Country |
Dates |
Photos |
Journals |
Comment |
| Hawaii | ||||
| - Maui, Oahu | July 18 - 22 |
- Beaching, Snorkeling, and Lahaina! | ||
| - Hawaii | July 14 - 17 |
- Volcanoes, Waterfalls, and Observatories | ||
| New Zealand | ||||
| - The Far North | July 11 - 14 |
- Huge Forests, Cape Reinga, Dune Surfing! | ||
| - Bay of Islands | July 7 - 10 |
- Kauri Trees, McKinney Tree, Russell, Treaty House | ||
| - Napier | July 4-6 |
- Art Deco, Flooding | ||
| - Christchurch | July 1 - 3 |
- Dunedin, Christchurch, the Penninsulas | ||
| - Te Anau / Milford Snd. | June 29 - 30 |
- Milford Sound, Glaciers, Falls, Dolphins | ||
| - Queenstown | June 27 - 28 |
- Bungee, Jet Boating, Arrowtown, The Remarkables | ||
| - West Coast S. Island | June 24 - 26 |
- Glaciers, Rivers, National Parks, Wekas | ||
| - Wellington | June 22 - 23 |
- Seals, Museums and City Tours | ||
| - Lake Taupo | June 19 - 21 |
- Waitomo Caves, Rafting, Tongariro Nat. Park, Fishing | ||
| - Rotorua | June 15 - 18 |
- Zorbing, Geothermals, Spas, Sledging | ||
| - Auckland | June 13 - 14 |
- City views, Skytower, Museum of Auckland | ||
| Australia | ||||
| - Cairns | June 3 - 12 |
- Daintree, Sky Rail, Culture Center, Barrier Reef | ||
| - Airlie Beach | May 31 - June 2 |
- Whitsundays, Bats | ||
| - Fraser Island | May 29 - 30 |
- Sand, Sand and more sand! | ||
| - Caloundra | May 24 - 28 |
- Touring, Crocodile Hunter Zoo, Beaches | ||
| - Sydney | May 21 - 24 |
- Opera house, Harbour Bridge, Museums and more | ||
| - Tasmania | May 16 - 20 |
- Port Arthur, Cradle Mountain, Wombats, Hobart | ||
| - Great Ocean Road | May 13 - 15 |
- 12 Apostles, Bay of Islands, Koalas, Otway Nat. Park | ||
| - Grampian Nat. Park | May 10 - 12 |
- Echidna, Kangaroos, Hollow Mountain, Halls Gap | ||
| - Barossa Valley | May 8 - 9 |
- Wine, Wine and more Wine! | ||
| - Perth | May 1 - 7 |
- Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island, Swan Valley | ||
| - Kalbarri Nat. Park | April 29-30 |
- Coastal Formations, Murchison River, Nature's Window | ||
| - Shark Bay Nat. Park | April 27 - 28 |
- Stromatolites, Dolphins, Dugongs, Emus | ||
| - Karijini Nat. Park | April 24-26 |
- Gorges, Hikes, Wildlife | ||
| - Broome | April 22-23 |
- Pearling, Cable Beach, Outback | ||
| - Purnululu Nat. Park | April 21 |
- Helicopter Ride, Bungle Bungle Ranges | ||
| - Katherine | April 20 |
- Caves and Outback | ||
| - Darwin & Kakadu NP | April 16 - 10 |
- Cave Art, Wildlife, Swamps and Waterfalls | ||
| Singapore | ||||
| - Sentosa Island | April 6 - 15 |
- Chinatown, Pepper Crab, Shopping, Zoos | ||
| Palau | ||||
| - Koror | March 28 - April 5 |
- Diving Blue Corner, Kayaking, Sharks, Corals, Caves | ||
| Japan | ||||
| - Osaka | March 26 |
- Architecture, Water Temple, Technology | ||
| - Kyoto | March 25 |
- Temples, Parks, Nijo Castle, Geisha | ||
| - Osaka | March 24 |
- Shinkansen, Osaka Castle, Cherry Blossoms | ||
| - Tokyo | March 20 - 23 |
- Ginza, Palace, Fish Market, Disney, Temples & More | ||
| China | ||||
| - Beijing | March 16 - 19 |
- Ming Temples, Forbidden City, Great Wall ... | ||
| - Xi'An | March 14 - 15 |
- Bell Tower, City Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors | ||
| - Lijiang | March 12 - 13 |
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yaks, Ancient City | ||
| - Kunming | March 9-11 |
- Stone Forest, Bamboo Temple, Flower Markets | ||
| - Yangshuo | March 8 - 9 |
- Li River Cruise, Light and Sound Shows | ||
| - Guilin | March 6 - 7 |
- Reed Flute Cave, Karst Mountains | ||
| - Hong Kong | March 2 - 5 |
- Stanley Market, Kowloon, Goldfish Market ... | ||
| Vietnam | ||||
| - Hoi An | Feb. 27 - March 1 |
- Old Hoi An, My Son Temples, Rice Paddies, Markets | ||
| - Hue | Feb. 24-26 |
- Imperial Palace, Pagodas, Caves | ||
| - Mekong Delta | Feb. 23 |
- Snakes, Boats, Food and More | ||
| - Ho Chi Minh City | Feb. 21-22 |
- Motorbikes, Cui Chi Tunnels, Old Saigon | ||
| Cambodia | ||||
| - Siem Reap | Feb. 16 - 20 |
