Ben Winston

Not your average travel blog

The End…with Malawi in sight

Some people asked me to compare last year’s trip across North America, to this year’s. I won’t, purely because they were completely different and as I continue on this nomadic … Continue reading

May 17, 2016 · Leave a comment

Finally!!!!

KP sends me this photo while we’re having a week or so apart. He’s sent them to a better place. About time! Spending the trip with KP wasn’t anywhere near … Continue reading

May 17, 2016 · Leave a comment

My last morning in Alaska

The concerning wait for a ferry which hasn’t arrived yet, after being delayed for three days has been frustrating. It’s also been threatening and frightful while in the woods. Filled … Continue reading

May 16, 2016 · Leave a comment

Stranded in storms and falling trees

As relaxing as the woods can be, they’re also a little nerve racking when some heavy storms are forecast and you’re sleeping amongst tall trees. It’s calm but building. Cautiously … Continue reading

May 16, 2016 · Leave a comment

Maliciously attacked by a schizophrenic French floozy

While in Moab last year, I didn’t meet a new friend called Shareena. Drinking a beer at the end of a Utah bar, alone, her rainbow coloured hair cascaded across … Continue reading

May 16, 2016 · Leave a comment

Life is a holiday, not only two weeks a year

This morning three cruise ships docked downtown and Broadway was bombarded with over 10,000 visitors. A few hundred people live here year round and varied reports average around 2000 in … Continue reading

May 15, 2016 · Leave a comment

Love shack & some morning wood.

I was bound to talk about love at some point… Conveniently, a friend in Skagway, where my ferry will sail from, tossed me an invitation to visit. New friendships across … Continue reading

May 15, 2016 · Leave a comment

I need a Bear & a Tlingit

The ride south to Skagway and back into Alaska takes you over the Alaska Range. A little over a century ago, stampeders hiked from the fjords of Skagway and Dyea, … Continue reading

May 15, 2016 · Leave a comment

Loudly banging back into Canada

The recent conditions on the Alaska highway have opened up the crack in the windscreen to one mighty, three foot gash. Today’s drive has also taken its toll on the … Continue reading

May 14, 2016 · Leave a comment

Being off grid isn’t always pretty

Even though it’s just a bus stop for the cruise ship companies, a train depot for those riding up through the Yukon from a southern port, a commercial coffee stop … Continue reading

May 14, 2016 · Leave a comment

Humans are magpies (Atlin)

Ironically, on the first day since the adventure began which I haven’t worn my sunglasses, I’ve indulged in ice cream. I added rum. I think it was a mini celebration … Continue reading

May 14, 2016 · Leave a comment

Back into Canada (videos)

Back into Canada on a pothole road

May 13, 2016 · Leave a comment

A Defiantly-Wild, Bear-Guarded Mine (Kennecott)

Usually in the U.S. visiting a national park is an experience of managed wilderness – accessible to all – but while slowly being restored, the Kennecott Mine in Wrangell St … Continue reading

May 13, 2016 · Leave a comment

An unruffled Madam with a big bottom

Following our trip through the Whittier tunnel, and after a quick stop in the tiny town of Hope on the Turnagain Arm to bag myself a few salmon on the … Continue reading

May 13, 2016 · Leave a comment

Whittier: Cold War Weirdo

The American outback, the boondocks, nestled in the sticks, appears barely operational. There’s evidence of gigantic agricultural farms operating in the lower 48, but prominent cities and towns built on … Continue reading

May 12, 2016 · Leave a comment

Private moments in the bush…

Private Moment Home Spit About to leave the Kenai Peninsular. Some people suggested I make this a tradition…Sorry to the rest of you.

May 12, 2016 · Leave a comment

If the Kenai Peninsular was a box of chocolates…

If the Kenai Peninsular was a box of chocolates, it would probably be one of those industrial sized boxes of Quality Street that you get at Christmas, to fatten grandma … Continue reading

May 12, 2016 · Leave a comment

To Homer! (videos)

Bear, Bear, Bear! Eagle! Sadly, no gin.

