I just returned from my first trip to Botswana. This was my 6th safari experience in Africa and my 15th country in Africa. I chose Botswana for several reasons.  Botswana has a large concentration of most of the famous safari animals and they manage safaris in a way that is more sustainable and less stressful for the animals (in most game viewing areas) They also have several regions that vary in terrain and animals seen, so you can get a varied experience while staying in one country.    

Fair warning:  There are some graphic animal photos included in this blog.  Please understand that I use a telephoto lens to take photos and I am very far away from the animals shown in these photos.  You are not this close to most wildlife on safari.  
 
There are no direct flights from the US to Botswana----most people connect in South Africa.  We chose to visit Cape Town for a second time and see some of the areas outside the city.  Our wildlife experience began here as we saw penguins at Boulder Beach and several species (ostrich, Eland, baboon, tortoise, seal and a couple of types of antelopes) at the Cape of Good Hope National Park.  We hired a guide for the day and although the weather decided to be quite windy and rainy, it was a nice way to start the trip.

 We flew from Cape Town to Maun----a small airport that is strangely one of the busiest airports in the world during the peak safari season.   This is a staging ground for smaller safari flights and helicopters that take you closer to the lodges.  The planes usually hold between 6 and 16 people and can land on basic airstrips.  Since there are lots of lodges, each flight is a bit of an adventure----you may have a few stops to let off other passengers before arriving at your airstrip (or you may be the first stop).   Safari flights like these are common across many African destinations.  Our first stop was in the Okavango Delta and the channels are filled with water a good part of the year---beautiful to see from the air. 
 
We were stop number 3 on our first flight and headed to our first camp---Duke’s Camp.  The airstrip is about a 20 minute drive from camp and even though it was the middle of the day when we arrived (around 3pm) we saw wildlife on the drive in, including a group of giraffes which is one of my favorite species.  Nice welcoming committee :)  We had excellent wildlife viewing in this area, even seeing the endangered African wild dog.  We saw a large pack resting after a kill and it was an amazing experience to sit and watch them for more than 30 minutes.  To see each tail flip to try and keep the flies off them, to see them readjust position just like a family dog does and see and hear all their sounds.  Some people react like this isn’t that exciting of a sighting, but when you realize how few dogs are left, it is really a special moment to see them. 

​One of my favorite sightings here were 3 hyena cubs with 2 adult females (we think one was mom and one was a friend from the same pack).  The cubs were so curious and approaching the vehicle looking at us like who are you?  One cub must have been cold because he kept trying to stay under the vehicle for warmth.  We were very careful not to move while he was there.   We also saw 2 adult brother lions and we were quite close.  One brother got up shortly after we arrived to mark his territory but the other just laid on a dirt mound and seem to pose for our photos.

​This area used to have a 120+ strong population of rhino---also an endangered species.  Unfortunately, during COVID when there were no tourists and no money for the anti-poaching patrols that tourism dollars pay for,  slowly nearly all the rhinos were killed for their horns.  The few remaining rhinos were transferred to a sanctuary that could provide better protection (over 120 were killed).  The poachers even killed a guide in this area who was trying his best to stop the poaching.  The rhinos were mostly shot and often done by helicopter which was hard to stop when there were no resources or people in the area.  We impact the animals by coming to see them and sometimes that impact is very positive.  Booking with companies that support anti-poaching efforts is a great way to make sure your money makes a difference.
 
The rhythm of safari Is similar across Africa---wildlife like to be out when the weather is cooler, so most sightings take place in the morning (when the nocturnal animals are finishing up for the day and the other animals are just waking up) and in the time around sunset (nocturnal animals are waking, the others are getting ready for bed).  Sunrise and sunset times dictate your game drive times.  For this trip, we were out in vehicles between 6 and 7am for the morning and back out around 3:30 or 4pm (with a gap in between at the lodge from around 11am until the afternoon drive).   Being on safari is not really a time to relax---some days we were in the vehicles for up to 11 hours.  This is because my husband and I are crazy interested in seeing wildlife and take every opportunity given to us---that doesn’t mean you have to do the same.   We saw a lot of wildlife, but we also spent A LOT of time driving around looking for wildlife which isn’t going to make anyone’s highlight reel.  There were days where all of the bumps, dust and boredom didn’t seem worth it and I even asked the guide if we could head back a little early one day…and then out of the corner of my eye, there was a leopard and boom…..it was all 100% worth it to have some time with such a beautiful cat.  I mention all of this because many people see photos and think Africa is like a huge zoo where animals are everywhere and all you have to do is ask them to smile  

​The other component to consider is the where to stay part. Working with a specialized travel advisor like me helps you narrow down the options to find the best fit for you.  For me, I choose locations where there are private concessions or game reserves as the number of visitors is limited.  This means that the lodges agree to a maximum number of vehicles at each wildlife sighting (usually between 3 and 5 vehicles) and they agree to lots of open space in between properties, so no one feels crowded.   This type of experience is better for both the human and wildlife…fewer people around means less stress for the animals and a better chance for them to act like themselves.  I believe the animals sometimes feel like they have to change course or alter their schedule to avoid the larger groups of people.  A good portion of the wildlife (probably 80%+) in safari areas are what is called habituated to people.  This means that they are used to seeing and hearing safari vehicles and have learned over generations that 99% of the vehicles aren’t a threat (there are a small number of hunting camps that remain on a limited permit basis). The permit stipulates what kind of animal can be killed and the hunts are usually done in areas designated for hunting, so there isn’t a hunter scattered in between regular safari vehicles.  There is a high cost for each permit and the money is given to local communities to improve quality of life and to continue conservation efforts for the wildlife, so there are pros and cons to hunting (which I won’t get into here….).  I do not plan hunting trips.
 
In addition to staying in quieter areas, I always choose the highest quality safari lodge I can afford.  Yes, I do like staying at luxury properties, but that isn’t the only reason here.  The best, most experienced and educated guides work at the higher end properties.  If you want the best possible chance to see wildlife, starting with the best guide possible gives you a huge advantage.   The smaller properties also cap the number of people in each safari vehicle (normally 4 to 8 people) instead of the 15-20+ per vehicle at larger properties.  I also pay a supplement to have a private game drive at least a couple of times each safari trip because I like having the guide to myself and being able to direct where we go.  If I want to watch giraffe eating leaves for 30 minutes, that is my prerogative.  When you have others in the vehicle, you have to go with the flow.  I don’t always go private as I like meeting other travelers and the more eyes out looking for wildlife often means better sightings.

​We moved to a second camp in the Delta and we chose to travel via helicopter this time.  I’m scared of heights and this was only my second time in a helicopter, so I’m slowly getting used to the idea.  The helicopters can normally land closer to the safari lodges and they are often private transfers, so it can shave an hour or two of travel time traveling this way.  We started with a 20 minute scenic flight with NO DOORS on to see the wildlife from above.   I was a bit nervous, but the reality wasn’t scary…it was LOUD, but I never felt like I was going to fall out (you are strapped in well).  The pilot drove around wildlife to give us a great view from all angles and we were able to get lower than you can on a transfer.  It was interesting, but I’m not sure it is the best fit for everyone (some people will love it!).  We landed back at the same helipad, put the doors back on and added our luggage and headed to our next camp.  The scenery was similar on our 30 minute ride to the next camp and the only difference was we were on a mission…no lingering at wildlife, but we still saw wildlife from the air.  The drive to the next property was 2 minutes from the helipad. 

We stayed at Tuludi located on an island in another area of the Okavango Delta.  The rains were higher than usual this year, so even in that 2 minute drive, we had to drive through channels (small rivers) to get to the lodge---the water there is almost high enough to get into the vehicles.  A fun arrival experience.  This property is smaller than Duke’s camp and the accommodation is larger with more perks (like an outdoor bathtub, in addition to the usual outdoor shower, plus a plunge pool).   They also have a library which was a nice spot to look out at the savannah and speaking of fun arrival, you can take a slide down to the dining area (why take stairs when you can slide?).
 
