Huasteca Potosina is a less visited area of Mexico, most tourists you”ll see here are Mexican. At least, when visiting in May or June. I was on a family visit/holiday in Mexico when a friend of my father suggested to visit the Sierra Gorda in Queretaro. This mountainous region is known for its foggy mountains, steep canyons and has an immense diversity of plant and animal life.
We usually avoid mass tourism but for natural wonders we sometimes make an exception. The Antelope Canyon in Arizona seemed impressive enough to bend our own rules a bit…
The town of Page has no shortage on god’s mercy.
Located near Page Arizona in Navajo country the Antelope Canyon is a spectacular display of eroded sand stone due to flooding. There are 2 different canyons to visit, Lower Antelope Canyon and Upper Antelope Canyon. We chose to visit the A-shaped LAC as it is the less visited one. The UAC is easier to acces and far more popular. Still, you”ll be far from alone.
Cattle being driven to the money pit
In 1997 flash floods in these canyons killed 11 tourists. Because of this incident, you are not allowed to visit without a guide. Too bad visiting the canyons has become tourist “business”. Be prepared to be treated like cattle with a wallet…
The fun starts when they charge you 20 $ to park your car, 8$ Navajo park entrance fee and 25$ admission fee for the actual visit. A tour starts every 20 minutes. There’s also a “special photographer’s tour” for 47$, this ticket buys you more time in the canyon. We opted for the normal tour, as a consequence we were pushed to complete the tour as quickly as possible.
Is it worth it? You should definitely visit but too bad it leaves you with a uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed like a lemon. Nonetheless, you”ll make great pictures. The guide will advice you where and how to take the best pictures. What setting -Chrome filter- your iPhone should be set at, where to take a picture with your loved one, etc…
On finishing the tour, I had a big argument with a Navajo tour guide. I was trying to take a picture of the exit of the Canyon without Japanese tourists on it. However, as our guide had already rushed out to drink his coffee, my lens was blocked by the hand of another guide. She did not let me take the picture as it appeared I was without a guide. Anyway, I still managed the take the shot.
Keep exploring!
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Bougainville is a small group of islands north of the Solomon Islands that form an autonomous region within the country of Papua New Guinea. The region has a massively intriguing wildlife, people and history. It is a unique location comparable to very little else on our planet. Tourism has only recently slowly started to develop here, but thanks to a chance encounter in the Philippines, I got the opportunity to visit Bougainville earlier this year.
Fjällräven’s Duffel No 6 is part of the numbers collection which is the premium line. Well-thought-out functionality and the use of heavy duty eco-fabrics that should last you a lifetime. So, I hauled this 50 liter bag everywhere in the last year and gave it some dirt time. It travelled with me through deserts and jungles, hunting trips and work related city trips.
The shoulder straps can be stowed away. Read more
So, you like wild camping, desert dune bashing, wildlife spotting, desolate white sandy beaches with pristine blue water and are put off by crowds of tourists? Then Oman should definitely be on your bucket list. We packed some basic camping equipment and booked a flight to Oman last November. Being one of the least populated countries in the world and a wild camping allowed policy, this looked like a very promising destination. Also, a 30° C average daytime temperature made the decision to go very easy.
Wadi Shab
