10.5 mile hike.  Six hours.  Nagarkot to Nala.  Miles and miles of terraced farmland.

The weather was pleasant and my guide and I took off at 8:30am to start the hike from Nagarkot, a city 32 km east of Kathmandu with an elevation over 13,700 feet, to Nala, a village so tiny, I don’t think it registers on a map.

Because of Nagarkot’s elevation it has one of the best views of the mountains and the valleys, and even though the mountains weren’t visible during my stay, I have to agree that the view was spectacular.

(This was the view from the balcony of my hotel in Nagarkot)

As I’ve said before, I am not an outdoorsy type of person.  The longest hike I’ve ever done before this was an eleven mile hike when I was twelve or thirteen and only because my friend incessantly persuaded me.  We were camping with her family and church group and we had a choice between a three mile easy hike or an eleven mile one.  All the grandmas took the three mile one and when my friend pointed this out, I reluctantly agreed to do the eleven mile one with all the “younger kids”.  I was sore for five days afterwards.  Given how “successfully” that trek turned out, I was a bit apprehensive about taking on another long hike but I was in Nepal and isn’t that what people do when they come to Nepal?  I decided to suck it up because I didn’t have a choice to bail this time; our driver left after he dropped us off in Nagarkot the day prior and was planning to meet us in Nala.

I am so glad I didn’t bail.

Not only did I see some of the most stunning views of my life over the next six hours, but I can also knock off #9 on this list, too.  We would hike for a little bit, turn a corner, and be rewarded with increasingly better views of the valley.  There were so many moments when I looked out and thought how marvelously beautiful this place is.  I wish I could bottle up its beauty and take a whiff of it every time I wanted to be in a happy place!

As a bonus, the trek also brought us through rural villages I’d otherwise never see.  The people in these villages are self-sustaining.  They grow their own food and only go to a market place to buy clothes or spices.  Every family has a cow (for milk), goats (for meat), chickens (for eggs and meat), a cat (to catch rats), and maybe even a dog; Nepalis actually don’t really have pets for fun the way we do at home so every animal they have has a purpose.

Since they live on the side of a mountain, they hike up and down the mountain all day long and often carrying huge loads in the baskets on their back.

(This guy must be carrying the basket up the hill to load up with goods; usually these baskets are overflowing!)

At one point, I was hiking downhill and a local man was hiking uphill with two goats.  After I passed him, I turned around to look at the goats and I noticed that the goat in the front was peeing while the one in the back was drinking it!  Uh, gross.  This must be why goats faint!  My guide must have seen the disgusted look on my face because he explained that that’s how male goats know if the female goat is ready to reproduce.  It’s not like goats can converse with each other so they don’t have any other way to communicate.  Interesting…well, there’s something I wasn’t planning on learning in Nepal!

The villagers were all extremely friendly.  My favorite was this little school girl I saw early on in the day.  She was walking alone so I said “Namaste” (it’s their standard greeting although the translation is, “I greet the divine one in you”) to her.  She stopped in her tracks, looked up at me, and said “Namaste” back in the most adorable way.  So cute!

I have a weakness for anything “cute”.  Like this calf I saw.

(I asked the local if the calf had a name. He must have thought I was an idiot because no one names their animals here.)

After cooing at the calf for 10 minutes, the villager noticed how in love I was with it and said he would give me the calf.  Heck yea – Mr. T, get ready, I got us a calf!  Just kidding.  He made the offer, but I politely declined since I’m not sure how it’d fit in my luggage for the next 10 countries.  But the offer was still nice.

As we made our way down to the valley floor, we also passed by some interesting plants en route.  This just grows along the side of houses and rivers banks here!

The villagers may be poor but they could really make a killing exporting this or even just selling it to weary travelers (ahem, Amsterdam).  ;)

Six hours later we finally made it to Nala, which has only one dirt path through the village, clothes swinging clothing lines, chickens running around, and people sitting outside on the street either hanging out (mostly the men, of course) or cleaning vegetables (duh, the women).  They all looked at me with curious eyes as I walked by.  I don’t think they get outsiders often.

For the record, not all the men hang out and do nothing all day even though whenever I see anyone hanging out it is always men.  Here’s one who breaks the mold.

(How do they do that?!)

Although the best part of the day was the views and the unplanned interactions with random villagers (oh, and playing with the cute calf!), I was so proud I made it through all 10.5 miles with energy to spare!  And the next day, I wasn’t even sore.  I love moments like this when you take on a challenge and realize you were actually a lot tougher than you thought.  Or in my case, I was in better shape than I thought.  I might just sign up for another hike now!

If hiking up to base camp isn’t your idea of a good time (and I don’t blame you), you can opt for a scenic flight to Everest.  Flights depart daily from Kathmandu domestic airport and last about an hour.

I was excited to do this flight because I didn’t have two extra weeks to hike to base camp, and truth be told Mr. T wasn’t keen on the idea of me hiking alone with a random sherpa guide/porter.  So, I signed up for the next best thing – a flight to Everest.  I actually hoped to fly to base camp, but I was informed by my guide that there is no airport in base camp because there’s no landing strip – doh.  Seems so obvious, but I had to ask!

The morning of my flight, I woke up at 4am so that I could get to the airport in time for my 6:30am flight.  The airport was busy already with tourists all going on these flights but luckily, getting through the airport was a breeze.  First, you pay a departure tax of 200 rupees (approx. $2-$3USD) then check in at the counter and pick up your boarding pass.  Once you get the boarding pass, you walk through security (it’s actually the second security check of the day since you have to walk through one just to enter the airport) – women proceed on the left and men on the ride side of the belt.  It worked out great for me because 90% of the people there were men so I didn’t even have to queue up!  A quick note about the security at the airport: Despite having to walk through two security checks, I’m not sure how “secure” the check actually is.  I didn’t have to take off shoes, I carried my cell phone on me, I beeped as walked through, and yet, they just waved me through.  No body check, no hand scanner, nada.

