Blog Entries

I'm trying something new out and giving myself a place to write some smaller diary-like notes (hmm, a blog perhaps?) on my un-related daily thoughts and activities; the things that don't warrant their own article/adventure post.


Travel Jealousy in in Full Bloom
Apr 24, 2022   

Seeing all the people out there being active, traveling, enjoying life; I feel like such a shut-in! Where has my life gone?!

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My Travel Life Takes Another Hit
Mar 7, 2022   

Long Haul COVID strikes again. I just canceled pet-sitting in Bali.

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My First Trip Since Having COVID
Feb 17, 2022   Costa Rica

A realization of how COVID is changing my travel life, my future. Even writing this post has been quite an effort.

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My First At-Home COVID Test
Aug 27, 2021   United States

COVID tests are not so easy (or cheap!) to get in this part of the country. Trying out a $35 self-administered test to use to fly home to the U.S.

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What a Year to Start Traveling Full Time
Jul 30, 2020   

I have been fine being stuck in Costa Rica. More than fine, actually. If we can't travel around due to COVID-19, then th ....

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Unplugging (Sort of) for a Week
Jul 13, 2020   

Now that we're under Orange Alert, with all non-essential businesses closed and all non-essential traveling outside the house off limits, ....

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Feeling Cranky and Displaced
Jul 10, 2020   Costa Rica

Am I really bitching and moaning about someone coming to deep clean my house for free?!

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Poker Night in a Small Town
Jun 5, 2020   Costa Rica

So I've gone from just starting to scratch the surface of the social scene here, to lockdown isolation, and back out to socializing again. Even th ....

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Almonds Keep Falling on My Head
Jun 4, 2020   Costa Rica

I slept in until 6:15 today, unlike my usual 5:15 when I wake up with the sun and the not-always-pleasant squawking birds. It's actually f ....

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Visiting the Chiropractor on Lobster Island
Jun 3, 2020   Costa Rica

Add this to the list of odd experiences you can't plan.

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Farewell Party Bubble for My Neighbors
Jun 1, 2020   Costa Rica

My neighbors two doors down are busy packing up the rest of their things for the season. They normally would have kept to a ....

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Deep Woods OFF is No Match for the Costa Rican Jungle
May 25, 2020   Costa Rica

I hear them. I hear the toucans again! I'm bound to see them. I have grown quite accustomed to ....

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"I'm Sailing! I'm Sailing!!" ~ What About Bob
May 25, 2020   Costa Rica

On a brighter note, I went swimming today! Like actual swimming, not just splashing around ....

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Starting to Feel the Effects of Isolation
Apr 18, 2020   Costa Rica

Wow, what just happened? I was so happy this morning and now I'm sad.

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Now the Coast Guard is Involved
Mar 30, 2020   Costa Rica

Way too much to even cover right now so I'll just start with today. I barely even know what day of the week it is. But someone reminded me ....

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Day ? of Quarantine in CR
Mar 29, 2020   

I started to panic a bit a few days ago when I realized that this was it, time to get home or stay put. And not just for a few weeks like I had origin ....

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Here Alone, Soaking in Nature
Mar 27, 2020   

Time to find my own place to shelter-in-place and isolate for a while.

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My Awkwardness Trying to Make Friends
Feb 24, 2020   Costa Rica

Yesterday Sue told me that I should go to Sol y Mar for the weekly horseshoe tournament at 3pm. Okay, sounds great. Oh wait, I ....

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Trying to Work Abroad
Feb 12, 2020   Costa Rica

My first jaunt of trading work for lodging while I travel is sure off to an interesting start! I arrived in Costa Rica to build a real estate website for my ....

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Loving My Sue Time!
Feb 11, 2020   Costa Rica

You truly never know who you will meet out there in the world. It was so fateful that I met my new friend by tracking a sloth we knew was in the area and ended up ....

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Heading South - Monteverde to Zancudo
Feb 7, 2020   Costa Rica

As of last night, I didn't have a plan. I was nursing a hangover all day so was not motivated to buy a bus ticket or do much o ....

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Pet Sitting in Monteverde
Feb 6, 2020   Costa Rica

I slept most of the bus ride up to Monteverde. Yeah, those 4am nights are doing me in! But I loved the familiar drive up the hill, and even saw "the r ....

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Family Stay in Heredia
Feb 3, 2020   Costa Rica

When I didn't seem to find the time to head down from Monteverde last December to come see her at her house, I kept telling Vanessa I'd come visit her soon. ....

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Trying Out Whatever Comes My Way
Dec 30, 2019   Costa Rica

When I was in Costa Rica, a few unexpected opportunities presented themselves in the form of trade-work-for-lodging. Specifically to bui ....

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More New Friends
Dec 19, 2019   Costa Rica

There's nothing like chasing away the solo-traveler blues with a couple of new friends. After I moved to apartment #2 up in the front of the compound, two women checked ....

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It's A New Season
Dec 17, 2019   Costa Rica

Wow, there's something about it here now that's making me feel so good. It's like the tide has turned. I know I'm a bit manic and I'm still having some pretty lonely ....

