Stevo the World Traveller!

Over the past 25 or 30 years I have clocked up near THREE MILLION FLIGHT MILES travelling to about 130 countries worldwide - many on several occasions.

I used to write long summaries of my travels, but have gotten rather lazy in recent years as you can see below! None done for a few year period. I must work on it. I have published my wanderings for well over 20 years in magazines and on my website. I used to head the travel web page from the early to mid 1990s onwards as Flyer Talk, as it summed it up pretty well.

In year 2000 alone I flew about 125,000 miles or 200,000 Km to USA, (3 times) Cambodia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Nepal, Fiji, Chile, The Falkland Islands, Germany, Antarctica, (sailed!) Thailand, Scotland and England.

In 2001 I travelled just as far, to five continents. And did so again in 2002, which included burning a pile of Qantas flyer points to take British Airways CONCORDE both ways across the Atlantic, London-New York and also a visit on that trip to places as diverse as Norway, Denmark, England, Ireland and Las Vegas. Earlier 2002 I flew across the USA to Holland, then drove to Germany, and Belgium to take in the "Carnival" madness in those border regions each February. And a visit in August also via the USA to spend a few day on Easter Island, and a trip in October to visit Uruguay among other Latin countries. And of all places, spent Christmas 2002 in the Kingdom Of Tonga!

In 2003 I travelled over 100,000 miles as well. To Holland, Germany, Turkey, Papua New Guinea highlands, New Zealand, USA (many times) Spanish and American Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Bolivia etc.

As usual I travelled a lot in 2004. Far more than usual in fact - to 6 different Continents actually over about 150,000 miles of travel. Had New Year's Eve 2003 in Cuzco Peru, and later a visit to Macchu Picchu and Bolivia, Brazil, and the USA. Then in March a lot of flights to not so warm Zurich for a stay in the ski village of Wengen, later 6 days in the Basel Hilton to take part in the Morgestraich/Fasnacht Festival with a bunch of friends which starts at 4am in the zero degree freezing cold. Then a visit into neighbouring Italy and France (and Liechtenstein and Austria and Germany) and to toast friend Rudi's Birthday.

Then flew to Nairobi Kenya in Africa for my 3rd visit - went overland to Mt. Kiliminjaro Tanzania for a week safari. Lake Manyara, Serengeti wildlife herds, Ngorongoro Crater etc. Just MAGIC ... every African animal you can ever dream of I encountered only metres away. Then in March 2004 to the mysterious spice island Zanzibar - a place I always wanted to visit. And then literally 34 hours of planes and airports (Kenya Airways, Thai and Malaysian, thankfully all up front or I'd be dead!) without seeing a bed to get back home.

In June 2004 the LONGEST flights I have ever done without a hotel stop. Over 17,050m or 27,470km one-way from SYD-Kuala Lumpur-AMS-Minneapolis to Fairbanks Alaska. Took 48 hours in planes and airports. My 3rd trip to Alaska and such a great place to be in Summer, and I am booked for March next year already. Temp was 90º and sunny the day I left - 20º warmer than Sydney!

Drove for 1,600 miles and saw lots of wildlife and fun stuff. Then to Dusseldorf Germany for a weekend with frequent flyer friends - the 4th annual meeting we have had. Later a high speed "ICE" train back to AMS, and the long flight home via some shopping in KL. Bought my Dad a 'solid Gold' Rolex watch also a solid 'Platinum' one - cost $A20 the pair! His last one stopped and the jeweller sneered when he took it in for repair!

Late 2004 took a week driving around the tiny rural backblocks of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Georgia. And later visited Seattle and Canada. Later on another quick trip to New York (twice) in December via Seattle and Chicago 3 times each. (I flew over 50,000 real miles in one month late year!) All this above in First and sleeper Business Class courtesy the airlines - the only way to travel! In between these vacations visited the wonderful Northern Territory, Tasmania, Adelaide and the Barossa Valley. For New Year's Eve I flew to Russell in the Bay Of Islands, New Zealand.

