tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76517538438119915442012-02-16T18:34:05.644-08:00I may not be as adventurous as a National Geographic Explorer or as photogenic as Samantha Brown, but I have been a lot of places, some well known, some not. More importantly, each place has its own quirks and fascinations and I want to share them with the world. This blog is a travelogue of the places, people and events that I have witnessed. I hope you enjoy and maybe learn something too.C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.comBlogger351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-59074915930323041292012-02-07T19:45:00.000-08:002012-02-07T20:06:24.810-08:00

Even in paradise, camping is still camping My fondness for camping ebbs and flows. In the midst of the experience, I have issues - like cleaning my contacts, a fear of spiders and my preference for flush toilets. Over time, these inconveniences fade and the memories of nature and camaraderie remain. So when we went looking for affordable accommodations on what can be a very expensive

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-46428080529800536932012-01-03T21:28:00.000-08:002012-01-03T21:28:31.586-08:00

I would like to apologize for not posting anything in a while. Fortunately for me, I've been very busy. I have a new paid writing assignment, which is awesome, and I have been writing blogs for the TV show Drinking Made Easy (Wednesday nights on HD Net). I do plan on having some new posts very soon (hopefully next week) so keep checking in for new stuff. Just finished a trip to the Gulf Coast (

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-42288870578791324562011-11-15T17:37:00.001-08:002011-11-26T20:37:42.489-08:00

Airports of the world Airports have recently become things to dread. Between security lines and underwhelming food, most people just want to get to where they are going while spending as little time in the airport as possible. Airports can be interesting places if one takes the time to look at them. In the last 10 years, most every major airport in the world has undergone or is undergoing

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-9704065859263095582011-09-03T20:33:00.000-07:002011-11-26T20:36:26.788-08:00

20€ Lunch I walked out into the cool, but sunny morning with purpose and direction. I was on my own in Esslingen today as my husband had already left for his training seminar. This was not my first time alone in a foreign country, but it was my first time in a country whose main language was not English and that would pose some

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-13706961419511987042011-07-20T15:13:00.000-07:002011-11-26T20:34:55.423-08:00

Dilemma (The views expressed in the following piece are purely speculation and should not be taken as fact.) The boat from Discovery Expeditions was drifting into the dock to pick us up. We were heading to Hol-Chan Marine Reserve for a snorkel outing off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye, Belize. There were already several people on board. The driver, Richard introduced himself and his

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-38145118387444058422011-06-02T20:04:00.000-07:002011-06-02T20:29:27.076-07:00

Art DepreciationWhen artists go out of their way to create something ugly, how can you appreciate it? That is the question I am left with as I exit the Villa Merkel Stadt Gallerie in Esslingen, Germany. This morning’s visit pretty much confirmed all my stereotypes about German modern art. I’ve seen art shows on TV showing skinny German artists with prominent cheekbones wearing black turtlenecks

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-36739818612674956532011-04-26T18:25:00.000-07:002011-06-02T20:29:27.134-07:00

Volleyball has always been a HUGE part of my life. My biggest heartbreak was losing in the semi-finals of the Nebraska State Volleyball tournament in 1985. I met the man of my dreams on a volleyball court in Aspen, Colorado (see January 2010 post). I still play. I’ve been playing on a city-rec women’s indoor team every Wednesday night for the last 16 YEARS and across two states no less. I even

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-47037774065150018572011-03-08T15:18:00.000-08:002011-03-08T15:43:01.015-08:00

It gets better – Part TwoMonday was a holiday in the British Virgin Islands, Commonwealth Day to be exact. School was out, but a drum corps of school children pounded out marches in the schoolyard. Woke us up. It was also cruise ship day. Something the retirees mentioned with disdain. We wanted to visit the National Park but there wasn’t a taxi in site because they were all in Road Town picking

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-44897651724494071352011-02-06T20:39:00.000-08:002011-02-15T18:59:26.905-08:00