Both camps in the Delta offered us the opportunity see wildlife from the water.  One night we went on a motorized boat and traveled quite far into deeper channels with hippos and crocodiles (and in our experience, elephant as well).  Another night we went out in a mokoro, a traditional style canoe like boat where a guide with a long pole (called a poler) moved us though more shallow channels. This gives you a chance to see some of the smaller creatures like insects and frogs and lots of bird life.  Our poler knew an astonishing large number of bird calls and details of each species. 

​As I’ve mentioned, you really have no idea what wildlife you will see on safari.  The day before we arrived at Tuludi, a large, older bull elephant died of natural causes.  Within hours, the scavenger animals knew and this is where we spent lots of hours during our stay.  The animal died off in the trees, so the guides had to create their own way to get to the  carcass---making roads where there aren’t any.  On our first visit, we were greeted by two wild dogs being chased away by several hyena (we were shocked to have another sighting of wild dog).  Vultures were flying overhead and even they were no match for the hyena.  There really is a pecking order in the wild.  Nothing can prepare you for seeing the true circle of life plateau of animals feasting on the dead.  Being a vegetarian, you’d think I’d be really sensitive to this and I was…. especially when hyena were fighting each other to get a better feeding spot, but it was mostly something I just couldn’t look away from.  The first time was me trying to capture lots of photos because you never know if you will see something like this again.  We saw the carcass a total of four times across our stay and each time the environment was different….the smell changed (thankfully our guide was great at tracking the wind to keep us out of the stench as much as possible), the chewing sounds changed and the animals and their behaviors changed.   We missed a time when lions were able to get something to eat when the hyenas were resting, but it was a very short window as the hyena don’t want to give up their prize to anyone and in this instance they are in command.  That doesn’t mean a lion won’t kill a hyena, but when there is a large group of hyena, even the lion demurs and leaves.  These hyena encounters were very different than the hyena cubs sightings we had a Duke’s Camp---from peaceful and playful to covered in blood and ripping flesh.

Our third camp was in an area called Savute in Chobe National Park.  This is one area where there are no private concessions, so you have no choice but to see the wildlife in the national park.  The guides still do their best to manage the number of vehicles at each sighting, but in peak season, it can still be 40 vehicles.  For me, I think that has to impact the animals and I wish there was a better way.  I asked our guide to be sensitive when we saw something where there were other vehicles----I was willing to spend a shorter time with the animal to allow them to have one fewer vehicle tracking them.  A better photo wasn’t worth me stressing the animal. 
 
We stayed at Belmond Savute Camp and the main attraction of the camp is the watering holes on property.  This area is semi-arid and a huge change from the delta.  With limited amounts of water in the area, lots of wildlife came to the lodge to get a drink.  The national park and Belmond created artificial watering holes (in the park and on property) to help meet the water needs of the wildlife.  It is altering the terrain, but some wildlife were dying of dehydration, so in my opinion, this intervention is positive. It was a privilege to see the animals so close and just chilling….no vehicles, just a couple of random people watching them from the room deck (or while eating lunch….). After all of the rough roads, I booked a spa treatment at Belmond and when I was leaving the spa, there were several bull elephants drinking from a part of the waterhole right near the restaurant.  I have never seen an elephant so close.  I had no phone or camera, but that memory is for sure burned into my brain.  They were drinking and throwing water on their backs to keep cool and I feel like I was within a foot or two of the splash zone.  The elephants moved on within a few moments and even those that were a bit further away, you could still hear the noise of water being sucked up their trunks and the grunts of glee as the water hit their backs.  It helped that we the only guests at Belmond the first night.  It was shoulder season, but we were still very lucky to have the place to ourselves (or more accurately, being cared for by a huge staff waiting to hear what we needed). 
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We had many moments of wildlife viewing at Belmond and not just elephants----we saw giraffe, wildebeest, water buffalo and even a lioness.  There were also a lot of frogs---the male “sing” to try to attract mates and it was for sure a symphony each night. 

​We also had many wildlife viewing moments off the property.  We had a private guide and we had a crazy amount of luck seeing all kinds of things.  One animal we didn’t see in the Delta was the cheetah---the numbers are small.  They are small in Savute as well, but we mentioned this to our guide and somehow he found three cheetah (mom and 2 adolescent cubs) the afternoon we arrived.  He told us to take them all in and spend time with them as we would likely not see them again…he was right.  It seemed like what we mentioned, our guide was able to find.  When we would come back to the lodge, the staff were amazed at some of the sightings we managed to have.  A herd of water buffalo isn’t common in this area (because of the lack of water) and we saw more than 100 of them in one go (I didn’t count, but in reality it was probably more like 200).  We also got lucky and saw wild dogs for a third time---this time following them as the pack was off tracking something and then waiting for them at a watering hole where the guide knew they would come after their “snack” It is truly astonishing that we saw so many wild dogs.  There is a research team trying to get a true census count and my photos will help them continue to document individual dogs (anyone can submit photos taken in Botswana).  

​We also saw a lion cub and two leopard cubs with mom.  Who doesn’t love seeing baby animals?  The poor lion cub lost his mom somewhere in the bush and was crying out.  An adult male from the same pride was close and in typical lazy man fashion, he didn’t bother himself with the situation.  The cub was lucky he was with a pride member as adults from nearby prides would have eaten him instead of just ignored him when they heard him searching for his mom.  It is a tough world out there.  I have decided the cub found his mom, although we didn’t see the reunion.

​Many travelers consider Africa a once in a lifetime bucket list trip.  Some people come back again since the experience varies quite a bit from region to region and a few people like me get hooked on Africa.  My husband and I were ready for a break in safari after 8 days, but after a few days of rest at the beach on nearby Mauritius, we were both wanting to head back for more.  I would love to help you plan your journey to Africa---for your first time or your tenth. 

​I just returned from an amazing expedition cruise in the Arctic. I sailed with Aurora Expeditions on the Greg Mortimer. The ship is small and holds up to 130 guests on polar expeditions. The expedition team was amazing and I learned quite a bit about Svalbard and its wildlife.  I enjoy learning when I travel and for an expedition that often means being able to better understand animal behavior the next time you see them.   A quick fact for your next trivia outing...a group of walrus in the water is often nicknamed "an ugly of walrus".  It isn't the official term, but it is still used.  I may be in the minority, but I love walrus and ugly wouldn't be my first word for them. 

Our journey began in Oslo, Norway before we boarded a charter flight north to the archipelago of Svalbard. The Arctic Circle is located at 66.5 degrees north latitude which is considered quite far north---this is where the midnight sun and polar night occurrences start giving full daylight or full darkness in the summer and winter. We landed in Longyearbyen on the island of Spitsbergen at a latitude of over 78 degrees. In other words, it is really far north :) The airport is the northernmost in the world and many of the town’s businesses claim to be the northernmost of whatever they are (gas station, grocery store, etc.).
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We had a tour of Longyearbyen (the main town in Svalbard) before boarding.  We met very friendly sled dogs and it concerned me a bit that they were all chained to small houses, but they find it hard to stand still and this ensures that aren't out on their own in polar bear territory.  These dogs need long (10+ miles) runs each day.  The Global Seed Vault is here---this is where there are back up seeds for most of the world’s crops in case of a worst case scenario.

Once on board, we settled in for our safety briefings. This area of the world is very remote and there are no people living where we were sailing once we left Longyearbyen. The ship is modern and was the most stable ship I’ve ever been on. The ship was custom made for polar travel and it can break through some ice, although it isn’t an icebreaker class ship. I can honestly say I only felt the ship rock a few times and most times I needed to look out the window to see if we were stopped or sailing.

