South Africa is becoming a destination of choice for good reason. We were happy to arrive in Cape Town, the mother city, after a very long flight: 24 hours across two continents on South African …
January 25, 2012
Travel: Must-See
The Cape, South Africa
On The Strip: Las Vegas, Nevada
I don’t get it. I’m an avid people-watcher. But I’ve never been a Las Vegas fan. Seems contradictory, right? So when a friend of mine announced a birthday weekend in Vegas, I decided to give …
January 4, 2012
Iquitos, Peru: Gateway to the Amazon
“Can you carry the backpack on your chest instead?” Gino asked me as we were about to enter Belén Market in Iquitos, Peru. I nodded, turning it around. He winked. “That's a gringa inteligente,” he …
January 2, 2012
An Unforgettable Trip to Salzburg, Austria, and Dachau, Germany
They say every little girl’s dream is to be a princess. When I told a family friend that I’d been accepted into the Salzburg Global Seminar and would be living in an 18th century castle, …
Checking Out Boston
Whether you want to learn about early American history, explore art museums, watch leaves change color or sip a pint, Boston does not disappoint. The easiest way for someone unfamiliar with Boston to get around …
December 11, 2011
Do's and Don'ts in Bangkok
Bangkok is the introductory city to Asia for many Americans, and the hectic pace and traffic may remind New Yorkers and Angelenos of home. A city of eleven million, Bangkok can be a slow crawl …
Two Weeks in the Cook Islands
Those travelers looking for an authentic South Pacific experience without the exorbitant price tag should look no further than the Cook Islands. A nine-hour flight from LAX (one weekly nonstop) made the main island of …
November 1, 2011
A Week in Madrid, Spain
I was at the end of adjuncting three college courses, and hadn’t traveled internationally since 2006 when my husband and I went to Taipei to visit family. I had some money and time to go …
October 26, 2011
Grand Canyon, Arizona: An RV Experience
Like all red-blooded Americans, our family decided to visit the Grand Canyon. In an RV. Big mistake. 1. The a/c didn’t work. It was 107 in Phoenix. 2. We hit a sign (or two) and …
October 11, 2011
Parlez-Vous Canadian? Montréal
Who would have thought they speak French in Canada? I sure as hell didn’t. I also never imagined it’s so hard to get to – at least for the frugal foreigner. Making arrangements in advance …
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
The boat ride to Santa Cruz, Guatemala, was cold. The wind blew fervently as the boat hit rough patches, splashing swaths of freezing water on the passengers seated in front. Lake Atitlan is very windy. …
August 24, 2011