EJ’s Travels

Eloping to Europe launched our love affair together
I was young, naïve, and hungry for adventure

You were vibrant & trustworthy, stitched to perfection
Thus the beginning of my faithful, ongoing affection

Some mistakenly think it was I carrying you
But of course it was you hauling us to each venue

We weathered rain and snow, mosquitoes and flies
You alone have heard my most intimate cries

The secrets, the songs, the rants you endured
Not one judgment you made, do you think I’ve matured?

Exploring rainforests stateside to deserts in Africa
Riding donkeys in Greece and sleds in Antarctica

Getting lost in Devil’s Canyon and climbing Devil’s Tower
Whilst dreaming of popsicles and mustering great power

Glimpsing relics and ruins and architect with appeal
The Colosseum, the Panthenon, Wat Pho and Glockenspiel

Enjoying views from the peaks of the Alps and the Rockies,
the Cascades, the Himalayas, the Beartooths, and Torres

Skimming the Boundary Waters from the seat of a canoe
Cage diving with great whites, of course I would spew

All this and beyond via plane, train and ferry,
the C-17, the tuk-tuk, and the tiger moth so airy

It was you who shared with me my most memorable highs
Understandably this is one of my hardest goodbyes

10 years, 7 continents and 20 countries to boast
Let us all raise our glasses for this final toast

An unforgettable partner you’ve been through the years
May you know my joy and gratitude behind all the tears

You are a legend, a warrior, an ally, a champion
In rest you will remain my most cherished companion

***What follows is a photo journal of the time, experiences and places I have shared with my pack over the last decade. Look closely, you’ll find Lowe in many of the shots below. When not pictured she was assuredly not far out of reach as she was with me for each and every one of these journeys. Of course there are still countless adventures which sadly aren’t accounted for photographically. Many of these were taken before the digital era and thus originals were scanned. The only time she was left at home in favor of another was when I strapped panniers to my bicycle and toured Australasia without her. However, she later made it back to NZ & Australia with me en route to Antarctica. And so, without any more ado, I hope you enjoy our story.***

1997/May and June ~ Europe Whirlwind Tour with (at various times) Rachel, Jen, Julie, Catina, Sue & Paul

Norway (Bergen/Oslo-Myrdal-Flåm-Gudvangen-Stalheim-Voss-Bergen/Oslo): Norway in a nutshell tour by bus, train & ferry

Copenhagen (Denmark): One long day of walking around the very lovely city

The Czech Republic (Prague): One of my favorite cities around the world

Germany (Berlin, Munich, Dachau): Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall, Dachau, the Glockenspiel, the Haufbrahaus, & beer gardens of course

France (Paris & Taize): Where everything that could have gone wrong, did; follwed by a week of spiritual bliss at Taize with Brother Roger

Switzerland (Interlocken): Our adventure haven nestled in the Alps: climbing, hiking, fun-yaking, rafting & dancing with Dom

Italy (Florence & Rome): Mmmm… gelato, homemade pasta, vino & Little Debbie snatch cakes

Greece (Athens & Santorini): My *honeymoon* with Rachel. We terrorized the island by moped, hiked a volcano, drank plenty of ouzo, enjoyed long sunsets and skinny-dipped in the Aegean Sea

Poland (Kraków): Where Rae and I “lost a friend”, hardly slept a wink and laughed outrageously for 7 crazy days and even crazier nights with our friend and host, Ryan

1998/May ~ Granite Peak, Beartooh Mountains, Montana: 1st failed attempt to reach this summit with Rob, Steph, Zack, Mark & Sara

1998/June ~ Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: My first “Boundy” adventure with the ladies – Rachel, REJ, Catina, Betsy, Colleen, Carrie & Jen

1998/August ~ Devil’s Tower, Wyoming: Climbed El Cracko Diablo & the Durrance Route with Zack, Dave & Reed

1999/May ~ Granite Peak, Beartooth Mountains, Montana: 2nd failed attempt at the summit with Rob, Steph, BJ, JP & friend

1999/September ~ Lake Superior Hiking Trail, Northern Minnesota: The first annual fall color extravaganza with Jennifer & JP

2001/May ~ The Needles, Black Hills, South Dakota: One of my favorite climbing places in the Midwest with Tracy, Becca, Kiri et al.

