It was dark and late when we pulled into the dirt road that lead to The Menjangan Resort. All we saw was dirt roads, tall trees and eyes in the darkness. Where was this they were taking us? Then, out of a clearing we saw the tall Bali tower with it’s soft cushions and chairs,…
Still somewhat jet lagged from our 24+ hour trip out to the Bali Barat National Park, it was easy to handle the 5:45 AM wake up call. Our amazing guide from Destination Asia, Mr. G, was there ready to take us to our first excursion of our Bali trip. We were driven a short distance…
My husband and horses do NOT have a good history together. Back in 2005, when were were driving across the country, we stopped to visit a friend in Jackson. They took us horse back riding through the valley. My husband was not confident and the horse knew it. At some point the horse wanted to…
When I turned 30 I was happy. I was pregnant with my first child. I had a job I loved. My life was in a trajectory toward success and fulfillment. I loved turning 30. Fast forward 10 years. Life…is not quite as happy. My career has stalled. I’m not finding fulfillment in my work I…
Growing up along the Jersey Shore, I grew up with the boardwalk. To me the boardwalk is funnel cake, pizza, carnival games, and rides. It’s walking along the shore, feeling the ocean breeze, as you spend quality time with friends and family. I have fond memories as a child, walking along with my parents and…
A long expanse of clean sand with waves of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and lines of motels on the other, it’s a beautiful place to spend the day soaking in sun, playing in sand, and enjoying the water. Plus, if you are lucky you’ll see a little wildlife as well. The nice thing…
We had a tiny window. Dad was recovering well from surgery, almost back to his old self and energy level. But he was due to start radiation soon. My stepsister and her daughter were in town just as my children were able to join me on the East Coast. My dad, from whom I got…
As my regular readers know, I have been taking some time to take care of my father after he had a 9+ hour maxillectomy surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering to remove a stage 4 tumor. During that time, I spent over a week fairly close to the hospital, spending 12-14 hours a day in the area.…
“Closed? What do you mean it’s closed?” That was my reaction when we walked up to the Folsom History Museum on Memorial Day. You see, I was looking for a new day trip adventure with my family. We’ve done Old Town Sacramento. A lot. We did the train museum, the history museum, the steam train…
For the first time in forever, I have no idea how the summer will play out. I have two weeks of camp scheduled and that’s it. I have a one way plan ticket to New Jersey. I have two weeks booked in Bali, but one hand on the travel insurance policy in case it all…
Due to my father’s ongoing cancer battle, I came to Jersey for a week to meet with doctors and deal with some additional affairs. While at my dad’s home, I got the chance to walk around my hometown with my new camera. Having fun with my camera, I decided to do a photo essay of…
“Look at the giant bottle of ketchup!” “Are we really going to see Mr. Rodgers?” “Can I push the button?” “A trolly!!!” “Kidsburgh!!!” This was just some of the things the five extremely excited children shouted as we started to enter the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During a quick trip to…
Malta has 359 churches between the islands of Malta and Gozo. That’s almost one for every day of the year! While we were in Malta, we saw quite a variety of churches, from major cathedrals to minor parish churches. All were beautiful and full a splendor unlike many you find in the United States. Seeing…
Ever since the launch of the Basic Economy Fare (see my blog post on it), I have been exploring and reading about ultra light packing. How to pack for a long trip in just a backpack. On my trip to Barcelona, I got the perfect opportunity to test the idea. I bought an ultra low…
Before Christ, before the great pyramids of Egypt, before the wheel, the ancient settlers in Malta built grand temples to honor the gods of their time. Over time they were abandoned, wind wore down some of the big rock, dirt and vegetation grew over some of it, and they were forgotten to time. That was,…