When it was time for my flight, I walked through the gate and boarded a shuttle to get to my aircraft.

I flew Buddha Air which is supposed to be one of the best options out there, but honestly, there was nothing fancy about the plane.  It sat about 15-19 people so it’s a small aircraft.

Inside it wasn’t newer or roomier than your standard plane.  It is, however, configured so that everyone has a window seat.

I was immediately disappointed because this Buddha Air flight had windows above the wing, and of course, I got a seat right on the wing.  Other Buddha Air flights to Everest had wings above the windows – I imagine the view would have been much better if I had one of those planes instead!

(Other Buddha Air flights have wings above the windows)

Once we took off, the flight attendant handed out a sheet that shows you what mountains you’re looking at and within a few minutes, we were already soaring above the pollution, smog, and clouds that blanket Kathmandu.

The left side of the plane gets to see the Himalayas first so everyone was busy taking photos.  Meanwhile, the flight attendant invited each of us on the right to the captain’s cabin to take pictures out the front.  This is a cool idea, but we had less than a minute each in the cabin to take photos before she’d tap us to hurry along back to our seat.  Once the right half of the plane made it to the captain’s cabin, the left side went.  Then the right side went again.  After I went twice, the plane finally turned around and it was the right side’s turn to see the Himalayas.

(Everest is the highest peak in this photo… all the way on the left)

Because the wing was in the way, it was hard to get many photos.  Also, since we were moving so fast, I didn’t have time to refer to the paper guide the flight attendant had given me earlier so besides pinpointing Everest, I didn’t know what the other mountains were!  The attendant, however, would come to each of us and point out some mountains, but it was hard for me to understand what she was saying so I resorted to nodding my head so that she’d move to the next passenger allowing me to return to admiring the Himalayas.

During our decent, the attendant walked up the aisle trying to sell souvenir t-shirts for about $10 or $20 (can’t recall the exact price).  They were cheesy shirts that said, “I didn’t climb Everest but touched it with my heart” (gag me, haha).  I tried to snap a pic while the attendant was making her way down the aisle but she saw me click a photo and told me “no photos” – too late! Muahahahaha!

As we deplaned, we got (again, cheesy) certificates to remember the flight.

Was the flight worth it?

I’ll cut to the chase: I landed and had mixed emotions about the flight.  I didn’t care for my seat since it was on the wing, the whole thing felt rushed (especially the captain’s cabin visit), and even the windows on the plane were dirty and scratched so the views were tarnished for me.  Also, the flight merely passes the mountains.  It doesn’t circle Everest or fly above the mountain range.  It also doesn’t fly that closely to the mountains.  In fact, I had a view of the Himalayas — albeit from twice as far away — when I arrived into Kathmandu on day 1 so it’s not like you can’t get that view elsewhere.  Considering the cost of the flight (I paid $180 through my guide, but you can get the tickets for less by going through the airline yourself or bargaining with the tour companies), I’m not sure it was worth it.  That said, the weather hasn’t been the best since I’ve been here and I actually haven’t been able to see the mountains at all from the ground so without this flight, there’s no other indication that I am anywhere near the Himalayas.  At this point, it’s water under the bridge, but suffice it to say the experience gets a solid “eh” from me.

If you’re planning on going:

• Get a multiple quotes for the flight cost and bargain if you’re going through a tour agency.  My guide obviously overcharged me since my ticket confirmation indicated the ticket was $140 but he charged me $180.  You can also buy directly from the airline for cheaper either online or in person.  I’ve heard that if you buy it in person at the airport, it could be even cheaper than the airline’s online price; you run the risk, however, that they have no seats left.
• The two major airlines that do this flight are Buddha Air and Yeti Air; Buddha Air has the better reputation.
• It’s not uncommon for flights to be delayed and/or canceled the day of the flight since the weather is unpredictable so make sure you have some slack time in your schedule. If the flight is canceled, you’ll get your money back.
• I can only speak from experience on Buddha Air, but I recommend asking for a seat on the right side of the plane all the way in the back for a few reasons: 1) Seats in the front may be obscured by the wing or the propellers.  In fact, all the seats in front of mine were even more obscured than mine was!  FYI, I was in row 5. 2) The left side sees the mountains first, however, this is when the plane is still ascending.  If you sit on the right, you’ll get to see the mountains after the plane’s reached it’s full cruising altitude which gives you better views. 3) If you’re on a plane with wings above the windows, this won’t matter as much, but since you won’t know what type of plane you get, you hedge your bets by sitting in the back.
• Don’t forget to bring an ID card to the airport!  I forgot my passport but I had my drivers license which was just as good.
• If you have one, bring a telephoto lens on the flight.  The only way I got pictures that excluded the wings was because I used a telephoto lens. Also, it helps to use the telephoto lens when you’re in the captain’s cabin as well – the mountains are far away!
• Morning flights give you the best chance at seeing the mountains so pick the first morning flight if you don’t mind waking up before dawn.

Pokhara is…

…200km west of Kathmandu

…my guide’s favorite city in all of Nepal

…surprisingly “clean” by Nepali standards

…a gateway for treks to the famed Annapurna trail

…home to views of 3 of the top 10 highest mountain ranges in the world

Happy Mother’s Day weekend (love you, Mom!)!  Hope it is a great one!

