Safari in Tanzania

After nearly two weeks in Kenya, Keith and I headed to Tanzania to experience our first safari, to see the famed animals of Africa in person, in their natural habitat. After a rather challenging, too-long overland bus trip from Mombasa on the Kenyan coast into Moshi, Tanzania to overnight, we were ready for our wildlife [...]

An Underwater Ghost Town, Emerged from the Drought

It was a Central Texas town, settled in the 1850s along the banks of the Colorado River. There was a general store, a cotton gin, a school — even a hotel. The town was called Bluffton, and life continued there for decades. By the 1930s, around 50 families were living in or around Bluffton. Then, [...]

48 Hours in Vientiane, Laos

When people arrive in Laos, the land-locked, slow-moving, peaceful country in Southeast Asia, they generally gravitate toward Luang Prabang as far as cities. But while a different vibe, the capital city of Vientiane has a lot to offer. It’s much larger, and more crowded and busy, than Luang Prabang to be sure. But it is [...]

Inle Lake, Myanmar: The Land that Time Forgot

The longboat glided silently through the water, as the narrow channel opened up into the large expanse of Inle Lake. The shores seemed very far away, their green mountaintops disappearing into misty clouds. We passed other boats occasionally; mostly fishermen who swung their nets overhead and moved their wooden craft with a unique one-legged rowing [...]

The Quest for Pura Vida in Costa Rica

“Pura Vida” means “Pure Life”. It’s an expression that Costa Ricans use to express the essence of their land and way of living. When I visited Costa Rica in 2006, I heard the phrase within an hour of being in the small country, which is generally known as a very peaceful place: it abolished its military in [...]

Laos: It’s Buddha-Licious

Greetings from Laos, the only land-locked country in Southeast Asia, and the most laid-back. There is a reason that this placid, easy-going nation has a reputation as “Laid-back Lao” – most everything is very peaceful and slow, with very little hassle from vendors or touts. Most of the populace are Buddhist, with about 60% of [...]

The Indie Travel Manifesto

Are you an Indie Traveler?  Independent travel is a departure from routine – an opportunity to learn, have fun and embrace life in novel environments and cultures. We better understand ourselves and others when we leave home to experience the world firsthand. Tourists leave home to escape the world — Travelers leave home to discover [...]

A Glow in the Dark Sea? Bio-luminescence in Puerto Rico

I am sitting in a tiny airport in Puerto Rico, called Ceiba, awaiting what is to be the shortest flight of my life. The gate agents have recorded all of our weight– from checked luggage to carry-on bags and even our persons – for the small charter plane that will take us over to Vieques [...]

10 Feet of Bliss: Adventures on a Rustic Island

I don’t remember whose bright idea it was to motorcycle around the entire Maderas Volcano that makes up the southern half of La Isla Ometepe, an island in Lake Nicaragua. Actually, yes I do – it was my boyfriend Keith’s idea. But I can’t really blame him for the three hours of ass-smashing bouncing that [...]

Heading to Nicaragua!

Tomorrow I leave for three weeks in Nicaragua, and the real beginning of this Trading Places blog. The stories I have shared so far are experiences I’ve had in the past couple of years, real stand-out people and places that are some of my top travels of late. Nicaragua is the first stop on my [...]