Namaqualand is located north of the fertile and prospering Cape Peninsula. It is bordered in the south by a small town called Garies, the east by the arid Pofadder, in the north by the mighty Orange River and in the west, it reaches the rugged coastline of the Atlantic Ocean.

This is an arid, dry semi-desert located in south-western Africa and extends more than 600 miles along the west coast. To get to this area, you first need to drive through the Swartland (named after it’s rich black soil) which is filled with healthy wheat fields, over the Olifants River Mountains into a valley, dense of citrus farms. North of this, you will encounter the extremely dry and harsh wilderness of Namaqualand where life is just to dry for anything to grow, or so you would think!

But after a short winter’s rainy season, a miracle occurs. This dry arid strip of desert on the west coast of South Africa, is transformed into an amazing rainbow wonderland of beauty, displaying desert wild flowers. The countless wildflowers spread over the wide plains like a very colourful carpet to mark the start of spring (August-October, depending of the rains). Most of these flowers belong to the different species of daisies.

These groups of flowers have no equal anywhere else on earth. Packed into this area is more that 3000 different plant species of which 40% are endemic, found nowhere else on earth. Thousands of tourists flock to this area during this time of the year to witness the stunning celebration of spring. Within 2 months, the season changes again, bringing dry and hot sunny days with scorching winds which turns this area back into it’s desert appearance.

This area is also rich in wildlife, anything from mammals, insects and reptiles to amphibians and great bird life. You will also find the rare bat-earned fox and even see the blue head lizard.

The Northern Cape is a very harsh world. The sun is extremely warm, baking the ground so it is rock hard. There is very high unemployment and poverty, but the people that were born here, has a great love of their place of birth. You can’t help but fall in love with this amazing place.

Botanists make trips to Namaqualand the same time each year for research or just the experience. Many rare species of succulents are found here, and many wish to study them.

Namaqualand is also valuable from a mineral point in history. Simon van der Stel sank a shaft in 1685 near Springbok and discovered copper here. This shaft still stands as a national monument together with the copper smelting chimney built in 1866.

Namaqualand is beautiful, a rare paradise beauty that has to be seen by the naked eye. No brush or camera can capture this amazing experience…

Lizel Salter is the author of Recipes from South Africa, a traditional recipe book. Read more about traveling to South Africa and traditional food by visiting recipesfromsouthafrica.com recipesfromsouthafrica.com

Tanzania is the ultimate safari destination; this article will highlight some of the adventures and activities you can have whilst on safari. Here we discuss a few different ways to enjoy your safari, to spice it with a little adventure.

Taking a safari on horse back is possible the best way to experience and see animals in the bush. The Western Kilimanjaro area is probably the most dramatically beautiful settings in Tanzania. The adventure safari itself brings breathtaking views and exhilarating encounters with some of Tanzania’s wildlife such as elephants, zebras, wildebeests and gazelles – all against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro. Exploring your environment on horseback is the perfect way to experience the Tanzania bush. The Kilimanjaro Horse Safari offers a wonderful and unique experience of true Tanzania. The contact for theses specialized safaris can be found at mahlatini.com/

An adventure canoeing safari has been introduced around one of lakes located in the Arusha National Park. The recently introduced canoeing safari on one of the parks momela lakes, has quickly become popular with visitors to the park. The canoeing Safari is being operated by an Arusha-based company, Green Footprints Adventure Limited. Within short period of its launching, already176 tourist have ventured for canoeing into the lake. More info can be seen on the Tanzania Parks website tanzaniaparks.com/

Sea fishing is available from most coastal towns and from the spice islands of Zanzibar, Pemba or Mafia. There is a wide variety of fishing available all with distinct seasons for each type of game fish. Fresh water fishing is possible from all the lakes and some rivers such as the Rufiji River in the Selous.

The hot air balloon safaris leave in the early morning from the Serona Valley in the central Serengeti. This part of the Serengeti has good concentrations of animals year round; ensuring whenever you take your flight there will be plenty to see. It is expensive but if you have come this far a few more dollars is worth the experience of seeing Tanzania from the air. There is only one company providing this service and it can be booked through all tour operators. The web site is balloonsafaris.com/

A different type of safari would be going to Tanzania and camping on a high plateau called the Kitulo Plateau and here high above the madding crowd is a secret sea of orchids. This National Park of wild flowers – in all its glorious color – is a delight to anyone who appreciates and loves the orchid in its natural setting. The Kitulo Plateau became Tanzania’s fourteenth National Park because unlike the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater, this park was not created for the protection of fauna but for the protection of the flora and in particular the orchid. Most good safari companies can give information about this.

