Adventure Travel the World, with Style, on a Budget

Kasane, Sundowner Capitol of Botswana !

2011-07-21T02:56:00.013-06:00

One of the most fabulous places in the world to enjoy the setting sun is in Kasane, Botswana, gateway to the Chobe National Park.

Enjoy a 'sundowner' , favorite of locals and travelers alike.

There are numerous venues for this wonderful activity. We enjoyed our first one on this trip with our friends Karen and Tiennie at the gorgeous Chobe Marina Lodge !

What a wonderful way to catch up on news of their interesting life amidst such luxury and beauty once again. Ahhhh!

A local group of performers presents a fusion of traditional music and stylized dance just as the sun sinks into the west!

(This spectacular lodge allows non-guests to access its bar, cafe and deck.)

For more pictures and stories of other sundowners during our travels to
Kasane, Sundowner Capitol of Botswana , please visit our pages at
http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/

100 Nights in Africa: Budget Travel Tip 3

2011-05-31T05:57:00.020-06:00

100 Nights in Africa
________________________________

Budget Tip 3:

Saving Money on Safari Drives in National Parks

Going into the National Parks as you travel through Africa can get quite expensive. One of the ways we have learned to get the best deal for the money is to go on two game drives in one twenty four hour period; one in the morning and an afternoon or night safari. These may be spread over two days as long as they are within twenty four hours.

Two of the parks we have visited (Chobe NP in Botswana, South Luangwa NP in Zambia) have the policy one entry fee for a 24 hour period which allows multiple entries. What that means is you can go all in one day or go on a night/afternoon safari one day and a day safari the next.

The reason for going on two consecutive drives in a 24 hour period ist that in some parks there is only one park entry fee charged per 24 hour periods. For each of the safari lodge organized game drives there is a separate game drive charge each time you go on a ride with a camp guide, but only one park fee.

These fees differ for those with their own vehicle, known as self-drive. At South Luangwa NP the fee is higher for self drives and there is a charge for the personal vehicle as well.

Another difference is that licensed guides in some parks are allowed to conduct night drives but self drive visitors must be out before dusk.

We had a discussion with another couple and we both agreed if was better to break up your time at a camp with some safaris and some days to just enjoy the nature and wildlife within the camp rather than constantly going on three or four hour long game drives.

For more pictures and stories, please visit our pages at
http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/

100 Days in Africa 2011: Budget Travel Tip #2

2011-05-28T07:55:00.004-06:00

100 Nights in Africa 2011: Budget Travel Tip # 2:

Stay in locations where wildlife is easy to see in daily life.

Most trips in Africa are expensive, short, but very memorable. We decided years ago that we could not afford to go on standard safaris where all costs were managed by a company.

We learned to seek out camps where wildlife was around and so that we did not need to go on expensive game drives so often. Game drives guided by competent guides are indeed the best way to go. They can find animals when we could not, and they are a wealth of information on behavior of the animals.

Mfuwe, Zambia near South Luangwa National Park

An example of a place to stay where wildlife is around during the day and night is our personal favorite, Flatdogs Camp in Mfuwe, Zambia. There are also other camps along the river as you approach the national park, and the wildlife is very varied and often easy to observe.

Some days are better than others, of course. Yesterday was a

Banner Day for Wildlife viewing

We are traveling for three months and trying to stay in a budget of $100 a day including the cost of the airfare to get to Africa so we cannot go on safari every day we are here nor can we eat in the restaurant so we do our own wildlife viewing as we move about the camp.

Early morning on the bluff-.......................................... We are usually set up on the hippo trail overlooking the river and the area where the water has receded by 6:00 a.m., coffee in hand with our chairs and spotting scope and camera. We spend about an hour or so and then go fix breakfast.

This is not a complete list but a great deal of what we have seen while there:

wattled plover Egyptian geese gymogene sacred ibis

tawny eagle ground hornbill crowned crane pied wagtail

guinea fowl white faced duck crowned hornbill heron

pied kingfisher African spoonbill yellowbilled stork egret

saddlebilled stork bee-eater colony and others I cannot recall at this time

We have also seen elephant, giraffe, buffalo, and baboons in the park across the river.

The banner day..........................................................

One morning we got up and had a nice bird day out on the bluff. Scanning the far shore to see it anything appeared, into the view came six buffalo on the opposite shore. Watched them for awhile and then went to fix breakfast.

Could hear trumpeting near reception, went to look and saw one heading off away from the camp. As we went over to the self-catering kitchen, could see the trees moving and here come the elephants, seven of them, passing behind the kitchen! After breakfast, we walked over to check out the lagoon and there were two of the elephants in the lagoon area.

When we went to fix lunch, the monkeys were playing all about and one got into the hut next to the kitchen and managed to turn on the shower. Robert went to tell reception and when he walked over there, giraffes were out in front of reception.

Time for the afternoon walk.........................

We started our walk and went to check out the lagoon. There was a single buffalo in the edge of the lagoon. When we walked up, the buffalo heard us and looked up. What to do? Just watched him but were aware everyone says they are unpredictable. We could see a giraffe in the game area behind him.

As we continued on walking on the hippo trail by the river saw three elephants on the other side. Watched them for awhile and continued on. They stayed visible for a great deal of the rest of the afternoon.

As we rounded the chalets, went out to the hippo trail again and there were 3 giraffe eating away. Right before we had walked out there we encountered a snake, our second one for this trip. It was identified to us as a stripe bellied sand snake. (non poisonous)

We also observed a saddlebill stork being chased by some other bird. The stork must have been trying to get into the other birds nest.

Leopard of the South Luangwa

2011-05-26T01:37:00.016-06:00

For more pictures and stories of our

100 Nights in Africa 2012,

please click on

http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/34145.html

Leopard of the South Luangwa

100 Days in Africa 2011: Budget Travel Tip #1

2011-05-07T10:19:00.012-06:00

100 Days in Africa 2011: Budget Travel Tip #1

100 Days in Africa: Budget Travel Tip #1

Airport Food.
Back in the day, airport food tasted terrible, and the choices. These days, airport food is quite adequate, and some cafes very pleasant places to wile away your wait time.
That said, menu items are generally more expensive here than in the versions of the chain elsewhere, and can put a hole in the day's budget.
Saving Money and Eating Food You Like By Planning Ahead

Tip: Precook food for travel day, and carry in your personal item bag.
Today, we had a roast beef with horseradish dressing, lettuce, tomato, and side of snack carrots, all nestled within a big fat jalapeno garlic bagel sandwitch bun. Mmmmmmmm, good. Apple for desert. This helped us get rid of food that was not going to last in the fridge the next 100 days, even if we had left it on. Which we didn't. We always turn off our fridge and freezer to save money on our electric bill, give leftover condiments to friends and relatives.
Tip: Free Internet
Today we paid $9.95 for Boingo internet access using our Credit Card. We did not realize that the City of Austin Airport provided a free internet kiosk further down toward our gate.

