Calling all mountains lovers – test your peak knowledge
Anatoli Boukreev climbed 10 of the 14 eight-thousander peaks without supplemental oxygen. He said, “mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion… I go to them as humans go to worship. From their lofty summits I view my past, dream of the future and, with an […]
First hike in Ladakh – the beginning of a grand love
Love-at-first-sight is a peculiar sensation, which I have felt many times in my life (though mostly temporarily). Flying over the mighty Himalayas, my anticipation was reaching its zenith. Our little airplane made a tight turn between mountain walls to land at Leh airport in the early hours of the day. The plane landed, I climbed […]
Driving the scenic roads of New Zealand’s south island
It is “Aotearoa” to native Maori people. It is New Zealand to rest of us. Regardless of the name we choose to call this land, it is a country of unparalleled pristine beauty – a nation of lush green rainforests, rugged mountains, crystal blue lakes, glaciers and picturesque coastlines. It is also a land of […]
Exploring Patagonia with family by bus
We just landed in Santiago after 13 hours flight, excitement and anticipation overshadowed any fatigue or jet lag, if there was any. First international travel and first backpacking trip, we were ready for the beginning of our adventures. It was only a scenic flight with uninterrupted views of the Andes, lakes, volcanoes and countless fjords, […]
I am the river, the river is me. Kō au te Āwa, kō te Āwa kō au.
What we had been dreading yet anticipating with a nervous sense of adventure from the time we launched our canoe this morning was finally in our sight. It was the notorious rapid Autapu, only 7 km above Pipiriki, our final destination. For the last four days, we had laughed through all the rapids, daring each […]
First backpacking with kids – an unforgettable experience
Nia poked her head inside the tent, where I was spreading out vibrant colored new sleeping bags on neon yellow new sleeping pads. I looked up at her and her two thick long dangling braids. My brain started to schedule a hair wash time but was interrupted immediately by the sight of her scrunched up […]
12 tips to start hiking with kids
Hiking with kids is not as hard as you may have led to believe. With the right planning, good gear and a great sense of adventure, you can make memorable hiking trip with your family. For my husband and me, it is the best time to deepen our bonding with our kids. 100% distraction-free time, […]
Can you identify these National Parks by their photos?
National Parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst. We could not agree more with Wallace Stegner. National Parks are America’s crown jewels, we all love them and have fond memories associated with them. Who does not recognize the iconic images of Old […]