Disney World Definitely Delivers

Earlier this year I visited Orlando, Florida, to present a session at an aviation conference.

Before the conference, however, I spent a whole day at Disney World. I arrived early, on the free bus from my hotel, and left after the magnificent fireworks at the end of the day.

Several days to visit would have been better, but I went on as many of the attractions and rides that I could fit into one day.

I managed to ride on this riverboat and give my feet a well earned rest. To see a bit more of the Disney complex I went outside the park and caught the monorail to some of the other hotel resorts. A very tiring but action-packed and satisfying day.

However, I wish I'd bought this guide before my visit.
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Popeye is Alive and Well in Adelaide, South Australia. Video Clip (part 2)

Popeye is alive and well in Adelaide, South Australia. Popeye, the motor launch, that is.

It cruises along the River Torrens and it makes a leisurely way to see the city from the river.



It cruises under the city bridge, past the Adelaide University, and has another boarding area near the Adelaide Zoo. For a bit more footage see Video Clip (part 1).

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Popeye is Alive and Well in Adelaide, South Australia. Video Clip (part 1)

Popeye is alive and well in Adelaide, South Australia. Popeye, the motor launch, that is.

It cruises along the River Torrens and it makes a leisurely way to see the city from the river.



It has one boarding area near the fountain, just down from the Festival Theatre and Parliament House. For a bit more footage see Video Clip (part 2).

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Baa Baa Black Sheep Video Clip

These are the black sheep I stopped to film before I saw the car being washed in the creek. They were in a paddock in the Southern Flinders Ranges, South Australia.



It pays to look on both sides of the road when travelling. Also, once you're out the car then listen to hear what else is going on.

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Kangaroo Capers - "Mum, I'm itchy!" Video Clip

Kangaroos, especially joeys, are very cute. These two were filmed at Wilpena, in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia, during Off the Beaten Track.

It's the same joey that winked at me when I was taking its photo.



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Cows Down Pat - No Bull! Video Clip

You can find out more about a country by going to a show (agricultural and horticultural, that is) or a state fair.

There you will see domestic animals and birds, flowers and plants, crafts, machinery, fashion shows, show jumping, wood chopping and so on.

My DVD, "A day at the Show", highlights most of these. In particular, I liked the cattle, so here is a random selection taken from the DVD (not the actual music though).

This is just for a bit of fun.



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Feathered Fathers Coddle Cute Chicks - Exceptional Emus! Video Clip

During Off the Beaten Track, we did a day trip from Rawnsley Park to the Great Wall of China (a range of hills) in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.

On the way, we saw several adult emus and about 14 chicks. The great thing about emus is that the fathers are the ones that usually babysit the young.

Just enjoy this short clip - the chicks are so cute.



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Car Wash Country Style Video Clip

On the way home from Off the Beaten Track, I stopped to photograph some sheep in a paddock not far from Melrose, in the Southern Flinders Ranges.

Above the chorus of bleating lambs I could hear the sound of running water and went to investigate.

The side road crossed the creek and there in the middle of the crossing was a man cleaning his car.

Just goes to show how resourceful country people are. Not a "loo with a view" this time, but a "car wash with a view"!




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When is a Euro not European Currency? Video Clip

When it's a type of kangaroo. This euro is in the Gammon Ranges, in Outback South Australia, and was spotted on the Ridge Top Tour at Arkaroola.



All sorts of wildlife was encountered during Off the Beaten Track, in early September.

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Dog Racing Pichi Richi Train for last 9 Years

This dog has been racing the Pichi Richi Train in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia, for the last nine years.



Every weekend that the train runs, the dog runs too.

Much better than taking a dog for a walk on a lead.

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Adelaide & Monarto Zoos Video Clip

Here's a snippet from my Zoo DVD with photos from Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Zoological Park, South Australia. Enjoy.



The DVD can be purchased here.

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Kangaroo Capers Videos

Here they are at last. Two video snippets of kangaroo capers in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.





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Biking in the Bush - Floods, Flowers and Dust

When travelling in the Outback, you meet such a lot of interesting characters. It pays to stop for a few minutes and find out their story.