​Since we were so far north, we had Midnight Sun…. meaning it never got dark or even close to dark the whole sailing. It is a little disorienting to look out of your balcony at 11pm trying to get ready for bed to see the sun high above the horizon. The blackout curtains were a nice feature and an eye mask helped with the small residual light.

Polar expedition cruises are different from other types of cruising. There is no set itinerary---for the cruise or each day. You have to be flexible and go with the flow. The first night the expedition team leader set the expectation that we would hopefully get above 80 degrees north which typically means more ice and he wanted to set us on a course to circumnavigate the entire archipelago. Very few cruise lines even attempt this and we were all really excited at the prospect. Spoiler alert: it happened (we even got to over 81 degrees north). What didn’t happen was several landing sites and zodiac cruises, but the back up options were likely just as good or even better than what was originally suggested just a few hours earlier. 

You may be wondering why they can’t commit to an itinerary. There are many reasons. The weather is one. We were so lucky as we had sun nearly every day and had mild wind speeds---the weather only
changed our plans a couple of times. The animal we all came to see is the one that derailed the most plans. Yes, the polar bears. Polar bears can move very quickly and smell things as far as 30km a way (like a whale carcass…..or a human sized snack). It isn’t safe to be on an islet with a polar bear or in the water (even in a Zodiac) when a polar bear is swimming. The bear likely wouldn’t do anything to a group of humans---we aren’t their first choice for a meal---but they can attack. Everyone on board wanted to see bears but also 100% wanted to protect them as well. The rules require that you must have guides equipped with both a flare gun and a riffle when in polar bear territory. The first line of defense is a flare gun and most times if a bear is seen and doesn’t retreat, a flare explosion does the trick. However, occasionally the bears aren’t deterred and lethal force is authorized for self-defense. In an average year, several bears are killed in Svalbard due to human bear encounters.

Many of the places we visited are not places you will know---I certainly hadn’t heard of these areas before getting on board. One place we visited called Kvitoya (aka White Island) is rarely visited and has a really unique history. We were fortunate to have a historian on board who specializes in this area. This island is where we had some amazing polar bear and walrus sightings. Of course I didn’t lug my huge camera lens that day on the Zodiac, so I don’t have as good of photos as I could have gotten, but I will remember the experience forever. This is a good time to mention that there are rules in place regarding how close you can get to the wildlife and most of the times there is a natural barrier, so while it looks like the wildlife is fairly close in these photos, they were not. In real time, the conversation with the guide was often, do you see that small white dot….or do you see that blob on the beach. You then had to look through binoculars or your telephoto lens in order to see that that small white dot was a bear or the blob was a seal, a walrus or a fox. There were a few exceptions where we were close, but it doesn’t happen all of the time. Even when we were tracking dots and. blobs, you could still see some behavior with the naked eye. Like on this island when a polar bear decided to move down a mountainside at a very fast pace….and then at a point slid for a bit. Whether that was a practiced move that they intended to do or just slid we will never know, but it made the whole Zodiac smile and chuckle.  Thank you to my fellow passenger Leonie for the photos of the walrus in the water---I tried many times to get them in a frame and just couldn't do it. 

If I went on this sailing 100 times, it would be different each time. Yes, the scenery and mountains would be similar, but the experience wouldn’t be. The sunny and clear weather we had made it easier to see everything and catch the beautiful colors of the ice. This is a wild area, so even sailing 2 hours before or after may yield a completely different wildlife sighting. Even each Zodiac (which has about 10 people in each) can have a different experience in the same area. The first Zodiac out may see a seal or walrus on ice before they decide to jump in the water or perhaps a curious animal might come out to see what is up in time for the last Zodiac to catch a glimpse. Some of this can be frustrating when you come back on board and see other people’s photos and realize you didn’t see what they saw….but it is all an adventure and it is an amazing experience for those of us that love wildlife. I still wish I had chosen a different table at lunch one day---someone was eating and looked into the water to see a polar bear swimming alongside the ship! She said something, but by the time we all ran to that
side of the ship, but the bear was long gone (since the ship was moving).  Note the black and white birds in the photo below are NOT penguins...penguins don't live in the Arctic.  These are Brünnich guillemots.  

​I could go on and on about everything I saw, but I think you get the idea :) If you read this and want to experience the Arctic for yourself, please contact me to get started planning. Please note that this is a trip where you need to be reasonably fit as all of the excursions are done by Zodiac---you never stop in a spot where you can simply walk off the ship. The staff help you board the Zodiacs, but you do need to have balance and the ability to adapt if the ocean conditions change (like hold on with both hands). There were a few guests on board that didn’t have the mobility to get in the Zodiacs every day, but they enjoyed seeing the scenery (and some wildlife) from the ship, so that is an option.

After leaving Senegal, we had a couple of days at sea before reaching the Cape Verde
islands (sometimes called Cabo Verde Islands). We only had port stop here---we visited
Porto Novo on this island of Santo Antão. Each island of the chain is quite different
and there are 9 Cabo Verde Islands that have people living on them. The Portuguese
took over the islands in the 1400’s and brought slaves to the islands years later, so the
culture is a blend of both European and African cultures.
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We chose to hike once again and were really surprised by how quickly the geography
and terrain changed just in the short 40 minute drive up to the hiking path in the Paul
Valley (the top photo is from the Paul Valley).  

​The cobblestone streets continue up the mountain and are a listed UNESCO site. 

We went through ocean climate into a drier forest into more desert landscape
before entering a pine forest. The Cape Verde islands are losing a lot of their population
and there were times that we felt like we had the island almost to ourselves. There are
some expats moving to Cabo Verde islands for the tranquility and the natural beauty,
but that is only on select islands.

We headed to the Canary Islands next and made stops on Gran Canaria as well as
Lanzarote. When we arrived in Gran Canaria, it was the first time we encountered a
large cruise port on this trip. We were lucky enough to be the only cruise ship in port
the day we visited, but it was strange to see such a modern building and to have started
to get closer to that European feeling instead of the feeling of being in Africa. We had a
nice hike and then visited the small town of Firgas to explore and have a local lunch.
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Lanzarote is a smaller island and we really enjoyed walking along the pathways near
the dormant volcanoes. They have figured out a way to grow crops in the volcanic soil
(including wine grapes---there are several wineries on the island) by building up a circle
mound near the plant. This helps trap the small amount of moisture available when
they get the small amount of rain or a morning dew.

​Our journey closed out with two stops in Morocco. The first stop was in Agadir which is
a thriving community with the hustle and bustle feel of a large city. We went for a visit to
a woman's cooperative that had established itself as a leader in argon oil products--the
facility was USDA organic certified as well as fair trade certified. The cooperative gives
women in the community an outlet to learn skills and earn a living. They welcomed us
with open arms and gave us a tour of their facility. After the tour we went upstairs and
the women performed some local songs for us and we sampled products made as part
of the cooperative, including an amazing almond butter that is mixed with honey and
argon oil. That was one souvenir we couldn't pass up.

That afternoon I decided to take a break from the group excursion and I went to a hammam---I tried to pick a location that was just a little bit touristy but still held on to its authentic roots. After a two hour massage and one hour hammam I felt like a new person. For those of you that aren’t familiar, a hammam is a bathing ritual that began thousands of years ago. You are in a steam room and someone bathes you---but it is like no bath you’ve ever had. It starts with a full body exfoliation which makes your skin feel as soft as a baby but isn’t particularly a comfortable experience (it takes off a lot of dead skin). The next step uses argon oil soap or black African soap to wash you thoroughly (including your hair) and then you are rinsed and sometimes given a clay mask. The bathing rooms are women or men only and the therapists are the same sex (for example, women working in the women steam rooms). I was happy to relax for a bit before heading back to the ship.

