Every tricky traverse in mountain, stream or forest needed doing twice over: once to find a way for himself, then to collect the steed, often carrying it shoulder-high through sharp palmetto, or water, or rocks.

ECONOMIST: Ian Hibell

Watching some of the new Google videos, I could not help but miss a few of the timeless Siberian towns I have stopped at, and the snow-capped mountains or that steady stream of forest out the window.

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Even in the afternoon sun though, a short walk can easily lead you into perennial mist forest and over the trickle of a mountain stream.

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With its new water-resistant design, low-light camera sensor, and removable and rechargeable battery, the Looxcie HD lets users record and stream under nearly any condition, from snow sports to forest trails and sporting events.

ENGADGET: Looxcie HD brings 1080p and WiFi streaming to a helmet near you

About 80ft high, I'd guess, it is beautiful rather than vast - a rushing stream that catches the light from an opening in the forest canopy and plunges into a pool where there were two people bathing, and from which, surprisingly, they produced a large basket of freshwater crabs.

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