CUBA: Let’s Do The Time Warp Again… It’s A Jump To The Left…

  If you have ever wanted to go back to the 1950’s, you can easily do it in Havana, or anywhere in Cuba (with the exception of the tourist resorts).   It’s fun to actually feel the Cuba time warp. For us, it was like going back to our childhoods…. Continue reading

Searching For Crocodiles By Flashlight In The Amazon

  Well, I have done some crazy things in the past, but this one about tops them all.   On a pitch-black night, in the middle of the Amazon Jungle, in Ecuador, we canoed on a swamp searching for crocodiles by flashlight, with a 12-year-old native Quechua Indian navigating.   We… Continue reading

History Is Boring

History Repeats Itself. Which May Explain Why It's So Boring.

  Some people find history fascinating; others find it completely boring. I used to be the latter, finding all those dates absolutely meaningless (stop scowling). Random dates and events seemed like completely useless knowledge. I wanted to know what was happening today! Not 500 years ago.     In high… Continue reading

Borneo River Safari: Gigantic Butterflies and Tree-Climbing Crocodiles

  Gigantic Butterfly   Relaxing on the deck before our Borneo River Safari, something moved beside my chair. I looked, and made a small gasp. There was a huge creature fluttering on our patio window a foot away from me! I stood up, stepped back… and took a closer look…. Continue reading

I Wish You Would Write About…

Small Questions Question Marks

  Recently, someone said to us, “I wish you would write about….”, and it occurred to us that we have never actually asked our loyal readers exactly what travel information they wish we would write about!    So this is your opportunity to say what you are thinking.   Don’t… Continue reading

A People Study in Aix (or Classic French Style)

  Aix is an elegant city with extremely well-dressed people, cobblestone streets, book stores, parks, gardens, and it has the beautiful Fountain la Rotunde at the end of the Cours Mirabeau, often compared to the Champs-Elysees street in Paris. There is a cultural air in Aix, and a hint of snobbishness.  … Continue reading

Belize, A Bit Of A Disappointment

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  Belize is a tiny Central American country on the Caribbean side, so that usually means amazing turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and Spanish-speaking people. Because I have wanted to go to Belize for about 10 years, I could hardly wait, but to be honest, it was a tremendous disappointment.  … Continue reading

The Golf Cart Pole Dance (and Other Golf Cart Disasters)

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  The day after we arrived at Isla Mujeres (Island of Women), a tiny island off the coast of Mexico near Cancun, we were all set to enjoy a lovely afternoon at the gorgeous North Beach, when the rain started. A downpour filled the streets to overflowing within a short time,… Continue reading

Trieste: Full of Surprises

  The trip from Venice to Trieste by train follows the curved coast of Italy and has some spectacular views of the towns dotting the hilly green coast and the Adriatic Sea.   We met the sweetest couple on the train. A Chinese couple that helped us with our luggage,… Continue reading

Panama: Crossing The Most Dangerous Bridge In The World

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  Our helpful Panamanian friends in Tonosi had recommended that the best way to get to the paradise San Blas Islands of Bocas Del Toro on the Caribbean side of Panama, was to take the new highway across the mountains of the Palo Seco Reserve.    Lucky To Be Alive  … Continue reading

Ireland: What You Need To Know

  The first thing you need to know if you’re driving around Ireland is that there are no traffic lights. That’s right, no traffic lights. Instead, there are 50 million roundabouts.   On arrival the ten or more roundabouts just to get out of Shannon airport caused us great anxiety…. Continue reading

Where On Earth Is The Kingdom of Tonga?

  Ever since taking an anthropology class at university, and reading about the Kingdom of Tonga, I had longed to go there.  Kingdom of Tonga   Anthropology of the Kingdom of Tonga   Reading that the bigger you are in Tonga, the more prestige you have, shocked me. There was… Continue reading

Dumbest Travel Gadgets

TRAVEL PILLOW – Total Travel Pillow Gone are the days of flying when you could expect to find a pillow and blanket on your seat. Now it’s more of a DIY experience. Functioning as a travel pillow and blanket in one, the Total Travel Pillow claims to keep you warm and reduce… Continue reading

Ghost Plants, Stink Bugs & A Magical Lake in the Borneo Rainforest

The Lake   It was the most mesmerizing lake we had ever seen. Set in the Borneo rain forest like a jewel of peace among wild thorns.  (Double-click on any photo to see it full size)   Reflections so perfect and so still, you’d swear there were two lakes.   … Continue reading

Driving On The LEFT

  “Now why in God’s creation would you take yourself ever go to Ireland if yer didn’t havta? The weather is bloody miserable! For God’s sake, it rains all the frickin’ time. Are you daft man? And the wind’ll go right through ya… give yer head a wee shake.” T’s solidly Irish… Continue reading

S. E. Asia: “99% Of What We Worry About Never Happens”

  Malaria   As many of us have said before,   “99% of what we worry about never happens, and the other 1% we can handle.”   And so it was with our fears of Malaria, and fears of the side-effects of the drugs to prevent Malaria. It’s a well-known… Continue reading

Borneo: Stripped Naked By An Orangutan

  Sepilok Orangutan Nursery   We were still giddy from seeing the wild Orangutans that morning.  After returning to the gorgeous Sepilok Nature Resort, we had lunch and a short break before we headed to the Sepilok Orangutan Nursery and Rehabilitation Centre.   The Orangutan Nursery and Rehabilitation Centre houses… Continue reading

Azores: 15 Top Recommendations (plus Bonus for Doughheads)

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  You really cannot go wrong visiting The Azores. Aside from these top recommendations, the Azores is one of the most genial, pastoral, relaxing, beautiful countries we have ever visited. The closest to it might be New Zealand. Here are just a few tips for getting the most out of… Continue reading

Wild White Horses & Black Bulls

  From Carcassonne, we continued to drive to the coast of Southern France, stopping in Aigues-Mortes, which is another Bastille town with a large rampart around the old town.   Park Camargue   We drove on to Park Camargue, a half-hour south of Arles where semi-wild black bulls and white horses… Continue reading

An Entire Exotic Island to Yourself in Tonga

  We had rented a cabin and were about to spend a week on an uninhabited island, Uoleva Island, in the Haap’ai Group of Tonga. It was an island we would have all to ourselves with absolutely breathtaking white powder beaches and crystal clear turquoise water (perfect for skinny dipping). There were no roads, no… Continue reading