Choose a Safe Location

Before you set off with the assumption that you will be able to park up and pitch your tent anywhere that takes your fancy, know that it is a much better idea to plan out your destination and camping spots in advance. You want to make sure you choose a safe and suitable location with flat, even ground that is away from trees or any other hazards that could fall on you. You also want to avoid setting up camp too close to water, as flash floods or rising tides can be dangerous. Camping in a designated camping area is advised, but make sure you follow the rules and regulations set out by the landowner.

Check You Have All the Essentials

A big part of staying safe while camping is having all the essential gear with you. Start with a reliable and sturdy tent that is designed to withstand the weather conditions you will likely encounter. You’ll also need warm sleeping bags and blankets if you want to avoid frostbite, as well as a camping stove, firelighters, fuel, and appropriate cookware to cook your meals safely and easily. Next, you’ll need a good flashlight and spare batteries, a first aid kit, and plenty of water. Lastly, if you need some form of self-defense to feel safe while camping, consider taking a firearm and ammo. You can save by buying in bulk online. Bear spray is also a good idea if you are headed to a state like Alaska, Wyoming, or Montana.

Check the Weather Before You Leave

It’s essential that you check the weather forecast for the area you will be camping in. This will allow you time to prepare for any weather conditions that may arise, such as rain, wind, or extreme heat. Preparations will include packing appropriate clothing and gear to keep yourself safe and comfortable and knowing where to seek shelter in case of a storm. If you thoroughly research the area before you arrive, you can note down the closest towns and hospitals too in case of emergency.

Practice Safe Cooking

If you plan on building a campfire for warmth and cooking, you need to know how to do it safely. You should always use designated fire pits and check for fire restrictions or bans in the area you are camping in. Try to keep the fire small and under control, and never leave it unattended. Also, make sure to have water and a shovel nearby in case the fire gets out of hand. You can cook using a campfire if you know how to do it properly, but if not, it’s wise to use a camping stove instead. When cooking, keep all food in sealed containers and away from your sleeping area to avoid attracting pests and wildlife. All scraps should be properly disposed of.

Camping is a fun and rewarding activity, but it’s important to prioritize safety while doing so. Follow the above tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable camping trip.

Photo Credit

Image by chulmin park from Pixabay

Contributing Author Bio
Jessica Peters

Jessica Peters is a freelance writer from Melbourne who blogs about health and fitness. Jessica is an avid traveler and regularly crosses the globe to learn about other cultures while blogging from her laptop.

As an avid meditator and engaged self healer, I seek out anything that isn’t the latter, and I advise everyone to do the same, especially at this particular junction in human history.

I posted recently on Facebook about this VR game – Pokeman Go – because it belongs in the forgotten realms of freedom from fear and strife. And beyond even all the things I mentioned that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

Here is what I wrote:

“Last night, Luke told me he got the Pokeman Go app and wanted to try it out. So we went out, and walked all around our neighbourhood, capturing Pokemen. Perhaps everything I’m about to say that follows might seem super lame to some, but here’s the truth of it.

Would we have gone out otherwise? Nope. Would we have taken pictures of the moon casting Craigdarroch in an eerie and beautiful light otherwise? Nope. Would we have been snuggled by all the cats who also came out at night to hunt (for different reasons) otherwise? Nope. Would he have been uber excited by the bat he saw otherwise? Nope. Would we have met a bunch of people who were out for the same reason? Nope. Would our idea about the types of people who wander around at night been shifted otherwise? Nope. Would the type of people who were out at night been different otherwise? Yep.

Would we have gotten some exercise and night air otherwise? Nope. Would we have laughed and talked about how ridiculous but cool it was that we were still able to spend time like this? Nope. Would we have a cool memory otherwise? Nope.

Maybe some people don’t get it cause they don’t see it from the perspective of people who love adventuring – for any reason. But to all the naysayers, I say, we are out there, doing something that’s super fun and not the same old nothing. And anyone who thinks people like us need to ‘get a life’ are maybe missing the point.

So like the two dudes we passed last night, one of whom exclaimed, ‘Fuck ya!’ when I asked if they were catching Pokemen, I say Fuck ya back. We are nerds, and while you’re hating on us, we’re still adventuring in ways that you might never understand. :)”

It shifted the focus – it shifts the focus – of the people to something not war, death and fear focused. Some – even me – might feel this is demonstrative of apathy, stupidity or ignorance…to the suffering being felt around the world. How dare we not suffer along with the others who cannot help but bare what’s happening?

