Naked in the Airport!

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Travel Spirit

Upon arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam from Vientiane, Laos, it seemed I had entered an alien land! A city of concrete…jumbled wires…a sea of motor scooters blind to the traffic lights…mass chaos with purpose…face masks creating a barrier from the dusty city…an assault on the senses with smells and colors. Pure insanity!!

The seven of us, on this tour through GAP Adventures, were instructed on how to cross the street. To walk–not run–to keep walking–that the drivers would go around us. I felt like a duck on a shooting range. Luckily, I have a spiritual grounding and realize that there are some things I have very little control over.

After being separated from the group while shopping that evening, there was a moment of sheer panic! I didn’t know the name of our hotel. The Tour Guide had given the information to everyone–when I was in the restroom–so I didn’t receive it. But I found my way to the meetup spot…whew!!

I made arrangements to spend the night on a boat on Halong Bay in the China Sea and said my “goodbyes” to the group!

At $68 for the entire excursion–it was a small price for such serenity and beauty!

I went kayaking…

Had a nice glass of vino!

Although I had a six hour layover in Nagoya, Japan‘s airport, on my way home to Cincinnati, I had plenty to keep myself occupied with there. It was a destination onto itself, with over 60 shops and restaurants and a spa!

Upon arrival at the airport, I met a girl named Andrea who had been teaching English in Hanoi for four months and was so fearful of crossing the street that she decided to move back home to Canada.

We went to the Spa together. The women had their own hot tub, cold dip, sauna, and steam room area with a view of planes landing and taking off. We didn’t have our bathing suits, but the other women were naked so…when in Rome. It makes for a great story…”Naked in the Airport”!

This is Andrea and I at the Airport in Japan.

I returned home on Christmas Eve. I hope you had fun following my adventure!

Hanoi (j8packages.wordpress.com)
Ha Long Bay — in’SPIRE’ing and ‘MIST’ical – Halong Bay, Vietnam (travelpod.com)

Hiking Machu Picchu

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Travel Spirit

Hiking Machu Picchu is one of those “once in a lifetime” experiences and I enjoyed every moment of the three and 1/2 day, 27 mile hike! I was traveling with 10 other fellow adventurers on a G Adventures trip in May of 2009. We had visited the absolutely breathtaking Lake Titicaca and were on an all day public bus ride to the beautiful and vibrant town of Cusco, which is located about thirty minutes by train to the start of the Inca Trail hike. Typically, we traveled by private van, but this trip was an exception.

The road to Cusco from Lake Titicaca is very curvy and mountainous. Unfortunately for the other passengers, I had intestinal problems. The bus was swaying from side to side along the twisting roads and the restroom was small, dark, and void of toilet paper. I couldn’t avoid the imagined glares from passengers as I had to utilize the facilities a few times that day!

For the previous two weeks, we had gradually risen in elevation within Peru, which is a good thing when you’re going to hike the Inca Trail. Altitude sickness can strike young, old, fit or not…so if you can acclimatize…all the better!

Cusco reminded me of Europe. Cobblestones, narrow streets and history everywhere!

Continue reading →

Picking Up Men at Lake Titicaca

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Travel Spirit

The next stop on my three-week tour of Peru through GAP Adventures in 2009 was Lake Titicaca. It is the highest lake in the world–somewhere around 12,500 ft.–and is stunningly gorgeous! It’s the largest lake in South America. This is … Continue reading →

Sandy Sheets in Peru

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Travel Spirit

In 2009 I decided to do some travel. If you’ve been reading along, you knew I went to Egypt and Jordan in early April. Peru was next…so after being home for 10 days, I flew into Lima, Peru by myself and arrived at my hotel about 11:00pm. For the next three weeks I would be exploring with 10 other travelers through GAP Adventures.

To avoid paying the single supplement, GAP will pair you up with a roommate. My roommate was still awake when I arrived. She was a college student from the Northeast area of the U.S. The next morning I met the rest of my fellow travelers…a diverse group from New Zealand, Australia, Morocco, Gibraltar, Germany and two women from California.