On our way from Arkaroola to Blinman and Rawnsley Park, we stopped to talk to Jeff (or Geoff) who was heading up to Arkaroola. He too had tried to reach the Cooper Creek but couldn't make it because of the floods.

Wading through water a metre (about 3 feet) deep wasn't too bad, he said, until the carrier behind his bike started floating away. Giving up was then a good option.

Jeff said trudging through creeks was bad enough, but when the roads were wet, the mud found its way into all the nooks and crannies on the bike. It then made it impossible to ride once the mud had dried.

Definitely an intrepid adventurer, riding about 100 kilometres a day. The advantage of going at a slower pace, like Jeff, means that you can really take in the beauty of the wildflowers and scenery as you go.

These Boots were made for Walking (in Argentina & Chile)

Before I set off on my trek in Patagonia, in southern Argentina and Chile, I had a day to spare in Buenos Aires.

I thought I'd get a bit more walking in, so I decided to go to the zoo. The day was very hot and humid and it didn't seem too far on the map. Ha!
I eventually made it to the zoo, after frequent rest and drink stops, and stayed until closing time.

By the time I returned to my hotel, I was one pooped puppy! I'd walked 36,000 steps according to the pedometer and my boot had split along the side (not good to go trekking with an unserviceable boot).

So, I managed to convey, in my broken Spanish, what I wanted and finally found a boot repairer. He did the mending straight away and my boot gratefully received a stitch in time!

As with a lot of travel in a foreign country, the right attitude, a lot of laughter and sign language, will usually get results. The boot even made it up to the Iguazu Falls.




Hiking boots

Flood Damage in Outback Australia on Off the Beaten Track

On the road to Leigh Creek, during Off the Beaten Track, we saw the aftermath of the floods.

In Outback Australia it's either feast or famine, flood or drought. When we were up North in early September some of the roads had been closed due to flooding. However, in many cases, the water gradually disappeared within a few days.


And then the damage that it had done to the environment was obvious.

This poor gum tree, growing in a creek bed, had its roots laid bare with the force of the flood waters.


The dirt had been swept away and the gum looked like it was clinging to the earth to prevent it toppling over.

Just another example of how powerful nature is when water is involved.

When camping in the Outback, never camp in a dry creek bed because you never know when a flash flood may occur.

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Zion National Park Springs to Life

Zion National Park, Utah, has a novel way of motivating people to drink the natural spring water.

Rather than buy a new bottle of water every time, increasing the landfill problem, people are encouraged to reuse their water bottles at the bottle filling station.


I wish all water drinking fountains looked like this one.

Not only was the background beautiful but the water, cool and fresh from Zion's natural springs, was free!


Hiking is very thirsty work and people were lining up to fill up. I just managed to catch a moment when there was a break in the traffic.

Flyabout along Australia's Shipwreck Coast, Victoria

On the first day of my flight around Australia's coast, I flew along the Shipwreck Coast in Victoria. As you can imagine from the name, the coast is very rugged and treacherous. Many ships have been wrecked and lives lost.

This particular photo highlights the gorge where one ship, the "Loch Ard", was wrecked. A place of sadness yet at the same time infinite beauty.

In the foreground is Muttonbird Island, with Loch Ard Gorge the second gorge in the background. To the right is Island Arch.


All this beautiful coastline is located within Port Campbell National Park, home of the famous Twelve Apostles.

In my book, Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia's coast, this photo is featured with these words. "Life is like the coastline. It has its ups and downs, its ins and outs and rugged and smooth patches, but it's still beautiful - a gift to be treasured."

Wet and Wild Adventure at the Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil

One adventure at the Iguazu Falls is to take a joyflight, another is to go for a boat ride right up to and underneath the falls.

Safety first, of course, with life jackets, and then shoes and belongings in big tough bags meant to keep the water out.

This is an adventure where they 100% guarantee that you will get wet.

Boat crew, naturally, are well covered in their wet suits. When you see the wicked grins on their faces you know you're in for an exciting ride and no-one is going to stay dry!

