Adelaide Abounds in Beautiful Buildings

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, abounds in beautiful buildings, particularly along North Terrace.

One of the many buildings is the South Australian Museum. I've taken the photo below but I've also included an edited description taken from the Museum's website - www.samuseum.sa.gov.au.

"The concept for the South Australian Museum originated in London with the Foundation of the South Australian Literary Association on 29 August 1834. The object of the society was to satisfy intellectual pursuits such as literature, arts, history and natural science.

In June 1856, 20 years after Governor Hindmarsh proclaimed South Australia a province and in the same year South Australia established its constitution, an Act to provide for an institution that would incorporate a public library and museum was assented to.

The Act promoted "the general study and cultivation of all or any of the branches or departments of art, science, literature, and philosophy" through lectures, classes and united cultural societies under one institution.

In June 1859, shortly after his arrival in the South Australian Colony, Frederick George Waterhouse offered his services as Curator of the South Australian Institute Museum. Waterhouse brought with him valuable experience following his work at the British Museum. Consequently, the Board appointed him as the first Curator (Director).

Eighty years later, legislation giving the South Australian Museum autonomy from the Art Gallery and Library was finally passed. This Act became operational in 1940.

The South Australian Museum is a custodian for the State’s cultural and
natural heritage. The specialised data generated by collection managers,
curators and scientists over the last 150 years and its interpretation are made available to the international community through publication, promotion,
education and exhibitions. This specialised knowledge contributes to the
protection of endangered species, protection of fossils, meteorites and
minerals, environmental impact statements, native title and Indigenous family
history.

Today the South Australian Museum boasts the largest Australian
Aboriginal Cultures collection in the world making Adelaide the gateway to
and from the Outback."

And yet there's more. The Museum is open daily from 10.00am - 5.00pm (except Christmas and Good Friday) and it's FREE admission. Check the Museum website for current information.

Fran's Backpack - National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States [Bargain Price] [Hardcover].

I'm still working my way through USA national parks and National Geographic books are excellent.

Click on the ad for more information.

Product Description
Year after year, hundreds of millions of visitors spend more than a billion hours enjoying the magnificent, astonishingly diverse realm overseen by America’s National Park Service. And the National Geographic Society has been involved with this forward-looking, environmentally-minded department from the very beginning.

This extensive travel planner covers not just the 58 official National Parks but also the nearly 350 additional properties in the Park Service’s domain. The premier Parks are described in detail, but equal attention is given to the National Monuments, Memorials, Preserves, Historic Sites, Battlefields, Cemeteries, and Seashores, not to mention a network of "National Trails" and even the intriguingly referred to "Affiliated Areas." From Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty, from the hallowed ground of Gettysburg National Military Park to the Pacific waters shrouding Hawaii’s U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, this catalog spans American history and territory both, with practical advice on how to reach each park, when to go, and what to do there.

About the Author
Mel White has written or contributed to more than 15 National Geographic books, including the two-volume Guide to Birdwatching Sites and the Guide to America’s Outdoors: Southwest, and has contributed more than 50 articles to the Society’s magazines, National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler.

Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia

The Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia, is one of the best stretches of coast around the Australian mainland.

As the name suggests, it's a sea of islands, with the most incredible shaped coastal landforms. It's situated northeast of Derby in the northern part of Western Australia, stretching from about Collier Bay to King Sound. This is outback Outback with the easiest access by water and air rather than by road.

William Dampier, the English buccaneer, visited the area on the "Cygnet" in 1688, but the archipelago was named after his buccaneering ways much later on. Phillip Parker King was charting the area in 1821 and named it in his honour.


This is one of Australia's remotest areas and I'm glad I had all the survival gear in the plane just in case something went wrong on my flight around Australia's coast.

If you want to see the area by plane, then take a scenic flight from Derby or Broome. You won't be sorry that you did. Spectacular with a capital "S"!

Fran's Backpack - Australia (Eyewitness Travel Guides) [Paperback]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is Australia (Eyewitness Travel Guides) [Paperback].

This guide is great for visitors to Australia but it's also very handy for Australians too.

