Archive for the 'Far Far Away' Category
WARTCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !
Crossing enemy lines by air, from Armenia to Azerbaijan via Georgia, TotalAdventure landed in Baku mid day Saturday April 27th.
The immigration officer at Baku asked why I had been in Armenia and the answer was tourism business. The passport was duly stamped , this is surely a common acccurence. At least 5 other people on the Tbilisi -Baku flight had transited from the Yerevan–Tbilisi flight.
2 Flights from Yerevan, First, a 30 minute flight North to Tbilisi on Georgian Airways. . Then an 1.5 hour hour flight to Baku on Azerbaijan Airways.
The first thing one notices when entering the oil-rich city is theincredinle buildings – ;like a mini-Dubai. Here is the Hotel Crescent Architect Andrew Burns.
TotalAdventure stayed at the Fairmont in the Flaming Towers. Arounf US 250 a night, a fraction of the price in New York. In the foreground is Mosque of the Martyrs, built by the Turkish government in the 1990s soon after the Soviet collapse.
I had hoped to enjoy Caspian Caviar , as far as TotalAdventure is concerned the only real икра – Ikra, as it’s called in Russian. InTurkmenistan we hadabouta half pound for US 45 back in 2019. THisis farm raised sturgeon and very expensive. The eggs look oerfect, and the eggy taste is mild. Supposedly the ral thing will not beavailable for anouther 15 years – fishing was shut down due to population crash. However Iran and Turkmenistan produce very small amounts.
As of this writing the Azerbaijan Manat is 1.69 to the US $. Azerbaijan is a upper middle class country and prices are similar to the US or Western Europe, though high end hotels and restaurants are lower priced.
Soviet World War Two Memorial Monument.
View from the Fairmont in Flaming Towers. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE TO SEE THE TOWERS FLAME !
The Azeris area patriotic people – aligned with Turkey, with bitter memories of Soviet occupation. The ongoing war with neighboring Armenia is a result of Soviet redrawing of national borders.
The cuisine – much like Turkish ,with a hint of Persian and Russian – is deliciousa nd healthy. Here isa sampling of Caspian seafood.
Egg in pita – amazing. Bürek.
Lamb. Food is Halal in the predominately Islamic nation, though alcohol is widely available.
The Old City – Sultan’s Palace.
A grave. Before the Soviets arrived, Arabic script was used, just as in Turkey. Now a modified Latin alphabet replaces Cyrillic. Turkish and Azerbaijani are very similar and people can understand one another.
Early 20th Century.
TotalAdventure has swum in all 4 Oceans – as well as many seas – which are part of , or attached to the major oceans. The Caspian Sea connects to no other body of water. Though 100 km long and 320 km wide ( 750 X 200 miles in American measurement) , the Sea is really the world’s largest lake. Like a lake there are no tides . The salinity is only 1/3 of the average ocean. Under the sea floor is much oil and gas – enriching the surrounding nations. I swam in relatively clean waters south of Baku,.
On the morning of Tuesday April 30th = TotalAdventure flew to the Azores, via Istanbul and Lisbon.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !
On April 22 TotalAdventure departed Tbilisi by auto, with the driver from British Hotel. Before leaving Tbilisi, there were a few stops to pick up necessary documents for crossing the border.
From Tbilisi to Yerevan is about 300 km, taking around 5 hours, including time crossing the border.
Armenia – Country Number 97 For TotalAdventure.
Shortly after the border crossing we had a bit of a detour. The driver received a text warning that Azeri soldiers had made an incursion into Armenian territory. The war has been on and off for over 30 years – since the breakup of the Soviet Union. The next road we went on was closed for about 30 minutes due to a farmer’s demonstration. In all delays were about 90 minutes. It was later reported one Azeri soldier was killed. Above, the peaceful image of winter’s snow receding in the strong spring sunshine.
TotalAdventure’s hotel was right off Republic Square – a grand plaza of Government buildings, libraries and museums.
A delicious dinner at Kavkazia – beginning with Dolma.
Followed by Borsht and then Shashleek. Armenian cuisine is hearty – a crossroads of various Empires – Russian,Turkish, Persian,Greek.
Armenian Dram. As of this writing, the Dram is 387 to the US Dollar. Overall the country is lower priced than the US and Western Europe. A good meal for 2 in a top restaurant, with wine would be about US $ 60, about a tenth of that in a common locals canteen.
Mt.Ararat in Eastern Turkey. It is where Noah landed the Ark after the Great Flood. The mountain is sacred in Christianity,Islam and Judaism. Though only 53km ( 32mi) distant as the crow flies – to drive is 547 km since the Turkish border has been closed since 1991 -one must circumnavigate through Georgia to get there. At nearly 17,000 feet, 5800m the mountain is snowcapped for eternity.