It gets better – Part OneCane Garden Bay is mentioned in a Jimmy Buffet song: “I hear it gets better, that’s what they say, as soon as we sail into Cane Garden Bay.” – Manana He was right.It was time for our biennial visit to St. John in the US Virgin Islands and we tacked on a few extra days to visit another island while we were there. Remembering the song, I looked up Cane Garden Bay on the

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-60658961560449433002010-12-17T19:15:00.001-08:002011-01-12T20:38:11.347-08:00

What if I told you….?Morning was sunny in Las Vegas, but chilly as it was December. I was headed to the CVS next door before the rest of my group was up for the day. I was hoping to get a morning walk on the Strip before the crowds of afternoon appeared and while my husband and the rest of my traveling group were still sleeping off last night’s vodka and Red Bulls. I took only three steps from my

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-6089973515693019782010-11-21T17:27:00.001-08:002010-11-21T17:31:33.439-08:00

Treasure IslandIt was another cloudy afternoon in Orlando. Not cold, but cool and no sun to be seen. The morning had the promise of sun, but then it disappeared and took the fun out of sunbathing by the pool. With the threat of rain showers in the forecast I said to my husband, “I don’t wanna sit in this condo watching Sports Center all day!” After all, we had a convertible rental car and he did

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-33630320880366809512010-10-13T15:16:00.000-07:002010-10-18T21:06:17.492-07:00

Second City SpringSpring in Chicago. Pigeons begin to fill the streets, women start wearing their skirts a little shorter and heat starts to radiate from the sidewalk. Wonderful. Another sign of spring…Lake Shore Boardwalk is packed with runners, walkers, bikers, roller bladers and baby strollers from dawn until dusk. Since we were staying at the swanky Raffaello Hotel one block from Lake Shore

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-6872190306663838832010-08-10T12:57:00.000-07:002011-02-15T18:58:45.310-08:00

Dipping our toes into the forbidden pond of hitchhikingAs we pulled out of the beach parking lot, we noticed an older couple standing on the side of the road. They had floppy hats, gray hair and wore t-shirts and khaki shorts with tennis shoes. They looked like someone’s grandma and grandpa. They didn’t hold out their thumbs, but yet seemed to eye our vehicle expectantly. I told my husband to

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-60039337585230479052010-07-05T20:22:00.000-07:002010-07-05T20:46:53.612-07:00

They were everywhere. You couldn’t always see them, but their sounds filled the air and their movements shook the trees. They were elusive, but their calls woke us up in the morning and while we tried to find them, they were already looking at us. No need to fear, it was just the birds of Ambergris Caye, Belize.When it came to bird watching on Ambergris Caye, the de facto authority was Elbert

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-19144173151590377612010-05-26T20:33:00.000-07:002011-02-15T19:35:28.208-08:00

Sadly, the Sydney Harbor Bridge climb was not for disabled people. I discovered this when pouring over the bridge climb checklist of health conditions that would disqualify me from the climb, things such as heart ailments and missing limbs – no wheel chairs allowed. Because of the ladders, steps and narrow passageways, the bridge cannot accommodate these things.I sat in the front desk area with

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-37071734433423796542010-05-02T12:11:00.000-07:002010-05-02T12:57:08.234-07:00

Do you hear what I hear?When people talk about their travels, they tend to do so in one way: Visually. And that’s perfectly acceptable in such a beautiful world. However, I’d like to offer another way: Audibly. Some of my most memorable travel experiences have been through the ear canals.***I was enjoying the view while walking on a trail above White Bay on Jost van Dyke, British Virgin Islands.

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-1710964772628473542010-04-12T18:49:00.000-07:002010-05-29T20:07:24.960-07:00

ThomasMy first encounter with Thomas was by phone. I wanted to rent a car for our vacation in the Virgin Islands. It was four weeks before we would arrive, plenty of time to rent a car I thought. Sitting at my dining table with a list of rental agencies from the internet, I called the first one. I asked for a 2-door Jeep Wrangler. They didn’t have one. The second place I called didn’t have one.