- Floating City, Angkor Thom and Wat, Jungle Temple | ||
| Thailand | ||||
| - Bangkok | Feb. 13 - 15 |
- Floating Markets, Temples, and Royal Palace | ||
| - Koh Tao, Koh Samui | Feb. 5 - 12 |
- Diving, Snorkeling and just hangin' in the Gulf | ||
| India | ||||
| - New Delhi | Feb. 1-4 |
- Old Fort, India Gate, Bazaars | ||
| - Kanha Nat. Park | Jan. 29 - 31 |
- Tigers, Birds, Snakes, Elephants | ||
| - Bandhavgarh Nat. Pk. | Jan. 26 - 28 |
- Tigers, Deer, Birds, Elephants | ||
| - Agra | Jan. 25 |
- The Taj, Fatehpur Sikri, Red Fort | ||
| - Jaipur & Dehi | Jan. 22 - 24 |
- Amber Fort, Pink City, Bharatpur Nat. Park | ||
| Tanzania | ||||
| - Tarangire Nat. Park | Jan. 19 - 21 |
- Baobab Trees, "Escape from Nairobi!" | ||
| - Lake Natron | Jan. 17 - 18 |
- Flamingos, River Walk, Village Life | ||
| - Serengeti Nat. Park | Jan. 14 - 16 |
- Migration, Cheetah feeding, Leopard!. | ||
| - Serengeti Ndutu | Jan. 11 - 13 |
- Cheetahs, Elephants, Ostrich + Olduvai Gorge | ||
| - Ngoronogoro Crater | Jan. 8 - 10 |
- Lions, Rhino, Cheetahs, Crater Trekking | ||
| Uganda | ||||
| - Lake Mubaro | Jan. 6-7 |
- Hippos, Birds, Antelope, Uganda Cities | ||
| - Bwindi Nat. Park | Jan. 4-5 |
- Gorilla Trekking, Silverbacks & Babies, Village Life | ||
| - Queen Elizabeth NP | Jan. 2-3 |
- Kazinga Channel, Hippos, Cap Buffalo, Elephants ... | ||
| - Kibale Nat. Park | Dec. 31-Jan. 1 |
- Wild Chimp Trek, Swamp Walk, Birds | ||
| - Entebbe | Dec. 30 |
- Chimp Sanctuary, Bug Hatch | ||
| Egypt | ||||
| - El Gouna | Dec. 20 - 28 |
- Sand, Sun, Diving the Red Sea; Bob and the Smelly Salami | ||
| - Luxor | Dec. 19 |
- Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor Temples | ||
| - Edfu | Dec. 18 |
- Cruising, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple | ||
| - Aswan | Dec. 16 - 17 |
- Dam, Philae Temple, Abu Simbel | ||
| - Cairo | Dec. 12 - 15 |
- Museum, Pyramids, Sphynx, Step Pyramid, Memphis | ||
| Ireland | ||||
| - Dublin & Dunlavin | Dec. 8 - 11 |
- Dublin & Family | ||
| Great Britain | ||||
| - Stonehenge | Dec. 6 - 7 |
- Stonehenge | ||
| - London | Dec. 2 - 5 |
- Globe Theater, Greenwich Observatory | ||
| France | ||||
| - Paris | Nov. 25 - Dec. 1 |
- Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triumphe, Disney | ||
| - Perigord | Nov. 23-24 |
- Pigs and Truffles and Snails, oh my! | ||
| Spain | ||||
| - Toledo | Nov. 21-22 |
- Fortified Old Town, Bridges, Steel | ||
| - Cordoba | Nov. 19-20 |
- Mezquita & Surroundings | ||
| - Seville | Nov. 17-18 |
- Cathedral, Alcazar, Flamenco | ||
| - Ronda | Nov. 15-16 |
- El Torcal, Gorges, Bridges, Bullfighting Traditions | ||
| - Granada | Nov. 12-14 |
- Alhambra, Cathedral, Albaczin | ||
| - Cazorla | Nov. 10-11 |
- Hiking Sierra Nevada, Castillo | ||
| Switzerland | ||||
| - Geneva | Nov. 9 |
- Zur (not Zurich), Lichtenstein, Geneva | ||
| Germany | ||||
| - Fussen | Nov. 8 |
- Cinderella Castles, Tyrolia | ||
| - Munich | Nov. 5 - 7 |
- Dachau, Beer, Glochenspiel, Bob & the Big Beers | ||
| Czech Republic | ||||
| - Ceski Krumlov | Nov. 3 - 4 |
- UNESCO Heritage Site, Castle, Bohemian Forests | ||
| - Prague | Oct. 29 - Nov. 2 |
- Castle, Old Town, Jewish Quarter, St. Winceslas Sq. | ||
| Romania | ||||
| - Brasov | Oct. 27 - 28 |
- Fall Colours, Bran Castle, Brasov Town | ||
| - Sigisoara | Oct. 25 - 26 |
- Medieval Town, Bell Tower, Dracula's Birthplace | ||
| Hungary | ||||
| - Budapest | Oct. 21 - 24 |
- Chain Bridge, Zoo, St. Mathias Cathedral, Palace | ||
| Austria | ||||
| - Vienna | Oct. 19 - 20 |
- Hapsburg Palaces, Museums, Royal Lippizanners | ||
| - Salzburg | Oct. 16 - 18 |
- Mozart, Old Town, Ice Caves, Old Castle | ||
| Italy | ||||
| - Venice | Oct. 12 - 16 |
- Canals, St. Marks Square, Pigeons, Masks & Murano | ||
| - Cinque Terre | Oct. 9 - 12 |
- Hiking the 5 Villages | ||
| - Florence | Oct. 6 - 9 |
- Duomo, David, Porto Vecchio, Piza and more | ||
| - Sienna | Oct. 5 - 6 |
- Medieval Town | ||
