TREKKING WITH MERLE IN AFRICA Got my tetanus shot, passport, evacuation insurance and a prescription for anti-malaria pills. Fifteen hours on South Africa Airlines landing in Johannesburg and a 2.5 hour bus ride to the Palace of the Lost City in Sun City . But this is the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and Merle trip". Now, I thought that THIS place was outrageous, but it got even better.

SENSATIONAL COSTA RICA At Turu Ba Ri Park in the Central Pacific Region of Costa Rica, zipline canopy tours are taken to the extreme. Imagine flying over a jungle ravine like Superman and you almost have the picture. There are dozens and dozens of such tours all over Costa Rica - it’s one of the most popular forms of tourist attractions in the country.

A GOLDEN TOUR OF ICELAND Iceland is an amazingly beautiful country filled with art, culture, spectacular and other worldly scenery and friendly, happy people, but on occasion it can be pricey. Okay, getting there on Iceland Air won’t break the bank and accommodations are in line with that of hotels in Europe.

SOARING TO GREAT HEIGHTS IN THE OUTER BANKS Nearly every year my wife, Karen, and I return to the Outer Banks (OBX). It’s the perfect spot to get away from it all in this Mecca for adrenaline junkies. There are long stretches of empty beaches, quiet waters, beautiful gardens plus recreation galore: kayaking, cycling, in-line skating, SCUBA diving, horseback riding, kiting, surfing, airplane tours and hang gliding.

THE BARREL MAKERS OF BUZET It all began in 1945 when Hubert Saint Martin launched his company proudly calling it Saint Martin . After also becoming expert coopers (as professional barrel makers are called), son, Yves and grandson, Francois, continue the legacy of cooperage in the family-owned business.

TREKKING GONE WILD Mid-Wales is a patchwork of open fields and dense pine forest plantations over rolling hills and valleys. You either have an open sweeping view or you’re shrouded in the pines. The forestry service roads are hard-packed dirt and fine gravel that make ideal, wide bridal trails. And nearly every field is populated with sheep.

THE CHAPEL THAT TOOK CHICAGO BY STORM If only Louis Comfort Tiffany could see his beloved chapel now. It has been completely restored at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Florida’s Winter Park, entrancing visitors as much as it did in 1893 when Tiffany’s winning design earned him worldwide recognition and 54 awards at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

A CULTURAL THEME ADDS PIZZAZZ TO ORLANDO Surprise, surprise, Orlando has become such a cultural cachet it’s stopping travel enthusiasts in their tracks. Lots of fascinating encounters led us down the garden path, along historic inroads and through the hallways of world-class entertainment, rare moments that we never dreamed existed in a city of theme park fame.

TANGO TOWN  The young Latin American man was dressed in a dark suit, his black shoes lacquered with enough polish to mirror the smiles of his onlookers.  His partner, an attractive, slim, dark-haired lady, wore a classic black gown, a see-through number that had the male members of the audience besieged.  The pair had appeared from nowhere, from one of the back streets of Buenos Aires’ La Boca district, to dance the provocative tango.

THERE’S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT GLADE SPRINGS At Glade Springs they promise “4,100 Acres of Fun & Adventure” and the rest is up to you.  This duo’s visit was so fulfilling, we’d love to do it again. Imagine retreating to a luxurious country estate to indulge in spa heaven and culinary pleasures for a weekend of fun, then rafting down the Gauley River and experiencing sporting clays in the name of adventure.

A WEALTH OF GLORY IN A CITY OF MONEY The thing that always strikes me about Florence is the unmistakable scent of money.  You notice it as soon as you enter the Piazza Santa Croce, lined with arcaded shops and eager tourists; it’s in the air as you turn left and head for the river Arno; it assails the nostrils again as you pass by the gold shops of the Ponte Vecchio.

CRUISING WITH CULTURE Cruising through Alaska is full of discoveries, onboard and off, but it is the Native Artist-in-Residence program that presents a cultural look at “the last frontier” to Holland America passengers.

ALASKA AND THE YUKON THE HOLLAND AMERICA WAY Holland America knows Alaska the best. Over half a century ago their cruise ships began traversing the waters, entertaining guests with a kaleidoscope of natural beauty, great service and now a program that extends to Canada’s Yukon.

BENEATH KAUAI We heard it over and over again from all of our friends who had visited Hawaii… the SCUBA diving stinks. They told us that the visibility was bad; the water cold, the seas choppy and the underwater landscape barren. We decided to see for ourselves and set out aboard Hawaiian Airlines for the island beauty.

A REMOTE BEAUTY CALLED GREENLAND I guess that when planning a trip that takes in sun, sea and scenery, Greenland is not at the top of everyone's list. As the largest island in the world, situated mainly above the Arctic Circle, the sea has an important influence on its inhabitants, who are forced to dwell along the coast due to a massive ice cap that covers everything inland.

IT'S MARDI GRAS TIME IN NEW ORLEANS By the time you get to New Orleans for Mardi Gras your pipes better be in working order. They come in handy for shouting, “Throw me something, Mister! Throw me something!”

GEORGIA'S OWN LITTLE GRAND CANYON Canyons always sound fascinating to me, but 16 canyons in a 1,109-acre park in Georgia promised to be downright incredible. I had to see this for myself! For the outdoor traveler, Providence Canyon State Conservation Park is a haven.

SEA HISTORY AT COLUMBUS Columbus, Georgia: Three years ago I made a promise to return to Columbus to visit the Port Columbus Civil War Naval Museum that only existed in master plans at the time. Today I am thrilled to be in the powerful presence of some of the most stunning exhibits that pay tribute to America’s naval history during the Civil War.

