Rout 395, California I decided to take the long, scenic way to Lake Tahoe along U.S. 395. As I took off from Pacific Beach in San Diego, the foggy marine layer was thick. About 20 minutes into the 10 hour drive, I remembered how I hated traffic and was already asking myself ‘am I there … More Road Trip along US 395
Parque Tayrona, Colombia The best travel experiences are always fraught with drama, uncertainty and moments of anxiety. That’s exactly how I was feeling when the bus driver dropped me off at a muddy patch of land near Parque Tayrona in northern Colombia. The sign certainly indicated I was in the right place, Posada San Rafael, where I … More Hitchhiking in Colombia
Stone Town, Zanzibar As the two Africans in the front seat drove me further into the remote woods, I was hoping they intended to take me snorkeling and not to beat and rob me…or make me their wife. I had no idea where we were headed, but I suspected I was booked on a rogue … More Leap of Faith
Jambiani, Zanzibar Holy cow, I’m in Africa! The hour ride from the Zanzibar airport to the hotel was sensory overload. A busy street full of speeding cars, bicycles, ox drawn carts and people dashing about. Women in colorful dresses and head scarves. Cows tied up in front of houses, chickens and goats running freely. My … More I’m in Africa!!
Salento, Colombia Yesterday was the first time I felt truly scared and unsafe in Colombia. In fact, it’s the first time I felt that unsafe in any of my travels. I was going from Cartagena to Salento, a tiny town in the Coffee Region. I wanted to hike the beautiful Valle de Cocora. To … More In Pablo Escobar’s Backyard
Siem Reap, Cambodia There’s still a chill in the air as we drive down the dusty dirt road. The Italians’ tuk tuk is stirring up a red dust storm in front of us, making it difficult to see and breathe even though Jeat is following at a distance. The road is so bumpy that I … More My Thanksgiving with three Cambodians, two Italians and Me, as the Translator
Moscow, Russia Part of the process for obtaining a work permit in Russia is undergoing a local medical exam. You have to get tested for all sorts of odd things including SARs, TB, drug addiction and leprosy. Really? Leprosy? I went to the American Medical Center, and was expecting it to be, well, American. But … More My Russian Medical Exam
Think your job sucks? At least your office isn’t a port-a-potty. These are all over the city, and these poor old women have to sit inside all day, taking money, and cleaning up everyone else’s poo. Speaking of poo. The Russian word for cabbage is ka-poo-sta. My teacher told me to think of a … More Your Job could always be Worse
Russia still has a very strong central government which controls many aspects of life we may not be accustomed to. Heat being one of them. Most Moscow apartments, but also churches and apparently even hotels, are hooked up to a central heating system. The government usually turns on the heat in mid-October. But because it’s … More Heat Wave Expected Later This Week
The Moscow metro stations are really deep. The escalators at the deepest station are 126 meters long and have 740 steps (Thanks Wikipedia), and look something like this. So this morning I’m spacing out on the long escalator ride up and I see this guy, looking all smug and proud of himself, sliding down the escalator … More You Should Never be too Cocky
One Girl's Wanderlust Adventures 