One of the things I’ve learned from this pandemic is that the sting of disappointment is lessened with each subsequent incident. Sure, I was looking forward to crossing the Maldives off my bucket list. Yes, I was thrilled with booking an over-the-water bungalow complete with a pool for next to nothing (thank you Marriott points!) Plus, I was excited to travel on a 17.5 hour flight to Bangalore – direct flights are the best. And to cross 2 countries off my list so early in 2022 – another point of excitement. Yet, when the flight was cancelled, one leg at a time, I wasn’t as disappointed as I thought I’d be. Perhaps with each cancellation I’m simply numb to it. Besides, there’s a lot more important things going on in the world. And, having just been to Peru, I could use some downtime at home. Moreover, this is just a blip and I’ll get there someday! Matt, otoh, was thrilled as the prospect of a long flight didn’t thrill him. Our couple friends that we were destined to travel with were understandably disappointed. One thing I know is that there will always be a flight deal and a plan that works out. Perhaps letting go of expectations is the true way to happiness.
Travel
Welcome to my adventures. Happy reading!
Last night I could barely sleep in anticipation of a dream come true – seeing, touring, and photographing Machu Picchu!! While the trek sounds like a great adventure, albeit grueling, we didn’t have the desire or time to do that. 4 days of walking with a myriad of bugs and no running water – hmmm, hard pass. So, we stayed in the quaint town of Aguas Calientes last night, at a lovely hotel. Had a great dinner, and are well-rested for today’s adventure. Our hotel arranged a guide for us and we’ll be off on a bus shortly. Sure we could have walked a couple hours in the forest to get there, but that bus looked much better and easier. The bus ride was very easy and we were there in 25 minutes, with what looked to be near-misses on a narrow road.
It was overcast and a bit foggy as we entered the gates. We were so hopeful it wouldn’t rain! The steps approaching the top were narrow, uneven, and at some times nonexistent. After an hour of walking, we encountered alpacas – a strange surprise! And moved towards the plateau to overlook the citadel. Our guide was a wealth of information and regaled us with great stories, interesting tidbits, and pensive theories. We waited on the plateau for over an hour, with groups of others, each quardened off in a white circle on the ground for COVID measures. As the fog cleared and the sun peeked out, we got our first view of the citadel – and it was breathtaking. I may have teared up! Our guide captured this pic and it captures the slow reveal of the treasures beneath.
Oddly enough we have better cell service up here than at my house. Can’t wait to share more of this fab day!!
Even the best planned trips will hit snags. About a week before I left, the airlines contacted me to let me know that the two smaller airports we were planning to fly into both were still closed. I was offered a few other options, but all were too pricey or too long. So, I contacted Serena Resorts and when I say they’re rock stars… they really are…coming through for us by arranging transport. The Serengeti is not that far away from the Masai Mara. But, getting there is a challenge. Mara Serena Lodge arranged for a driver to take us to the Kenya/Tanzania border. Our driver is not allowed to take us into Tanzania (something about tour guides & drivers being restricted to their original countries – and that this has not always been the case.)
After our 3 hour drive replete with a lasting glimpse into the lives of the Maasai people, and seeing the vast countryside, we finally arrive at the border crossing. Our driver helps us get through customs and taking yet another Covid test. After an hour or so, we meet our next tour guide, Zakariah, who will take us to the Serengeti and also the Ngorongoro Crater.
It’s another 3 hours from the border to our lodge in the Serengeti. We chat with our guide, check out views of local life, and I napped. We are looking forward to a beautiful day on Safari. The views from this lodge are incredible!
If you’ve followed my angst over traveling to Africa, you’d know that it was a last minute addition of my friend Curtis to join me.
Since inquiring minds want to know, here’s some answers to your questions.
1. Am I still married? Yes. And no I’m not leaving him or dating – it was cute to get some messages inquiring though.
2. Who’s that dude? His name is Curtis, he lives in Montana, and he’s the partner of a very dear friend of mine.
3. Have you traveled together before? NOPE! It’s a big, huge gamble to travel with someone for 13+ days and not know whether you are compatible travel companions. But, I’ve known Curtis almost 15 years and have stayed at his house countless times — he’s stayed at mine countless times, including when I’ve been out of town. We have mutual respect, a shared love of animals, and of course we are both crazy dog people.
4. Why? It has been Curtis’ dream since he was a young child to see Africa and go on Safari. The timing, opportunity, and cost were right.
