// February 14th, 2011 // 9 Comments » // Photo of the Week, Tanzania
I could post a sunset photo every Monday and never tire of them. But the reason I posted this photo from Kendwa on the coast of Zanzibar is because it reminds me of warm weather and the beach. I’m sick of running in this cold weather and dreaming of shorts and bad tan lines! Who’s with me?
// February 7th, 2011 // 6 Comments » // Italy, Photo of the Week
St. Peter's Square full of people listening to the Pope (and I'm sitting where the red dot is!)
This week’s Montage Monday is not just one photo. It’s a series of photos from the Vatican where, by happenstance, I heard the pope speak! (more…)
// January 31st, 2011 // 11 Comments » // Egypt, Photo of the Week
I did an overnight trip in the Western Desert in Egypt in 2008. We drove 10 hours off-road in the desert and never passed another vehicle. We stopped for lunch in this shady spot to recover after getting stuck in the sand!
// January 24th, 2011 // 13 Comments » // Italy, Photo of the Week
I’m not sure if it’s cloudy or foggy. I asked Google for clarification but still not sure what you call these clouds hovering around mountains. But… I guess that’s really not all that important. What is important is how gorgeous the Amalfi Coast is in Italy. I took a bus and got off at different cities along the way. The road is so narrow that when going through towns, we literally had to back up hundreds of yards so other buses could pass. There are buildings around curves that have scrape marks all over them where buses have rubbed up on them. Happy to say I got to see this beautiful coastline without having to drive it!
// January 17th, 2011 // 14 Comments » // Bali, Photo of the Week
Jalan Kajeng is a street in the beautiful town of Ubud that is equivalent to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well, sort of. You can purchase a square as a way to help pave the street. In return, you can carve into it whatever you want. Many paved squares are purchased by guesthouses or restaurants to use as advertisement. But then others have clever messages, quotes, or words of love for Ubud. This one, in particular, struck me. First, because I think Ubud could heal many a broken heart (and no, please don’t bring up Eat, Pray, Love, because frankly, I’m tired of reading about it). Ubud is full of culture, great food, friendly people, and beautiful scenery. This square also reminded me just how many people travel as a means of healing. Now you may think I’m going to spill some dramatic, intriguing story about how a broken heart spurred my most recent trip, but it didn’t really. However, I think travel is not just about healing a broken heart, but also about healing the mind. Shannon Kirsty, whoever you are, I’m so happy for you.
// January 10th, 2011 // 8 Comments » // Photo of the Week, Spain
A construction worker sits in a cubby at the top of one of La Sagrada Familia‘s towers in Barcelona, Spain. I’m not afraid of heights but I must say I don’t think I could do his job!
// January 3rd, 2011 // 5 Comments » // Denmark, Photo of the Week
On a day trip to Denmark, we stopped in the small town of Ribe. Once a viking town and considered the oldest town in Denmark, Ribe Cathedral dates back to the early 1100s. It’s hard to grasp just how old all of the buildings are. The brick structure pictured is one of my favorites- it’s an inn. How fun would it be to stay there?
// December 20th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Photo of the Week, South Africa
During my time in South Africa, I made a second visit to Kalk Bay, a coastal fishing village just thirty minutes from Cape Town. The harbor drew me back for the photo-op and for more time to check out all of the brightly painted boats. An unexpected surprise, the seals playing in the harbor further idealized this quaint, beautiful town.
// December 6th, 2010 // 11 Comments » // Kenya, Photo of the Week, Volunteer
Mwangi- sweet, cute, and into everything (don’t let the smile fool you, he got into a girl’s room and drew lipstick on everything)- is a perfect example as to why I volunteer. There’s been several articles recently on the Internet including one on whether you should pay to volunteer over at Almost Fearless and one on The Guardian about how volunteering can be harmful. I believe both have factors to consider, and I have loads of opinions on this that I will share in due time. But for now, I can only hope that as selfish as I am by saying how much I get out of seeing smiles like these, I hope these kids benefited just as much from my time spent with them.
// November 29th, 2010 // 6 Comments » // Photo of the Week, Trip Planning
Just over a year ago, this is what the top of my dresser looked like. I wanted to take off for an 8 month around the world trip and a.) Am the most indecisive person you will ever meet and b.) Have a not-so-secret love for the library. I could go anywhere I wanted in the entire world, pending that it fit within my budget, and found that to be one of the most exhilarating parts of planning my trip. I checked out lots of guidebooks and travel related books from the library because it was free and because I was there pretty much every week. Sadly, I’m not as avid a reader as many people I know, but I just love the idea of having all of these books at my fingertips. On my lunch break, desperate to get away from my torture chamber (aka my job) I’d flee to the library. I’d hit up the travel section, and if I had time, I would visit art and architecture, non-fiction, and new releases. Travel books + Library = Bliss
And in case you were wondering, Bhutan was at the top of my travel list, I just couldn’t afford the government mandated travel costs! However, I will gladly accept a government sponsored trip (hint hint Bhutan).
I love to travel, run, volunteer, and explore this crazy world! If it involves an adventure or a passport, count me in! For more about me, click here.
