Like so many 80-mile Long Island, Bahamas has a rough side and a calm side. One side has the dramatic cliffs and caves of the east coast that front the crashing Atlantic waves. The west side has soft, sandy beaches that lead into the Bahamas Bank.

The start of the 7th Leg of the Volvo Ocean Race in Boston.

The Sandinista revolution is perhaps what most people think about when they think of Nicaragua. But as with so many other Central American countries, Nicaragua is a place rich with culture, sites, and opportunity for tourists.
With the help of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the country has been trying to recover from the ravages of war, but this recovery has been made harder by inflation and high unemployment. Still, Nicaragua has been dealing with the problems of the past and as success arrives, more and more people …

One of the easiest ways to start your trip off right is to make sure you get to your destination smoothly. Since most people fly it is important to know a few things that will keep you safer and make your experince much more pleasant. If you have any ideas to contribute please email us.

Pictures of beautiful Split and Trogir on the Croatia coast.

The Island Biševo is made up of limestone and has numerous sea caves along the coast of the island, which may be visited by boat. This cave picture here is Modra Špilja, the Blue Grotto.

Keep your money safe from thiefs or just figuring out exchange rates and other currency issues are important. Here are some ideas on how to make it easier for you. If you have any ideas to contribute please email us.

Knowing certain things before you head out can help you avoid the headaches and inconveniences that can ruin a great trip. We’re compiling tips for everything from keeping your money safe to information on what you’ll need to do before hitting the road. If you have any ideas to contribute please email us.

Turkey is truly the meeting place of Europe and the Middle East. Although, generally, Turkey is considered a middle eastern country, its main hub Istanbul has a European feel with old world charm. This bustling city is a doorway into a country that has two distinct sides.

Since 2500 B.C., the cultures that grew into the modern state of India have been involved in a wild dance of religion and politics that make the India of today one of the most colorful, culturally rich, hyperintense, and interesting places in the world. The culture, politics, and economic effects can run to such extremes, in fact, that tourists have often been divided in to “love” and “hate” groups when it comes to appreciating all India has to offer, in relation to the trials one must at times undergo to enjoy it.

The Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road located on Australia’s Shipwreck Coast.

Mongolia is one of the world’s most untamed countries. This exotic land may be considered the last frontier in Asia, and despite a history that includes such all-powerful warlords and diplomats as Ghengis and Kublai Khan–roving horsemen who’s bands of warrior-statesmen were responsible for unifying the largest empire in history–it seems amazing this country has kept it’s independence, existing between such giants as China and Russia. But Mongolia survives, through harsh winters, a serious lack of infrastructure, and few natural resources… In Mongolia, you are nothing if not a survivor.

Much of early history centers itself around an area known as the “Fertile Crescent,” referring to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in present-day Iraq. Many ancient kingdoms were borne out of this region, including the Assyrians, Sumerians, and Babylonians–whose legendary King Hammurabi penned the enormously important Code of Hammurabi, one of the most significant legal doctrines of all time.

Papua New Guinea has vast natural resources, but exploitation of them is difficult due to rugged terrain and the high cost of developing an infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for most of the population, while mineral deposits, such as oil, copper, and gold, account for a large part of export earnings.

The settlement of Rock Sound on Eleuthera Island, Bahamas was originally called New Portsmouth.

Take a look at some of the beautiful sites of Black Point, Exumas, Bahamas.

The sultanate of Oman is a land of friendly people and magnificent landscapes–so the world is finding out as this corner of the Middle East emerges from a long period of isolation. Oman is one of the most traditional countries in the Middle East, but as it slowly comes out of its shell, it’s beginning to look more toward the future than the past.
The many forts were built during the years when Oman was an imperial power tied to Portugal and later Britain. When the British left the region, Oman …

Best known for the war that was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the British, this colony of Britain is still a lonely outpost of only about 4000 inhabitants, mainly consisting of British military personnel. The residents of the Falkland Islands are typically descended from the British, and culture there–while unique in many ways–is, itself, British through and through.

We awoke after New Years to another beautiful Bahamian day. Today we were going to cross the Great Bahama Bank, 57 miles of ocean between 6 and 12 feet deep. The Northwest Channel, the eastern most part shouldn’t be done at dark as there is only a small opening between two very dangerous reefs. Most boats end up anchoring somewhere miles from land due to the vast amount of ground that is unable to be covered in one day. I wanted to get going early as we would be slowest boat in our four boat armada. Sirius, Highlander, Freedonia and Bumbre would all be crossing the bank today and we hoped to anchor together for safety sake. After going over and getting the scoop from some dive boats on the “local cut”, the way out of Bimini harbor at low tide we decided to head off. Jen wasn’t to sure about leaving before high tide, but I knew that if we wanted to get across the bank in two day we better get going so we headed out. Everyone else would be following at various times, but we were the guinea pigs to try the “local cut”. I follow the direction on how to get out, but before I got to the critical point, I bailed out and left the “high tide” way. I did this for two reason, the first was that I saw I was past the shallowest part of the channel entrance into Bimini and the second reason was there was a 50 sailboat hard aground directly in my path on the “local cut” route so I figured it was safer to go the old fashion way.

