“No need to cry – the mountain isn’t going anywhere – you can try again.” That statement made by my Kilimanjaro guide, Douglas, has stuck with me for 10 years. In a way, it’s actually haunted me. I started my career break and eventual life of nomadic travel writer 10 years ago when I flew […]
We drove to the airport as the snow came down heavier and heavier with each minute that ticked by. I watched the fat snowflakes land on the windshield and melt and thought about the number 5. It’s shocking to me that this is my 5th Niece Project trip. And even more surprising – this is […]
“This could turn into a Lord of the Flies situation,” I say jokingly. “Just don’t call me Piggy,” the guy across the table from me replies and we all laugh. “Maybe people will get banished to the island in the lagoon,” another person chimes in and laughter erupts again – a little too uncomfortably. I […]
“I’ve lost my desire to Snap Chat,” Megan proclaimed weakly. Now I knew I had a serious issue on my hands. Actually I knew it was rather serious the night before when she lay in the tent napping after our first day of hiking and her breathing would all of a sudden get rapid and […]
I squinted my eyes and peered out onto the bush filled mountain searching for the trail. “Look, do you see it?” he said as he placed his hand on my knee. “The trail is right here.” Pointing across my body. I still couldn’t really see it but decided to fake it since it would bring […]
I’m walking towards the door, I remember reaching my hand to grab the handle and turn and then my vision went black. I feel arms around me as my legs go limp and I feel like one of those toy giraffes who’s limbs were held attached by elastic string. When you hit the button on […]
I had seen those people before – the ones with the duct taped boots or better yet the people who left their torn up destroyed boots on the trail as an offering to the hiking Gods. I always thought, “What idiots!“, I couldn’t understand how these people could be so horrible at planning. How could […]
American has had a pretty mild winter so far, however it’s still cold enough to freeze lakes in Minnesota. On my recent trip there I was able to experience one of the things that makes Minnesotans great – their love of the cold weather. I admire people who live in the Northern US; they have […]
By the time this post goes live, I’m hoping that I will be close to entering Mongolia. I feel (and hope) it’s at this point I can breath a small sigh of relief. As we’ve traveled through Europe and Central Asia, I’ve been slightly on edge because driving a car through these parts of the world as […]
Today sucked…really sucked. I expected the hard, slow, dirty driving in the Mongol Rally, but I wasn’t expecting it today. There really was no road except for some rubble that was more hardship than what it was worth. So ingenious drivers made their own roads alongside the “official road.” It was like a […]