I’ve been to Yemen. A most troubled nation.
And I’d love to get to Socotra Island.
BUT in 2024 the government only allows 3000 tourists / year. And it’s not inexpensive.
Socotra does look amazing.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Category: travel
Visiting Edinburgh, Scotland
I was happy to find flying Vancouver to Edinburgh was even cheaper than to London in June 2024.
I’d really enjoyed the city in the past ➙ Edinburgh FRINGE and Military Tattoo in 2009. (The Swiss Top Secret Drum Corps stole the show.)
This city is perfect for me.
I stravaig the labyrinth of dark alleys and steep streets through gorgeous architecture. Said to be built on seven hills. PLENTY of stone staircases.
Edinburgh now restricts motor vehicles in the city centre making it more walkable.
… On the other hand, their pedestrian lights simply don’t work. Everyone jaywalks. 😀
Highest priority is the BEST HIKE out of the city centre out along the Royal Mile past the Parliament Buildings …
Read my trip report on hillwalking to Arthur’s Seat. With a detour on the return to Calton Hill.
I stayed at a Castle Rock hostel directly under Edinburgh Castle in the Old Town.
Here’s the view of the Castle from the hostel.
Across from this impressive … Fish and Chips shop (?). 😀
The National Museum of Scotland is great. Entry by donation.
Though I didn’t visit ALL of the hundreds of thousands of exhibits, I did see Dolly — the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell 1996.
Actually, my favourite single visual in town is this monument to author Sir Walter Scott. Over in the new town.
Wandering town, there’s much to see. Tesla had vehicles on display in one plaza.
On a weekend there are any number of festivals and events in progress. Plenty of street performers, some getting ready for FRINGE.
I do love Edinburgh.
BUT it’s swarming with tourists. 😀
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Visiting St Andrews, Scotland
My first visit to the home of Golf.
St Andrews does not have a train station. I stayed in Dundee and took the bus to visit for a day.
Though I’m not a golf nut, I’m surprised how much I liked the small, historic town.
… home to the University of St Andrews, the third oldest university (1413) in the English-speaking world …
St Andrews is also known globally as the “home of golf“. This is in part because of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, founded in 1754 …
It is also because the famous Old Course of St Andrews Links (acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf‘s four major championships. …
I walked the town on the St Andrew’s Circuit, appreciating the architecture and culture.
The St Andrews Cathedral ruins are impressive.
St Rule’s tower is a highlight.
There are some nice beaches.
The ruins of St Andrews Castle are impressive, as well.
Surprisingly, visitors can walk between the famed golf courses any time.
Surprisingly, golfers can bring their dogs along.
VERY surprisingly, on Sundays the Old Course is closed completely and becomes a public park with families having picnics and kicking around a ball.
I did the Old Course at St Andrews trail. And left quite tired.
That’s 6.8km of watching golfers struggle in the wind. 😀
I would go back to St Andrews for a golf holiday. There are many interesting and inexpensive courses in Fife.
My 9 holes on the Himalayan Yellow putting course set me back only 2 £.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse of the town on YouTube.
I Golfed St Andrews … 😀
Tiger, Bobby, Ben, Sam, Jack, Seve, …
All of the greats have challenged the Old Course at St Andrews.
Walked the Swilken Bridge between the first and eighteenth fairways.
It’s considered the oldest golf course in the world dating back to the 1400s.
And the “home of golf“.
It’s surprising flat — unless you land in one of 112 bunkers.
It’s surprisingly easy to find your ball — unless you land in the razor sharp gorse.
The wind and weather are a big challenge.
Here I am adjusting my putt for wind on the Himalaya Yellow Nine.
National Wallace Monument, Stirling, Scotland
I tripped to Stirling to visit a monument celebrating my buddy from Saskatoon ➙ Bill Wallace. 😀
Wallace Monument (1869) commemorates Sir William Wallace, a 13th- and 14th-century Scottish hero.
Yep, it was Mel Gibson, the drunk, homophobe, anti-Semite, who played William Wallace in the film.
The clash at Stirling Bridge sequence in that movie is considered by critics to be one of the all-time best-directed battle scenes.
It’s a bus ride from the train station.
Take the free shuttle up. Walk down the signposted path.
It was WINDY up there.
But offers terrific vistas.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I CUT my Mobile Phone Bill in Half
Canada has some of the worst mobile phone service / costs in the world.
And I hate mobile phones at any price.
SOMEHOW I ended up paying Bell Canada $80 / month.
I’d only gone with Bell because they supposedly had the best coverage on one part of Vancouver Island. (It seemed just as crappy as the rest.). AND for their 30 day holiday add-on plans.