But here’s the thing; as a feeling being, if all you do is focus on the repressed and expressed horror (and you must put up ‘nope’ shields to block the energetic crap, whose low freq purpose is to keep you in this repression, oppressed and expressed fear – you have to visualize this every day for it to be strong enough to work on both you and others you come into contact with, because it appears the ‘rules of the game’ are largely set up to oppose your healing and mental freedom), you won’t be of (optimal or even any) use to anyone in life.

If on nothing else, trust me on that.

If you do not willfully pull yourself out of ‘the other people’s’ heinous war, and remember that there is no fucking war right here, right now, not in you, not from you, not for you, and not for anyone ‘out here’, you will not have the strength, courage, joy or soundness of mind to defy it if/when it does come knocking.

Whether from the inside or out.

I guess what we’re doing goes far beyond playing a game. We – masses of people – are coming together – for real – for a common reason (and I’m excluding potential predators, obviously, who might actually be using this app to capture more than Pokemen, as fucked up as that is to even say or believe), in the forgotten realms of adventure, to feel something OTHER than doom and gloom ‘reality’, as defined by ‘them’. Pardon my foul mouth, but fuck them.

If the only damn thing that the media, some world ‘leaders’ and many intelligent problem solvers choose (whether by nature or not) to focus on and project is that, then again, fuck them; ‘they’ are not part of the better campaign, of good adventure time, cause ‘they’ are one dimensional, linearly focused, boring characters who’s only purpose, perhaps, is to remind us how not to be.

And in the very real forgotten but never forgotten realm of right now, there is a battle going on, and there always has been. And it’s not for ‘things’, it’s to govern the mind/ment, and we won’t win shit if we don’t raise the vibration here.

That’s the job of the free mind, and it is the biggest natural enemy of imposed control. To think for itself; to not be a slave to the low vibrations incessantly imposed on us by the doom and gloom naysayers.

And some might argue that this app is just another way for the ment to be governed and controlled (gps, x,y,z, snaps, etc), but to them I say, haha! It’s too late for one to worry about that system. So instead of worrying about it, use it. Go out and get excited about ANYTHING. It doesn’t matter what. Every effort in this arena brings advantage to us – the not fear mongers – that is demonstrably bringing the creepy fear fest to its knees.

So yeah. Many, many applications here. Can you catch ’em all?

Photo Credits

Pokemon Go – Fair Use – Pokemon GO

Mary in her imagination element – By Mary Rose All Rights Reserved

Outdoor Adventure Show at International Centre © Rob Campbell

Its hard to say how many people attended the convention over the course of three days, but I can report the place was absolutely jammed when I was there on Saturday at noon. This wandering reporter found the venue crowded on arrival, and even parking outside the hall was challenging. Inside every corner of the cavernous room there were live performances, product demonstrations and video screens that drew huge crowds. The aisles were rammed with young families pushing baby carriages and herding kids collecting stamps on paper passports issued by the show. There were whole families lining up to go zip lining in one corner of the room, and others were climbing a 25 ft tall rock wall in the center of the complex

Families climbing the rock wall tower, Outdoor Adventure Show © Rob Campbell

In between the four main booth blocks there was a huge swimming pool which they called the Demo Pool. Here a speaker dressed in black stood on a ledge beside the water and gave live kayaking lessons by instructing kayakers in the pool. Everyone gasped as they took cell phone videos as the subjects tried and succeeded, and in some cases tried and failed, to execute the complicated paddling maneuvers. It was unique entertainment for most spectators.

Xcitelife Used The Show To Get eXposure

The pedestrian crush occurred in the main aisle opposite the Xcitelife booth. Attendees could not get down the center aisle without being impacted by Xcitelife’s fun things to do. Everyone was aware of the Xcitelifers who wore black shirts with big red Xs as they were working the show with all their hearts. Their extremely friendly greeters stood under the company flags drumming up eXcitement for their experience marketplace

Xcitelife crew in their booth at Outdoor Adventure Show in Toronto © Rob Campbell

Xcitelife asks users to make a bucket list, then the software helps them accomplish their travel and adventure goals. What’s even more exciting is the website’s capacity for finding audiences for unique experiences – this could empower hard to find experts to share their passions with the public.

