I will Miss Saigon Even though for only a moment Were we here Hanoi Beat me Screamed at me Pushed me down until I was Looking up at myself crying But Saigon, you brought me sun And love again Beautiful Halong Bay took me away Adrift on a quiet sea Where I wondered Where was … More Miss Saigon, a poem
It’s raining here in the Mekong Delta, and we are stuck inside for a while. So what’s a person to do but post favorite pictures from 8 months of camping, traveling and just generally meandering about. Enjoy! Boyd Lake State Park, Colorado with Mom, May 2017 Colorado National Monument, May 2017 Zion National Park, Utah, … More From North America to Southeast Asia: 242 days of sabbatical in pictures
If you’ve been following along, you know that since arriving in Vietnam about two weeks ago, we have had very little sunshine and a whole lot of rain and drizzle, which is worse than rain for your spirit if you ask me because it wears at you slowly. But we headed south from Hanoi, and … More Sabbatical days 233-240: Lovely, Lantern-Lit Hoi An
Oh, Hanoi. I wanted to love you unquestioningly like I do almost every big, crazy, smelly city I’ve ever been to. But, alas, some love stories just aren’t meant to be. Perhaps we can still be friends. The signs were good at the start. The young woman sitting next to us on the plane from … More Hanoi: the Good, the Bad, and the get me the Phở outta here
It’s been raining forever. I’ve been sick for a month. I miss my puppy snuggles nearly every second. Tomorrow is Christmas, which means today is Christmas Eve. My father died on Christmas Eve 25 years ago, so maybe this melancholy shouldn’t be a surprise, but man I sure do wish I was having unadulterated fun … More Homesick + Sick + Rain + Christmas = Sabbatical Blues
After a few days in crazy Hanoi, we were ready to escape the madness for some peace and quiet. Halong Bay was the perfect respite, a magnificent natural landscape/seascape of thousands of dramatic limestone crags jutting out of the sea. Everyone had said it wasn’t to be missed and they were right. A UNESCO World … More Sabbatical days 230-232: Escape to Halong Bay
During our four weeks in Chiang Mai, we discovered so many wonderful places and people both in the city and within a few hours drive. Here is our list of the top 5 experiences we had in and around Chiang Mai. #1 Freedom Yoga Trent came to Thailand knowing he wanted to do a lot … More Top 5 Chiang Mai Best of the Best
A few days ago, I saw a post on Facebook (thank you, It’s Better In Thailand page) that showed a video of the most amazing Wat (aka temple) built high on a mountain ridge. Trent saw it and said, “We have to do that!” Yahoo! I love my adventurous hubby so much because I was … More Sabbatical Day 225: The Temple in the Clouds (Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat)
Elephants are depicted everywhere around Thailand from decorative ornaments in the night markets to textiles in clothing stores and sculptures and artwork in temples. So not surprisingly, before we came to Thailand, I said I wanted to have an elephant experience (like so many tourists do). At first I thought that might mean going on … More Sabbatical Day 217: Elephant Nature Park
The Found Year 