Walking across the varied landscapes of Ngorongoro Conservation Area is an adventure although it is a hard slog and not for the faint heated ending with a climb up the active volcano Ol Donyo Lengai, 2878m (9650ft), in the heart of Maasai country. From the summit looking to the north are the hot barren salt flats of Lake Natron stretching into the distance, beyond lies the Kenyan border. To the south stretch the Ngorongoro Crater Highlands. On a good day, to the east is the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro and to the west the forested escarpments of the Great Rift Valley. This climb is for the physically fit only, the climb is sheer and the rocks underfoot are unstable and crumble. There is no shade on the mountain and protection from the sun is crucial. There are several specialist companies that excel at this safari.

For more information on Tanzania see betheladventure.co.uk betheladventure.co.uk or for more comprehensive advice and comments go to tanzania-info.co.uk tanzania-info.co.uk – responsible tourism can change lives.

The island of maui is an island in the northwest of Hawaiian islands. Maui is the second-largest island in the state of Hawaii. The Alenuihaha Channel separates it from the island of Hawaii and the Pailolo Channel separates it from Molokai. Maui is comprised of two mountain masses that constitute the east and west peninsulas, connected by an isthmus. The Haleakala volcano in Haleakala National Park is the highest point on the island.

The Island of Maui is also nicknamed as the “Valley Isle” for the large fertile isthmus between its two volcanoes.

Maui is part of Maui County, the other islands comprising the county being Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. The larger towns on Maui Island include Kahului, Wailuku, Lāhainā, and Kīhei.

The Polynesians, from Tahiti and the Marquesas, were the original peoples to populate Maui. The British Captain James Cook discovered Maui on November 26, 1778.

The island’s economy is mainly based on tourism and the cultivation of sugarcane and pineapples. The main tourism centers of the island are Lahaina to Kapalua and Kīhei-Wailea. The area is home to several luxury maui hotels. The maui hotels are heavenly abodes. They manifest unspeakable romances, luxuries and comforts. They envision the exquisite beaches and lovely landscapes.

As Oahu is the most popular among the Japanese tourists, Maui attracts the tourists from the US mainland and Canada. The island of Maui is a leading whale-watching center in the Hawaiian Islands due to the fact that many Humpback whales winter in the sheltered Auau Channel between the islands of Maui County.

The maui vacation and maui vacation packages are considered hot tourism deals all over the globe. The island of maui is one Edens of the world and maui vacations are strewn with great number of romances and passions. The lovely valley isle is famous for its golf spots and maui golf vacation is one of the most coveted vacations.

The ‘Road to Hāna’ (the drive from the central valley to Hāna and beyond), the drive to Haleakalā crater, Makawao (and Maui’s Upcountry region), the Īao Valley, and Lindbergh’s grave (near Kaupō on East Maui) are very popular among the tourists.

The author owns a website on mauihawaiihotelsbooking.com/ maui hotels, offering bulks of info and tips to take maui hotel and cheap maui hotel. The website also carries the info on maui vacation, maui vacation packages, maui vacation rental etc. You can visit his site to get more info about bookmauihawaiihotelsonline.info/ online maui hotels booking

The drive from Udaipur to Bijaypur was nothing if not interesting. En route, we visited Chittaugarh Fort, a huge fortification with a whole town within it. Built on a one hundred and fifty metre high plateau in the Aravalli Hills, it is in ruins but well-restored. The entrance is on the north west side and the road winds up through seven individually named gates, each with its own guardhouse. The first gate is known as Padal Pol (lowest gate) followed by Bhairav Pol (Bhairav being an attendant of the Goddess Durga), Hanuman Pol (this gate has a temple and a shrine dedicated to the Monkey God Hanuman), Ganesh Pol (for the Elephant God), Jorla Pol, Lakshman Pol and finally Ram Pol (Gate of the God Ram) which was built in AD 1459. The gateway located on the eastern side of the fort is known as Suraj Pol (Sun Gate).

The exploits of the Rajputs place in Indian folklore compares with that of the medieval knights of Europe or the Samurai of Japan, to the extent that individual Rajput heroes have the place where they fell in defence of the fort, marked with stones.