We only had a few hours to explore in Lima, so my roommate and I walked around, and got some street food. After the culture shock from Egypt…I was prepared, so Peru seemed tame. Like Egypt, many of the restrooms were simply a hole in the ground, with no toilet paper available, and you had the privilege of paying to use them! Please don’t think I’m complaining. I’m not your “prissy…pampered” type of woman. I love to camp and rough it! I’m just stating the facts.

I loved this bicycle/wagon filled with fruit!

Continue reading →

Indiana Jones…where are you?

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Travel Spirit

Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan

One of the highlights for me while traveling through Egypt and Jordan with GAP Adventures in 2009, was sleeping in the desert with the Bedouin people. Upon arrival to the camping area in the desert, we dropped our gear and made our way to the main dining tent for dinner.

We shared the tent with a group of Dutch people on pilgrimage. They were the subdued, quiet ones on the other side. We were the loud, fun-loving group on our side. I actually spoke to one of the women to try to get the groups to mingle, but to no avail. After a delicious meal, a few traditionally dressed Arab musicians entered the tent and one of the men began dancing and beckoned us to join him. Feeling like a gypsy, I rose and began dancing, feeling breathless, having been seduced by the aromatic incense wafting through the air combined with the rhythmic melody. Others began to join us and soon we had a party going! I was having such a good time…I didn’t get any photos! (the above photos I found online…but they are of the same or very similar camping spot)

The following day we took a jeep ride through the desert and I asked if I could drive. The Bedouin driver “Mohammad” agreed to allow me and kept telling me what a good driver I was as I careened over sand dunes. I wonder if the 4 passengers sitting in the open bed of the truck felt the same way after being jostled and bounced around…possibly fearing for their lives!

The “Siq” … Petra, Jordan

I love this photo I took of the “Siq”, which is the mile long walk before arriving to the area called Petra, where all of the carved buildings are. You are surrounded by towering walls of stone on either side as you walk.

We hiked for two days throughout Petra…it was amazing! Walking to the main entrance of Petra, I met a couple of 25ish men. I discovered that one of them made his living taking people for rides within Petra on a donkey. After a few minutes, he began flirting with me and wanted to take me to his “cave” on a date. I told him I was married…but that didn’t faze him. Throughout the day, I would see him and he would wave.

He gave me the tip of walking down a few steps for the photo shown below…so you don’t see the throngs of people! These buildings carved into stone were simply unbelievably beautiful! They were massive!

The Treasury, Petra, Jordan…(Raiders of the Lost Ark filmed here)

A fellow traveler took this photo of me carefully crossing a very narrow ledge while hiking in Petra…whew!

Beautiful Children of Jordan

Children have such an exuberance for life…an openness…that I wish more adults could keep!

Another unique experience we had was going to a Turkish bath while in Jordan. The steam room resembled a cave and we were instructed to sit in the steam for 20 minutes…to then exit and be doused with cold water by a squat, muscled man in swim trunks…repeating this process three times…then to lay on a cold marble slab while he scrubs you with a mitt (ouch…that hurt)…pours cool water on you…slathers oil all over…massages roughly for five minutes and you’re done!!

Here is a group shot of us at the “Dead Sea“…the mud from the sea detoxifies your skin and makes it baby soft! And you really do float in the Dead Sea!

I hope you enjoyed the trip!

Daily Daydream: Petra, Jordan (daydreamsandshoestrings.wordpress.com)
Arabian delight: Step into Petra’s past and discover a rose-red city half as old as time (mirror.co.uk)
Research unearths terrace farming at ancient desert city of Petra (phys.org)
Exploring Petra: The mountainous Monastery (ontheluce.com)
Terrace Farming at Petra! (rogueclassicism.com)
The Lost City of Petra (renainthesun.wordpress.com)
Getting to know Jordan’s Bedouins (travelwithkat.com)
Ancient Traces of Terrace Farming Found Near Petra (livescience.com)

Do we really want to see the sunset?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Travel Spirit

The 18 days I traveled through Egypt and Jordan with GAP Adventures in 2009, were filled with adventure, excitement and wonder.

