Fran West Adventure on a mountain bike in Nepal

After our trek in Nepal had finished, I spent a couple of days in the Royal Chitwan National Park. While there, I was talking to a couple who had done a mountain bike trip around Kathmandu. They said that they hired a guide and he took them to wherever they wanted to go - a tailor made trip.


Because I had a few days to spare in Kathmandu, I did the same thing too, so it always pays to talk to fellow travellers about their experiences and suggestions.




My guide, Tilak, took me past some of the embassies (and we actually went into the Australian High Commission grounds), the wealthier areas and then up into the hills around the city. We had lunch at a monastery overlooking Kathmandu and then biked back down the valley through farming villages.

Riding through busy traffic was scary and hair raising but Tilak said just keep going and don't look back! It worked and I'm still alive.

Fran West Flyabout to Kangaroo Island, South Australia

If you're going to do a flyabout over Kangaroo Island, then one of the places not to miss is Admiral's Arch.

A fantastic view from above because of the rock formations and also the patterns of the walkway.


It's located on the southern shore of the island which was named, by the way, by English maritime explorer Matthew Flinders because of the kangaroos on it.

KI is also Australia's third largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island near Darwin, Northern Territory.

This photo is one which appears in my DVD, "Australia's Coast from the Air".

Fran West Adventure at the Grand Canyon, Arizona

This is one of the scenic wonders of the world without a doubt.

However, most people tend to visit the South Rim only. On this trip I made a point of heading for the North Rim which is a bit out of the way to reach.



There are still magnificent views and great walks and it is a lot quieter by comparison than the South Rim.

This is the view from Bright Angel Point.


Check out my Pilot Your Life newsletter #2 for a great story about this place and http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Fran West Flyabout to Theda Station, Western Australia

One of the things I remember about Theda Station was my flying shirt.

Theda Station is a cattle property (or ranch) in the northwest of Western Australia. Consequently there are a lot of cow pats around and also lots of flies relishing those tasty titbits.

Here in the Outback I had lots of practice doing the Aussie salute (brushing flies away from my face). The flies don't just head for the face either.

My white flying shirt had been converted to a black and white polka dot shirt.

I was almost totally covered in flies.

I just love the Aussie Outback!

Fran West Adventure in Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, Queensland

To reach Lawn Hill Gorge, my coastal flight detoured from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Burketown and then headed further inland to land at Adel's Grove.

After dropping off my gear in the tent accommodation, the Savannah Guide drove me to the national park.

I spent time doing several of the walks, checking out the Aboroginal rock art and climbing up to a vantage point to view the Lawn Hill Gorge and Creek. It was very hot walking at that time of day and I drank copious amounts of water. Do your walking early in the morning or towards evening when it's not so hot.

After that I spent the rest of the time canoeing on the creek enjoying the ponds and waterfalls. A real oasis in the desert.

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/boodlamulla-lawn-hill/index.html

Fran West Flyabout to Bruny Island, Tasmania

I like to try landing on various airstrips, not only for the challenge but also for the entry in my log book.

Bruny Island, named after Frenchman Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, is a tiny island off the southeast coast of Tasmania, not that far from Hobart. So, during my circumnavigation of Australia, I decided to land there.

The strip wasn't very long, so I did a short field landing, turned the plane around, taxied back along the runway and took off. Short and sweet!

A feature of the island is The Neck, a long skinny isthmus, which divides North Bruny and South Bruny.

For a small island it seemed to be a big magnet for the early European maritime explorers - Dutch, English and French.

Fran West Adventure on the Colorado River, Utah

Moab, in southern Utah, is a real adventure capital. It's the hub of an area which has several national parks, state parks and national monuments and has been in numerous movies.

One of the activities is rafting on the Colorado River. You have a choice to kayak or sit in a raft which takes several people.

I'd recommend the latter if you're wanting to take photos. There are rapids which are a lot of screaming fun but you have to watch out for your camera (the guide does provide a small metal box to keep valuables dry).

You will definitely get drenched but that's the joy of rafting. The compensation is the stunning scenery along the way.