Alberta

Fun in the Snow – Banff, Lake Louise, Fernie, Revelstoke, Sun Peaks, Castle & Couch Surfers

June 14, 2011 by Sam

Living in Banff during the winter can certainly be fun. Despite summer being the ‘busy’ season, winter offers downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowboarding of course, tobogganing and plenty of other excitement. If you’re planning a ski holiday, or heading to snowy paradise this winter for relaxation and the possibility of snow sports be aware […]

Filed Under: Alberta, Blog, Canada Tagged With: Alberta, Banff, Canada, Fun, Skiing, Snow, Snowboarding, snowshoeing, Snowsports

Banff – A Little Canadian Mountain Town

June 14, 2011 by Sam

Early December to End of April Having spent close to five months in this little mountain town I thought I should share some thoughts on Banff. On the positives Banff is relatively small with a nice main street lined with plenty of bars, restaurants and cafes; as well as retail stores and gift shops (If […]

Filed Under: Alberta, Blog, Canada Tagged With: Alberta, Banff, Canada, Canadian Rockies, National Park, Skiing

Places to visit in the Top of the South Island of New Zealand

Visiting the South Island? The top of the South Island has a lot to offer! Heard of Golden Bay? Considered hiking or kayaking in the Abel Tasman National Park? Looking to enjoy spectacular landscapes and potentially spot dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds? You just gotta visit… Farewell Spit Farewell Spit is at the northwestern tip […]

9 Unbelievably Gorgeous Coromandel Beaches and Some Pigs

We were after an ‘escape’ from Auckland, we wanted beautiful beaches, great landscapes, delicious food, relaxation and various accommodation options to choose from, to top things off we didn’t want to travel far. Luckily the Coromandel Peninsula exists, and it offers all of this and more! Pigs were not considered. Travel by: Car Time needed: […]

Places To Visit In The Lower South Island of New Zealand

Renee and I recently did a one week trip to the South Island of New Zealand, to visit my sister and do a little exploration around this beautiful section of the country. Renee did a lot of research into where to visit (and camp) on this trip and put together what I consider a pretty amazing itinerary, […]

Whitewater Rafting a 21 Foot Waterfall

Whitewater rafting is definitely cool – it’s an extreme* sport where all you have to do is sit on an oversized rubber duck and float down a river. Not too much work so great for a fun holiday activity! Plus you don’t need prior experience – the guide will tell you what to do. All […]

2013 Auckland Diwali Festival Photos

Held in Aotea square in central Auckland, the Diwali Festival – Auckland cities celebration of the five day Hindu festival is well worth a visit. Diwali translates into “row of lamps”, roughly translated as “the festival of lights”, and signifies the triumph of good over evil. It offers many stands of scrumptious Indian food, and act after […]

An Amazing Hike up to Angels Landing

Angels Landing in Zion National Park provides a little danger, thrills and some stunning views. It’s not a walk for uncontrollable children (we’ve all seen them) or those scared of heights. While only a five mile roundtrip it usually takes five hours to complete due to the steepness of the trail and the technical element […]

English as Your First Language, Blessing or a Curse?

This post originated when I was asked to enter the Kaplan blogging competition. So if you find my words interesting, entertaining, or if you’d just like to help me win something please head over to the Kaplan competition page here and leave a comment along the lines of “I vote for SamsPlayground.com”. Thanks a million. […]

Don’t Get Eaten! Bear Safety Tips

I’ve seen black, brown and grizzly bears in the wild numerous times now, I’ve never had a bad encounter with one so what follows is a summary of all the information I’ve gained from a variety of sources – from reading, from park rangers and from locals I met in Alaska. For me, bears are […]

Planning For Two Months in Alaska

Months of waiting are finally over, we’re now only one day from stepping foot in Alaska for the first time. Have to say I’m pretty excited. However, I’ve found people’s responses vary quite differently when I say Renee and I are heading to Alaska for two months before New Zealand. Some people instantly understand, they […]

Antelope Island State Park

Since Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks we’d driven south passing through Wyoming, the corner of Idaho where we saw the Bear Lake Wildlife Reserve and into Utah. The road to Antelope Island took us through Cache National Forest which had beautiful mountain and river scenery in its own right [Just wait for more on Utah, […]