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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Sep 12, 2004 02:00 PM The view from Calgary tower...
Yesterday I crossed the border to Canada at Chief Mountain post... Just afer the border crossing point there is Waterton Lakes National Park - small but very pisturesque. At the park gate I decided to but annual pass for free entry to all Canadian Parks - it is good deal - 45 C$. Weather was fine. I took some good landscape pictures and... pictures of two bears playing just 10 meters from the road...
Today I am in Calgary - a neat city with brand-new downtown where you can use for free street trains. From the top of Calgary tower (196 m) there is nice view around - worth 10 C$ you spent to use the elevator. I saw Rocky Mountains on the horizon - this will be destination for tomorrow...
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Sep 10, 2004 02:00 PM Glaciers in the rain...
Glacier National Park - USA...
You can be well organized, very well prepared but what you also sometimes need is just a luck.
Glacier National Park is wonderful but it was raining almost all day when I was there. East of the park is much more picturesque then the west. On the eastern side of the continental divide there are three valleys with mountain lakes towered by huge mountains. It is possible to visit them in two days if you just drive into the valley but if you plan to hike you will need more time. I drove up the "Going to the sun" road - to the Logan Pass - 2036 m above sea level. I saw the glaciers, waterfalls and rivers... I like them much. But I can imagine how beautiful the same landscapes are when the sun is shining...
Bad luck...
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Sep 08, 2004 02:00 PM Spokane US - beauty of the gardens...
I went to Spokane - second largest city in Washington State. Who knows about Spokane? But it is worth to stop here for a day or two to see beautiful city gardens... They have also nice restored hotel from the old, good times and large mery-go-round instalation in the park close to the river. The border of Idaho is just 30 miles east - it is my route for tomorrow...
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Sep 06, 2004 02:00 PM Seattle USA - on the trail again!
I am happy to carry my backpack through the world again...
After 10-hours flight from Europe I landed in Seattle in the US Northwest. The city is located between the huge sound connected to the Pacific and two lakes. For the nice aerial view it is worth to take elevator to the top of Space Needle - this tower act as a symbol of Seattle. The view from the open- air platform, 165 m above the ground is fantastic assuming that the weather is fine... But they charge you hefty 13 US dollars for this attraction... I do not like skycraper-dotted cities - so already tomorrow I will depart to the Glacier National Park at the canadian border... What I need is just clear weather. Keep your fingers crossed!
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May 10, 2004 02:00 PM Gdansk, Poland - was it a dream?
After a hot and extremelly dry deserts of Arizona and California I was really happy to see the lush green of polish spring... The 6th voyage around the world is over... 98 days on the trail: Black Africa, Indian Ocean, Australian Outback, beautiful islands of the South Pacific, South Arizona. So many miles, thousands of of people, diversity of the nature, adventures... And now I am sitting again in my room in 11-stories concrete block. Did it really happened to me?
The dream came true...
Thank you my Friends for keeping your fingers crossed!
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May 08, 2004 02:00 PM Desert of Sonora...
From Organ Pipes I took a long and picturesque drive to Tucson. Saguaro National Park is just on the outskirts of the city. You probably saw these giant cactus on the pictures: this trees are imposing: they grow as high as 18 m, but the tallest is 23,4 m high. Some people call them candelabre cactus... It takes about 75 years before it sprout its first branches or "arms"... It was blossom time when I was in the park and there were a lot of white-and-yellow flowers on the saguaro...
On my way back to LA I visited the third National Park - Joshua Tree. Apart of the picturesque Joshua trees themselves there is a lot of fantastic boulders to walk around and to photograph. Also do not miss Cholla Garden - I saw these plants in the other parks but here they are especially beautiful... Park entry fee is 10 USD - if you plan to visit more US parks within one year it is worth to buy a year pass - it cost only 50 USD...
From the Joshua Tree Park I drove directly to the LA airport. Wow! It takes a lot of time to pass all crowded freeways so allow plenty of time.
In the LA airport there were unpleasant surprise waiting for me: after check-in they ask me to take off all my film from the main luggage as they can be damaged by the X-rays. I put all my stuff from the backpack on the floor and packed it back... In hi-technology-proud America - shame! They also do not allow to lock your luggage so take all your valuables off with your films!