In January 2005 I took a long series of flights via the USA to Puerto Rico - my second visit there, and had great fun. In March flew to Birmingham Alabama, and drove for a week around the Deep South on little backroads through Alabama and Mississippi and Louisiana etc. In March took a long series of flights via Asia to Europe to Madrid, then by high speed train to Valencia and the amazing Las Fallas Festival they have each year where massive statues are burnt in city squares. Then continued on to the USA to drive around Charleston South Carolina and southern Georgia for a few days.

On May 13 flew ~10,000 miles to San Francisco, then Chicago, then flew backwards to FARGO North Dakota where it was still May 13! 24 hours in planes and airports, so slept well. About the only USA states I've never visited are the Dakotas & Montana, ditto with Manitoba & Saskatchewan in Canada, and visited all five this trip. Always wanted to visit Mount Rushmore, and did it whilst the snow was away for a change! (There was a 12" dump in the Black Hills the day before we arrived though.) Did a 2,200 mile loop by car, nearly all on small back roads, and it is real fun country that even 99% of Americans have never visited. Saw herds of Bison blocking the road, lots of other great wildlife and birds up close, wonderful scenery, and met an army of wonderful genuine people.

Mid July 2005 made a visit to Myanmar (Burma) where very few tourists ever venture. First a flight up to Bangkok, and then a morning flight to Yangon. (Rangoon) A bit of sightseeing there (including the amazing Shwedagon Pagoda which has 60 TONS of pure Gold on exterior roof!) Then a flight up to Bagan to see the amazing valleys of temples there - THOUSANDS in a small area. Later a 12 hour local ferry ride right up the Irrawaddy River to Mandalay, one exotic sounding place I have always wanted to visit. (Along with Timbuktu!) Myanmar has a weird currency set-up where the OFFICIAL rate is 6 Kyats to one $US, but the Black Market rate is about 1000 Kyat = $US1 - or around 150 times better.

In August 2005 visited the Kimberley region in remote N.W. of W. Aust. It was a 5 hour direct flight to Broome. Did the usual touristy things in historic Broome - including a camel ride along Cable Beach at sunset! Rented a car and drove 400km to Fitzroy Crossing, and sailed on the spectacular Geike Gorge, then drove back to Derby. Hitting and killing a dingo triggering $2,750 rental car excess. This area is VERY remote being some 2,643km NE of Perth.

Took a seaplane flight over 1000 island Buccaneer Archipelago - landed on water for a Barramundi lunch, went fishing, then jet boated through the weird sounding Horizontal Falls &c. Back to Broome for the amazing "Stairway To The Moon" lunar phenomena. Then a small plane flight to Darwin via Kunnunurra. Drove out to Adelaide River and the interesting Humpty Doo & nearby Bird wetlands. Then the horribly timed Qantas flight back to Sydney leaving 2 am.

In November 2005 I flew to Israel for a week of touring with travel friends from different countries. That was another 35,000 miles trip via the USA, Germany and side trip to Azerbaijan. That works out cheaper than flying to Tel Aviv via Asia .. weird but true! I flew for 40 or 50 hours with no hotel. Firstly 14½ hours straight to LAX, then after a long wait a 10-11 hour flight to Frankfurt and another long wait and then a 4 or 5 hour flight on to Baku, Azerbaijan, right on the Caspian Sea. For no particular reason I might add.

A few days there then back to Frankfurt, then almost backwards 4 or 5 hours to Tel Aviv Israel. I spent a week or so there with some frequent flier friends who came in from several countries, then travelled around the country. A great place that I really enjoyed both times I have visited. Taxes and fees are getting just insane - cost on that ticket for taxes alone was $787.

For Christmas I flew down to Adelaide to visit the family. Booked the tickets at short notice, and they literally cost more than a round trip to Asia on the same days - weird but true.

And went to Tasmania with a friend for New Year's Eve for 5 or 6 days driving around, and got back home early January.