The palace of Kumbha and Padmini’s Palace are but two of the beautifully carved edifices, which have been subject to restoration.

Onwards from the fort and having travelled some distance on a very good road, our driver realised that he had missed our turning and wasted about an hour. Around we turned, eventually found the right turning then spent a further hour winding our way further and further uphill, until, if it weren’t for the frequent signposts to our hotel, we would have assumed that we had gone wrong again.

On arrival in Bijaypur, the hotel certainly didn’t live up to its photos on the internet, being more than somewhat dilapidated with an all-male staff who were trained in a very different school to that of the other hotels we stayed in! However, we managed to acquire beer, a sandwich (awful) and towels for the pool so whiled away the afternoon happily enough.

With some trepidation, we ventured back to the courtyard of our arrival to find a transformation. The odd tables covered with pieces of hardboard now sported bright cloths, the place buzzed with people (a convention had arrived) and the stage was set for entertainment. The staff seemed rather more awake and soon we were seated with beer and poppadoms to watch the dancing of successive ladies in bright red, green and gold saris.

Dinner, too, was a surprise, being a very tasty, mainly vegetarian buffet consisting of boiled rice, an aubergine curry, an egg curry, mixed vegetables, dal and a mutton dish, which, although not vegetarians, we didn’t try. There was also nan bread on offer, which was very welcome.

Next morning, the staff had gone back to sleep, each of three separate waiters asking what we wanted for breakfast and none of them getting it right – oh well, you can’t win them all.

After breakfast, we set of for Jaipur, taking an interesting short-cut to the freeway past grazing camels and wonderful orange-flowered flame trees, through tiny villages, over rough ground without tarmac, better suited to a four-wheel-drive vehicle!

Some six hours later, the welcome respite of our hotel in Jaipur and some lunch – Indian-style wraps containing spicy chicken.

Dinner was a quite spicy mutton curry for my husband and Malaysian noodles for me, incorporating chicken and prawns and a fearsome amount of chilli!

Next day involved the obligatory visits to the Jantar Mantar observatory, the Chandra Mahal (City Palace) and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), an interesting structure, tall and very narrow, ornately carved from pink sandstone and built solely so that the royal ladies could watch the world go by without being seen. The City Palace, too, is well worth a visit, with seven stories and seven courtyards, partly still occupied by the present-day Maharajah. There is a large museum which gives some insight into the past days of the maharajahs, including costumes, weapons, pottery, musical instruments and the two fantastic silver jars used by Nadho Singh II to carry Ganges water for bathing on his visit to England in 1901.

All that sightseeing naturally brought on hunger and thirst, so spring rolls and spicy prawns by the pool were the order of the day but so good and plentiful were they that I could only manage a tarka dal and nan bread for dinner while my husband had the interestingly-named Southern Railway Lamb curry. There was no real clue as to the contents, but we surmised the use of the normal spices and flavourings which resulted in quite a red-coloured and extremely tasty dish.

Our next few days will be spent in Ranthambhore National Park, so I hope you’ll be with us then to hear our experiences, both culinary and wildlife.

Liz Canham:

As well as a love of Asian cooking as you can see in her

In today’s busy world, we often do not have enough time to spend with our families. This is one reason why family vacations are cherished by both the adults and children in a family. It is a time where you can bond, make memories and just have a good time. Before you set off with your family, however, there are a few things that you need to ensure that you take care of.

The first step in planning your family vacation is deciding where to go. Many families chose to stay close to home, but others like to travel overseas to someplace like France, London or perhaps even one of the fine villas in Tuscany. You should make sure that your destination has activities that are appropriate for all the people in your family and that you set up a tentative schedule for what you want to see while you are there.

After selecting your vacation destination, you will need to make travel arrangements. The sooner you start scheduling, the better as many times prices increase the closer you get to the travel date. If you are traveling by airplane, make sure you read the regulations so you know whether you need to purchase a seat for your young children or if you can carry them in your lap. You will also need to find out how much luggage you can pack and any weight restrictions. If you are driving in your own car, you should take the car in for a quick checkup. Make sure that your tires are in good shape and that all your fluids are topped off. It is a good idea to have your oil changed as well. Check to make sure that your spare tire is in the car and that you have the necessary equipment to change a tire in case you need it.

If you are traveling overseas, you will need to ensure that all the members of your family have passports. Passport processing can take awhile, so you need to plan ahead. You should give yourself plenty of time to apply for a passport so that you won’t need to worry about it when the time comes to leave.