Click on the ad for more information.

Amazon.com Review
As the name implies, the Eyewitness Travel Guides bring you the world in full living color. In the Australia edition, each information-packed page is splashed with enticing photographs of the people, animals, plants, rock formations, deserts, and ocean vistas that make the country Down Under famous the world over. On the practical side, there are thousands of details to help you find your way to the must-see spots, plus full-color maps and useful at-a-glance tables that make it easy to sort through and locate food and accommodation choices.
The introduction offers an overview of Australia's world-heritage sites, aboriginal culture and art, artists and writers, wines, surfing and beach culture, climate, annual events, flora and fauna, landscape, as well as a detailed history section. --Kathryn True --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review
...You feel, looking at them, as if you could close the book and step into the street. -- Contra Costa Times

...considered to be the world's best travel resource to over 30 destinations around the world, make it easier to plan a splendid vacation. -- North American Press Syndication

A new breed of guidebook. -- Travel & Leisure

Both novice and experienced travelers will be captivated. -- US News & World Report

Each book is a visual as well as informational feast about a particular place. -- The New York Times

Easily the best city guides available today. -- PLAYBOY

Encyclopedic in scope, it's meant to be used before, during, and after your stay. -- Travel & Leisure

It has an authority and clarity that make it indispensable on the road. But the illustrations are so good that it could also provide hours of armchair diversions. -- The New York Times New Service

The best travel guides ever. -- Sky Magazine -Delta In flight Magazine

The most graphically exciting and visually pleasing series on the market. -- Chicago Tribune

Want to know where to get a great espresso on your way to the Uffizi? Or how much to tip a hotel maid in New York City? Try these travel guides, each an intricate trove of 3-D aerial views, landmark floor plans, color photos and essential eating, shopping and entertainment info. With titles covering Paris, Prague, and London, these pocket-sized guides are like a Michelangelo fresco: deliriously rich in detail. -- People Magazine

Fran's Backpack - National Geographic Simply Beautiful Photographs [Hardcover]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is National Geographic Simply Beautiful Photographs [Hardcover].

Click on the ad for more information.

National Geographic Simply Beautiful Photographs takes readers on a spectacular visual journey through some of the most stunning photographs to be found in National Geographic's famed Image Collection. Award-winning photographer Annie Griffiths culled the images to reflect the many variations on the universal theme of beauty. Chapters are organized around the aesthetic concepts that create beauty in a photograph: Light, Composition, Moment (Gesture and Emotion), Motion, Palette, and Wonder.

Beyond the introduction and brief essays about each featured concept, the text is light. The photographs speak for themselves, enhanced by lyrical quotes from scholars and poets. In the chapter on Light, for example, we read these words of whimsical wisdom from songwriter Leonard Cohen: "Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That's how the lights get in." And then the images flow, of light entering scenes via windows, clouds, and spotlights, from above, alongside, and behind, casting radiance upon young ballerinas and weathered men, into groves of autumn trees and island-dotted seas, revealing everything it touches to be beautiful beyond expectation.

To illuminate the theme of Wonder, Griffiths chose a wish from Andre Bazin: "If I had influence with the good fairy...I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life." This thought is juxtaposed with an exquisite vision in white, a frame filled with the snowy-pure dots and rays of a bird's fan tail. And on it goes, picture after tantalizing picture, alive with wondrous beauty.

When she created National Geographic Simply Beautiful Photographs, Annie Griffiths set two goals: to maximize visual delight, and to create a book unique in the world of publishing--one in which many of the photographs could be purchased as prints. She has succeeded on both counts. Many of these stunning images are available for order, and there can be no doubt as to the visual delight. You must open this book for yourself, and take in its radiant beauty.

Sensational Sailing from City's Sands

When some people think of Australia's sandy beaches, they immediately think of Queensland, our northern most state.

However, Adelaide's white sandy beaches, in South Australia , are just superb, and they're not that far from the CBD.

As you can see from the photo, it's an ideal day for the sailing club to get out on the water. These craft are for one person and offer young sailors the opportunity to enjoy flying through the water.

On a weekend, the beach is teeming with life.

