Published October 2010; San Francisco Chronicle It’s that time of year when the faux ghosts and ghoulies come out, and the things that go bump in the night are trick-or-treaters. But what about getting spooked the rest of the year? Dig up these five spots to get your scream on anytime. 1. McMenamins Grand Lodge, [...]
Photo Friday: Kralendijk, Bonaire
October 28, 2010 By 17 Comments
Bonaire’s capital and cruise port, Kralendijk, is a quirky little town. For one thing: It’s small. As in, you can walk its length—and back—in a half an hour. Though given the fact that the population of all of Bonaire is just over 14,000, I guess this isn’t surprising. Its candy-colored houses reminded me nothing of [...]
Get in Touch with your Wild Side
October 27, 2010 By 12 Comments
When I stepped off the plane at Bonaire’s bright pink-hued Flamingo Airport, I expected the usual palm-fringed Caribbean setting. What I found instead was an arid desert landscape with towering cacti and tangled masses of mangrove forests, wild donkeys and goats roaming the terrain and often causing roadblocks, and flocks of flamingos lounging in pools [...]
48 Hours in Sydney
October 26, 2010 By 21 Comments
As I’ve said before, having a mere 48 hours in any city is hardly ideal, but sometimes the reality is that it’s all you have and you simply have to roll with it. I knew before even touching down in Sydney for the first time this summer that it was going to be far from enough [...]
Go Wild in Bonaire
October 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Published October 2010; National Geographic’s Intelligent Travel blog When I stepped off the plane at Bonaire’s bright pink-hued Flamingo Airport, I expected the usual palm-fringed Caribbean setting. What I found instead was an arid desert landscape with towering cacti and tangled masses of mangrove forests, wild donkeys and goats roaming the terrain and often causing [...]
Photo Friday: Elizabeth Harbour, Bahamas
October 21, 2010 By 20 Comments
The thing about the Bahamas is that it’s a short, extremely affordable jaunt from the mainland US—a mere hour if you’re in Atlanta, a couple if you’re up in New England. So how people can go back to the beaches of say, Florida, after experiencing this sort of paradise is beyond me when it’s essentially [...]
That Time a Triggerfish Mistook My Leg for Lunch
October 20, 2010 By 28 Comments
Early on in my scuba days Until recently, I was most afraid of a shark taking a chunk out of my arm while splashing around haphazardly underwater. Little did I know, it’s the small guys you need to watch out for. Borneo is most visited by divers as its east coast entities in the Celebes [...]
Borneo’s Turtletopia
October 18, 2010 By 20 Comments
The single best thing about staying on Mataking Island during our honeymoon was the presence of turtles. Turtles, turtles everywhere! Previously, if I ever saw one turtle on a dive, I would be ecstatic. Two would just about put me over the moon. So seeing as many as 20 during one 45-minute submersion was just [...]
Photo Friday: Paradise Island, Bahamas
October 15, 2010 By 26 Comments
It was rainy during my only full day in Nassau, meaning no lazing about the pool. Instead, I decided to trek over to the famous Atlantis resort to wander the premises. I had often heard Atlantis compared to a Vegas hotel. Well, I’m no fan of Vegas, so I expected to feel the same way [...]
Swimming in Sharky Waters
October 13, 2010 By 33 Comments
Hey, remember this girl? The one who wouldn’t go further into the ocean than knee-wading depth thanks to her overwhelming fear of sharks? The one who was too terrified of all things water-related to even close her eyes in the shower? Oh right, her. Well, I’m not sure where That Girl went exactly, though sources [...]