The Cascade – 672 steps with the 40th Anniversary of Soviet Armenia Monument at the top. TotalAdventure climbed it effortlessly on a 29 C day.
Author of a a favorite childhood book “My Name is Aram.”
Artist and Director Sergei Paradjanov pictured at his home, now a museum.
Paradjanov Artwork.
Paradjanov Artwork.
In may places throughout the city – memorials to soldiers killed in the ongoing war with Azerbaijan.
Russian TV is prominent. TotalAdventure watched Rossiya 24 – like a Russian verion of Fox.
Rossiya 24 previewing things to come. TotalAdventure is self taught to read Cyrillic – very helpful in Russia ,the Balkans ,Mongolia and the post Soviet world in general.
TotalAdventure often hires a car with driver in many countries, in order to film and photograph the countryside. In Armenia that was prohibitively expensive, so I rented a Chevy SUV for $ 35 a day.
The main mission was to visit ancient churches and monasteries. Taking information from an online guide, I pasted the locations in Google Maps on my MacBook Pro and then sent the resulting map to my iPhone. This map – Bluetoothed on my dashboard screen- was my tour guide throughout the next two days of exploration. These features will soon be embedded in our new engine – adventuretravel.ai
All the monasteries are featured in THE VIDEO AT THE TOP.
Mother Stork Is Expecting ! Or perhaps feeding the little ones.
The Soviet bus seems to be a 1950s relic – but it’s from 1987.
Remains of Zvartnots Cathedral.
1300 hrs. Armenia is GMT + 4 – 2 hours ahead of Western Europe and 8 hours ahead of New York.
Poppies – a popular flower in nearby countries.
Interior Cathedral.
Hovhannavank – The Catholicos of Armenia.
A church on a forested mountaintop.
Overlooking Lake Sevan. SEE THE VIDEO AT THE TOP !
St,Gregory – who was imprisoned in complete darkness in a snake pit for 13 years !
Also overlooking Lake Sevan is the Writer’s Hotel. Built around 1960, it is a classic example of Soviet Brutalist architecture.
After years of abandonment, it is now reopening as a hotel – the views are beautiful, the rooms basic, for about $ 35 a night. And writers won’t have to write about the glories of Lenin and Marx.
Final stop to gas up the rental ! The next morning TotalAdventure flew around enemy lines to Baku.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !
On April 16th, TotalAdventure boarded Turkish Airlines from Miami to Tbilisi Georgia on a one- way ticket. The reason for the one -way ticket will be discussed in the Armenia and Azerbaijan chapters to follow, but it had to do with visiting currently peaceful ,yet potentially volatile areas in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The highlight of my 6 hour layover in Istanbul Airport was Nusr-Et’s amazing $45 cheeseburger. It was quaffed with an icy cold Efes Beer.
After flying day and night and another half of a night, TotalAdventure arrivrd in Tbiisi at 3 AM. Immigration took seconds. Waiting for me was a driver from the excellent small inn British House. I dozed from about 5 AM till 11 and then hit the ground in my hiking boots.
The first graffiti I read on the street. The populace is pro-Europe ,and the nation was grated Candidate Status to join the EU this past December. However, the government, perhaps out of fear – leans pro Russia. Georgians are naturally wary of their large northern neighbor that has already captured nearly half their territory in earlier wars. As of this writing , Parlaimentt just passed a pro-Russian foreign agent law, threatening further integration with the EU.
Holy Trinity Cathedral is on top a high hill overlooking the city. For a view of city sights be sure to view VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE !
Putin is not so popular in Tbilisi.
Lots of cool grafitti in the streets.
Many quiet squares thoughout the vibrant and fashionable city. The young crowds seem more Parisian than Muscovite.
Noisy Protests Almost Nightly. Some fear that another Trump Presidency would result in a carte blanche handover of Georgia to Putin.
Delicious Kinkhali as an appetizer.
Followed by a lamb stew.
A sparky stove !
Do not know the name but amazingly tasty !
Riverboat style architecture.
A modern bridge over the Kura River which flows from Eastern Turkey to the Caspian Sea.
Holy Trinity in the distance.
TotalAdventure’s Room At British House. 2 Rooms , actually, plus a small balcony. About 75 US.
Georgia Lari. 2.78 to 1 USD as of this writing.
The next stop was Gorki ,birthplace of Comrade Josef Stalin, Dictator of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953. Dictators love to pose with children. Thanks to Stalin, millions of children were orphaned when both their parents were sent off to slave labor in the Siberian Gulags. The children themselves grew up in orphanages where they could be brainwashed to be obedient little Party cadres.
HIs death was secretly celebrated by many. Shortly afterwards some liberalization from an ablsolute police state began.