Kathmandu reminds me of Kyoto, Japan – there’s plenty to see but most of it is temples. Since I only had a couple of days to sightsee, I started bright and early the first day partly to avoid the draining heat and partly because I was eager to see what this city had to offer.  It turns out, the first day of sightseeing would end up being the most random day of my traveling history.  Maybe even of my life.

We started out visiting Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple, since there are – you guessed it – monkeys all over temple grounds.  Since I love monkeys, I was excited to see them in action at the temple… admittedly maybe a little more interested in them than the temple itself!  ;)

(These monkeys are such scavengers. They’ll hunt you down for anything remotely resembling food.)

The temple is on a hill and sprawling.

(Monkey Temple)

There are stupa as well as images of divinity carved out of stones everywhere.

(Lots of Buddhas everywhere you go.)

The locals come here to give offerings and pray, which inevitably involves a lot of touching of the stone carvings, lining up for your opportunity to pray to a Buddhist god, and spinning of prayer wheels.  With the sheer number of carvings, Buddhist statues, and prayer wheels at this temple, this place could keep someone busy for a whole day!

(In full disclosure, this prayer wheel is at Boudhanath Stupa, not the Monkey Temple, but all the prayer wheels look the same. My guide spins the wheel as he walks by.)

The coolest part of the visit, however, was walking into this room:

(All the monks were chanting, but a couple kept looking up at me. I hope I didn’t disturb them.)

All the monks were in deep meditation!  Given the bustling crowds outside the temple, this room was a nice respite.

After we left the Monkey Temple, we went to Kathmandu Durbar Square, an UNESCO World Heritage site.  The square is filled with many temples that resemble the pagodas in Japan.

(A small section of Kathmandu’s Durbar Square)

I walked around (again, tons of crowds) admired all the shrines and then headed to the Kumari Residence, which is where the living goddess resides.

(The goddess lives here!)

Say, what?!  Yes, there is a real goddess in Kathmandu.  She’s a child; all goddess are children here.  And I saw her!  From one of the windows in the residence, she graced us with her presence and waved but I wasn’t allowed to take pictures.  If you want more info on the living goddess, go here, but the main things I remember from my guide (remember, I was in full-blown ADD mode here) are that the goddess is a young girl about 6-7 years old who is chosen by priests.  Once chosen, she has to live in the Kumari, her feet are not allowed to touch the ground (and why should they? She’s a goddess now for cryin’ out loud!) so she has people, and she’s only a goddess until she starts menstruating - not a very long goddess-ship IMHO.  Also can you imagine having the whole country know you’ve started menstruating?  I can’t, but I suppose you shouldn’t argue with the terms of the job.  Anyway, she’ll then be replaced with a new younger goddess and the “consolation prize” is that she’s now hard to marry off.  I would have thought she’d be in high demand (who doesn’t want to be with a goddess?) but the men here believe ex-goddesses are bad luck.

After my goddess encounter, we headed to the biggest stupa in Nepal, Boudhanath Stupa.

(Boudhanath Stupa)

After enjoying lunch with a view of the stupa and walking around it clock-wise (you’re supposed to walk clock-wise around the Buddhist temples), we went to a sacred Hindu temple, Pashupantinath.  This temple has a deer park, lots of Hindu shrines, a “residence” for their sadhu (Hinduism’s holy men)…

(The sadhus chill out by the temple, pose for pics, and ask for money afterwards. Since they must live in the present, they can only use what people give them.)

…and ongoing cremations.  WHAT THE HECK?!  Hindus believe that the Bagmati River is holy and that dipping the corpse’s feet in the river is auspicious… so within a few hours of someone’s death, the corpse is brought here to undergo the ceremonial cremation which the family watches.  I was shocked to see the number of simultaneous cremations going on (there were 7 going strong) at the time as well as the stoic expressions of the family watching!  This was the first time I’ve ever seen a dead body.

(See the smoke? Yea, that’s coming from the current cremation. If you look closely you can see the corpse that’s next in line with his feet currently dipped in the holy river. I opted to post this picture only because it’s one of the less gruesome ones from that day.)

Interestingly, there were lots of locals watching the cremations from above.

(Spectators watching the cremations as if this were a side-show.)

Is this just a hang out spot?  I’m not going to pretend to get it. The smoke billowed endlessly and emitted a stench I hope to never smell again.  I couldn’t believe this is an attraction here…. or that downstream there were kids and monkeys bathing in the river – the same river where the ashes are dumped!

(Kids swimming and bathing out in the open. There were monkeys nearby waiting for their turn to dip in, too.)

Living in the U.S., nothing about this day was ordinary – not the monkey sitings, monk sitings, goddess siting, or cremation siting.  When I headed back to the hotel on the heels of witnessing the cremations, I was not only speechless, I wasn’t sure what just happened.  On top of it all, the part that trips me out the most is that I am pretty sure my extraordinary day was just an ordinary day for Nepalis.

(This it Thamel – the area were most tourists stay. It’s lined with stores selling singing bowls, pashminas, jewelry, rugs, and fake Northface gear.)

After a grueling 33 hours, I made it in one piece to Kathmandu, Nepal.  Prior to seeing this place in person, I had no idea what to expect.  My only knowledge of Kathmandu was from the show “Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego?”  Apparently, Carmen San Diego was always jetting around the world and more often than not, with a stop in Kathmandu.  :P

(I flew right by the Himalayas enroute to Kathmandu. It was a breathtaking glimpse after 2 connections and 33 hours!).

Given my lack of expectations, I was shocked to a city  unlike any other city I’ve ever seen.  EVER. In fact, it took me a few days to even formulate an impression… and honestly, even now I am not sure how best to describe it all. For starters, it’s the year 2070 in Nepal (they have their own calendar) so while they are “57 years ahead of us”, the place is like 200 years behind us – maybe more.  The city is a melting pot of people who look Indian and South East Asian and it’s chaotic, crowded, and congested.