You also will need to secure lodging for your stay. There is a large variety of places to stay, and you should find one that best suits your family and your lifestyle. You can pick anything budget motels to Tuscany villas. Many families like to stay in all inclusive resorts where you get food included in the price. If you have a large group, you could consider renting a beach house if you’ll be hitting the ocean or Tuscany villa rentals if you will be going overseas.

Once you have figured out where you are going, how you are going to get there and where you are going to stay once you are there, the rest of your vacation planning will be a breeze.

Natalie Aranda writes about family and travel. The first step in planning your family vacation is deciding where to go. Many families chose to stay close to home, but others like to travel overseas to someplace like France, London or perhaps even one of the fine italianview.com villas in Tuscany. There is a large variety of places to stay, and you should find one that best suits your family and your lifestyle. You can pick anything budget motels to italianview.com Tuscany villas. Many families like to stay in all inclusive resorts where you get food included in the price. If you have a large group, you could consider renting a beach house if you’ll be hitting the ocean or Tuscany villa rentals if you will be going overseas.

Like most South American countries, Venezuela has always taken an active interest in all sporting activities. Sports are not only played as a leisure activity, but also serve as a full-time profession for many.

Baseball is a tremendously popular sport in Venezuela and the country has produced world-renowned players of the stature of Luis Aparicio, who has even found a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. Football is also found to be gaining popularity in the country, with many youngsters taking an active interest in the sport and the national team receiving several laurels.

Canyoning is an adventure sport that has been taken up by many an enthusiast. Merida in Venezuela is the perfect place to try out this adventure sport. The sport promises unlimited thrills and a great adrenaline rush to all its participants. It is very enjoyable to abseil from a high waterfall or jump into narrow currents using super fast natural slides. The sport is highly recommended for individuals who would like to enjoy the natural beauty of the Andes.

Another sport that is a favorite of both tourists and natives is horseback riding on the high Paramo grasslands. Western Venezuela with its great landscapes, waterfalls and mountains is a wonderful place to go riding as the scenic beauty of the place keeps the rider enthralled all along the trail. Nature lovers are advised to carry their cameras along to capture the picturesque landscape in print.

Paragliding in the Andean area of Western Venezuela is an incredible experience. Individuals can get an actual bird’s eye view of the entire mountain range from the glider. Unlike bungee jumping, which lasts for a short duration, paragliding offers an exhilarating and thrilling experience that can last for up to an hour or so.

With the sporting world becoming more and more competitive with each passing day, the government of Venezuela is giving a helping hand to several other sporting activities in the form of finance, infrastructure, and training.

z-Venezuela.com Venezuela provides detailed information on Venezuela, Venezuela Food, Caracas Venezuela, Venezuela Culture and more. Venezuela is affiliated with i-RioDeJaneiro.com Rio De Janeiro Hotels.

A few of my thoughts over my experience in Cusco to learn Spanish.

When you first arrive to this amazing city you’re initially blown away with the colonial and Quechua architecture, some of the best examples of the two cultures mixing (or should I say colliding?) in all of Latin America. Of course, it’s a Latin American city and like any good Latin America city there’s the incessant honking from the taxis and the exhaust fumes that can make you want to head for the hills but…good thing you can do just that!

I had arrived to Cursco to learn Spanish for 4 weeks and from the first day I knew there were lots of other things to do besides learn Spanish. On my walk to school in the morning I gazed down at the Plaza de Armas, over the tops of the buildings saying to myself that this city is breathtaking (literally! especially considering the altitude and the fumes from cars). Then as I turned to the corner I purchased for about .30 cents, two glasses of fresh-squeezed orange juice. I get it “to go,” meaning in a plastic baggie with a straw.

When I arrived to the school every morning ready to learn spanish, I would always find something new and interesting. The colorful textiles and the way the city is nestled into the surrounding mountains. Probably the most remarkable aspect of Cusco is its setting. You can easily escape the city and be on top of the world at Sacsayhuaman, pronounced Sexy Woman by gringo and local alike, in a mere 5 minutes. Up there you step back hundreds of years. You can take a horseback ride near the ruins or just stroll around taking in the impressive sites.

