Eagle Island was advertised as an escape to a luxurious lodge on a private, 10-acre back barrier island. I didn’t even know what a back barrier island was, but this region of the Georgia coast was named “one of 75 last great places left in the world” by the Nature Conservancy. I had to go.

Five of us motored from the sleepy shrimping village of Darien with Capt. Andy Hill, owner of Eagle and seven other back barrier islands which he markets under the designation “Private Islands of Georgia.”

“Eagle has the best backyard in America,” grinned Andy Hill. “It sits in the midst of tidal marshes and estuaries -- there is a variety of bird life and the boating is great. I just love sharing it with people.”

He explained that back barrier islands, situated between barrier islands and the coastline, form one more line of defense against storms. The gazillion islands along the Georgia coast are surrounded by marshes, which are a nursery for water and bird life. They change by the minute, by the hour, by the day. The scenery alters with each incoming and outgoing tide. The marshes provide food for wildlife and act as a filter for the entire ecosystem, cleansing with each tide. Marshes are live, complex creatures; it takes work and time to get to know them.

Hill helped us carry our suitcases and food supplies up the oyster shell path to the three-story lodge. We were the only human inhabitants for miles around. As his boat sped away from the dock I felt panic start to rise in my throat. What in the world made me want to come to this isolated hump of dirt in the Atlantic Ocean? I like to leave an escape route available, and now we were alone, with no way off the island. I was cut off from the world as I know it. Obviously, my challenge was to deal with nothing to do and nowhere to go for three days.

The first thing I did was explore my little domain. A rough path had been cut through the primeval forest of palmetto, long leaf pine, hickory and live oaks, with the ubiquitous Spanish Moss stringing to the ground. It is about a 15-minute stroll at low tide with lots of photo ops. At high tide there is not enough dry land to walk very far; even the board walks are suspended in marsh water. Numerous man-made shell mounds are on the island, leading to speculation about how they got there, who brought them, and why. 

It turns out my challenge was deciding which chair, lounge or hammock to sink into to read. Is it nicest inside by the fire or on the sunny end of the wrap-around deck? Is the light right for a walk to take some photos? Are the tides right for a spin in the kayak? Maybe I’ll just take a nap.

Gradually, I felt myself reconnecting with nature. There were a massive number of birds on our island, and a nesting pair of eagles. There was the ongoing, complex life of the tidal marshes. There were the ever-present tidal currents, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, crisp nights and warm days. Breezes bent the high tree branches. The long-ago-forgotten, endless starry night sky stirred childhood memories. When the air was still, it was blissfully silent.

I felt my entire body relax and I was as happy as a cat soaking in the warm sunshine, reading my book. The most difficult thing about Eagle Island is letting yourself just “be.” That was my lesson.

Of course, the selling point of these private island getaways is that there is nothing to do! That is why Hill’s islands make a great family vacation or a corporate retreat. People actually end up talking -- and listening -- to each other. The Georgia marshes are one of the last great places on earth.

More information on visiting Eagle Island:

Fly into Atlanta and connect on Delta to Brunswick Airport. Someone will pick you up and drive you the 15 minutes to the dock in Darien.

Call Capt. Andy Hill, 912-638-0306, or check www.privateislandsofgeorgia.com for availability. All rates include round-trip boat transportation from Darien to Eagle Island. There is a two-night minimum for all winter packages. July and August require a one-week package. Hill customizes each getaway to clients’ requests. Special discounts are available for those with their own boat. All the islands are only a 10- to 15-minute ride from the Intercoastal Waterway.

It’s only a two hour drive north along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to the “American Riviera.” So called because the climate and geography resemble its namesake in Southern Europe, Santa Barbara is one of California’s world-class destinations for visitors and home of numerous show business celebrities, including the newly-crowned Academy Award winner for Best Actor, Jeff Bridges.

A half hour south of the famed locale, West Coast travelers can dig up a prized nugget of the Golden State that even most natives have never heard of: San Buenaventura, named after 13th century Saint Bonaventure in 1782. Residents and visitors commonly refer to it today as Ventura. The area is framed by the Pacific Ocean to the west and Los Padres National Forest to the east. Now easily accessible by Amtrak train service and car -- US 101 and State Routes 33 and 126 -- Ventura was still an isolated section of California until the early 20th century, when oil deposits were discovered. The city’s location between the Ventura and Santa Clara rivers features the most fertile citrus growing soil in the state. (You no doubt have heard of Sunkist?)