(The hustle and bustle in Kathmandu never ends.)

There are rolling blackouts in an attempt to conserve electricity.  There are tons of cars on the street that move as slow as molasses because there are no traffic lanes, too many cars, and narrow streets.  People share the street with monkeys, cows, chickens, and stray dogs.

(A group of monkeys busy picking up scraps.)

(People and livestock…. living harmoniously.)

Tiny stores with even tinier doors.  Random small fires on the street burning garbage.  Vendors selling fruits from old, rusty bikes.

(It’s amazing the amount of stuff they can fit on a bike.)

Rickshaws waiting around for riders.

(A row of rickshaws waiting for customers along Kathmandu Durbur Square.)

Tuk tuks and busses crammed with so many people, they are literally spilling out from the open doors.  People carrying enormous loads of pots, boxes, and probably the kitchen sink on their backs (where are they going?) – all of whom can walk faster than I can even though I only have a day pack.  Men sit idly on street corners and in shops.  This is a place where the men are always just sitting around; I don’t get it.

(Men are found around the city just sitting around, talking to friends, or sleeping.)

Women, on the other hand, are on the move.  They are washing clothes in pans and buckets on the street. They are filling buckets with the water from water spouts. Others are carrying babies (often with bare butts exposed).  There are also lots of uniformed school children roaming around in the middle of the day.  Girls as young as five are wearing eyeliner around their upper and lower lash lines (presumably to ward off bad spirits).

(So much eyeliner!)

The city is smoggy and dusty.

(Small stores are everywhere.)

There are constant horns honking and birds chirping.  It is loud.  It is also over 80 degrees and everyone is covered head to toe.  It’s a conservative country like that.  There are occasional wafts of decaying animals, urine, and smoke.  Finally, the most disturbing thing of all, however, is there is trash EVERYWHERE.  Empty soft drink bottles, crumpled papers, old water bottles, snack wrappers – you name it – it’s on the street.

(Imagine that trash… but all over the city!)

The stimulus from the sounds, the cars, the people, the filth – it is a lot to take in.  For the first couple of days, Kathmandu gave me ADD and it took a lot of concentration for me to even pay attention to my guide.

My guide, by the way, is super considerate and nice.  He called his friend in Immigration for me when I told him that my passport wasn’t stamped when I entered the country and I wasn’t sure if it would be a problem (it’s not).  He also treated me to tea the first day and brought me to pick up a replacement charger for my Mac.  Incidentally, authorized Apple resellers are selling Mac Pro chargers for $130; I just about collapsed when I got that quote.  Damn, Apple products!  Given the chaos of the city, I can’t imagine being here without a guide to help maneuver it all as well as to shed light on the culture and living situation.  In fact, I’ve learned so much about the culture just chatting with him over lunch… and because I get to essentially “hang out with a Nepali” while I’m here it’s been great to ask him all the questions to help me make sense of everything I see.  In case you’re curious, the rampant trash is due to the lack of education in the country – unfortunately, people just don’t know any better.  Some other random things I’ve learned while chatting with him:

• The caste system is alive and well in Nepal.
• The dominate religion is Hinduism but there are many Buddhists as well.
• Nepalis do not eat breakfast.  They usually eat a meal around 10am, snack in the afternoon, and have dinner.
• The majority of marriages are arranged (he predicts 80% are arranged).
• The divorce rate is super low (he estimates a 2% divorce rate).

While I’m on the topic, the whole concept of arranged marriages fascinates me and this led me to delve into a deeper conversation with him about his own life.  He told me that his grandparents (who also had an arranged marriage) didn’t talk for 6 years after the wedding since they didn’t even know each other when they married!  There’s also a lack of communication in his own marriage even though he’s been married 15 years.  Marriage is for reproduction only, and it’s expected that a year or two after you’re married you’ll have children or else everyone will assume something is wrong with the woman or the man. I can’t imagine trying to have babies with someone you barely know!  Finally, he mentioned that while growing up, girls learn that their role is to be a homemaker, bear children, cook for the husband, and take care of the kids.  Boys, on the other hand, learn at a young age that their role is to be the provider for the family.  They should take care of their wife and support the family financially.  I don’t have issues with the roles or even the idea of an arranged marriage since I believe every culture has their own way of doing things and there isn’t a “right” or “wrong” way to do anything, but I was deeply saddened when I asked him if he’s ever even been in love before and he said nonchalantly, “no”.  OMG.  Really?!  I can’t imagine being robbed of that!  The ability to love deeply is one of life’s precious experiences.  I can look past the chaos in the city and appreciate that life here is so different from what I’m used to and I am taking it all in; I love to travel and part of the reason is for mind-opening experiences like this.  But, honestly, after hearing he’ll never know what it’s like to be in love – I think that has been the most shocking thing so far!  Mind. Officially. Blown.  But in a sad, sad way.

I don’t have kids yet, but if I did, these are the types of family vacations I’d be planning!  Forget the summer vacations stuck on a road trip or at an amusement park.  Check out these unique family vacation ideas that will not only inspire wanderlust early, but earns your kid bragging rights when the teacher’s inevitably ask, “How did you spend your summer vacation?”

1. Desert Camping in Morocco

(Photo from here)

Kids love to camp.  You love the explore.  Why not combine the two and camp under the starry Saharan night sky?  What family wouldn’t be able to bond over camel treks through the desert, dinner with the Berber tribe, and gazing at the milky way?  As a bonus, you can start a family sand boarding race.  The family that sand boards together, stays together.