In 2006 did not do much overseas travel at all in the first half of the year - by my standards anyway! I certainly made up for it the last 4 months doing 80,000 real miles of air travel. Went to Brisbane in May to meet up with a group of frequent flyer friends over a few days, for an annual Australian meeting we have. They fly in from all over the world. Then I flew back home, and watered the garden for a few hours, and got on a plane for 24 hours to Washington DC via San Francisco.

The huge 'Washington 2006' World Stamp Exhibition took place there late May to the first week in June and wild horses would not have kept me away. I saw many dealer and collector friends whilst wandering about, as well as taking in the touristy things. An enormous success. We afterwards drove up to Gettysburg Pennsylvania to see the Civil War battle scenes which was fun.

I went off on one of my more zany Safaris of all time in late August. 33,180 miles or just on 50,000 kilometres! First to Seoul Korea, where I went right up to the weird DMZ zone and visited Camp Bonifas, and literally went into North Korea. Then the long flight to Amsterdam. From there to Tripoli in Libya - North Africa. A 105% alcohol free strict Muslim country, even in tourist Hotels, so my liver got a rest.

They have some quite astounding Roman and Greek ruins in Libya, and yet they get virtually no tourists at all. Look up Leptis Magna on Google - it was the second largest Roman city on earth, and it is nearly perfectly preserved. The 2nd Century AD Colosseum in photo I took below on the Mediterranean was covered in sand until a few decades back. The largest outside Rome - seated 35,000. Gladiators fighting wild animals entertained the locals. We walked all day around this massive site, and saw 3 other tourists.

Then back to Amsterdam. From there another long 9 hour direct flight to Suriname and French Guiana - about the last two South American countries I have not yet visited. Talk about REMOTE places - and seldom visited by any tourist. Needed to get smuggled by dug-out canoe into French Guiana, as we did not have a visa, and only had a single entry visa for Suriname. Some ozzie chocolate to the lone Border Guard did the trick. A fun experience.

In the Treaty of Westminster 1674 between the Dutch and the British, the Dutch got to keep Suriname and the British got to keep Niuwe Amsterdam. Known to some of us here as Manhattan: [Wink]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Suriname

Now, there is a swap I'd liked to have done. Near worthless mosquito infested Amazonian jungle, for Fifth Avenue and Wall Street - indeed the entire tri-State area. Flying back home was about 80 hours via bad connections on 4 continents, without a stop.

On November 1, 2006 took off on another 20,000 miles or 50,000 kms sojourn. First the long 14½ stint to LA, then 5 hours across the USA to Washington DC, then flew up near the Canadian border to Portland Maine. All without a hotel stop. Rented a car for a week and drove around in a large loop through Vermont, upper NY State, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick provinces, and back into Maine, and head slowly back down the coast.

We travelled near the peak of the Autumn "Leaf Turn" season, where the foliage colour changes are spectacular. I've done this a few times before and it is just beautiful. We stuck to the smallest back roads possible. Caught the extensive Halloween displays that nearly every house in this region displays. Back to Washington for dinner with friends, and a visit to the superb Smithsonian Air and Space museum, then back home on 22 hours of flights.

Barely time to unpack the suitcase and off to Boca Raton Florida early December for a weekend with flyer friends. A few days there and back home, after another 20,000 miles on planes. Keeps our Platinum flyer card renewed though.

On November 1, 2006 took off on another 20,000 miles or 50,000 kms sojourn. First the long 14½ stint to LA, then 5 hours across the USA to Washington DC, then flew up near the Canadian border to Portland Maine. All without a hotel stop. Rented a car for a week and drove around in a large loop through Vermont, upper New York State. Then Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick provinces, and back into Maine, and head slowly back down the coast.

Barely time to unpack the suitcase and off to Boca Raton Florida early December for a weekend with flyer friends. We saw an evening Space Shuttle launch which is unusual as most are daylight. Went out on the airjet boats to see Alligators in the everglades etc. A few days there and back home, after another 20,000 miles on planes. Keeps our Platinum flyer card renewed though.