The trip along the expanse of the falls is stunning and there are plenty of opportunities to photograph and video providing you can keep the lens dry.

Then they approach one section of the falls and position the boat right under the gushing water. Pow! You feel the full force of the water dumping down on you and you really understand the meaning of "breathtaking". It literally takes your breath away and you can't breath for a few moments.

The boat then backs away from the falls, you can actually breath again, and you're overwhelmed with the adrenalin. Put this one on the bucket list.

"Sheep in Boots", not "Puss in Boots", another Sign of the Australian Outback

Because the Australian Outback is a harsh environment to work in, a sense of humour can be a good thing to have.

After leaving Leigh Creek and Copley, during "Off the Beaten Track", we headed on the dirt road to Arkaroola, in the Gammon Ranges.

Not far along the track, we came across this sign for Leigh Creek Station. They obviously must run sheep on this property!

I thought the sign looked a bit odd, so I zoomed in on it and found "Sheep in Boots", not "Puss in Boots"!

In future posts I'll show you a few more of the humorous signs of the Australian Outback.

There are Signs of Kangaroos everywhere in the Outback!

In my recent trip, "Off the Beaten Track", to the Flinders Ranges and Outback South Australia, dozens of kangaroos were spotted.

They may look cute and cuddly but they are a potential danger to cars on the road. Not as big as moose or deer, they can still do quite a lot of damage to a vehicle if they get hit. Unfortunately, they usually come off second best.


Early morning and towards dusk are the times that kangaroos like to graze, although they can often be seen throughout the day. When they're startled by passing traffic they tend to bound off suddenly, sometimes into the path of oncoming cars.


As a reminder to motorists to watch out for kangaroos, these signs are everywhere in the Outback. This one is just on the approach to Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges.

Flyabout over the Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina

After trekking in the cooler region of Patagonia, in southern Chile and Argentina, it was a shock to the system to be in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.

It was very hot and humid but worth the effort to see the longest waterfalls in the world.

The first day was spent on the ground on the Argentinian side with the first part of the visit being the long walk to see the Devil's Throat. Up close, you get drenched with the spray, and the roar of the falls is overwhelming. Humans really are quite insignificant compared to the power of nature.

However, one of the best ways of seeing the long expanse of the falls is to take a helicopter ride from the Brazilian side (about 15 minutes).

Words can't adequately describe the vista, you just have to do it.

Here's more.

Houseboat Heaven on Lake Powell, Utah/Arizona

The previous post was about houseboating Aussie style on a river. Here's another view of houseboating on a lake. Not just any lake, but a huge manmade lake, Lake Powell, in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

The lake overlaps Arizona and Utah and provides both space and secluded spots in the canyons to find your own piece of Heaven.

I only spent a short time in the southwestern corner of the lake where the houseboat moorings are at Wahweap and Antelope Point.

To say that the area is beautiful is an understatement. The huge cliffs, magnificent rock formations and striations of the canyons are not to be missed at lake level or from the air.

Here's more information.

Relaxing Houseboat Holiday on the River Murray, South Australia

For a relaxing holiday on the water, there's nothing better than hiring a houseboat on the River Murray.

Get a group together and leisurely explore a stretch of the river (this section between Mannum and Murray Bridge winds its way past cliffs and shacks).

You can tow your own boat behind for fishing, exploring or water skiing.


At the end of the day you can moor along the riverbank, cook on the barbecue and relax and soak up the scenery.

Highly recommended for stress relief and recharging the batteries. Here's more information on the Murray River.

This photo also appears in my DVD, "Maritime Mix".

Flyabout North to Alaska

Lake Hood, in Anchorage, Alaska, is the largest seaplane base in the world.

It's home to land and sea planes and the control tower at Ted Stevens International Airport looks after three landing areas - the international runways, Lake Hood and the light aircraft strip near the lake. A very busy place.

The pilot in me loved the planes but I was also in a photographer's Paradise.

This is one of my favourite photos which epitomises the adventurous spirit of Alaska with water, planes and snow-capped mountains.


It makes a great desktop wallpaper. If you'd like this photo for your computer just email me.