2. Cross-Country Train Ride

(Photo from here)

Road trips are so unoriginal.  Why not chart a new adventure as a family and take on a cross-country rail trip?  Rumor has it at the most scenic route is the California Zephr Train, which connects Northern California and Chicago.  In 50 hours, you’re crossing the Sierra Nevadas, Rocky Mountains, and some of the most majestic canyons in the US.  With sight-seeing cars, dining cars, tour guides, and games there’s plenty to keep the whole fam entertained.

3. Nile Cruise from Cairo to Luxor

(Photo from here)

Cruises down the Nile are one of the most popular ways to see the sites in Egypt.  Sign up for a traditional cruise or set sail on a felucca and learn all about the kings and pharaohs that once ruled Ancient Egypt.  The kids get to explore the underground passageways, marvel at pyramids, and meet real mummies!  What kid doesn’t have a fascination with mummies, right?

4. Icelandic Road Trip

(Photo from here)

Yes, road trips are unoriginal…unless you’re taking one through Iceland.  The roads in Iceland are nicely paved and there are so few of them,  you really can’t get lost circling the island.  On an Icelandic vacation, you can introduce your family to geysers,  volcanoes, glaciers, and all the while learn about geothermal energy and vikings.  Other fun activities include snowmobiling, taking a dip in the blue lagoon, and hiking through lava tubes.  As if you needed any other reason to go to Iceland already, the summer is also prime time for the midnight sun, which means you can stay out longer and really maximize your family time.

5. Peruvian Adventure

(Man-made islands by the Uros Tribe; photo from here)

The land of in the Incas has something for everyone: shoppers can test their bargaining skills on the cobbled streets of Cuzco, adventurers can bike ride to the Maras salt flats, historians can get their fix of Machu Picchu.  You can also head to Lake Titicaca to learn about the Uros tribe who live on man made islands out of straw – there’s a memory that will stick with the kids next time they complain about not getting the hottest toy out there.

6. Overnight in Cave Hotels in Cappadocia

(Photo from here)

Turkey’s another great place to soak up history.  Plus, Turkey is home to Cappadocia, a region in the middle of the country, famous for its unique fairy chimneys and villages cut out from rocks.  For the active kid, there’s plenty of opportunities to climb in, out, and around all the rocks and boulders plus opportunities to learn about the unique topology and geography.  The coolest part, however, is spending the night in a cave hotel afterwards.  How many kids can say they’ve done that?

I don’t keep a bucket list because items on it would constantly evolve as my interests change, life plans change, and as I find out about new experiences (there are just so many!).  So instead, I take mental notes of all of the epic adventures I’m totally down to do.  Then, when the timing is right and I’m planning my next vacation of a lifetime, you can bet good money that I’ll be checking something off this list.

As always, if anyone’s done any of these and has stories to share, let me know!

1. Hike The Narrows

(Photo from here)

I’m not exactly an outdoorsy girl, but when a saw a friend’s photos from his hike in The Narrows, I wanted to yell, “sign me up!” right then and there.  With the Virginia River cutting through this legendary slot canyon, most of the hike takes place in the river (seriously, how cool is that?), and it’s a scenic hike that meanders through the towering Navajo slabs that making up the canyon walls.

2. Bike the World’s Most Dangerous Road

(Photo from here)

43 miles long, no wider than 10 feet, a lack of guard rails, and a 1,968 feet drop.  Also known as the “Death Road”, this famous road in the Yunga region of Bolivia stretches from La Paz to the Amazon rain forest.  While it sounds like a death-dyfying endeavor, I’ve met some people who have done this and they’ve reassured me that as long as you pay attention to what’s ahead of you, there’s plenty of room to cycle safely.  I can’t think of a better way to “live on the edge” – literally!

3. Trek for Gorillas

(Photo from here)

There are only three places in the world you can go gorilla trekking: Rwanda, the Republic of Congo, and Uganda.  While this experience involves hefty permit fees (e.g., $750 in Rwanda, $500 in Uganda) and potentially hours of trekking through dense forest until you spot the gorillas, this would undoubtedly be one of the most memorable travel experiences ever.

4. See the Wildebeest Migration

(Photo from here)

While I’m already on the topic of Africa, I’d love to see the wildebeest migration!  Over two million wildebeest circle the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masa Mari in Kenya throughout the year.  This is total Planet Earth material and it’d be stunning to witness in person.

5. Sunbathe in Zanzibar

(A Zanzibar beach; photo from here)

Heck, if I’m already hanging out with gorillas in Central Africa and in awe of the wildebeest in Eastern Africa, I mind as well cap off the trip with a little island getaway in Zanzibar.  I’ve always wanted to go to Zanzibar if for nothing else than its exotic name.

6. See the Northern Lights in the Arctic

(Photo from here)

This would let me tackle two things I’ve been dying to do – finally cross the Arctic circle (I’ve been so close twice) and witness the beauty of the aurora borealis firsthand.  I really, really, really want to do this and it kills me that magnetic activity is at its peak last year and this year and I’ve haven’t been able to solidify plans to go yet!  Ahhhh! I gotta do this one pronto.

7. Swim with Whale Sharks

(Snorkeling with a whale shark in Cancun; photo from here)

Any time there’s an opportunity to hang out with animals in the wild, I’m all over it so of course, I’ve been eyeing the opportunity to swim with whale sharks.  Whale sharks are one of the biggest mammals on earth.  They can grow up to 65 feet and weigh 75,000 pounds!  Sitting on my comfy couch at home, I cannot even begin to fathom the enormity of the whale… so naturally, I have to go see what the big deal is!