1930s Exection Squads.
See Stalin’s Train Car IN THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.
From the plans of central Georgia, we drove to 3000meters elevation into the Caucasus Mountains, highest in Europe,
The view of Mt.Xazhgebi by night. At over 5000 meters , it is half in Russia.
On the side of bi-national Mt.Xazhgebi,is Holy Trinity, dating from the 1300s.Winter snows are subsiding in late April.
Light From The. Heavens.
Gudauri Ski Resort is very high, over 3000m in most areas and goes on for many kilometers. In late April the season was ending, the higher peaks were off limits due to avalanche danger from the strong spring sunshine. Georgians, Russians ,Germans and Americans all ski together peacefully.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !
In January TotalAdventure returned to Fairbanks,Alaska, North America’s Northernmost and Westernmost City ,less than 100 miles below the Arctic Circle and just under 700 miles from Russia.
Martin Zuver , Total Adventure Marketing for Alaska ,Canada and until recently the Russian Far East, lives in Fairbanks year round. Russian Far East destinations are on hold till further notice.
When TotalAdventure last visited in June there was 24 hours of daylight. In mid January the sun rises at 10:30 and sets at 3:20. This picture was taken at 9:45 AM. The day is already an hour longer than the solstice 3 weeks earlier.
Sunset 3:20 PM.
The temperature was -31 F, -35 C when departing for the Lower 48. A few days later it was – 50 F, -45 C. While cold, that was nowhere near the record of -66 F.
Icy – an 8 month old Alaskan Husky – is right at home in the powdery snow. Sled dogs prefer a snow bed and rarely use their dog houses.
Downtown Fairbanks. Population 32,700.
Barbequeing Excellent Alaskan Beef In -20 temperature. Fire has to be very hot.
Mid Day sun on the horizon.
Fairbanks is closer to Oslo than New York – it’s a 6 hour hop over the North Pole.
Spicy the Hemingway Cat. He spends the winter indoors.
Oddly – my eye did not catch the Aurora,but the camera did !
Other Natural phenomena _ A 5.3 Quake occurred just as I was finishing up a video conference in my 7th floor hotel room at 12:34 PM Alaska time. The huge cement building swayed from side to side. A cup fell off a sink, luckily plastic. When I walked to the window to look out ,the floor felt like bouncy foam. There was no damage in the city, but it was the biggest in the interior in about 20 years. Coastal and island Alaska is the northern rim of the Ring of Fire and has some of the world’s largest earthquakes and tsunamis. A 9.2 on Easter Sunday 1964 in Anchorage destroyed the city and killed hundreds. 100 foot tsunamis washed way entire villages and fishing docks.
-24 And Sunny.
The weather necessitates engine block heaters – cars are plugged in when parked for more than a couple hours.
20,000 ft. Mt.McKinley ( Denali) 12 miles to the south.
Swimming In -8 air. Water is 106 – the Cheena Hot Springs.SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE AT TOP OF PAGE !
A Cozy Night At Thirty Below.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !!
TotalAdventure’s Final Stop On September’s East Asia Voyage Was Taiwan – Republic of China. I have been to Mainland China 5 times and several times to Hong Kong and Macau , including when they were British and Portuguese Colonies. Taiwan was different in two ways – it is a Democracy, though not on the level of Europe or the USA. It is also uncrowded – only 30 million people – which is far smaller than several Mainland Cities. For several years Taiwan has been “on the list” but now due to increasing tensions across the Straits ( as little as 80 miles ,120 km) ) the time to go might be now. TotalAdventure thinks it’s highly unlikely that that Beijing would attack Taipei – the economic and political fallout would be massive – but the same was said about Putin and Ukraine. Unfortunately the rule of travel these days, for many parts of the world, is to go now, while one has the chance. TotalAdventure explored Tigray extensively in early 2020- just before COVID and then a horrific genocidal war later that year. Of course , War Tourism is now a thing – a dangerous form of adventure. On this trip – Taiwan was peaceful – though often with the roar of fighter jets in the background. The island is surrounded by PRC Battleships and Coast Guard – sometimes only 30 miles, 50 km from the shore.
Money Cat is revered all over the Chinese Diaspora.
Tower 101 was the tallest building in the world 20 years ago. It is now the 10th tallest.
Some interesting architecture from 553 meters.
The Taiwanese Dollar is 31 to the US Dollar. Prices are moderately lower than the USA. Simple meals as low as $ 6 , comfortable hotel is $ 80 and luxury hotel about $ 140. (US) 100 mile 160 km fast train,$ 5.
Confucius centered Buddhism is the main religion.
Old teachings are adapted for modern life – the pursuit of success.
