To fly an American registered airplane, Canadians first need to obtain an American license issued by the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. This is a surprisingly straight-forward process that takes place while you're in Canada.
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Lush banana plantations waving in warm sea breezes, the sharp fragrance of eucalyptus in the hot sun, the bone shuddering cold of the windy, winding, cloud-covered mountains... exploring the gorgeous volcanic island of La Palma by moto is a wonderful feast for the senses.
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DAY TWO of our 6 day driving itinerary included stops at: Bjarnarfoss waterfall, Vatnshellir Cave Tour, Djúpalónssandur Black Sand Beach & Gatklettur Arch Rock, Saxholar Crater, Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss, Hvammsfjordur, Erpsstadir farm, and Saeberg HI hostel.
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Disney's idyllic town of Celebration offers over 10 miles of scenic bike trails through shady boardwalks, alongside picturesque lakes, and through peaceful, postcard-pretty neighbourhoods that are all but traffic free.
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Kleifarvatn and Graenavatn lakes, Seltun, Eldborg volcanic caldera, Gerduberg Basalt Columns, Tradir Guesthouse (2018-10-08)
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In the drizzle, wind, and heavy mist, we headed in the direction of Reykjavik on route 41 & turned off near Hafnarfjordur onto route 42, a winding, picturesque drive through a moonscape of lava fields.
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I've provided precise driving times in my blog to help you when you're planning what to see and are wondering how long it will take at each stop, and how long that gravel road really does take to drive. Plus, of course, Day Five has the unique details about renting a plane and flying yourself in Iceland.
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We only had a few short days in Saint John, so we packed in as much as we could. First off, we drove for just under an hour northeast along route 111, which offered picturesque views along the way.
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On a recent 3 day trip to Lima, Peru, not only did we have the pleasure of meeting with members of the Peruvian aviation community and flying a rented plane over Lima's nearby barren peaks and beautiful coastline, but we also visited some of the city's spectacular sights. Our itinerary for the 3 whirlwind days...
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Lib Mandi is a privately owned and operated aerodromo in Lima, Peru. It's about 30 miles south of Lima; however, it's almost a 2 hour drive to reach, not only due to traffic, but because there are so few exits off the highway.
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A broad, tree lined bike route runs down most of the length of Avenue Arequipa in Miraflores, Lima. At the south end, it turns into Avenida Jose Larco, which leads to El Malecon, the picturesque cliff side promenade that links six gorgeous ocean-view parks.
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Located among the manors and genteel condominiums of the upper-class district of San Isidro, the Olive Grove Forest is a green and peaceful haven in the middle of a crushing population of 10 million people. Started from the only three saplings that survived the ocean journey from Spain in 1560, the grove is now a national monument, home to 1600 gnarled olive trees.
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An open air market located very close to the tourist dense Ovalo de Miraflores, the Mercados Artesanal has a whole slew of vendors selling everything imaginable that can be made from Alpaca wool--from fuzzy guinea pig-shaped key chains to business-casual ties.
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Amidst the glass highrises, apartment buildings, and traffic jammed streets of Lima, Peru, squats the terraced adobe and clay pyramid of Huaca Pucllana. This pre-Inca temple spreads over more than 10 acres in the Miraflores district of central Lima, easily reached by walking from most hotels in the area.
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It's coming straight for you! Don't move!, the captain of our little tour boat called. Face-down in the water & shivering hard despite my wet-suit & snorkel gear, I froze in the sea-star float position. With slow, majestic grace, a 1,000 pound manatee glided inches underneath me.
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A rhythmic whooshing dragged me from sleep. It was a large, dry sound which, in my dozy state, brought images to mind of both an elephant sighing and a steam locomotive hissing to a stop.
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It wasn’t anything I’d ever expected to see, especially with my teenage son. And it certainly wasn’t a perk thrown in by the snowmobile company. But that’s what we got: a private stripshow in freezing wind while on the largest ice-cap on Iceland.