There are people in the water swimming, sailing or kayaking. People are walking their dogs, or their families, and generally soaking up the seaside atmosphere.


Close to the jetty there's the local pub and the cafe has the smell of fish and chips wafting down to the shore enticing walkers to stop and take a break.

Sometimes there are even kite surfers out on the water adding colour to the mix of sail boats and speed boats. It's so relaxing to sit on one of the benches and munch on fish and chips while watching the little flotilla in the distance.

Just South Australia being sensational again!

Check out "Maritime Mix" DVD for more snippets of South Australian waters.

Fran's Backpack - In a Sunburned Country [Paperback]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is In a Sunburned Country [Paperback].

Always interesting to find what other people think about your own country. Bill is a humourist and I agree that Australia is an interesting place too.

Click on the ad for more information.

Amazon.com Review
Bill Bryson follows his Appalachian amble, A Walk in the Woods, with the story of his exploits in Australia, where A-bombs go off unnoticed, prime ministers disappear into the surf, and cheery citizens coexist with the world's deadliest creatures: toxic caterpillars, aggressive seashells, crocodiles, sharks, snakes, and the deadliest of them all, the dreaded box jellyfish. And that's just the beginning, as Bryson treks through sunbaked deserts and up endless coastlines, crisscrossing the "under-discovered" Down Under in search of all things interesting.
Bryson, who could make a pile of dirt compelling--and yes, Australia is mostly dirt--finds no shortage of curiosities. When he isn't dodging Portuguese man-of-wars or considering the virtues of the remarkable platypus, he visits southwest Gippsland, home of the world's largest earthworms (up to 12 feet in length). He discovers that Australia, which began nationhood as a prison, contains the longest straight stretch of railroad track in the world (297 miles), as well as the world's largest monolith (the majestic Uluru) and largest living thing (the Great Barrier Reef). He finds ridiculous place names: "Mullumbimby Ewylamartup, Jiggalong, and the supremely satisfying Tittybong," and manages to catch a cricket game on the radio, which is like

listening to two men sitting in a rowboat on a large, placid lake on a day when the fish aren't biting; it's like having a nap without losing consciousness. It actually helps not to know quite what's going on. In such a rarefied world of contentment and inactivity, comprehension would become a distraction.
"You see," Bryson observes, "Australia is an interesting place. It truly is. And that really is all I'm saying." Of course, Bryson--who is as much a travel writer here as a humorist, naturalist, and historian--says much more, and does so with generous amounts of wit and hilarity. Australia may be "mostly empty and a long way away," but it's a little closer now. --Rob McDonald --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


From Publishers Weekly
With the Olympics approaching, books on Australia abound. Still, Bryson's lively take is a welcome recess from packaged, staid guides. The author of A Walk in the Woods draws readers in campfire-style, relating wacky anecdotes and random facts gathered on multiple trips down under, all the while lightening the statistics with infusions of whimsical humor. Arranged loosely by region, the book bounces between Canberra and Melbourne, the Outback and the Gold Coast, showing Bryson alone and with partners in tow. His unrelenting insistence that Australia is the most dangerous place on earth ("If you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpected manner, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried helplessly out to sea by irresistible currents, or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback") spins off dozens of tales involving jellyfish, spiders and the world's 10 most poisonous snakes. Pitfalls aside, Bryson revels in the beauty of this country, home to ravishing beaches and countless unique species ("80% of all that lives in Australia, plant and animal, lives nowhere else"). He glorifies the country, alternating between awe, reverence and fear, and he expresses these sentiments with frankness and candor, via truly funny prose and a conversational pace that is at once unhurried and captivating. Peppered with seemingly irrelevant (albeit amusing) yarns, this work is a delight to read, whether or not a trip to the continent is planned. First serial to Outside magazine; BOMC selection. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Fran's Backpack - Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes (Walking) [Paperback]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes (Walking) [Paperback].

Just over a year ago now, I was trekking in the Patagonian Andes - Torres del Paine, in Chile, and Fitzroy National Park, in Argentina. Spectacular rocky outcrops, wildflowers, wildlife and lakes. This was another one to cross off my bucket list.