One of the main reasons to explore Taiwan is for the food – different , and not as exotic as Sichuanese or Cantonese , but equally as tasty. Above,Black Meat Chicken.
Very Spicy pork noodle soup.
Hot Pot.
Seasoned Scallops.
Shrimp That Were Jumping 10 Minutes Before.
Looking a lot like Ballyhoo bait fish from Florida and the Bahamas. But very tasty grilled.
“Aboriginal” Lunch.
A strange fruity dessert.
The Nationalist Flag of Kuomintang China.
From Taipei , TotalAdventure traveled by train to Xincheng, on the East Coast. The Deep Blue Pacific was calm and beautiful.
The local population, having experienced many typhoons and a few tsunamis is quite fearful of the sea, and few swim. It is a pity , because the sea, in late September , is clear and warm. TotalAdventure did swim, albeit with some caution.
Near Xincheng is Taroko National Park. One needs a car to explore – TotalAdventure hired a taxi for the whole day for 2500 NT$, about 80 US.
Massive water volume bursts through the canyons . Though the weather was dry – the rivers run fast from the ending rainy season.
The climate is subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. On the highest mountain tops some snow falls in winter.
Oriental Ambience.
On the last evening in Taipei, TotalAdventure climbed the Tomb of Chiang Kai-shek. He ruled the breakaway Republic until his death at age 87 in 1975.
The Long Flight To SFO. 11 Hours. Left Sunday Night and Arrived Sunday Afternoon.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !
ABOVE : KAESONG NORTH KOREA
On September 15th TotalAdventure flew Jeju Air from Sapporo to Seoul. Japan has a higher standard of living than the USA and South Korea is close. Both have recovered from total destruction and destitution over the 70 to 80 years. What is shocking about Korea is that a man made line splits one country between one of the wealthiest and progressive societies in the world, across from the poorest and most repressive. Above, we look across that line.
TotalAdventure stayed at the beautful Hotel Entra Gangnam, in the famous neighbirhood of the same name, Seoul has a population of just under 10 million. The View. Gangam is the trendy shopping and dining neighborhood know for ” Gangam Style.”
Gyeongbokgung Palace dates from 1395. The complex once had 7000 rooms ,but was mostly destroyed in the Japanese Occupation. The grounds are slowly being restored.
A Pagoda view not unfamiliar throughout East Asia.
On Saturdays people like to dress up in traditional attire. Costumes can be rented.
An Effigy of A Court Official.
Clerks & Bureaucrats.
Worship of Lord Buddha. The ceremony is Confucian and can be observed when you WATCH THE INTRODUCTORY VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.
The Korea War Museum is massive .The war is central to both Koreas and both sides profess to reunite some day, hopefully not if the war reignites. The monument signifies the split and atop, two brothers, from each side, meet in battle and briefly hug before returning to killing each other.
North Korean MIG and prop plane.
This Soviet Limo was a gift to Kim Il Sung – the Great Leader. It was captured by US troops and given as a gift to the the widow of a US Army Colonel killed in battle. Now in the War Museum.
The war is embedded into society.
Food is a major reason to visit South Korea. Above is octopus in ink and seaweed.
Haejangguk – A hot and filling soup for breakfast, accompanied by dumplings.
Beef Bulgogi grilled tabletop , along with many dishes including spicy kimchi.
K Pop stars at the top pf Lotte Tower – at 1855 feet, 583 m the 5th tallest building in the world. WATCH THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.
The main ficus of TotalAdventure’s visit to Korea was to visit the Demilitarized Zone – The DMZ the line where the two Koreas, still at war ( USA included) observe a tense truce. The main mission was to visit Panmunjom where North Korean,South Korean and US soldiers face only inches away from each other. However, that was closed due tot the foolish deserter Travis King, running over the line.Repatriated by the North – he is now in a Texas military prison awaiting charges in desertion punishable up to death by firing squad), as well as child porn.
Through a telescope, the city of Kaesong North Korea. From Mt.Dora we were about 5 miles 8 km away.
Also pictured at the top of the page, the sign praises Great and Dear Leaders.
DMZ Rice paddies.
The South Korea Won is currently 1354 to the US Dollar. This translates to moderate prices ,slightly cheaper than the USA.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !
On September 5th, 2023, TotalAdventure departed Newark Airport for Tokyo ,Japan. Returning for the first time since January,2019, we landed at Haneda Airport on the south side of the city – with convenient metro lines that connect everywhere. The main focus of the trip was to take part in the 2023 Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido.
After a quick rest and wash up at my beautiful Hotel, it was off to the back alleys of Shibuya Crossing to dine in a couple of the many excellent and tiny food establishments.
As I’ve been to Tokyo quite a few times, I decided this visit would focus on the metropolis’ many culinary delights.