Holy Cow, Batman! Look at that Longhorn!

2011-05-05T10:02:00.004-06:00

Texas Longhorn rests in behind barbed wire as seen along the road on a trip from Llano to Colorado Bend State Park. The Spanish brought these magnificent creatures to the new world, and they survive mainly as pets.

Alligators Pose

2011-05-02T19:20:00.010-06:00

Spoonbills feed in shallow water along the shore. So do alligators.... Yikes!

We see beautiful birds. The alligators see.....lunch.

"Spooning" Spoonbills: One of the Planet's Most Colorful Courtships

2011-04-18T15:22:00.025-06:00

Cick on the individual pictures for a better look.

Houston Audubon Society Rookery
High Island, Texas
Upper Texas Coast (East)

Roseate Spoonbils, Snowy Egrets, Cormorants, and more all occupy these small islands during mating season. Alligators and turtles line the shores, the alligators hoping for to feed on a lovesick bird.

"Spooning Spoonbills" One of the Planet's Most Colorful Courtships

The Rookery is steadily recovering from Hurricane Ike! Yes!

Houston Audobon, High Island Rookery, Upper Texas Coast

For more pictures, see our pages at

http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/34044.html

Just another (amazing) hummingbird

2011-04-12T14:33:00.009-06:00

We look for inexpensive things to do while traveling, and we find wildlife watching to be priceless. Being former High School teachers, we also love books.

A major challenge for us on our recent return to Costa Rica was trying to use the field guide and identify hummingbirds. They are small, fast, tricky.

One way to get a chance for IDing them is to take digital pictures. Even then, there are so many and the sunlight affects there feather colors so much, remains a big challenge for us.

Click on the individual picture for a much better view, and please, if you know what kind it is, please let us know! :)

We look for inexpensive things to do while traveling, and we find wildlife watching to be priceless. Being former High School teachers, we also love books.

A major challenge for us on our recent return to Costa Rica was trying to identify hummingbirds. They are small, fast, tricky.

One way to get a chance for IDing them is to take digital pictures. Even then, there are so many and the sunlight affects there feather colors so much, remains a big challenge for us.

Barbets, Costa Rican Cousins of Birds of Africa

2011-04-12T07:17:00.008-06:00

Femail has orange on head, male has scarlet

Tiniest Bird in Costa Rica

2011-04-06T10:34:00.016-06:00

Tiny bird has big name: Selasphorus scintilla .
Because of the difficulties of entering Chirripo National Park, we chose instead to go this year to Cloudbridge Preserve. What an awesome place, with many waterfalls and beautiful plants, and hummingbirds!
What a gift life is!

Wow, look at the nice orange spot on his chest.

Hummingbird nest at Cloudbridge Preserve

Puerto Jiminez and the Golfo Dulce

2011-04-04T20:06:00.013-06:00

Golfo Dulce, 'the Sweet Gulf' Once again we stayed at Cabinas Jiminez for the first few nights, and though the beautiful property cost more than we usually budget, the free kayaks and bikes and quick access to the water more than made up for it! Later we moved to a room that cost half that.

For more stories and pictures of Costa Rica, visit our pages at http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615

Manuel Antonio, Beautiful Pacific Paradise Costa Rica

2011-03-26T08:45:00.017-06:00

(Click on the individual photos to see larger version, then click back for the next one.)

Black Lava in Blue Ocean, Red Soil with a Rich Meringue of Colorful Flora and Fauna

Mother sloth with baby

We saw one place offered in the Manuel Antonion Area for $1200 US per night. We stayed in a double room with fan, shared bath, free wi fi, kitchen access, swimming pool with view of the Pacific.....for $35 US per night.
Google "Backpackers Manuel Antonio"

For more stories and pictures of Costa Rica, visit our pages at http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615

The 'Real' Costa Rica : Fincas, Byways, Birds , Preserves

2011-02-19T12:49:00.030-07:00

When Craig brought Jerry over to Montezuma, he told us " Come visit me at my cabina, get off the beaten path and see the 'real Costa Rica.' So we did.!

>
A major challenge for wildlife is human damage to habitat, very obvious in the fincas, teak tree farms, eroded cattle grazing clearings, and pineapple plantings in various parts of Costa Rica.

Still, along the roadsides and in the deep valleys one can find the 'Secret' Costa Rica.

We never imagined how much fun we would have and what all we would observe while there. Thanks, Craig!

Thanks to 'Costa Rica Craig' and his vehicle, we were able to see this amazing huge social nest colony of Montezuma Oropendula located off the gravel road traveled by the bus from Quepos to San Jose.

Lucky shot of a

Rufous-tailed hummingbird, taken out the canopy level back window of Craig's cabina in the hilly farm country on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Great getaway he has there, a secret place in a tiny Tico farm community where its easy to observe the sights and sounds of the locals as they go about their daily biz among some of the most beautiful wildlife and scenery on the planet.

Some of Craig's relatives have bought property in an area of farms and have a private preserve which includes land in a deep canyon with waterfalls.

One of the most exotic birds in Costa Rica is the Fiery-billed Aracari. Click on the photo to better examine the striping on the bill.

Costa Rica Craig (not his real name) old friend and host for the outings pictured on this post, calls this species of toucan the 'fruit loop birds' after the iconic image of a US branded breakfast cereal back in the day:

Another colorful Chestnut-mandibled Toucan was bowing and calling for a long time, allowing us to creep up under its tree to video and photograph it. We could also hear its mate answer across the valley....

The stop action photo makes the little Rose-throated Becard look comical as it prepares to fly down..

We saw two chachalacas fly up to a tree top high above the lush valley at sunset. Chachalacas are about the size of chickens, but with longer tails.

In the picture below you see one take flight from behind, the wings in a 'v' and the broad tale spread. The other one soon followed....

Fiery-billed Aracari... the camera catches this beautiful bird just about to land! (Click on the photo to see more of its colors, then hit back.)

Hola from Costa Rica!

