Outside Seoul – Suwon, Gyeongju, Busan – so much to see (video)
Map
Category: Asia
I hope you enjoy my travel blog (even if you aren’t diabetic!) In Nov 2017, to celebrate my retirement, we traveled for 2 months to Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Qatar. It was an Odyssey, for a type I diabetic such as myself.
Then in 2019 we visited Japan (along with Queenland Australia)
In 2022 we visited Israel and Jordan (along with Egypt).
In 2023, as a part of our ’round-the-world’ trip, we visited the United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Abu Dhabi), Nepal, India, Vietnam and South Korea). In fact, we could have called our ’round-the-world’ trip a ‘pan-asia’ trip!
The Old and the New in Seoul, South Korea (video)
They talk about the 30 second view the tourist gets of the Mona Lisa in Paris – well, the picture above is our two seconds of photoshoot (after an extended wait) with the captain of the guard at Gyeongbokgung Palace. He looks much more photogenic than we do! But of
Cloudy days at Halong Bay (video)
After the tropical storm disrupted our plans, we finally made it to Halong Bay. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the bright clear skies that often follows a storm; we got more overcast. Our views were not stellar, but we got some interesting night-time pictures of the other boats, and as you
The Amazing Scenery of Ninh Binh, Vietnam (video)
When I wonder what to do in a foreign city, I always check out the offered Day Trips. What may be a day trip to one person is probably another night or several nights’ excursion to us. And so it was with the medium-sized town of Ninh Binh, located to
The Old Town of Hanoi, Vietnam (video)
During our 2023 ’round-the-world trip, we traveled from Delhi, India to Hanoi, Vietnam. We stayed in Hanoi a day and a half, then a tropical storm swirled in and disturbed all our plans. Instead of the Halong Bay cruise, to be followed by several nights in Ninh Binh, we headed
On safari in India with Cultural Safari Tours (review)
Lions and tigers and bears, oh no! Needless to say, we saw no lions in India; they belong in Africa. But we did see Tigers and Bears, Birds and Leopards, Antelopes and Mongoose. Seeing wildlife on vacation is always a hit-or-miss proposition. With all the planning, and all the efforts
Our Tigers in Ranthambhore National Park, India (video)
and the Leopard in Jhalana too! Check out my review of Cultural Safari Tours, who made this experience possible.
On safari in Keoladeo National Park, India (video)
Try as I might, I still can’t properly spell this national park and must look it up each time I write about it! It’s located between Agra and Sawai Madhopur. “Sawai Madhopur?” you ask, “Is that any easier to spell?” Check out the next video for why that also is
The Golden Triangle of India – Delhi, Agra and Jaipur (video)
For our first trip to India, I chose a traditional favorite, “The Golden Triangle”, which gave us key sites in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan: The Taj Mahal being our bucket list item. Many people go to Rajasthan in the wrong season – I can tell you that mid-October to end-October
Light and Sound Show at the Red Fort, Delhi
Light, sound, dancing, bigger than life size puppetry, a memorable history lesson and exclusive views of the interior of the Red Fort at night – what more could you want from your first night in Delhi, India? The show takes place at the Red Fort, near Chandni Chowk, a short
Is BOTTLED water safe to drink in Nepal? No!
Usually when planning a trip I ask, “Is tap water safe to drink in Nepal”, or in the country to which I intend to travel. If not, then I plan on my regimen of safe eating and drinking. I am very sensitive to microbes in water and have successfully traveled
A final tour around the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal (video)
After the inevitable flight delay from Pokhara to Kathmandu, we arrived back in the Kathmandu Valley to spend two more nights and finish off our Nepal sightseeing. While the clouds still hung on the mountains surrounding the valley, the sun shone overhead, and we were so happy our guide had
Two days in Pokhara, Nepal (video)
aka “Where are the Himalayas?” Pokhara doesn’t have the same name-recognition as “Kathmandu”, but to those who want to travel to Nepal, it is the location for seeing the majestic Himalayan Mountains. Beautiful Lake Phewa is the cherry on the sundae. For us, we experienced the beauty of the lake,
Chitwan National Park, Nepal (video)
Chitwan is one of Nepal’s oldest national parks, and known for its One-Horned Rhinoceroses, as well as tigers, although tigers are much more elusive. Chitwan is also known for offering elephant-back safaris. Naturally I was very keen to do the elephant safari, but as you can see from the video,
Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley (video)
The first several days of our trip in Nepal – several peeks of blue sky, some rain, and mostly gray clouds. The weather could not dim the wonderfully friendly, sunny disposition of the Nepalese. Namaste!
Abu Dhabi (video)
Greg and I took a quick but intense day trip to Abu Dhabi from Dubai. From the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace, to the top of one of the Etihad Towers, to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque we enjoyed an in-depth view of the color and best architecture Abu Dhabi has
Dubai Sep 2023 (video)
From the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, to a Dhow Dinner Cruise, we saw Dubai at day and night, from old to new. I was actually glad to be there at the end of the hot season, as the crowds were thinner, and the evening air “fresh”.
Memories Aicha Review
The Wadi Rum, Jordan, national park area is run by the local Bedouins which also gives character to the tours. The Bedouins provide the transportation and tours; the camps, though, are run by businesses. To enjoy the experience you must be ready for both extremes of service. Memories Aitcha is hands-down one of the most special accommodations we have ever stayed in. Choose the Panoramic Tent.
Zaid Hlalat – the best guide in Petra (review)
What a wonderful guide was our Zaid! As we strolled down the path through the Al Siq, he taught us the Nabatean history, the meaning of the carved sculptures and Roman history as well. I was interested, but I was also very interested in taking pictures.
Jordan Horizons Tours (reviews)
The Planning During our travel planning, our Petra excursion grew from one singular place to a whole host of interesting sights in Jordan. This growth was in many ways due to the well-designed website at Jordan Horizons Tours. With tours for one day, two days, three days, and the list
