3/19/2020
Vancouver Island - Nature at its bestA land of extremes. Vast wilderness, exceptional walking and hiking trails, rugged coastlines, cozy beaches, abundant wildlife (furry, feathery and finned), quaint towns, small harbors, golfing, world class wines, beers and spirits, farmers markets, culinary delights, indigenous cultures, marvelous gardens, boutique inns, seaside lodges and elegant hotels.
This is Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 3/5/2020
Three Active Family Vacations That Have You Disconnecting From Technology (and not even missing it!)Photo courtesy of Adventures by Disney Do you ever ask yourself what happened to all that time you thought you had? I sure do - every year seems to zip by faster and faster. And I find this especially apparent when I see friends and family with children. Seems like one day they have toddlers and the next day they have young adults headed off to college (or out on their own).
2/27/2020 The Artic: SpitsbergenI'm not sure exactly why I am so fascinated by the polar regions. Maybe it's the beauty of the mountains, snow, fjords, glaciers and icebergs. Having flown over/near the arctic circle a number of times on my way home from Europe, I always wondered what these islands below looked like at sea level. It could also be the allure of the polar bears.
Courtesy of The Brando The world is full of amazing destinations, amazing accommodations and amazing experiences that come along with them, by land and by sea. Here are 7 of my favorites:
Honeymoons and romance are what most often come up to describe these destinations. And rightly so. Serene and sublime – perfect places to relax, play, unplug, a chance to be together. A spectacular tropical getaway.
Who knew there were so many options to think about when planning a Galapagos cruise? Cruise vs land? Sailing yacht or small ship? Which itinerary? What time of year?
9/9/2019
Tanzania's Great MigrationDid you know that Tanzania's great migration of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and other migratory animals is a year round event in the Serengeti? Constant movement of nearly 2 million animals – following the rain and fresh green pastures in a clockwise direction.
Serengeti National Park is a vast ecosystem covering over 5700 square miles. Where the herds are depends on the time of year. And because the animals are unpredictable, one never knows the exact time of arrival in a particular region, but they do eventually arrive. 7/31/2019
Swimming With Gentle GiantsPhoto courtesy of Tourism Australia I love the ocean. I am fascinated by the creatures that call it home. I enjoy snorkeling, and someday I'll learn how to scuba dive to get an even closer look. As with many other places on this earth, some things you need to see with your own eyes. Pictures just don't do it justice.
5/1/2019
New Zealand's Pacific Coast HighwayWhakatane Ohope International Golf Club - photo courtesy of NZ Tourism - taken by Strike-Photography Despite being a relatively small country (about the size of Oregon or Colorado), it's quite easy to spend months exploring New Zealand's north and south islands. So much to see, experiences to take in, food, wine and people to meet.
One special touring route is a drive down the beautiful east coast on New Zealand's Pacific Coast Highway. Check out this itinerary between Auckland and Napier. 10/3/2018
Zodiak MomentsAs the saying goes, big surprises come in small packages. Zodiak excursions do just that - surprise, excite and treat you to once in a lifetime experiences.
There are a number of special places in the world that are only accessible by zodiak, or skiffs - small boats designed to take a small number of people into places that bigger ships (and even small ships) just can't get to - places where there are no ports or no docks. For most people, their first introduction to Alaska includes a cruise through the Inside Passage, with stops most often in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. Icy Straight, Haines and Sitka are occasional replacements for one of the "big 3", as I call them.
Each of these stops offer unique experiences that highlight the best things about Alaska: Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, salmon fishing and the 14,000 totem poles in Ketchikan, Russian history in Sitka, bears in Icy Straight and exploring the Yukon from Skagway. These are just a few examples of special memories that are created in the Last Frontier. While I often recommend these cruises, I also point out that when 3-5 ships are in port at the same time, especially during the peak summer months, it does get crowded. And thus it would be remiss of me not to mention the quieter ports of call. 8/30/2018
5 Must See Places In Western AustraliaAustralia's largest state, WA for short, stretches over a third of the nation, borders two oceans and has more pristine beaches than any other state. And with only 10% of the nation's population, it is far less crowded than Australia's eastern states.
