The move to Australia has been a long time coming but now that I’m here it all feels very abrupt. The Englishman got wind of a potential Sydney posting months ago so we’ve had plenty of time to get used to the idea. But no matter how organized the packing job, or how much advance … Continue reading
In the blink of an eye, my two years in France have come and gone. Nice and I have had a classic romance: I was infatuated with the light and the color when I arrived and then reality set in and I had to work hard to learn the language and ingratiate myself in order … Continue reading
Istanbul is known for its incredible food and before I left, everyone I talked to told me to “eat everything!” Our first dinner set the bar high. Tired after working all day (and walking all day in my case) we decided to stay on our side of the Bosphorus and by luck of the draw, … Continue reading
When my friend Hilary emailed me a few weeks ago to say she was going to Istanbul for work and wondered if I could swing a trip east to meet her, I thought for all of two minutes before booking my flight. The Bosphorus Sea had always grabbed my imagination and Istanbul was a city I was dying … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Pura Tirta Empul – Tampak Siring, Bali Ubud and the surrounding villages in the middle of the island are thought of as the spiritual heart of Bali. And the purification and water temples at Tirta Empul are thought of as among the most important spiritual places in Bali. Foreigners are able to visit the … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Dewa – Ubud, Bali This tip is a bit different. Instead of highlighting a place, I am recommending a person. Anyone will tell you that to get the most out of a trip to Bali, you really need to hire a guide. And Dewa Arsana is the best of the best. With his wide smile, … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Three Pools – Willamette National Forest, Oregon Three pools is a collection of gorgeous swimming holes in the Opal Creek Wilderness area in Marion county Oregon about 90 miles south east of Portland. From Portland, getting there takes about two hours by car, but the crystaline pools of brilliant, blue green water are … Continue reading
Last year I was lucky enough to spend three whole months traveling. I nearly made it all the way around the world from Europe, to the Middle East, through the US and around South East Asia. I saw some wonderful places, met fascinating people, and got to celebrate a few milestones with good friends. I … Continue reading
I have been traveling in and out of the Middle East quite a bit over the last couple of years, and I have become accustomed to the rigmarole. But on my latest trip, which took me to Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon, the level of ridiculousness reached record-breaking levels. For starters, getting to Lebanon from … Continue reading
Since arriving in France, I have been riding the trains, trams and busses with abandon. I love good public transportation, and Nice has it in spades. But shortly after getting here I started to wonder if anyone was ever going to ask to see my ticket, and if not, why did anyone bother to buy … Continue reading
I have a week off from school so I decided to hop on a plane to Tel Aviv to visit the Englishman. We are trying to keep the space between visits to under two months. Ridiculous by most standards of coupledom, but it’s an improvement for us. I arrived at the airport, and after surprisingly … Continue reading
Top Travel Tip: treasure hunting in the côte d’azur The French Riviera is famous for its sultry, hot summers but Autumn here is spectacular too – especially if you love second hand shopping. Fall is vide grenier season in Provence, when the area becomes a treasure hunter’s paradise. The phrase vide grenier translates to clearing … Continue reading
I felt optimistic as I climbed the steep hill leading up to campus for my first day of school. I am attending the Corlone campus – one “e” away from being Nice’s mob school- which houses the languages department of Nice University. The Faculty of Lettres, or le fac as it is called, consists of … Continue reading
After a summer of non-stop travel and excitement I am settling back into the apartment in Nice and trying to stay put for a few months. It is quite a change to be back and to be adjusting to the pace of life in the South of France. I spent so much time in the … Continue reading
It has been just over one year since I decided I’d had enough of Washington, DC and set off on this adventure. Since then I have been to seven countries and countless cities. I have traveled by plane, train, subway, boat, motor scooter, bike, car, bus, and on foot. I’ve lounged poolside, hiked up volcanoes, … Continue reading
Everyone I have ever known that has been to Bali has told me: “it changed my life.” Each time I heard this, my cynicism about the place grew and to be honest I had very low to no expectations before I left. Bali was never on the top of my list of places to see. … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Bom Bom Wholesale Ubud, Bali is full of Beautiful Fabric. Batik sarongs are absolutely everywhere and each one is more gorgeous than the next. I found Bom Bom Wholesale, right when I arrived and after nearly three weeks of looking in each and every shop since then, I still think she has the … Continue reading
Prolonged travel brings with it a myriad of new experiences, and some of the oddest ones seem to take place in the many security checkpoints of the world’s airports. In the intense heat of summer, I find wearing my hair piled up in a bun on the top of my head to be the most … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Ride the San Francisco Ferry I used to think of San Francisco as a place you needed a car to get to. Not anymore. Golden Gate Transit is good, and the ferry system is a thing of beauty. The boats take passengers to and from San Francisco from Larkspur and Sausalito – both … Continue reading
No matter how long a visit, I have with the Englishman, I never seem to realize it will come to and end, until its time to say goodbye. This time we had a full month in each other’s company. Something of a record for the past few years. We certainly crammed a lot into the … Continue reading