Rapid Media Unveils Kayak Buyers Guide, Free Online

Expert paddlers abounded at the show. Scott MacGregor from Rapid Media was there watching the Adventures in Paddling theatre. I spotted him in the crowd holding the latest copy of Canoeroots magazine but we didn’t get much of a chance to talk; he’s generally surrounded by fans of one or another of Rapid’s four magazine.

Scott MacGregor from Rapid Media, Kayak Buyers Guide © Rob Campbell

Rapid Media puts a comprehensive kayak buyers guide online for free and these are the kind of insider secrets that make the Outdoor Adventure Show so special.

The Adventures in Paddling Live Theatre was full to capacity at noon on Saturday as a flat water paddler took the stage and described a recent excursion down the Nahani. The sponsors of this live theatre were situated around the space exhibiting the latest model stand up paddle boards, canoes and kayaks to the crowd.

The other theatres were dedicated to scuba diving and hiking; and the land trekking theatre was sponsored by Outpost Magazine which is all about gearing up and making long distance journeys across vast scenic landscapes.

Outpost Magazine at Outdoor Adventure Show © Rob Campbell

History Exhibits at the Outdoor Adventure Show

Below is the First Nations storyteller relating the Voyage of the Iroquois. The area attendants here were dressed in full native Canadian regalia. The walls of their attraction were filled with images taken by passengers inside the giant twelve person canoes that spend two or three weeks paddling the historic trade routes of the Voyageurs!

Iroqoius Village tribal experience © Rob Campbell

The history lesson continued with exhibits displaying stone axe heads, arrowheads and spear points. Experts were present at these installations to show crowds how the first Canadians could hunt and kill with such primitive weapons. One expert was able to actually assemble real arrows and spears in front of people,and he was able to illustrate how efficiently the First Nations hunted and acted as responsible nature conservationists of woodland plants and animals.

Collecting Arrowheads from Native Canadian Settlements © Rob Campbell

This was fantastic firsthand knowledge that I didn’t already know and have never seen performed so well by someone so passionate. I will remember it forevermore. Unfortunately I’ve forgotten the man’s name though…

D & D Meats – Alliston Ontario, venison sausages © Rob Campbell

D&D Meats were among the only food vendors at the show, and the only business selling meat. The family owned cured meats shop from Alliston, Ontario had a wide corner all to themselves, and were doing a brisk business selling beef jerky, pepperoni, sausages and kielbasa.

In summary, there were many special people at the 2016 Outdoor Adventure Show exhibiting their dreams, high tech toys and transcontinental travel packages to really remote and exotic destinations. But in truth I was more impressed by the homegrown options, The best life changing memories are made closer to home in my opinion, and Canadian experiences don’t require a currency conversion.

Guest Author Bio Rob Campbell

Rob Campbell is a freelance nature writer and author living in Toronto, Canada. Son of a beekeeper, Rob is keenly interested in using technology to improve conservation and the preservation of our natural world; he funds projects that use gadgets to study and improve the lives of insects (honeybees) and animals around us, especially those unfortunate creatures that are, like so many of us humans, stuck living in the city.

Rob is actively involved in Toronto’s business world and the city’s cultural art scenes.

Blog / Website: SmoJoe.com

Follow Rob Campbell on: Twitter

Hal-Con is definitely a unique way for me to spend a weekend in Halifax. It was my trusty office nurse, Susan, who talked me into attending this event. I didn’t need much encouragement, because I have always been a fan of all things geekish and nerdish, though I had never attended a convention. While the words “geek” and “nerd” were rather generic pejoratives in my day, they are now differentiated, and many are proud of the designation. When you think nerd, you might think of Sheldon and his crew in “The Big Bang Theory”. Mind you, Sheldon is a bit extreme, even for a nerd, and I am certain he would be diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome if he were to be formally assessed. Nerds like ideas and are socially awkward, except when discussing some esoteric topic with a fellow nerd…but for most of the rest of the world, they may as well be speaking a foreign language (eg. “string theory” has nothing to do with tying knots or that gooey stuff you shoot from cans), and you’d better know a tachyon from a barion if you want to be taken seriously by a nerd.

A “geek” is more social and may superficially appear more normal. He or she may be more concerned about being accepted socially. Geeks also tend to concern themselves more with things more than ideas. The semblance of normality ends, however, when you realize how incredibly focused the geek is on some television show, movie series, Japanese cartoon or comic book. In general, the geeks come across as somewhat cuter than nerds and often dress as their favorite characters.

