Things I Never Want to Forget about Germany

 The entire Albert family was so incredibly generous to us. They welcomed us into their homes, provided for every need, fed us, bought us presents, drove us everywhere, gave us hugs and lots of laughs.

 Brad and his best childhood friend, Richard, reunited in Einsidelerhof. This is the lake where they went camping and chasing girls.



Brad was very excited to show me where they used to play in the woods, the bomb holes left from WWII, the castle ruins. Also where the gypsy camp was and where the "Strasse Queens" would stand and tease the boys as they walked by.

 Rhein in Flammen! A festival of beer, bratwurst, pretzels! They have neuer wein (new wine), which has not been fermented yet. It tastes like grape juice and is seriously potent.

The river boats coming from upstream would slam on their brakes, and let the back end of the boat flip 180 degrees by the current until they could move into position facing back upstream.

Live music with Richard's friends' singing, "Country Roads." (The Germans can turn any song into a beer drinking song). Fireworks over the river, shooting out of the castles on the hills, and for a finale -- waterfalls of fire coming over the castle walls.

Driving home at 2AM, we ran out of gas on the Autobahn. As we coasted slower and slower, Brad asked Guenter, "Was ist los?" And Guenter quietly replied, "Der Auto ist kaput." Had to wait over an hour for a tow truck, then had to fit 10 people in the cab of the tow truck. So much laughter.

Maria lit a candle for Jennifer and I at the church.

Hearing the church bells ring out every day.

Buying a paper cone of fresh apricots from the farmers market.

They have bakery trucks for home delivery.

 Each city has it's own symbol. This fish is for Kaiserslautern. They decorate the manholes with them.

On Friday night we sat outside a cafe on the cobbled street, talking with everyone, while Brad and Richard drank meter bier (literally, a meter of beer). Out of the corner of my eye I saw some more of the family coming to join us. I felt so much a part of the family and fun.

Spending time with Richard's girlfriend, Jennifer, a genuine person with a warm heart.

Brad told Maria that riding on the badly paved streets was a "German massage." She thought it was funny.

 

 A day on the Mosel River--a dream come true. Lunch on a deck overlooking the view as the sun came out. Riesling wine for lunch. Meandering the old cobbled streets of Bernkastel.

 Sunday lunch outside at St Martin beside the fountain. Chicken, wrapped in bacon, with wine sauce and grapes and a side of rosemary potatoes. A meal never to be forgotten.

Tasted little Mirabellen, tiny golden plums.

One night for dinner we had cheesecake, plum tart, and strudel. The next morning for breakfast we had cheesecake with jam. They seem to eat nothing but schnitzel, bratwurst, ice cream and pastries.

Advice from Richard: If a wild boar chases you, run downhill. Their legs are too short in the front to run downhill.

Amsterdam

Prepping for Safari

In addition to your standard clothing, comfortable shoes, socks, pjs, personal grooming supplies, you're going to need some specialized items to go on safari. We are going to Tanzania with Overseas Adventure Travel. This is my fourth trip with this company and I have nothing but raves for how well they treated us. Researching everything previous to leaving has been a challenge, but you might as well benefit from all that work.

Lion from oattravel.com

This website says that you do not need the Yellow fever vaccine when traveling to Tanzania, if you do not leave the airport in Kenya: africatravel.com You should have Hepatitis A, tetanus, and typhus. Start taking your malaria meds two days before going and a week after coming home. Check with your doctor for other recommendations.

You need a Visa to get into Tanzania and have at least 6 months until your current passport expires.

Use travel cubes for separating out your supplies and clothing, especially the small things and especially if you are using a duffel bag as your main luggage. I have saved those clear plastic cases that new sheets come in as a stand-in for the mesh style cubes. You can also use gallon or 2 gallon ziplock bags and squeeze the air out. Or Space Bags, available at Costco.