Ramen is always a good staple after a long flight.
Succulent Mackerel .
5000 Yen is US $ 34. There will be change. Tipping forbidden.
Around 11 the bar scene begins. There are hundreds of these little places, often with only 4 or 5 seats. Whisky is the drink of choice. Let the bartender invite you in, as foreigners are not always welcome – the reason being that they can’t take part in the intimate conversations. I had no problem, but could not add to the conversation.
The next morning I took the Hibiya Line to Tsukiji Fish Market. The market is famous for early morning auctions of the world’s most expensive and perfect blocks of tuna. However, it is now a sanitized experience viewed from afar. At a soup stall, I began with a small bowl of organ meats with scallions and soft boiled egg, some cold tea to wash it down.
At another stall, one of many hundreds, I had insanely fresh sashimi – different cuts of fatty tuna, salmon roe and uni. 1200 yen, about $ 9.
A more exotic assortment , including very high grade fatty tuna – melts like butter. Also whelks and abalone.
A real treat – giant cold fresh oysters with uni.
Quite satiated, TotalAdventure attended the Kabuki Theater. No photo or video of the actual performance is allowed, so this is of the theater and stage. The plays are many hours long, an entire afternoon. However, you can buy a ticket for just one act – about 30 or 40 minutes. All the actors are male, even for the female roles. The characters have had a lot of influence in the development of Pokemon and the beginning of the Anime culture.
Just after a mild typhoon.
5 AM Sunrise from my 40th floor hotel room at the Century Southern in Shinjuku. Please see some photos and videos from past trips to Tokyo, here on TotalAdventure Magazine.
On Sunday September 10th, I flew on JetStar from Narita to Sapporo. TotalAdventure was taking part in The Adventure Travel World Summit. Every year the Summit is held in a different location. Last year it was in Switzerland and next year will be in Panama. The Summit was supposed to be in Sapporo in 2021, but was postponed due to COVID lockdowns. Do see 2019 posts from Japan – in January 2019 the city was covered under several meters of snow, as it is every winter. But now, in mid September, the weather was humid and in the 80s – 29 C.
JAP-POW !
Before the Summit began, we were treated to a Day of Adventure. We went on the Furano Geo Adventure which included road biking in the morning and climbing into the Furano Crater, located in Central Hokkaido in the afternoon.
The volcano is currently dormant , but there are many steam vents letting out the heat of the Earth. Thirty summers prior- TotalAdventure explored similar terrain in nearby Kamchatka Russia – also in the Pacific Rim of Fire. Look back into the Russian archives in TotalAdventure Magazine.
With the very helpful and patient crew !
Our great hike leaders.
Wagyu Beef for lunch.
Bucolic Country Barn.
Rich Volcanic Soil For Farming. Everything Impeccably Clean.
The ATTA and ourHokkaido Hosts, had a great welcoming party for us at the site of the 1972 Winter Olympics. There were actual jumpers skiing down the astroturf . Snow won’t start until November.
View From The Top. Rumor has it that Winter Olympics will return to Sapporo in 2030.
The Summit was very productive and many new companies with hundreds of trips will soon join the TotalAdventure Platform.
On Friday,September 15th, TotalAdventure boarded Jeju Air from Sapporo to Seoul ,South Korea for the next phase of the East Asian Adventure.
On June 16th TotalAdventure flew from Los Angeles to Fairbanks Alaska, to join with our Northern Producer,Martin Z. for a 500 mile drive up the Dalton Highway to Deadhorse – at Prudhoe Bay. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE.
In the 500 Miles between Fairbanks and Deadhorse there is only one stop with lodging, food and fuel – at Coldfoot Camp. There are otherwise only scattered scientific and work camps ( road and pipeline workers ). There are no rest stops ,billboards, McDonald’s, gas stations , nothing but beautiful unspoiled Arctic nature.
The informal road started after the War (2) but became a formal paved and gravel road with the building of the Alyeska Oil Pipeline in the 1970s. From the top in Deadhorse, at Prudhoe Bay, one can drive 12000 miles to the other end of the planet in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, where TotalAdventure was only 6 months before , in Southern Summer, before boarding the ship to Antarctica.
About 140 miles north of Fairbanks. The summertime forest is verdant and full of mosquitos. The sign makes for good target practice.
TotalAdventure crosses the Arctic Circle on land for the first time. In the air, we have flown over the North Pole countless times. On this day, June 19, the sun will dip below the horizon for 2 minutes. On June 21 it will not set at all. Note there all tall trees at this latitude. In Antarctica trees do not exist in a true polar climate. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE.
The pipeline runs nearly 1000 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The oil supplies mainly the US West Coast, Alaska and sometimes Japan.