Our group of 14 people from across the globe, typically traveled by private van, but we did take a night train from Cairo to Aswan. Here is a map of our route…

This photo is of the back of the Citadel, which was originally built during the 12th Century to be a fortification…a wall surrounding Cairo, but was never completed. It is now a preserved historic site, with mosques and museums.

We wandered through the Khan Al Khalili bazaar. It was an endless maze of sidewalks filled with little shops, selling clothing, jewelry, anything you could think of. It was so colorful and intriguing!

There had been a bombing one month prior to my arrival…a French girl died and others were wounded. Of course my family thought it would be too dangerous to visit…

Our hotel at Mt. Sinai was very nice and the pool looked inviting…but it was too cold to swim. I think the scenery was so simply stark and beautiful!

I was so happy to be able to climb to the top of Mt. Sinai. For those of you who don’t remember the significance of this area. According to the Bible, it is where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

It took about 3 hours to reach the top and it was timed so that we could see the sunset. The temperature change was amazing. By the time we reached the summit, it was freezing. We waited about 15-20 minutes to witness the sunset…with my teeth chattering uncontrollably…I’m asking…do we really want to see the sunset?? It was pretty…but we then ran down the mountain, partially in the dark, in about 30 minutes.

I loved this Greek Orthodox Chapel at the top.

The following photo is St. Catherine’s Monastery, which was built in the 6th century and is the oldest continuously functioning Christian monastery in existence. It is built on the site of the original burning bush.

Cats were everywhere!

Our last stop was Nuweiba, Egypt before boarding the ferry to cross the Gulf of Aquaba to Jordan…this was the beach area where our hotel was located…it was eerily deserted!

This little girl was selling jewelry on the beach…but only five people were on the entire beach! We couldn’t speak to each other, but you don’t always need words to communicate. I took her hands and swung her around and around…and we laughed!

Next we’ll explore Indiana Jones’ territory…

A trek through egypt (photos.mercurynews.com)

More “Hubbly Bubbly” please!

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Travel Spirit

Riding a camel in Egypt should be on everyone’s bucket list! Although it was a unique experience, once is enough. Having ridden on a donkey and an elephant, I discovered a camel is more awkward and uncomfortable.

Your Egyptian experience is also not complete (in my opinion) unless you partake in smoking some “Shisha” aka “Hookah” aka “Hubbly Bubbly“! A few of us…the restless rebels…would stay up past bedtime…drink Turkish Coffee and smoke the flavored tobacco!

We spent one night sleeping on a felucca sailboat on the Nile River. After dividing into two groups of about 7 each, we boarded separate boats for our adventure. It was quite obvious they split us according to age. The other boat held the 25-34 age group and our boat was the 35-65 age group. What’s interesting to me, is that the “restless rebels”, as I mentioned earlier, consisted of the older age group.

A separate boat called the “service” boat was available for mealtimes and use of the bathroom. The “restless rebels”…stayed up after the others went to bed and were talking on top of the service boat when it became noticeably windier. Out in the distance a huge black mass was approaching quickly…

when we queried the workers, they said it was a sandstorm. The sense of danger and exhiliration resulted in an immediate rush and feeling of…aliveness! We were engulfed in sand for a few minutes. I still remember the sand pelting my skin, leaving a tingly feeling.

We rode donkeys to the Valley of the Kings and if you wanted your donkey to go faster you would say “hopa hopa”.

My donkey liked to go fast…just like me…and every time someone else would say hopa hopa – my donkey would run.

I raced one of the guys and almost fell off.

The Karnak Temple is located in Luxor, Egypt. The entire complex which spans 1 mile x 2 miles, was built over a period of 1300 years, beginning in the 16th century BC, and is the largest ancient religious site in the world. The last three photos are a portion of it…

Next installment tomorrow!