Click on the ad for more information.

Product Description
Lonely Planet knows the Patagonian Andes

This vast, varied region is home to some of the world's great treks, with trails that take you through pristine forests to the rims of glaciers, under granite monoliths and over rickety suspension bridges, well beyond the crowds. Our expert author has chosen the best of Patagonia's trekking, from the luxuriant rainforests of the Lakes District to the spectacular wildernesses of Tierra del Fuego. Whether you are an experienced trekker or a first-timer, you're sure to find the ultimate trekking experience here.

In This Guide:

Everything you need to know to get prepared
Comprehensive listings for sleeping, eating and facilities along the way
Advice on equipment, health and safety.

Parks Pass Provides Plenty of Access to Wilderness Wonders

If you love the environment, nature, wilderness, wildlife, the Great Outdoors (sometimes known as national parks), then it would pay you to buy a national parks pass. Many countries have a national body which issues annual passes to their national parks.

Some states also have their own state pass. When I went "Off the Beaten Track" to film for my DVD, "Outback Adventure", I bought a South Australian National Parks pass. That will allow me access to my state's parks for a year.

When I toured America's Southwest in 2009, I bought an "America the Beautiful" National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass for $80. I kept it and when I visited Florida last year I was still able to use it.

"This pass is available to the general public and provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an Entrance or Standard Amenity Fee for a year, beginning from the date of sale. The pass admits the pass holder/s and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas. (children under 16 are admitted free) The pass can be obtained in person at the park, by calling 1-888-ASK USGS, Ext. 1, or via the Internet at http://store.usgs.gov/pass and http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm."

Some state parks will also let you use this pass, so it's really good value and encourages you to visit as many places as possible.

Sensational Signs Keep Track of Your Travels

One very important tip I've learned from my travels is to photograph signs along the way as a means of keeping track of where the photos are taken.

They essentially jog the memory when writing the travel diary. You don't necessarily have to use the photos but they're like chapter headings.

They give an insight into the places visited, they often provide humour, and they definitely let you know where they are and what you can get.

No prizes for guessing that this place is in Virgin, Utah, and it's a native American trading post.


Very colourful, and the background isn't bad either!

Check out my other posts on "signs".

Fran's Backpack - Flying South: A Pilot's Inner Journey [Paperback]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is Flying South: A Pilot's Inner Journey [Bargain Price] [Paperback].

This combines both flying and travel. What a combination!

Click on the ad for more information.

Product Description
Flying South A Pilot’s Inner Journey by Barbara Cushman Rowell Photographs by Barbara and Galen Rowell
Call it love at first flight. Barbara Cushman Rowell was already a powerhouse by anyone’s measure, but it wasn’t until she tried flying that she found the inner fulfillment and sense of self she’d longed for all her life. As the driving force behind husband Galen Rowell’s business success, Barbara’s adventures and accomplishments had always been the byproduct of her husband’s career. Until, that is, she took off and sailed into a strata all her own. FLYING SOUTH is the hair-raising, reflective, and ultimately inspiring story of Barbara’s trip of a lifetime—a 25,000-mile, 57-leg journey through Latin America and the recesses of her soul, discovering unrealized self-confidence, irrepressible resourcefulness, and vast reserves of emotional and physical strength she never knew she had. And what a journey it was. She recounts landing in the middle of a coup in Panama, narrowly escaping disaster when key flight instruments failed over Peru, flying herself to an oral surgeon after a mouth-smashing rafting accident on the Bio Bio River in Chile, fighting plane-shredding winds over the Andes, and surviving a life-threatening and disorienting tropical storm off the coast of Brazil—all while navigating the pervasive and demoralizing chauvinism of the aviation world. But much more than a harrowing page-turner, Barbara’s tale of finding herself through flight inspires us all to go after the experiences we long for, and to live the lives we only wish for. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


From the Publisher
•Includes over 100 stunning photographs, principally by GalenRowell.
•Adventure travel doubles as inspirational manifesto for women trying to find their own direction in life.