The pharmacist told me the secret to long airplane flights--Benedryl! It's safe enough to give children without a prescription. Figure out when it will be morning where you are going, count back 8 hours and pop the pill. I took one as we were taxiing down the run way and never knew we took off. Woke up about an hour away from England, refreshed and happy. A blow up pillow and ear plugs help too. Also, for the first few days take Melatonin in the evening of the place you are staying to get in tune with their cycles.Since white is one of the colors you shouldn't wear, I am using a box of green RIT dye on my old white shirts. You also shouldn't wear black or dark blue, as it attracts teste flies.

Duct tape is invaluable as you travel. Keep a small piece wound around a pencil or an old credit card in your backpack. You can get it in wild colors for marking your duffle and backpack. You can use it to repair broken luggage or shoes, fix holes in mosquito netting, seal up hotel room curtains, cover the drain of the sink for laundry, tape bottles closed so they can't spill, cover blisters, etc.

I've heard that the staff will wash your laundry, except underwear. For the ladies, 3 pairs of panties, plus panty liners should work. Bring a small amount of laundry soap (I like Dr. Bronner's Castile liquid soap) for a do-it-yourself solution. Carry a small roll of TP and ziplock sandwich bags in your day pack; you may need to use the "bush toilet." Some women take a little device called "Go Girl," sort of a female urinal.

Sawyer PREMETHIN insect spray for clothing. I found this at Wal-Mart for $10. You spray your clothes several days before leaving. It will work for up to 6 laundry washings.

Buff--Survivor fans will know these multi-purpose cloth tubes used for dust masks, neck warmers, scarfs, etc.

Bring along photocopies of your passport, 2 extra passport photos, visa, credit cards, air travel itinerary and travel insurance.

Make a little first aid kit in a ziplock or tin--Imodium, antiseptic cream, band-aids, aspirin, personal meds, Q-tips.Rick Steves' backpack. This is so useful as an airplane carry-on and daypack on the safari. I have never seen such a lightweight, durable pack. For the plane ride, load this with your passport, money, pillow, earplugs, food, reading material, puzzles, camera, medicines and an extra set of clothing. For safari, load it with binoculars, water, first aid kit, insect repellent, sunscreen, camera equipment, etc.

Dry Shampoo, also called No-Rinse Shampoo--this might work for you. Test it out before you leave. The idea is to wet your hair with it and towel it off.

If you are bringing a big camera, make a beanbag style pouch (or use heavy duty ziplocks) to steady the camera of top of the vehicle. You can fill it with rice, beans, lentils. Some people wait and fill it with sand once they get there to save on the weight in their luggage. Also, lots of memory cards, batteries and charger and converter for the charger, etc. Polarizing filters. Lens hood. One of those straps that brace around your back will keep your neck from wearing out. Keep your camera in a dust-proof case and never change lens in the field. Know your camera instructions and practice before leaving. I would suggest looking at high quality photos and website to get photography ideas and tips.

Birding binoculars work well, because they are light weight. Look for 10x40 to get the best distance coverage. Pawn shops are an excellent place to look for quality used ones.

A doctor recommended taking Pepto-Bismol before taking malaria meds to minimize stomach upset. Also it is a good idea to take probiotic pills for a week before and a week after the trip to fend off bad bugs. Taking an aspirin before long flights so you don't get Deep Vein Thrombosis (if you are not already taking blood thinners).Bring crisp dollar bills for small purchases and tips. Use a debit card at the ATM to get local money. Use Capital One credit card -- they don't charge you for the foreign transaction fee. Call your credit card company to tell them when and where you are going.

Other little things that are small, lightweight and will make you trip more pleasant: unscented products
old glasses
sunglasses
neck strap for glasses
flashlight
sports bras
anti-itch stick
antibiotic hand gel
sunscreen
insect repellent
moist wipes
i-pad loaded with guide books, etc
flip-flops for the showers
hat with a wide brim
empty water bottle to fill before getting on the plane
energy bars
lip balm
warm layers for night and morning
alarm clock for sunrise safaris
rain gear??

