"My travels around Nor ..." a North America Travel Page by Bwana_Brown

To summarize North America, comprising Canada, the United States of America, Mexico and Greenland, on a single small page is quite a task! However, I will attempt to give you my quite favourable impressions of this diverse continent based on my travel experiences throughout its expanse during the last 30-odd years. Our journey will begin on the western shores where the Pacific Ocean laps and, moving from north to south and west to east, will gradually take you across North America to the Atlantic Ocean coast where European explorers first encountered this unknown land and its native inhabitants 1000 years ago. The landscape will vary from the sunny and warm Pacific shores, to the rugged Rocky Mountains running the length of the continent, then into the vast flatlands comprising its centre and finally the gentler peaks and forests of the east before the Atlantic shores are reached. This 2006 view was taken from inside the majestic Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta, Canada) looking down Upper Waterton Lake into Glacier National Park (Montana, USA).

Due to the effects of long ago scouring of the landscape by Ice Age glaciers and the much later ‘early’ settlements by Europeans, the more heavily settled eastern half of the continent is less dramatic in its natural wonders but more abundant in historical sites than the west. However, this half of the continent has great attractions of its own, including the amazing autumn colours of the dying tree leaves. Just like western North America, it is laced with geological wonders, lakes, rivers and streams of all descriptions, making for some very scenic locations to enjoy. Although its peaks are not as high, the gently rolling inland areas of forests and farmlands as well as scenic rocky coastlines dotted with picturesque lighthouses and small fishing ports go a long way toward making up for it! If you ever get the chance and have the time for 8000-km (5000-miles), take a drive from one coast to the other!

This topographical map of North America shows where my various 'Things to Do' tips are actually located within the continent, with the first ten of these tips coloured differently than the remainder. As of November, 2007 I finally managed (by means of various trips over the years) to complete the last leg in driving all the way across the continent from Tip 21 to Tip 1 in this map!