5. How did it go? OMG – it was awesome! Curtis was so helpful with me (see post on my illness before the trip), he was FUN!!, we laughed SO much, and guess what? He’s Jack Hanna – no, seriously. He knew every animal and all about them. I’m still in awe at the depth of his knowledge. Best of all Curtis was OK with my organization, planning, and schedule. My vacations are often called amazing races… and this one was no exception.
Back to the title of this post – we seriously, as a society, need to normalize traveling with friends. Let me start: it is OK to travel with your friends. Go as far as you can, on as many adventures as you can, and just dive in! Life is meant to be shared and lived in community. Also, stop judging people. I’m not a bad person/wife for traveling. My husband didn’t want to go, and that’s OK too. It is NORMAL for married couples to have other interests and still be married. Sharing my adventures with my friend were wonderful. If travel renews your spirit, like it does mine, then do it!
In closing, get out there!! I thoroughly enjoyed our trip and we are already planning the next one.
It has been an incredible few days in Africa. From the bustling, noisy city of Nairobi, the odd juxtaposition of the national park, the short & amazing small plane ride, and now this. To say this is peaceful and soul-filling does not do this moment justice. My eyes have filled with tears countless times, and I am not typically a crier. The sights have taken my breath away and will be with me forever. I can see now why people come back time and again. And, most people who know me, know I rarely do the same things over and over. But for this, I would.
The weather has been absolutely perfect! Nights and mornings are cool (glad I bought that purplish Eddie Bauer sweatshirt) and days are warm, but not overly so. Bugs are nonexistent, so far, which is a pleasant surprise.
Food – I’ve been able to eat just fine, with our lodge going above and beyond ensuring I have plenty of choices. They’ve made some unique gluten-free items including a lovely coconut cake topped with tomatoes (it wasn’t sweet and the tomatoes were a nice balance), and a spiced/sweet bread for breakfast. Breakfast is a massive spread of anything you could possibly imagine. I stick to the made-to-order omelette, black tea, and GF bread. Lunch – again a massive spread with anything you can eat. I haven’t needed lunch because breakfast is so massive, safaris have been early, and I have my trusty Luna bars for snacks. Also probably why my luggage was overweight… to ensure I have enough food! Dinner is crazy good…it’s bigger than breakfast, and all kinds of things are labeled as gluten free. I’ve been eating an inordinate amount of cucumbers as regular greens don’t seem to be prevalent. Dessert is always amazing too.
Lodge – Mara Serena the views are incredible, the staff amazing, and the room is perfect. I highly recommend this place! Furthermore, every person I worked with prior to the trip was wonderful. They were all so helpful organizing transportation, tours, guides, activities, and when I needed to add Curtis – it was a breeze! The resort is half or full board optional, and what you get for the money… I highly recommend full board. Our room was clean, comfortable, and the balcony provided incredible sunrises and views of animals. I felt safe the entire trip – even on the night safari.
I truly would spend more time here!!
Y’all! We had a truly awesome time during our 2021 girls getaway. I am so grateful to know these two phenomenal women for nearly 20 years now. Supportive women are the BEST and they have always been there for me unconditionally.
We stayed at a darling VRBO in Napa proper, went to several wineries, and spent quality time with each other. The best news is that they didn’t have to endure my snoring since I had a separate bedroom.
I cannot recommend Napa Private Tours enough! We thought we’d just spend a few hours on this decadent tour, but once the wine, laughs, and specially made nuts started flowing… well, we powered through nine incredible hours. Every detail, experience, and accoutrements was impeccable. Our lunch spot accommodated our gluten-free and vegetarian requirements, making this day even better. Javier made this day so special and we cannot thank him enough.
Javier is to thank for this picture. Although I didn’t like how I look (we are our own worst critics), I love this moment so much. We were laughing so hard and just so you know…. Sheena was a man.
Not all my travels involve dogs or work or exotic destinations, although California Wine Country is way awesome… this trip was 3 gals who have been friends for a long time and love wine! These ladies are my rocks and have been there for me for nearly two decades. And we’re about to take Napa by storm – so watch out! Lots of laughs, general silliness, and wine ahead.
I’m going! I will be on that plane in a few weeks and crossing several countries off my bucket list! Even better a good friend is coming with me, and since it’s always been his dream, that will make this even more special. Everything is planned, booked, and paid for — so it’s happening! As I sit in my hotel tonight in Hanover, PA, reading over the itinerary, I am so thrilled I can barely sleep. The culmination of researching, dreaming, and planning — it’s unimaginable to think that it’s actually going to happen.