Senegal is a favorite destination among tourists to Western Africa. With its eventful history, serene plains and farmland, luxurious seaside resorts, and bustling capital Dakar, Senegal stands out among its neighbors and peers as very much a “go to” spot.

We didn’t get going until; 8:55 , and really didn’t know where we were heading, just thought we would go until we found a good anchorage. So off we went past Amelia Island, and soon we were approaching the St. John’s River, which heads down into Jacksonville. We knew we wanted to get south to St. Augustine so we just headed straight across the St. John’s River and kept heading south.

I woke up early the next day, around 5AM hoping to be able to sneak out of the creek before day break. Up on deck I decided it would be wiser to wait for some more light before venturing out. So at about 5:55AM when the light of day started to brighten the horizon to the east we headed out of Indian Creek. Jen was just getting up, but if we wanted to have any chance of making Norfolk that day we needed to maximize the light of day.

Switzerland, sometimes referred to as the “island inside Europe,” is a land with many identies. From its busy banking centers in the cities to the lovely mountains and Alpine villages, Switzerland is also a land of many contrasts. The robust culture of this country is exemplified by the four different languages spoken by its population: German, French, Italian, and the native Romansch.

There we were, all three of us–my dad, Jen, and myself–lying in our respective beds. I was listening to the rain patter on the deck wondering thousands of things at once: “Did I forget anything?”; “Is it going to stop raining so we can get out of here in the morning?”; “Is this really the smart thing to be doing with my life, instead of slaving away behind a desk working for the man?” I didn’t know the answers to any of them. But I did know one thing: I was about to find out whether or not I was ready for this trip. Perhaps I should digress and go back a few days to when we were frantically getting ready to go.

Here are some images from Bumbre’s journey of Annapolis, Maryland

Macau is known more for its multitude of casinos and capitalist leanings than for its colored history or the policies of its current administrator. Still, history shines through the glitzy surface of Macau: there is a distinct air of colonial Portugal in its cobble-stone streets, open markets, and historic architecture. And as Macau has transformed itself from colonial underdog to wealthy destination, it is now undergoing another transformation, trying to attract a less adult and more family-oriented kind of tourist.

Being so close the United States has made the Bahamas one of the easiest of the “island paradises” to visit. From its sprawling capitol Nassau, to its many smaller islands, the Bahamas have everything other Caribbean islands have and more. The Bahamas are made up of 700 islands and 2500 cays, which make it a wonderful place for sailing and diving, and with so many locations, you’ll never get bored.

We had not been out on the boat in over a month–a few weddings and visiting friends and family had kept us away–so by the time August came, we were ready to do a little cruising in the warmer dryer summer months. I had been on the boat for a week, doing work on her and getting her ready for a long weekend of cuising the Elizabeth Islands.

Pictures from Cuttyhunk Island, part of the Elizabeth Island’s, off Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

For our first voyage from our new home port, we wanted something simple. And since we hadn’t outfitted the boat completely, we needed a destination with a restuarant, or it would be cheese and crackers for dinner. We went down to the boat Friday night in order to wake up on board and head out to our next destination as early as possible: Mattapoisett.

It’s not unlikely this will happen to you at some point in your life–whether they contact you through the mail, solicit by telephone or, like my wife and I, you make the grave mistake of entering in a “contest” at a trade show–you may one day have someone try to sell you a timeshare.

We bought our sailboat in November, but by May we had yet to take her for a sail. As I explained to my nervous wife how to release the dock lines we prepared to for our maiden voyage. It was nothing much really, just a nice sail around Boston Harbor, then an overnight in Hull, Massachusetts, at the entrance to Hingham Bay, but since we were departing from Hingham, this wasn’t the most ambitious plan. We just wanted to start to get to know our new friend a little.

Here are some scenes of marker flags form the New Orleans Jazzfest.

Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 260,000 (2008 census), nearly 80 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas (330,000). Lynden Pindling International Airport, the major airport for The Bahamas, is located about 10 miles (16 kilometres) west of Nassau city centre, and has daily flights to major cities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The city is located on the island of New Providence, which functions much like a federal district. While there is no local government, it is governed directly as an administrative division of the national government.

My work tells me the market is not going anywhere, and if it does the direction is likely to be down. We are probably in one of these extended flat periods that can serve as an alternative to a gut wrenching bottom. I hope so, but what is the evidence we may go down?
First, this appears to be a major bear market in the category of 1929-1932 and 1973-1974. Such declines are marked by major changes in the economy and the way the investors perceive equities. So far there is …

Here are some photographs of the giant Aquarium in the Atlantis Resort in Nassau Bahamas.