•Rowell is a role model for every woman who longs to nurture her own aspirations. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Fran's Backpack - Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips [Hardcover]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips [Hardcover].

As you've probably gathered, I'm a big fan of National Geographic, so here's one of its travel books.

Click on the ad for more information.

Product Description
No one knows the world like National Geographic—and in this lavish volume, we reveal our picks for the world's most fabulous journeys, along with helpful information for readers who want to try them out.

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic's travel writers, Journeys of a Lifetime spans the globe to highlight the best of the world's most famous and lesser known sojourns. It presents an incredible diversity of possibilities, from ocean cruises around Antarctica to horse treks in the Andes. Every continent and every possible form of transport is covered.

A timely resource for the burgeoning ranks of active travelers who crave adventurous and far-flung trips, Journeys of a Lifetime provides scores of creative ideas: trekking the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania... mountain biking in Transylvania... driving through the scenic highlands of Scotland... or rolling through the outback on Australia's famous Ghan train... and dozens of other intriguing options all over the world.

Journeys of a Lifetime also features 22 fun Top 10 lists in all sorts of categories. What are the world's top 10 elevator rides, bridges to walk across, trolley rides, ancient highways, or underground walking adventures? Readers will love evaluating and debating the selections.

Each chapter showcases stunning photography, full-color maps, evocative text, and expert advice—including how to get there, when to visit, and how to make the most of the journey—all packaged in a luxurious oversize volume to treasure for years to come.

Fran's Backpack - Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia [Paperback]

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.

Today's item in the Backpack is Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia [Paperback].

Click on the ad for more information.

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Gilbert (The Last American Man) grafts the structure of romantic fiction upon the inquiries of reporting in this sprawling yet methodical travelogue of soul-searching and self-discovery. Plagued with despair after a nasty divorce, the author, in her early 30s, divides a year equally among three dissimilar countries, exploring her competing urges for earthly delights and divine transcendence. First, pleasure: savoring Italy's buffet of delights - the world's best pizza, free-flowing wine and dashing conversation partners - Gilbert consumes la dolce vita as spiritual succor. "I came to Italy pinched and thin," she writes, but soon fills out in waist and soul. Then, prayer and ascetic rigor: seeking communion with the divine at a sacred ashram in India, Gilbert emulates the ways of yogis in grueling hours of meditation, struggling to still her churning mind. Finally, a balancing act in Bali, where Gilbert tries for equipoise "betwixt and between" realms, studies with a merry medicine man and plunges into a charged love affair. Sustaining a chatty, conspiratorial tone, Gilbert fully engages readers in the year's cultural and emotional tapestry - conveying rapture with infectious brio, recalling anguish with touching candor - as she details her exotic tableau with history, anecdote and impression.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From The New Yorker
At the age of thirty-one, Gilbert moved with her husband to the suburbs of New York and began trying to get pregnant, only to realize that she wanted neither a child nor a husband. Three years later, after a protracted divorce, she embarked on a yearlong trip of recovery, with three main stops: Rome, for pleasure (mostly gustatory, with a special emphasis on gelato); an ashram outside of Mumbai, for spiritual searching; and Bali, for "balancing." These destinations are all on the beaten track, but Gilbert's exuberance and her self-deprecating humor enliven the proceedings: recalling the first time she attempted to speak directly to God, she says, "It was all I could do to stop myself from saying, 'I've always been a big fan of your work.'"
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Fran's Backpack - Nifty Netbook Light and Compact for Travelling

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is ASUS Eee PC 1015PEM-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black)

During my Outback adventure, "Off the Beaten Track", I took a netbook with me. It enabled me to load my photos and videos for the day, type my diary and connect to the internet when possible. Very light and easy to work with. I don't get on too well with the touch pad so I took an external mouse and used the cover as the mouse pad. Check out this netbook here because it's great when you travel.

Click on the ad for more information.

