Travel Stories & Inspiration
Costa Rica – Arenal and the Osa Peninsula
Costa Rica is one of my favorite countries. It is close to the US, the people are friendly and it still has some very cool places to go. One thing that you learn quickly in a country like Costa Rica it that you aren’t going…
The Amazing Machu Picchu – but don’t do the Inca Trail
Machu Picchu is one of the most amazing manmade sites I have ever seen, the only thing that comes close is Petra. I would highly recommend that if you are in Peru that you see this amazing ruin but I would not hike the Inca…
Gorillas in the Mist
My lifelong dream has been to go see the Gorillas in Uganda, so we did last year and it still ranks as one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Here is the blog post that I made last year after spending a…
Playing Charles Darwin
Each year we take a group of underserved students to a foreign country and several years ago our Dustin's GreenHouse (www.dustinsgreenhouse.org) trip was to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. There is nothing like traveling with 10 teenagers, many who had never been on a plane. Again…
Doing Egypt right – without the tour bus
I am the kind of traveler who doesn't care to take an organized tour with 30 strangers packed on a bus, with every second planned. So when I go on a trip my first step is do the research, then try to find someone who knows…
Kruger, the gem of South Africa
Have you always wanted to do an African Safari but when you checked into it found that the cost was outrageous? Well there is a way to enjoy the amazement of a safari without breaking the bank. Just like the US, Africa has set up…
Sick of Security Ignorance
On the evening of December 25th, as Northwest flight 253 approached Detroit, another terrorist thwarted all the incredibly ignorant policies put in place by the NTSB and the US government and almost blew up the plane killing everyone aboard and many on the ground. With all the…
Traveling safely
When traveling in a foreign country always make two copies of your passport, leave one at home, keep one on you and keep your passport in the most secure place that you can think of. When asked by a police officer in developing countries, try…
Packing Tips Made Simple
Packing is something that gets more and more difficult as the size and weight limits go down and airlines start charging for every bag you check. On a recent trip to Africa, we had to limit our checked bags to 35lbs, but we were going…
Getting Cheap Hotel Rooms?
Okay, by now you have all heard William Shatner talk about Priceline but there is an underlying fear about bidding for a hotel room when you don't know which hotel you will end up with. I can tell you that I use Priceline and Hotwire…
Home Exchange
Home exchange has become one of my new passions. The idea is to work with someone in another part of your country or the world to exchange homes for vacation, saving you the money for lodging, allowing you to stay in an environment that immerses…
Where to go?
This is the beginning of my travel blog but not the beginning of my travels. I have traveled to almost 30 countries and feel like I have some great experiences and ideas that will let others enjoy travel as much as I do. I get asked…