Posts Tagged ‘travels’
Posted on June 21, 2012, 12:10 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
There are several hot springs around Fairbanks. They were discovered around the turn of the 19th century by miners seeking an escape from the cold. The most easily accessed is Chena Hot Springs, which is the terminus of its own highway (Chena Hot Springs Rd), 46 miles East of Fairbanks. All water around Fairbanks is […]
Posted on June 15, 2012, 1:23 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
In South Korea, I had stayed at hostels and at a “love motel”. In the fishing village of Seongsang Ilchulbong, I was going to try a third category of accommodation, a “minbak”: room for rent in a private home. Arriving quite late after hiking Mt Halassan, disoriented after getting out of the bus, I called […]
Posted on May 17, 2012, 12:28 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Winter lasts more than half of the year in Fairbanks. The snowpack is established by October and remains until May. From November to March, all the water is frozen solid. Besides the fact that the month of March is the most favorable for photographing the Aurora in Alaska, another reason to visit Fairbanks at this […]
Posted on May 11, 2012, 12:15 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The Dalton Highway has the reputation of being one of the most dangerous roads in the world. It is one of the northernmost roads, crossing well into the Arctic, and reaching the highest road point in Alaska that is maintained throughout the year, Atigun Pass. Then there is the extreme remoteness. Along its 414 miles […]
Posted on May 2, 2012, 11:41 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Last winter, I traveled from March 12 to March 23 with my friend Regis Vincent to Alaska to seek the Aurora Borealis, also called Northern Lights. Since this was my first attempt, I sought to maximize chances of seeing the Aurora: Auroral activity is strongest slightly above the Polar Circle, which in North America is […]
Posted on April 17, 2012, 5:05 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
When I strolled the streets of Daegu (fourth largest city in South Korea), I saw a pedestrian street lined up with retail stores for many outdoor gear brands, including Millet and Lafuma, two French brands that I’ve hardly seen anywhere in the US. On the Namsam Mountain, near Gyeongju, there were as many hikers as […]
Posted on March 21, 2012, 11:00 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Upon arriving in Gyeongju, I headed towards the Hanjin Hostel, conveniently situated a few blocks from the bus station. When traveling overseas solo, I prefer to stay at hostels because the management is usually a useful resource, and speaks English, a big plus in a country with a strange script. I’ve found that hostels often […]
Posted on March 14, 2012, 11:00 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The rest of the World Heritage sites are scattered around the country. My schedule was made possible by two factors. South Korea is a country of compact size – an hour by plane from north to south. The transportation infrastructure is very efficient and quite inexpensive. In the morning, I took a high-speed train from […]
Posted on March 1, 2012, 4:58 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
When traveling to a country for the first time, I often select places to visit based on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The international program lists and helps preserve sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. What makes it significant is that although listing of a site is approved […]
Posted on February 16, 2012, 1:38 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Last fall, before I traveled to Vietnam for a family visit, I noticed that most flights had connections in Seoul. Thanks to my wife and sister-in-law influences, I’ve watched a few 15-episode Korean TV dramas, but I’d never been in the country, so I was curious to check it out. While on the Asiana (excellent […]