Amazon.com Product Description
All-New Dual-Core Netbook: Revamped for Mobility

Everything you could ask of a netbook, the new 10-inch 1015PEM-P Seashell answers. Powered by the new Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor, the new addition to the Eee PC Seashell series delivers more responsive performance to speed up your applications without compromising battery life. Thanks to the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, you can take this mobile phenom wherever you choose and enjoy up to an incredible 13 hours of unplugged freedom.1 The Eee PC 1015PEM-P is encased in a smooth matte-finished shell that captivates onlookers and features the Intel Atom N550 processor with energy-efficient DDR3 memory support that's specifically designed for netbooks for more responsive multitasking.

Plus, it boasts outstanding comfort with a chiclet keyboard, multi-touch trackpad, and convenient hot keys – granting you quick access to Express Gate, the mini-operating system, and control of the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine that instantly optimizes system performance. Throw in a generous 250GB hard drive with 500GB of ASUS WebStorage2 and you get the ability to store, share, and access your important data anytime, anywhere.
Key Features
Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor that’s specially designed for a netbook to deliver responsive multitasking performance on the go (Learn more)
Up to 13 hours of battery life1 for all-day, unplugged freedom (Learn more)
Matte finish cover for stylish and smudge-resistant protection (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine boosts performance and saves battery life (Learn more)
Chiclet keyboard and large, multi-touch trackpad for comfortable, intuitive navigation (Learn more)
High-speed wireless N and Bluetooth v3.0 for fast Web surfing and enhanced Bluetooth peripheral connectivity (Learn more)
750GB Hybrid Storage: 250GB hard drive and 500GB of ASUS WebStorage2 that easily backs up and shares your data anywhere you have Internet access (Learn more)
0.3 megapixel webcam with security lens adds additional protection
Express Gatestarts up in seconds for quick access to the Internet, music, games, and more

Colossal Canyonlands Totally Awes Visitors in Unsurpassed Utah

The title says it all. Canyonlands National Park is Utah's largest national park and it's colossal. There's mile upon mile of canyons and rockscapes and the state's slogan "Utah Rocks" is a very apt description.

This national park isn't that far from Moab, adventure capital of Utah (it reminds me a bit of New Zealand's Queenstown). There are two sections to the park, Island in the Sky, the northermost area of the park, and the Needles District, in the southernmost section, closer to Monticello.

I didn't have enough time in the southern part but the drive in was absolutely beautiful.

More time was spent in the Island in the Sky section with quite a few different landforms to stop and explore. For a quick visit to the park, you can get to the main attractions by paved road. Then there's the really rugged off road stuff for 4 wheel drives. Hiking, climbing, mountain biking and rafting are other activities to do if you plan to stay a while.

The main paved road ends at the Grand View Point Overlook. That name is an understatement, much like saying the Grand Canyon is grand. You can see canyon after canyon fading into the distance.

I took this photo more for the actual lookout with the piles of wood bordering the path than the scenery. However, if you zoom in on the photo you'll still get some idea of the canyons in the distance. I'll do more posts later to show some of the park's other beauty spots.


When I was in the park it was very hot, so I had on my trusty Akubra hat, sunscreen on my face and arms, and lots of water in the backpack. All essential when you go hiking in the Outback or Utah's desert country.

Check out Canyonlands National Park site for more information.

This might interest you too. Click on the ad for more information.

Fran's Backpack - Flight Simulator Fun

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is ProFlightSimulator's Flight Simulator.

This is a great way to experience flying without the cost of hiring an aircraft. For me to hire a Cessna 172 to fly it's a lot more, so using a flight simulator can be cheaper and almost as much fun as the real thing. You can also fly aircraft which you probably would never have the opportunity or money to fly. And if you crash you don't burn!

Click Here! for more information and price.

Experience flying as realistic as it can get with ProFlightSimulator's Flight Simulator Full Scenery Set, one of the most incredible flight sims ever created.

The entire purpose of ProFlightSim is to be as close to real life as possible with real world scenery based on military mapping and full realistic pilot control with hundreds of aircraft & helicopters to fly from.

Choose an airplane and fly over the world- LITERALLY. You can fly your chosen plane over The Great Wall of China, Europe, Africa, even your own house!

Why Did You Turn Off the Plane's Engine?

As a pilot I like to see the humorous side of flying a light aircraft.

