“You’re always on vacation,” my friend chided me when I told her I wasn’t available for a zoom meeting. I chuckled. “Well, let’s back up for a minute,” I responded. “I said I’d be out of town. And really, what exactly is a vacation? Does it count if you’re shlepping your own groceries because you plan to do you own cooking? How about if there is no housekeeping service other than your own? And what about swatting flies as I heave my trash bag into the dumpster. Does that really make a Continue Reading
Traveling during the holidays
Happy New Year! How has your holiday season been? Filled with family celebrations, gifts galore, wrapping paper strewn here and there? Too much food, too many calories and too many leftovers? But that isn't everyone's holiday. It certainly isn't mine, nor my friend, Kathy's. So what did we do instead? Travel. And travel we did, creating memories that will last longer than whatever the Amazon truck might deliver. Switzerland, two weeks, criss-crossing the country by train. Wow. Every Continue Reading
Norway – as authentic as it gets
I must have missed the fine print on the travel web site. “You will be offered fish, three meals a day, for twelve consecutive days. But don’t worry, the scenery will be worth it.” You know what? They were right, on both. Kathy and I have just returned from a twelve-day trip, aboard the MS Richard With, that sails the coast of Norway. This Coastal Express Cruise (https://www.hurtigruten.com/en-us/voyages/coastal-express-roundtrip) is part ferry, part cargo ship, part no-frills cruise, Continue Reading
A trip, in three acts
My recent Road Scholar trip was absolutely amazing. In my mind, Iconic National Parks from the Grand Tetons to Banff played out in three acts. Act One - The parks. Mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, hot springs, geysers, mudpots, fumaroles, canyons, waterfalls, rocks being formed, gorges, prairies and plains, icefields and glaciers. We saw (and learned about) it all. Yellowstone takes the cake in having the most varied topography. I'd never been there so everytime I saw some earth bubbling Continue Reading