As soon as he spots the suitcase, he anxiously follows us around. Worry clouds those big brown pleading eyes. He’d pack a bag of his own if he could to make sure we don’t leave him behind. Truffles is our adorable chocolate Cockapoo, who hates to travel almost as much as he hates being left…
THE DANCING HORSE
The handsome young man and his high-stepping horse danced gracefully around the lovely señorita as she swirled her skirt and spun to the rhythms of the Marinera, the national dance of Peru. The steed bowed deeply before the flirtatious young woman, while his rider (called a chalán) tipped his sombrero and accepted the handkerchief she…
PURSUING PELE BY AIR, SEA, AND LAND
Two formidable foes squared off time and again. Pele, the goddess of fire, lightning, and volcanoes, hurled great volumes of fiery molten rock only to see her sister Namaka, the sea goddess, squelch it with tidal waves. First Kauai, then Oahu, Molokai, and Maui. Finally, on the island of Hawaii, Pele stood her ground, digging…
EL CÓNDOR PERSISTE
The lilt of a birdsong fluttered in the air, or so it seemed. The puckish piper grinned, knowing he had enthralled us with his lovely song. Gustavo León Flores, an avid scholar of ancient Peruvian musical instruments, played one flute after another. Each opened a window to the past. Surely the voices of birds first…
HAWAII: MAKAI TO MAUKA
They call Hawaii “The Big Island” with cause — it stretches approximately 90 miles across and almost 270 miles in circumference. A mountainous interior with few trans-island roads further complicates exploration. While the island of Hawaii offers a dizzying diversity of adventures, scenery, and even climate zones, enjoying them (especially for those on a brief…
A WINTER’S NEST IN PARADISE
Driving through horizontal snow behind a public works truck spewing salt and sand, a trip to paradise seemed not just unfeasible, but a ludicrous fantasy. Yet, a day later I sat sipping Kona coffee on a lanai looking out to powder-puff blue skies, the only salt spray coming from ocean waves cresting lava rocks. Two…
RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET
“Ease that foresheet. Watch the main sheet,” Captain Steve Pagels barked to his crew. Yard by yard the crew, assisted by a dozen tourists, hoisted aloft the bright red sails of the Margaret Todd. The sails caught a brisk September breeze, billowing smartly outward and gliding the schooner into Frenchman Bay. We set sail from…
THE GREAT KUDU
On South African safaris everyone clamors for sightings of the big five — lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and water buffalo — the most dangerous beasts in the land. Another South African beast captured my heart and imagination — the Greater Kudu. Horns curling fantastically skyward, bold white stripes emblazoned across muscular shoulders, the kudu’s striking…
TRAVELING PLAYLIST
When planning a cross-country trip, there’s a truckload of things to consider. What route to take? Where to stay? What to see? How many climate zones and what weather conditions? What and how much to pack to accommodate weather and occasion? All important. But me, I began planning my cross-country trip by putting together my…
HAWAII KAMA’AINA-STYLE
Longtime residents of Hawaii, called kama’aina by native-born Hawaiians, enjoy the islands far differently than tourists. Sure, they make it to the big attractions, but it’s the low-key moments and places that make the islands home. On a two-month sojourn on the Big Island last winter, we learned via word of mouth (especially from our…