London, We Meet Again! See, I knew I’d return! London was the last stop on my April 2019 trip around the world, which went like this: San Diego – San Francisco (connection) – Singapore (connection) – Maldives – Sri Lanka – Bangladesh – Kuwait – Bahrain – London (connection) – San Diego! I had a…
View More
Extreme Layover The flight from Rome to Sarajevo included an almost ten-hour layover in Croatia and I couldn’t wait to see the town. Most tourists travel to Dubrovnik, Croatia’s famous walled city, but this connection would introduce me to the capital, Zagreb, and that was fine with me: The fewer tourists, the better. Love Štruk…
View More
I met Hodan, digitally, after returning from my first trip to Mogadishu. I sent her the blog I wrote on my visit to Somalia. Though it was a risky venture, I found the Somalis I encountered to be friendly, warm, loving and anxious to get to know me. Hodan fit that description as well. She…
View More
So Close, Yet so Far Away I can just kick myself for visiting Rome and not seeing Vatican City. What was I thinking?! And to think, I was actually “stuck” in Rome for three nights, yet it didn’t even dawn on the 32-year-old me to just walk right over to the Vatican. Years later, after…
View More
When people look at the giant map-of-the-world mural plastered on my office wall (it takes up the entire wall) they are impressed at the 125 countries I’ve seen, each designated with a pin, but always in shock when they discover I’ve yet to see such a popular destination as Greece. “Wait a minute; you’ve been…
View More
Living in California certainly has a bounty of benefits: the weather, the beach, the entertainment…but it’s not without its negatives. The two biggest bummers: Insane taxes and a complete and utter lack of Whataburger. I’ll save my detailed Whataburger rave for another time (it’s lengthy), and I won’t even entertain the In-N-Out vs. Whataburger silly…
View More
Am I the only one who gets nervous sending my passport off…in the mail…across the country??? It’s both a thrill and a concern at the same time. With your help, I’d like to keep an updated tally of visa processing times. Consulate websites are often outdated and incorrect. It’s my goal, with your help, to…
View More
It’s a Family Affair I’m sure no one wants to hear the details of someone else’s family tree, but nonetheless, I’m going to tell you a story. I will try and keep it short and concise, but I’m writing this with the hopes of inspiring others; others like me: who wondered about their distant ancestors…
View More