For more stories and pictures of budget travel in Costa Rica , see our latest pages by clicking on the following link:

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Birding Costa Rica : Mot mot, Masked Titra, toucan, Aracari
Vista de Mar
2011-02-15
35

Secret Costa Rica : Hiking down to the waterfall with Costa Rica Craig
Vista de Mar
2011-02-14
44

Hanging Out with Costa Rica Craig : Birding and Hiking, off the beaten path in Costa Rica
Vista de Mar
2011-02-13
43

Leaving Montezuma for Further Adventures with Costa Rica Craig
Puntarenas
2011-02-12
13

Tales from the Jungles of Costa Rica: Hiking Cabo Blanco Preserve sound set for 1950's horror movie
Montezuma
2011-02-11
88

Life is a beach at the waterfront Hotel Arenas
Montezuma
2011-02-09
32

Pacific Sunrise, Parrots and Pizote , life at Luna Llena
Montezuma
2011-02-08
20

Hiking in Costa Rica up the remote Rio Lajas
Montezuma
2011-02-07
68

Luna Llena Hotel, Wildlife Watching Overlooking the Pacific

2011-02-10T10:20:00.022-07:00

Once again we are thankful to stay at the wonderful Luna Llena Hotel. The very basic buildings of this older property have beautiful decorations and nice furnishings, and the former hostel still allows guests the use of the kitchen. The lush gardens, beautiful views, and the access to wildlife are superb. The staff are friendly and competent, a pleasure to stay with.

Click on each the pictures for a larger, more detailed view--

The day begins at 5:30 am with a spectacular Pacific Sunrise.....

Baby White-necked Capuchin Monkey clings to mama's neck as she browses in the canopy at Luna Llena Hotel.

Laura tells Jerry, our friend from Austin, the names of the various birds we are seeing. She consults 'Birds of Costa Rica' which was a Christmas gift from her sister Susan and brother in law Steve. View from the top floor of Hotel Luna Llena is of the surrounding canopy and the confluence of the Golfo Nicoya and the Pacific Ocean. It is simply stunning.

Wildlife watching is hit and miss, and we suppose that some who stay here miss a lot of it. Robert saw a paca, a large rust colored tailess rodent with spots on his way back to the room from the bathroom one night. Besides birds and monkeys, the property also hosts a variety of other animals including paca, pezote, agouti, as well as the more familiar (to us) armadillo, racoon. Skunks here are tiny and spotted, and one waltzed through the main floor after dinner one night!

The 'hotel' is like a hostel in that guests have access to a furnished communal kitchen and dining area. It has thin walls, is simply constructed, the deferred maintenance is an apparent challenge-- a railing installed a bit short moves dangerously when a guest grabbed it to steady hinself down the steep concrete steps. The next rail shows obvious rot from the tropical climate. The monkeys jump up and down and slam on the corrugated plastic roof sometimes lifting up the corners with their hands.

The furnishings, decorations and gardens present, in part, a wonderful ambience for guests. Mother nature does the rest.!

Two huge Lineated Woodpeckers worked the trunk of a huge tree across the street from Luna Llena.

Collared Aracari, one of the most exotic birds we see at Luna Llena.

Similar in appearance to the more well known toucan, it differs with the beautiful luscious colors on its breast, and exotic markings on its beak. What an exotic looking bird!

Mantled Howler Monkey often sound off at sunrise and sunset with their booming calls, but also when a loud bus or quad bike strains up the hill past Luna Llena Hotel.

Note the red on the backs of the Collared Aracari, awesome looking birds, feeding on the fruits of the tall mature trees of Montezuma. They also have yellow stomachs with red barring.

For a listing of more stories and pictures of beautiful Montezuma, Costa Rica, cklick through to the page linked here:

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

A Mess of Monkeys in Montezuma
Montezuma
2011-02-06
38

Behind the waterfall
Montezuma
2011-02-05
50

Breakfast 'Attack' at El Sano Banano ; y lunch at beautiful Ylang Ylang with Jerry
Montezuma
2011-02-04
40

Adventures with Costa Rica Craig: 4x4 road from Cabuya to Mal Pais
Mal Pais
2011-02-03
14

'Fear and Loathing' in Montezuma: Snake in the Shower, Tarantula in the Toilet
Montezuma
2011-02-02
24

Colorful Cabuya
Cabuya
2011-02-01
29

More of Montezuma : jungle/beach/gulf/ocean
Montezuma
2011-01-31
31

Sunrise over Montezuma
Montezuma
2011-01-30
37

Cruising the Golfo Nicoya on the Ferry to Paquera
Paquera
2011-01-29
27

Monkey Yoga in Montezuma
Montezuma
2011-01-28
14

Alajuela Tropical Hostel near San Jose, Costa Rica airport
Alajuela, Costa Rica
2011-01-27
3

Montezuma Monkey Yoga

2011-02-04T09:03:00.012-07:00

Hola Amigos!

We are really enjoying seeing the Monkeys again here at Luna Llena. Swear the movie Avatar must be based on their acrobatic antics...

Neighbor walked into early morning attempt to capture our room with garden/pacific view, also reminded us of Avatar...

For more stories and pictures in our pages at Traveljournals.net, click on:

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

A Mess of Monkeys in Montezuma
Montezuma
2011-02-06
38

Behind the waterfall
Montezuma
2011-02-05
50

Breakfast 'Attack' at El Sano Banano ; y lunch at beautiful Ylang Ylang with Jerry
Montezuma
2011-02-04
40

Adventures with Costa Rica Craig: 4x4 road from Cabuya to Mal Pais
Mal Pais
2011-02-03
14

'Fear and Loathing' in Montezuma: Snake in the Shower, Tarantula in the Toilet
Montezuma
2011-02-02
24

Colorful Cabuya
Cabuya
2011-02-01
29

More of Montezuma : jungle/beach/gulf/ocean
Montezuma
2011-01-31
31

Sunrise over Montezuma
Montezuma
2011-01-30
37

Cruising the Golfo Nicoya on the Ferry to Paquera
Paquera
2011-01-29
27

Monkey Yoga in Montezuma
Montezuma
2011-01-28
14

Monkey Yoga in Montezuma

2011-02-03T15:30:00.002-07:00

Monkey Yoga in Montezuma

White-headed capuchin monkey bends out over his leg in a classic yoga pose near where we are having our breakfast. His head is facing the ocean down the hill from our hotel in his habitat.

For more pictures of monkey yoga poses, please see

Return to Alajuela Tropical Hostel en Costa Rica

2011-01-28T09:33:00.027-07:00

Are you going to Costa Rica, and wondering about a place to stay when you first arrive, a place to acclimate and to get your bearings? We have a suggestion: Alajuela Tropical Hostel near SJO.