May 12, 2016 · Leave a comment

Pensioners Pensioners Pensioners…

Dithers Complainahan (he has a new nickname) has been trying to figure out why, in the last handful of years, he has repeatedly befriended troubled men in their early 30’s. … Continue reading

May 11, 2016 · Leave a comment

A Polar Bear Garden

In 1867, William H. Seward (Secretary of State at the time under Abraham Lincoln), bought Alaska from Russia. There had been some earlier negotiations to sell the region to their … Continue reading

May 11, 2016 · Leave a comment

Seward

On the south coast, the port of Seward is small and mainly provides alighting for cruise ship passengers to be then transported over land to inland destinations such as Denali … Continue reading

May 11, 2016 · Leave a comment

Splendid! South of Anchorage.

I reached Anchorage! Technically it was going to be the end of my planned trip but as usual, I’m not stopping yet. Alaska is vast, and I haven’t even scratched … Continue reading

May 10, 2016 · Leave a comment

Into the Wild?

“The best beer I’ve tasted this side of the Rockies” that’s me, quoting myself. The 49th State Brewery, just off Parks Highway in Healy (north of Denali National Park and … Continue reading

May 10, 2016 · Leave a comment

Graham eats Molly. Stan takes one for the team!

Three wolves, countless bear, numerous moose, a curious arctic fox, eagle hoards, awkward stalks, migrating swans and geese, territorial osprey and various regal raptors, botherless bison, wolverine, tasty fish, elk, … Continue reading

May 10, 2016 · Leave a comment

My dithering pensioner and I disagree a lot

My dithering pensioner and I disagree a lot. We’re extremely good at it. Naturally, our opposing political views are cause for regular debate, but we agree and disagree on probably … Continue reading

May 10, 2016 · Leave a comment

Leeches! Driving! Glaciers! (videos in Denali)

Speechless Views   I caught a Leech. Brilliant!   My favourite driving

May 9, 2016 · Leave a comment

Like a drunk spider, trying to climb out of a bathtub…

Clearly a blogging mix up in the last post, written by either a randy drunk or a lethargic halucenogenist. A cup of tea and a hearty breakfast sorts any Englishman … Continue reading

May 9, 2016 · Leave a comment

If you’re only going to read one update….why not make it the weird, sexually frustrated one? It has My Little Pony in it…

We had our sights set on Denali for the mountainous scenery, the remote wildlife, the promise of expansive, lush landscape, and well, now that we’re here: Beer. The drive from … Continue reading

May 9, 2016 · Leave a comment

Civilised trimmings & techno Grumpiness

Roughly two months into the trip, and before leaving Fairbanks, we stayed a night in a hotel for the first time. You may think it was a luxury, an indulgence … Continue reading

May 8, 2016 · Leave a comment

Some attractive mature nudists

The drive south on the Dalton Highway was infinitely more interesting and enjoyable than heading north. Not only was the mosquito population higher toward the north end of the road … Continue reading

May 8, 2016 · Leave a comment

You may need some lubrication…

The strangest, unpleasant, oddly informative and most numbing feelings I have ever had as a tourist. The shuttle bus escorted a handful of curious people through the oil drilling facilities, … Continue reading

May 7, 2016 · Leave a comment

Reaching the Arctic Ocean!

Reaching the Arctic Ocean! Prudhoe Bay

May 7, 2016 · Leave a comment

Hoth does exist on Earth

A few dozen miles into the Arctic Circle lies the place where Luke Skywalker ventured out on his tauntaun… Beyond the first 300 miles of the Dalton Highway, seeing virtually … Continue reading

May 7, 2016 · Leave a comment

Almost at the Arctic Ocean (videos)

In the photo: I started at the small red dot and travelled on the blue line. I’m now at the large one on the north coast. Few updates on Deadhorse, … Continue reading

May 6, 2016 · Leave a comment

Storms in the Camper (videos)

Grateful times and Hellman’s! Storms in the Camper

May 6, 2016 · Leave a comment

The Dalton Highway

There are three seasons in Alaska – Autumn, Winter, and; If the ground isn’t frozen, and if there isn’t a white out causing everyone to stay indoors for a few … Continue reading

