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Christmas In London: Dickens, Museums, Afternoon Tea, and Christmas Markets
In December 2022 Bob and I traveled to London to experience Christmas in England. There are pros and cons to visiting over the holidays. The winter markets are open and offering holiday treats and mulled wines, everything is decked out with lights and holiday decor, and restaurants offer unique holiday menus. On the downside, many shops, museums, and restaurants are closed some or all of the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and the weather was a bit drizzly. Nonetheless, we had a terrific holiday in London and manage to pack quite a bit into our one-week stay. We stayed at a Premier Inn in the Blackfriars area in the…
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Nine days on the Mountain: Our Mount Kilimanjaro Adventure
The day-by-day breakdown of this epic adventure. Making the Decision and Choosing a Guide Company Three years ago summiting the tallest mountain in Africa was nowhere to be found on my bucket list. Then I met Bob. Bob had the brilliant plan to Summit Kilimanjaro on his 60th birthday under a full moon and had found a tour that offered just that. Like it was meant to be. Covid hit, the climb was canceled and we had to start looking for a new trip. My friend Marty is quite an adventurer (check out his wife’s blog at https://chrisfagan.net/) so I went to him for advice – he had summited Kilimanjaro…
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Truly Unique Farm to Table Experience at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro
Our Kilimanjaro adventure included five days at Mbahe Farm before we began our trek. Mbahe farm sits on the foothills of Kilimanjaro in Marangu. Those five days at the farm gave us a chance to acclimate, recover from jet lag, and learn a little about this African village and the Chagga people that live there. The stay at Mbahe Farm Cottages is part of the Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience (SENE) program. SENE is the guide company we chose for our Kilimanjaro climb. SENE is a Tanzania-owned eco-adventure company that offers climbs, safaris, trail running, and bike treks. SENE’s director, Simon Mtuy, holds the record for the fastest unsupported ascent-descent of…
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Kilimanjaro Packing List: Learn from our Mistakes Preparing for a Nine Day Summer Climb on the Lemosho Route
The journey to 19,341 feet begins with an abundance of Amazon boxes and several trips to REI. Gear for our 10 Day Lemosho Route Trekking Adventure Never have I agonized so much on a packing list! We watched dozens of YouTube Videos, read other blog post to figure out what to bring on the the climb. In the end we packed based on the recommendation of our guide company Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience or SENE (https://www.nomadicexperience.com/). The table below has the original list in the left hand column. What we brought and we we thought about what we brought are in the right hand column. Our trip was in…
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Kilimanjaro Reading List
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Digital Nomad and Tourist in Bucerias Mexico: How to do it all while eating tacos
Our spring 2022 trip to Bucerias was a vacation for Bob and working remotely for me. Bucerías, Mexico is a charming beach town located in the Mexican state of Nayarit. It is known for its white sand beaches and beautiful crystal clear waters that make it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. The town is a pleasant, laid-back spot with various activities, from relaxing on the beach to birdwatching, hiking, kite surfing, and exploring the nearby mangroves. Bucerías is also home to vibrant nightlife and unique shopping experiences in its local markets. This trip also involved a lot of tacos which I will highlight in the post. If…
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Chartering a Sailboat in Croatia: Best Vacation Ever Even If You Don’t Know How to Sail
How a couple with almost no sailing experience chartered a catamaran and sailed around the Dalmatian Islands. Learn how we did it, where we went, and what we did to have the best vacation ever.
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Mostar Day Trip from Dubrovnik – Even better than we Expected
Getting to Mostar Since we were so close in Dubrovnik, Bob and I could not pass up the opportunity to see Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We booked a small group tour through TripAdvisor, met our driver and fellow travelers outside Dubrovnik’s Buže Gate, and headed north out of town. This trip took is took us Kravica Waterfall, Mostar, and an unforgettable wine tasting at Vinogradi Nuić. The map below hits the trip’s highlights but may not match our exact route. We crossed the border in Nuem, the little bit of land that gives Bosnia and Herzegovina access to the Adriatic. Kravica Waterfall Our first stop was the picturesque Kravica…
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Five Unforgettable Days in Old Town Split, Croatia
Highlights of our five days in Split before we headed out on the Catamaran.