8. Take Silly Photos on the Uyuni Salt Flats

(While the miles of salt, Salar de Uyuni is the perfect backdrop for snapping photos that distort your perception; photo from here)

I first wrote about the world’s largest salt flats here, and although I was lucky enough to visit the Salinas Grandes Salt Flats last year, I still want to go to Salar de Uyuni.  After all, it is the biggest in the world – miles and miles of salt as far as the eyes can see.  Plus, I want my chance at a proper photo op this time.  As an extra bonus, I’ve heard that the drive up to the flats passes through some of the most gorgeous scenery – a green lake, a red lake, and a field of flamingos (in Bolivia of all places!).

9. See Rice Terraces Up Close

(Yunnan, China; One of the most colorful rice terraces; photo from here)

I find something so peaceful about viewing photos of rice terraces that I want to see the terraces in real life, too.  I’d elaborate but I think the above photo speaks for itself.

10. View Lavender Fields in Provence

(Photo from here)

Mr. T and I love the calming scent of lavender.  I also love the the violet hues of the flower and when tons of these flowers are lined up together during the right season, you get the jaw-droppingly gorgeous lavender fields famous in Provence.  I almost added this to my summer trip this year but I opted to hunt for Tuscany’s sunflower fields instead… so maybe next year.

11. Swim with Jellyfish in Palau

(Photo from here)

Every now and then I’ll see a photo that takes my breath away and seeing photos of people swimming in a lake full of jellyfish was one of those moments.  I thought jellyfish were dangerous!  Apparently, not the ones in Jellyfish Lake on the island of Palau. The jellyfish there have been isolated from the rest of the world for over 12,000 years, and as a result do not have the stingers that are commonly found in jellyfish, setting the stage of one of the most surreal snorkeling opportunities anywhere in the world.

12. Take a Culinary Tour Through Italy

(Truffle hunting in Piemonte, Italy; photo from here)

I probably won’t be doing this one any time soon, but at some point in my life, I would love to combine my love for good food with my love for travel… and when that day comes, what better place to do that than Italy?  These tours are abundant in Italy and usually include cooking lessons, olive oil samplings, wine tastings, and cheese tastings that are specific to the region(s) you’re visiting – I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

Now that you know what what’s on my travel hit list, what do you have on yours?  Let’s inspire each other!

I’ve always dreamed about having the perfect hotel room in Paris – one that looks out to a view of the Eiffel Tower so that I can wake up, order breakfast in bed (or on my terrace!), and enjoy my morning soaking up the view and sipping a glass of champagne.  Wouldn’t that be the life?

I’m hoping I’ll get to make this fantasy a reality one day… maybe (hopefully) not too far into the future.  In the meantime, I already know the Parisian hotels that would be perfect for turning that dream into reality:

Mandarin Oriental

I’ve never stayed at a Mandarin Oriental before but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been eyeing the brand!  Their Paris hotel doesn’t disappoint either – when I checked out the rooms, they all manage to offer modern style in a luxe setting (but really, would you expect anything less?).  Add to that the gorge view of the Eiffel Tower and I’m sold!

(Cabochons Suite at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris; photo from here)

Shangri-La Hotel

This is what I’m talking about!  Practically floor to ceiling windows, a front row view of the Eiffel Tower, and the simplistic elegance of a cream colored room.  Love, love, love!

(Le Suite Challoit at the Shangri-La Hotel, Paris; photo from here)

Plaza Athenee

Mr. T. and I walked by this hotel on Rue Montaigne as we were doing some serious shopping.  From the outside, this hotel exudes Parisian class and has the best location — hello, right next to a row of designer stores and minutes from the Eiffel Tower?! I’m. So. There.

(Prestige Suite at the Plaza Athenee; photo from here)

St. Regis

The St. Regis is not only one of my favorite luxe brands, they are the epitome of excellent customer service.  I’ve yet to go to a St. Regis I didn’t like so I’m positive I’d love staying at the St. Regis in Paris, too.  Check out this beautiful suite!  It looks so regal and so classically European.  I’m in love!

(Junior Suite at the St. Regis, Paris; photo from here)

Four Seasons Hotel George V

I’ve adored this Four Seasons ever since I saw Jeff Latham’s to-die-for floral arrangements at this hotel.  The floral arrangements are lavish yet elegant, modern yet stylish; the rest of the hotel’s got to be on par with that.  After browsing the hotel rooms online, it’s official – I could totally get design inspiration from every single room here.  On top of that, just look at this fab terrace!  There’s sweeping views of the whole city AND the Eiffel Tower looming proudly at the center of it all.  Can I move in?

(The Penthouse at the Four Seasons, Paris; photo from here)

The Westin Vendome

We almost booked this hotel for our last trip - almost!  This Westin looks sophisticated and beautifully appointed – not a bad place to come back to after a day of sight-seeing.  It also doesn’t hurt that of the hotels on this list, this one may be the most affordable, too (which means, there’s no guilt indulging in another bottle of Moët, s’il vous plaît!).

(Presidential Suite at the Westin Vendome; photo from here)

Have you stayed at one of these hotels before?  Do you know of any others I should add to my dream list?  

(Photograph provided courtesy of Denver International Airport)

So the other night I was in the midst of planning my “Mega Summer Trip” (details to be announced later) and I realized that one segment of my trip involved getting into an airport super late and departing out of the same airport really early the next morning.  The ol’ backpacker in me thought that perhaps I could spend the night in the airport and avoid paying for a hotel room that I’d likely only use for only 5 hours.  It’s perfect –  I’ll save on a night of accommodations, and it’s not like I haven’t slept in airports before.  When I backpacked through Europe years ago, I slept in all sorts of random public spaces and mastered keeping track of my luggage while doing so.

