The Happy Wanderer

Travel journalist. Photographer. Outdoor enthusiast based in Victoria, Canada. Get inspired to explore the world.

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Showing posts from December, 2025

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Island hopping is paradise in Palawan

December 09, 2025

Life in Canada's Arctic - Kugaaruk, Nunavut

At the local Co-op store in Kugaaruk, Nunavut, a carton of orange juice is priced at $13.99. The main form of transportation is by snowmobile, despite an average high of -30C in the dead of winter, and the arena provides endless hours of entertainment. Much of the food is caught by the locals, hunting polar bear, narwhal, bowhead whale, caribou and Arctic char. At the end of the year, the Co-op pays dividends back to the community often shrouded in ice fog. Last year those dividends tallied $1.4 million. Two RCMP officers patrol the community of 800 people, who voted to ban liquor several years ago. Anyone caught in possession of booze is handed a $280 fine. In turn, the most common crime is domestic violence. Court proceedings take place about once a year in the school's gymnasium. This is life in Canada's far north, where the only way in and out is by plane. Once a year, large goods such as trucks or tires are shipped to Kugaaruk from Montreal. The ship st...

The towering cliffs of Iceland's Westfjords

Located in Iceland's Westfjords, the breathtaking Latrabjarg sea cliffs are the most western part of Europe. "Come on, just take my hand," says my boyfriend Chris. My legs feel weak. My heart is racing. I'm paralyzed with fear. "No that's okay," I say as I sink to my knees and choose instead to crawl cautiously to the edge of the cliff towering high above the churning sea. I peer nervously over the grassy ledge hovering 440 metres above the Denmark Straight. The waves below crash against the rocks in a fit of rage. I grip the grass nervously with my hands, hoping it will prevent me from rolling over the edge and falling to my death. "Oh don't be such a chicken," Chris says as he snaps endless photos. He isn't just standing near the edge of the cliff, he's on it, attempting to capture the perfect image. "I can't even watch you. It makes me uncomfortable," I say, as I slide away from the edge, ris...

B.C. travel: Off the beaten path in Bamfield

Pachena Beach near Bamfield. It’s not easy to get to, but that’s part of the appeal. The first time I tried driving to Bamfield from Victoria in my Suzuki SX4, I turned around after 10 minutes. The 80-kilometre dusty logging road west of Port Alberni felt more like driving through a rocky farmers field, giving my poor little car a beating. Several months later, I returned to Bamfield by boat on the MV Frances Barkley after completing a short paddling adventure through the nearby Broken Group Islands. I had an hour to wander along the village’s boardwalk and get a feel for the place before the four-hour journey back to Port Alberni. All that experience did was make me want to come back since I knew Bamfield’s beauty lies beyond the village’s borders. Now here I was three years later, bouncing along the rough logging road that had previously forced me to turn around for the health of my car. I finally managed to convince a friend with a Nissan Xterra and heavy...

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