The Road to Hana

The Road to Hana

When this trip began eighteen months ago, I had no idea it would include two weeks in Maui with friends made at the start of the trip in Utila. But when one of those friends got a job here and suggested I come visit, I couldn’t pass it up. Especially when we started to discuss timing and realized that another of our friends would be coming through at the same

A snapshot of my time in Australia

A snapshot of my time in Australia

As so often happens, this blog is behind. I want to write posts about my week in Western Australia, two weeks in Tasmania, visits to Adelaide and Melbourne, and wine tasting everywhere possible. Plus I still have Philippines posts to finish and some going even further back into my time in Asia. And while I fully intend to get at least some of those posts done, it won’t be today.

Beautiful El Nido: a far cry from the peace of Port Barton

Beautiful El Nido: a far cry from the peace of Port Barton

The Bacuit Archipelago is considered one of the highlights of any visit to the Philippines: limestone cliffs jutting out of the sea as in HaLong Bay but without much litter and with great snorkeling. El Nido, at the northern end of Palawan, is the best base for exploring the area and the tour industry is booming.   There are four standard island hopping tours with tours A and C reputed

Paradise Found: Port Barton

Paradise Found: Port Barton

Getting to and from Port Barton on the island of Palawan requires time on a terrible road or forking over a fair amount of cash for a boat. The road into town is under construction and will, almost certainly, increase tourist numbers when complete. But for now, Port Barton is a tranquil respite from the crowds of Puerto Princesa’s Underground River and El Nido. For me, it was nothing short