Costa Rica: Sea Turtles, Canyoning, and Walking in the Clouds
I don’t actually remember feeling extreme wanderlust before going to Costa Rica. I did not choose a career based on any reasonable factors, like income potential, and did not expect to be able to afford many adventures. But after a few years of full-time employment, I decided I could afford to give myself a great birthday present – a trip to Costa Rica! As international destinations go, Costa Rica is pretty affordable. It’s a great country to dip your toes into a new culture without being overwhelmed. The country gets plenty of tourism, and the supporting infrastructure provides lots of options to a new traveler. And so a friend and…
Our Best Mall is Not for Shopping
When I was planning a European adventure in 2019, the variety of free museums in London was a huge relief. We were trying to be very conscious of budget constraints on that particular trip, and London itself is not generally a budget-friendly city to visit. But the costs of daily entertainment can be greatly minimized if people are willing to avoid the tourist traps. Just stick to the bastions of world history, art, and culture. How’s that for biased language? Obviously I’m saying that as someone who avoided most of the tourist traps. So there, London Eye! Take that! It occurs to me, though, that my own country’s capital city…
It’s a Dog’s Life at Shenandoah National Park
In March of this year, everyone’s lives changed due to the impacts of the novel coronavirus. At my house, that meant remote work for us both and rarely leaving the house (except for runs/walks in our own neighborhood). Our groceries were suddenly being delivered, we became comfortable with Microsoft Teams for every facet of professional communication, and every bit of work and personal travel was cancelled for the foreseeable future. I will say that my dog certainly finds this to be an entirely positive situation, and her status as the center of our universe is very clear. To her, anyway. Me, though? I was totally and undeniably LOSING. MY. MIND. …
