Overview Wanna go to Cambodia and Vietnam? Ummm sure…I guess… This trip was Chris’s idea. To me, Cambodia and Vietnam seemed exotic, unfamiliar, and to be honest, a bit scary. We forged ahead since Chris really really wanted this trip (he’s a huge history and war buff) and I love to explore so I figured…
Overview In October 2016, I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks camping and hiking with my best friend Karen. We met in Reno (having flown from Alaska and Oregon, respectively) and then worked our way from Yosemite down to Mt. Whitney before cutting east to finish up in Death Valley. We packed so…
Overview In August 2016, a friend and I backpacked the ~104-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that runs through the lovely Shenandoah National Park. To be more precise, Lynn and I began as mere acquaintances, but a friendship slowly emerged through months of online planning, and then blossomed over 7 1/2 days of 24-hour togetherness.…
Overview I’ve been visiting Keuka Lake my entire life, but this is the first year I got out to hike trails. Why the change? Two reasons: 1) I stayed the whole summer so had more time; and 2) I needed to train for a 100-mile backpacking trip through Shenandoah National Park (woohoo!!). I’m thrilled that…
Overview This little trip to Las Vegas completely redeemed the city in my eyes. It’s a shame I held such a poor opinion for so long, but it is what it is. I grew up in Vegas from second grade and by the time I graduated high school I’d had it up to my eyeballs…
Overview Chris planned a surprise trip to Cancun for our 25th wedding anniversary - so thoughtful! It was my first time to Mexico and we had a ball exploring Cancun, Chichén Itzá, and five different cenotes in the area. I wrote four articles summarizing our 5-day adventure: Our 5-Day Cancun Getaway. This post gives an overview…
Overview In late June of 2013, Chris and I spent two full weeks sailing the Greek islands aboard a 40-foot catamaran along with our two sons, our niece and nephew, and my brother and sister-in-law. We hired a local skipper and set sail from Alimos Marina near Athens. It was an epic trip, stunningly beautiful,…
Overview This trip was over 2 years in the making, rather a long incubation for a 5 1/2 day vacation! We traveled with our good friends Anne and Jack, and first tried for Mardi Gras 2015 but put it off since we both had kids graduating from high school that June. Fast forward a year,…
Overview Keuka Lake (aka “The Crooked Lady”) is one of eleven Finger Lakes in western New York. It’s easy to pick out on a map due to the unique “Y” or wishbone shape. Many will argue which is the best Finger Lake, but there’s no contest; Keuka wins hands down! It’s just the right size,…
Overview Chris and I spent a total of six weeks in Ireland: three weeks on our own, one week hiking with a friend, and the final two weeks sightseeing with family. It was a fantastic trip and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but was it “perfect”? Nope. Here’s a taste of lessons learned…