TO AIR IS HUMAN I stood alone looking out from the top of the mountain in the early morning hours. After following very specific instructions, I had arrived at the hang gliding launch site under a half-hour's drive from San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico.

BEDAZZLED BY A GIANT It’s a glittering affair from beginning to end and he has eyes only for you! The ‘affair’ is at Swarovski Kristallwelten (Crystal Worlds) and ‘he’ is the Alpine giant with sparkling crystal eyes.

FAREWELL TO ARMS IN GRAZ It’s the Landeszeughaus, called the Arsenal or the Provincial Armoury on the Herrengasse. By any name it’s famous as the largest and finest preserved collection of arms and armour throughout the world with 30,000 individual exhibits on five floors.

PLAY ON VIENNA Never before can I recall such a brilliant attempt by a museum to saturate the senses with a treasure chest of musical imagery and magical sounds on such a grand scale.

GREEN AT WINTERGREEN Ahh, spring at last! After months of snow, sleet and ice, it's safe to once again venture outside... no need to complain about the cold temperatures now. And summer is on the horizon! With it, of course, comes the other side of the equation -it's too hot! So instead of heading north to escape the heat and humidity of summer, why not try something different? Head south.

DEEP TROUBLE With six-foot-high waves tossing us about on the surface, the dive master had told Karen and I to head to the bottom at 80 feet and wait while our friends, Mike and Julia, swam from the sides of the small boat to the anchor line. Neither had ever SCUBA dived from a boat before and this was their first time to the Caribbean.

MEMORIES OF EGYPT From thousands of feet in the air, all I saw was desert in all directions. Soon enough, after 19 hours on Egypt Air the mystery of the ancient city of Kemit was confirmed. Cairo seemed to be veiled under a cloud of golden dust in the middle of a desolate, extensive desert.

AMAZING DARWIN'S FINCHES The trip would ultimately change the 26-year-old's life forever, as it did to create scientific and social upheaval among conventional believers of natural history.

THE GAMES GRAY WHALES PLAY Baja California, Mexico: It is early morning when the Searcher slips its engines into idle for a moment as we approach Laguna San Ignacio and anchors at Rocky Point. For the next two days we will eat, sleep and relax in gray whale territory, but our ultimate quest is to meet these incredible creatures up close and personal.

Snowshoe, Snowshoe! Snowshoe Mountain, due to its elevation, receives a lot of snow (an average of 180 inches per year). Well before other mid-Atlantic ski resorts have opened and long after these resorts (which rely mostly on man-made powder) have closed down for the season, Snowshoe is blanketed by snowfall.

JUST CHUTE ME I'VE ALWAYS dreamed of skydiving and, with my 40th birthday approaching, it seemed like a good time to start. The rush of adrenaline when riding on a roller coaster or skiing down a steep slope is one of my favorite sensations. And I've always had an affinity for the view from high places: the tops of skyscrapers or scenic overlooks in the mountains.

MESA VERDE, MYSTERIOUS AND MAGNIFICENT Mesa Verde, Co. Unlocking the mystery of the Mesa Verde cliff dwellers is only part of the fascination visitors will ponder at Mesa Verde National Park while exploring the ancient stone masterpieces.

SOLITUDE AT SAND CANYON Some folks are born hikers, others just go along for the fun of it, and some of us take it in stride. Suddenly the fresh air and warm temperature seem so exhilarating especially after my introduction to the great outdoors of southwestern Colorado.

WAGONS WEST Eric Bartels looks like he was born to drive a stagecoach. And that is exactly what he does (in season) at the family run Bartels Mancos Valley Stage Line tours.

PLAYING FAVORITES AT AVENTURE NORD-BEC St. Lambert de Levis, Quebec: "Dancing with Wolves" got Kevin Costner a starring role. Driving a dogsled is as close as I have come to some of the greatest stars of the canine variety.

CITY TO SURF 2000 Sydney, Australia - From men to women, from the elderly to young children, from brides and grooms to gorillas (just kidding), they came, they saw, they ran and they walked the 14km course of the 30th annual City to Surf.

SAHARA!SAHARA! I MISS YOU SO! The Sahara sounds mythical and mysterious, unreachable, and to most travelers just a dream, but as my story unfolds, you'll discover that dreams can become a reality.

Tiger Reserves In India There is no better place on earth to encounter this fascinating beauty in its natural habitat than India. India today has around 80 National Parks and 441 Sanctuaries of which some have been conserved as Tiger reserves under the Project Tiger Scheme.

The Blowhole at Kiama A balm for nature lovers, a photographer's delight

Casablanca and Marrakech - North African City Lights  

Village In The Sun - Ajijic, a sleepy little village, sits on the north shore of Lake Chapala surrounded by mountain ranges and high plateaus where burros and horses clatter along 12th Century cobblestone streets.

Ban Kapow - The Potter's Life In A Laos Village - hidden villages where traditional craftmakers are becoming scarce, but occasionally still found, travellers wanting to see how potters perform the arduous tasks of collecting riverbed clay and manually turning that clay into works of functional art will want to read this story.

Not Just Birds At the Zoo - a former coffee plantation housing endangered species with 700 birds in residence. Snapping turtles, boa constrictors, crocodiles, and lizards are inhabitants of this unique zoo.

Swimming with the Dolphins - fun for the entire family at Grassy Key, Florida

Tobago - a snorkeler's paradise, a fly-fishing enthusiast's heaven and beautiful, white beaches for the sun bathers