“Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, we will not ourselves find peace.” – Albert Schweitzer Today was our day to learn – up close – what some of the animal conservation challenges are in Nepal, and how some people are working hard to reverse negative impacts of “man meets nature”. We set … More The Vulture Restaurant & Elephant Conservation
The next stage of our Nepal journey was very different and equally memorable to our time in Kathmandu. We traveled to a lovely town called Sauraha that sits on the border of Chitwan National Park. It was the “getting there” that proved problematic. We were scheduled to fly from Kathmandu to Tribhuvan International Airport in … More Into the Wild: Sauraha and Chitwan National Park
This is a bit more in depth on the Monkey Temple mentioned in an earlier post. One of many memorable moments on this Nepalese adventure was to Swayambhunath – also called the “Monkey Temple”. Let me explain. Swayambhunath is an ancient religious site built on a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley with incredible views (on … More Monkeys, Monkeys, and More Monkeys!
Staying at a monastery guest house was one of the most peaceful, serene experiences I’ve ever had. Smack in the middle of chaotic Kathmandu sits this oasis of spiritual grounds, devout monks going about their business, and spartan but very quiet hosting rooms and cafe gardens….except this morning when a concert of what sounded like … More Getting My First Taste of Nepali Arts & Family Traditions
I awoke at 5am to a chorus of bells and barking dogs, with some bird songs chiming in. Being on the grounds of a monastery that sits in the midst of a huge and bustling city, I shouldn’t have been surprised at any of this. I’d had a restful night’s sleep in any case. The … More Monastery, Markets, Monkeys, Meditation & More
Our dear friend Laura, who used to be our next door neighbor in Carlsbad, has remained an inspiring and beloved partner in “Tikkun Olam” (Repairing the World) activities both Andrew and I are passionate about. Laura has started food programs for homeless communities, builds houses in Mexico, and now has created Culturekova with the goal … More Nepal & Bhutan: The Adventure Begins
With all the international travel Andrew and I have done over many years, it’s taken this long to explore our own country’s vast wilderness state – Alaska. Even when we were living in Seattle, we never quite made it that far north and now we finally did. Admittedly we did this on a very luxurious … More Alaska: America’s Final, Fantastic Frontier
While on our latest trip to Italy and down the Danube River, I decided to try my luck at letting ChatGPT write a story about two couples with wanderlust…I felt compelled to share this and keep it for posterity…Enjoy! After forty years of marriage, Andrew and Esther still looked at each other like travel partners … More Winds of the World | By: ChatGPT
After our few days in Budapest, we sailed along the Danube River which – thank goodness – had enough water level the entire way to avoid any detours and bus rides that others had experienced other seasons as the river ebbed and flowed. With the exception of our last stop in Prague where we had … More The Rest of the Danube River Cruise: Greenery, Scenery, Town Squares and Memorials
After our wonderful week in Puglia, we flew from Bari to Budapest. This is where our Silver Seas cruise on a beautiful riverboat began. We spent a couple of days exploring the city and found it to be both charming and humbling. The Hotel Matilde is very close to the waterfront and adjacent to some … More Cruising the Danube
Living La Vida Loca 