In preparation for my venture into Hal-Con, I taught myself about the world of “Steam Punk”. Imagine a futuristic Victorian society as Jules Vernes would envisage it. An idea of good costume ideas would come from a review of the Will Smith movie “The Wild Wild West”. Having a top hat and tails as a nucleus, I visited the local army surplus store and bought a pair of black army combat boots, old electronic parts and white utility gloves. The local Hallowe’en shop provided a monacle, the electronics were attached to a white gauntlet worn on my let wrist (my “temporal distorter”)…et voila! I was set.

That Hallowe’en, the halls of the Halifax Metro Centre and World Trade and Convention Centre resounded with the voices of elves, My Little Ponies, those dressed as characters from Mario Brothers video games, a multitude of Dr. Who doppelgängers and a plethora of those punked steamwise (myself included in that number). The Jules Verne Society had a booth with representatives who looked steam-punk ready-made for a Hollywood movie. I purchased two tickets to their 2015 Time Travellers’ New Years Ball. The vendor assured me that it had been wonderful, almost as good as the 2018 event…

The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international venue that promotes re-enactment of the Middle Ages, or at least its better moments. Some choose to battle with armour and swords, others to learn medieval music, dancing, needlepoint and textiles, and many other aspects of that time period.

I even found a vendor selling Harry Potter-themed memorabilia, including scarves embroidered with insignia of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She [the vendor] also sported a fine assortment of magic wands. Some great Christmas gift ideas for my 14 year old daughter.

Hal-Con boasts an assortment of celebrities and authors in-house whom you could line up to meet, get autographs from, photos with, and maybe even chitchat a bit. I didn’t do this until after Symphony Nova Scotia’s special sci-fi concert that Hallowe’en evening, complete with a costume contest and hosted by John Rhys-Davies, the Welsh actor who played Gimli the Dwarf in the film trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”. He has also acted in James Bond movies, Star Trek episodes and his career has encompassed many other roles including Macro in the BBC “I, Claudius” series. I lined up to meet Rhys-Davies after the symphony. A few moments of chat with a photo op revealed him to be an utterly delightful, charming and intelligent man, and as you can see from the photo, he is a good six feet tall, not dwarfish in stature at all!

Photo Credits

All photos from George Burden – All Rights Reserved

A few of the islands in the park

The park has over 40 islands and is justifiably known for its natural beauty. These islands are grouped close to one another and make a breathtaking panorama as you sail through them. They come in a range of sizes and shapes and have amusing names like Sleeping Cow Island and Three Pillars Island.

I visited the park on a boat like this one

The park covers about 250 sq km, including 50 sq km of limestone islands, and is a prime example of karst topography. Many of the islands leap from the sea with bizarre rock formations and dramatic rock cliffs. The islands are peppered with caves, hidden lagoons and white sand beaches. I saw dozens of snorkelers exploring the shallow coral gardens.

Tourists used these kayaks to explore the park

With two exceptions, no one lives on these undeveloped islands. One of the habited islands is the island of Ko Wua Talap where the park headquarters is based. There is a also a restaurant, as well as a lookout post 350 meters above sea level where one can see the entire park. I was still recovering from a motor scooter spill when I visited the park and couldn’t make it to the top, but I did climb up 150 metres and took a picture that only gives a hint of the full extent of the park. The other habited island is Ko Paluay. Sea gypsies live here, and still earn their living from fishing today.

I particularly liked Thale Nai, an emerald salt-water lake about 100 metres above sea level. Park management thoughtfully provided stairs for the hundreds of tourists who climb from the beach up the side of a steep hill to see this remarkable blue-green lake.

Thale Nai, an emerald salt-water lake

The woods are dry evergreen forest, beach forest and limestone forest. There are limestone forests on the limestone mountains with only a thin layer of soil.

These islands are too small and too steep for large animals. There are 16 species of mammals in the park, like otters, langurs, crab-eating monkeys, hogs, silver-haired bats, dolphins and whales. The islands have at least 54 species of birds, including little herons, oriental pied hornbills, brahminy kites, drongoes, common sandpipers and hill mynas. You can also find green turtles, ground lizards, iguanas, pythons, hawksbill turtles and cobras.

