Small, well-organized living spaces have always fascinated me. Think sailboats, motor homes, campervans, and more recently the trend of tiny… Read more #VanLife
Tag: travel
Watery Ways
Over 22 feet of rain falls every year in Milford Sound, on the southwest coast of New Zealand’s South Island.… Read more Watery Ways
Kia Ora
“Kia ora,” the tattooed man with a wide smile greets us as we step up to the coffee counter. Kia… Read more Kia Ora
Welcome to the Future
Wrap your head around this: To reach New Zealand, we flew west, which is typically earlier in time, but we… Read more Welcome to the Future
On the Trail
The Appalachian Trail (or AT for short) has snaked north some 2,000 miles through 14 states by the time it… Read more On the Trail
Africa by the Numbers
61. At the risk of tempting fate, we are once again feeling relief at returning state-side without picking up bed… Read more Africa by the Numbers
Across the Strait Divide
From the beaches in Tangier, Spain looked like a smudge on the horizon. Hazy hills rose up across the sparkling… Read more Across the Strait Divide
Ramadan Mubarak
Five times every day we hear the call to prayer, from crackling loudspeakers attached to the towers of mosques. This… Read more Ramadan Mubarak
M Is For…
Morocco. This is the ninth African nation we have visited this year, and it’s a welcome shock to the system.… Read more M Is For…
TWA (That’s West Africa)
Senegal, like the other countries we visited in West Africa, is a swirling mass of contradictions: beautiful beaches strewn with… Read more TWA (That’s West Africa)
Why Sierra Leone?
At the beginning of this travel year through nine African nations, we knew Sierra Leone had to be one of… Read more Why Sierra Leone?
Cape Verde Therapy
Riding in a small, crowded, chaotic mini-bus, stopping frequently to pick up and drop off locals by the side of… Read more Cape Verde Therapy
Lessons Learned in Cape Town
We arrived at the city that crowns the southernmost tip of Africa by land, passing through deserts, jagged mountains, and… Read more Lessons Learned in Cape Town
Over Hill, Over Dale, Overland
“Hello family!” said the big man with a wide smile, giving us a queen’s wave. I was seated on a… Read more Over Hill, Over Dale, Overland
Crossroads of Kenya
Just shy of the Nairobi airport at 1:30am, our taxi driver pulled up to a toll plaza and told us… Read more Crossroads of Kenya
On Safari
To get to the wide-open spaces of our Kenyan safaris, we first had to squeeze through an epic Kenyan traffic… Read more On Safari
Kaya Kinondo: The Sacred Forest
A broad smile and a melodious “Jambo” (“welcome”) greeted us as we wedged ourselves out from the back of our… Read more Kaya Kinondo: The Sacred Forest
First Impressions
A small band of monkeys passes through our front yard every day, munching on flowers and leaves, curiously peeking through… Read more First Impressions
The Art of Leaving
Over the summer, we decided on Kenya as our next destination. We knew this would be yet another different kind… Read more The Art of Leaving
Harsh Beauty
The Atacama desert is so dry and rugged, it’s been compared to Mars. Intense sun and gale-force winds punish everything—animal,… Read more Harsh Beauty
A Small Island in a Vast Ocean
“Iorana, welcome,” a smiling woman said, bearing flower leis and a sign with my name on it as we exited… Read more A Small Island in a Vast Ocean
The Travelers’ Tango
Tango, the dance that started as a scandal and became the national dance of Argentina, is an immersive experience in… Read more The Travelers’ Tango
An Unexpected Guest
Nobody plans to get sick. As a person who assumes good health, and typically ignores any indication to the alternative,… Read more An Unexpected Guest
Weather Patterns
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing,” said my son’s preschool teacher many years ago during… Read more Weather Patterns
Glaciers, Fjords, Cliffs, and Penguins
Patagonia is a place where geological time is what matters; where we are scurrying ants next to the power and… Read more Glaciers, Fjords, Cliffs, and Penguins
Under the Volcano
As we pull out of Pucón for the last time, we say goodbye to Volcan Villarrica, the volcano that has… Read more Under the Volcano
From the Andes to the Ocean
“Yeehaw” flooded my ears in tandem with a full body dousing of cold water. I had two breaths in which… Read more From the Andes to the Ocean
Embracing Trees
Wildfires are devouring central Chile as I write this, the result of drought, heat, and human carelessness. The government has… Read more Embracing Trees
Border Run
I know it sounds a bit absurd, but we decided to take a vacation last week. It must seem like… Read more Border Run
The Garden of Life
It’s finally spring on our mountainside near Pucón. Lupines and daisies splash purple, white, and yellow across the green hill… Read more The Garden of Life
Seeing the World, One Year at a Time 