Having been to all these airports, I can’t say I’m surprised.  I’m especially NOT surprised about LAX’s ranking.  That dingy airport is an embarrassment to Los Angeles and way overdue for a makeover considering 60M people pass through it annually.

You’ll have to check out the website for details on all the other best/worst airports around the world.  After all that, however, I’ve decided it’s probably best to pay for a hotel room that night – I can’t put a price tag on sleep quality.

I just read Yahoo’s “8 places to go before you have kids“, and I don’t buy all of it.  Some places are totally doable with kids (most European countries in fact) and everywhere is doable with a nanny in tow.  Conveniently, though, I’ve actually been pondering this travel question lately… but I’ll rephrase it:  What are the trips you should take without (young) kids?  And preferably, while you’re energetic, independent, up-for-anything, and can handle traveling sans creature comforts (if needed)?  Those are the places you should hit up either before you have kids or if you can drop them off somewhere… ’cause once you have kids, traveling is just not going to be the same from a monetary, leisure, and experience standpoint.  I’m not saying it’s going to be worse.  I’m just saying it’s going to be different.

1. Amazon Rainforest

You really have to chuck the creature comforts if you want to visit the Amazon.  While a trip here offers some of the most au-natural and Discovery-channel worthy experiences (you can actually live with the locals on this tour), the Amazon is hot, humid, and not pruned for tourism.  When I was there, my guide literally made a hiking path for us using his machete!  Plus, you’ve got to deal with wild animals, fire ants, tarantulas, and every other kind of nasty insect that thrives in wet, sweaty environments.  Add to that, you may only have cold showers, fixed meal times, and no peace and quiet (the rainforest is surprisingly really loud)… and piranhas.  Lots of them.  With all that said, adding kids in the mix is going to: 1) take away from the experience of just “being” in the Amazon and 2) add to the list of worries you’ll have while you’re there – this isn’t even considering all the travel immunizations just to prep for the trip, too.

2. African Safari

Along the same note as a visit to the Amazon, an African safari is also a trip best taken by adults.  For those who haven’t taken one before, participating in a safari is a test of patience (it could be hours before you see anything interesting) and requires the participants to be pretty darn quiet the whole time lest you want to startle a lion or elephant.  Last I checked, patience and quietness aren’t exactly the characteristics that make kids so precious.  Also, depending on where you stay, there’s a good chance that your lodge or camp is in the middle of a giant national park. This means that you’re staying in the animals’ ”stomping grounds”, which means you just might wake up to an elephant traipsing poolside (true story), families of warthogs roaming by the bathroom (true story), a heard of buffalo blocking your path to the breakfast area (true story), or even gorillas (did you see this video yet?) visiting your campground. With all those possibilities to watch out for, making sure your kids are quiet and patient may be the last thing you’ll be concerned about.

3. Bora Bora

If you fancy tropical islands luxury tropical islands and you have the funds to spoil yourself on a trip to the South Pacific, by all means, go to Bora Bora before you have kids. Or, drop the kids off with the in-laws, nanny, friend, whoever and just go!  There are two main reasons I say this: #1 Bora Bora is expensive to get to and expensive once you’re there.  Lunch for two is at least $50 (we’re not even talkin’ gourmet here) and dinner will cost at least $100 (again, still not gourmet here).  If you’ve got the money to take your whole family there, then you probably have the money to pay for a nanny, too, but that brings me to point #2: 99% of the visitors to Bora Bora are couples.  You don’t really want to be THAT person who brings along a bunch of kids, do you?  People head to Bora Bora to honeymoon and celebrate milestone anniversaries.  They are looking to turn up the romance and indulge in R&R.  Don’t be the family that spoils that for them.  If you’re dead set on visiting French Polynesia with the kids, go to Moorea or Tahiti, but save Bora Bora for a vacation before or without the kids.

4. Any kind of trip that requires extended physical activity

(photo credit)

Some trips are centered around an extended period of physical activity like hiking to Everest Base Camp (this takes at least 2 weeks plus there’s always the threat of altitude sickness), biking through Tibet, or kayaking for a week in the Bahamas.  These types of trips can be intense and physically demanding!  Unless you’ve got super active kids who can handle the long days, this type of experience may be best reserved for adults… and even then, reserved for the adults who are in really good shape!

Hmm, I’m impressed.  When I started this list, I thought there would be way more things on it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there are lots of cool family vacation options – especially if you have well-rounded, curious, and healthy kids!  Traveling is the best way to learn about history, other cultures, and the world around us – it almost seems like a shame not to use it as an opportunity to share that exprierence with the kids.  That said, the truth is that traveling changes with kids (there’s just so much more to think about, plan for, and pay for) so here’s to sowing all your wild (travel) oats while you can!

Hello, hello!  I can’t believe it’s already February!  I’ve been super busy ever since we returned from our European holiday over Christmas and New Years so this blog’s been a lil’ neglected.  I’ve been wrapping up my current project at work, preparing for new projects (there’s a few of them in the works), and planning a huge trip for later this year.  I’m still in the very early stages of planning right now so not much is confirmed, however, ever since I started entertaining the idea of embarking on a gorilla trek in Uganda, I’ve been uh-bsessed with gorillas, chimps, and monkeys.

If you have 4 min, check out this video of a guy who was actually touched by gorillas while in Uganda:

I wish I were THAT GUY!

In keeping with the primate theme, I wanted to share some pics from Iwatayama Monkey Park in Kyoto.  This was one of my fave activities when we were in Japan because I got to spend two hours up there feeding monkeys and just chillin’ out with their bad selves!  I’m fascinated by them because they look and act like humans.  I probably could have spent all day there, but Mr. T wanted to leave (he worries I’m going to get ebola thanks to the movie, Outbreak ).  Either way, it was a deliriously entertaining two hours for me, and if I could, I’d have a bunch of monkeys in my backyard so that I could go out there and feed them at my leisure!

