Destinations

Sunset over the Hale o Keawe (burial place), Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, Big Island of Hawaii
Sunset over the Hale o Keawe (burial place), Pu’uhonua o Honaunau, Big Island of Hawaii

April 2023 – Panama Canal cruise


October 2022 – Vancouver to Hawai’i cruise


May 22 – June 5, 2022 – Yukon, Denali & Alaska land/cruise


March 6-April 2, 2020 – South America cruise


March 2-10, 2019 – Southern Arizona & astronomy


Dec 1-20, 2018 – Caribbean Sail Cruise aboard the Royal Clipper


June-July 2018 – Victoria to Calgary road trip


April 2018 – Borneo

Victoria to Kuala Lumpur – flying from my home in Canada to Malaysia through Los Angeles and Hong Kong

  • Kuala Lumpur – this major city in Peninsular Malaysia is both the starting point and end of the tour
  • Kuala Lumpur to Brunei – flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on the island of Borneo
  • Brunei – mosques, stilt villages and wildlife along the Brunei River, and the Sultan’s eye-popping wealth!
  • Brunei to Sabah – the Sultan’s Memorabilia Museum & the gates to his palace, lunch at a 6-star hotel before our flight to Sabah
  • Sabah – a province of Malaysia on the northern coast of Borneo – lots of rainforest wildlife & a wide variety of cultures
    • Kota Kinabalu – the big city in Sabah – fish market, temples, Malay stilt houses, and mosques
    • Kinabatangan – the wildlife of Borneo – Pygmy Elephants, Orangutans, Proboscis Monkeys, exotic birds & bugs!
    • Sepilok – more wildlife in Sabah – especially Orangutans, Proboscis Monkeys & Sun Bears
  • Sandakan to Kuching – our flight from Sabah to Sarawak ended up taking a lot longer than planned!
  • Sarawak – the southeast of Borneo – more wildlife in the rain forests, tribal longhouses, a wide variety of other cultures
    • Kuching to Batang Ai – we leave the big city of Kuching, ending up in a remote area of Sarawak
    • Batang Ai – the Iban tribe shares their culture with us, and some of us experience a rainforest canopy walk
    • Batang Ai to Kuching – Batang Ai to Kuching – we return to the big city, but not before experiencing a Bidayuh longhouse and it’s people
    • Kuching to Kuala Lumpur – one last cultural experience on Borneo before returning to Peninsular Malaysia and the big city of Kuala Lumpur
  • Kuala Lumpur to Victoria – flying home to Canada through Hong Kong with an overnight stop in Los Angeles, and home the following day

February 2018 – Southern Arizona & Astronomy

Saguaro Cactus in the rain

October 2017 – Cruise to Hawai’i aboard ms Eurodam

Salmon-coloured orchid with yellow-tipped stamen

August 2017 – Total Solar Eclipse from Oregon

Solar Corona & prominences - photo by John McDonald - used with permission

February/March 2017 – Southern Arizona & Astronomy

Saguaro cactus against a blue sky

February/March 2016 – SE Asia and Total Solar Eclipse cruise aboard ms Volendam

Feb/Mar 2016 Solar Eclipse Cruise map in SE Asia aboard the Volendam
  • Flight from Canada to Singapore & cruise departure
  • Penang, Malaysia -Georgetown – small colonial city, funicular train to Penang hill, Kek Lok Si Buddhist temple
  • Phuket, Thailand – upcountry tour of the Big Buddha, Kratu Tin Mine history, and lunch in the hills behind the famous beaches
  • Myanmar (Burma) – in Yangon (Rangoon): Bogyoke Aung San (Scott Market), golden Lion Throne at the museum, and the amazing golden Shwedagon Pagoda both during the day and lit at night, and Chauk Htat Gyi Reclining Buddha
  • Langkawi, Malaysia – bats, eagles and mangroves at the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – the Batu Caves Hindu shrine, and then the big city sights colonial versus modern architecture, including the Pentronas Towers
  • Malacca, Malaysia – Dutch and British colonial influences in this seaport town
  • Singapore – 2 nights on board the ship, with a full day tour of Singapore: views from atop the Marina Bay Sands hotel, superb arborteum at Gardens by the Bay, visits to Arab Street and Chinatown’s Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, then a Singapore Sling at Raffle’s Hotel
  • Semarang, Java, Indonesia – huge Borobudur temple
  • Probolinggo, Java, Indonesia – Mount Bromo volcano
  • Total Solar Eclipse – a perfect view from aboard the ship in the Makassar Strait off Sulawesi, Indonesia
  • Komodo Island, Indonesia – Komodo Dragons!
  • Lombok, Indonesia – peaceful Narmada Water Palace and Lingsar temple, horse cart ride to see Banyu Mulek village’s pots being made
  • Bali, Indonesia – away from Bali’s hustle and bustle: the Sangeh monkey forest, the Pura Ulun Danu temple at Lake Bratan, and lunch in the cool lake country highlands
  • Sailing from Bali to Singapore – two days at sea and an overnight aboard the ship before departing Singapore
  • Flights from Singapore to Canada – marathon flights to return home