Here's a joke about a student pilot who was sent on the first solo flight without the instructor.

Instructor to student pilot (who just crashed the aircraft): "What happened, you were doing so well on your first solo?"

Student pilot to instructor: "Well, I was doing fine at a thousand feet so I thought I'd climb a little higher. Then I climbed to two thousand feet and that felt OK too. But then as I was climbing higher and higher to three thousand feet, it was getting colder and colder, so I turned off the big fan at the front!"

Here's the big fan at the front - the propeller!

Fran's Backpack - 5th February 2011

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is the Kensington 33117 International All-in-One Travel Plug Adapter.

If you have any equipment that needs the battery recharged e.g. camera, mobile phone, camcorder etc. and you're heading to a country that has a different voltage system then you need one of these. It doesn't take up much room either.

Click on the ad for more information.

Product Features
Color: Black, Dimensions: 2" Height x 1.87" Width x 2.25" Depth, Input Voltage: 220V AC,
Sold as 1 each
Input Voltage: 110V AC, Input Voltage Range: 110 V AC to 220 V AC
Shipping Dimensions: 2" Height x 6" Width x 9" Depth, Standard Warranty: 1 Year
Technical Details
Brand Name: Kensington
Model: 33117

Do You Speak Spanish? No, But I Can Take a Wild Guess

When you travel to Spanish-speaking places in South America, like Buenos Aires, Argentina, there's a great opportunity to try out your language skills. It's great to brush up on South American Spanish but if all else fails, take a wild guess and you could be right. (Zoom in on the picture now).

I'm sure that you could guess from the mouth watering pictures on the side of this truck that it's carrying cold cuts or smallgoods, "fiambres". They're prepared by Riosma, "una empresa argentina con garantia de Calidad", an Argentinian firm that guarantees the quality of its products.


Are you speaking Spanish by now?

Even if you don't speak a foreign language, when you travel you can teach yourself by looking at the pictures and the words next to them. You get a much better reception with the locals if you have a go at speaking their language. It can be a lot of fun and it can also make the travel experience much more enjoyable. Just have a go.

So finish your taco and nachos and get up and tango under the light of the luna. Adios amigos.

Fran's Backpack - 3rd February 2011

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is Around the World in 80 Treasures DVD.

Click on the ad for more information.

Amazon.com
In this engaging and often surprising travelogue, architectural historian Dan Cruickshank traverses the planet in five months, visiting 34 countries to see 80 of the world’s greatest treasures. Cruickshank’s quest is really to go far beyond the intrinsic value of each profiled treasure to unearth the stories behind them, to see what they have to say about the cultures that created them, and ultimately how they define human civilization. It is a fascinating--and frequently surprising--journey. Some of Cruickshank’s choices are very unexpected, and maybe even controversial (the 1876 Colt revolver pistol, the Volkswagen Beetle), others you’d expect to see here (Machu Picchu). But the treasures themselves are just a starting point. From there Cruickshank enthusiastically advances like a modern day Indiana-Jones-meets-Rick-Steves to learn what it says about the society that created it, whether it’s an ancient stone statue on Easter Island, or a chair designed by a 20th century Bauhaus artist. The breadth and diversity of the achievements is astounding to see, and Cruickshank’s infectious sense of wonder and curiosity makes this a fun watch. For anyone interested in travel, adventures, world history, art, Around the World in 80 Treasures is a must-see. --Daniel Vancini

Fran's Backpack - 1st February 2011

Fran's Backpack brings to you various products on travel, adventure, flying and photography.

They could be books, ebooks, videos, or gear. Check each one out as it's highlighted on the day.


Today's item in the Backpack is Australian Geographic magazine.

I used this magazine extensively during the planning of my flight around Australia's coast. Great for stories on Australia's Outback and coast and the photography is superb. I'm even in a couple of issues in 1999 and 2001.

Click on the ad for more information.

Australia's premier geographic magazine covering wildlife, adventure, destinations, industry, science and technology. Its positive editorial stance aims at increasing the world's knowledge of Australia. Packed with brilliant photography, illustrations, maps and a beautiful wall poster/map free!