2001/September ~ Lake Superior Hiking Trail, Northern Minnesota: The 3rd annual backpack & scavenger hunt with Jennifer, JP, Jones, Renae, Cousin Mark, Brian & others

2002/July ~ Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: The year of the flies with Rachel, REJ, Catina, Betsy, Jennifer, Anne & Colleen

2002/July ~ Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington: Hiked the Suiattle Trail to Holden Village to join our family reunion with Cousin Mark

2002/August ~ Pawnee Pass, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado: Celebrated my 29th birthday at high altitude with Barb, Greg & Rob

2002/August ~ Zion National Park, Utah: Oh, the elusive *big wall*. Yes I slept on a porta-ledge even though I was only 50 feet off the ground with Ben!

2002/September ~ Canyonlands National Park, Utah: Left our harnesses at home and instead strapped on backpacks with Barb & Aga

2002/September ~ Glacier National Park, Montana: En route to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada with Jennifer

2002/September ~ Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada: Kent’s & Amy Jo’s wedding at the Prince of Wales Hotel with many friends

2002/October ~ Indian Creek, Moab, Utah: My first of many climbing weekends at Indian Creek with Barb, Kre & Aga

2003/March ~ Margy’s Hut, White River National Forest, Colorado: A quick, but glorious overnight hut trip with Jennifer

2003/May ~ Indian Creek, Moab, Utah: Another ladies’ climbing trip with Barb, Kre, Aga, Kacey & Joseffa

2003/July ~ Mt. Alice, Rocky Mountain National Park: An unexpectedly snowy, but equally sunny backpack with Barb, Beth, Megan, Dan, Shasta & Ralph

2003/August ~ Olympic National Forest, Washington: A somewhat spontaneous 30th birthday celebration hike with Cousin Sarah

2004/March ~ White River National Forest, Colorado: There was so much snow already falling that we got Barb’s car stuck in the parking lot before even strapping on our skis! I wish I had more pics of this amazing ski trip to Carl’s Cabin with Barb, Kaia & Megan

2004/Easter ~ Devil’s Canyon, San Rafael Swell, Utah: The semi-infamous trip when I got lost in the desert with Beth! No, we didn’t have a map, but thank god we had my compass

2004/June ~ Virgin Springs Canyon, San Rafael Swell: Ah, the Swell, one of my favorite places to escape back to with Trevor

2004/July ~ Telluride, Colorado: The sweet, sweet Telluride Bluegrass Festival with Barb, Tracy, Dirk and Beth

2004/August ~ Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: Back for more with REJ, Andrea, Catina, Betsy & Rachel

2005/July ~ Sangre De Cristo Mountains, Colorado: I celebrated the 4th of July the best way I know how with Beth

2005/October ~ Christchurch, NZ: My camera broke upon arriving back here from McMurdo, so the only photos I’ve got are from Christchurch before deploying to Antarctica

2005/October to 2006/February ~ McMurdo Base, Antarctica: Spent the summer as a taxi driver on ‘the ice’

2006/March ~ Sydney, Australia: Lowe didn’t make it with me when I cycled up the east coast of this country, but she was with me for my quick reunion visit with Sam and Dom in Sydney

2006/March ~ Torres del Paine, Chile: A last minute decision to visit Africa found me trekking in Patagonia strangely enough. Lowe is disguised under her blue rain-fly in all of these pics

2006/March ~ Buenos Aires, Argentina: Not much to show from my brief stay here in this colorful city that never sleeps

2006/April ~ Damaraland, Namibia: An unforgettable week camping in this remote region of northwestern Namibia. Apart from my trusty guides and dear friends, Susana & Gary, and housemate, Maria, the only other life I saw was that of truly wild animals

2006/April ~ Onamatadiva, Namibia: A touching visit with Maria to a Bushmen (San) village to help paint their school

2006/April ~ Victoria Falls, Zambia & Zimbabwe border: First by foot, then by Tiger Moth… impressive from both perspectives

2006/May ~ Namibia Tour: 12 days of spoiled bliss rambling across Namibia with Susana and her Spanish clients

2006/June ~ Brandberg Mountain, Namibia: How could I pass up the opportunity to climb the highest peak in Namibia… along with UK army personnel?

