It’s often said, “there’s no place like home”. Now I wouldn’t go quite that far as there are certainly many parts of the world I enjoy traveling to, but I have to admit, my back yard gives me a lot of pleasure. In our current location, we back up to a wooded area that has […]
My interest in gardening has grown considerably since I moved to my current location in 2001. Many people find shade gardening a real challenge. We do have other areas of the yard which have sun, but a large portion of our yard is in deep shade… an ideal area for HOSTAS. As many hosta lovers […]
Tripadvisor (www.tripadvisor.com) has provided me with a wealth of information when I’ve been researching a trip. I use this site to search for reviews on lodging and restaurants. Their Forum section posts questions and answers from a huge variety of persons which is particularly helpful because you ‘hear it all’. Many participants will post links […]
Why Africa? Many people ask me that. They’ve even considered it themselves but then say, “well, isn’t it really expensive” or “is it safe”. I can only speak about Kenya and Tanzania when I talk about Africa, but it is a land of AMAZEMENT. I’ve traveled quite a bit, but never felt the pull […]
As long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to travel to Africa. I watched Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Animal Kingdom and visited a number of zoos all over the country and dreamed about seeing the giraffes and elephants in their natural habitat.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was established in 1977 to honor the memory of naturalist and conservationist David Sheldrick, the founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, where he worked from 1948-1976. Although he died only 6 months after establishing the Wildlife Conservation and Management Department, his legacy of the management of Tsavo and wildlife […]
You adopted what???? This is usually the first thing someone will say when they hear I’ve adopted an elephant, or two or three. Yes, they are not quite the same as a collie pup but on the other hand, I don’t have to housebreak them. The second question I typically get is “isn’t that […]
On my trip to Kenya and Tanzania in 2012, I had the privilege of visiting and touring the Kazuri bead factory just outside Nairobi. I had been very fascinated with their story ever since I picked up a few beads at a local ‘trunk’ show. Kazuri in Swahili means ‘small and beautiful’. It began in […]
This trip to Kenya and Tanzania was on a group tour with Go Ahead Tours. Travel dates were March 13-29, 2009. Itinerary, including parks and lodging is as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging):
Lansing to Nairobi via London
Travel dates for this solo trip were January 14-February 2, 2010. Itinerary as well as accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging) :
Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam
Travel dates for this solo trip were May 6-May 21, 2012 (considered the rainy season). Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging):
Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam
Travel dates for this trip were March 2-March 24, 2014. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging): Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam Nairobi Fairview Hotel (2) Although I had stayed many times at the Intercontinental Hotel, due to favorable reviews, I decided to try the […]
Travel dates for this trip were October 12-October 28, 2014. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging): Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam Karen – Macushla House (2) Unfortunately, this site is not currently working [March, 2022] Located in the Karen area, Macushla House is very […]
Travel dates for this trip were October 10-October 26, 2015. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is number of nights stayed at lodging): Lansing to Nairobi via Amsterdam Nairobi – The Fairview Hotel (2) This is my 2nd stay at the Fairview and would be my hotel of choice in Nairobi. […]
Travel dates for this trip were March 5-March 17. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is the number of nights stayed at the lodging). This seventh trip to Kenya was all about change… stepping outside my comfort zone. Every part of the trip was different. I chose to work with a different […]
Travel dates for this trip were March 6-March 20. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is the number of nights stayed at the lodging). For my eighth trip to Kenya, I blended part of the trip traveling over land with my guide Daniel who has accompanied me on 3 other safaris. Then, […]
Travel dates for this trip were January 29-February 12. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is the number of nights stayed at the lodging). For my ninth trip to Kenya, I blended part of the trip traveling over land with my guide Daniel who has accompanied me on 4 other safaris as […]
Travel dates for this trip were January 14 – January 30. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is the number of nights stayed at the lodging). I planned this, my tenth trip to Kenya to coincide with my birthday. Due to numerous flight changes caused by flight cancellations due to the global […]
Travel dates for this trip were January 8 – January 24. Itinerary and accommodations are as follows (number in parenthesis is the number of nights stayed at the lodging). I planned this eleventh trip to Kenya (what I consider my second home) to coincide with my birthday again. It had been three years since I’d […]
There is a huge number of opinions on what a person needs to take on a safari and what you need to leave at home. I’m no expert here. I must admit, that having been a Girl Scout, I tend to ‘Come Prepared’ – maybe too prepared by some standards.