We’ll meet in Frankfurt and then fly to Nairobi, Kenya. After a couple days in Nairobi, we’ll fly to Maasia Mara for a several night stay at an all-inclusive safari lodge. Then, after a flight, ground transfer, border crossing into Tanzania, and another flight, we’ll arrive in the Serengeti for a couple nights. From there we’ll travel to the Ngorongoro Crater via land to spend a few nights. We’ll fly to Zanzibar and spend the reminder of our trip there – soaking in the sun & sand – a well-deserved rest before our long journey home.
Oh my! The packing! One can’t just hop on a plane without the proper gear and careful planning on what to pack. I figured I had most everything I needed and yikes…I was wrong. For starters, I can’t take my beloved hard-sided luggage from Away. Not allowed on the small planes and with 7 flights, that’s a no-go. Plus, we’re limited to 33 pounds of luggage TOTAL. My chronic over-packing cannot come on this safari trip. After many days of research, I chose a wheeled duffel bag and a very fancy backpack. That backpack is more than I spend on my handbags, which BTW are always purchased on sale. I cringed as I clicked the “buy now” button… but once it arrives it will feel more real. For now, I’ve got my list of must-haves on this trip and I’ll stick to not dragging the kitchen sink with me.
Is that even a question?? Well, yes, sometimes it is. Here’s the backstory: September 6, 2020 I received an alert from Scott’s Cheap Flights that a plane ticket from DEN to Nairobi (yes, Africa…Kenya to be exact) was $490 round-trip, on United. Yep – sign me UP!! Of course, I just had to check it out and then I started playing around with dates, and what ifs – what if I did an open-jaw ticket (fly into Nairobi and fly out of Dar es Saalam…Tanzania, or Uganda, or Zimbabwe – the possibilities were endless.) I read-up on travel restrictions related to Covid and quickly decided I’d stick with Kenya and maybe Tanzania. Then, I thought about dates and checked the plane tickets I had with United for trips that were canceled. One of the tickets was for $650, and coincidentally that was the price for an open-jaw in July 2021. Doing a bit more researching, I narrowed down the flights I preferred, booked a stop-over stay in Zurich for 2 nights, and used that ticket for not a single penny more. It’s weird how somethings work out.
I reached out to some traveling friends to gauge their interest, but let’s be real – I WILL go by myself and I enjoy solo travel. I’d prefer to share this amazing experience with someone who desires to go here and can participate in the planning. One of my friends did, and she booked her ticket too. Same itinerary & schedule. Plane ticket booked, travel buddy secured, now to the planning. There’s nothing I love more aside from traveling than planning said travel. And boy do I love planning – spreadsheets, PowerPoints – I am ALL in on research and options. I set about the planning process with my friend and she shared her input… we made a tentative itinerary, but didn’t book anything non-refundable because these questions still remained: would we even be able to go? Will anything be open? Will we get vaccinated by then?
Fast-forward to January 2021 – vaccines are on the horizon (I got mine in Feb.), but Europe is still closed to US citizens, and that includes Zurich. United ended up canceling that portion of the flight, so I called the 1K desk to rebook through Frankfurt. That was easy enough, but my friend decided she no longer wished to go and canceled her ticket, getting a refund. Fine with me – it was full-speed ahead on planning.
Now it’s May and 2/3 of the trip is booked, including the non-refundable portions of the safari lodges. I’ve scheduled my yellow fever vaccination and appointment to secure my malaria pills. Things are rolling along but it feels like something is missing. I’m excited yet a bit perplexed by that “missing” feeling.
I’m questioning do I go? Do I not go? Of course I’ll go! But???
Panama, that’s what. Day 1 of Panama was blissful – hanging poolside, walking on the beach, catching sunrise and sunset from our balcony overlooking said pool & beach – idyllic. Then, Day 2 the nightmare of chitra bites began. For whatever reason my body thinks it needs to overreact to the bites of insects and it really doesn’t like these tiny fly bites. Instantly I was transported back to my 2004 trip to Costa Rica — same bugs, same bites, same miserable experience. But I completely forgot about that until Panama. Despite spraying myself with Deep Woods Off bug spray, wearing citronella bracelets/anklets, and not being on the beach past sundown… those suckers managed to attack my legs and arms. Luckily the pharmacy had a large bottle of clear calamine and allergy pills to calm my skin. I also bought 50% DEET spray and fogged the hotel room. Despite my best efforts, the bug bites & scars have lasted a few weeks post-vacation. Guess Panama is not where I will be retiring… yikes.
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