The 9th-century founding of Novgorod by the Viking Rurik initiated a more than thousand-year history of wealth and war, trial and loss, conquest, Communism, and tyranny. The monarchic splendor and seething peasant ideology of old Russia, coupled with the complex social, economic, and political changes brought about during the Soviet era, survive today in one form or another in what is possibly the most enigmatic yet of this country’s many incarnations.

Montserrat was once called the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean,” a phrase coined by Columbus. It is graced with lush mountains and landscape crowned by three towering volcanoes. Unfortunately, one of those volcanoes–the Soufrière Hills volcano–erupted in 1995, making most of the island uninhabitable.

The capital of the US Virgin Islands and the biggest cruise port in the Caribbean. It’s named for a Danish Queen, and the streets wind their ways though colonial architecture.

Photos from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

Panama has a checkered past, but as a modern country it runs one of the world’s most important waterways, the Panama Canal, and has built for itself a large offshore investing business. From its capitol at Panama City to its rainforests and rich coastlines, Panama is a beautiful land, but it suffers from increasing crime and an uncertain government.

Backpacking has gotten more and more popular as a form of traveling, and for obvious reasons: for people going to multiple destinations, carrying gear on your back helps keep you mobile while having everything you need at arm’s length. But as more “nomadic” travelers are heading out in the world, the packs they carry seem to get bigger and bigger.

Photographs from a trip to Rome, Italy in the fall of 2002

A look at pictures from Vatican City taken in the fall of 2002.

Shots from Florence including Michelangelo’s statue of David and Ghilberti’s bronze doors.

These pictures from the mountain town of Interlaken, Switzerland.

These photos of Paris were taken on a visit to Paris in the fall of 2002.

Filled with inspiring gothic churches and wonderful stone buildings, walking the quiet cobbled lanes gives the feeling of going back in time.

St. Lucia, which is one of the bigger islands in the Windward Island chain of the lower Caribbean, has done what most of the Caribbean islands have done after the tapering off of their once rich agriculture and exports industries: turned itself over to tourism. After the sugar industry collasped the islands of the Caribbean struggled to get by until airplane travel made visiting these once remote outposts just a few flight connections away. There are still some old fishing villages mixed in among the resorts and charter sailboat operations, but the main industry now is tourism and service.

With its harsh climate, geographic remoteness, and weak economy Chad is not a place where many tourists seek out. Chad is considered to be one of the poorest nations on earth, but it’s cities and other ancient attractions still make it an interesting place to go for the adventurous traveler.

Technically part of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are so unique, we thought they deserved a page of their own. Situated roughly 600 miles west of Ecuador, these islands were discovered in 1535 by the Spanish, and later claimed by Ecuador in 1832. But the first visitors to the Galapagos–the fauna that’s protected there today–arrived millions of years before.

Italy was the center of the world for much of early history; naturally, when you go there, you’ll want to immerse yourself in the past. Once upon a time the Italians were letting it all go to waste, but not any more. Now Italy has one of the biggest budgets in the world for restoration and upkeep of it’s historical buildings and artifacts. The problem is, there are so many pieces that need attention, it’s hard to keep up with it all. Whether they’re keeping the leaning tower of Pisa from leaning too far, or restoring a piece of renaissance art, Italy has more public historical treasures than most other countries combined.

These pictures on Lower Richardson Lake in the Rangley Lakes of Maine.

These photographs were taken on a sailing charter from St. Lucia to Grenada and back, in the summer of 2001.

These photographs were taken on a sailing charter from St. Lucia to Grenada and back, in the summer of 2001.

These photographs were taken on a sailing charter from St. Lucia to Grenada and back, in the summer of 2001.

EKU, I would say, became my staple. It was consistently available in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and had a good strong taste. Unlike Piton and Carib, whose tastes varied from good to piss, and sometimes had a flat taste, EKU was always refreshing and consistently tasted good.

These pictures from the Ukranian Coast were taken in Yalta.

Pictures from Greek Isles taken on Santorini, Rhodes, and Mykonos by Harman and Jen Stinson.

These pictures from the Ukranian Coast were taken in Odessa.

These pictures from Turkey were taken in Istambul, Dikili, and Ephesus in the fall of 2000.

When looking for a beer in the Windward Islands, the choices are not as abundant as they are in the beer aisle up north. In the Windwards, the choices are boiled down to two types of beer: lagers/pilsners (like Budweiser or Labatt’s) or Stouts (like Guinness). This may seem strange to someone coming from the land of micro-brews and the marketing great invention “Dry” beer, but this is the land of the Pina Colada and Daiquiri; it is my guess that beer is not as big a concern (neither is wine, but that is for another time) as rum. Being very adventurous in all forms of barley and hop-type beverages, I looked forward to trying every beer available to me.

Portland is a working class town and with a great New England feel.

These photographs were taken on a sailing charter from St. Lucia to Grenada and back, in the summer of 2001.