The last stop of the cruise was in Safi Morocco. This was a smaller city and
unfortunately was recently in the news due to flash flooding that killed many people in
the market. We saw the reconstruction happening and the city will rebuild. The area of
the city selling pottery was at a higher elevation and was not impacted by the flooding--I
have always loved Moroccan ceramics and it was hard not to buy everything from the
vendors in this area.
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As we sailed into Lisbon at the end of the cruise it was hard to imagine how quickly the
20 days had gone past. Going on a cruise is really the only way to see this area of the
world as it is difficult to fly or take any other form of transportation to go to each of these
countries even though they're located right next to one another. I loved this experience
and would love to plan your next cruise----an expedition sailing or other small ship
journey.

I recently came back from a 20-night Silversea expedition cruise to Western Africa. It
was really a unique experience and I’m finding it difficult to put it into words. This sailing
allowed me to visit places that would be difficult to visit any other way. Many of the
destinations have a troubled history and some are still working through some instability.
Americans do frequently visit Ghana and Senegal, but the other stops along the way are
visited much less often. I am grateful that I was able to experience these places and dig
a little deeper into their histories (both with on board lectures and with local guides in
each port).

The journey began at the port closest to Accra, Ghana and we came into town a few
days early so we could explore the city. Ghana had been a British crown colony and
became independent in 1957. Ghana was one of the first West African countries to gain
independence from colonial rule and it was interesting to learn the history of how
independence came to be. Accra is a modern city with a thriving large and vibrant
market in the city center. I always enjoy going to the market as I feel like it gives me a
glimpse into local life and a chance to see what kinds of things people are buying, what
they are wearing and what they are eating. I was on a mission to get African fabric as I
love how vivid and colorful it is. Our guide took us the fabric area of the market and it
was difficult for me not to buy yards and yards of fabric.

After a couple of days in Accra, we drove about an hour to get to the port of Tema
where we boarded our expedition ship the Silver Wind. The ship holds around 250
guests and has nearly 250 staff on board, so the service on board is excellent. I chose
an expedition sailing because it provided a great opportunity to see countries of western
Africa that are difficult to see any other way as well as learning more about plants,
animals and history of the destinations that we were visiting from the excellent team of
experts on board. The Silver Wind also provided a comfortable and luxurious home
away from home during this journey. Every guest enjoys butler service on board
Silversea whether it's a classic sailing or an expedition sailing. This comfort was
welcomed after going ashore for several hours.

The other guests on board were well-traveled, well educated, and had had an idea of
what to expect in this area of the world. Working with an advisor like me gives you
confidence that the cruise that you select is the cruise that you have in mind and are
hoping to experience. While I really enjoyed this sailing and appreciated every
experience I had along the way, it is certainly not for everyone.

The itinerary took us to a second stop in Ghana before moving to the Ivory Coast,
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, the Cabo Verde islands, Canary Islands
and Morocco before ending in Lisbon, Portugal. On Silversea expedition sailings,
excursions are included in each port. The options ranged from city tours to excursions
into nature where we experienced national parks and beautiful hikes. Very few cruise
lines visit these countries---some of that is because the demand is simply not that high,
but this region also poses some challenges for getting guests off the ship and handling
the logistics necessary to make a visit an enjoyable experience. For those of you in LA
or New York City, you may think you know traffic, but until you've experienced traffic in a
West African country you cannot imagine the chaos that travelers and locals alike must
manage every day. Since the cruise ship was on a set itinerary, both for safety and
logistical reasons the cruise line hired a police escort to get us into and out of the port to
the places that we were visiting in the quickest way possible. In some countries that
meant that drivers pulled off to the side of the road and allowed us to continue which
honestly made me feel a little bit uncomfortable, but this was the only way we could see
a destination in the time allowed. Other times the police escort decided that the easiest
way to get us to where we were going was to drive on a sidewalk, along the median, or
even going in the opposite direction of traffic hoping that people would get out of our
way for us to get to where we were going.

In the first two port stops, we opted to be out in nature. The drive to Kukum National
Park took about 3 hours from the port (each way) but that gave us a chance to see a
good part of Ghana and how people live, what the stores look like as well as the
scenery. On the drive one of the expedition teams pointed out a ship in one of the
harbors. It was a ship that was generating electricity. This new technology provided
more reliable, cleaner, and less expensive electricity to Ghana. These ships are
providing power to many countries in Africa.

When we arrived at Kukum we began a journey across several canopy bridges. Each
bridge allowed us to view beautiful scenery and get deeper into the forest. Wildlife does
live in the park however it can be difficult to see as the animals have learned to stay
away from the people as there hasn't always been a good relationship between the
people and the animals. After walking across the canopy bridges, we had a naturalist
walk with us through the forest and explain how many of the plants have been used for
medicinal purposes.

In the next port Abidjan in the Ivory Coast we chose to visit Bunco National Forest. This
forest is in the city center which is uncommon for any city, let alone a city in western
Africa. Our port stop happened to fall on a Saturday and in addition to the natural
experience, we also were treated to a cultural experience. As part of the school
curriculum students are brought to the national forest to learn the importance of
protecting the environment and the benefits of being in nature. The day we visited it's
hard to estimate but there were hundreds if not thousands of children and locals in the
forest--some were walking and others were having picnics and just enjoying being in
nature and with each other. We were a bit of an attraction and people were curious
where we had come from and why we were visiting their country. In general, there were
a lot of smiles and waves and we seemed to be very welcome.

Our next stop was in Monrovia, Liberia. Liberia has an interesting history as many of the
freed slaves from the United States and the Caribbean founded the country in 1824.
History has not always been kind to Liberia and there is a history of unrest and civil war.
This is not unique to Liberia---several countries in this area have had civil wars.
However, the link to the United States is a bit unique for this region. The Liberian flag
even resembles the United States flag and one of the recent presidents (Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf) was schooled and lived in the United States before she took control of the
country in 2006 and served until 2018. She was the first female head of state in Africa.

I had heard stories about ports of calls sometimes changing the agreements with cruise
lines in this area of the world---suddenly saying things like if you want to dock, it will cost
you X amount more or saying you are not allowed to dock for X reason. We didn’t have
that extreme of a situation, but as we were getting ready in the morning, our expedition
leader came on the PA and said the local pilot (someone who helps navigate the ship
into the harbor) had not yet made it to the ship. They were scheduled to arrive at
6:30am and it was now about 8:30am. He told us to enjoy breakfast, and he would
keep us updated. The captain navigated us in a large circle so we could be ready
whenever the pilot was and this continued until early afternoon when the pilot decided to
finally join us. We weren’t privy to all the details, but the pilot had been busy with
container ships, so something was up. We arrived in port and our excursions went on
mostly as planned. I applaud Silversea for their flexibility---some cruise lines would
have said, sorry, we have to miss this port in order to be on time to our next port, but
Silversea found a way for us to experience Liberia without losing out at our next
destination (we sailed faster is the short answer).

Monrovia was a chaotic city, but like the other places we visited we felt welcomed. Our
local guides were excellent in each port and Monrovia was no different. They shared
details of the history and their life and welcomed questions and discussions, so we felt
like we made a friend is each port.
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Our next two ports were in Sierra Leone. I knew a bit about the civil war from reading a
book “A Long Way Gone” about one man’s experience as a child soldier during the war
and many of you may have seen the movie “Blood Diamond” which takes place during
the civil war. Nothing really prepared me from hearing the atrocities committed during
that time from people who are thriving today. It is hard to imagine being so resilient and
it gave me hope while also making me question how humans can do so many terrible
things. A whole generation grew up during the civil war (which took place from 1991-
2002). Many people who were young adults during the war are the same age as me
and I think being a similar age made it hit a bit harder.