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Everything Always Works Out
Dec 13, 2019   Costa Rica

It's been an interesting few days. I have (surprise surprise) been feeling an array of emotions now that I'm starting to plan what day I'll leave ....

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The Shower That Refuses to Get Hot
Dec 7, 2019   Costa Rica

Okay this is just getting funny now. My poor poor host here in Monteverde. He put in an entirely new beautiful modern bathroom right ....

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Shopping, Agouti, and Boas - Eeks
Dec 7, 2019   Costa Rica

There hasn't been much new the last few days which is good. The town had it's annual Parade of Lights and there were activities throug ....

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Proof That I Need All This Crap
Nov 28, 2019   Costa Rica

Every trip I end up with my packing cube full of stuff that sits there barely touched. I'ts like the stuff drawer in the kitchen at home b ....

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Nose to the Grindstone
Nov 25, 2019   Costa Rica

I'm finally spending a ton of hours trying to get caught up on at least some parts of this sadly unfinished website of mine! Since my nice welcome tour of t ....

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Making the Move to Monteverde
Nov 22, 2019   Costa Rica

I left my home in Playa Zancudo this morning a bit nervous about doing this big travel day alone. It's so much easier to have somebody else to ....

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Adversity - a Test or a Warning?
Nov 22, 2019   Costa Rica

I seem to be facing a lot of adversity on this trip. Is it a test to see if I can handle it? Is it a sign that I shouldn’t be doi ....

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Building a New Nest in Monteverde
Nov 22, 2019   Costa Rica

Wow, I love my new place! And the owner really puts his heart into it. He and his 85 year old father run the place and the two of them ....

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Travel Plan Challenge & Raffle Tix
Nov 20, 2019   Costa Rica

OMG What a pain in the ass it is to get out of this place! I'll get into more of the details later but I have spent so much ....

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New Friends Feel Like Old Friends
Nov 19, 2019   Costa Rica

Just getting settled into Zancudo and it's almost time to leave. I made some new friends, mainly my neighbor Sue who we met while Dave ....

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Happy Birthday Cynthia!
Nov 18, 2019   Costa Rica

I'd normally be traveling with Cynthia for her birthday. November just works out to be a great time to travel both for the weather where we want to go and ....

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Alone Again
Nov 16, 2019   Costa Rica

It's been a wonderful week with Dave, David, and my new Facebook travel group friend here. I was so happy to have my guy here and even a bit more family drama entered the picture ....

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Fresh Clean Morning
Nov 10, 2019   Costa Rica

Holy cow did it come down last night! The hardest it has since I’ve been here, and for a long time. I wonder where poor Mr. sloth went for the rain. Some c ....

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Guilt and Glee
Nov 9, 2019   Costa Rica

Well I'm in full on hermit mode at the moment. I swear it's a good thing I have food or I might starve to death lest I have to leave the property. What the hell kind of tra ....

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My $10 Cinnamon Rolls
Nov 6, 2019   Costa Rica

For being so secluded, it's actually hard to have an entire day to yourself here. First of all, it's no surprise they start work early here. I have a feel ....

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Got Some Expat Connections
Nov 5, 2019   Costa Rica

Well I moved the table away from the window and there was no raccoon last night! Fingers crossed that does it. I cleaned up all the oil (somehow the ....

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I Have Someone to Clean My Yard
Nov 5, 2019   Costa Rica

This is my 5th day alone in Costa Rica. Time sure flies when you're doing nothing! I am really loving the feeling of not HAVING to do anyt ....

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Middle of the Night Intruder
Nov 3, 2019   Costa Rica

From big critters to tiny, I'm finding myself a bit jumpy. The 2am break-in certainly didn't help.

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I Now Have a Zillion Photos of Birds and Flowers
Nov 1, 2019   Costa Rica

It's like I've become obsessed. First of all, the sheer number of beautiful and colorful birds, plants, ....

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Determined to Go to the Halloween Party
Nov 1, 2019   Costa Rica

Well that was fun. We kept hearing about the Halloween party at Sol y Mar, the only restaurant open this time of year and ....

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Lost Money and Stolen Shoes
Oct 30, 2019   Costa Rica

Feeling a bit of a downer today. I was finally getting caught up on my budget yesterday (yeah, I love keeping track of what I spend traveling), ....

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Met a Man with Coconuts
Oct 29, 2019   Costa Rica

Lynn came backup up from her daily treasure hunt on the beach and said there was a man lingering around down there and was wondering what he was doing the ....

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So Amazed By the Nature Here!
Oct 28, 2019   Costa Rica

We successfully bought groceries (they deliver to the pier for free - yay) and confirmed that there was indeed a 12pm shared public boat going ....

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All I Want is a Shower and Some Sleep
Oct 24, 2019   Costa Rica

A little over 30 hours from when I left home to when I got to the stopover town of Golfito. It's been a fun journey so far (flight, flight, bus, walk, bus, bus) but I'm so tired and stinky right now.

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The Process of Deciding to Go Last Minute
Jan 13, 2019   

An out of the blue text, and a week later I'm on a flight to Bali for 2 months! A lot of emotion went on in between that.