In December 2006, my fourth holiday to Vietnam, for Christmas and New Year. A truly great place to visit. My first visit was 20 years back, and MY things have really changed enormously since then. We flew into Hanoi, then went up by overnight sleeper train to the mountainous hill station of Sapa for some pretty tiring trekking. Then back to Hanoi, and Ha Long Bay, (no real idea what the incredible fuss is about that place) then flew to the centre of Vietnam to Hue and Hoi An and Da Nang.

As always I got a ton (=20!) silk shirts, and shoes tailor made in Hoi An. Each shirt runs the cost of a beer in a hotel here. We had New Year's Eve there too. Then flew to Saigon for a few days, and a trip down the Mekong Delta, and back home via Bangkok.

On February 20, 2007 I flew to New York for 4 days (NYC area was under heavy snow that week) for the massive ** $7.25 million+ ** Arthur Gray "Kangaroos" auction - much more detail of that is here www.glenstephens.com/arthur-gray-kangaroos.html - it was exciting to have played a tiny part in it all.

Several new world stamp price records were set. One piece sold for $A263,000 - a clear world record. EVERY lot was sold. The massive 280 page hardbound catalogue as you can read and see on the website is a *MUST HAVE* reference, and will be for years to come - let me know if you need one. I have just 4 left - all come with full prices realised list, AND the deluxe 8 page colour summary of the sale - $A125 plus post.

After the auction we flew to Zurich and made our way to Basel Switzerland with some Swiss and American friends for the amazing "Morgenstreich/Fasnacht" Festival in Basel I visited a few years back - and really loved. It starts at 4am! And it is freezing of course then. Our Swiss friend Rudi flew out as usual for the Australian Tennis Open, and invited us down as his guests. Attending the tennis is person is a hoot!

Flew off May 24 for 3 days in Melbourne for a frequent flyer weekend I am involved with each year, which sees folks fly in from all over the globe. Back from MEL, then next day in May 2007 hopped on a plane to LAX, and then to Denver, and then up to Anchorage Alaska - all in the one day. We drove around the backblocks. My third visit there - a great state. Took a slow car ferry past the glaciers and seals from Valdez to Whittier, and then headed down to Seward. Saw quite a few moose including a huge one standing in the car park of a downtown Anchorage restaurant we pulled into. We also saw a beaver swimming across the little Ship Creek right in the centre of Anchorage. This really is still wilderness.

Alaska is neat at this time of year, as even at 2am it is near bright daylight. Coming back home was a massive "day" - actually TWO days. Drove around all day in Anchorage, had dinner with friends, then took a late evening 5 hour flight to Denver, flew right across USA to Boston for a few hours for lunch with some flyer friends. Then 5 hours back to SFO, and the long 14½ hours flight home. That's 48 hours since we last saw a hotel bed. Then a day's work after the 7am arrival. Got back June 8.

Four continents in under 2 weeks - what a rush! Late September 2007 flew near 36,000m or 57,500km. First up to SFO, then Oregon, Denver, Washington DC, Philadelphia, then down to Puerto Rico for a couple of days. My fourth time there and a fun place to visit - drove the length of the seldom visited and windy mountain route and went over to Culebra island. Then long flights back to Washington, Chicago, and back to Denver arriving 10pm.

Another night's kip in Denver, then back to Washington at 6am, then Paris, and Tunisia in North Africa - during Ramadan. Hired a 4 wheel drive and driver to go to the edge of the Sahara Desert - one place on earth I have not been to! Stayed in a Troglodyte cave hotel room cut out of the rock (literally) in Matmata. Then to the desert oasis area of Douz and a camel ride on the Sahara. (See photo nearby!) Back to Tunis, then Paris for dinner on Champs Elysées during World Cup Rugby. A local beer was $A20 (and not marked on menu) .. price gouging for the Rugby tourists I am sure. Then about 40 hours on planes to Chicago, SFO for dinner, and then 11pm flight to Sydney arriving early morning Friday Oct 12 - and right back into the built up work accumulated!

