Rafting the Classic North American Rivers—Alaska’s Alsek and Tatshenshini Rivers
Two arms of the same river, the headwaters of the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers are in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. They converge shortly before entering Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park. Both are stunningly beautiful runs through a United Nations World Heritage Site. The highest coastal mountains in the world and towering glaciers slide down to the river’s edge. The Alsek and its Class IV and V waters are for adrenalin junkies, while the Tat is a wee bit mellower ride. Consider the Tat to be North America’s version of the Zambezi, where hippos and crocs are replaced by grizzlies, moose, and bald eagles flying overhead. If I only had time for one of these classic whitewater runs I’ve discussed this week, I’d choose the Tat.
I’m off to Nantucket to do a biking story for The Boston Globe. I’ll be back again on Wednesday. Have a great weekend and keep active!
The modern-day conundrum is the balance of work of family. This is especially true for a travel advisor who must create extraordinary vacations for her clientele and then duplicate that success for her family (or face the wrath of her children). As a travel writer married to a Boston-based travel agent, I am the beneficiary of my wife’s career—most importantly the way she customizes each trip to our every whim, uses global contacts to not only secure the finest rooms available for our budget thanks to complimentary upgrades but creates unforgettable moments like a dinner on a private Hawaiian beach under the stars. All I do is sit back, relax, carry the luggage, and savor her skills. Thankfully, you don’t have to be married to a travel advisor to get the same level of attention. For our annual family trip last summer, I was asked by Virtuoso Traveler magazine to observe Lisa at work and consider the attributes of using a travel agent. 
In the 
This past June, I took the Portland ferry to Nova Scotia with my sister, Fawn. This would be my fifth trip to the province and I wanted to focus on the southern half of Nova Scotia, south of Halifax. Over a week, we would stop in the charming seaside community of Lunenburg, one of only two cities in North America chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, go clamming on Digby Flats, oyster farming at Eel Lake, stand-up paddleboard at the White Point Beach Resort, and spend a night at a quintessential Canadian property deep in the woods, 
I’ve been thinking a lot about the South Pacific this week. Perhaps it’s the frost on the windshield of the car this morning forcing me to deal with Father Winter or flee to the tropics. Similar to Africa, the South Pacific is one of those places that get under your skin, coaxing you to return as often as possible. Unlike the majority of the Caribbean isles, which can only boast a white strip of sand, the South Pacific isles are jaw-dropping jagged peaks that rise straight up from the ocean, carpeted in emerald green overripe foliage. For me, this is paradise.