In a state full of amazing aquatic and terrestrial beauty, the Ventura area just south of the more famous Santa Barbara boasts a full menu of surf and turf activities. It’s easy to be drawn to one in particular: finding a solitary section of beach to experience the simultaneously violent and peaceful Pacific Ocean waves breaking on the coastline. The spectacular swells are a sonic and visual delight. Central California coast wave-watching is an unending spectacle that never ceases to amaze and amuse.

That's especially true if you're also lucky enough to encounter that hardy breed of human known as a surfer. They seek out those over-head-high breakers that are intimidating even when viewed from a safe perch on terra firma. Watching one person in a wet suit on a board challenging two-thirds of the planet Earth is fascinating, frightening and fun.

It's not uncommon to see someone park just off the highway, don a wetsuit, grab his (or her) board, hop over a wall and catch a few waves before heading back to the less liquid aspects of his existence. Clearly, to some surfing is more than a sport -- hanging ten in the Pacific is an obsession. To many it's a way of life.

Those seeking more land-based activity can put their boots on the ground in a variety of equally attractive locations in the Ventura area. One of the more noteworthy is the half-mile-long hike to the Rose Valley Waterfall in Los Padres National Forest. The trail is rated easy, though there are a few spots that require a bit of extra attention -- including a small stream crossing that might get your shoes wet. One highly shaded section causes such a big drop in temperature that it feels as if you’ve walked into a refrigerator. 

Rose Valley is actually a 300-foot, two-tier waterfall. The trail ends at the base of the 50- to 60-foot-tall lower portion. Depending on water volume and time of year, you might catch a glimpse of the upper falls while hiking in to the lower section. Even a less-than-spectacular cascade is still a sight to behold flowing down the mossy sandstone cliff, especially since that makes it easier to walk right into the lower falls. It’s possible to reach the upper falls from that point, but the trail becomes quite steep and is not as well travelled.

When you factor in proximity to Santa Barbara, ease of access, accommodating atmospheric conditions, stellar scenic beauty and abundance of activities, it’s hard not to enjoy the slice of heaven known formerly as San Buenaventura. It’s just as easy to like when known by the more earthly moniker of Ventura. However and whenever you get there, you won’t be disappointed that you made the trip to California’s central coast.

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Arriving at Macquarie Island knowing you are one of the lucky few who holds a visitor’s permit to go ashore invokes excitement and anticipation. The low cloud that smothers the hilltops adds to the island’s mystique, and penguins and birds bobbing on the ocean give a glimpse of the prolific wildlife to be experienced ashore.

Located in the Southern Ocean about half way between Australia and Antarctica, it is an ideal destination for wildlife lovers, photographers, adventurers, and those who just want that “once in a lifetime” holiday.

There are two main landing sites on “Macca” (as it is affectionately known by the 60 or so scientists and rangers at Australia’s research station). The day’s expedition begins as we disembark from the comfort of our five-star expedition cruise ship, Orion, into a 12-person rubber zodiac that rises and falls with the waves in stark contrast to the stability of Orion.

Shore landings are “wet,” meaning the zodiac pulls up close to the shore and you hop off into water where the landing crew are waiting to aid you ashore.

Our first shore trip was to the research base at the island’s isthmus. Curious King Penguins and lazing Elephant Seals supervised the landing from no more than an arm’s length away.

King, Royal, Rockhopper and Gentoo penguins all call Macquarie home as well as Elephant Seals and several species of sea birds. Rangers provide a tour of the station and surrounding grounds and are happy to answer questions and share their stories of life on the island.

The second landing site is Sandy Bay and we are awestruck at the incredible sight of tens of thousands of penguins and pods of Elephant Seals lazing close together on the beach.

Our wet landing was again supervised by the resident wildlife. Underfoot there are little white bones of penguins next to larger bones of long gone Elephant Seals. The Brown Skuas act as the island’s cleaners and we see them at work on the carcass of a huge seal.

The orderly chaos of countless King and Royal penguins on the beach and the din of the constant callings between chicks and adults who have returned after hunting in the sea are interrupted only by the slobbery snorts of the seals. The air is heavy and damp and we take the Ranger’s word for it when he informs us that the smell at the penguin rookery higher up the hill is “quite strong and takes some getting used to.”

Engaging directly with the wildlife is prohibited. The penguins nevertheless are inquisitive and as long as they come to you, you can get extremely close to them. A tip to encourage them is to squat down and waddle your backside from left to right!

The wildlife was once the target of sealers who, after slaughtering all the seals, turned on the penguins. Today, though, the island’s population of seals and penguins has returned and in 1997 Macquarie was listed as a World Heritage Area.