Staying in a hostel is different than staying in a hotel, but we prefer to stay at places that allow kitchen access, and generally we find the advantages of staying in the more personal small hostels to outweigh the differences with hotels.

As Hostelworld says 'No place is perfect,' but for our needs, this one pretty much is.

This time last year we spent 5 1/2 weeks in Costa Rica. As we did last year, we stayed at the the wonderful Alajuela Tropical Hostel again, was great to see Alonso in his new location! Many reviewers find the experience to be like staying in the house of a Cosa Rican friend, and we do as well.

Alonso is a local, a 'Tico,' is bilingual, and knows his country and his business very,very well.

If you would like give it a try, book it online with Paypal here: Alajuela Tropical Hostel Once you book you must email your flight info to arrange for the included free airport pickup.

Early to rise....

We got up at 5am in Austin for our 8;20 flight, brother Reggie kindly gave us a ride to the Austin airport. We had an hour layover in Houston, arrived in SJO at 2:00pm, and were a little tired, so it was so great to see Alonso's familiar face appear rather than having to run the gamut of taxi drivers at the airport door.

Alonso's new location (a walled suburban house) has a comfortable shady front patio with a very nice tropical garden where time to time we could here parrots screeching. Everything we need to prepare for the rest of the six week trip --banks, food stores, pharmacy, camping supplies, etc -- are all in walking distance. The entry to the subdivision has security guard and his place is on a dead end street so its fairly quiet. As you walk up the street to his house you can see the old red cathedral dome in the distance.

Former park ranger Alonso picked us up at the Airport in his antique yellow Land Rover, which he uses to conduct tours of the Poas volcano, animal refuge, winery (!) and other attractions of the local area. He had a Netherlands couple waiting in the Land Rover who he was dropping off at the Ojo de Agua, an old established spring fed swim park .

The day was a partly cloudy cool day in the central valley. The cloudy sky was nice, added drama to the surrounding green mountains.

Big trees and tropical flowering plants line the trees of this upscale area of Alajuela, so makes for pleasant walking.

What his guests can't find on their own, Alonso is more than happy to assist them with. Alonso is truly committed to excelence.

Thanks, Alonso! See you at the end of the trip!

Tent Rocks, Flying Falcon, Curious Coyote

2011-01-08T09:50:00.017-07:00

Click on the pictures for larger, more detail....

Tent Rocks, Flying Falcon, Curious Coyote

For more pictures/story hiking in

Tent Rocks National Monument, see
http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/33472.html

Up the Scary Chimney Slot at Beautiful Ghost Ranch

2010-12-27T11:22:00.016-07:00

Hiking with our friend Jerry up the canyon to the Chimney through frost in shade we were warmed by the gradual uphill path.... Then, we reached the narrow, treachorous final part of the path to the Chimney.
After scrambling on hands and knees up through the narrow 'Chimney' slot, we were awed by the view of the canyon that we just had traveled up.

Up the Scary Chimney at Ghost Ranch

Exercise in Art

2010-12-21T21:35:00.008-07:00

Art work hangs in the Genoveva Chavez Commuity Center where we enjoy Stretch and Strengthen class on Tuesdays and Thurdays. Today the heating system was wack in the room where it usually meets, so Lisa took us upstairs where it is much cooler.

Please click on the individual pictures to get how big they are...

Exercise in Art

Though we had seen this art many times, the view of these very large 'puppets' from up there was stunning....

First Snow, Beautiful Miracle

2010-12-16T16:38:00.011-07:00

Click on each picture for larger image.....

First Snow, Beautiful Miracle

Today in Santa Fe we had the first significant snow of the season... so pretty, such a quiet miracle....

Navajo Nation, country within a country, beautiful

2010-12-12T10:19:00.009-07:00

View from Lee's Ferry Campground to the Navajo side of the Colorado River. At times we have seen them come down and fish...

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Area near village of

Bitter Springs, Arizona. Surprising to see a teepee this trip. The traditional shaped hogan is in back of the mobile home.

Navajo Nation, country within a country, beautiful

Sedona, surrounded by beauty and mystery

2010-12-12T09:48:00.004-07:00

Fantastic mars-like illusions, and shifting shapes: Lake Powell

2010-12-09T21:29:00.011-07:00

Just now on a spontaneous camping/kayaking trip to amazing and controversial Lake Powell Reservoir in the Glenn Canyon National Recreation Area......where we discovered our long time wish --to kayak here without the usual winds --has finally come true! Yes!

Ghost Ranch Magic

2010-12-02T18:15:00.018-07:00

Experience the magic: click on the individual pictures......

Ghost Ranch Magic

Mystery Murder at Randall Davey Audobon

2010-11-28T19:18:00.030-07:00

Let's have a contest!

Comment or send an email with the correct names of the birds in this post and we will give you a prize! 'What's the prize' you may ask? It's a surprise...

Please do click on the individual pictures. (The first bird also has something in his mouth, visible only if you click.)

Enjoy....

Mystery:

A staff person said 'what are white mice doing here?' He said someone had also found one on a trail.... So perhaps it was not 'murder' at all, but apparently it is a mystery...

Murder?
Well, the bird did have a white mouse in its mouth, and it can be assumed that the mouse did die. Was it murder? You decide. :)

Colors and Textures of Fall in "The City Different"

2010-11-15T13:14:00.009-07:00

For more pictures and stories see our pages at Traveljounals.net by clicking on
http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Oak Sculptures from Hurricane Damaged Oaks in Old Victorian Galveston Island

2010-10-30T13:30:00.024-06:00

(For more pictures and stories from Galveston Island, and the wonderful wedding we attended there, please click on http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/33133.html )

Sculptures from Hurricane Damaged Oaks in Old Victorian Area of Galveston Island

Click on Individual Pictures to enlarge, then hit your back button to return)

Happy Birthday, Ms. Laura ! Fiesta Today, in Santa Fe !

2010-09-10T13:22:00.018-06:00

Laura near the end of 8 1/2 mile hike Ranger-led Adventure Hike in Yellowstone a couple of weeks ago!

Ms. Laura prepares to mount up and ride down to the Plaza area for her birthday brunch!

The Atomic Grille is one of our favorite Santa Fe hangouts. It has a great outdoor patio, breakfast is served all day. We love to order Juevos Rancheros there and spend hours uploading pictures and stories using their free wi fi.

Laura's birthday coincides with Fiesta in Santa Fe this year. On the street near where she is having brunch a Mariachi band serenades.

Happy Birthday, Laura ! May you have many more!