February 2015 – Gems of Arabia In Focus tour

Group on the sand dunes at sunrise near Liwa Oasis
Group on the sand dunes at sunrise near Liwa Oasis

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Men drinking tea or coffee in the Nizwa Souq

Oman 

 

September 2014 – Best of Europe in 21 Days Rick Steves’ tour

Riomaggiore village, Cinque Terre, Italy
  • The Netherlands – flight from Victoria, Canada to Amsterdam, Haarlem, Amsterdam, Open Air Museum, the Dutch countryside
  • Germany – Bacharach, St. Goar, Rhine cruise, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Dachau, castles
  • Austria – Tyrol
  • Italy – South Tyrol, Venice, Florence, Rome, Vatican, Massa Marittima, Cinque Terre
  • Switzerland – Lugano to Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen Valley, the Alps – Shilthorn & alpine hike
  • France – Beaune & Burgundy countryside, Paris, flight from Paris to Victoria, Canada

February & March 2014 – Hawai’i, Fanning Island and French Polynesia cruise aboard ms Statendam

Mount Otemanu and Vaitape with Bora Bora's lagoon

The Paul Gauguin in the Coral Sea during a Total Solar Eclipse

November 2012 Total Solar Eclipse Cruise & Fiji aboard the Paul Gauguin


Nov-Dec 2011 – Incan Empires cruise – Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego aboard the Rotterdam – 30 days

Incan Empires Cruise map

Sep-Oct 2010 – South Pacific cruise – Vancouver to Auckland aboard Volendam – 30 days

South Pacific Cruise map

Oct-Nov 2010 – North Island, New Zealand – 16 days

Sheep on the hills behind the B&B in Te Kuiti

October 13 to November 11, 2008 – Southern Africa

Zebras at the watering hole

April 7-14, 2006 – Greece

  • Milan to Athens – flying and getting settled in Athens
  • National Archaeological Museum – a world-class museum in Athens containing ancient Greek art and antiquity, which I visited twice
  • Athens – Day 2, Day 5, Day 6 – Exharia, Olympieion, Hadrian’s Arch, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Zapion, Lykavitos Hill, Benaki Museum, Roman Forum, Tower of the Winds, Monastiraki, Library of Hadrian, restaurants, the Metro, farmer’s market
  • Circle Tour – Corinth isthmus & Peloponnese peninsula – Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth, Acrocorinth, Mycenae & the Treasure of Atreus, Castle of Palamidhi, Epidaurus
  • Acropolis & Ancient Agora – the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion (Old Temple) and Odeion of Herdes Atticus (Herodion) theatre
  • Cape Sounio – Temple of Poseidon, coastline of the Saronic Gulf, New Olympic Stadium
  • Returning home from Athens – flights – Athens-Milan-Toronto-Victoria

I moved my most current content from my old website to this website in 2015. The back story. Destinations I have visited a long time ago do not currently appear here.

3 thoughts on “Destinations

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  2. Wow! You have had a lot of adventures! I look forward to looking at some of these trips you have been on:)
    Was great hosting you here. Hope you come again so we can take you out for some more adventures here!

    • It was great to meet you and Evan, and reconnect with Dave. I love Okanagan Falls, so I expect I will be back for another visit!

      I’ve travelled all my life, so yes, there are lots of travelogues, photos, videos, and maps to explore on my JoeTourist website…

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