Insights from Kerala
The sun hits you when you first walk out of the airport in Kochi; the heat that accompanies its piercing rays takes less than a second to materialize. The Arabian Sea had first made an appearance to...
View ArticleJardan, Colombia — Wandering a Pastel Pueblo
One of the travel rules I try to live by is following the advice of others. Tourists, long-term travelers, or locals. The "who" tends to not matter as much as the "where". People who've been in a...
View ArticleLooking Back on White Earth, Minnesota
My father saw gnomes as he neared death. They started with their backs against the paneled walls of his living room, moving closer and closer to him each day. He wasn't scared though. Rather, he...
View ArticlePacking Light and Stylish for Your Next Hot Climate Adventure
Planning for every type of adventure involves careful preparation and wardrobe considerations. And when geared for a hot climate destination, your primary goal is to stay cool while still looking good....
View ArticleMud Bricks and Karaoke in Taanayel, Lebanon
“You absolutely must tell your driver to go to Taanayel, you’ll love it,” my Lebanese friend Lara said. Our conversation was conducted on a cell phone during a drive in the Bekaa Valley and those were...
View ArticleKandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy, long considered the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, is a 3-hour train ride from the largest city, Colombo, and was my first destination after arriving from the airport. At the station, right...
View ArticleEnjoying in Emerald City: Enchanted by Seattle
The glass sculptures were astonishing. Just once in my life I had visited a glass blowers' studio, accompanying my daughter's school study trip. Yes, I had seen the demonstrations of the glass being...
View ArticleGuatemala Revealed
A blaring buzzer abruptly invades my dreams. I have fallen from that castle in the air to land on the bed of my shadowy hotel room. My eyes are wide open, but I can't see a thing. I frantically fumble...
View ArticleA Break from CoVid-19 in Finland
As the fireworks exploded over Kalajoki Finland, I reflected on the past two weeks of travel, how easy it had been, and how far away CoVid-19 had felt. The Finn’s don’t wear masks, they don’t queue...
View ArticleAUB in Lebanon Was a Hard Sell, Part 1
I tend to stick to safe, predictable destinations when it comes to family holidays. Growing up in a war zone does that to you. I was born at the outset of the Lebanese Civil war in 1975 and spent the...
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