Bald Eagle Beauty on the Snake River

2010-09-08T15:06:00.028-06:00

Click on each picture to see enlarged! Beauty!

Black Bears, Grizzly Bears ?

2010-08-27T17:00:00.007-06:00

We encountered this bear while on a US Park Service Ranger Adventure Hike in the back country near Mammoth Hot Springs. Which of the other bears below it is of the same species?

Fabulous luck getting to observe this Grizzly mother with her two cubs near Dunraven Pass over Mount Washburn in Yellowstone.

One of our most enjoyable observations on this trip was getting to watch this young subadult black bear feeding on termites and flowers in the forest along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone near Tower Falls.

So, which of the second two bears is of the same species as the first, and why?

Three Bull Moose, Three Bull Moose !

2010-08-27T16:59:00.011-06:00

This amazing vegitarian nibbles at quaking aspens, and blends in with them quite nicely.

Ranger trudges down to tell stupid tourists not to get so close; said one of these moose charged at people recently.

Happy park visitor from the Netherlands gets a lift up for better view.

Moose stands in river, perhaps drowning ticks and keeping flies at bay?

Very beeeeeeg bull mooses!

Oh hello. Ahhhh, don't mind me, I am just taking your peekture!

Mooses' view of the Teton Mountains as they browse and snooze beside the Snake River, getting prepared for the fall rutting season lying just ahead of the harsh winter months.

We were very fortunate to find three huge bull moose together in one place near the Snake River Bridge at Moose Station, Grand Teton National Park. What amazing, semi acquatic animals!

Wolves Play in the Distance : Lamar Valley Pack in Yellowstone Natl Park

2010-08-26T17:51:00.016-06:00

Click on the photo above and see the Lamar Valley Packs' most powerful hunter, the alpha female, down in the creek below the bluff, seeming to contemplate her own reflection in Slough Creek, while the alpha and beta males wait on the bank above!

Somewhere downstream out of view there was apparently a carcass, because the adults were seen to be bringing bits and pieces back to the pups, who bravely ran down the hill from the Rendezvous area to meet them while we looked on.

Many of the regular watchers said that morning was quite unusual, in that some or other of the wolves or pups were in sight for about three and a half hours. We arrived at around 6 am, some had been there since 5:30. Lamar Valley at that time of day is a wildlife watchers' paradise!
Regular wolf watchers and researchers are joined by park visitors, a number of which were from other countries. All delighted in the possibility of seeing these rare animals and their young

! Caught the newly arrive Seasonal Park Ranger by surprise in this photo. He was so very helpful and invited young and old alike to view the wolves through his scope. He also passed out wolf veiwing etiquitte cards and answered questions about the wolves behavior and status in the Park.

Can you see the wolves in this picture? Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Only a handful of the millions of visitors to Yellowstone National Park ever see a the reintroduced, endangered species: the gray wolf. We count ourselves extremely lucky to have seen them on this trip, and on the previous two trips as well!

The alpha black male in the picture is the easiest to spot. He is in center of photo, facing left. He stands approx 36 inches tall and about 6 feet long. The other adults and the pups are almost invisible. They are about 1\2 mile away from us in this picture, but he is visible with naked eye. To see the pups, one must have powerful binoculars or spotting scope they blend in so well.

Advocates and researchers encourage viewers to stay well away from the packs for the good of the wolves. As a consequence, wolf veiwing often requires a spotting scope. Ranger told us story of a wolf in the Old Faithful area who became used to humans and actually chased a visitor who was riding a bike! Whoa!

We discovered that our tripod that we had taken to Africa last summer was broken so we used electrical ties to hold it together. The spotting scope itself has suffered damage from being dropped off the cheap tripod numerous times. We decided to go back to Jackson to shop for a tripod, and used the internet to order a used professional tripod and stronger camera lens off Ebay.

In early August the Lamar Valley pack was returning mornings daily to the rendezvous area where their pups were parked. In the evening, the adults and pups could often be seen when they arose for the night hunt. Over the course of two days we were able to see both the pups and adults, but it was quite hard and thankfully there were regular researchers, Park Rangers, and others around to help. Very interesting.

Later, the Lamar Valley Pack would leave the area to begin training their pups to hunt.

For more stories and pictures of our budget travels in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in North America, please visit our pages at TravelJournals.net/rmalone

click on :

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Open Wide: Baby Swallows in Grand Teton National Park

2010-08-21T12:57:00.009-06:00

Pronghorn Antelope Chase A Coyote, Then Resume normal programming

2010-08-19T18:08:00.004-06:00

We came upon two pronghorn antelope males locking horns and watched them. All of a sudden they stopped and turned around in unison. Off to the left we saw a coyote approaching, apparently oblivious to the important jousting ahead.

Bison Love in Yellowstone National Park

2010-08-17T14:44:00.018-06:00

Bison are the largest land mammals in North America. This old bull rests up for the rut.

Bull growls deeply and loudly like an elephant or lion, with tongue out, near ear of cow.

Bull separates calf from cow during rut.

Two bulls joust, while another waits his turn .....

Another growler makes cow's life miserable by 'herding' here around for about two weeks, all for a 15-20 minute period when she is finally in estrus.

One of our most amazing nature experiences ever was observing these two young bison calves exhibit pure joy! The calves spontaneously chase a raven in the foggy, early morning. The one in rear kicks up its heels in hot pursuit as he joins the first troublemaker in the chase! The huge raven leaps up and makes his escape.

Click on the picture of the calves and you will feel like you are there with us!

At an overlook, a surprise as bull follows cow onto precipice, just across rail that these animals can jump. Very dangerous, numerous people are gored by bison in Yellowstone each when they ignore warnings to stay away from the passive looking animals.

Check out those pantaloons on the forelegs!

More bison fashion: This cow has winter fur left hanging, making for a stylish addition during rutting season.

Grand Teton Kayaking: Oxbow Bend / Snake River

2010-08-03T09:36:00.003-06:00

Jackson Lake Damn put in.

Yahoo, we are paddling on the Snake again!

We think its a muskrat!

Pacific Creek takeout.

Teton Mountains

or more stories and pictures of our budget travels in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in North America, please visit our pages at TravelJournals.net/rmalone

click on :

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Grand Teton National Park: Jackson Lake Lodge Area

2010-07-31T18:20:00.005-06:00

We took a break after a day of kayaking the beautiful Snake River and visited one of our favorite watering holes, the gorgeous Jackson Lake Lodge. Fabulous views and interesting travelers, including a couple we had met some years earlier at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon!

