Adventurous explorations around the world

Read more about the article Celebrating 4th Of July At Orange Lake
Boat Parade Near Me
The Outdoors

Celebrating 4th Of July At Orange Lake

Sunshine And Fun

The Snyman’s graciously invited me to spend the 4th of July with them at Rhona’s brother Noel and sister-in-law Helena’s house at Orange Lake, upstate New York. So on the morning of July 4, I board the train at Grand Central Station, destination Beacon.

It is a beautiful 1 1/2 hour train ride along the Hudson River. I pass towns that sound familiar from books and movies, like Riverdale, Yonkers, and Tarrytown, and see Westpoint Military Academy across the river.

Rhona and Paul pick me up at the station and we drive through the quaint town of Beacon we arrive at the lake house just before 11. Celebrating the 4th of July at Orange Lake is about to begin. (more…)

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July 5, 2022
Read more about the article Childless, But A Rich Life With Children
Life stories

Childless, But A Rich Life With Children

Can You Imagine Happy Life Of Not Having Children?

Not having children can be a quiet sadness that is always there in the background. Because it is so much bigger than becoming or being a mother. It hits in different phases of life.

When your friends have children, or grandchildren, when their children graduate or get married, or when your own mother dies. These are the moments when you can feel isolated and lonely.

Childlessness might be more or less accepted in Western cultures, but in a lot of countries it is not and in some, it is still a taboo. What is the impact of (unwanted) childlessness while living abroad?

I live in California and always envisioned my life with children. Due to a series of unpredictable events, this never happened. This is my story.

My California Framily
Childless

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June 8, 2022
Read more about the article California Dreaming: Crab and Mead wine
Foodies

California Dreaming: Crab and Mead wine

The Marin headlands are just a little north of the metropolitan city of San Francisco, but once you pass the Richmond bridge and drive on the narrow winding roads of Marin Headlands, you enter a totally different world of sleepy country side, rolling hills covered in wild flowers, cows, goats and horses. It is our destination on a sunny Sunday in March for a visit to Point Reyes Station followed by a Crab Feed at Heidrun Meadery for an afternoon of California dreaming: cheese, crab and Mead wine. (more…)

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May 8, 2022
Read more about the article Trekking Everest: How The Road To EBC Began
Photo credit Ian Taylor Trekking
The Outdoors / The Road to Everest Base Camp

Trekking Everest: How The Road To EBC Began

How The Road To EBC Began

Patagonia and Mount Kilimanjaro had been on my bucket list for years. On the contrary, Everest Base Camp was not something I had ever aspired to.

And here I am, signed up with Ian Taylor Trekking. We will be trekking to the base camp of the highest Mountain in the world in October 2023. And although nervous, I am also excited.

In this blog, I want to document our Everest adventure and how the road to EBC began.

Photo credit Ian Taylor Trekking

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April 12, 2022
Read more about the article Magical Iceland: Hot Springs, Volcanos, Glaciers And Waterfalls
The Ice Cave
The Outdoors

Magical Iceland: Hot Springs, Volcanos, Glaciers And Waterfalls

We had planned a reunion with friends from the Netherlands in Iceland in 2020, but COVID threw a wrench in that. So we decided we would make it happen for Thanksgiving 2021.

During my last trip to Iceland in March 2015, we ended up in a full-blown snowstorm for 4 days. I was hoping for better luck in November. The trip was everything I had hoped for and more.

We hiked the magical world of Iceland: hot springs, volcanos, glaciers, and waterfalls. All stayed in a beautiful house and had great food. Unfortunately, didn’t see the Northern lights this time, so a reason to come back.

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December 3, 2021
Read more about the article 3 Delicious Days Nantucket
Boat On Beach
Foodies / The Outdoors

3 Delicious Days Nantucket

 

The little 8-person plane from Cape Air flies me from Boston to Nantucket. It is a short 45-minute flight. Before I know it, I am in a taxi on my way to our hotel. Excited I point out The Club Car, The Juice Bar, Steamboat Pizza, and moments later Pearl.

The driver asks me if I visit often and I tell him “it is my first time actually.” He looks confused. He doesn’t know that I only know Nantucket from years of reading Elin Hilderbrand’s books.

And so I step into the world of “the Blue Bistro”, a weekend exploring this wonderful, culinary beach town, 3 delicious days in Nantucket. (more…)

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September 2, 2021
Read more about the article A Culinary Adventure Exploring SoCal
Foodies

A Culinary Adventure Exploring SoCal

 

When I got an offer from Marriott Vacation club for a three night stay in their Newport Coast Villas, we turned it into a culinary adventure, exploring SoCal. I had been to Newport once on a business trip and had always wanted to go back. We started our culinary adventure with a lunch in Santa Barbara on our way down. We ended it in style, with brunch in Long Beach on our way back. In between we sampled lunch and dinners in Newport and Catalina Island. We ended up having a couple of delicious days.

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May 4, 2021
Read more about the article Little Treasures Of The Bay Area Worth Trying
Friends Gang
Foodies / The Outdoors

Little Treasures Of The Bay Area Worth Trying

One of the silver linings of Corona is that hiking became the highlight of our weekend. Due to the frequency of our hikes, I started looking for new trails. As a result, we have discovered so many great trails all over the Bay Area since 2020.

One area that became one of our favorites is Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Sunol. This is one of the little treasures of the Bay Area we come back to regularly and is worth trying.

Not just because the hikes and the views are great, but because of the brunch at the quaint Casa Bella, downtown Sunol, afterward. Read more about how we roll on a COVID Sunday.

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April 21, 2021