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-27842572863755723132010-03-21T13:07:00.000-07:002010-04-13T19:39:52.209-07:00

On March 9, 2010, I was able to do something I haven't been able to do for a year. I donated blood. Last March Colorado's Bonfils Blood Center deferred me from giving blood for a whole year because I had spent a week in the Central American country of Belize. I knew travel abroad can be a concern for blood agencies, however, I learned the hard way just how strict those rules were. I remained

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-5766708138357163082010-03-07T19:27:00.000-08:002010-03-07T19:42:05.690-08:00

…For Me to Poop OnOn Wednesday nights, as they had for years, the Pier Lounge Chicken Drop held court on the beach behind the bar. This event took place in the village of San Pedro on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye, Belize. Never one to turn down a chance to win some money, I had to participate. A raffle was a raffle, right? Well, the winner of this raffle was determined in the messiest

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-83110128557621148222010-02-01T20:13:00.000-08:002010-02-03T21:06:06.124-08:00

Awesome AdventuresGwen and I slept in on Saturday. We were in our hotel room and from the window we could see it was still a little cloudy from an early morning rainstorm, but the heat of the sun would soon burn off the clouds and it would be another gorgeous Key West day. What to do, what to do? Yesterday afternoon we soaked up the sun on the beach and spent the evening shopping and dining.

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-54698107767885794262010-01-23T19:46:00.000-08:002010-04-13T19:38:32.867-07:00

Late Nite with Conan O'BrienAt 3 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, 1996, my mom and I walked into 30 Rockefeller Center. We had two tickets for Late Nite with Conan O’Brien on NBC. My New York City guide book said to arrive around 3 p.m. to make sure we were guaranteed a seat. Already a number of people were sitting on the floor at a roped off elevator entrance. As we sat down on the floor, my mom

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The MotherLode“So you goin’ to the 'Lode?” I was subbing on a volleyball team when one of the players asked me this question. I said I’d never heard of it and asked him to explain. This was my introduction to the MotherLode Volleyball Classic back in the summer of 1997. Held in Aspen every Labor Day weekend, the MotherLode was one of the largest pro-am tournaments in doubles volleyball in the

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-80345408210923378122009-12-07T20:04:00.000-08:002009-12-09T08:52:54.110-08:00

The People PerchSome 25 years ago Susan Lala bought six acres of land one mile south of the tiny fishing village of San Pedro on the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize. Her plan: To build a secluded hotel. People said she was crazy to build so far away from town. Hardy and rare was the tourist that took the tiny plane or lurching ferry boat to San Pedro. After all that, why would anyone want to

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-3103159627364214992009-11-11T16:33:00.001-08:002009-12-09T08:50:37.702-08:00

A World AwayMedano Pass Primitive Road had 25 campsites from bottom to top. We chose site 2.1. It was downhill from the pass road, surrounded by trees and Medano Creek flowed behind it, about as picture perfect a campsite in the Colorado Mountains as you could get. It was hard to believe that just two miles down the mountain were the largest sand dunes in North America with desert climate to

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-5131401020801016782009-10-24T19:17:00.000-07:002009-11-18T16:57:35.210-08:00

No Where Else on EarthAs I stood there, baking in the sun, my arms and legs pelted by millions of tiny airborne tacks, sand going up my nose and crunching between my teeth, I was astonished. If my eyes hadn’t dried out, I might have cried. North America’s largest beach stretched out for a half mile below me. A beach with no water, not in the month of August anyway. The harsh and unforgiving

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-72599570948417006522009-10-11T13:26:00.000-07:002009-11-18T16:53:48.229-08:00

Small Town 4th of JulyTekamah is a town of 2,000 people on the edge of the Missouri River surrounded by farmland. I grew up there (Graduated 1986). Several years after moving away, I found myself returning, not for family holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, but the 4th of July. Independence Day was made for small towns, full of picnics and children and parades and fire works. Big cities have

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-36054113511301707622009-09-28T19:33:00.000-07:002009-11-18T16:48:44.511-08:00