For more stories and pictures of our budget travels in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in North America, please visit our pages at TravelJournals.net/rmalone

click on :

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Summer Days in Santa Fe

2010-07-15T13:37:00.011-06:00

Summer Days in Santa Fe
=========================================
Whew! This has been a year for being on the road with lots of trips back and forth between Santa Fe and TX!

Insert Costa Rica for 5.5 wks!

Back on the road to Santa Fe.

Insert trip out West. From Santa Fe to San Francisco Bay Area and back.

Insert trip for Laura's Dad's 90th and wedding, driving all the way to Smith Point on Galveston Bay and back. Hundreds and hundreds of miles.

Finally tired of traveling!

Nice to be back in Santa Fe for a month, back in our exercise class and riding our bikes! Whew!

===========================================

For some pictures of amazing beauty and sea creatures in the Western US:

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Biking thru Beauty in Berkeley by the San Francisco Bay

2010-05-21T10:26:00.007-06:00

Beauty in Berkeley by the San Francisco Bay

"Lions" tracking us.... on the bay!

2010-05-21T10:20:00.005-06:00

"Lions" tracking us.... on Monterey Bay!

See the picture TravelJournals.Net chose for

Picture of the Day here:

http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/252853.html

Story and more pictures here:

Kayak and More shop in Morro Bay

2010-05-11T15:46:00.006-06:00

Kayak and More shop in Morro Bay

After closing down the coffee shop next door using their free wi fi, Robert asked the proprietor of Kayak and More about a kayak trailer. It was 5:00 on Mother's Day and he was closing. He invited us in anyway and proceeded to answer our questions about the various kayak trolleys/trailers he stocked.

We bought one from him and he helped up assemble it!

Stop in a take a look at all the fabulous boats, paddles, and other accessories he stocks.

Website here: www.kakandmore.com

Thanks, Andreas!

California Kayaking: With 9 Volcanoes, Morro Bay Rocks!

2010-05-09T17:34:00.009-06:00

California Kayaking: With 9 Volcanoes, Morro Bay Rocks!

According to wiki:
Morro Rock is the best known of the Nine Sisters of San Luis Obispo County, a series of ancient volcanic plugs which line the Los Osos Valley between the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.

For more pictures Kayaking on Morro Bay, go to

Morro Bay, California: Kayaking Past Sea Lions, Strange Squirrels, Volcanos

http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/31779.html

Slot Canyon Kayaking on Lake Powell

2010-05-06T06:08:00.007-06:00

Slot Canyon Kayaking on Lake Powell

For more pictures and stories :

Robert and Laura

Entry	Location	Date	Pictures

Day Biking Heavenly Zion	Zion National Park	2010-05-08	55
Kanab, Utah: Day Hike, Night Sing	kanab	2010-05-07	23
Paddling Lake Powell Slot Canyon	Big Water	2010-05-06	100
Paddling Lone Rock Lake Powell with Sky and Bobbi	Page	2010-05-05	45
Lake Powell or a Disney Films MARS ?	Page	2010-05-04	50
America the Beautiful ! US Hwy 89 Pullout Walkabout	Page	2010-05-03	31
Navajo Nation Historic Vistas	Bitter Springs	2010-05-02	50
Restoring Rivers by Planting Trees with WildEarth Guardians	Santa Fe	2010-05-01	18
The Gigantic Beauty of Big Bend National Park in Spring	Marathon	2010-04-20	50
Marathon's White Buffalo	Marathon	2010-04-19	39
Blanco Bike Ride: Elo Krueger Loop	Blanco	2010-04-11	40
Inks Lake and Devil's Waterhole	Llano	2010-04-10	90
Perfect Weather for Turtles	Llano	2010-04-01	46
Hill Country Spring: Windy Paddling and Wildflower Wonders visit http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Rex Warren Sings to the Mountain

2010-05-01T17:17:00.007-06:00

Rex Warren Sings to the Mountain

For more pictures and stories :

Robert and Laura

Entry	Location	Date	Pictures

Day Biking Heavenly Zion	Zion National Park	2010-05-08	55
Kanab, Utah: Day Hike, Night Sing	kanab	2010-05-07	23
Paddling Lake Powell Slot Canyon	Big Water	2010-05-06	100
Paddling Lone Rock Lake Powell with Sky and Bobbi	Page	2010-05-05	45
Lake Powell or a Disney Films MARS ?	Page	2010-05-04	50
America the Beautiful ! US Hwy 89 Pullout Walkabout	Page	2010-05-03	31
Navajo Nation Historic Vistas	Bitter Springs	2010-05-02	50
Restoring Rivers by Planting Trees with WildEarth Guardians	Santa Fe	2010-05-01	18
The Gigantic Beauty of Big Bend National Park in Spring	Marathon	2010-04-20	50
Marathon's White Buffalo	Marathon	2010-04-19	39
Blanco Bike Ride: Elo Krueger Loop	Blanco	2010-04-11	40
Inks Lake and Devil's Waterhole	Llano	2010-04-10	90
Perfect Weather for Turtles	Llano	2010-04-01	46
Hill Country Spring: Windy Paddling and Wildflower Wonders visit http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Santa Fe Spring Fun w Joann and Scott

2010-05-01T16:37:00.005-06:00

Santa Fe Spring Fun

Llano, TX Crawfish Weekend at Joe's

2010-04-21T16:09:00.009-06:00

Llano TX: Wildflower Paradise Central

2010-04-11T15:12:00.015-06:00

For more pictures and stories on

Llano TX: Wildflower Paradise Central

click on the following link to visit our pages at

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Devil's Waterhole and Inks Lake

2010-04-11T14:56:00.011-06:00

For more pictures and stories on Devil's Waterhole and Inks Lake,

click on the following link to visit our pages at

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Paddling in the Glorious Hill Country Spring

2010-04-02T11:05:00.016-06:00

Hill Country Spring

For more pictures and stories, click on the following link to visit our pages at http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Hotel Roca Dura: Roughing It Down Behind the 'Hard Rock Hotel' in the Cool Costa Rican Mountain Village of San Gerardo de Rivas

2010-02-28T14:14:00.036-07:00

.Beautiful free form woodwork abounds into this small, basic, interesting hotel which built into a huge rock at the top of a lush riverine canyon..... Combination of Hobbit meets Fred Flintstone. Variety of room prices and sizes. Pictured is part of the commons balcony with comfortable chairs for relaxing and gazing at the awesome greenery and bird life. You would never know this was here seeing the place at street level.