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Day two- Skogar to Vagnsstadir Hostel. Highlights: Solheimajokull, Dyrholaey, Loftsalahellir, Eldhraun, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Kirkjugolf, Foss a Sidu, Skeidararsandur, Fjallsarlon glacier Lagoon
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It isn't every day that you wander across a series of geological oddities that can't be explained by science, but on a flight down the Washington coast one spring day, to our delight we saw one: acres and acres of peculiarly hump patterened land, bump-sliding beneath the shadow of our Skyhawk.
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Day One of a 6 day road-trip in Southeast Iceland, in March. Highlights: The Bridge Between Two Continents, Gunnuhver, Reykjanesviti, Blue Lagoon, Raufarholshellir, Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi Waterfall, Skogar and Skogafoss waterfall .
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With the I-5 running like a zipper down its centre and the regional airport a poetic stone’s throw away, Kelso has been our way-station for almost every trip we’ve taken south of the Canadian border in our little plane.
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Majestic glacial volcanoes, heart-breakingly beautiful lakes and vistas, surf crashing upon black beaches, windswept lava fields covered in elfin blankets of moss, eerie blue ice floes ribboned with black ash… Iceland is a country that grabs your heart and never lets go.
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Bracketed on one side by the chalky green glacial waters of the Skagit River, Mears Field is a splendid little summer spot for pilots to pitch a tent overnight.
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An idyllic riverside spot for pitching a tent under the wing, Jim Wright Airfield makes a splendid, peaceful overnight campsite for pilots.
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Jaunty octogenarians and their Model T Ford driving school, Ken Jernstedt Airfield, Hood River, Oregon, USA (2017-12-02)
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Surrounded by lush vineyards and orchards, under the snow-capped peak of Oregon's highest volcanic mountain, Hood River is a great little destination just 60 miles east of Portland. There's not much that you can't do here, in this green nook along the Columbia River: skiing, hiking, wind-surfing, wine-tasting and-best of all-learning to drive a 1916 Model T Ford.
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On a recent whirlwind trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, my teen daughter insisted that I and my queasy stomach accompany her on every ride. She made it clear, as only teenage girls can, that I Would Be the World's Worst Parent if I didn't. So I did. Here are my Survival Tips....
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A west coast version of the Caribbean, spectacular Nehalem Bay State Park boasts miles of squeaky white sand, crashing surf, and rolling dunes, under idyllic blue skies (at least, there are blue skies in the summer, if coastal fog isn't rolling in....)
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Soaring over the homes of the rich and famous--Off-the-beaten path near Heathrow Airport, England (2017-10-09)
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If you've got an adventurous spirit and some spare time prior to hurling yourself into Heathrow's labyrinth, visit nearby Wycombe Air Park, an active World-War II airfield, and fly a Cessna low over the astonishing manors of the past and current Prime Ministers of England.
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If there are any teens out there contemplating doing London without parents, the following photo instructions will get you from Terminal 2 to the Heathrow-Paddington Express with no problems–successfully tested by a 15yr old traveling alone for the first time!
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A perfectly preserved Crusader city, located directly underneath a city conquered in turn over the centuries by Canaanites, Romans, Turks, and the British, the Old City of Akko is a riveting, spell-binding journey into the past ...
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Situated on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert and towering some 450 meters above the azure beauty of the Dead Sea, the stunning fortress of Masada was the last stronghold of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans ...
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Located in the heart of the Judean lowlands, the biblical city of Maresha, and the Byzantine/Roman city of ancient Bet Guvrin/Eleutheropolis, sprawl over tranquil low hills abuzz with thousands of cicadas ...
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Mosques, ancient ports, a labyrinth of alleys lined by crumbling stonework buildings, and apricot-sand beaches graced with water several shades of robin-egg blue ... all of it pulsating in the hot July sunshine: welcome to Israel in the summer ...
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Ljubljana Castle, a rowboat ride on Lake Bled, Bled Castle, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, and a bicycle ride well off the usual tourist path to Lake Podpec and through the Ljubljana Marshes - how to experience all this in three nights and two enjoyable days in Slovenia! ...
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The Wandering Eye