Lunchtime. We bought all our own food , as there are no rest stop food courts along the way. Sandwiches for lunch and fresh local smoked salmon for dinner.
Our car – A 4 wheel drive Ford Escape rented from North Alaska Tours. It comes equipped with a CB radio as cell service is only available in Coldfoot and Deadhorse, not on the road itself. Behind the car is the Deadhorse gas station – at $7.19 a gallon it’s 30 cents cheaper than Coldfoot. Though the fuel comes directly from under the ground, it has to travel thousands of miles to be refined and trucked back again
Dinner in Coldfoot. Salmon, cheese, sausage and spirits. Drinking in private is legal in “damp ” zones of Alaska. Some areas are completely dry.,including the secure zone at Prudhoe Bay.
Tracks of a young bear in what appears to be very soft sand – evidently not quicksand.
Entering the Brooks Range – separate from the Rockies to the South – about 5500 feet and still a fair amount of snow in June.
Scientific station at Toolik.
Musk Ox. A smaller member of the Buffalo family . Some of the best meat I have ever tasted – but did not have it this time. One would have to know a licensed hunter in season.
A river having just thawed out on the first day of summer. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE.
A lodge at Coldfoot Camp.
Crossing a river near the Brooks Range.
Dalton Highway Panorama.
Leaving Coldfoot Camp Northbound.
Leaving the Brooks Range for the North Slope.
The sun rises on May 15th and doesn’t set till July 29th. We were there at the exact solstice at 0658 AKDT on 21-6 . ( 1058 EDT)
Prudhoe Bay is a town of 3000 people with no permanent residents. Workers are there 2 weeks and one week off. 7 days a week,12 hours a day. 0600 to 1800 and 1800 to 0600. Most live in Texas or Oklahoma and are flown back there between shifts, although a a few live in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Average salary is $ 150,000 a year, with many making much more. Right now 300,000 barrels a day are pumped. In the 1970s there were over 2 million barrels pumped a day. The machinery of the wells in encased in concrete to prevent freezing in 60 below temperatures in the winter.
At last , the Arctic Ocean. On the first day of summer, the ice has melted along the edges ,but is still a solid sheet further out. We swam in the 32 degree water ( 0C ) The air was 37 ( 2.5) TotalAdventure has now swam in all 4 Oceans ! Saltwater freezes at 28 F, -2.8 C. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR THE SWIMMING !
2700 miles across is the Norway/Karelia Russia border. Chukotka Krai , Russia is 650 miles West and Yukon Territory ,Canada is about 120 miles East. The North Pole is 20 degrees or 1200 Nautical Miles.
Swimming Amongst the Arctic Ocean Ice Floes in Zero Centigrade.
Official Certificate.
$ 219 a night room at Deadhorse. Comfortable beds, very hot shower down the hall and laundry ! The very hot shower was great after the swim.
Returning South On The Dalton. Though the land looks green and marshy during the eight week melt season, it is actually a desert. There is only 5 inches of precipitation annually, most of that in the form of snow, though we had a cold rain for a few hours. When the snow melts ,it has no where to go because of permafrost below and the weak sun can’t evaporate it.
Spanish motorcycle crew at Coldfoot – they have come all the way from Tierra del Fuego.
Icy River !
Back In Fairbanks At Last . 1020 miles round trip and now, in 80 degree weather we viewed Mt. Denali ( McKinley) from over 130 miles away. The 20,000 foot mountain is eternally snow covered.TotalAdventure flew to McKinley Base Cap twice in 2016.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE !
TotalAdventure flew from Colombo,Sri Lanka to Kathmandu, Nepal on March 14th. It was a comfortable 3 hour flight, almost entirely over smoky India – hard to see much from the air.
I was greeted at the airport by my colleague and guide Shahadev Shrestha – CEO of Everest Pioneer Trek Nepal Ltd. We met at the Adventure Travel World Summit In Anchorage, Alaska in 2016. I was planning a trip to Nepal in 2020, but of course worldwide lockdowns and border closings made that impossible. Now ,in 2023,TotalAdventure finally arrived. For the next 9 days I would explore the ancient cities of the Kathmandu Valley and climb thousands of meters on the challenging stair trails in the high hills leading to the Annapurna Range.
The first day was spent in the city. Monkeys are city dwellers also.
Nandi The Bull. Nepal is both Hindu and Buddhist.
Gods Are Omnipresent – Kathmandu is a city of lively prayer. WATCH THE VIDEO .
One of the Nepali national dishes is Momo. This special Momo, a type of dumpling, has chicken and is extra spicy. Nepali food has more meat than Indian, but cow beef is forbidden.
Monkeys Love Ice Cream ! The extreme cold causes them to eat it slowly.
In Old Bhaktapur – What lies behind these mysterious doors ?
