Wine tasting, city life, and a shark dive In a long-anticipated return to a favorite travel destination, we revisited some spots and finally saw what we missed the first time around. There was a relaxing week of wine tasting in Stellenbosch, followed by Cape Town exploration and a great white shark dive. [...]
Learn about Nubian culture Just outside the hustle and bustle of Kampala we visited a women’s craft group, primary school, and orphanage, and then enjoyed Nubian hospitality at Mama Milly’s home. This post is part of a series on community tourism in Uganda. Community Based Tourism Initiative (COBATI) is an NGO that promotes community development, [...]
Meet a white rhino, shoebill stork, and more After seeing animals in the wild on safari and gorilla trek, we were excited to meet some up close at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre where we had a private tour and stayed overnight in one of the guest bandas. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) opened [...]
Nubian culture, banana beer, and gorillas During an 11-day whirlwind tour, we saw breathtaking scenery, observed mountain gorillas in the wild, learned about Uganda culture, and met warm, hospitable people. In 2011 Lori started volunteering with a tourism NGO in Kampala, Community Based Tourism Initiative (COBATI). She was looking to use her [...]
Traditional process to make banana beer Deep in a Masheruka banana plantation we were treated to a special experience. We learned the traditional process to make banana beer as we listened to wonderful music. (This post is part of a series on cultural tourism.) This post is part of a series on community tourism in [...]
Stonetown, scuba, so-so beach It was bound to happen – we visited a destination we were not crazy about. After an exciting Serengeti safari we flew to Zanzibar with hopes of enjoying the beach and blogging. But our experience on the island was a bit of a letdown . . . Stonetown [...]
Spectacular safari in northern Tanzania Wide open plains, fields of wildflowers, and beautiful vistas abound in the Serengeti. In addition to seeing diverse wildlife and lots of wildebeests, we also hiked and learned about the Massai culture. Our first stop in Africa was Tanzania for a four-day safari in a remote area [...]
Rest and recovery with a little sightseeing On the tail of Michael’s dysentery, we spent six quiet days in Singapore where he had time to recover. But we did get in a little exploration time to see some of the city. We were amazed at what we thought was Michael’s speedy recovery [...]
The challenges of dog over population Economic and cultural factors contribute to dog over population in Thailand’s cities, rural areas, and islands. During our three week visit, we learned a bit about the challenges and people who are making a difference. As a dog-lover and rescue group volunteer, I always notice dogs when I travel. [...]
Magnificent ancient temples, troubled modern history On our 8-day visit to Siem Reap we explored incredible temples, visited interesting museums, found unique local art, and got dysentery. Goodbye Thailand Leaving Koh Phangan was a bit easier than getting there, but it was not without challenges. An early morning departure for the 7:30 [...]