Chasing WaterfallsTechnically, it was illegal to hike to Twin Falls. According to my Maui guidebook, Twin Falls was on private property, a tropical farm that harvested exotic flowers to be exact, so to hike it was considered trespassing. However, the guidebook also said this hike was so popular with tourists that the owners wouldn’t prosecute unless you wandered off the marked path and into the

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-79203349919569204752009-09-13T20:12:00.000-07:002009-11-18T16:42:22.680-08:00

I Wish Lunch Could Last ForeverI had arrived in Sydney the previous morning, but was so jet lagged, I didn’t really enjoy it. I spent the most of day sleeping at Manly Beach. The few hours I was awake, I had a horrible headache and everything looked blurry. Unable to stay awake any more, I fell asleep at my hotel before dinner and slept straight through until the following morning.Feeling much

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-72197359044086796812009-09-07T18:53:00.000-07:002009-12-09T08:51:02.488-08:00

My cat, Snickers, was put to sleep today. He had been sick for over a month. His illness was liver cancer. His liver just couldn’t metabolize food anymore and his body began metabolizing his own fat and muscles, only weighing 4.5 lbs. at the end. His weight was what convinced me it was time to let him go. He had been on a series of drugs to fight the tumor and supplements to help his liver, but

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-75006893924832143812009-08-16T19:08:00.000-07:002010-01-14T19:34:08.795-08:00

It didn’t take long before we ran into Richard again. A man like him is easy to find, especially when he tells you his hangout. He was exactly where he said he would be, at Fido’s bar laughing it up with the Rasta men playing dice. He’s the type of guy you like instantly with his easy smile and handy pieces of advice. Richard proved more valuable than any guidebook on Belize I could have

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-62542323506214726042009-08-01T18:31:00.001-07:002009-11-18T16:36:16.257-08:00

Down Island Deal BreakerI fear spiders with every fiber of my being. I know that without spiders, insects would take over the world, but that provides little comfort. Upon entering a room, I immediately search the corners for webs. In Colorado we have wolf spiders, gray and harmless, but freaking huge. In the spring when the wolf spiders can eat crickets unhindered for days, sometimes weeks, they

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-33587953543256893362009-07-17T18:45:00.000-07:002010-01-14T19:32:49.574-08:00

Antique Car RallyMy friend Leeona’s in-laws belonged to an Antique Car Club in Bundaberg, Queensland. On weekends, they had “rallies” where they would get together to talk about antique cars, look at each other's cars and then go for a Sunday drive around the beautiful countryside of Isis County. In honor of my visit, the in-laws organized a rally to show me around. This rally started off as just

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-9489187186497350562009-06-28T18:21:00.000-07:002009-11-18T16:07:43.617-08:00

My Good Intentions Drowned at the Swim-Up BarWhen I travel, I want to have an adventure, see the beautiful and do the unexpected. So when my husband and I decided to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for our vacation, I imagined great travel experiences. Were they there? Absolutely. The town where “Night of the Iguana” was filmed had plenty to offer: jungle treks, cathedrals, shopping, water sports.

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-82643646806745443002009-06-22T19:02:00.000-07:002009-12-10T20:39:32.596-08:00

My husband’s friend, Michael, moved back to his home state of Vermont from Colorado over a year ago. In that time, he met a girl and fell in love so my husband and I flew across the continent to witness their nuptials in the hill country of Southern Vermont. We had heard how magical Vermont was in the fall, but what would it be like for a June wedding?Our arrival was greeted with rain, a steady

C Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778143794642922508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651753843811991544.post-24606762065550204092009-06-11T13:30:00.000-07:002009-11-18T15:36:03.704-08:00

Seconds after disembarking the ferry on Jost van Dyke, the excitement of getting our passports stamped wore off. Despite all the boats anchored in the bay, we saw no people…anywhere. During the ride, a ferry worker said there were only 200 permanent residents on this 4-square mile island. One hundred and ninety-nine to go after meeting the customs agent. With no other transportation than our feet

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