That resiliency showed during our first port stop in a small community. Silversea
sponsored a league soccer match while we were there---it counted as part of the regular
season—for teams competing in a league where all the players are amputees. As part
of the reign of terror during the war, soldiers often amputated arms or legs of children to
put fear into the community. This didn’t just happen a few times, this happened
frequently. Watching everyone play soccer and play it well was inspiring. Having a
place on a team with others with a shared experience helps give people a purpose and
allow them to process their experiences and look to the future. We weren’t the only
people cheering them on…locals came from miles to see them play which was a great
way to use our visit to have a positive impact on the community (both financially and
socially). The game took place on a beautiful stretch of beach.

Our second stop provided a double dose of humanity can be terrible---we visited Bunce
Island which was a staging area for the slave trade. This is where slaves were kept for
a few days as they were auctioned off to the highest bidder. Our guide was a former
child solider, and he told his story on the journey to the island (you need to take a 45
minute or so boat ride from the capital of Aberdeen) and then he began to tell us the
story of the slave travel once we arrived on the island. Again, I choose to think of hope
and resilience. The capital city currently has a lot of challenges. Trash pick-up service
isn’t very regular and the ocean has become a bit of a dumping ground for waste. The
propeller on the boats we were on had to be cleaned occasionally as they got clogged
with plastic waste. Plastic doesn’t biodegrade and this isn’t a simple problem to fix.

Just outside of Aberdeen we saw another power ship that is helping Sierra Leone move
on from higher polluting forms of energy (like coal) and have a more secure and stable
source of power (the ship uses compressed natural gas).

​Our next three days were spent on an archipelago off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. You
are not the first person to have no idea where that country is----I had to look at a map
when I saw the itinerary. The Bijagos are scattered off the coast and we spent time on
zodiac boats looking at the wildlife (mostly birds, but also a few other species including
beaches covered in a type of small crab), as well as visiting small communities that
often go for a year or more in between visits from outsiders. We experienced traditional
dances and met tribal leaders and were generally welcomed fondly. Many of us were
invited to join in for the dances and while we didn’t speak the same language, we
shared the excitement and joy of the ceremony.

​Our next port of call was Dakar Senegal. We arrived in the afternoon and started our
visit with the local market. This was one of the few port stops that started in the
afternoon and I wish that we had had the entire day to see the city. The city was a bit
more cosmopolitan than what we had been seeing and I felt like we could have spent a
couple of days in the city and still not see at all. The African renaissance monument is
the tallest statue in Africa and from the top you definitely get some beautiful views. We
also spent some time at the museum of Black Civilizations Which highlights the cultural
heritage of Senegal as well as highlighting some art installations. The building is
massive and very modern--like nothing else we had seen in the rest of western Africa.

Havana has quite a bit of night life---from jazz clubs to bars to Fabrica de Arte….an old factory turned into a place to present art from theater to dance to music to paintings….which was named as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 World’s Greatest Places (in 2019).  The city also has a lot of history and interesting parts---like a forest within the city, the largest cemetery in Cuba and Revolutionary Square where Fidel Castro and other politicians have given all of their famous speeches. 

​The last day in Cuba, I went about 1.5 hours out of the city to Las Terrazas.    This area was historically known for making charcoal to help Cubans cook their food----we are talking in the 1950’s and earlier, as well as grow coffee beans since there is a slight elevation here (think hills, not mountains).  The forest slowly wasted away to nothing until a government initiative started to plant trees to re-forest the area and terraced planting was used to help prevent erosion.  Now this is a lush, green forest.  I also visited the Soroa Orchid Botanical Garden---this was a private residence turned botanical garden and classroom for students learning about orchids and other tropical plants.  The original owner imported orchids from all over the world.​

​As you can see in a relatively short 5 night stay, I was able to see and experience many things that Havana and the surrounding area has to offer.  There are several international airports in Cuba, so you aren’t limited to the Havana area.  Please contact me if you would like to learn more about planning a trip to Cuba.

Our last stop was back in Paro.   We hadn’t really spent any time here other than the airport.  We were here now to see Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in Bhutan and to hike up to the famous Tigers Nest.  The main temple at Tigers Nest (officially called Taktsang) was constructed in the 8th century.  I have no idea how---I can’t imagine bringing up all of those building materials day after day.  The temple is about 2000 feet up but the trail climbs and descends so that my husband’s watch said we had gained over 5000 feet in total across the nearly 10 miles we walked.  The trail isn’t technical---it is well maintained hiking path with steps along the way.  About halfway up there is a cafeteria where there is often a view of the temple (it was completely clouded in when we hiked up so we saw nothing at that point).  You can also have a donkey/mule/horse take you up to the halfway point, but I do not recommend that.  It can be unsafe and I believe cruel for the animal.   My biggest challenge of the hike was the change in elevation---the temple is over 10,000 feet so you are at a pretty high elevation (you start around 8,000 feet).  ​

​Bhutan was the 95th country I’ve visited and it is one of my top 3 favorite places in the world.  Planning a trip to Bhutan requires expertise and is logistically more complicated than many destinations, but I am here to help you and I would love to plan your journey to see Bhutan for yourself.  For all trips to Bhutan planned in 2025 and 2026, mention promo code “dragon” for extra amenity included in your trip.

It is a strange feeling writing this only 12 days after leaving Nepal.  We had a wonderful time visiting Kathmandu and Dhulikhel and enjoyed learning about the Nepalese culture.  Now it is a different place as a result of several days of protests and riots.  I am writing about my experience, and I hope that this version of Nepal is accessible once again in the near future. 

The Kathmandu Valley has around 1.5 million people (some say 2 million) and is a thriving town with a mix of modern and traditional architecture and practices.  I try to stay or see several different hotels in each location to better help you plan your travel, so we started with the Hyatt in Kathmandu.  It is close to the famous Boudhanath Stupa but tucked away from the main road in an enclave of quiet.   There are sprawling grounds with a walking path, gardens and a pool. It can be nice to come back to a quiet and familiar place after hours of exploring a new place.  
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We spent our first full day seeing all of the cultural highlights of Kathmandu starting with Durbar Square.  The first thing we noticed were the pigeons---many people feed the pigeons in this area as part of their Buddhist practice and there were areas where the ground was completely covered with birds.  The birds flying through the smoke of incense burning gave the place a magical feeling.  Durbar Squares are found through out Nepal and they are homes to old Royal Palaces.  Construction at this particular square began as far back as the 3rd century and is one of several UNESCO World Heritage sights in and near Kathmandu.   Nepal has been impacted by many earthquakes over the years with the most recent large one happening in 2015.   Many of the historic buildings were severely damaged and needed restoration---I would say that process is probably 75% complete.  The restoration is done as sensitively as possible and with as many of the original materials as possible. ​

In one building in Durbar square there is young girl called a Kumari who is worshipped as a living embodiment of the Hindu goddess Durga. She comes to an interior balcony at set time intervals and pilgrims pray and worship her.   Ther are no photos allowed of the Kumari, but we were able to observe the practice.  
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After Durbar, we headed to Swaymbhunath Stupa….aka the Monkey Temple.  This temple has several stupas on ground level and then additional stupas in a small community at the top of a hillside.  Your entrance ticket includes both areas.  I think you can imagine why this temple complex has the nickname----there are monkeys around, but compared with other temple complexes I’ve visited in other areas, it isn’t overrun with monkeys.   In our visit, the monkeys were better behaved than some of the tourists.  There are a few rules to follow during your visit and there were many people ignoring all of them.  Please be respectful when visiting religious sites during your travels.
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Our last stop was at the large Boudhanath Stupa which is in a more touristy area than the other sites.  There are stores and restaurants surrounding the stupa, but there are also plenty of pilgrims practicing circumambulation…meaning an intentional walk in a circle around the stupa as a form or worship and/or meditation.   We ate at a restaurant with a rooftop and the view looking down over the stupa was impressive.  This lunch was also our first introduction to a momo---a dumpling filled with meat, cheese and/or veggies.   There is typically at least one vegetarian version so this become one of my go to foods in Nepal and Bhutan.  Who doesn’t love dumplings?  ​

The next day we headed about 2 hours outside the city to Dhulikhel---it isn’t a long distance, but many of the roads are terrible, so I will tell you the truth as to how long it really takes to get there. ☺  We stayed at a wellness retreat called Dwarika’s.   The setting is beautiful in the forest and is vertical…..meaning that if you want to go from one part of the resort to another, you are mostly going up stairs.  The resort includes a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor and many on-site activities like several types of meditation, yoga and things like pottery and painting (and a 50 minute massage per person for booking with me).  This was a nice change from the city, but was less relaxing than we expected because we wanted to experience many of the activities, so our schedule was pretty packed.  Two nights was perhaps too quick a visit to really enjoy everything the resort has to offer. ​ I loved that there were random inspiring thoughts/ideas/sayings along the pathways. 