| - Rome | Sept. 30 - Oct. 5 |
- Vatican, Coloseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi, Forum | ||
| - Pompeii | Sept. 27 - 30 |
- Ruins of Pompeii, Sorrento, Bob Finds A Dry Spot | ||
| Greece | ||||
| - Meteora | Sept. 24 - 27 |
- Monasteries and Hiking | ||
| - Athens | Sept. 21 - 24 |
- Acropolis, Temple of Athena, Museums & Markets | ||
| - Delos & Mykonos | Sept. 20 |
- Ruins of Delos, Windmills of Mykonos, Pelicans | ||
| - Naxos | Sept. 17 - 21 |
- Beach time, squid, bugs, old fort, Temple of Apollo | ||
| - Santorini | Sept. 12 - 17 |
- Cliff houses, sunsets, diving, Akrothira, Volcanos | ||
| - Rhodos | Sept. 7 - 12 |
- Old Town, Parasailing, Bob the Car ... | ||
| Turkey | Aug. 26 - Sept. 7 |
|||
| - Ephesus | Sept. 4 - 7 |
- Ruins, Library, Markets, Sirince, Food & Drink | ||
| - Konya / Pammukalle | Sept. 2 - 4 |
- On the road, Hot springs | ||
| - Cappadoccia | Aug. 29 - Sept. 2 |
- Cave houses, Underground Cities, Monasteries | ||
| - Istanbul | Aug. 26 - 29 |
- Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Spice Market, Grand Bazaar | ||
| Russia | Aug. 20 - 25 |
|||
| - Moscow | Aug. 22 - 25 |
- St. Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's Tomb, Kremlin, Armory | ||
| - St. Petersburg | Aug. 20 - 22 |
- Catherine's Palace, Winter Palace | ||
| Netherlands | Aug. 16 - 20 |
|||
| - Amsterdam | Aug. 16 - 20 |
- Canals, Bikes, Windmills, Flowers, Red Lights | ||
| USA | Aug. 10 - 15 |
|||
| - Orlando | Aug. 10 - 15 |
- Theme Park Mania | ||
| Canada | Aug. 10 |
|||
| - Calgary | Aug. 10 |
- Packing and Take-off | ||
Calgary: There's No Place Like Home!
August 1, 2006: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- 355 Days on the road.
- 37 Countries
- 100,400 km travelled
- 48 planes, 43 trains, 14 boats (not including dive boats), 2 camels & 4 elephants
- 158 Different beds (averaged 1 move every 2 days)
- 4.6 Million steps walked (approx. 3,400 km)
- 84 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 15,000+ photos ( we wore out 2 cameras along the way)
- Unforgettable Experiences: Every Day!
Well we finally made it back home safe and sound! We are all a little different (taller, thinner, more patient) than when we started. It was a truly amazing, life changing trip that surpassed every one of our expectations. We swam with sharks, trekked to the gorrillas, and climbed the Great Wall. We experienced new and sometimes unrecognizable foods and managed to survive an overnight train ride in India. Being together 24/7 for such an extended period of time often tested our family bonds but we have grown so much closer as a result. We would do it all again in a heart beat!
During our travels, we met some wonderful people and we wanted to thank all of them for the time they took to share with us their experiences and the knowledge about their own amazing homes. We hope you enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed yours. We are often asked about our favorite place during this trip. Several countries stick out but we have quickly came to learn that it wasn't about the location or the incredible sites. It was about the moments we experienced that will live with us forever. It was watching Brennan hanging on for dear life to an underwater cliff face as the current threatened to sweep him over the reef, looking up at the stars with Sierra while snuggled down in the the rolled up sails on the Eclipse as we toured the South Pacific, or chugging wine out of the bottle with Debbie as we watched the sun set from the roof top of an Italian villa in Cinque Terre (because the glasses were all locked away). It was moments like these that we had hoped to find when we left and we certainly succeeded.
Finally thanks to all of you who followed along with us via the web site. We enjoyed your comments, questions and thoughts. Stay tuned to Fat Turtle. While we may be signing off for a little while, it is a big big world. We will be back (sooner than you think!).