Breakfast on our balcony overlooking the water hole. Close up views of magnificent wildlife at the Onkolo hide. Evening game drives and sundowners at the bush bar. This is part four of a four-part series on our May 2026 trip to Namibia. Safari time! Get ready for lots of [...]
Spectacular rock formations. Ancient petroglyphs. Desert adapted elephants and vibrant hornbill birds. This is part three of a four-part series on our May 2026 trip to Namibia. Damaraland, Namibia was the destination I was most eager to see; and it turned out to be my favorite. The first thing [...]
Untamed coastline with rambunctious waves. Soothing fog and cool ocean air. Pristine sand dunes filling the horizon. This is part two of a four-part series on our May 2026 trip to Namibia. Travel Day: Desert Whisper to Skeleton Coast We were sad to leave Desert Whisper but looking forward [...]
Towering red sand dunes leading up to the sky. Ancient trees resting in a surreal valley. Dark skies filled with brilliant stars. This is part one of a four-part series on our May 2026 trip to Namibia. When I told people about our upcoming trip to Namibia, many asked – What made [...]
The Indonesia archipelago has over 17,000 islands – which can present a challenge when planning a trip. How do we decide which islands to visit on a two-week vacation? I wanted to see Borobudur and Michael wanted to see Gunung Padang – both in Java – great, that’s the first destination. Where to go next? [...]
When Michael said he wanted to go to San Francisco for his birthday trip I was not keen on the idea. We have been to the Bay area and wine country many times, but it has been a while. The last time I was in Union Square, it was sad to see that the area [...]
I wasn’t going to write about our fourth annual trip to Pismo Beach, California. It was a nice, mellow week but there wasn’t anything of interest to share. But then I found inspiration in an unexpected place. The Tides Inn finished renovating the beach house with new furniture and air conditioning. The best part was [...]
I’ve wanted to visit the Ojai Valley for a while. A few years ago, we planned a trip with Indy but had to cancel due to his health. This year we finally made it to Ojai – twice. On a warm June day after battling freeway traffic, we reached the peaceful Ojai Valley. We settled [...]
On a Galapagos Islands cruise, we saw blue footed boobies, frigates, marine iguanas, penguins, and sea lions on uninhabited islands with diverse landscapes. Galapagos is an archipelago of 19 volcanic islands 620 miles from Ecuador. Most islands are uninhabited and the only way to visit is with a guide. Galapagos has been on our ‘wanna [...]
On a long-anticipated international trip, we explored Mayan ruins in Guatemala, saw a Star Wars filming location, and watched the sunset on top of a temple. It was seven years since our last international holiday. My mom’s illness and death, the pandemic, and then Indy’s failing health kept us close to home. After Indy passed, [...]