I have wanted to visit Sri Lanka for years and it is rare when a destination lives up to the expectation (and I think it exceeded my expectation most days).   The welcoming spirit of the people of Sri Lanka is noticeable everywhere and I truly felt welcome in this beautiful country.  When I normally start to write a blog, I have a few pages of notes.....I just finished 10 pages for this trip.   I have no shortage of amazing things to say about Sri Lanka.   The Maldives are also beautiful, but it is hard to get to know the locals as resorts are on their own island, so it was a very different experience than I had in Sri Lanka which makes the two destinations a great combination to see together.  

My first impression on the drive from the airport was how clean Sri Lanka was----we were driving through towns on the 30-minute drive to my first hotel, Uga Riva Negombo.   It is an old colonial house now a small boutique hotel.   I quickly checked in and was shown to my room.  They thought I might be hungry and left me a cheese and tomato sandwich in the room with a few cookies.  I thought this was a very kind gesture---it isn’t like the hotel is all-inclusive, so this was just an added extra.  These small touches continued to happen throughout my journey---it was like they were welcoming a friend. 

I had a wonderful driver named Cicil for my entire trip.  We became friends and he took me to where I needed to go each day and make sure I met my guide in each location.  It is difficult to really cover the country without a driver and compared with other destinations (like Italy) the fee for the driver is fairly reasonable.  We left the next morning early for the 3 hour drive to Dambulla Caves.  One of the first things I noticed on this drive and at a brief stop at a lake was the number of street dogs.  Some look to be in bad shape and others are in great shape---they hang out on the street during the day, but have a stable place that feeds them.  The Buddhist culture feels a community effort to take care of living beings, so many homes feed the dogs.  The Sri Lankans like cats better than dogs and the cats are often inside cats.  I saw one guy holding his cat in his arms looking out his front door---the cat was a Maine Coon or something and looked to be about 20 pounds!  I knew there was a problem with street dogs (more about this later) but I was still surprised.  Thankfully most are street smart and somehow Cicil missed hitting every dog that happened to dart out into traffic. 

The Dambulla Cave Complex dates back to the 1st century BC and includes over 150 statues of Buddha that were created over time.   Some of the statues and cave paintings have been restored, but others are original which is crazy to imagine how they have survived all of these years.   

After Dambulla, we had about an hour drive to Uga Ulagalla.  It is located in a peaceful area in the middle of local villages and rice paddy fields.  Uga is a local chain of hotels and they care about the communities where they are located----in this area, they fund clean drinking water where locals can come and gather fresh water every day.   That afternoon I had a jeep tour to the local villages to learn a bit more about the Sri Lankan way of life, how they manage elephant/human interactions and a moment to enjoy the scenery at the end with some snacks.  Uga Ulagalla has many monkeys on property and then had a party on my villa roof one afternoon. 

The next afternoon I went to the ancient city of Anuradhapura.   The best way to see it is by bicycle as the ancient city is spread out and the parts that have been excavated (only a small amount have been) are scattered across a large area.   Parts of stupas have been restored, but it is amazing how much is original from a more than a century ago.  It was established in the 5th century BC.   I had a guide with me and he shared a lot of the history and importance of each site which was very helpful.  There are no signs, so you would be lost without a guide.  Parts of the ancient city reminded me of Angkor Wat but what absolutely did not remind me of that was the fact that there were very few crowds.   The last stupa was a bit crowded, but that was largely because of Buddhists coming to pray towards sunset, not because of an influx of tourists.   One part of the bike ride, I had to bike through a pack of domestic buffalo as they were being moved from one field to the next---can’t say that I’ve ever done that before!  That illustrates how one of the more popular tourist sites in Sri Lanka is still very quiet.  

The next morning we were off to another very popular location--- Sigiriya Rock Fortress.  This and the other sites I mentioned are all UNESCO World Heritage sites.  We left early in the morning to beat the heat of the day.   The journey up has about 1,200 steps and there is very little shade.  Once at the top, the views are amazing and you can see for miles.  The palace on top is all in ruins, but you can see the foundations and my guide explained what each area had been.  My guide had maybe 3 teeth and I’m not sure how old he was, but he has been taking people up Sigiriya for almost 50 years.  He speaks 12 languages and spoke in full sentence Japanese when we met a Japanese family---to say they were shocked was an understatement.  He had English down pat….and probably could have run up the stairs had I not been holding him back.  On the way down, you are also able to visit an area where there are some original frescos.  Many frescoes made it to recent history, but unfortunately in 1967 an international visitor destroyed many of them.  They all represent the ladies of Sigiriya—mostly mistresses (the King had hundreds).  There are no photos allowed of the frescoes.  

After the journey down, we headed about 3 hours away for my next stay---this time at a wellness retreat called Santani.  The location was stunning and very peaceful with views of the Knuckles Mountain range.   Each day there is a morning and afternoon yoga session and thermal bath area open to all guests.  There is also a full service spa and a clinic for those that want more of a prescription for health and healing.  There are hiking trails nearby and a daily guided walk.

The next night I stayed fairly close by on one of the top 100 golf courses in the world.  I had no idea that Sri Lanka had one on the list before this trip, but it makes sense after many years of English occupation (and Dutch and Portuguese before that).  The Victoria golf course has a resort and many private homes that are rented out as villas.  I stayed in The Alfred, one of those villas.  There are 6 bedrooms spread out across several floors of living space, along with a library, media room, dining room and private pool.  There is a staff to serve meals and help you arrange activities.  I think this would be a great location to spend time with a larger group of friends or family.  The first photo of this blog is the view from The Alfred.....it was stunning!
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The next morning, I headed to Kandy, about an hour away.   This city is famous for the Temple of the Tooth…one of the temples around the world that has a Budda’s tooth (this one is the left canine).  There is a large festival every year in July or August (correlates with a specific full moon) and it is a common Buddist pilgrimage site.  I happened to be there the last day of a 10-day very special occurrence where the casket holding the tooth was opened---the last time it was opened was 16 years ago.   Millions of people came to see the tooth itself and I think we drove past probably 100k or more as we came into the city.  People were waiting in line for DAYS to get inside.  I had no idea my visit corresponded with this special occasion.  Needless to say, I didn’t go inside the temple.  Even my city tour was impacted as the city was simply full of visitors.  

After a couple of hours in Kandy, we headed up to the hill country where tea is grown.  The drive is a bit curvy but it is beautiful scenery.  It is amazing how quickly the terrain changes.  My next stay was a Uga Halloowella.  This is a former colonial bungalow located about 7,500 feet above sea level.  There are only a few rooms here and the plan is all-inclusive, so it seems that there is always something being offered to eat or drink throughout the day.  Each room has a butler and mine, Karun, was one of the kindest people I have ever met.