It takes a while to learn Spanish, after a week I was surprised to meet with students that had supposedly left Cusco but had fallen in love with the city and ended up staying much longer than just to learn Spanish. They said they’ve tried to leave several times but the city has seeped into their bones. This place is not just all alpacas and cuy (the delicacy of Cusco – fried guinea pig). This place is just plain old fun. With a nightlife that rivals the major capitals of Latin America, there is always something happening at night. Many of the bars and clubs stay open until 12:00…in the afternoon that is; great to learn Spanish, not! The relaxing couch bars offer jazz, some bars offer live music, most clubs have DJs and sweaty dance floors. On most nights in Cusco you can meet people from all over the world that are there to learn Spanish, tour and even Peruvians making our experience to learn Spanish much richer.

I would like to focus on some issue, even though I went to learn Spanish, that where completely different than in my home country. Forget culture shock, how about showers that shock! Not bad shocks, just quick nips. I learned to only touch the electrical tape after a few showers since they use electrical heating devices to warm the water. Also, don’t flush the toilet paper or in the case of the apartment I was in, you can’t flush the toilet …at least not without it making horrible shrieking whirly noises. The person in charge of my appartment had spent waiting for the plumber since last week to fix the toilet. He said the plumber had promised to come at 7pm. I guess they had meant 7pm some time in November after my deadline to learn Spanish in Cusco!!

At the same time, there is a lack of change in this city. I’ve been denied movie tickets when I tried to pay for a 10 sol flick with a 100 sol note. You can’t even think about getting into the taxi, which costs 2 soles, with anything bigger than a 5 sol coin. Even then you sometimes have to wait around while the taxi driver finds someone kind enough to change his coin. Having a 100 sol bill is usually like having no money at all. One time, having gone out with my classmates after we learn Spanish at the language school, I was buying a hat, and gave the señora a 50 sol note and then waited around for 15 minutes while she ran all over town to get my change. Other customers had come into the store and started asking me questions about merchandise. She had left me all alone to run her business, it was great to learn Spanish!

So…I drink my OJ from a plastic bag, I get into a shower that shocks me, still waiting to flush my toilet properly. All this you ask and I can still recommend this place with a smile? ABSOLUTELY, I wouldn’t trade the opportunity to learn Spanish here for anything!!!

Just remember, when you arrive to Peru and your first impressions are of Lima, this is NOT indicative of the rest of Peru. – Happy traveling and make sure you learn Spanish, it comes quite handy!

Enjoy a free Spanish Phrase ebook: amerispan.com/spdownload amerispan.com/spdownload – This 30-pager is great if you quickly want to learn Spanish phrases for travel. John Slocum is the president of AmeriSpan, a leader in immersion language programs and study abroad since 1993. 85 cities, 35 countries. 25,000 past participants. amerispan.com amerispan.com.

With All the lay offs a few years ago in Wichita KS one would have said that there is no way the town can ever rebound. Some said it was over built and with the huge number of foreclosures that it was down and out. Yet now with aviation sector on a rebound we are seeing something much different come into play. Wichita has potential in other aspects since the housing costs are in the bottom 15% of the US, judging by the ACCRA

webs.wichita.edu/cedbr/priceindexes.pdf

cost of living studies. The National Association of Realtors estimated that Wichita was similar to such places as San Antonia, El Paso, Tulsa, Des Moines, OKC, Spokane and Little Rock, which are all also good markets for service businesses and car washing and previously manufacturing might have the best chances. Also other MSA statistical analysis showed comparisons to Amarillo, Corpus Cristi and Ft. Wayne Indiana. About 17% of all of KS population is located in and around Wichita, it is a big city and a big deal to KS, it represents 21% of all tax revenues due to the higher paying jobs, which is similar to Overland Park and Olathe KS. Wages even lower in Salina and Hutchinson.

Wichita and its suburbs will continue to grow as aerospace jobs keep getting added to the region, we are bullish on Wichita indeed.

“Lance Winslow” – Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/

As a Private Hire Taxi driver based in the South of England, a lot of my business is made up of fares to and from London’s Heathrow Airport. I thought I’d share some tips for meeting and greeting, as Airports can seem so daunting to the occasional visitor! Most non-BA flights from Europe arrive at Terminal 2. As a driver, I’m assuming that you are driving in to Heathrow, either to drop off or meet a friend or associate. When you come through the tunnel get into the middle lane at the lights and head for the Terminal 2 Short Stay car park. On the way to there you will drive past the drop-off zone, where you can stop briefly to drop departing passengers: ALWAYS stay with your car, and move on as soon as you can – this area gets congested pretty quickly, and you don’t want to be the Muppet that causes that and has to be moved on by the police!

