Posted on July 7, 2011, 2:25 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The three first hikes in this series may have given the impression that to see something out of the beaten path in Yosemite, you need to venture out of established trails, on exposed or strenuous paths. This could well be true of Yosemite Valley, so unique and so full of landmarks such as Yosemite Falls […]
Posted on June 20, 2011, 11:36 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
After the Green Sand Beach and Waipio Valley, the Mauna Kea Summit was my third destination on the Big Island that required 4WD, because of a steep, unpaved road. When I arrived at the visitor center, at 9,000 feet, I was still trying to dry up my clothes, drenched while working in the rainforest of […]
For a change from working in the rain in Hawaii Volcanoes NP, I drove to South Point, the southern tip of the island of Hawaii. The access to Papakolea Beach consisted of a maze of badly rutted vehicle tracks, along the coast, alternatively sandy and rocky. A four wheel drive was definitively necessary. Hiking would […]
Posted on June 8, 2011, 11:02 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
The Hawaiian islands are further away from a major land mass than any other in the world. Over the span of about 70 million years, plants and animals managed to make the voyage to the once barren islands and to colonize it, at the rate of one every 70000 years, and then evolving into more […]
Posted on June 3, 2011, 8:10 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Halemaumau crater – home to Pele, Goddess of Hawaiian Volcanoes according to the traditions of Hawaiian mythology – is a pit crater located within the larger summit caldera of Kīlauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. During my previous two visits to the Park, a decade ago, Halemaumau crater was inactive. I remember standing at the […]
Posted on May 31, 2011, 1:08 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
This was taken across the street from the Anvil Motel. As Mike Cavaroc told me, their “Internet special” discount makes it the least expensive lodging in town. I spent my days in Grand Teton National Park, so I photographed Jackson at night. Turned out that everything in town looked better at night, even the iconic […]
Posted on May 1, 2011, 12:00 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Jackson Hole airport provides a convenient access to Grand Teton National Park. One would be hard pressed to find a closer an airport closer to a National Park, since for some reason Jackson Hole airport is within the boundaries of the park ! Without yet a replacement for my totaled trusty Subaru, I chose to […]
Posted on April 18, 2011, 9:21 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
More Yellowstone Winter Wildlife pictures All Yellowstone Winter pictures The official winter season (during which lodges and roads are open) generally lasts from mid-December to the beginning of March. If I was to return to Yellowstone in winter, I would pick mid to end January. At the beginning of winter, the Park may not have […]
Posted on April 14, 2011, 10:00 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
In the past, I have visited Yellowstone at three different times of the year, in July, September, and late October. I have always wanted to come back in the winter, and eventually got around to doing it this February. Part of the reason it had taken me so long are the logistics, which I’ll detail […]
Posted on March 29, 2011, 9:23 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
After scrambling to arrange transportation in Penang, and then Melaka, things went more smoothly for Singapore. Upon arriving at the bus station in Melaka City, I promptly bought tickets for the next day from one of the many companies providing service to that major city-state. Singapore is known for its strict laws. At the immigration […]
