New Zealand

New Zealand is one of my favorite places in the entire world … particularly the southern Island city of Queenstown.

This is the world’s adventure capital and I just love the place!

When I first traveled there in 1992, I visited AJ Hackett’s bridge, where bungee jumping started … but wasn’t brave enough to jump. I decided that IF I ever returned, I would jump. And on my 33rd birthday, I returned with my wife to Queenstown and fulfilled that promise. I hopped out of the bus, ran to the bridge and was first to jump … I did NOT want to watch others jump first.

Here I am before the jump:

During the jump!

Went skiing in the Remarkables and at Coronet Peak:

And then, went on a Shotover Jet ride (a really fast boat that drives perilously close to rocks in the canyon)!

There are so many fun things to do in New Zealand … can’t wait to go back!

Angola

Angola's modern capital city Jim's Perspectives: The country of Angola has been difficult to visit, mostly due to the process of obtaining a Visa to travel here has been so cumbersome. In 2018, I had to fly up to Washington DC, get fingerprinted, supply multiple...

Iraq

Wow, quite a trip to Iraq. There were several ISIS-inspired bombings in Baghdad just before my arrival, which made me second guess my decision to go there. However, after speaking with Douglas Layton, the President of the Kurdistan Iraq Tours, I was reassured of my...

Czech Republic

Jim looking at the Astronomical clock in Prague, Czech Republic Country Information: Czech Republic, which gained independence in 1993. The capital is Prague and the official language is Czech. About 10.5 million people live here. The country used to be primarily...