The original author of the old saw about death and taxes never sat down at the equator. If he had, he would have instantly added “sweat” to his timeless twosome. I lived on the small Micronesian island of Kosrae for a year, and I had a constant companion: whether a silky sheen of perspiration or dripping rivulets of body water, sweat was never far from my side. Or my arms and legs either. The propinquity of the equator means that islanders … [Read more...]
Escape to Carmel-by-the-Sea
There’s no place like home, but when a trip is ending, I’m always a little sad unless I’ve got the next excursion in mind. Coming home after almost three weeks of having a fantastic time in the Emilia-Romagna and Puglia regions of Italy, I needed to plan a getaway! I found solace in Carmel-by-the-Sea. About a two-hour drive south from San Francisco, Carmel is a convenient getaway for area residents or visitors to San Francisco Bay Area. … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara: Make Mine Mediterranean
Oh the dizzying thoughts of a Mediterranean vacation: maybe a waterside villa in Lake Como, touring Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, or perhaps olive picking in Mykonos? Dizzying indeed—particularly the price. But there’s a stateside Mediterranean that’s no dowdy stepsister, and it’s only a few hour’s drive and many dollars less: Santa Barbara. Wrapped between the mountains and the sea, with picturesque palm trees for its ribbons, Santa Barbara … [Read more...]
Mallorca 2013
After delays in New York and Dusseldorf, we arrive in Palma, Mallorca at 2:30 p.m. Wonderfully, my husband Damon and I are invited every year to stay in nearby Bendinat. Our host Hal is alone at his seaside house. His daughter, my good friend Kate, and her 13-year-old son Carlos will arrive next week. Despite his years, Hal is remarkably unchanged, his distinctive phraseology continues unabated, examples being the classic “Clock!” and … [Read more...]
Catalina Express says Happy 100th Birthday to the City of Avalon
Travelers Enjoy Free Ride on Your Birthday AND Save Hundreds of Dollars Any Day of the Year with the Avalon Centennial Planner SAN PEDRO, Calif. (August 16, 2013) – Who doesn’t want their cake and eat it too? Catalina Express, the leading boat transportation to and from Catalina Island, sings Happy Birthday to the City of Avalon on its 100th birthday. Throughout 2013, Catalina Express not only continues its Free Round Trip on Your Birthday … [Read more...]
Adrian Qais: Adventure Traveller
Adrian's travels embody what we define as "experiential travel" - at its core it is traveling with an intent and openness to having experiences - in part focusing on what is unique to a particular region. And Adrian has already had enough unique experiences from his time on the road to last most people a lifetime. From being kidnapped in Africa to staying with nomadic Bedouin tribespeople in the deserts of Oman to total cultural immersion in … [Read more...]
Sexy Vermont: 50 Shades of Green
Who would have guessed? But, as laid bare before me, Vermont is the sexiest state. Beyond its partially-trussed shoulders, and sensually curved back, beyond its juicy, succulent berries, Vermont is a place that emanates a pheromone that smells more pine than Axe. And yet it somehow manages to excite in ways unexpected. The favored car is not a Porsche, but rather a Subaru. The state color not hot pink, but forest green. It is more Von … [Read more...]
Kidnapped In Africa – Part 2
Before I begin, I want to thank those of you who have come back to finish the story of: ”Steve And The Unsuspecting Backpackers” Just a quick summation of where we are in the story: 1. We met a guy called ‘Steve’ 2. Steve seemed nice 3. We got a lift with Steve to a club that was, apparently, 10 minutes away 4. The car had blacked out windows and only one back door worked 5. After driving for nearly 1 hour a 'Titan' of a man got in the … [Read more...]
Kidnapped In Africa – Part One
For me, Tanzania is a tainted country. If you can believe it, we were kidnapped and robbed within 24 hours of arriving into the country. So... let’s begin the tale. The night before the ‘incident’ took place, one of my best mates and I touched down into Dar es Salaam (the biggest city in Tanzania). As soon as we arrived we did what any proper backpacker would. We rushed from the airport to our hotel, check in as fast as humanly … [Read more...]
The Worst Food in the World: Ñachi
On the way to the headwaters of the Bio-Bio River in Chile, where we hoped to make the first descent, we stopped at a Mapuche Indian farm house and asked if we might camp in an untilled field. Yes, Yaco, the owner, replied, but only if we joined for dinner. Of course! We would be delighted. As we sat at a long wooden table, Yaco served up Mudai, maize chicha, made by cooking ground corn in water, adding masticated maize meal, and … [Read more...]
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