Maybe it’s because I have a good teacher, Victor “Dito” Chavez, a professional sandboarder and snowboarder who...
I love visiting gardens on my travels, so it’s no surprise that the Tottori Hanakairo Flower Park was a highlight of my 3 day trip to the Tottori prefecture of Japan. With about 50 hectares, the Tottori Hanakairo Flower Park is one of the largest flower gardens in Japan. There’s a wide variety of flowers...
During our short visit to Toronto, we didn’t have a lot of time for sightseeing but there was one place I made it a priority to visit- the Toronto Islands. I knew I wanted to capture a cityscape photo of Toronto, so for that reason, we hopped on the ferry and sailed across the inner...
“Coming up on the right, whale,” one of the pilots announces over the speaker as we approach the first geoglyph on our Nazca Lines flight. Palms sweating with excitement, I stare intently out the window, camera in hand and ready to shoot as soon as I spot the whale. The pilot banks the plane, angling...
When I was in Québec City for the Québec Winter Carnival, I set aside some time to experience a few of the surrounding area’s winter activities. Aside from Carnaval itself, the most fun I had in Québec was at Village Vacances Valcartier, the largest winter playground in Canada. I spent the morning touring an elaborate...
We are Rhonda and Mike, a Canadian couple who make it a priority to travel every chance we get!
We describe our travel style as "laid back luxe" and enjoy a mix of outdoor adventures and historic sites.
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