About time I posted an update from Bali! I actually broke my laptop my first day in here- and by first day I mean within hours of landing in Bali after 36 hours flying from US my laptop simply would not turn on – so with some initial tears and “holy crap, I’m screwed” thoughts rolling through my head I was forced to hunt down a local computer repair center recommended by the locals (details at the bottom).
Telephone Conversation with my Computer Technicians
I’m going to jump right into my …

Everyone has those signature dishes they’ve tried in a new country – whether it’s a local delicacy or just bizarre street eat. But what about those fun snacks and new flavors on old favorites?
Delicious Snacks and Treats from Around the World
Some of these are sweets, some salty. But all are portable and can make a great treat on a long bus ride…interestingly, most of my favorites from my travels are centered in Asia!
NEPAL: Lapsi

Topping the list is this sweet jellied candy. I don’t even like chewy candies but this …

Travel Memories: Sunrise Zip-Lining in the Laotian Jungle

My naively idyllic imagination of what it would be like to wake up every morning perched in a tree house in the upper canopy of the Laos jungle did not take into account the song-like call of the Gibbon monkeys competing with the strangely cicada-like bird songs floating through the air as I clutched on to the last remnants of sleep at some ungodly predawn hour.
The jungle is LOUD!
And yet surprisingly peaceful. This shot was taken in the early morning hours from …

Travel Memories: Cambodian Child Dancers Training

Chatting with the children at the orphanage I volunteered at last year in Cambodian my eyes popped open and I stuttered into a shocked silence as they casually stretched their fingers backwards – their fingers dipping so far back over the top of their hands with pressure that the tips could actually touch their arms.
Just as I used to practice my Irish dance steps under the chairs during lectures in class, these kids took any opportunity to stretch their fingers and further the process that …

Monday Travel Memories: Peaceful Vipassana Days

Begnas Lake outside of Pokhara, Nepal will forever in my memory be associated with my 10 Day Vipassana meditation class. This peaceful lake was my one source of company over the 10 days of complete silence and I stared at this lake for a full 9 days as the moody and shifty weather passed over the reflective surface of the lake – the clouds only occasionally allowing light to peak through- before I discovered that the Himalayan mountains are directly behind this cloud …

The oldest girl in the group of children, she couldn’t have been more than 13, leveled a sly look my way before stating:
“Lady, you buy our bracelets or who knows what will happen to your bicycles…”
At that point, I think my jaw dropped.
The Backstory
Laura and I rented bikes for a day of exploring the Angkor temples closet to Siem Reap – and after a pretty harried bike ride down a dusty and trafficky road we were grateful to chain up our bikes to a nearby tree with some …

Let’s take a flashback today to the Cambodia stop on my RTW trip…exactly this time last year; I was traveling with a friend through SEA.

I’m not sure what it is about music, but it just bridges gaps. Perhaps it’s the nature of music – inclusive; everyone who can hear it feels a part of the experience.
Laura’s green guitar and with a hand-embroidered Laotian pink strap was like a magnet for all of the children hawking bracelets and guidebooks near the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. As soon …

The spicy mingling of scents when you step foot into the country is, perhaps, my favorite memory of India. The food selection in the country is simply outrageous. They have hundreds and hundreds of traditional dishes that vary from region to region and the entire country is suffused with the scent of spicy curries emanating from street stalls and local restaurants. (In addition to the dishes – have you tried the curd…it’s divine ;-)
And as a vegetarian, India meant I was in foodie heaven. I actually  fear what’s in …