Egypt holidays: Colourful chaos in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor (dailymail.co.uk)

Urban Hike…Downtown Cincinnati

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Travel Spirit

Yesterday, I went on a two-hour “urban” hike through the streets of downtown Cincinnati with my hiking club. Like many people, I’ve taken my own City for granted and am excited to be doing more things around my hometown. We started our hike at Fountain Square…

In the winter there is a temporary ice skating rink set up…

As you can see, I like to display my photos as a collage now-a-days, because it doesn’t take up too much space that way…so I can display more photos.

We stopped in a few hotel lobbies to view their holiday decorations and to warm up briefly from the chilly weather (30’s) outside.

I discovered many new sites while walking…this statue of Abraham Lincoln is cool…didn’t even know it was here.

The two big buildings on the right are the Procter & Gamble headquarters.

Some of my photo collages are just for art’s sake…combining a variety of photographs that have interesting textures, colors and/or shapes.

A major grocery store in town is the Kroger chain. It was started in 1883 by Bernard Kroger, who invested his life’s savings-$372 (roughly equal to $8,739.34 today) to open a grocery store in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Cincinnati. Kroger was the son of a merchant, and his slogan was simple: “Be particular. Never sell anything you would not want yourself.” In the 1970s, Kroger became the first grocer in America to test an electronic scanner. It is the second-largest grocery retailer–behind Wal-Mart–with over 3,600 stores located mainly in the midwestern and southern states.

Our newspaper is The Enquirer and Macy’s is a popular department store.

The Cincinnatian Hotel is one of the upscale hotels located downtown…

There were gingerbread creations on display…

We stopped at Cadillac Ranch…a restaurant/bar…for a late lunch. They have a mechanical bull to ride. I haven’t tried it yet.

The photos below are of Garfield Place. In 1882, after the assignation of James A. Garfield (1831-1881), the short-lived Ohio President, the two block “park avenue” was memorialized as Garfield Place in 1882.

As we walked through the Netherland Hotel, I was surprised to discover that it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994.

There was a lovely water feature in the hotel…

The two photos on the right are large “graffiti” paintings on buildings and the photo on the left is in front of the library. It’s a sculpture of books!

This is one of my favorite shots…

An Urban Hike is a great way to learn about your own City…so don’t let the cold keep you from getting outside!

Lexington…by day and night

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Travel Spirit

To finish the walking tour of Lexington, Kentucky from yesterday’s post…this is the First Baptist Church. I just LOVE the colors of this church…the pink and red just POP!

Resting and soaking up some Kentucky sunshine!!

We walked through the local farmer’s market which was located in the “Cheapside Park” area. This had been the site of slave auctions and abolitionists’ passionate speeches!

We ate at Cheapside Bar & Grille. Here’s a photo of my hamburger with caramelized onions and bleu cheese!

Next…we went to the Barrelhouse Distillery and had samples of their Pure Blue Vodka, Devil John Moonshine and Rum. Woowee!! We also received a quick run-down of how you make alcohol.

After arriving back at the VRBO, we took our time snacking, drinking and primping! We had fun with our photo shoot…

That night we went to Bogarts at the Crown Plaza Hotel. We got there too early and it was mostly people in their 70’s! Then we went to a new nightclub called “Trust”. It was too hoigty toity…so we went to the Skybar. It was fun, but we never found the bar that quite fit us!

Wine and Women

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Travel Spirit

Our second stop of the day on our annual “girls’ weekend”, was to Talon Winery in Lexington, Kentucky!

Here is the tasting room. As you can see, the grounds and scenery were lovely!

For $5.00, you receive six tastings and they were yummy! I had two Chardonnays, a Traminette, a Syrah, and their Chambourcin Reserve.

According to Wikipedia…the oldest known winery is located in the “Areni-1” cave in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. Archaeologists announced the discovery of this winery in January 2011, seven months after the world’s oldest leather shoe, the Areni-1 shoe, was discovered in the same cave. The winery, which is over six thousand years old, contains a wine press, fermentation vats, jars, and cups. “The fact that winemaking was already so well developed in 4000 BC suggests that the technology probably goes back much earlier.”

It’s a good thing this glass wasn’t used!!