2006/May ~ Soussesvlei, Namib Desert, Namibia: Walking amidst the dunes with Susana was magical and most certainly one of my most cherished experiences to date

2006/June ~ Cape Town, South Africa: I intended just to enjoy the beautiful city beneath the mountain for a few days, but couldn’t resist all the hype surrounding cage diving with great whites

2006/June ~ Bangkok & Kho Pangan, Thailand: Temples, curry, island life and thai boxing

2006/June ~ Delhi & Chandra Tal Lake, India: A surprisingly short visit which will hopefully have a follow-up

2006/August ~ Chilliwack River – Copper Ridge Loop, North Cascades, Washington: A glorious backpacking trip in one of my favorite mountain ranges with Tim, Jenn & Nate

2007/July ~ Needle Creek to Vallecito Creek, Weminuche Wilderness, San Juan Mts., Colorado: My first backpacking trip with my then love, Richard, and my last with my beloved, Lowe Alpine

August 4th, 2008, marked my 35th birthday! And like so many birthdays of years past, I celebrated it in style. Richard and I drove 5.5 hours north to Bayfield, WI, the launch pad for our 4 day kayaking trip around the Apostle Islands in the vast waters of Lake Superior. As this was our last summer *fling* before parting ways, it was a potentially disastrous plan, but as I had hoped it turned out to be nothing short of bliss.

Renting kayaks without a guide meant we were first required to complete a 3 hour safety course. Some unique safety concerns exist with kayaking in Lake Superior as it is renowned for its cold temperatures, rough seas, fog, and sudden squalls. The class included basics on weather, hypothermia, local hazards, equipment, basic strokes, WET exits and rescues. Yes, both of us were required to capsize our kayaks intentionally in order to prove our ability to exit the boat successfully (the spray skirt holds you in the cockpit until you break the seal) and to practice various rescue techniques. This isn’t as easy as it may sound. See, the average water temperatures in May and June are only in the 40s. Even in late summer, surface temperatures rarely exceed 60 degrees, except in protected bays. Voluntarily rolling head-first into the lake required a bit of internal pep talk. Surprisingly it wasn’t nearly as dreadful as I had imagined. I guess water temperatures are above average this year.

We were given the sobering fact that with a wetsuit we would have 14 minutes in the water before losing consciousness, 7 minutes without. So of course in our infinite wisdom we used our wetsuits as extra padding under our bums for the entirety of our trip. We have since come to suspect that those stats were grossly over exaggerated. I wonder now if we misunderstood. Perhaps it was 14/7 minutes before hypothermia would set in. Even that seems questionable given other data we have uncovered. Unfortunately, hyperbole or not, that nugget of information set the stage for a couple of uneasy days for Richard.

Our voyage began from Little Sand Bay in the late afternoon. We were headed to York Island for the night, but not before checking out the sea caves on Sand Island. Based on his fearless attitude and obvious aptitude displayed in the safety course – not to mention a history of river kayaking – it never occurred to me that Richard might not be all that comfortable on open water in a small plastic boat. Something about the short 7 minutes of livelihood if the boat were to capsize (true or not) seemed to be diminishing his fun. Depending on the wind and the fetch (the distance that wind and waves can travel toward land without being blocked), the crossings between islands can get a bit rocky. In our case the waters remained relatively calm, but nevertheless it took a little getting used to for Richard. On the first day he was merely quiet. On the second day he confided in me that he wasn’t quite sure what was so enjoyable about the whole thing. He actually used the words, “I just don’t get it,” and “It’s just a bunch of water with more islands.” These coupled with a smattering of scowls.

The sea caves were dramatic. Paddling into them was deafening and exhilarating. For Richard I’m pretty sure everything about paddling near them was simply terrifying. However, you’d never know it from the picture below. This was before the smile went out of him.