Lord Buddha is ever calm and wise.
Ancient palaces have been restored over the past two decades.
A life of prayer and piety lead to desirable conditions for reincarnation.
A visit to the Burning Ghats sees reincarnation in action. When a Hindu departs, they are cremated within the next day, if not sooner. The ashes go into the water ,while the spirit rises into the Heavens, soon to return in a new life.
The oldest son prays before his Father.
A Holy Man reads scripture.
The price list translated from the original Nepali.
Royal Cities.
In Kathmandu TotalAdventure stayed at Kathmandu’s most iconic hotel – the Yak and Yeti. It was originally a palace.
The pool is spectacular. In addition there are clay tennis courts,a state of the art gym and sauna, as well as world class international restaurants and bars.
Manager Robinson Maharjan with Shahadev Shrestha.
Though quaint, i t’s nice to read an old fashioned local English paper, even though we can get the same news 24/7 on our electronic media.After your passport, your phone is now the most important travel item.
Now, it was time for the adventurous part of the Nepal Adventure. We boarded a 25 minute flight to Pokhara. The drive is 12 to 15 hours due to major road contraction, even though it is only a little over 100 km.
We stayed at the Mount Kailash Resort in Pokhara. One can see this beautiful Himalayan view on clear mornings.There is a great swimming pool and spa to recuperate from a strenuous trek in the nearby Himalayas.
The trails in Ghorepani Poon Hill are nearly vertical – sometimes a 60 degree grade. Instead of rods, because the grade is impossible for cars, there is an extensive network of stairs . All transport is on the backs of humans and sometimes small agile horses. SEE THE VIDEO ! There are many simple guest houses in a network of villages. Your morning eggs and coffee was carried up on someone’s back. As a result prices are higher than the lowlands, but still quite reasonable.
Mt.Fishtail 6,993 Meters 22727 feet – has never been climbed. It is extremely dangerous and the Nepali Government does not grant permits.
TotalAdventure’s Permit, secured by Everest Pioneer Trek.
TotalAdventure details and routes.
Annapurna – 10th highest mountain in the world – 8,091 Meters, 26,545 feet. Nepal has 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world. Mt.Everest is farther Northeast and takes 2 weeks just to get to base camp – remember – cars are not an option.
The proprietress of our lodge with Shahadev and our porter Raj Kumar.
The snow lasts all year at higher elevations. It actually snows more in the summer, as that is monsoon. At our level around 3000m ,we had some light snow in the early mornings.
Mt.Fishtail In The Clouds.
The videographer at work.
After 3 days of climbing – from 2200 meters to 4000 meters , it was time to return to Pokhara. After a day of relaxation – we returned to Kathmandu – where I flew on to Qatar and the USA
We had a farewell dinner at the Yak and Yeti before I caught my 2 AM flight to Qatar. Pictured are Shahadev’s family, wife and daughter, along with an old college colleague of mine, Beth Brewster. We first met on a school trip in Mexico over 40 years ago. Beth has been in Nepal over 25 years. and is in charge of Giving Asha. The organization provides help to marginalized women and children in Nepal. Nepal has a great tourism industry, but there are still many poor. Please donate on the page.
Everest Pioneer Trek just launched three new adventures on TotalAdventure.Travel Click in the top left page of TotalAdventure Magazine or directly link to the trips from these links :
Adventure Natural Mustang Himalaya Trek 2023
TotalAdventure arrived in Colombo in the early morning hours of March 2,2023. It had been nearly three years since the first attempt to travel to Sri Lanka had been made, The Pandemic made travel in 2020 impossible, until late in the year when a two week quarantine was imposed – a traveller would have to spend two weeks in a government approved hotel and then be tested. Upon release, travel within the country was still restricted and many temples and other public places remained closed. In mid 2021 the quarantine was dropped and TotalAdventure booked the flights and obtained the visa. Three days before departure the quarantine was reimposed and so TotalAdventure cancelled. In early 2022 TA once again booked – only to be stopped on a false positive of a required covid test. Now – with the world once again open ( more or less) I flew from Miami to Qatar and then on to Colombo.
The Business Class upgrade was very welcome for the 5 hour DOH-CMB leg, after 15 hours in coach from Miami.
Colombo is a mix of Colonial buildings of the British Raj, modern high rises and temples dating back centuries.
The food is amazing. Go to local places like the Curry House. Stay away from tourist locations that have bland imitations and western dishes.
My lunch was very spicy, varied and delicious -everything fresh. Sri Lanka is not as vegetarian as India. The food is eaten by hand . This dish was about $ 3.
Traditional with modern – the bizarre building in the background is reminiscent of Pyongyang.