Now 10-hours flight to Amsterdam ahead... Good night!
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May 06, 2004 02:00 PM Arizona - Organ Pipe Cactus....
I am always saying to the young travellers: what USA has to offer to the foreign tourist? Not the skycrapers of the big, polluted cities but the beauty of the nature in the National Parks... It took me 6 hours of driving to get from LA to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. I stayed in Gila Bend in Gold Star Motel (40 USD per room with bath, a/c, fridge and TV). Now I know that there is more convenient and less expensive accommodation in a picturesque village of Ajo...
The park is fantastic! Great variety of desert plants in blossom... Rare organ pipes are as high as 4 meters. Surprisely you will see there more giant saguaro cactus then organ pipe... 99 degrees Farenheit! It is difficult to walk in such a heat, but I did also some walks to get better pictures... Just let you know that southern driving loop (Puerto Blanco) is closed for few years... The park is located just few miles from mexican border - be prepared for US patrol controls!
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May 04, 2004 02:00 PM Los Angeles - one more look...
When our jumbo-jet was approaching the airport I saw again the downtown with skycrapers and big, heavy brown cloud of the smog over it... What a change in just 15 hours: from crystal-clear air and waters of the South Pacific to the heavy polluted, crowded, huge metropolis - one of the biggest in America!
But this city has a places of the special atmosphere. Many of us say: Los Angeles and think: Hollywood. Today I took a walk along the Hollywood Boulevard full of palm trees and blossoming jacarandas. Stars of fame and pretty girls on the sidewalks, movie theatres. It is magic place... Then I drove down the Sunset Boulevard via distinguished Beverly Hills to the palm - fringeg promenades of Santa Monica and then along the coast to Malibu. Did you hear about Malibu Canyon? It is quite short but very picturesque - just drive up via Malibu Canyon Road...
And again noise and traffic jams on the multi-lane freeways... It took almost 2 hours to come back to my hosts...
Tomorrow I plan to escape from this hell to the empty desert of South Arizona...
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May 02, 2004 02:00 PM Cruising around Yasawa Islands
Bula from Fiji!
I landed in Nadi airport at 5 am and at 9 am I already boarded yellow catamaran "Yasawa Flyer" in nearby Denarau Marina. It sails daily to the small Yasawa Islands spread out in the blue ocean north-west of Viti Levu.
Once - flying from Nadi to Nauru I saw Yasawas from the air - thry reminded me jewels thrown into the sea. Now I was sailing to see how they look from the ocean level. Lovely! My favourite is Waya island with sharp, rocky mountains. "Yasawa Flyer" is visiting one by one resorts located on the islands. You can stay in the chosen resorts paying 50 FJD per night (meals included) plus transportation to the islands (80 FJD to the farthest one - one way). They offer also 7-days boat pass costs 235 FJD but allows you to jump between islands without limits.
But I decided to stay on their old boat "Taralala" cruising slowly around Naviti Islands group - is cost 65 FJD per day including meals, overnight in the a/c dorm and free activities like snorkeling, kayaking and hiking on the island - good price but do not expect a lot of cruising...
Yes, this was my last adventures in the Pacific - after 3 days on the ship I am flying to America... Domage...
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Apr 29, 2004 02:00 PM Caves, grottos and shortage of fuel...
I spent four days on Niue Island exploring fantastic caves and grottos, taking pictures of wild costs and nice people who smile regardles their hard life atfer the January cyclone. The ring road along the coast has more then 60 km so it is advisable to rent a car (from 25 NZD/day)... The internet services are available (28k speed only - you most be very patient) but they are no longer free - they charge 2 NZD per hour. We have shortage of diesel at the moment and the supply ship will come on Monday now...
It is the time to pack my backpack again... If the plain will arrive this evening (one flight per week only) I shall fly back to Samoa and then to Fiji to spend few days on Yasawa Islands...
... Well, I think that on my list of visited countries and territories Niue could be number 200!!! 200 visited countries! It is a good reason for the calebration!. Just let you know: there is only one shop with alcohool on Niue, they call it BOND STORE. And if you present your airticket you can get 50 percent discount!... Resonable amount please! (you have allowance of 3 bottles)...
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