A view of just a few of the islands in the park taken 150 metres
above sea level from a treacherous path

A marine park would not be complete without fish. This park is home to blacktip reef sharks, butterfly fish, blue-spotted fantail rays, angel fish, parrot fish, snappers, blue swimming crabs, groupers, sea slugs, sea fans, oysters, sea whips, giant clams and coral. When I saw others out snorkeling, I truly regretted my motor scooter accident, as it left me incapacitated to the point where I could not participate.

Ang Thong National Marine Park is one of those sights you just shouldn’t miss if you go to Koh Samui, Koh Phang or Koh Tao in the Bay of Thailand. The price was not exorbitant, the ship was suitable and the lunch was nutritious. If you go to southern Thailand, you definitely need to put this park on your list of places to see.

Photo Credits

Photos by Jan Wall – all rights reserved

And then you did. 

Let’s imagine that you had a taste for the macabre, the sombre and the surreal all at the same time. Now you’re beginning to get a sense of what the Black House is like.

The Black House is called Baan Dam in Thai. The artist/creator is Thawan Duchanee, born in Chiang Rai. His style brings out the darkness in humanity. His work uses lots of reds and blacks and he’s not shy about using skins, skulls and animal parts. His artwork is a bit eerie, but I enjoyed it. This guy is certainly out-of-the-box.

You would think the Black House would be a single building, but it’s not. He has a fair bit of land and he’s built several different buildings in various styles. His architectural styles and dimensions, by the way, did not come out of some mail-order blueprint. This guy designed everything from the ground up. Judging by the size of the buildings, their bold nature and their vast size, it looks like he had enough coin that he didn’t have to worry about a tight budget. I didn’t get the sense that this guy knew how to cut corners.

Decorations included an elephant skeleton, a bed sheet made from a brown bear and a torture chamber. Check out the picture of the carving of a man with an erection that, presumably, lasted more than 4 hours!

The place has no religious significance whatsoever. It’s more like a museum/art studio/home that has fascinating examples of architecture, lots of sculptures and that reflects Duchanee’s own personal style of art. It’s an eclectic mix of really interesting ‘stuff.’ There’s a lot to see. It’s free, and you can enjoy a leisurely stroll around the place for a couple of hours. You’re not going to love everything you see, so treat your visit as a thought-provoking excursion for the afternoon. You can take as many pictures as you’d like, of anything you choose (which is definitely NOT the case at the Buddhist temples). Furthermore, you can even keep your shoes on!!

Click the thumbnails for larger images and a slide show!

Photo Credits

Photos by Jan Wall – all rights reserved

The author among the fossils!

The town of Flower’s Cove perches on the upper western end of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula. With a population of a few hundred souls it may not seem a lot different from other small communities dotting the island except – for one small detail: the 650 million-year-old mega-fossils that are gracing the shoreline. As you pass by, signs will instruct you to come and see the thrombolites. The instruction naturally posed a challenge to this old rock hound and I quickly parked my car and tried to locate the trail.

It seemed the access had been changed, so I hailed a charming granny, who was out hanging clothes, to see if she could point out the new path. With the typical, overwhelming hospitality of Newfoundlanders, she took me by the arm and escorted me over to the new trail-head. Along the way, she told me her life history and tried to fix me up with her unmarried 47 year old daughter. Only in Newfoundland!

Placard for world’s oldest fossils, Flower’s Cove, Newfoundland

Having found the path, I meandered along the shoreline and began to spot huge, stony structures from ten feet, to perhaps as much as thirty feet in diameter, and shaped like they had been made by giant Jell-O molds. These smooth mounds looked most definitely organic and signs along the way suggested that they were fossilized remnants of particles trapped and shaped by colonies of cyanobacteria, one called “blue green algae”. Apparently the oldest fossils in the world, some of these may be over 3 billion years old. They are rare, with colonies found in Western Australia and a few, some living, turning up in odd places around the world.

Doing a little research, I found Google results on the Flower’s Cove fossils to be rare, just like the fossils. I also began to question whether these were in fact thrombolites. Stromatolites are a related structure but while thrombolites are rough and “clotted” the stromatolites are noted for being laminated and smooth, which these amazing structures certainly were. Maybe nobody wants to have to change the signs, but my vote is that these are not thrombolites, they are stromatolites.

Large thrombolites. The mushroom-shaped one in the foreground was about the size of an armchair.

Whatever they are, they are well worth a stop-and-explore if you are driving up or down the coast of northwestern Newfoundland.