My Half Marathon in Clayton, Ohio

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Travel Spirit

After some ibuprofen, a hot shower, and a nap, I’m beginning to feel better since jogging my half marathon today! Normally, I don’t get sore after a long jog (the longest before this was 10 miles last weekend), but since it was only 35 degrees this morning, I’m assuming that is why it affected me differently… anyways…it was an experience and I’m glad I did it.

It’s kind of like childbirth, I remember I was wishing it was over a number of times, but looking back, it seemed to go rather quickly. I finished in 2 hrs. 15 minutes, which is the time I predicted, since I normally jog 10 minute miles.

For breakfast, I had whole grain cereal with banana and almond milk, and water. We drove an hour and 10 minutes from a suburb of Cincinnati to Clayton for the race. There was one in town last weekend, but I was out-of-town and there is one this coming weekend, but I’ll be out-of-town again.

This is me pre-race…

My husband took photos of me and although he has many talents/strengths, photography is not one of them. These are the best of the many he took…most of them are blurry. But, I’m not complaining, I was thankful he came to cheer me on! I’m fourth from the left in the photo below. I think there were about 200 people total. I’ll get the results sometime in the next couple of days.

We started about a minute later.

The terrain was beautiful, rolling roads through rural Ohio with pretty trees and farms along the way. When I would get caught up in my head thinking… analyzing…etc., I would look around and be in the moment, thinking I love the feel of the sun warming me (a bit) and thankful that I am able to run (so many people can’t because of being out of shape, past injuries, or worse)! I bought some goo to eat once (at mile 10) for energy. It tastes like chocolate icing. Some people don’t like to take it because of the texture, but it did seem to give me a boost.

The girl next to me in the photo below was beside me for the last 1/2 mile and I told her we could help each other go faster. Anyway, she started to pass me right before the finish line, so I amped it up…that’s why we’re laughing!

Right afterward, I could barely breathe or walk. I’m glad I didn’t stop running the entire time, except for 30 seconds to eat the goo, or I might not have been able to start again!

After stretching some, below is my celebratory photo! Tonight, we’re going to a Halloween party, so a few drinks should loosen me up a bit more! Happy Halloween to everyone and to all a GOOD NIGHT!!

Everything is a Miracle

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Travel Spirit

I believe everything is a miracle. You are a miracle. There is no one else on earth like you! Everywhere you look, there is a miracle…the spider web in the windowsill, the computer I’m typing on, flying in a plane, being able to hear and see and taste and touch everything!

People are amazing…the things that they can do physically and intellectually! Animals are so cool! Anyway, this is the park I trail run at, but I took a hike there tonight…some of the photos may seem to look-alike, but they are actually quite dissimilar…the colors of green are different and the composition of the trees, etc.

This is what I see first after exiting the vehicle to jog or hike…

Then…I walk down this gravel road and turn to the left…

Jake, the spoiled hunting dog runs ahead…

That’s me…

It felt strange hiking rather than running the trail this time…

I love the light in this photo…

Here comes Jake…

There goes Jake…

Hope you can see the miracles all around you and in you and have gratitude for them!!

Training for a Half Marathon

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Travel Spirit

I believe that most people are capable of much more than they realize. We limit our thinking because of what we’ve been told or read. A few weeks ago I was jogging three to four miles approximately four times a week and wondered what a “realistic” jump in mileage would be, so I googled “training for a marathon” and the first site was “Hal Higdon’s Marathon Training Guide“. He said the first week you could run three miles, three days in a row and then after a day of rest, run six miles for your long day of running. I started following his schedule and was up to 7 miles the second week. My knees were a little sore that day, but I’m getting stronger. I even started taking vitamins that include Omega 3 for joints. The longest I’ve ever jogged before that was five miles in the bayou of Louisiana, while in the Army, when I was 21.

My doggie loves me, because I take him to a nearby nature center and trail run with him. I’m usually the only one there, so I let him run free!

I didn’t plan on entering a marathon, in fact, my timing was off, because you need to train for at least 4 1/2 months and all of the marathons would be finished by then. I was telling my friend, Sherry, about training for the non-existent marathon and she suggested a half marathon. So, that’s how it came to be.