Nature and aquatic wildlife, pioneer history, Aboriginal Australia and food, wine and beer experiences are just a few reasons that attract visitors to WA. 8/22/2018
This Is For The Birds!This article is dedicated to the twitcher, aka bird watcher looking to collect sightings of rare birds. It would be a bit of a stretch for me to call bird watching a hobby of mine, but I have to admit, I'm fascinated by a number of bird species.
Eagles - absolutely love them. I think they are the most beautiful creature on earth. Most hawks are a close second. Penguins - with Antarctica being #1 on my bucket 6/6/2018
Oh, Go Take A Hike!Photo courtesy of Backroads Travel Sometimes the best medicine, the best way to relax and unplug, to get away from all the noise, is to take a walk or a hike. Clear the brain. Get some fresh air. Right?
But not just any walk or hike. Trails where you take in breathtaking scenery, drink in the beauty of the mountains, glaciers, pristine forests. Oh, and the views....... just imagine! Photo courtesy of Ponant A good number of new ships are being launched in 2018 and 2019, with more coming in 2020.
This year will bring Seabourn's Ovation, Scenic's Eclipse Discovery yacht, Viking's Orion and Ponant's new explorer class Le Laperouse and Le Champlain ships. Celebrity is showcasing the new Edge and Holland America is introducing the Niew Statendam, the sistership to the lovely Konigsdam. Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean all have new mega ships. Addicted to your smartphone? Chances are pretty high that your answer is YES! And I'm sure your spouse, children and friends would say the same. In fact, I recently saw a statistic that over 50% of teens feel they are addicted to the phone, and on average we check our phones 75-100 times per day - texting, email, Facebook, Instagram and all those other apps. Wow, right?
Do you need time in a NO PHONE zone? Check out these fun, active (and healthy) vacation experiences - perfect for families needing time away from technology, time to re-connect (but equally great for singles, couples, friends and even affinity groups). So much fun that no one will miss that phone (guaranteed at least for a several hours but usually all day if not longer)! 11/12/2017
Waking Up From The Winter SlumberMost people considering a trip to Alaska travel between May and September, with mid-June through mid-August being peak season. These are the warmer months, the days are longer, the snow has melted, the whales have migrated north and are putting on great "shows". Alaska's interior becomes more accessible. It's a beautiful time.
It's also a time when the cruise ships start arriving with thousands of passengers. During the peak months some ports can have 3-4 ships in at the same time, disembarking 5-8000 passengers. The beauty offered during these months unfortunately also comes with crowds. Why not give yourself plenty of elbowroom and see Alaska from a different perspective? Explore the Inside Passage on a spring-time small ship cruise. 11/2/2017
They're Really Not That Scary!I had the opportunity this week to learn more about New Zealand's Maori culture. A fascinating hour, well spent.
The speaker, a Maori himself, comes from a family with a long history of promoting this island nation. We were treated to a number of wonderful pictures, paintings and stories, including ones of his great grandmother dancing in New York City promoting New Zealand's culture. I wish I could share them here, but they were pictures from his own photo album.
Photo courtesy of Linblad Expeditions
A few weeks ago I wrote about seeing puffins in the wild, and what surprised me the most about these birds was how small they are. Being the size of a duck, puffins are bit difficult to observe from 15 decks up. This made me think about a number of other wildlife encounters that are best experienced on a small ship cruise. In fact, some of the best wildlife viewing around the world is on a small ship.
8/3/2017
Want To See A Puffin Or Two?
I saw puffins for the first time in Alaska. Beautiful, colorful, adorable, funny little creatures.
We were cruising along the Kenai Peninsula, near the Fjords National Park, when we came across a fairly large breeding colony. Thousands of birds sitting on the cliffs, floating on the water, flying with their short wings flapping crazy fast. Their "crash" landings were quite funny (especially after learning they don't hurt themselves!). Quite a memorable moment. What surprised me the most about these birds? 6/14/2017
Glaciers on an Alaskan cruiseA question I get quite often when someone is looking at Alaska cruise itineraries is "Which glacier is the best one to experience"? Well, I think they are all spectacular and worthy of your time. I can't remember a glacier that hasn't simply taken my breath away. However, on most itineraries, only one, maybe two tidewater glaciers are included, so which one(s) to choose?
I have been to three of these four glacial areas. All are impressive and beautiful, yet quite different. |
Laurie Marschall - Owner and Founder
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