IF YOU GO…
Newfoundland and Labrador

Photo Credits

All photos by George Burden – All Rights Reserved

The White Temple

The White Temple is 15 km from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. Since it is a ‘must see’ for tourists in the area, there were scores of tourists the day I went (there is ample parking for the minibuses that haul the tourists around.) Like everyone else, I just stood and gazed at this building for a few minutes. It has none of the smooth, clean lines that are so popular in the West. Instead, every square centimeter has something quirky and symbolic to grab your attention. Interestingly, the various parts fit together in a remarkably unified way.

Kinnaree, a Buddhist creature that
is half-human, half-bird

Clearly, the temple got its name because it is painted pure white. The white color signifies the purity of the Buddha. This ubiquitous white is quite unusual because all the other temples I saw (Thailand is peppered with Buddhist temples) had a lot of gold and red. This one had none. Bits of mirrors embedded in the plaster made the temple literally twinkle in the sunlight. It had the air of pure fantasy – something you would expect to find in a fairy tale book, not a place you could actually visit. The proper name for the temple is Wat Rong Khun. Chalermchai Kositpipat, a famous Thai visual artist from Chiang Rai, designed the temple and even paid for its construction from his own pocket.

Although the temple’s ubosot (a hall to enshrine Buddhist relics) was under construction and not available for viewing while I was there, I enjoyed the meditation hall, monk’s living quarters and the art gallery. In contrast to other temples I’d seen, the complex had the air of a tourist site rather than a religious site. All the other Buddhist temples I saw in Southeast Asia inspired a sense of reverence for Buddhism in me. This one inspired a sense of whimsy. I loved it for that reason.

Hands of desire reaching up
from the Underworld

Visitors reach the temple by walking across a small terrace surrounded by hands grasping upwards from the Underworld.  These hands represent desire, human suffering and Hell. After the terrace, visitors walk across a bridge. The bridge is called ‘the cycle of rebirth’ and signifies crossing from death to birth and a life free of suffering. There are two very elegant Kinnarees next to the lake. These are creatures from Buddhist mythology that are half-human, half-bird. Every aspect of this temple, down to the smallest detail, holds meaning within the context of the Buddhist faith.

Throughout Thailand and Laos, I was struck by the number and grandeur of the Buddhist temples. In most cases, there was an obvious gap in wealth between the temples and the homes and shops in the neighborhood where the temples are located. It was not unusual to see an elegant, well-maintained Buddhist temple and one or two other religious buildings occupying a relatively large piece of real estate in quite run-down areas. The temples are often cared for meticulously; meanwhile, the local restaurants next door have red plastic chairs and hand-made tables that have never seen a drop of paint.

An ornate statuary

I saw a similar phenomenon in the Philippines where large, imposing Catholic churches and cathedrals were located in communities without paved roads or safe drinking water. These communities were made up of homes that didn’t appear to enjoy even basic maintenance. It was never clear to me whether these homes were in such a dilapidated state due to a lack of money for repairs or a culture that did not place high value on maintenance.

There is no doubt in my mind that I see this juxtaposition through the perceptual optic of my Western upbringing and I don’t apologize for that. With both Laos and Thailand on the one hand and the Philippines on the other, it was clear to me that the teachings of the religious institutions made their followers in poverty highly tolerant of economic and social injustices that have completely disenfranchised them. Of course, both religions had followers who enjoy a great deal of wealth as well.

In the Philippines, the Church and State have struck a bargain that neither will interfere in the affairs of the other. I suspect there is a similar bargain in the Buddhist countries. This bargain, however, gags the educated religious leaders from ever commenting on the social and economic injustices visited upon their followers by the corruption so prevalent in their countries.

Photo Credits

Photos by Jan Wall – all rights reserved

The Lion and the Rose, safely ensconced within the White Mountain National Forest.

Mind you, there are plenty of lions and roses dotting the premises; the lions because Roger is a Leo and roses…well, just because.

A spectacular 1892 Victorian structure, the home was originally built by a certain Dr. Morrison. My room, sporting a medieval theme, has its own sitting room antechamber as well as a huge king-size bed with decor befitting…well, at least a baron. In fact, the bedroom was originally the place where the good doctor cared for his patients and the sitting room was…well, where patients sat waiting to be examined.

Sporting an Asian motif, you’d be a fool to pass up this wondrous room!