Be enthusiastic and bring your sense of humor. This will bring the best out of your guide. Guides are proud people and eager to share their knowledge whether it be about their culture or the wildlife. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Clients who just sit back and say nothing or appear uninterested can make […]
Maybe this will be your only trip to Africa. Maybe once you visit, you will start to shift your ‘bucket list’ so you can return to Africa, because like me, it captures your soul. It’s sometimes hard to explain to others why I enjoy Africa so much. People will look at my photos and say […]
When my trip to Africa in 2009 was confirmed, I decided to buy a book and read about the area I would be traveling to. When I returned, my quest for additional knowledge increased. I borrowed several books from the local library but also added to my collection. A few of these books have been […]
Life in and around the water has always been a large part of my life. I don’t even remember my first trip to the ocean because I was only 7 months old. It didn’t take me long to learn that the call of the seagull, the smell of the salt air and the crashing of […]
About the Trip Travel adventures in 2023 took a different turn. My most recent trip to Kenya (my 10th time there and definitely a comfort zone for me) was January 2021. In 2022, I planned a road trip to the western U.S. The total drive was 4,406 miles. A driving trip, stopping and enjoying many […]
From the time I was a young child, my parents took me on many field trips to zoos. I learned a lot about the animals from reading the signs and asking a lot of questions. More importantly, it taught me the importance of patience, particularly when capturing a photo of an animal. Although I always […]
These photos represent some of my favorites from zoos I have visited Binder Park Zoo Cape May County Zoo Cincinnati Zoo Columbus Zoo Georgia Aquarium Lincoln Park Zoo National Zoo Potter Park Zoo Shedd Aquarium
I Love Chicago! I can’t even remember the number of times I’ve been there. I traveled to the big city with my parents when I was young, went there with friends when I was in college, spent my honeymoon there, and always jump at the opportunity to return. In recent years, I’ve enjoyed visiting Chicago […]
When I was a student at Michigan State University, one of my roommates, Jasmine, was from Hawaii. She spoke a lot about her home, the people, the culture, the scenery, the beautiful flowers and the clarity of the water. I met her parents at graduation and they encouraged me to visit. It was a place […]
Looking for an escape from reality and a place that I had not stayed before, a 4 day/3 night adventure was planned. I traveled with my best friend that I have known for 63 years to a place that although we both had visited before (independently), neither of us had stayed there. MACKINAC ISLAND, let […]
Traveling to Mackinac Island in October, 2021 with a good friend was delightful. We did a bus trip and spent 3 nights at the Grand Hotel. We both enjoyed it a lot, but it was a more formal setting, too much food and quite a few scheduled activities. Since we enjoyed it before, we decided […]
Yellowstone for me, was an area of the country I had read about, seen on tv or the internet but had never been to. In fact, it was not until my brother and sister-in-law moved to Montana, that I knew much at all about the state. Once they got settled and started sharing photos, particularly […]
Although I’ve visited family in Bozeman, Montana and the surrounding area twice, the trips were made via flying. I’ve not viewed any of the scenery west of Minnesota (driving to a conference in Minneapolis) or west of Oklahoma (driving to a conference in Lubbock, Texas) by land. My recently retired husband suggested “let’s do […]
After our trip west in 2016, we said we would not make the long drive again… we would fly and rent a car. However, our plans changed in December, 2021 when we thought, well maybe would could drive and see some new places along the way as well as return to those we enjoyed. Thus […]