Can you see how crazy I am about primates?  I’m off to watch Disney’s Chimpanzee movie again now (Oscar the chimp is way adorbs!).

Iwatayama Monkey Park
8 Genrokuyama-cho, Arashiyama, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto City
Open 9am-5pm everyday; 4pm in the winter

If you’re planning on going:

• Be prepped to hike uphill for 15 min to get to the park.
• They sell food up there to feed the monkeys but you could save some yen and bring your own bag of nuts (the monkeys love chestnuts) to feed them, too.
• When the loud music plays, get your camera out!  One of the workers walks out and throws tons of seeds on the ground and the monkeys scurry to grab them!
• On the way out of the park, there’s a long slide you can ride to get down- wheeeeeee!
• You should combine this with a visit to the Sagano Bamboo Grove.

Merry Christmas!

Mr. T and I decided to spend Christmas and New Year’s this year in Europe (squeal!).  I love, love, love Europe so much so that I am still trying to figure out ways I can move here.  In the meantime, we skipped over the Atlantic a few days ago and took a road trip through Germany’s Romantic Road, a stretch of road in Bavaria linking a bunch of small picturesque towns together. We started off in Munich, drove to the world famous Christmas markets in Nuremburg, hopped over to Rothenburg, and made our way through Dinkelsbühl,  Nördlingen, Harburg, and Augsburg.  Tomorrow, we’ll continue onwards to see Sleeping Beauty’s Castle!  It’s been only been a few days but it’s been so much fun!  We love seeing all the medieval towns lined with all the stereotypical german houses.  The only thing missing is the stereotypical Bavarian all dressed to the nines in lederhosen.

My favorite town so far is Rothenburg.  This place is the epitome of the Christmas spirit so much so that I’ve heard it’s like Christmas here year round!  I’ve never seen so many streets decorated with Christmas trees, ornaments, and gifts.  The whole city felt like I was walking through a fairytale!

So far the trip is off to a bangin’ start.  Mr. T’s even managed to own the autobahn (not without a few shrills from me) and taste the best beer of his life in Nuremburg; Franconian beer rocks (at least according to him)!  The only downside so far was our coffee break in Dinkelsbühl where we were “welcomed” into the cafe by a bunch of staring Germans.  It was so unreal that I even googled “why do Germans stare” and to my amusement there were a bunch of search results on this very topic already!  Go ahead – google it!  Eh, a small blip in an otherwise great few days.

To everyone else (and ok, even the Germans who like to stare) – I hope you’re enjoying your Christmas with loved ones wherever in the world you are!

Here are some pics fresh from the first two cities we visited along the Romantic Road:

(Nuremburg’s Christmas market was in full swing!)

(Walking through Rothenburg’s medieval town was like an escape through a fairytale!)

(There are even Christmas trees above the stores in Rothenburg!)

(The holiday spirit is everywhere in Rothenburg with all the streets decked out! It was so refreshing to be somewhere with genuine holiday spirit – you know, not the kind that follows a big sign yelling for you to get in a big holiday sale, ahem, like all the malls in the U.S.!)

I can’t believe it’s December already – ahhhhhhh!  The last month has flown by with work trips, our Thanksgiving trip, and a detour to Napa for the weekend!  To top it all off, Mr. T and I are headed to Europe soon for the holidays so we’re super excited about that.  I can’t wait to get our mulled wine on as we stroll through the Christmas markets and succumb to all the Christmas cheer.

I’ve also been lame with downloading photos from my last trip to Argentina, but I finally got around to starting some of it today so I wanted to share my fave part of Buenos Aires, La Boca.  While this neighborhood isn’t exactly the safest, I love the little pedestrian walkway area known as Caminito.  It has so many bright and beautiful colors as well as such an energetic buzz with all the waiters hollering passerbys to sit down for a meal, people running around for photo ops, live bands and singers, and the improptu tango shows!

Check out some photos from my last visit:

If you’re planning on going:

• Stay in the area where all the tourists are!  The side streets in La Boca, while tempting to wander around, are dangerous.  This remains one of the poorest barrios in Buenos Aires.
• Since this is a tourist attraction, dining here will cost a pretty penny.  Why not hang out in La Boca for a couple of hours and save lunch for another spot?

I’m back from Buenos Aires for less than a week before I have to head back!  I love traveling but this quick turnaround is a bit much even for me!

I try to make the most of these quick business trips by planning a fun lil’ getaway over the weekend.  During my last trip, that getaway weekend was to Mendoza, Argentina’s wine region, to get my Malbec on!  Seven wineries, roughly 28 tastings, and two super filling lunches.  I think I did well for the weekend, don’t you agree?

The most pleasantly surprising part of the Mendoza weekend, however, was the lovely hotel suite I got!  When I checked in, I used my gringo spanish skills to ask the front desk lady for a “habitación grande”.  I had no idea I’d get the biggest room I’ve ever seen.  I had my own foyer, dining table that seats 10, livingroom, kitchen, office/den, 5 tvs, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, jacuzzi, 2 walk in closets, and my own sauna (cue the angels singing)!

Some photos from my suite at the Sheraton in Mendoza:

Oh, and to top it all off, this Presidential Suite came with its own wifi — holla’!  I can’t decide if the private sauna was better or the dedicated wifi…

As luck would have it, when I came back Buenos Aires, the hotel I was at also upgraded me to the Presidential Suite so I got these upgrades twice in one week!  Not bad for a week of travels.

If you want to get complimentary upgrades at hotels, too, stay tuned!  I’ve got a post in the works with all my fave tips.