South Africa is a dramatic blend of cultures and stunning landscapes, forming a veritable smorgasbord of flavors for all five senses. It has two oceans, the finest of wines, a fascinating history and an optimistic future. And to top it all off, South Africa also has more ostriches than any other country on earth. Now…
It is December the 23rd and I am thinking of a roast turkey with cranberry sauce and a steaming pile of delicious Brussels sprouts. Outside, through the frosted window pane is a world of the purest white, while inside, amongst the stacks of pillows, exists warmth, homely comforts and soft familiarity. Christmas presents lie stacked…
A sharp sting to my earlobe was the first indication that something had gone horribly wrong with my plan. Evidently I had underestimated the size of mesh covering my face while simultaneously overestimating the quality of the bee suite. The ants were supposed to be on the outside whilst I was supposed to be safe…
As a naturalist freelance writer in Costa Rica I usually have a wonderfully, as they say, tranquilo lifestyle. I amble through forests checking out birds, monkeys and fascinating insects, or else I get to trek through the peaceful hills in search of the ideal serene and beautiful vacation destination. Sometimes I break a sweat (such…
Frogs and toads, cold-blooded herptiles (amphibians and reptiles) can be found on every continent except Antarctica. The name originates from ancient Greek, roughly translating to “loathsome yucky thing which crawls on its belly.” They have been around since the Jurassic period, sharing the world with the likes of Tyrannosaurus rex, and were the first creatures…
It is pitch black, an evening tarred with solid darkness, and the air feels thick and syrupy. It engulfs me in satin, a sensation akin to confinement, but there is nothing I can do about it. I feel my unwanted companion, Mr. Claustrophobia, creeping into my consciousness using his tendrils of fear to agitate and…
FROM DEEP within the towering jungle, at the very extremity of the coffee plantation, a spine-chilling noise is heard by all. Hooves and claws drum upon the ground, branches crack, animals wail in fear. The workers down tools and stare in dread towards the forest; they know what’s out there, they know what’s coming. Panicked…
If strangler fig trees lived in my native England, oh what a happy childhood I would have had. Such bizarre twisted forms, full of caverns and convolutions, perfect for climbing, perfect for boyhood adventures. However, they do not grow in Europe, or anywhere else outside of the tropics, so now I make up for my…
GALAPAGOS First published in Global Adventure, October 2004. I have always been rather fond of boobies, lovely things that they are. I saw my first pair on a television program at an impressionable young age and fell in love instantly, vowing that when and if I [eventually] grew up I should like to see as…
“You know what your problem is, Dale?” I was once told by a doctor. “It’s that you have a size hang-up!” It was a rather insulting statement I thought, and one that caused me to feel a flush of annoyance, requiring some personal effort to conceal. “Once you get over that hang-up though, a new…