One woman's journey through the world
For a few years in my early twenties, I worked for a travel agency and had access to travel brochures and guidebooks galore. The term ‘bucket list’ didn’t cross my mind but during that time I compiled a lengthy one. Blackwater rafting the Waitomo caves, hiking to Everest base camp, diving in the Galapagos Islands, climbing Mount Kinabalu, taking a train across Australia, meeting the Masai Mara in Kenya, watching
When my parents asked if I had interest in visiting a glacier while in Norway, I was in Africa. I had proper hiking boots with me and, thanks to the generosity of friends, warm clothes to layer. So when I wholeheartedly said yes, I thought I’d have these things with me. But life had other plans and as it happened, I gave away most of those warm clothes and the
Having spent more time outside of the U.S. than in it over the last 3 years, I’ve become accustomed to life without safety railings and liability waivers. If you’re crazy enough to hike along or stand atop a sheer cliff edge, then you should know that all could go terribly wrong and you’d have no one to blame but yourself. Or the person who knocks you over the edge when
“This can’t be right.” I’m pushing my way through grass so high there are seeds at the base of my neck. A moment before, I was certain I saw a path there but doubt is creeping in. Is it time to turn back? Shouldn’t the path be veering to the right to loop back? Didn’t the staff say this was an easy trail to follow? And what happened to the
Oh South Africa, How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height Of your oceans, coastlines, and mountains, Filled with new friends and endless beauty. I love thee to the level of every day’s Most active need, with sun and wind, flora and fauna. I love thee freely, as a traveler strives for adventure. I love thee
The first person I asked about whether it was worth visiting Swaziland told me that it’s nice for a few days but that’s about it. It’s great for animals and crafts and not much more, he said. Having spent five nights there, I have to agree. I’m glad I went and saw as much as I did but really, four nights would have been plenty. For those of you hoping
Malawi wasn’t my intended next destination after Mozambique so it wasn’t until I decided to head there one Monday morning that I started researching where to go and what to do. It took me two days of travel to reach the border and in between I stopped at a hostel with a shelf full of guide books but no working internet so I happily did my homework the old school
As so often happens, this blog is behind. I want to write posts about my week in Western Australia, two weeks in Tasmania, visits to Adelaide and Melbourne, and wine tasting everywhere possible. Plus I still have Philippines posts to finish and some going even further back into my time in Asia. And while I fully intend to get at least some of those posts done, it won’t be today.
Tasmania has two well-known icons: the Tasmanian Devil and Cradle Mountain. I didn’t get to see the former, endangered nocturnal animals that they are, but I did make it to the latter. When I arrived in Cradle Valley the afternoon sun was shining and I happily set off around Dove Lake. An easy two hour walk with multiple stops for photos, admiring the view, and contemplating what I’d be doing