“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That's the problem.” ~ A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh
 

"I knew that the moment the great governing spirit strikes the blow to divide all humanity into just two opposing factions, I would be on the side of the common people." ~ Che Guevera

The jewel of the Himalayas, the magical Kingdom of Bhutan. I lived in Bhutan for almost two years teaching environmental studies and exploring the beautiful but seldom seen “hidden lands” of Druk Yul, the Land of the Thunder Dragon …

In Renaissance Europe curiosity cabinets or 'wunderkammer' were encyclopedic collections of objects whose categorical boundaries were yet to be defined. In a time before science, this collection of natural history, geology, archaeology and works of art was regarded as a microcosm of the world, and a theater of memory.

The "Great South Land". Australia is the largest island on Earth and the oldest continent. It is a place isolated in "dream time" for hundreds of thousands of yeas. And a land apart biologically, full of egg laying mammals, bi-pedal marsupials and dazzlingly beautiful birds.

The páramo is a windswept, soulful place. These high altitude grasslands occur only in the Northern Andes and are home to some of South America's most unusual species and resilient peoples.

A journey to the East Indies taking in Jogjakarta and the Javanese heartland, living with a Bajua sea gypsy community in the Wakatobi Islands, and village home-stays in the volcanic highlands of Flores.

"Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance. " ~ Charles Lindbergh

On any given day the mysterious sea holds the promise of magical encounters with marine wildlife off New Zealand's Otago Peninsula. 

Medieval cities, silvery olive groves, stone farms, vineyards and the rolling green hills of bella Toscana.

For centuries the Himalaya have served as a transition zone linking diverse ecosystems and cultures. Today these ancient trade routes still exist for those willing to make the pilgrimage to the roof of the world.

"There is no love more sincere than the love of food." ~ George Bernard Shaw

Mauritius plays the unusual role of quarantine station for South African thoroughbreds on their way to Europe and Dubai. Given a sneak peak into this fascinating world I was able to get to know the elegant horses that stop-over here and the riders that keep them in training. A beach photo shoot of the 'sea horses' of Mauritius ...

Many moments and many wonderful people in between in the land of Bolivar.... From the dry coasts of the Guajira to the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Colonial cities to coffee country in gran Colombia. 

The Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay. Spring peepers to autumn leaves chasing the seasons across my home state, Virginia.

"The ocean is everything I want to be. Beautiful, mysterious, wild and free." ~ MB

New Zealand's south island is a playground. Dramatic mountains, glacial lakes, rolling hills, lush primeval forests and rocky seas ... take your breath away.

The 'Great Lakes' are a misnomer for these vast freshwater seas in the heart of the North American continent. Along the shores of these big waters spring is a time of fleeting and ephemeral beauty chasing the summer light.

Named after the English naturalist-explorer Alfred Russel Wallace, Wallacea is a region of tropical isles in eastern Indonesia that demonstrates the theory of evolution and serves as a transition zone between the worlds of Asia and Australia.

Island hopping across the West Indies discovering the beguiling isles of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica.

Thailand is a country that has something for everyone. For me, it's colors, food, smiles, details. I've returned again and again, each time same, same ... but different.

Narcotic seascapes. Colorful coral gardens. Outrigger canoes. Shaggy palm fronds and lively locals. One month exploring the jungles, beaches and villages of the Philippines last frontier. Palawan dreaming.