Other rooms in the inn feature ancient Egyptian and Asian motifs and many of the rooms have two person Jacuzzis. I suspect King Tut would have liked the Egyptian room because I am sure I have seen some of the furnishings in the Cairo Museum…or at least reasonable facsimiles.

While many B&Bs claim to give you a royal welcome, the Lion and the Rose actually succeeds. One of the lion-themed acquisitions was a hand-carved, wooden high-backed throne featuring huge felines carved into the arms. Some visiting actors of the local playhouse insisted on providing a crown, so now guests can have their photograph taken ‘on the throne’.

The Inn’s front parlour. Rest in the hand-carved throne. Embrace royalty!

It’s not surprising that guests have given the Lion and the Rose a solid ‘five out of five’ rating on Trip Advisor. I could have paid double the price for a room half the size at the nearby Mount Washington Hotel; however, the views there are free and it is right around the corner from the Lion and the Rose.

The White Mountains boast many hiking trails, as well as white water rafting, kayaking, rock-climbing and many other ways to burn off the calories of the huge and delicious breakfast Chris prepares for her guests. If these activities pale, you can do midnight cave tours or zip-line down horrendously steep peaks, which serve a double duty as precipitous ski slopes in winter.

The White Mountains boast many hiking trails and present some exciting rock-climbing challenges!

Be sure to check out the Vintage train. Buffs would be well-advised to book the 9:30am departure from the nearby Cogwheel Railroad since it is the only one that features a real steam-fired locomotive. Perhaps the oldest tourist attraction in the United States, tourists have been hauled to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the NE United States for over a hundred-and-fifty years by stagecoach, bus, car and locomotive. Guess which is my favorite.

IF YOU GO…
The Lion and Rose bed and breakfast

Photo Credits

All photos by George Burden – All Rights Reserved

The jars have no lids

The best-researched explanation comes from Madeleine Colani, a French archaeologist who spent three years studying the jars in the 1930s. Her research indicates that they were built by a civilization between 300 BC and 300 AD. No one has offered explanations regarding the beginning or the demise of the civilization that once thrived here.

Madeleine believes the jars were funerary monuments because she discovered charred human bone fragments in them. More recent studies suggest that the stone jars may have been used to distil corpses and the remains were later buried around the jars.

The jars were carved from five types of stone – sandstone, conglomerate (called molasse), limestone, granite and breccias. Each jar was likely cut from a single boulder. The average size of the jars is 1.5 meters in both height and diameter.

Many of these jars are larger than a person

All of the jars are uncovered but there is some question about whether they were originally built with stone lids. Some of the jars have stone objects nearby which could have been lids, but experts believe those objects had a different ritualistic function.

The largest of the jars weighs 15 tonnes. They come in a range of sizes and it is obvious that each was carved individually. There were smaller, lighter jars at one time, but vandals made off with those light enough to be carried.

The jars seem to be scattered randomnly

Those of you interested in visiting the Plain of Jars should travel to either Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang in northern Laos and then take a bus to Phonsavan. There are numerous modestly-priced guesthouses that you can walk to once you get off the bus in the centre of town. I made the mistake of renting a motorbike to make the excursion to the Plain with some friends I met on the bus. Having ‘been there, done that’ though, I would recommend that visitors sign up for one of the tours that take you to see the outstanding sights in the area. We lost at least two hours navigating across the countryside – time that would have been better spent seeing the sights.

It is very unfortunate that the United States Air Force saw fit to destroy many of these ancient jars. The USAF began extensive aerial bombardment over Laos in an attempt to destroy North Vietnamese sanctuaries and disrupt the supply line known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Phonsavan was the most heavily bombed city in the world, although you would never suspect it today. It is quite likely it will retain that reputation, as even the most aggressive bombings from recent history pale in comparison. Experts estimate that the USAF dropped more bombs on Laos between 1964 and 1973 than were used during the entirety of the Second World War. During that period, The USAF launched one bombing mission every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for 9 years.

The bombs were primarily anti-personnel bombs that held ‘bombies’ about the size of an apple – 30% of these bombs failed to explode. That means that there are about 80 million live bombies that remain undetonated in Laos. Until now, the US had made no effort to clean up the life-threatening mess it left behind. It is not uncommon to see young, legless Laotians today who were unfortunate enough to stumble across one of these American gifts.

Photo Credits

Photos by Jan Wall – all rights reserved