Visits to Macquarie are typically during the summer months of December and January. The temperature during the day is about 8°C (46°F). Expedition cruises are the best way to visit; however, very few operators venture to the island due to the limited number of visitor permits. It is worth seeking out those that do as it is a truly memorable and unique journey.

At the time of this writing Orion Expeditions and Heritage Expeditions operate tours to Macquarie Island including shore landings.

Click here for photographic tips 

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The small township of Jasper is in Jasper National Park, part of the huge -- and world heritage recognized -- wilderness area that preserves the Canadian Rockies.

Jasper can accommodate all tastes and all budgets. You can stay at a wilderness hostel by the spectacular frozen Athabasca falls, a youth hostel on the way to the ski field, or any number of hotels in town, all the way up to the famous Jasper Park Lodge.

The main winter attraction is Marmot Basin, the ski field half an hour out of town, so overlooked because of its more famous southern neighbours that you can ski a whole day on a sunny weekend and never wait in line for more than a minute at a time. Runs for all tastes await -- groomed runs, powder, moguls and trees are available -- and if all that skiing hasn’t tired you out, there are plenty of places to work off any excess energy late into the night.

The roads around Jasper are some of the best places to see wildlife in the Rockies. It’s possible, although rare, to spot wolves, and you have to be very unlucky indeed not to come across herds of elk or big-horn sheep. If you see a line of cars pulled off at the side of the road on the east side of town, it is almost certainly because one of those species is posing for photographs. Moose, too, might be seen, but are more likely to be found away from the roads. Never travel in Jasper without a camera handy.

The Maligne Canyon, just 15 minutes from town, is a narrow, sinuous gash in the rock, sometimes 50 meters (160 feet) deep. In winter the river freezes and ice walks are very popular. Take a tour or brave it yourself, and you’ll learn to love winter. The ice beneath you varies from white to blue to green. The walls of the canyon glisten with spectacular icicles and frozen seepages.

Ice-climbers are often seen clawing their way up the waterfalls that flow down the canyon wall. Go and see this wonderland, but take care. There is a point beyond which ropes and crampons are necessary, for there is a small cascade and usually a hole in the ice waiting to swallow the unwary. The closest access is from the car park at the head of the canyon, but it is incredibly slippery and many people use slip-on crampons for a better grip.

Jasper: ignored by tourists and forgotten about by locals, but a great reason to stop complaining, get outside and start loving winter. 

Some resources before you go:

Parks Canada website

Marmot Basin

Jasper Adventure Ice walks

Sundog Tours Ice Walks

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We started our tour with a pre-trip, staying in a permanent tented camp at the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. On our first day there we did a short walking safari, during which we saw two rainbows and several zebras.

At night, we kept the window part of the tent unzipped, with only a screen separating us from the outdoors. I wanted to hear all the animals! Though we could hear them walking around the camp, it was too dark to be able to see them. During the day, we rode through the countryside in open-top vehicles. When we spotted some animals, the open top made it easy to stand up for an unobstructed view. Knowing I am a photographer, our guide would politely ask me if I was finished taking photos before moving on to find more animals. 

Our Maasai guide, Wiliam, also accompanied us on these drives. The Maasai are a nomadic group with a thorough knowledge of the area. I was sure our other guides would not have been able to find their way without Wiliam’s guidance. Wiliam took us to his village where we met his family and learned more about Maasai life and customs.

Over the next 12 days, we stayed in a permanent tented camp, a few lodges, and a mobile tented camp in the Serengeti. The food was great, the trip was very well organized, and the people and the wildlife were just amazing. It was a trip of a lifetime, a wonderful adventure through a marvelous country. I loved visiting and photographing an authentic Maasai village as much as I loved the wildlife.

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Arica is 19 km south of the border between Peru and Chile, and within a half hour drive of two airports (by Arica, Chile and Tacna, Peru). This means that within three hours you can be on the beach in Arica, warming your bones after the chilly heights of La Paz or Cusco, enjoying blue skies after grey days in Lima, and swimming in waters warmed by three ocean currents in this subtropical oasis.

In fact, it’s quicker to get here from popular places in Peru and Bolivia than other places in Chile.
Any time of the year is a good time to visit Arica, since the temperature never dips below 14°C. It’s only rained three times in the last 100 years. (Precipitation is less than 0.1 mm annually.) Sea fog evaporates by noon most days, revealing clear blue skies. If you are coming during December or January, book your accommodation well in advance, and confirm it with a phone call before arrival, since this is prime vacation time for Peruvians, Bolivians and Chileans on summer break, who flock to Arica’s 10 beaches to swim, sunbathe, surf, kite surf, scuba dive, snorkel, stroll and hang out.

