New Zealand is photographically best known for its stunning landscapes. Many of the best locations are well off the beaten track though, and difficult to find when traveling solo. We therefore decided to include one more organized photo tour to finish 2023, and to introduce us to the grander landscape scenes in New Zealand. Our […]
Australia 2 – Melbourne 2
As part of our 3-hour long walking tour of Melbourne, we were introduced to the story of Chloe (right bottom). Chloé was painted in 1875 by a French painter, and was displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria. Chloé grew controversial when the painting started being exhibited on Sundays, when a local minister condemned it. […]
Australia 1 – Melbourne 1
Whenever we travel to a new city, we love going on walking tours. We love discovering the off-the-beaten-track places that only a local will know. We signed up for a fun 3-hour walking tour with Depot Adventures in Melbourne. We explored the cafe scene for coffee, hidden speak-easy bars, Aussie chocolates, art galleries, museums, great […]
Tasmania 2 – Hobart
Tasmania is widely known for its clean air, unique wildlife, stunning scenery and a rich history of slavery. They also drive on the wrong side of the road, so coming from America, it can be a terrifying experience, when we drove from Launceston to Bichena to Hobart. We never overcame turning on our windshield wipers […]
Tasmania 1 — Our 100th Country
Up to this point, we had travelled to 99 countries. We wanted #100 to be special, so we decided to go to Tasmania. Officially, Tasmania is an island state of Australia, but the list of countries we use to count is from the Traveler’s Century Club, where membership requires having traveled to 100 countries. Here’s […]
Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam #3 -Wrap Up
The tour to Laos/Vietnam/Cambodia was promoted as a scouting trip by Mehmet. However he scoped out many of the places in advance to ensure that our small group would be comfortable. As always, no one ever goes hungry on these trips. Food in SE Asia is amazingly affordable, made with fresh ingredients, and delicious. The […]
Cambodia #2 – Tonlé Sap & Market
The Tonlé Sap floodplain in the northwest of Cambodia is home to more than 3 million people and supports one of the most productive freshwater fisheries in Asia. During the monsoon season, the lake quadruples in size flooding the area with life and is the largest fresh water lake in SE Asia. The floating village […]
Cambodia #1 -Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat iconic view at sunrise. There was quite a race to reach the coveted location for this photo viewpoint before sunrise, as every photographer’s ideal was to capture the towers in the rear separated with no overlap, a perfect reflection, with good light. Angkor Wat is a Buddhist-Hindu temple complex located in northern Cambodia […]
Vietnam #5 – Traffic and People
Here is a photo of the motorbike traffic below our hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon)– it was madness. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were the only two cities where the guide had to show us how to safely cross the street. There were so many vehicles that to cross the […]
Vietnam #4 – Hanoi, Sapa, and Pearls
At sunset, we shot the famous Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi, the oldest Buddhist temple in Vietnam, which dates back to the 6th century (bottom). This 1500 year old landmark is located on a peninsula on the east side of Hanoi West Lake, and the mirrored reflection was perfect.. While we were photographing the Long […]