We reached our campsite on York just in time to set up our tent and eat dinner before dark. We woke to a light sprinkling and thick fog that was quickly replaced by sunshine and blue skies. In fact, the weather our entire 4 day trip – minus the last 10 minutes – was storybook. And the bug life, which can make or break any midwest adventure this time of year, was tolerable. We were very, very lucky. And equally thankful.

Our second day of paddling took us from York Island to Oak Island with a lunch break at Raspberry Island to visit the lighthouse. There were a few whitecaps here and there during our crossing and I’m pretty certain Richard was cursing me under his breath the entire way. It wasn’t that he hated the entirety of the trip, just the parts on water.

Originally we were supposed to spend our 2nd night on Manitou Island before reaching Oak for the 3rd. However, a couple of days after I made our camping reservations I got a call from the National Park Service telling me that they had a *bear problem* on Manitou and we needed to change our plan. The problem started when a couple camping there prepared what must have been one heck of a tasty dinner. The bear smelt what was cooking and decided it belonged in his belly. The couple retreated to safety in the outhouse whilst the bear ate their meal and continued to ransack their entire camp. Afterwards, the bear sat outside the outhouse waiting for the couple. All night long.

As a result, we spent 2 nights on Oak Island. This meant we didn’t have to break down and set up camp every day which was a welcome break. It also meant that our 3rd day allowed some flexibility in our schedule. We spent the day hiking 8 miles round-trip to an outlook on the island; taking a long afternoon nap; cherishing a peaceful early evening paddle (I think this was the turning point for Richard); and savoring fine food and wine on our private stretch of beach while watching the sunset. Ah, yes, breaking up is hard to do.

Our 4th and final day was our longest paddle yet – 12 miles. Mid day Richard turned to me and said from across the water, “Wait a minute, I want another day. Let’s not go back yet. I LOVE kayaking.”

It was yet another pristine day. Not until the final moments did the thunder clouds begin to gather. The sky was wild by the time we reached Bayfield. Perfect timing.

Thank you, Richard, for sticking with me through some rough waters. And for celebrating another birthday with me on the lake shores of Wisconsin. I hope this next *crossing* is as seamless as the others, even if the prospect of it is equally frightening. I love you my dear friend.

I’ve been away from home 9 months to the day.  I’ve managed (thanks to a layover in Madrid from Argentina to Namibia) to step foot on all 7 continents in that time.  And in that time, a life’s worth of memories have been created.

It’s time for me to come home.

Originally India was going to be my first destination.  It was the hope and dream of exploring this vast country along with neighboring Nepal and Tibet that found me saving dollars for the last 4 years in order to spend roughly 12 months traveling through this region of the world.  But, as it has turned out, daydreaming about India was instead a catalyst for an entirely different adventure that I otherwise would not have dared to imagine… driving Ivan the Terra in Antarctica; backpacking in Patagonia; camping in the bush in Africa; reuniting with the best of friends from past travels; and creating new frienships to last a lifetime.

I am ready to come home.

Trekking through the Himalayas, visiting the monasteries and temples of this spiritual land, watching the colors and customs change across the miles… are all things I am certain I would still like to do some day, but in this moment, joining my family for the 2nd Almlie reunion and celebrating my 33rd birthday in their company is frankly far more enticing.  I’ve come to realize more than ever how much “home” (yep, the good ole USofA) is where my heart is.

Hope to see you soon.

Although my time in India was short, I did manage one memorable trip with a local guide and his family. Hiralal was selected from many to guide myself and 3 Israeli friends on a 3 week trek across the Himalayas beginning in Himachal Pradesh and ending in Ladakh. I never did embark on that journey, but prior to its departure Hiralal invited the 4 of us to join him and his family on an overnight trip to Chandra Tal Lake high in the Mulkilla & Lahaul Range. After a rather exasperating start to my stay in India, this journey warmed my heart. Himala’s family was charming and generous. The long dirt road to Chandra Tal was equally alarming and alluring. And the lake itself was magical. I won’t soon forget these people who shared this precious time with me and whom kept watch over me in the days to follow as I lay ill. I hope to return to Manali some day to greet them all with a warm embrace and to make the trek that eluded me this stay.

