Uganda, what to see beyond the famous silverback gorillas
What to see, where to stay, and what to do, in Uganda / The famous silverback gorillas are certainly what put Uganda on the map for tourism. And rightly so, as it is the only part of the world where one can see these peaceful, majestic primates. There are none in captivity, so in order to spend any time with them, one must be prepared to travel far. And travel far I did, for a fleeting two hours observing them that I wouldn't trade for...
The Mighty Silverbacks of Uganda: How To Find Them
Last January, I received a text from a friend of a friend: ‘Happy New Year! Would you like to go gorilla tracking with me in Uganda?’ I stared at the screen for a nanosecond and wrote back, ‘Yes!’ A nanosecond later, I wrote, ‘Wait... what?’ So began nine months of planning that would eventually take us to see the indigenous Batwa Pygmies, through dusty local villages, over the golden savannah of Ishasha, into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and ultimately, to the magical moment of finding...
A Passport’s Life (and 10 places to go next)
Is your passport ready? During this momentary gap in travel time, I've thought much about where I have already been and more about where I would like to go next. I have taken a hard look at my soon-to-expire passport. What kind of life will my future passport lead? I have ten ideas, or so. I am an obsessive collector. At ten, I started collecting postage stamps, fascinated by the colorful, miniature designs and illustrations. By twelve, I was also collecting stickers; Hello Kitty, Miffy,...
Botswana is The Magic Kingdom
Why go to Botswana? Traveling to Botswana for a safari with my family remains one of my top experiences of all time. Having the opportunity to see the wildlife of remote Botswana and travel through the vast inlets of the Okavango Delta was life-altering. My hope is that Botswana stays as untouched and wild as the week we spent there a few years ago. Read on to discover the magic of Africa, Botswana, and the animals of the Okavango Delta. There is no sound I...
Traveling Around the Room
I've come to realize that the best way to travel these days, is through my travel memories. In many cases, those memories take the form of photographs that get stored in albums and tucked away on a shelf. But some of my favorite travel memories are in the form of the things I collected along the way. Due to recent world events, accessing those travel memories is as easy as walking around the house. Maya Angelou wrote, “Every storm runs out of water eventually”. The...
8 Amazing Days Exploring Cape Town, South Africa
Wandering Cape Town and the Western Cape of South Africa / About 15 years ago my husband came back from a trip to Cape Town and declared it one of his favorite cities in the world. A bold and hyperbolic statement from an otherwise understated and pretty well-traveled guy. Fast forward a few years and I can’t disagree. If there was ever a city that had it all, Cape Town is hard to beat. Beaches, museums, lush wine lands, world-class restaurants, and hotels. Unique ethnic...
Delaire Graff Estate is The Jewel of Stellenbosch
Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa / Sometimes lunch is lunch. And sometimes lunch is a destination. A place where you want to settle in and make yourself comfy. That was definitely the case when arriving at Delaire Graff Estate in the Stellenbosch Winelands of South Africa. It was clear that this was one of those places that you wanted to linger, take your time with, and fully absorb. Delaire Graff Views It was the kind of winter’s day where you could happily sit outside,...