The next morning I had a tour to a tea plantation and factory to see how tea is made.  I have done tea plantation tours in other countries (India and Rwanda) but each story is a bit different.  Like on many tea plantations, the workers are typically women and the supervisors and factory workers are men.  Some of this is due to the low pay for pickers and many men leave the village to try to find higher paying work---but the women need to stay close to the village to take care of the family.   For an average of 18kg-20kg of tea leaves picked each day, a woman receives about $5 each day she picks and is paid once a month.  They bring the tea to be weighed at set times during the day and I witnessed one of those sessions.  A supervisor looks over the leaves to make sure they are younger leaves (lighter leaves) and takes out any dark ones he sees.  This group of ladies had a dog with them---my guide said dogs are often with the pickers to protect them from wild animals (and for a dog, it is safer than being on the main road).  The guide was surprised when the dog came up to sniff me—most street dogs don’t interact much with humans, but I happened to be wearing shoes I often wear with my foster dogs and I think the dog was wondering why this human smelled so good….lol :)

​The factory tour took me through each step of the process and from leaf to packaged for auction, the process only takes about 24 hours.  The packages that are sent to the weekly tea action are large bags---nothing gets branded or made into tea bags at this factory.  In one room where the dried leaves are chopped, there was a definitive haze of tea in the air….it was hard not to cough.   I asked about the workers as none were wearing masks---the answer was that you get used to it….and that you can absorb caffeine from the dust and it keeps the workers strong.  Made me want to Google if there is something like tea lung disease (I did--this isn’t something specific to tea workers, but it can cause respiratory disease).  No photos were allowed in the factory.

I was off the next morning for the scenic train from Hatton to Ella.  This historic train has been making the route for years and you weave in and out of tea country and local villages.  The train doesn’t go all that fast and unfortunately now there are segments that are really busy with people wanting IG or Tik Tok photos or videos hanging off the side of the train.  Thankfully nothing happened on my train, but there are frequent incidents of people getting injured or falling off the train.  

About 4 hours after boarding, I got off in Demodara (one stop past very busy Ella) and headed to Nine Skies Boutique Hotel.   They are located right on some of the longer hiking trails in this part of the tea country.  This property is also all-inclusive.   There isn’t anything within walking distance so it makes sense to have everything at the property.  I was only here one night, but it is in a very peaceful location.

The next morning, I got up early to beat the heat for the walk up to Little Adam’s Peak in Ella.  This walk is relatively easy compared to the other places I visited, but it is still about 450 stairs up and a stretch of walking.  It was a cloudy day, so no stunning view that day.  

We were heading to Yala National Park from Ella---a couple of hours away.  We were descending from the tea country down to the ocean.  Yala is one of the few national parks with wildlife that abuts the ocean.  In the dry season, elephants will come down to the ocean to cool off.  As many of you know, I love to see wildlife in their natural habitat.  I knew Yala was going to be crowded, but I still thought it was my best chance to see leopards.   I stayed at Uga Chena Huts located right on the ocean and just a few minutes away from the park entry.  I ended up seeing several elephants, monitor lizards, crocodiles, deer, jackal, domestic and wild buffalo and many varieties of birds.   I did not see a leopard or sloth bear.  I would still go to Yala even knowing what I know now, but I don’t recommend going to Sri Lanka just for a safari---I feel like you have much better opportunities to see animals in other locations.   However, since Sri Lanka has so much to offer, while you are there seeing other things, I would include a night or two of wildlife viewing (in Yala, Wilpattu or one of the other parks).

From Yala I headed to the Galle area for the history and some beach time….and to visit a dog care clinic I’d heard about.  I always try to include at least one visit to a non-profit in my travels and animal welfare is often top off my list.  
 
En route, I stopped at a small bed and breakfast that also harvests cinnamon.  I knew cinnamon came from some sort of bark, but that was the extent of my knowledge.  My guide explained the process from growing the plants, to harvest to peeling the bark to create cinnamon sticks that are dried and eventually turned into the cinnamon we put on our oatmeal or in our cookies.  Much of the cinnamon we have in the States is cassia which isn’t considered real cinnamon.  Ceylon cinnamon (harvested only in Sri Lanka) is considered the only real cinnamon….sometimes called true cinnamon.  The flavor and chemical profiles of cassia and Ceylon cinnamon vary quite a bit.  

I loved the city of Galle and how resilient the people are (from colonialism to the 2004 tsunami).  I originally chose to stay at a beach resort that I knew might have more of a party vibe than I usually like….but thought I might be a good fit for several of my clients that like a DJ by the pool/beach club.   I rarely find I place that I absolutely would not recommend to anyone, but Angel Beach is one place that I will not be sending anyone for various reasons.   I left after one night.   I found another great property nearby and the little glitch didn't impact my schedule. 

That morning I met with some local artists from a community about 20 minutes away that specialize in the traditional art of mask painting.  I was shown examples and given a blank wood mask template that had been carved by hand.  I am generally not very artistic, so I thought the mask might look like a 2nd grader created it, but somehow it looked pretty good (and most of the creative decisions were mine—only a couple of suggestions from the artists…like when I forgot to paint on eyebrows).  It was almost mediative creating this small mask.  

Afterwards I visited the dog care clinic and brought both in-kind material donations (such as sutures, medications and dog toys---many donated by my local rescue Community Paws in Buckeye, AZ) and a cash donation.  This non-profit is one of the most organized I’ve visited in my travels.  A German woman runs the non-profit and they offer complimentary spay and neuter surgeries, they feed street dogs on a set schedule each day and offer a stipend to locals who will care for a street dog.   This gives them a little income to help pay for the dog’s food, as well as their own.  It is a win/win situation.   Volunteers visit the homes to make sure the dogs are still be cared for each month before giving out the stipend.   The facilities are on a large parcel of land and are very clean and modern.  This is the website if you are ever in the neighborhood or would like to donate money from home to help support this important mission (https://www.dogcare-clinic.com/en/)
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I was sad that my time in Sri Lanka was coming to end.  I left Galle and stayed at a beautiful property tucked into an industrial area near the main Colombo Airport---much nicer than most airport hotels around the world.  Wallawwa has a beautiful pool and manicured grounds with plenty of places to sit outside, in addition to a spa and restaurant.  It was only about a 20 minute drive to the airport the next day for my flight to the Maldives.

Sri Lanka is a great location to combine with the Maldives as it only a 1.5 hour flight away.  I knew I would only be spending 3 nights in the Maldives and I choose a resort close to Male that could be reached via speedboat.   Many resorts in the Maldives can only be reached via sea plane and the planes have more restrictions in place than the speedboats do. Sea plane transfers are also quite a bit more expensive. I chose a resort called Velassaru because it was smaller than many properties (about 130 rooms, bigger than I like, but still small by Maldives standards) and was only about 25 minutes away from the Male airport via speed boat.   Velassaru is also known for more barefoot luxury, so no need to dress up for dinner….it is very beach casual and has a bit of a boho chic vibe.  

As I mentioned when I spoke about French Polynesia, I am one of the few people that would choose a beach villa over an over water bungalow.  I saw an over water bungalow at Velassaru and they are beautiful and actually have quite a bit of outdoor space with a plunge pool….but I love the additional space and privacy that you get with a beach villa.  The villas themselves are about the same size, but you get more outdoor space with the beach villa.  

Most resorts in the Maldives each have their own little atoll/island.  This gives you a sense of exclusivity, but it also means that you can only explore that island.  There isn’t transportation between most resorts, so if you switch resorts, you often have to go back to Male and start over going to the next resort.  It also means that you will be eating from only the resort restaurants during your stay.  This isn’t terrible as most resorts have fantastic food and a variety of options, but if you are the type to go a bit stir crazy, keep that in mind when you decide on your length of stay.  I enjoyed every moment of my 3 night stay, but I was ready to leave the island.   Food is also quite expensive….similar to French Polynesia.  For example, the dinner buffet at Velassaru came to about $90 per night, per person, not including drinks.  
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Being fairly close to Male also has its perks on the way home.  I could enjoy the resort until 3:30pm before having to head to the airport for my 7pm flight.  

I know this was a LONG post, but I hope I have gotten you excited about Sri Lanka and the Maldives.  Until September 30th, 2025 I will have an exclusive offer for those mentioning the word "Dream" when contacting me about traveling to either destination. 