The drive was absolutely terrifying. One lane dirt roads with no barriers.
Cars racing & passing at full speed. But the scenery was breathtaking.

A truck stop if you will.

Busy road

The line of cars leading to this patch of snow was bumper to bumper for at
least a mile. This small patch entertained skiers, sledders & more!

Nine adults & 2 children piled in to this small jeep for the journey!

Our ‘convenience store’ stop for food & chai tea.

Mulkilla & Lahaul Range

Falave, Munu & Gudi

Me & Mayaan at Chandra Tal

Hiralal & friend

Roe, Khakeram, Raj, Me, Hiralal, Mayaan, Gudi, Falave, Munu, Pankeg

Reflections of Chandra Tal…

Lessons Learned…

• “India is a country full of people from varying backgrounds and belief systems who live together harmoniously and love one another.” – my taxi driver leaving the airport
• “In India, you can trust no one… you just told me where you are going, you shouldn’t have done that.” – hotel owner
• “Kashmir is a safe paradise not to be missed.” – multiple kashmiris, one travel agent and an english saviour
• “We cannot guarantee your safety if you go to Kashmir.” – another travel agent… AND… “Kashmiris are all bad people, please don’t go there.” – hotel manager
• If you have a fear of death or bodily injury, stay off the roads in India
• Fear tactics piss me off no matter where in the world I am
• EVERYONE wants to be my best friend when I walk the streets alone, but I hardly get a notice when I’ve got company (unless of course that company is a 6’5″ shirtless white man with grey buzzed hair, 2 earrings and multiple tattoos… in which case the stares are not in my direction)
• My smile sure gets me places
• My smile can take me places I’d rather not go
• Deception is a waste of everyone’s time
• I am a TRUSTING FOOL! (and happily will be until the day I die)

I arrived in Bangkok unsure whether I would stay until the end of July as my ticket had me scheduled to do, or save southeast Asia until the end of my journey and head to India as soon as possible (I’ve been quite anxious to get there). I heard from a reliable source at my guesthouse that it would only take 5 days to get my visa for India. That was all it took to make up my mind. I hopped on the Sky Train to the American Airlines office and requested to change my departure date. June 19th was the earliest availability. Done. The next day I submitted my visa application and was told it would be ready for pick up on the 14th. That gave me 6 days to kill in the meantime. Just my luck I bumped into a French-Canadian woman at the embassy who was headed south to the island of Kho Pangan and suggested I join her. I wouldn’t have considered venturing that far with so little time otherwise, but it seemed like a fine idea with someone familiar with the area. Kho Pangan had been highly recommended to me so I thought it a perfect opportunity to at least check it out for future reference.

It is indeed a beautiful island. We stayed at Had Yuan beach where I spent my days alternating between being cradled in a hammock and being immersed in the warm sea. I also visited the neighboring beach of Had Thien for yoga in the mornings and late afternoons. Each month the famed full moon party takes place on the island drawing crowds between 7,000 and 10,000 strong. Although tempted, I opted to spend the night alone enjoying the bright night from the hammock on the balcony outside my bungalow.

Had Yuan beach

View from my bungalow

Had Thian, neighboring beach

After a few days of sun and tranquility I was itchin’ to get back to the city. There was still much to see and do before departing for India. I spent many hours perusing the various markets in Bangkok including Chatuchak, the world’s largest open air market. All of your shopping needs, and I mean all of them, can be met here. If you like 711 slurpees, having your teeth cleaned, cheap spicy food, stray dogs, and thai massage, then rest assured you are never more than a few steps away from happiness.

I also took a day to visit Wat Pho, the oldest and largest wat (Buddhist temple) in Bangkok and home to the largest reclining Buddha.