Yikes ! Velociraptor skull hanging on the Roca Dura Hotel back balcony commons with suspected bird nest in the spinal cord opening! (Ok, maybe its a horse skull, but we recently saw Jurrassic Park IV in spanish in a Puerto Jimenez cheap hotel, and this looks so much like a damn velociraptor skull, and the surroudings so much like Jurrassic Park that we both flinched when we looked up and saw it, by gawd!

Because of the unseasonable rain, the steps down to the camping area and river were slippery and a bit dangerous.

In our tent in a Cloud Forest Mountain 'Garden of Eden' down the rustic slippery green moss covered stone steps behind the Hard Rock Hotel.

Cloud moves through as Laura prepares our coffee.

Early morning visitors included several large Chachalacas!

Exotic Emerald Toucanet perches on a tree near our campsite. Each day we observed it and its mate put their large bills inside a knothole in a tall dead tree, preparing for nesting we presumed

Just above the camping area the trail divided and went on down to the beautiful Chirripo River.

Inviting swimming hole in the paradisical river canyon.

Roca Dura owners daughter and bar tender watches the start of the Chirripo Marathon from the great open windows openings of the Roca Dura Bar and Cafe.

On the sendero to Chirripo National Park, which includes Costa Rica's highest peak.

View from the Talamanca Reserve's upscale restuarant with wi-fi, good food, and great bird watching aerie hangout when raining.

Another great hangout was the Pelicano Hotel, also with good food, wi fi and awesome wood sculptures. Huge snake pictured here.

Strange religious sculpture above a waaterfall before reaching the village....... Note skull. Whazzup wit dat?

Monday, last night of the four day 2010 Chirripo Race and Fiesta.

Roca Dura's very cool but exhausted owner Luis, pictured at end of bar, buys everyone present(including we two gringos) a shot of gold rum to celebrate his very successful but exhausting fiesta.

Still, he closed early to join assistants, including his daughter Catty and her boyfriend, and others at the Fiesta's culminating ball. One helper arrived late, and we cheerily suggested in our best broken Spanish that he needed the celebratory shot as well. After three nights of partying, he very reluctantly took the shot as we laughed at his predicament. Seeing this, Catty bought us another one so he would not drink alone. Whew!

Afterwards as they closed the bar early, and with safety in mind, we inched our way in the dark out the back of the 'hotel' and down the old unevenly placed slippery green moss covered stone steps through the cool, wet jungle night to our tent, and happily went to bed.

S4rmaKWwUpI/AAAAAAAABKM/56yrnnHBnYM/s400/100_7577.jpg" border="0" />

For many more pictures and stories of the cool mountain town of San Geraldo de Rivas, Running with the Talamanca, and others

click here :

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Kayaking Before Sunrise On The Mysterious Golfo Dulce, A Large Sea Turtle Gives Us Two Heads Up

2010-02-21T11:43:00.015-07:00

Osa's Misty shore, sunrise high tide

We paddled before sunrise, around two piers and up a river, crossed a narrow sand neck to a deserted beach, hoping to see Volcán Barú down in Panama, watch sunrise, look for whales....

Laura appears very small at the base of the giant mangroves....

For many more pictures and stories of kayaking the giant mangroves and misty coast of Osa's Golfo Dulce,

click here :

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Traveling on the edge: Osa Peninsula's Puerto Jiminez

2010-02-19T11:21:00.017-07:00

For many more pictures and stories of

funky Puerto Jiminez, Osa Peninsula Tropical Paradise, Nesting Scarlet Macaws

please see our pages on www.Traveljournals.net/rmalone

or click on the following link for list of stories:

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Osa Peninsula Tropical Paradise

Spectacular Pacific Scenery, Manuel Antonio National Park

2010-02-13T13:15:00.008-07:00

Spectacular Pacific Scenery, Manuel Antonio National Park

For many more pictures and stories of

Spectacular Pacific Scenery, Manuel Antonio National Park

please see our pages on www.Traveljournals.net/rmalone

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http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Collared Aracari of Montezuma

2010-02-06T08:22:00.006-07:00

Collared Aracari

For more stories and pictures of our budget travels in Costa Rica
please visit our pages at TravelJournals.net/rmalone

click on :

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

A Serial Chiller, From Hero to Zero

2010-02-03T15:49:00.004-07:00

A fun guy we met here in Montezuma on this trip shared with us the phrases "From Hero to Zero!" and "Serial Chiller."

Here is a link that shows what we think he means when we says this:

Passenger Disrupts Cross-Country Flight, Drops Pants, Attacks Crew, Claims Was Due To Pot Cookies

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/03/kinman-chan-disrupts-cros_n_448026.html

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Kinman Chan Disrupts Cross-Country Flight, Drops Pants, Attacks Crew, Claims Was Due To Pot Cookies

Fabulous birds of Luna Llena

2010-02-03T09:25:00.008-07:00

For many more pictures and stories,

click on the following link for list of stories:

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/rmalone/journals/3615/

Monkeying around in Montezuma Costa Rica

2010-01-31T10:20:00.007-07:00

For more stories and pictures please click and visit our pages at TravelJournals:

http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/31140.html

Costa Rica : Alajuela Tropical Hostel near San Jose Airport, free pickup, great place

2010-01-31T09:30:00.016-07:00

Alajuela Tropical Hostel is the nice, safe option for those who want to avoid going into San Jose.

We arrived in Costa Rica after an uneventful flight from Houston, via Dallas. Robert had done research on places to stay on our arrival and from the many reviews he read Hostel Alajuela Tropical was the place we wanted to stay.

We read several excellent reviews about the hostel and the owner of the place, Alonso. We got our luggage and cleared customs without a hitch and went out to find Alonso. One of the services he offers is airport pickup. He arrived in his classic Land Rover and off we went to his hostel. He offered to stop somewhere if we wanted to pick up any supplies but we headed on to his place. It is in a neighborhood that has a security guard posted right there near his place.

We went inside and found a nice living area, with kitchen attached. The room was clean and perfect for our needs. There were other people there and we decided to go to the store to get some beer and wine. Alonso assured us it would be safe to walk there. We set out and found a strip center just a block and a half from his place. There is a grocery store called AM/PM that stays open until midnight. They have a nice, if somewhat pricey selection of goods for sale including fresh pastries and vegetables along with beer and wine.

Also in this same strip center there is a pharmacy and nice restaurant along with some other shops. We went back to his place and had a very enjoyable evening visiting with the other guests and Alonso. His hostel has only two bedrooms so it is not very crowded or busy which suited us just fine.

The next morning he fixed us coffee, eggs, potatoes, and toast for breakfast.