More Kangaroo Capers in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Here's a snippet on video.



And another.

Just enjoy.

Adventure out on Sydney Harbour

Sydney's such a vibrant place that you can choose to spend as much time as you like on or off the harbour.


You can choose to go leisurely sailing or you can opt for excitement plus like these folks.

Racing past a commuter ferry is great fun and you also see a lot of the harbour in a short time.

Several companies operate the jet boat rides so I guess the main difference is which bright colour you prefer most.

Get in and see Sydney's harbour before millions descend on Australia after Oprah's visit.

Sydney Harbour (as well as other scenic spots) is featured in my DVD, "Maritime Mix".

Flyabout to Kangaroo Island, off South Australia's Coast

Kangaroo Island, off South Australia's coast, offers a pleasant flyabout for the day. It takes about 2 hours to fly right around the island which lies about 10 nautical miles off the mainland.

This island is packed with adventure as there are so many things to see and do.

I usually land at Muston Heights and tour the island from there.

As mentioned before, Admiral's Arch is a tourist hot spot.

However, Seal Bay, on the south coast, is where people flock to see the seals on the beach. Just amazing that, in the past, these creatures were hunted for their skins and now they're hunted for their photographs! Everybody wins in that kind of deal.

Here's more about Seal Bay Conservation Park.

Monarto Zoological Park Walkabout

Monarto Zoological Park, in South Australia, is the world's largest open plains zoo.

It's located about an hour or so from Adelaide and is linked with Adelaide Zoo.

As part of the entry fee you can take a ride on a safari bus around part of the park.

There are also trails you can walk on to the enclosures.

Viewing platforms have been built so that people can get close to and safely overlook the animals. One of the best, and it seems most popular, is the giraffe platform where visitors can have a close encounter with feeding giraffes.

Check out a snippet of my DVD, "A day at the Zoo: Adelaide/Monarto" and purchase through the website. No prizes for guessing which animal is featured on the DVD label!

Kangaroo Capers in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Here's a cheeky baby kangaroo (called a joey) at Wilpena, in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia.

I always talk to animals when I take their photos. I seem to get a better response.

However, instead of smiling at the camera, this little joey just had to be different. It gave me a wink instead.



Zoom in on the photo and you'll see the joey's winking with its right eye.

This photo's so cute that it will be included in my next DVD, "Outback Adventure".

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Zion National Park, Utah

Zion National Park, southern Utah, is another one of the state's spectacular parks.

Here you have to leave your car outside the main part of the park, unless you're staying at the Lodge, and catch one of the shuttle buses into the canyon.

A very well run system with plenty of places to stop off and explore.


I spent two nights in the park with different experiences. The first night I slept in the car and awoke to mule deer roaming around the campsite and the next night I spent in the Zion Lodge. Both places also ran an evening ranger talk which was well worth attending to find out a bit more about the park's trails, flora and wildlife.

The photo is the Watchman and the Virgin River. Not a bad photo considering the weather was mostly overcast for my stay.

Read more about the park here http://www.nps.gov/zion

Black Beauty in Sedona's Red Rock Country

Sedona, Arizona, is a mecca for the adventurer. Explore the Red Rock Country with a tour operator or bring your own machine.

I saw this motorbike down the street and couldn't resist taking a photo.

As a pilot, I'm definitely into planes, but this machine just seemed to embody a sense of freedom and adventure and the idea of zooming down the highway with the wind rushing through the hair.

It's such a black beauty that I think I'll put this motorbike in my "Wonderful Wheels" DVD (coming out late 2010 or early 2011).

Just enjoy the view - background or foreground or both!

You can contact me here.

Flyabout Adventure around Australia's Coast - Mornington Island

During my flyabout around Australia's coast, I landed on another island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Mornington Island.


The actual place I landed was at Birri Birri, a fishing resort. There were horses along the edge of this strip too and after landing I had to taxi in between piles of horse dung. They never told us about that at flying school.


As you can see from the photo, the ocean is pastel perfection and the sandy beach just begs you to walk on it with bare feet. However, although this place is an island fishing Paradise, just keep your eyes open, so that you're not on the menu.

