Europe, Again and Again
We’re experienced at Europe. We’ve been there at least a dozen times, and have spent enough time in Spain and Italy to say with a straight face that we actually … Read more
Our Travel Life
My Day with the TSA
I got to spend nearly an hour with my new TSA pals at the Omaha airport the other day. It’s tempting to blame the TSA for their widely reported incompetence, … Read more
Japan Saves the Day: Helpful People Rescue Klutz Yet Again
Is it that the people of Japan are so helpful, or that I’m in such need of help? Probably both. Today I had a third encounter, not with the pavement*, … Read more
Advice for Driving in the UK and Ireland
I can talk about this now, and I’ll start by saying Tom is a very good driver. And I am a very good navigator. I can read a map, have a good sense of direction, and am good at planning routes, scenic or otherwise. But things are different here in the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, and I’m not just talking about driving on the left. For both driver and passenger, I offer these true stories and tidbits of advice.
Visiting the ATM Cave in Belize
The ATM cave in Belize is a sacred Mayan sacrificial site which was used infrequently from around 600 to 900 C.E.
50 Random Thoughts About Travel
I was actually sitting around yesterday morning thinking. Yes, it happens some times. Of course, it doesn’t do anyone else any good unless I somehow communicate those thoughts. “If only … Read more
Merida, Mexico: Beers, Beets, and Mayan Language Lessons
Traveling, especially how we do it, can be a bit of a drudge sometimes. When we’re actually moving, which is to say when we’re not housesitting or renting an apartment … Read more
(Un)welcome to the United States
Since 9/11 I’ve reentered the United States from travel abroad more than a dozen times. Each time, it is more unpleasant. Many people I’ve met in other countries who have … Read more
Sometimes You Have to Go Home
I grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa. According to my grandfather, Council Bluffs was, “the only town that ever hurt Chicago.” I’ve given his pronouncement a lot of thought over the years and I’ve still never quite figured out what it meant.
Maybe it was because Council Bluffs made fun of Chicago on the playground when they were kids. Or maybe it was because someone from CB wrote a letter once to someone in Chicago saying that having broad shoulders and being hog butcher to the world wasn’t really that great. Especially when Carl Sandburg went on to mention that it was also the city of skanky whores and slimy gangsters.
