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Celebrating Midsummer in Rovaniemi

In the Nordic countries, midsummer is a big deal. It’s similar to a national day, like the Fourth of July or Australia Day, but without the nationalistic overtones; simply put, it’s a huge party that celebrates the never-ending light of summer and the fact that there is no snow anywhere to be seen. This past…

Jet Skiing to the Island of Horses

Usually, if someone mentions horseback riding, it brings to mind rolling hills in the country and river crossings at the base of epic mountains; it makes me think of being out on my own in the country. One thing I can categorically say I did not think of, prior to my trip to Rovaniemi this…

Things To Know Before Taking a Summer Road Trip in Norway

If you’re looking for a place with spectacular scenery and plenty of open road for your next trip, then you shouldn’t look any further than Norway. It’s easily one of the three most awe-inspiring countries I’ve ever been to (the other two being Iceland and New Zealand); combine that with some winding roads that would…

Great Ways To Spend Ruka’s Long Summer Days

Lapland is a region that is well known for its winter attractions. From dogsledding to northern lights watching, nearly all of the activities that immediately spring to mind when people think of Finland’s north are only available during the coldest months of the year. As a ski resort, Ruka (located just south of Lapland in…

Exploring Helsinki’s Archipelago by Kayak

The idea of an archipelago in a Nordic country used to bring to mind thoughts of Volvos inching down roads made of ice, red wooden saunas barely peeking out of the snow, and hovercrafting. I guess that’s not surprising, since all of my experiences in the Nordics up until this summer were at the height…

Hopping Around the Hebrides With Haggis Adventures

I’ve been feeling the ‘Deep Scottish Love’ since I was seven years old. That was the year that I was introduced to Scotland in a trip that featured sitting on a canon outside a 13th-century castle (Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull — still one of my favourites!) and my younger brother trying to…

An Eventful Trek to Chalahn Falls

The best places are the ones that you can return to time and again knowing you’ll have a completely unique experience every time. O’Reilly’s Plateau, located in the heart of Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast hinterland, is one of those places. I’ve visited four times — far too few, given I’ve lived in…

Lofoten in January: The Land of Two-Hour Sunrises

When I visited Reine and Svolvær in Norway’s Lofoten Islands back in 2013, I knew that the three days I had allotted weren’t anywhere near enough to do the place justice. I wasn’t sure when I’d ever get back — given the remoteness of Norway in relation to my home base of Australia — but…

“Going Missing” on the Copland Track

I sat in a Wanaka internet cafe, waiting as the infernally slow internet attempted to load my email inbox. It was 2008 and I only had a $30 brick of a phone and no laptop, so this was the only way I could connect to the rest of the world (and I was fine with…

How the Hooker Valley Track Nearly Killed My Dad

New Zealand is a country that inspires you to go hiking out into the wilderness.  Rugged mountains, picturesque shorelines, and golden tussock-covered rolling hills represent but a small portion of the amazing landscapes you can see if you just lace up a pair of boots, slip on a backpack, and head out onto the trail. For…

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