Many people do not know that the cost of living in Arica is the lowest in Chile, with prices on par with Peru. You can find hostels and residencials (longer stay hostels) for 6,000 pesos per person (US$12) and hotel rooms starting at 10,000 pesos (US$20). Consider renting a furnished apartment on the Chinchorro Beach for around 15,000 pesos (US$30) per day for a convenient and economical place to stay. A typical meal costs between 1,000 and 4,000 pesos (between US$2 and US$8). Taxis are inexpensive at 1,500 pesos (US$3) one way anywhere within the city limits, and it costs even less if you take a Collectivo (shared taxi) (450 pesos per person, less than US$1).

There are many local attractions in and around Arica. See the oldest mummies in the world in the museum in the Azapa Valley, or catch a free concert in the picturesque downtown, full of palm trees, fountains and some historic sites including a church and a customs office built by A.G. Eiffel of Paris’ Eiffel Tower fame. Further afield you can see geoglyphs in the Lluta valley and UNESCO-recognized Parque Nacional Lauca and Lake Chungará. There is enough to keep you busy for four or more days in this subtropical beach oasis at the edge of the Atacama Desert, making it well worth your while to add as a side trip from Peru or Bolivia.

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Buckled into a full-body, oil rig-style harness topped with a construction hard hat and oblivious to early morning temperatures, you step out into the open air -- 130 feet above the streets and waterways glistening from the receding mist.

For the moment, the immediate task of connecting yourself to the steel walkway underfoot demands your full attention. Once you hear the click of the harness clip (“the dog”) as it snaps onto a toe-level silver rail, you know you’re ready to walk the dog on a roof bordering Stockholm’s Old Town.

Joining nine other adventurers, you’re about to experience an amazing opportunity to hike the rooftops of the Old Parliament Building on the island of Riddarholmen, across the bridge from Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old quarter located south of today’s cosmopolitan city center. Your first instinct is to tread cautiously on the steel walking-path that meanders along flat-roofed terrain, over higher and lower roof intrusions, around abutments and along segments of buildings that appear to have meshed over centuries of architectural change.

However, cautious movements along the path soon turn into more confident steps as the soft din of chatter, laughter and gentle encouragement for the dogs to move along is heard rising from roof angles and linking stairways. Although the dog may not always be obedient and often prefers to pause at junctions that connect the lower rails, a bit of gentle persuasion usually keeps your harness moving along the pathway. And while you’re bending down to ease your dog forward, you might just as well help out a fellow dog coming along behind, for rule #1 is ‘don’t kick the dog.’

This newly acquired canine certainly keeps you aware of your location and at times overrides a curiosity to absorb the magnificent 360-degree view extending to the horizon. To satisfy this curiosity, highly experienced and qualified guides conduct historical and architectural talks at strategic viewing stops along the way.

This is the time to absorb the unprecedented panoramic view of the city of Stockholm -- past and present -- as the sounds of “ooh,” “aah” and “oh, look” escape from fellow hikers. Your eyes roam from the characteristic black rooftops of Old Town to the Royal Palace, which houses one more room than Buckingham Palace in London, to Nobel Park, which contains a copy of every indigenous tree and bush and is one of 38 parks in the city.

Once you descend by elevator to ground level, why not cross the bridge into Gamla Stan, the once walled city of old Stockholm? As you amble along the cobbled streets and narrow passageways, the buildings you initially identified from the rooftops take on a much different appearance at ground level. Varied architectural styles still reveal traces of original medieval elements and Stortorget
(Main Square) continues to serve as a popular meeting place, surrounded by the palatial Stock Exchange Building housing the Nobel Library and Museum.

Stockholm’s rooftop tour operates from April to September. Safety requirements and rooftop system comply with EU standards, guides are expertly trained and there are specifications for height, weight and health considerations. For more information go to www.upplevmer.se.

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A visit to New Norcia is a great alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city. Your visit can take many forms. It can be a spiritual time of contemplation and renewal; it may be educational -- learning about the monks’ support of the aboriginal community or the history of olive oil making; or you may simply want to gaze at priceless paintings by well-known international artists.

While it is possible to do the trip comfortably in one day, it is a pleasant place to have an overnight stay. Accommodations include a hotel from a bygone era with 16 guestrooms, a guest house which, though basic, can be utilized on a donation basis (AU$75 is suggested, but the choice is yours), or you can choose a powered camping ground for your own tent, caravan or RV. In New Norcia, there is something for any and all types of travellers.

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