Australian Convict Sites

Australian Convict Sites - UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for Australian Convict Sites: The property includes a selection of eleven penal sites, among the thousands established by the British Empire on Australian soil in the 18th and 19th centuries. The sites are spread across Australia, from Fremantle in Western Australia to Kingston and Arthur’s Vale on Norfolk Island in …

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Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage inscription: The coastal area of Belize is an outstanding natural system consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, several hundred sand cays, mangrove forests, coastal lagoons and estuaries. The system’s seven sites illustrate the evolutionary history of reef development and are …

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Lord Howe Islands Group

Lord Howe Islands Group

From the World Heritage inscription for the Lord Howe Island Group: Located in the South Pacific, 700 km north-east of Sydney, the property is included administratively in New South Wales. The preserve includes some 75% of the land area of Lord Howe Island and all of the offshore islands and rocks of significant size in …

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All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Traveling Around the World

With all due respect to Robert Fulghum, you can learn a lot more traveling than you can in kindergarten. Here are some of the things I learned from traveling around the world for five years: Be patient. You will experience flight delays, screwed up food orders and lost hotel reservations. Take it in stride. I …

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20 Breathtaking Images of South Africa

In 2010 I had the pleasure of visiting South Africa as a guest of South Africa tourism. I visited the remote Kimberly Region in the North West Province, Cape Town and areas around Johannesburg. I was able to do and see many incredible things including: a live capture on a game farm, get in the …

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21 Photos That Will Make You Want to Go to Switzerland

Prior to setting out in 2007, I explored the world on the maps of Risk and Axis and Allies. Via dice rolling and troop movements I was able to explore most of the world, but there was also one place I couldn’t go: Switzerland. It was a big greyed out area on the map where …

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Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

Old and New Towns of Edinburgh

From the World Heritage inscription: Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15th century. It has two distinct areas: the Old Town, dominated by a medieval fortress; and the neoclassical New Town, whose development from the 18th century onwards had a far-reaching influence on European urban planning. The harmonious juxtaposition of these two contrasting …

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Why I Am Not One Lucky Bastard

One common thread I’ve noticed when people interact with me is that they will often refer to me as being “lucky”. “You are so lucky to be able to travel that much!” “You are so lucky to have visited Fiji!” “You are so lucky to have gone to the Rugby World Cup!” With my latest …

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New Lanark

New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site, Scotland

From the New Lanark World Heritage inscription: When Richard Arkwright’s new factory system for textile production was brought to New Lanark the need to provide housing and other facilities for the workers and managers was recognized. It was there that Robert Owen created a model for industrial communities that was to spread across the world …

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