Things I Never Want to Forget about Kauai

cardinal startles

whale watching from the cliff tops

 delicious rambutan every day

wind chimes in the gusty breezes

spider tai chi

geckos clucking in the night

getting used to having sandy feet

falling stars in the hot tub
real mai tais

farmers markets in Hanalei

pineapple, star fruit, oranges, avocados, bananas, papaya, honey

munching on sugar cane

Sing along: "Don't worry about a thing, 

'Cause every little thing gonna be all right. 

Rise up this mornin', 

Smiled with the risin' sun, 

10,000 chickens

Pitch by my doorstep" 

Valentine's sunset at Ke'e Beach

morning bird songs

sunlight through the rain shafts

monk seal surprise

skin so soft

mahalo. more please.

Things I Never Want to Forget About Wales

First, Wales is the most stunningly beautiful place I know--the deep green of the hills, the dramatic views, the softness of the air.

*the story of a woman who raised 13 children in a cave on the Orme.

*sharing a Cadbury chocolate bar with my sister, while over looking the town.

*getting picked up at the bus stop by a nice man named Harry, who gave us a ride all the way to Llanwurst and dropped us right at the tea house we were going to.

*quiz nights in the pubs with a glass of cider and a lot of laughs

*jacket potato (baked potato) and baked beans make a satisfying dinner

*the generousity of Kate, who loaned me her laptop, so I could Skype Brad and Amy

*sitting in the deck chairs like real tourists and watching the parade of people on The Promenade

*how much Karen loved bakewell tarts the first time she ate one

*the woman barking out the window at a group of noisy school children

*tea at the St. George Hotel, where my grandparents met

*walking around Crafnant Lake and eating lunch on the lawn

*the funny names of the undertakers in town: Peter the Box, Lem the Crem, Harry the Hearse
....and a person named Dick 18 Months, because he lost the top of his ear in an accident--an 'ear and a half!
....and the local hairdresser: Bruce the Hair

*all the men walking up and down The Prom in capris

*headline in the newspaper: Bearded Tits Make a Comeback in North Wales

*delicious flavors: buttermints, cheddar biscuits, brambly apple pie, English bacon, squash, digestive biscuits with chocolate, blackcurrent jam

*they move food around in Marks and Spencers daily so you have to search all the rows every time

*some of my favorite expressions: loo rolls (toilet paper), wheelie bins (garbage cans), hoover (vacuum cleaner), hob (stovetop), cling film (plastic wrap)

*walking a country lane lined with hedgerows of wild roses, nettles, ivy, brambles and bracken

*the sweet quality of children's voices

*the way the wind farm seemed to move across the bay, 

depending on the light and your position

*being surprised by Morris dancers 

walking down the street in black face, tattered clothes, and feathers

*the granduer of the cathedral at Chester

*the laburnum arch at Bodnant Gardens in full bloom

*the ultimate food--a bacon roll--bacon on bread with butter!

*they have a television station called Filth

*a baby seagull that fell off the roof and cried all night because he couldn't get back in the nest

*the guy with signs on his front, back, both arms and also holding a giant sign that says, "Stop Filming Me."

*seeing seagulls regularly attack people on the beach eating fish and chips

*when Karen saw all the fresh prepared foods available in the grocery store Asda, she said, "I'm so jealous, I could spit!"

*another hairdresser: Curl Up and Dye

Summer Holiday in Wales

Happiness is.....

a properly made cup of tea with milk and sugar
listening to people chat in Welsh in the shops
quiz night at the pub
real Cadbury chocolate
scones with strawberry jam and whipped cream
talking on Skype with my husband
bakewell tart
finding little treasures in the charity shops
a hot water bottle

...and walking the dogs on the mountain top, laughing about how ridiculous the weather is.

A January Day at the Beach

Southern California is an amazing place. On a sunny weekend day in mid-winter everyone is out, biking, beach combing, sunbathing. I took the opportunity to have some fun with the new camera. These were all taken within a few hours at the beach in Carpinteria. I used the same lens, mostly the same settings (I'm just learning). I did post process the pics using Picnik. Love, love, LOVE the way they turned out.

We're Gone

Yes, we've packed it up and moved on out to the warm and sunshine of Southern California for now. Shorts and sandals. Sunsets. Smiles.

Images of Costa Rica