We zipped off to Burma in December 2007, for a couple weeks over the Christmas/New Year break. My second holiday there. A truly great place to visit. Internet connection was 1995 era 56k dial up, and painfully slow - or non-existent as the Junta Generals simply closed down the entire network for days at a time whenever it suited them. Flew around to Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake, and also visited a few mountain hill stations. VERY cheap place to get around, and the maximum denomination they print is a 1000 Kyatt note - or $A1. Was the same story 30 months back on my last visit. With all the recent "troubles" very few tourists - which is sad as the country has a ton to offer. If you know anyone going let me know, as the guide I've used both times speaks absolutely superb English and is politically VERY incorrect, so it makes for an enlightening - and LOW cost visit. Back home January 2008 via Bangkok and as always, 10 pairs of leather shoes - cost $A30 each average, I returned middle of January 2008.

In mid February 2008 another long adventure of near 30,000 air miles across 4 continents. Sydney to San Francisco, connecting well to the long 747 flight to Frankfurt. Then after a few hours to Paris, then directly connecting to London, arriving 5pm to have drinks with some friends in Soho later on that evening. About 40 hours in planes and airports to that point. Then the long early morning schlep back to our Heathrow hotel from Soho for a very lonnng sleep. Later that day a flight to Paris, then connecting to Casablanca Morocco for a week long tour of that country - my second visit. That makes three different North African countries visited in 3 years - Libya, Tunisia and Morocco. A long journey back home across 4 continents - Casablanca-Paris-Frankfurt-San Francisco-Sydney - another 35-40 hour type saga given some bad connections, and right back into the stamp orders.

In June 2008 we flew off on 24,000 air miles across several countries. Sydney to SFO, then to Denver, then to Chicago. Rented a car and drove the 1,200 miles right around Lake Superior, via Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, and up across the legendary 'Upper Peninsula' for a few days, and then into Canada.

From Chicago the long flight BACK to Denver, where we then flew right over Chicago we just left, on our way to Washington DC for overnight. We then headed down to the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, to visit the spectacular Mayan pyramids at Chichen Itza. Then a flight over to CUBA on a SEVEN hour delayed Cubana YAK 42. Been 12 years since I was last there, but not a lot has changed since! Went out into the countryside to a real Cuban cigar factory.

On November 1st 2008 flew off on another 2 week adventure of about 25,000 air miles. Sydney to LAX, connecting well to a flight to Denver and dinner with friends. We next morning rented a car to drive part of the route of the near forgotten depression era Lincoln Highway. Now mostly country back roads. I love rural Colorado. Got a very large and un-expected snow dump when up at 12,000 feet staying up high in the Rockies. And also drove up into Wyoming and Nebraska along the way. Then the quite long 6 hour flight to Honolulu. From there flew to the very sleepy town of Hilo on the “Big Island.”

Wanted to visit the now active Kilaeau Volcano again. Quite spectacular at night-time right now, where you see from quite close by, the river of boiling lava pouring into the sea. It has added 100’s of acres of new “land” to the island in the past 20 years. Then a drive to the point on the west coast where Captain Cook was killed. Oddly that spot is near impossible to access.

We knew a family at the tiny town of Captain Cook, who own a large Kona coffee plantation only a half mile from there, so they assisted us! One day we drove right around “The Big Island” and it is certainly is larger than you imagine – from incredibly lush rain forest and superb waterfalls, to near desert.

There is snow atop the Hawaii mountain peaks even. We went down the appalingly rough track to the desolate “South Point” - the southernmost point in the entire USA. Back to Honolulu to mix with a million Asian tourists for a day or so, and then the long flight to SFO for a short afternoon tour from a nice local we know, and then dinner with friends. Then right after dinner hopped on the plane for the 14 hour trip home arriving mid November.

For Christmas 2008, it is likely we will head off to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) via Asia .. nothing booked yet but it looks likely.