After a day and a half in Colombo, it was time to head in-country. The 4 hour train ride from Colombo to Kandy cost 350 rupees – about $ 1. On top of a country station lives a monkey family – obviously influenced by 1980s. punk fashion.
Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth – Lord Buddha’s Tooth !
Like The Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia, one cannot view the actual Tooth, but just have faith that they are very close to it. It sits in a gold box in a vault behind the altar.
TotalAdventure stayed at the Queen Hotel – a charming relic of the Empire. Inside, little has changed – slowly moving fans, British food like mutton chops, cool gin and tonics at the bar.
Hotel Message – keep balcony doors closed, lest mischievous monkeys come in and steal your belongings – they love cameras and jewelry.
After a long and colorful train ride – standing room only for 7 hours,TotalAdventure arrived in Ella The train goes as high as 8000 feet, 2500m – where we viewed the high, cool misty tea plantations that stretch for hundreds of kilometers. . You can see the journey in the VIDEO at the beginning of this article. The town of Ella , at about 1900m, is warmer than the mountaintops but much cooler than sea level. 75/25 in day and 61/16 at night. The countryside is exotically amazing, while the town caters to tourists and their money.
From Ella TotalAdventure hired a car for the ride to Udawalawe National Park – home to several large elephant herds. Elephants are well protected in Sri Lanka – there is very little poaching. However elephant rides are still permitted in some tourist areas – Do not engage in this cruel practice ! The magnificent creatures suffer greatly – as strong as they are ,their backs are not built for carrying heavy loads. Since they naturally refuse this activity – they are beaten into submission to force them.
At the watering hole. A great place for a swim on a hot day – which is every day of the year in Southern Sri Lanka.
Highly intelligent sentient beings. The Hindu Elephant God Ganesh is the God of Wisdom.
Besides the National Parks – elephants live in the wild in many forests throughout Sri Lanka.
From Udawalawe the driver took me to the tranquil Indian Ocean village of Talalla. Monday,March 6th was a Full Moon – and in Sri Lanka every Full Moon Day is a Holiday ! The surfing here is fairly good ,though onshore winds make for some afternoon chop. The hotel was quite nice as you will see in the VIDEO.
As wave conditions were not optimal, and not much to see while snorkeling, TotalAdventure moved on to Batticaloa on the East Coast the next day. Finally, a town with no Westerners ! Above, Nandi the Bull.
Whereas the South and West are more Buddhist , the East and North is more Hindu. There is also a large Muslim community.
Commerce and Holiness Come Together.
Batticaloa is home to the Laughing Fish, or Singing Fish who reside in Batticaloa Lagoon, seen in the VIDEO. In reality, they probably croak, which can be heard in some tropical bottom feeders.
A delicious place even for carnivores like myself. Food is flavorful and filling ,unlike Western oriented vegan food – more bland and unvaried. The hotel was very comfortable, with a beautiful pool. There were giant ballrooms, hundreds, of rooms and a huge restaurant. I was one of 5 people there.
On the way to Trincomalee there were several beautiful mosques. TotalAdventure did visit one in Batticaloa that you can see in the VIDEO. Sri Lanka is 70% Buddhist, 13 % Hindu, 10% Islamic and 7% Catholic.
TotalAdventure went further up the coast to Trincomalee – where Lord Rama sits high on the cliffs looking out into the Indian Ocean at Thirukoneswaram Kovil .
Ravanna prays from atop the cliffs.
All Powerful Kali – Goddess of War.
TotalAdventure Becomes Holi.
A clifftop treat of healthy refreshing juice. About 75 cents.
Many world times – none of them right. Sri Lanka i in a half hour time zone.
Wise Ganesh.
In A Seaside Temple.
The final destination before returning to Colombo was Sirigiya Rock Fortress. According to TripAdvisor :
There’s a reason UNESCO ranks Sigiriya as the 8th Wonder of the World.. Sigiriya is a stunning ruins of a castle build atop a tall rock mountain. An engineering marvel, water was piped from the pools at the base of the rock mountain, all the way up to the castle.
200 Meters or 625 feet doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s half an Empire State Building at a 60 degree angle.
Ancient City high above the jungled plains.
It’s lunchtime above the pond on the fortress top.
Some similarities with Mexico and Central America.
An ancient swimming pool ?
200 Meters Below. The climb up was great practice for climbing the stairs of the Himalayas in Nepal , right after Sri Lanka. What I thought would take hours only took about 45 minutes.
The dry (relatively ) jungles spread out below.
TotalAdventure had hoped for one last train ride – to Colombo. Alas , the train engineer for the Trincomalee to Colombo run was sick that Sunday, so once again I had to hire a car – $ 80 as opposed to $ 2.
A Final Night In Colombo – And It Was Off To Nepal In The Morning ! Mini – Shanghai Tower.