Daniel Cann - Reflections of a Backpacker

[54] Reflections of a Backpacker: Niagara Falls and Journey's End

It was time to see the final fantastic sight of the World trip: Niagara Falls. The people on our tour bus were a friendly bunch and everyone mixed well. The driver was from Peru, I befriended a couple from Brazil, and there was a Welsh couple and some Italian girls so all in all a pretty diverse group! For me the �Maid of the Mist� boat trip was the highlight of the day and this particular leg of the trip. Not only were passengers able to view the spectacular falls up close but also the noi...

[53] Reflections of a Backpacker: Toronto

After an early stopover at Detroit and at immigration we finally crossed the border into Canada, our final country of our journey around the World before returning home. Driving through Kitchener and London my first impressions of Canada were of a ...

[52] Reflections of a Backpacker: The Windy City

I did not get a chance to see what the State of Wisconsin was like as we drove through it at night and early morning. I�m sure the State famous for producing cheese is a pleasant one but time was running out on our journey now. We arrived at the...

[51] Reflections of a Backpacker: The Twin Cities

After bidding our host, Mike farewell in the morning we boarded the Greyhound bus that would take us to Minneapolis where I had earlier arranged to meet Delana and her sister Tiffani. As I understood through letters and phone calls we would be stay...

[50] Reflections of a Backpacker: Badlands

I woke up to a magnificent sunrise in Wyoming. Not a bad way to start your day. Once we crossed over the State line into South Dakota I noticed how green the land was with forests and rocks. There were not many people but I did not mind this at all...

[49] Reflections of a Backpacker: Good Times in Colorado

I found myself being shown around the impressive Colorado University campus by Nathan on my first evening in Boulder. The place had a friendly buzz about it and I noticed there were lots of healthy good looking sporty and outdoor types on the campu...

[48] Reflections of a Backpacker: Things to do in Denver...

I woke up the next day with one thought on my mind: Get to �Melbourne Hostel.� My first night in Denver had been interesting thanks to staying in a hostel right next to a police station! Because I had arrived late I did not have much time to work o...

[47] Reflections of a Backpacker: In The Sniper's Nest

This time my Greyhound bus journey from San Antonio to Dallas was, thankfully, uneventful. I arrived at Dallas just after 4pm allowing myself just enough time to fulfil another personal ambition before catching the 6.30pm bus to Colorado Springs. A...

[46] Reflections of a Backpacker: Fun in San Antonio

I set off early that morning with Steve eager to see what San Antonio had to offer. It was great to explore a foreign city with someone from back home. In fact I was warming to the idea of staying in San Antonio for a while, it had the right blend ...

[45] Reflections of a Backpacker: Return to the Lone Star State

My bus from Mexico City at last reached its destination of Matamoros in the early hours. Several armed Mexican border guards dressed in military fatigues and looking more like soldiers than police boarded the bus. They checked our passports then wa...

[44] Reflections of a Backpacker: The Place of the Gods and the Parting of the Ways

Its not much fun sweating out a fever on your own thousands of miles away from home, but you have to deal with whatever hand fate has dealt you. I woke up in the Hotel �Bamer� feeling weak but much improved from the following day. After yet another...

[43] Reflections of a Backpacker: Guadalajara and Mexico City

At 11.15am we began an eight-hour bus journey to Guadalajara. The scenery became more lush and green. Mexico was not the arid, barren desert portrayed in the movies! It was quite humid and even with the air conditioning on we were pretty uncomforta...

[42] Reflections of a Backpacker: The Copper Canyon and Deeper into the Interior

It was a 5.15am start. It had to be if we were going to catch the Copper Canyon train to Los Mochis. The grumpy taxi driver dropped us off and wordlessly pocketed our tip (I suppose not everyone is at their best at that time of the day!) We treated...

[41] Reflections of a Backpacker: South of the Border

We had travelled through three States in one day: Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. One of the places was Lincoln County, made famous by Billy the Kid. It was not too difficult to imagine cowboys riding their horses and driving cattle through here ove...

[40] Reflections of a Backpacker: Family Vacation US Style

We were in a convoy of Karen�s car and Dave�s huge RV. I watched the Californian scenery go by with a slightly fuzzy head and through bleary eyes after a late night of drinking and merriment. How Karen and Dave were able to drive was a mystery to m...

[39] Reflections of a Backpacker: Out in LA and Three Men in a Boat

I remember waking up in Dave�s house in Monrovia on the outskirts of Los Angeles at about 9am after sleeping for twelve and a half hours. I was still feeling disorientated and jet lagged after our flight from New Zealand but the sleep in secure, co...

[38] Reflections of a Backpacker: The Kiwi Experience Ends and the American One Begins

We had the pleasure of a seven-hour coach journey to Rotorua, lovely scenery and countryside. I saw Lake Taupo, which was pretty as well as some land damaged by earthquakes and volcanoes, which wasn�t pretty. The landscape in this part of the North...

[37] Reflections of a Backpacker: Those Giants of Nature

It was the start of a new travel group on our Kiwi Experience tour of the North and South Islands. We saw more beautiful scenery on our way to the Alpine Stopover. That day our route took us through Lindis Pass, Omarama and the Canterbury Plains. A...

[36] Reflections of a Backpacker: Jet Boating and on Top of the World

It was a misty start to the day and our Kiwi Experience bus took us past the Southern Alps on Lake Matheson. We also saw the Fox Glacier, yet another majestic and awe inspiring sight to add to a growing list. A famous landmark along the way was whe...

[35] Reflections of a Backpacker: The Kiwi Experience Begins and Franz Josef

It was a 7am start this time. Boarding the Coast-to-Coast bus that would take us to the Kiwi Experience group in Greymouth. Four hours on a bus was not a problem as I could sit back and relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery of valleys and mountai...

[34] Reflections of a Backpacker: Goodbye Oz, hello New Zealand!

On our last full day left in Australia we went to Bondi Beach for the day. It is a name that frequently comes up in conversation about Australia and has probably become part of what we Europeans think of as being Australian.Our trip there was in ma...