OK, if you’re entering the car park, a good tip is to use a credit card at the entry barrier rather than pressing for a ticket – this saves time when you leave, no queuing at the ticket machine, and one less piece of paper to hold on to: just use the same card at the barrier on exit and it’ll automatically give you a receipt. Warning – these machines will let you in with a Switch / Solo card, but they won’t let you out again – to be sure, use a Credit card only for this operation! When you get into the Terminal 2 Short Stay car park, go up two floors and try and find a space – although it’s often pretty busy! The Terminal building is a short walk across the pedestrian bridge – a covered walkway, clearly signed ‘Arrivals & Departures’. On entering T2, Arrivals is at the far end of the Hall – there are always a lot of people there, so unless you know the person you’re meeting, join the crowd of people with a ‘welcome’ sign. The best thing is something distinctive and A4 sized – a logo maybe, but definitely something eye-catching and colourful.

Make it easy on the person you’re meeting – most signs have names and flight numbers on – make yours different! Stand somewhere prominent – where you’ll be seen as soon as your passenger emerges through the sliding doors (they can only turn left on exiting)! You could pre-arrange to meet under the ‘Meeting Point’ sign, of course – this is half way down the Hall away from the Arrival doors, next to Airport Information. If you’re escorting someone who’s departing, the Departure area is right in front of you as you enter the building from the car park but the Check-In desks are downstairs!

Always check the monitors when you enter the building – a good rule of thumb is that your passenger will come through T2 Arrivals about half an hour to forty minutes after landing – but always watch the screen for the ‘Baggage In Hall’ indication – this is usually a reliable indicator of their imminent emergence! If you arrive at the doors about twenty minutes after landing you shouldn’t have to wait long. If you have a mobile phone contact number, then a quick call or SMS message can help keep track of your passenger to let them know where you are, and reassure them that you’re there and waiting – takes away one more anxiety for the traveller. Once you’ve got your passenger, get out of there quick smart – the car park is expensive! Oh, and please drive carefully and considerately on the way home!

Andrew operates a private hire vehicle in South Wiltshire, UK, specialising in airport transfer work, for more information on the services offered visit the letstalktaxi.com Let’s Talk Taxi website.

Idaho is a big country, with a number of recreation areas for our enjoyment. Many of these areas are managed and maintained by federal and state agencies. I love these scenic sites because of the opportunity varieties they offer me as an outdoor buff.

I love fly fishing first of all, but part of that addictive recreational pursuit dovetails nicely with a perfect assortment of other outdoor activities I also enjoy and love. These include backpacking, camping, outdoor photography and both kayaking and whitewater rafting. All of these other loves I have go hand-in-hand with my first love, fly fishing.

Idaho’s list of managed recreation areas is endless, it seems. The list includes designated National Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and Wilderness Areas. These areas are overseen by the Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army Corps of Engineers on the federal side and by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation on the state side. Each of these agencies have a mandate to manage these protected locations for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is public recreation for me, and for you.

I love all of the sites for my primary pursuit. The National Forests, Wildlife Refuges and Wilderness recreation areas contain many fish-laden rivers, creeks, reservoirs and lakes for me to test with my fly fishing skills. And, I love the solitude, too. There are places in the world, including Idaho, where a fisherman can join in the quest for fish side-by-side with many other fishermen. Places harder to get to are often void of fishing competition. So, I’ll hike in or boat in to a secluded spot teeming with large, wily trout. I’m not anti-social, I just love the serenity of fishing alone in the splendor of scenic waters, surrounded by Mother Nature’s fir trees and wild flowers.

For example, I love the Middle Fork of the Salmon River deep in the pristine Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. This designated Wilderness Area is the largest in the lower 48 states totaling an unimaginable 2.3 million acres! It’s hard to get to, but well worth it. Thankfully, most fishermen are not interested in making this kind of effort. Fishing competition is slim or nonexistent, and the fish are wild and beautiful. This awesome wilderness recreation area is maintained and overseen by the U.S. Forest Service. I love the job they do.

Bob Granstrom, a resident of Idaho, invites family vacation travelers to visit his state. For more information on Idaho‘s managed recreation areas, visit idaho-insider.com/recreationareas.html idaho-insider.com/recreationareas.html or check out check out the state’s tourism site,