“Oh, this is obviously not your first cruise!” This sentence was uttered at dinner the first night of my most recent cruise, and was spot on about the couple across the way. How did my tablemate know? What you may not realize is that not all information about taking cruises is intuitive or readily available on your cruise line’s website. So there are all sorts of tips and tricks that you only pick up with experience. And so you if…
Oman wasn’t on my radar at all until a friend in Milan visited with her daughter and came back raving about this Middle Eastern country that I honestly hadn’t given much thought to before that moment. She described Oman to me as an unspoiled corner of the Middle East, which is the perfect thing to say to me to plant the idea of a new travel destination in my mind! Oman doesn’t have the over-commercialized sheen of Dubai and you…
I’m in a cave mostly engulfed in darkness, swimming. The water is cool, but I’ve just nearly become acclimated to the chill. I’ve hit a rhythm with my strokes, despite being in clothes and shoes as I chug along, weighed down ever so slightly. And then I see it. An outcropping of rock nearly touching the surface of the water, not leaving much space to squeeze through with my head above water. I’m petite, so I feel like I can…
Belize is a destination that over-delivers, with unexpected adventure and incredibly easy travel on any budget. My decision to visit Belize was a bit last-minute, so it ended up being a solo trip, since there wasn’t enough time to coordinate with anyone and I had a narrow time window that worked with my schedule. Certainly I love to travel solo, although I do think about and plan my travel a bit differently when I know I’ll be on my own….
If I asked you to name US wine regions, what would be the first ones that come to mind? Probably Napa and Sonoma valleys, in northern California. Possibly some other California regions that are up-and-coming for wine making, perhaps Oregon for its Pinot Noir production, Hill Country in Texas, or maybe even the Finger Lakes region of NY. Far less likely to cross your mind? The wine region of Charlottesville, Virginia. Even though I think that some of the best…
There is something particular about being overseas for a national holiday – especially your country’s Independence Day – and I’ve had my fair share of experience celebrating July 4th abroad. Which for me has always been a very different experience from celebrating at home. Perhaps my desire to mark the day somehow is due to the many all-American July 4th celebrations I’ve had stateside. As a kid on a road trip with my sister and grandparents, we spent the evening…
Summer is a season where as a child you likely were off from school, and had a whole bunch of activities to enjoy while on vacation. For me, the thought of summer evokes the warmth of the summer sun and memories of playing and frolicking outside while I could. In a way, even then, I had a ‘Summer Bucket List.’ Even though I’m an adult older now, not much has changed. I’ll use any excuse to stay outdoors and have…
Travel is something so personal, so particular to the individual, that it might seem weird to think about rules for travel. Certainly you should take trips that work for you, but over lots of different types of travel – backpacking, luxury, weekend getaways, & everything in between – I have honed my own travel savvy guidelines for making the most of any trip: The first time you see something you like, buy it. It sounds simple enough, but in the…
As I walk out of the theater, the bustle of Times Square and the city of New York surrounds me, but I am pleasantly removed from it all as I float along, caught up in my thoughts. Thinking about the play, considering the characters. I can’t bear the thought of checking my cell phone to see what happened in the intervening time. So I don’t. I am drawn toward Central Park, so begin meandering north. I feel an urgent need…
Berlin’s East Side Gallery is the longest open-air art gallery in the world, where artists have left their mark on an extended section of the original Berlin Wall. Artist got a wide rectangular section of wall as their canvas, and the resulting art is a combination of humor, political satire, and hope. A fitting mix of emotions given the symbolic nature of the wall during the Cold War, and the harsh reality it represented for Berlin’s inhabitants. I’ve already posted…