“Is that snow?” Scott asked, looking out the window. We were sitting in Vicki and Ron’s room with a bottle of wine, some olives, and a box of baklava. It had been too cold on the street to stop at one of the sidewalk cafes, even with their outdoor heaters on. It was, indeed, snow. … Continue reading Athens in the Winter
We’d just arrived and were in a pickup truck taxi on our way to lunch, when the truck slowed, then carefully drove on the shoulder of the road to avoid a giant tortoise. Welcome to the Galapagos! Highlands of Isla Santa Cruz Like so many other people, I had Galapagos on my bucket list. Travelling … Continue reading In the Steps of Darwin— Walking Slowly in the Galapagos
“This is a really good place to stop for lunch, if it was open.” “You’ll have to come back when St. Nicholas Abbey is open— It’s worth seeing.” “When it’s open, you’ll go down these steps and be able to swim inside the caves.” Animal Flower Caves The situation has changed dramatically since our first … Continue reading Barbados, (Mostly) Open for Business
“I envy your brilliant pandemic plan.” Wait, what? The comment from a friend whom I was messaging with, for the first time since I’d moved to Barbados, took me by surprise. I hadn’t thought of it that way. I did it for love. The closed Canada-US border meant that Scott and I were separated. After … Continue reading Caribbean Covid Plan
The waiter brings another Rum Punch as we lounge poolside, deciding which catamaran tour to take the next day. Just kidding. We cling to the seat back in the ZR van as it careens at high speed around a corner, reggae music blaring, headed to the fish market. We’ll buy the catch of the day … Continue reading It’s Not a Holiday
“Covid test?” I had the printout of my negative result in my hand with my passport. I was sent to the left; those without or with a stale dated or non-PCR test went to the right. My plane had been full, because it was the last flight into Barbados from Canada where you could board … Continue reading Welcome to Barbados— 2020 edition
As I went through the door of the spa, I saw the sign: Closed at 6 pm today, until further notice. The resort had just announced that the restaurant would have limited seating, and the stools had been removed from the bar. My first thought, I’m embarrassed to now say, was that I was glad … Continue reading My World Is Getting Smaller…
But I'm not a tourist! I hear the chorus. I'm not getting into that debate. Some days, I'm a traveller, some days a tourist. It depends on the day, and the definition. The other day my kids and I hiked to the Green Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. Tough hike because of the … Continue reading Loving it to Death: the Tourist’s Dilemma
Brave Travels 