It’s morning and I’m sitting on the porch, sipping my coffee and eating bakwan (fried vegetables). The birds are chirping and the roosters are still crowing. And Eti, the friend/teacher I’m staying with, is in her PJs, off-white with small teddy bears, and sweeping the porch and the yard with a handmade broom. Her hair…
I’m drawn to a place for many reasons. Sometimes I see a photo and think—yes, I must see that in person. Other times, opportunities come my way and things just sort of fall into place. Or, quite simply, I get a feeling about a destination—a tingle of sorts—and I know I just have to go…
I took this photo when I was walking through Dangriga, Belize, with a friend–on our way to Hopkins Village. I loved both the patio and house behind it because of the colors. I felt they represented the local vibe–the beach and cultural scene–just perfectly. I was curious about the person or people who might be…
Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, called Lake Atitlán “the most beautiful lake in the world,” and I must say it was definitely one of the most gorgeous that I’ve ever seen. Of course, one should judge for oneself. And meanwhile, why now learn a little bit about the mysterious lake, how it was…
There was a time when I couldn’t salsa dance. At all. And I lived in Ecuador for 1.5 years–a country where there are plenty of opportunities to learn and practice. Loco, no? As hard as I tried, I felt like I had two left feet. And it bothered me as I watched others dancing the…
Here in the US, we have Mischief Night, which falls on Halloween Eve. In Boquete, Panama, there may be something called Mischief Day, which is celebrated just about anytime. As you’ll see in Random Travel Moment #3, a few kids plus a cat (any color–not just black) can equal… midday mischief. Or (and I’m wondering…
I have some exciting news that I’m thrilled to finally be sharing with you. I recently finished writing my travel memoirs—a collection of stories about my journeys on 5 continents around the world over the past 11 years! What It’s About The book is about my trips off the beaten path and in the moment,…
If you’ve visited this site before, then you may know that I’ve traveled to more than 25 countries (on 5 continents), including some that might be considered ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ journeys; I’ve also had “life-changing” experiences along the way. I feel great about where I’ve been and have no regrets. Of course, there’s a lot more to…
In part 1 of this series, I began the story of my stay on on a remote Caribbean island in San Blas off the coast of Panama during a full moon/eclipse. I was thrilled to be there since it was something I’d always wanted to do. The Kuna indigenous, however, weren’t so happy. In fact,…
Resting on my hammock, looking out at the turquoise water of the Caribbean, I eagerly awaited the sunset—and “la luna llena.” Sleeping on a tropical island during a full moon was something I’d always wanted to do and now it was actually happening. The sky slowly took on shades of crimson, gold and fuschia and…
