I fell in love with Costa Rica during a one day stop on a ten day Caribbean cruise. How could you not like a country that disbanded its army in 1949? This, along with its craggy volcanic peaks, cascading waterfalls, lush forests and breathtaking views prompts the nation’s sobriquet of “the Switzerland of Central America”.

Don’t plan on visiting Sable Island if you are the impatient kind of traveler. The 42 km long sand bar, taking its name from the French word for “sand”, does not cater to human foibles and the wait for appropriate weather conditions to fly or boat in can be a long one.

The evening haze glowed orange, incandescent from the setting Egyptian sun, which reflected in the waters of the Nile. In the distance were the silhouettes of the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chefren and Mycerinus. It was mind boggling to think that this view had been awing new visitors to Egypt for almost five thousand years.

What happens when a Yukon company and First Nations groups come together with the goal of promoting awareness of Yukon people and their history while maintaining the cultural integrity of its peoples? George burden has the answer in his first person account of his own experience on this unique world-class eco-tour down the Yukon River.