From north Queensland, right around the coast to about north of Broome, Western Australia, it's crocodile country! That's a very big incentive for pilots to maintain their aircraft and make sure they don't have to ditch into the ocean.

You can contact me here.

Sedona, Arizona, in Red Rock Country

Sedona really is red rock country but a different shade of red to the Australian Outback that I'm used to.


This would have to be my pick of cities that I'd like to return to and spend a lot more time exploring and flying around.

The weather wasn't particularly good as you can see from the photo.


Consequently, the rock formations aren't as brilliant as on a sunny, blue sky day. However, Sedona is a place where the imagination can run riot. This rock formation's obviously the Coffeepot. Read more about Sedona here http://www.visitsedona.com.

Apart from being the hub for all sorts of exciting activities, this picturesque city also has gardens which highlight the spectacular desert flora. I've even put some of the flora in my last DVD, "Beautiful Blooms", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJtZKOX1HrQ.

You can contact me here to purchase a copy.

Flyabout Adventure in Alaska

It pays to have a sense of humour when you travel (or any time really).

While in Anchorage, Alaska, I spent one whole day walking right around Lake Hood, the largest seaplane base in the world.

I photographed as I went (26,000 steps on the pedometer) and saw hundreds of land and sea planes on and off the water and in different states of repair sometimes.

The fresh air had obviously gone to my head when I saw this poor plane without its starboard wing.

It seemed to be saying, "I just went to the hospital for a check up and look what they did. They amputated instead and now I only have one wing left!"

If you want to see more of the planes photographed at Lake Hood and Trail Lake, check out my DVD, "Awesome Aviation", at http://www.franwest.com/dvds.php
You can contact me here.

Pichi Richi Park, near Quorn, South Australia

On the first night of "Off the Beaten Track", we stayed at Pichi Richi Park, just out of Quorn in the southern Flinders Ranges. Set in beautiful surroundings, in the Pichi Richi Pass, the accommodation caters for individuals and groups.

We stayed in the South Cabin and after a horrible windy and rainy day it was a pleasure to be in a cabin with nice comfy beds, cosy heating and kitchen facilities to cook a hot meal.

The hosts were very friendly and most accommodating.

There's a great view of Devil's Peak, bushwalking trails which link to the Heysen Trail and best of all for train spotters, the Pichi Richi train passes right through the property. I wish we could have stayed longer and it's definitely a place to return to in the future.


Check the site for more information http://www.pichirichipark.com.au.

You can contact me here.

St Augustine Lighthouse, Anastasia Island, Florida

In March this year I spent a couple of days in the historic quarter of St Augustine, Florida (more posts later on this fabulous place).


On one of the days, I caught the free shuttle bus over to Anastasia Island to visit the 1874 lighthouse and museum. This would have to be one of the best cared for lighthouses I've ever seen, particularly with its distinctive black and white markings.



Even though I'm a pilot, I don't like heights, especially when I'm walking on stairs that I can see through. However, I eventually made it to the top after climbing the 219 steps.



The view was definitely worth it and I discovered that the volunteer at the top was also a pilot. He did allow me to briefly go outside but the wind was so strong that it was hard to walk and I felt like I could take off any minute. That certainly blew away the cobwebs!

You must visit this place http://www.staugustinelighthouse.com/

You can contact me here.

Windmill, Rawnsley Park Station, Flinders Ranges, South Australia

On my recent trip into South Australia's Outback, "Off the Beaten Track", I wanted to go ballooning at Rawnsley Park Station, in the Flinders Ranges.

I got up early in time to meet the chief pilot in front of the Woolshed Restaurant at 5.45am. Quite chilly in the dark and I was rugged up in my scarf, gloves and beanie.

However, the wind was deemed too brisk and unsafe by the pilot so the balloons were not going to be launched. Very disappointing.

Fortunately, I've learnt how to turn negatives into positives, and instead of going back to a warm bed I decided to stay out in the cold and photograph the sunrise.

This windmill at dawn was just one of the beautiful views to put a positive spin on a negative start to the day.

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