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Not-So-Failed Day at Uluwatu
Jul 30, 2017   Indonesia

Even though the surfing was a failure, it's a really cool area! Nice vibe, bunch of little restaurants and shops built into the cliff overlookin ....

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Dave and I Are Finally in SE Asia Together!
Jul 29, 2017   Indonesia

Not only are Dave and I finally here together, we brought the kids (by kids, I mean Dave's daughter and her boyfri ....

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A Bit of Sightseeing
Sep 7, 2009   United States

Took our little rental car around Maui to see some of the sights. << old website quick post >>

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Stuck in Saigon
Nov 29, 2008   Vietnam

Unable to fly back to Bangkok, we spent some time in the big city of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and went on some nearby tours.

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Pakse and a Ride Down the Mekong
Nov 8, 2008   Laos

Crossing through Laos into Vietnam, we were able to eke out a great few days!

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8 Nights, 8 States, 8 Beds - A Quick Roadtrip to Indiana
May 13, 2008   United States

<< old website quick post >>

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Panama Canal & San Blas
Apr 29, 2007   Panama

The big city full of drugs, the canal, and the San Blas Islands. << old website quick post >>

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Our Stay in Salinas
Oct 12, 2006   Dominican Republic

Headed to Dominican Republic so Steve could go kiteboarding. Salinas turned out to be a cool little town.

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Baños de Agua Santa
Jul 16, 2002   Ecuador

Went to visit a local friend in Ecuador and enjoyed this small town.

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Osa Penninsula
Oct 14, 2001   Costa Rica

My first solo journey. Went to meet Steve in Costa Rica right after 9/11.

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Guatemala, Our Final Stop
Apr 4, 2001   Guatemala

There is so much to see and do in Guatemala! Exploring, local festivals, ancient ruins, natural sites. We are ending this trip on a good note!

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Staying on an Island the Size of a Football Field
Mar 21, 2001   Honduras

Cayos Cochinos, was an adventure. Ocean like bathwater and very limited facilities.

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Hablamos Español
Mar 10, 2001   Nicaragua

3 weeks in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua taking private Spanish lessons and living with a local family.

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Judy & Steve Visit Costa Rica
Feb 8, 2001   Costa Rica

Mom & Steve came with us for a fun adventure in Costa Rica. Then we were off on our own again.

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Ancient Sites of Greece & New Year's Eve
Dec 21, 2000   Greece

Modern and COLD Greece in December. Made the best of it and moved on to warmer climates.

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After a Slow Start, We Loved Egypt
Dec 10, 2000   Egypt

Buried tombs everywhere, an incredible cruise down the Nile, bright and lively food, Egypt is everything you'd think it would be.

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Vic Falls, Lake Kariba, Hippos
Dec 3, 2000   Zimbabwe

Old posts from my very first travel website and my first backpacking trip (a year in 2000-2001)! Nov 23, Thanksgiving We didn’ ....

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Nepal (Never Ending Peace And Love)
Oct 28, 2000   Nepal

Enjoyed Nepal very much and our friend Shadan even came to visit us there!

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Hill Tribe Trek out of Chang Mai
Sep 15, 2000   Thailand

Seldom liking tours at all, this one in Chang Mai turned out to be exceptional since we happened to be there for their yearly celebration.

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Cambodia - Could Have Been Better
Sep 2, 2000   Cambodia

The country is just not quite right after what they suffered at the hand of the Khmer Rouge.

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The Thais Are Such Happy People
Aug 22, 2000   Thailand

Our first introduction to Thailand couldn't be better. Perfect secluded beaches, interesting history, caves, and fun in the city!

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Kanchanaburi, the River Kwai, and the Bridge Over It
Aug 16, 2000   Thailand

Aug 16, 2000, Starting Off at the War Cemetery I woke to an incredible sunrise with the orang ....

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Borneo Better than Mainland
Jul 11, 2000   Malaysia

Jungles and headhunters! That's the theme in Borneo.

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Indonesia Wrap-Up
Jul 2, 2000   Indonesia

Our first visit to Indonesia and we loved it. There's so much more to see but we did see a lot.

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Java and the Big 4
Jun 16, 2000   Indonesia

A trip to Yogyakarta, then we hit some great highlights on Java. Borobudur, the Water Castle, Merapi, and Gunung Bromo.

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Bali - Our First Experience with SE Asian Culture
Jun 9, 2000   Indonesia

Rice paddies, monkeys, caves. This is an entirely new culture for us and we love it!

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Welcome to Australia
May 21, 2000   Australia

Wow, Australia is huge. A month isn't nearly long enough.

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The Adrenaline Capital of the World
May 6, 2000   New Zealand

What a blast we've had in New Zealand! New friends, glowing worms, and living in a van.

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Fiji Was Wonderful
Apr 15, 2000   Fiji

Fiji has been absolutely wonderful. We’ve never seen any place so green with tropical jungles. The whole island is unspoiled lush land spotted with small vil ....

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Arrived Like Green Tourists
Apr 8, 2000   Fiji

Fiji was my very first stop on my very first budget trip! :)

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