Our Up-close Encounters in the Birder’s Paradise at Long Point

scarlet tanager, the old cut, long point, ontario

The first trip that Bob and I booked for the sole purpose of birding was to the Birder’s Paradise at Long Point on Lake Erie in Ontario.  Through different facebook groups, we had seen ample evidence of bird sightings at Long Point, and we were eager to check out the area for ourselves. Read more

Guided Tour In Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge

rio frio, cano negro wildlife refuge, costa rica

Our plan, when staying in La Fortuna, was to make a couple of road trips to further our exploration of the area.  On our third day in Costa Rica, we were up at 5 a.m., wakened by bird song, but pouring rain had us holding off until 9 o’clock before setting off for Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge.  It is considered by many to be the third most important wetland in the world. Read more

Pinnacle Rock In Mpumalanga, South Africa

photograph of Pinnacle Rock at Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa

photograph of Pinnacle Rock at Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa

On our first full day in Sabie, South Africa, a drive north of the town to investigate Blyde River Canyon had us putting three landmarks on our list of things to see.  The first one up was The Pinnacle Rock.  This massive freestanding rock towers over the deep ravine carved by the Ngwaritsane River. Read more

Our Travels to South Africa

zebra and giraffe, south african

After tucking several years of travel experience under our belts, Bob and I made plans for a self-guided tour of South Africa where we would complete a circular route taking us from Johannesburg, through Swaziland, along the Indian Ocean, across the Kalahari Desert and back to our starting point.  It was an awesome trip that we will never forget!! Read more

Godwits Galore at the Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre

bar-tailed godwits, Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, north island, new zealand

On the next leg of our trip, between Auckland and our next lodgings in Rotorua, Bob and I planned a stop at the Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre.  Its reputation as being home to thousands of shorebirds made it a must-see destination, and we were keen to add some new birds to our life list.  The area did not disappoint.  Thousands of Bar-tailed Godwits had returned to spend summer on New Zealand’s North Island. Read more

Driving the Ring of Kerry in Ireland

killarney lakes, killarney national park, ireland

When Bob and I set off from Killarney to drive the famed Ring of Kerry route, technically, we had already seen a section of it the previous afternoon when we arrived there in Killarney National Park.  Thankfully, glorious sunshine had provided us with spectacular views of the Killarney Lakes. Read more

Harrowing Drive through Swaziland

border entrance sign into Swaziland

A harrowing drive through Swaziland was the result of a planned shortcut through that country in order to eliminate 2-3 hours of driving time in South Africa on a road that gives a wide berth around Swaziland’s borders.  We left Kruger National Park at 7 a.m. expecting to arrive at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve on the coast in about 7 hours.  What we did not expect was the condition of a 50-kilometre stretch of mountain logging roads and how it would impact our schedule. Read more

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