Stamp collectors share ONE overall common bond. We all have a VERY keen interest in world history and geography. It is this interest and burning curiosity that inspires me to travel so much. From Point Barrow Alaska right up on the Arctic Ocean - one of the most Northern settlements on earth, to a Russian Icebreaker in the Antarctic Circle for NYE on the New Millennium. To EVERY other continent and all seas in between, and then some!

I have always sent out summaries of my travels to clients on my mailing list. The feedback is that many really enjoy reading amusing or factual anecdotes about unusual places, so these summaries have become something of a tradition now. Published here are a few summaries of recent trips. I hope you enjoy reading them ... I love getting feedback on YOUR travel experiences ... let me know! Laziness means I MUST update these soon.

I will expand this section soon with a few colour photos from each trip one of these days. I usually take about 1000-2000 photos each journey, so there are plenty to choose from. And am now getting my act together with a digital camera. If you are planning travel to anywhere unusual - or mainstream please feel free to ask for advice if you need any. When it comes to airfares to ANYWHERE I can usually show you how to get there - in First or Business Class for under HALF what travel agents charge - contact me for details.

On Flyertalk.com, a travel site I visit a lot, I was asked to summarise some "unusual" places I have visited and came up with this:

I have visited a few pretty left field countries on EVERY Continent, not on too many travel lists like: Vietnam (4 times) Falkland Islands, Cuba, Brazil (5 times), Suriname, Federated States of Micronesia, Laos, Greenland, Columbia, Iceland, South Korea, Jordan, Bulgaria, Haiti, Libya, Botswana, Burma (twice), Guatemala, Jamaica, Swaziland, South Africa (twice), Cambodia, Ecuador, Uruguay (twice), Antigua, Romania, Monaco, Fiji, Azerbaijan, Zimbabwe (3 times), Paraguay, Morocco (twice), Trinidad, Tunisia, Norway, Papua New Guinea, (twice) Tonga, French Guiana, Argentina (5 times), British Antarctic Territory, Israel (twice), Russia (twice), Nepal, Panama, Grenada, North Korea, Vatican, Antigua, Zambia (twice) Puerto Rico (4 times) Bolivia (twice) etc. Also have visited all the American and Australian States and Territories, and all the Canadian Provinces.

And also some pretty off beat parts of countries like Galapagos Islands, Newfoundland, Point Barrow Alaska, and South Point Hawaii (most southern and northern USA points) Easter Island (twice) The Amazonia (7 times from 7 countries) Victoria Falls (twice) Iguassu Falls (3 times - and all for Xmas day!) Arctic Circle Finland for Xmas Day, (Minus 30) Columbia, Guam, (10 times) Tasmania (HA!) Thursday Islands, sailed up the Irrawaddy River to Mandalay, Kalahari Desert, Sahara Desert, Zululand, Johnson Island, Tierra Del Fuego, Prince Edward Island, the Taj Mahal, Kilauea Volcano, Macchu Picchu (twice) Mount McKinley, Mount Kiliminjaro, Mount Everest, Mount Fuji, Mount Rigi, The Jungfrau, etc.

Swapped this shirt with a cowboy in North Dakota, 2005
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Sahara Desert in Tunisia, late 2007.
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Man this place is desolate. Lots of cows!
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Massive Crazy Horse mountain partly 'carved'. South Dakota
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Mobile road block. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
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Largest Colisseum outside Rome. Covered in sand until recently
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The $2,750 deceased Dingo near Broome, August 2005
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A GOOD road in Suriname. Van broke down twice - for hours
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Roman ruins in Sabratha Libya, September 2006
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WHAT a weird dining experience this was! Israel Nov 2005.
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'Chez Titi' in French Guiana, September 2006
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My Burmese language translation is not strong either!
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You better like RICE in Burma if you are a Buddhist Monk!
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About an American dollar's worth in Burma! July 2005
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Click for enlargement		Click for enlargement		Click for enlargment Switzerland 2004 with friends Rudi, Joe and Della.