We needed to go to a doctor for a follow-up visit for my cut lip. He took us to a private clinic very close by, were seen by a bi-lingual doctor that was very efficient and helpful.

Robert needed a tetanus shot and he gave him a prescription to have one done at a pharmacy! We went to the pharmacy and got what we needed and then he stopped at a local soda (small eatery) and bought us a lunch of shrimp and rice which is evidently a local dish. We went back to his place and it was indeed very nice.

After a short siesta we went to change money before we set off for Montezuma. We found a bank very near the shopping center that changed our money at a nice rate with no commission! We then went back to the AM/PM to get some food for dinner and the bus ride in the morning.

Had another pleasant evening visiting with Alonso and the newly arrived people from Belguim. We had to catch the bus for Montezuma at 6:30 in the morning so we called it a fairly early evening.

After coffee and getting everything loaded, Alonso took us the bus stop. The place to catch the bus in Alajuela coming from the Coca Cola station in San Jose and an unmarked intersection that is evidently the stopping point for many of the busses heading for various places throughout the country. We arrived there early and got to watch a glorious sunrise over one of the many volcanos in Costa Rica. The bus sign in front said San Jose - Copano. We got our luggage loaded underneath and off we went. It is a first class bus with comfortable seats, air conditioning and not crowded. At the time of our travel, the tickets were $12.00 each.

The trip took from 6:30 until about 12:00 including all the stops and ferry ride. We stopped at around 8:00 for a 25 minute or so food and restroom break and then off we went toward the ferry. We arrived at the ferry at 9:00 and because of our rusty Spanish thought the bus driver was telling us we had to get off the bus and find our way to Montezuma. Not so. We had to get off the bus for the ferry ride (they lock the bus) and get back on once we land in Paquera. From there we went on to Copano. One of the other passengers told us we had to get off the big bus and transfer to a smaller bus to Montezuma. Our luggage had to go on top of the bus and it was a 7km or so ride to Montezuma. We told the driver where we wanted to get off and he stopped right at the entrance to Luna Llena.

Because the road is very steep at this particular point, he couldn´t get out and help Robert unload the bags so Robert climbed on top of the bus and slid them down to me. Whew! Then we had to climb the stairs to Luna Llena (about 200 steps to the top, but once there what a view!)

For more pictures of the beautiful scenery on the bus/ ferry trip to Montezuma, see our pages here:

http://www.traveljournals.net/stories/31140.html

Coyote Christmas Santa Fe !

2009-12-25T17:09:00.009-07:00

Happy Holidays from Santa Fe !

Canyon Road Christmas Eve, bar at El Farol.......

Christmas with Coyote!

Nice to see this large coyote sniffing around in the El Dorado snow in the middle of the day on Christmas!

Adventure Travel the World, with Style, on a Budget

Kasane, Sundowner Capitol of Botswana !

100 Nights in Africa: Budget Travel Tip 3

100 Days in Africa 2011: Budget Travel Tip #2

Leopard of the South Luangwa

100 Days in Africa 2011: Budget Travel Tip #1

Holy Cow, Batman! Look at that Longhorn!

Alligators Pose

"Spooning" Spoonbills: One of the Planet's Most Colorful Courtships

Just another (amazing) hummingbird

Barbets, Costa Rican Cousins of Birds of Africa

Tiniest Bird in Costa Rica

Puerto Jiminez and the Golfo Dulce

Manuel Antonio, Beautiful Pacific Paradise Costa Rica

The 'Real' Costa Rica : Fincas, Byways, Birds , Preserves

Luna Llena Hotel, Wildlife Watching Overlooking the Pacific

Montezuma Monkey Yoga

Monkey Yoga in Montezuma

Return to Alajuela Tropical Hostel en Costa Rica

Tent Rocks, Flying Falcon, Curious Coyote

Up the Scary Chimney Slot at Beautiful Ghost Ranch

Exercise in Art

First Snow, Beautiful Miracle

Navajo Nation, country within a country, beautiful

Sedona, surrounded by beauty and mystery

Fantastic mars-like illusions, and shifting shapes: Lake Powell

Ghost Ranch Magic

Mystery Murder at Randall Davey Audobon

Colors and Textures of Fall in "The City Different"

Oak Sculptures from Hurricane Damaged Oaks in Old Victorian Galveston Island

Happy Birthday, Ms. Laura ! Fiesta Today, in Santa Fe !

Bald Eagle Beauty on the Snake River

Black Bears, Grizzly Bears ?

Three Bull Moose, Three Bull Moose !

Wolves Play in the Distance : Lamar Valley Pack in Yellowstone Natl Park

Open Wide: Baby Swallows in Grand Teton National Park

Pronghorn Antelope Chase A Coyote, Then Resume normal programming

Bison Love in Yellowstone National Park

Grand Teton Kayaking: Oxbow Bend / Snake River

Grand Teton National Park: Jackson Lake Lodge Area

Summer Days in Santa Fe

Biking thru Beauty in Berkeley by the San Francisco Bay

"Lions" tracking us.... on the bay!

Kayak and More shop in Morro Bay

California Kayaking: With 9 Volcanoes, Morro Bay Rocks!

Morro Bay, California: Kayaking Past Sea Lions, Strange Squirrels, Volcanos

Slot Canyon Kayaking on Lake Powell

Robert and Laura

Entry

Location

Date

Pictures

Rex Warren Sings to the Mountain

Robert and Laura

Entry

Location

Date

Pictures

Santa Fe Spring Fun w Joann and Scott

Llano, TX Crawfish Weekend at Joe's

Llano TX: Wildflower Paradise Central

Devil's Waterhole and Inks Lake

Paddling in the Glorious Hill Country Spring

Hotel Roca Dura: Roughing It Down Behind the 'Hard Rock Hotel' in the Cool Costa Rican Mountain Village of San Gerardo de Rivas

Kayaking Before Sunrise On The Mysterious Golfo Dulce, A Large Sea Turtle Gives Us Two Heads Up

Traveling on the edge: Osa Peninsula's Puerto Jiminez

Spectacular Pacific Scenery, Manuel Antonio National Park

Collared Aracari of Montezuma

A Serial Chiller, From Hero to Zero

Kinman Chan Disrupts Cross-Country Flight, Drops Pants, Attacks Crew, Claims Was Due To Pot Cookies

Fabulous birds of Luna Llena

Monkeying around in Montezuma Costa Rica

Costa Rica : Alajuela Tropical Hostel near San Jose Airport, free pickup, great place

Coyote Christmas Santa Fe !