Bell dropped the 30 day plans in 2023, alongside the other major carriers.
WhistleOut recommended Public and Freedom Mobile as the best options for Canadians who want combined Canada + USA coverage. My bill went to $36.70 /month. Pay as I go. Cancel anytime.
No surprise ➙ once I switched I got a phone call from Bell offering me something for $40 / month. No USA coverage.
Planning for TRAVEL 2024
Update May 31, 2024
Last year was excellent for cycling and hiking in Europe. I want to do more of the same in 2024.
Click PLAY or watch my 2023 hiking highlights on YouTube.
March 2024 I made my first trip. Down to Couer d’Alene, Idaho for the Great West Gym Fest, visiting friends on the way there and back.
Enjoyed my 4th year in a row downhill skiing and winter hiking in Banff.
UPDATE ➙ I landed Edinburgh, Scotland on June 1st.
Next flying to Dubrovnik to visit Croatia for the first time.
I left my bike and gear in Munich. Planning to pick it up around July 1st.
Summer 2024 I’m thinking to cycle the Rhine north ➙ Continue up to Denmark. ➙ Ferry to the Faroe Islands ➙ And on to Iceland.
I’ll fly out of Reykjavík.
I’ll start on parts of the Eurovela 15 – Rhine Cycle Route.
As the Deutschland Rail ticket is still next to free in 2024, I’d hop local trains as needed in Germany.
Click PLAY or watch the first week on YouTube.
I’m booked July 27th to Aug 8th, for the Faroe Islands. I’ve long wanted to get there.
Likely I’ll be cycling solo. No problem.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Right now I’m considering flying back to Scotland late September.
And possibly Everest Base Camp in October.
Dreaming …
Cycling 15,000 km across Asia – in two minutes
Wow.
Of these nations, the one that appeals to me most is Iran.
Second most … Turkey.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
My NEW DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone
I’ve been really enjoying flying drones.
Mine was the dumbest — and least expensive — in the DJI line-up, the Mini SE drone.
Getting ready for hiking / cycling 2024, I upgraded to a DJI Mini 4 Pro. (My old drone broke in Idaho.)
Click PLAY or watch samples on YouTube.
I now have the DJI RC-N2 controller with the built-in screen. And no longer need to hook up my phone.
I got the full Fly More Kit which includes 3 batteries, charging hub, carrying case, and extras.
Not inexpensive at CAD $1500 including tax.
Of course buying a warranty is essential. I paid CAD $170 (USD $125) / 2 years. I can replace the drone carcass up to 3 times. But IF I lose the drone, no warranty coverage.
I bought some accessories, as well:
- BRDRC Mini 4 Pro ND64 Lens Filter CAD $25 (probably won’t use it)
- Lanyard Neck Strap for DJI Mini 4 Pro CAD $18
- STARTRC Propeller Holder CAD $16
I could have gone for the less expensive Mini 2, or Mini 3, but decided on the 4 for these features:
- 360 degree obstacle avoidance
- better low light video
- it has a built-in light, so I can see the drone in the sky at dusk or dawn
- vertical video in 4K
- more Quickshot options
Most importantly, super powerful Activetrack options. The drone will follow-me wherever I go, avoiding obstacles so I need not manually watch it every second. This is ideal for cycling.
Summing Up
I’ll shoot video in 2024 with drone, iPhone, and Ace Pro Action Camera
My guru is DC Rainmaker.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Cycling Iceland’s Westfjords
I’ll be arriving Seydisfjordur on the east coast via ferry on Aug. 8th, 2024.
Some buses and vans in Iceland transport bicycles. So I’ll probably cycle and bus, working my way to the west coast.
The most popular cycling area is the westfjords.
I really enjoyed a brief stop on the Westfjords (or West Fjords) during my 2011 rent-a-car tour of Iceland.
Very mountainous; the coastline heavily indented by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills. These indentations make roads very circuitous. Sounds like the west coast of Norway.
Total total population in 2020 was 7,115.
CHRIS BURKARD put together a gravel tour of the region he called WESTFJORDS WAY.
- 575 Mi.(925 KM)
- 40% unpaved
- pushing your bike about 10% of the time
Biggest worries for me riding solo are the weather — “Riding in fjords guarantees a headwind and a tailwind. The wind can be so severe that it will push you off your bike …” — and the remoteness. Not many bike shops or resupply points.
BUT I downloaded Lael’s map from the adventure to Komoot. So I’m ready to try it if I get the chance one day.
In a perfect world where everything goes right 😀 … I might even try it summer 2024 as part of my planned Norway & Faroe Islands cycling tour.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Rick McCharles 
