This place in Uzbekistan is called by locals “The Door to Hell”. It is situated near the small town of Darvaz.
Geologists lit the gas leaking out of the cavern once upon a time. It’s been burning since, for 35 years without stop.
more photos – EnglishRussia.com
(via Adventure Blog)
The standard tourist trip to Fern Grotto. And a side trip hike to Secret Falls.
We LOVED it.
original – flickr – Californie
Fern grotto.
On the hike.
all my photos from the day – flickr
We saw two. Including this one in a tidal pool on the south coast:
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
We don’t believe it’s a half-banded snake eel. Looks more like a sea snake.
In Zimbabwe, Africa, you will find the magnificent Victoria Falls,at a height of 128m. The location is known as the “Devil’s Swimming Pool”. During the months of September and December, people can swim as close as possible to the edge of the falls without falling over. These falls are becoming well known amongst the “radical tourist” industry, when more and more people search for the ultimate experience.
more photos on the Snopes message board
Thanks George.
In related stupidity on the edge of a waterfall, today we visited the Fantasy Island waterfall in Kauai, Hawaii:
Tradition holds that Hawaiians once dove these Falls as evidence of their manhood. Many died. And many have died from jumping and accidental falls since.
Over a one week period a few years ago, three 22-year-olds leapt. None died. All were badly injured. All evacuated by helicopter.
Photos posted to make Rob Glaser jealous … inspired for his own family holiday in Hawaii later this year.
more pics in this set – flickr
I forget which 5 star resort we were crashing that evening.
I’ve been advocating a paperless future.
Yet, … I find myself still somewhat envious of those reading books, now that I’ve given them up.
There’s something about a hammock and a good read. Especially on a holiday.
I crashed the Mason family holiday in Kaua’i. We’re having a great time.
I’m still waiting for a reply about my lost luggage from Air Canada CEO Montie Brewer. He invites all valued customers to tell him what they really think.
Here’s another goofball Air Canada cost savings suggested in an hilarious post Dana forwarded to me penned by SCOTT FESCHUK in MacLeans magazine:
… The process is simple! Upon arriving at the airport, you go to one of those convenient electronic kiosks, stand in line behind someone who’s never used the kiosk before, sigh wearily as countless minutes of your mortal lifetime drain away, stab the clueless person ahead of you in the back with a pen, step over his bloody corpse, enter your booking reference number, watch the system crash, endure the system rebooting, stab yourself in the thigh with a pen and then print out your boarding pass and your baggage tags!
Then you just step back over the corpse (it’ll be there until Air Canada rolls out its new Self-Body-Bagging technology in the spring), attach the tags to your luggage, place the bags on a conveyor belt, fuel the jet, replace a gasket on its starboard engine, scrub the front and back lavatories — and you’re ready to sit back, relax and fly. …
If you hate airlines, read the entire article. It’s Hunter S Thompson funny / true.
image – Air Canada: A Review
I put Montie’s name in the title as he’s bound to have some lackey surveying the www to see what we happy customers are saying about him.
“Stand Down, Monty, Stand Down.”
I’ve been getting major dental work in Mazatlán over the past week. Perhaps you’ve been feeling sorry for me on my Mexican Dental Vacation … as I’m spending so much time in the chair.
I don’t need your pity.
I hopped a plane — as clearly I needed a vacation from Mexico — next morning joining my friends the Masons on a cruise of the Na Pali cliffs of Jurassic Park fame.
Kaua’i – larger original – flickr – iShot71
It was just as amazing as we expected. One of the great vistas of the world.
We snorkeled under these cliffs, the highlight for me being the first sea turtle I’ve seen in the wild. What an amazing sight.
I posted a few photos of the trip to flickr.
The name “Mazatlán” derives from the Nahuatl Indian word “Mazatl,” which means “deer.” Therefore, “Mazatlán” is the “Land of the Deer.”
Miscreants from a rival nearby city, Culiacan, lassoed the beloved Monumento Venado, the iconic Mazatlán deer statue, and broke it.
making repairs – yod
The deer back in full glory, in front of my hotel:
Here’s the view from atop Hotel Siesta:
And traditional musicians for hire across the street on the ocean promenade:
more photos of Maz – flickr
I had a great time there once again. El Centro in Maz is almost a home away from home these days.