My recent trip to Ecuador began with a a journey from Quito to Mashpi Lodge.  The drive takes about 3.5 hours on a good day and the last hour or so is on an unpaved road.   The area had gotten heavy rains in the weeks before I arrived and there were signs of many recent landslides along the road.  About 1.5 hours into the drive, the traffic came to a stop and we learned that there had been another landslide.  If this happened in the US (or many other places), it would have taken quite awhile to clear the road of the dirt, rocks and downed trees, but this isn't Ecuador's first rodeo.  They have heavy machinery placed at intervals along the road and in less than 1.5 hours, the road was clear and traffic was moving in both directions.  After this introduction to the country, I was happy to arrive at such a peaceful spot.  Mashpi Lodge (the small building you can see on the bottom left in the photo above) was built in 2012 in an area that was formerly used for logging.   The cloud forest has regenerated in amazing ways and hiking around the property gives you the feeling that you are in a forest that has been there longer than time...but in fact, most of the trees are less than 20 years old.   Mashpi Lodge has cared for the land and studied the creatures that live here....and found species here that hadn't been known to science before.  It is a wonderful place to explore. 

Your stay at Mashpi includes your meals and activities.  Most days you are scheduled for 2 excursions, some days 3.  You are assigned to a small group of fellow guests and you have at least one guide with you at all times.  Activities can be adjusted to your activity level, but to get the most out of the experience, I think you need to be reasonably fit.  Children are welcome here and the excursions can be adjusted for different age groups.   There were guests from about 5 years old to probably 80 years old.  The trails are well maintained, but it often rains and the paths can be slippery and muddy (they give you rubber boots to wear for the duration of your stay).  My first afternoon, I went on a short hike (about 1 hour).  The next day, I hiked to the observation tower and sky bike---an invention where you are seated in a carriage and you pedal across a zipline to one platform and back to your starting point taking in a bird's eye view along the way.  I also hiked through a river to a beautiful waterfall----an experience I would have every day of my stay but visiting new and larger waterfalls each day.  One morning our group had breakfast in the hummingbird gardens and had probably 100 birds join us.  We hiked one evening to see the nocturnal creates of the forest.  In between, you could rest or have a spa treatment (I had a wonderful coffee body scrub).  

The lodge building itself is full of windows so you feel like you are in the forest (but with no bugs).   The food is amazing and there is more variety than you would imagine for being in the middle of nowhere.  My guide Andreas was amazing the staff were all extremely helpful----this is a luxury property.  I spent 3 nights and that is the minimum of nights I would recommend since it is a journey from Quito and you want to be able to explore as much of the forest as possible.  I think 3 or 4 nights is the perfect amount for most people.    

I headed back to Quito and included with my HX Expedition was a 2 night hotel stay and a full day city tour before we headed to Galapagos.  I chose a 4 night sailing that went to the Northern islands of Galapagos.   The Galapagos Islands have a lot of biodiversity and the terrain and creatures can change quite a bit in a short distance.  One reason I chose this itinerary is that it visits the area where Galapagos penguins live---who doesn't love penguins :) 

The pace of the expedition was pretty fast paced.  There was typically at least one morning excursion and one afternoon excursion to choose from.  Due to Galapagos park regulations, we needed to be back on board before dark (6pm for my expedition).   I did a a mixture of beach, glass bottom boat, hiking, panga boat, kayaking and snorkeling excursions.  I certainly wasn't bored!  The HX ship is very comfortable and it is on the larger side for Galapagos cruise lines (it can hold about 90 guests), but that size helps with the motion of the ocean---it is more stable than the smaller boats.  There was a small science lab and library on board and the naturalists and guides on board took turns giving lectures each night (all were very interesting).  

No matter what excursion you went on, you saw birds...lots of birds.   Some of the birds were more interesting than others. The most interesting for me was the male frigate bird that inflates the red part of their chest to attract a female mate.  It is a unique sight.  There are also quite a few sea lions and Galapagos fur seals on the islands and when zoomed in with my camera lens, you can see that most were sleeping peacefully when we were visiting (aren't they cute!).  

The Galapagos can be explored many different ways---from a ship or a hotel on land.  I'm happy to help you decide on the best way for you to explore this beautiful land. Please mention code "adventure" in the month of April 2025 for an exclusive perk for booking your Galapagos trip with Unraveled Travel, LLC.  

Please note:  enjoy these wildlife photos, but do not share or use them for your own purposes.

I recently sailed on the beautiful Wind Surf, Windstar Cruises largest ship holding 342 guests. I sailed on the Classic Caribbean itinerary and while this was my first time on a sailing ship, this was not my first time sailing with Windstar.  ​Windstar is a luxury cruise line that currently has 6 ships (2 new ships are being built which will bring the total to 8 ships). Half of the current ships are sailing vessels, and the other half are power yachts.

Windstar is also accommodating and aims to please in many other ways on board. For example, I was reading a real paper book in my stateroom and I forgot to pack something I could use for a book mark (I’m out of practice) and was dog earring the pages. My room steward noticed this and gave me a Windstar bookmark. I went hiking in Dominica and came back with soaking wet shoes that simply would not dry in the humidity of the Caribbean. I spoke with my room steward who said he knew of a trick and 24 hours later, I had dry shoes. There are several luxury cruise lines that have excellent service, but in my experience, it is always a bit more formal. On Windstar, it
seems more like you are asking for a favor of a friend instead of having the butler bow and say yes, madam.

​The itineraries are really what I like about Windstar. They are very port intensive and, on this itinerary, we didn’t have any days at sea. This journey was about very comfortable transportation to islands that are difficult to get to any other way (many of the islands we visited have air connections that require you to fly back to the US to catch a connecting flight to get to the next island---craziness!).

We departed and ended the cruise in Saint Maarten and we were originally visiting Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, St. Barts, and St. Kitts. Due to a problem with a tender boat on board, Windstar had to contract with local tour boats to get us to and from the port (this is common in the Caribbean). Tenders are smaller boats used to bring you to the shore when the cruise ship in anchored off the coast. They were unable to find boats to help on St. Barts or Guadeloupe, so they substituted Antigua and Martinique. The only place we docked was Dominica.

Itinerary substitutions can happen with cruises…. I’ve written about it before. The itinerary you book is pretty much a suggested itinerary. If the weather is bad or the ship has mechanical problems or anything else goes wrong, the cruise will swap out ports or give you a day at sea.

The cruise line is not required to compensate you for this change. What I like about Windstar is they acknowledge that the port change is not something you want---you choose the cruise for a reason----and they offered us a future cruise credit worth 25% of what we paid for this cruise. Very generous when compared to other cruise lines that might give a $25 on board credit or a free drink ticket. Yes, that means to take advantage of the credit, you have to book another cruise. However, that generally isn’t an issue with Windstar loyalists. On our sailing, 52% of the people on board had sailed with Windstar before.

For those of you wondering when I am going to start talking about the amenities on board like the casino, water slide, pickleball court, etc…..I am not going to talk about those things, because Windstar ships don’t have them. They have a small pool and at least one hot tub. They have bars with live music, but no Broadway shows. Older kids are allowed to sail, but in general, everyone on board is an adult. There isn’t much entertainment on board and for those that love Windstar, they think that is fine.

Generally, on a 7 night sailing, you are in port until 9 or 10pm in 2 ports and the other nights, you read a book, work at the communal puzzle tables (more exciting than it sounds ) or hear the music or the waves. Windstar has a ceremonial sail away on every ship, but it is grander on the sailing ships as the sails are unfurled. It is a sight to
see at least one day of your cruise.

Windstar sails around the world and my other times sailing with Windstar were in Europe and Japan. They offer a mix of unique and traditional cruise itinerary options. Please let me know if you are interested in learning more or booking a cruise.