Hiking in Hocking Hills State Park

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Travel Spirit

Since returning from my whirlwind trips through Washington, British Columbia, Colorado and New Mexico, I’ve been thinking more about finding beauty in your own backyard. Many people from Cincinnati usually feel that there are much better places to live than here, but because of work or family, continue to reside in this area. I’m beginning to embrace living here and realize there are wonderful places for enjoying the “great outdoors”. I have been a member of Meetup.com for four years and joined a hiking club at that time. My friend Dee, my husband Randy and I decided to take a day trip to Hocking Hills State Park, which is located 2 1/2 hours from Cincinnati in Logan Ohio, to hike 5-6 miles with the club. These are photos from the day…

This is a “Hickory Horned Devil” and then it becomes a “Royal Walnut Moth” or “Regal Moth”. Later that day when I showed my friend Dee a photo of it, she thought it was a fake photo because it looks like it has sunglasses on. It was about 4 inches long by 1 inch wide.

Since I was taking quite a few photos…I was usually lagging behind and had to run to catch up…but sometimes it’s better to be by yourself. It’s quieter, no people in your photos and the timing was good for getting this photo. I was told that this guy just dropped out of a tree a minute earlier.

I love the “gnarled” look of these roots…

Everything seemed to have a green hue…lots of moss-covered rocks and even trees.

Since today was a record 100 degrees…I had to take a dip in the ice-cold water!

This is Dee…

I usually try to turn around frequently when I’m taking photos so that I can see things from a different vantage point or observe when the light changes or is really nice…like this photo!

Hope you’re finding beauty in your day!

Positive Energy Adventure – Colorado/New Mexico – 8/2011 – Day 9

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Travel Spirit

Today was a big day! First, we drove 1 1/2 hrs. North to Abiquiu to a “real” cowboy’s land to horseback ride! His name is Fred Espinola…and I learned more on this 4 hour ride than I’ve ever learned. Having rode in Spain, Costa Rica, Texas, Indiana and Hawaii…not to mention a variety of places in Ohio…I discovered why horses usually gave me a difficult time. They want you to show them who’s boss…(kind of like men). I fell off of a horse in Spain because he wanted to eat grass on the side of a cliff and I let him. A horse laid down with me on top of him (of course I had to jump off quickly) in Texas. On the Loveland Bike Trail in Cincinnati, a horse tried to buck me off of him. They used to love to scrape my legs against trees and fences. At least I’ve followed the advice of getting back on a horse if you fall off!

I hadn’t ridden in 4 years so I asked for a nice steady horse. Meet Charlie…the one-eyed horse.

Fred had us take a minute to close our eyes and visualize what our ride was going to be like…and to sense the connection between ourselves and our horse…pretty cool!

This is Fred…

This is Mitzi…visiting Fred from California. She’s a sweetie!!

This is Tony Llama!

His horses are rescued Mustangs!

At times, we were riding along some higher hills/cliffs and I was afraid that Charlie (since he was missing an eye) wouldn’t be able to see where the cliff dropped off!

We got to trot/canter/gallop a lot…so I’m still sore a week later!!

Fred made me a little nervous when he said if Charlie starts to paw at the water…to pull him away from it…because that means he’s going to lay down in it!

Next, we stopped at Ojo Caliente Hot Springs to hopefully help with the sore muscles from riding. Their sulphur-free, geothermal mineral waters have flowed from a subterranean volcanic aquifer for thousands of years. Over 100,000 gallons per day come to the surface, revitalizing those who soak in the long believed, healing waters.

SPA is the acronym for the Latin phrase Salus Per Aquas, which means “health through water.”

There was a European guy that hit on me…as I’m telling him about my bruises from horseback riding…he said I was sexy and he would kiss them for me…oh la la!! I told him he had something in his mustache (a “booger”). I’d want to know!

We only spent about an hour there…because we had a schedule to keep. Next…we went to a piano bar called “Vanessie”. The pianist’s name is Doug Montgomery and he is very talented. It is a local’s hangout…if you want to sing…you tell Doug ahead of time and it’s great fun!!