Like most travelers, I’m fascinated by nuanced differences in items and slang between countries.  Some of the differences in New Zealand households reminded me of things that were part of everyday life when I lived in Spain.  For instance, tiny washing machines and refrigerators (relative to those common in American homes), heated towel racks in... Continue Reading →

“It’s YOUR vacation, so what do you really want to see while you are here?” I’ve been a guest in new-to-me cities enough times to appreciate that you can’t saddle your hosts with the expectation that they will function as a professional tour guide.  It’s unfair to expect someone to magically know what you are... Continue Reading →

It’s hard to believe that it had been nine years since I’ve ventured outside of national borders.  I have been so busy exploring the contiguous United States after limited time off while I was working, that I just hadn’t made overseas travel a priority.  But when a friend I had not caught up with in... Continue Reading →