May 6, 2016 · Leave a comment

The Trans Alaska Pipeline

The kinky snake is as long as Great Britain (just over 800 miles) and transports oil from the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic, to Valdeze on the southern coast. The … Continue reading

May 5, 2016 · Leave a comment

I’ll make sure the minx is filthy again soon

After driving slowly past the least inconspicuous military air base in The World (I can say that now, as America advertises everything compared to “the world”) Fairbanks is the next … Continue reading

May 5, 2016 · Leave a comment

Tok on July 4th & a mile marker to note

Driving into the tiny town of Tok on the Alaska Highway at the beginning of the 4th of July carnival/caravan parade, is rather like accidentally walking into a meeting room … Continue reading

May 5, 2016 · Leave a comment

Rougher than grinding pebbles in a blender

Top of the World & Taylor Highway. Following the old sourdough track over the hills from Chicken, the views from most of the Top of the World Highway as we … Continue reading

May 4, 2016 · Leave a comment

I “beeped” out the expletives

This morning I was woken up by a loud, beeping alarm and KP coarsely saying “no, I don’t need you!” Unless signalling a fire, some carbon monoxide overload, burglary, an … Continue reading

May 4, 2016 · Leave a comment

Into the Arctic

We crossed into the Arctic Circle a little after 7am on July 1st 2015. The sodden, squelching tundra was forgotten briefly as it opened up into sparkling, dew-covered hills. From … Continue reading

May 3, 2016 · Leave a comment

Mother Nature: The Temptress

There have been no obvious critters from the start of the Dempster, all the way to the Inuvik (750Km). The caribou cross the road twice a year on their migration … Continue reading

May 3, 2016 · 1 Comment

Wearing a woolly jumper and swimming through peanut butter

Day two on the Dempster and the road has been surprisingly good so far. Like many highways in the north country, it’s detailed as dangerous and not for standard vehicles. … Continue reading

May 2, 2016 · Leave a comment

I am literally a walking stick of candy floss wrapped in bacon

Industrious, vicious, relentless, and the size of birds – mosquitos in the Yukon are intrepid villains, seemingly programmed to insistently make my life a complete misery. As long as I’m … Continue reading

May 2, 2016 · Leave a comment

I Lied

Dawson City is not the start of the Dempster Highway (but it is where the paddle boats from Whitehorse once steam powered to). Forty kilometres east of Dawson City, we … Continue reading

May 2, 2016 · Leave a comment

Whitehorse: An update for lovers….of murderous horses, my toilet time, and history

Arriving into a city isn’t normally such a wonderful thing, but since leaving dusty, Dawson Creek, Whitehorse is strangely, rather comforting. There are crowds of people, even in the rain. … Continue reading

May 2, 2016 · Leave a comment

Penetrating your Yukon…

Update from the river bank   Penetrating Your Yukon   Update prior to Heading North   Productive day

May 1, 2016 · Leave a comment

Intimacy with an orally fixated sheep

As if driving on the back of a grey millipede which is missing a few legs, the highway’s industrial limbs appear to be less common as we head north. I … Continue reading

May 1, 2016 · Leave a comment

Camouflaged, but not for my furry friends.

The start of the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek constantly reminded me of how the north works – practically, hard, hands on, in extreme weather, overcoming the wild, and with … Continue reading

May 1, 2016 · Leave a comment

The Alaska Highway – Dawson Creek

No punns or associative crying please – although, half expected, the start of the Alaska Highway is not what you’d call a metropolis, nor is it a picturesque country town. … Continue reading

April 30, 2016 · Leave a comment

Where am I now?

After extensive work and tours through Southern Africa, most of my time is spent between Malawi and Europe.
Go Untamed Safaris was striding into top gear, but volatile poitics in 2019, Covid in 2020, the impacts of Russia vs the World as well as insesent corruption forced my hand.
The dust is now settling. Everything has changed. New chapters are about to be written.

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