And the Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo…

Standing guard outside the Royal Pantheon

Worth its weight in gold

Painting along the walls of Hor Phra Gandhararat

Phra Siratana Chedi

The Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha

By far the most memorable and enjoyable experience I had in Bangkok was the view from my ring-side seat at the Thai Boxing Stadium. Although you wouldn’t catch me dead (or alive) at a boxing match back home, thai boxing (Muay Thai) is considered, and more closely resembles, a martial art (which I am grossly fascinated with and have a great respect for). The art of Muay Thai has been the country’s most popular spectator sport for hundreds of years. The power of these boxers, weighing in at as little as 105 pounds(!), was nothing short of magnificent. I was absolutely mesmerized!

The Wai Kru (respects to the teacher) also known as Ram Muay (boxing dance) is an important part of any evening watching Thai Boxing. These are ceremonies that are performed before each Muay Thai bout. Sometimes the Wai Kru was brief and basic, other times more elaborate. Either way it was beautiful to watch. Teachers are highly respected in Thai society, and many artistic disciplines, not just Muay Thai, perform Wai Kru or “respects to the teacher”.

Wai Kru…

Action shots!

Me and the champion!

see more photos at: http://ej.smugmug.com

Before departing Africa altogether I spent 10 relaxing days in the lovely city of Cape Town (South Africa). Aside from the disproportionately high number of poor blacks, it is about as un-African as it can get. Nevertheless it was worth the stopover. I found plenty to do in the city and surrounding area without making my way further up the coast as originally planned. Here are a few of the highlights…

The Waterfront in Cape Town…

Cape Town as seen from the water…

A hike (more like scramble) up Table Mountain…

Our ride back down

Lion’s Head below left and Robben Island in the distance

A walk up Lion’s Head…

Camps Bay and Hout Bay

Table Mountain as seen from the top of Lion’s Head

A full day of wine tasting in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek…

Sabrage – to remove the top of the bottle with a sword (i was just
as impressed with his shirt)

Cage diving with Great Whites near Dyer Island…

As seen from the boat:

As seen from in the cage:

see more photos at: http://ej.smugmug.com

My last hurrah in Namibia was a weekend getaway with Susana to the not to be missed dunes of the Namib desert in a region called Sossusvlei. My words can’t begin to describe the magic of this place so I will let pictures say it all. A most perfect ending to a most memorable stay with a most beautiful and gracious friend.

Yo le pierdo mi amiga hermosa

see more photos at: http://ej.smugmug.com

After saying goodbye to my Spanish companions I set off to climb a mountain. It happened that Caesar’s company had been contracted to guide a group of 12 army personnel from the UK up Brandbeg Mountain, the highest in Namibia, as part of their adventure training. And, because Caesar is such a kind soul, he graciously allowed me to tag along. He had actually hired a freelance guide by the name of Paul to lead the trek. I didn’t dare pass up the opportunity.

Brandbeg is 8444.23 ft at its peak. That didn’t sound so high to someone who has spent the last 4 years in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains with no shortage of 14,000+ ft peaks. I reckoned it would be a fairly easy hike to the top. Approaching by car the mountain appeared relatively small and unimpressive only reaffirming my deception. We arrived late morning and spent the next 6 hours climbing in the prime heat of the day which seemed a cruel and unusual punishment. Much of the climb involved scrambling up exposed rock faces, which was fantastic fun, but exhausting as well. I’m not going to lie to you, it kicked my ass. The last couple of weeks of touring in luxury had caught up with me and I was paying the price for over-indulgence.

The following day we woke before sunrise and reached the summit by 10:00am, a far more reasonable time of day to be out in the African sun. Not surprisingly we encountered no other signs of human life apart from the cave paintings left by Bushmen some 5000 years ago. Aside from a few natives, the mountain is left virtually unexplored. A shame really, but I certainly didn’t mind. Seeing as how safari travel is often limited to viewing the countryside and its wildlife from the seat of a car, I was thrilled to be encountering a small piece of Namibia on foot with an opportunity to peer out over its wide open spaces which set this African country apart.

Brandberg in the distance

Making progress

Desert flowers

Sunset first night

Bushmen paintings

Still smilin’ at the summit

Early morning departure… that’s the Atlantic in the distance

see more photos at: http://ej.smugmug.com