Flights of Fancy
2021 Vaccinated Vacation Adventures
It turns out that 2021 was, indeed, better than 2020 in many ways. Granted, the endless working from home and refrigerator access probably hasn’t helped the fit of my wardrobe. Bummer. But in terms of travel, the outlook has become markedly more positive. For those of us lucky to have it, access to the vaccine has definitely opened up more vacation options! The year started with the certainty of… well, uncertainty. But a willingness to be adaptable led to a couple opportunities I wouldn’t have predicted in January. — Sadly, I’ve written exactly zero blog posts in recent months, which means I’ve written nothing about the international trips I was…
Jaguar Safari in the Pantanal: The Best of Brazil
I decided to take a trip to Brazil based almost entirely on the appeal of the Pantanal. I’m not sure how well-known this site is to the general public, but it is a tremendously popular ecotourism destination. There’s plenty of cool critters and beautiful birds to see in Brazil, but the most people come to the lowlands for one specific target – one of those charismatic big cats everyone loves to see. It’s almost certain that a visit to the Pantanal will include a search for the Jaguar. That Darned Cat I had never seen a big cat before my trip to Brazil. At that point, my only trip to…
Post-Vaccination Vacation Plans: New Developments
I have vacation plans! I’ve plotted so many things for 2021 that have already been cancelled. It’s difficult to share thoughts of travel without the caveat that – what with pandemics being the nasty, unpredictable beasts they are – any plans are more likely to be trashed than not. After a trip to India was postponed to 2022 and a European cruise was cancelled (which was entirely expected), it’s difficult to feel entirely optimistic about 2021 travels. However, I’m going to embrace hope and share my currently scheduled adventures anyway. I’m genuinely excited, and I think these post-vaccination vacation plans have a good shot of happening! Recent History: Florida Just…
Bird of the Week: Puerto Rican Tody
The newest bird of the week is one handsome little tody endemic to a single Caribbean island.
U.S. National Parks: A Lifetime of Domestic Bliss
A recent post about a more thoughtful, intentional approach to travel left out a massive United States-sized hole in my personal bucket list. But of course I don’t think this country lacks for spectacular, noteworthy destinations! There are many amazing places here that I still hope to visit, and most of them are public lands. Despite there being some great cities in the U.S., those urban centers are no match for the grandeur of our greatest National Parks. What’s in a Name? Okay, let’s be really clear about something. Because titles might confuse people. There are 63 “National Parks” in the National Park System. But there are hundreds of properties…
Bird of the Week: Hyacinth Macaw
This bird of the week is a big beautiful parrot that seems permanently amused but doesn't want to be your pet, please.
