We arrived in Istanbul after a very quick flight from Greece (maybe 45 minutes total), which always makes me wish I was a European resident so I could get anywhere so fast! Anyway, we landed, got our visas and bags, and went to meet our hotel car service. We looked around & waited & waited, but no one showed up. Finally, we got our ride to the hostel thanks to a very kind Turkish man who let me use his cell phone to call and complain. We arrived at our hostel in the middle of Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet) and were immediately struck by how clean and pretty the famous city is. We got ourselves organized at the hotel and headed out to see some of the sights. Our hostel was so well situated that we literally ... read more

This past April, me and some friends noticed cheap air fares to Peru. One of our closest friends from graduate school is Peruvian and moved home to Lima post-graduation, so we immediately jumped on the cheap tickets! Alex, Liz and I headed out to Lima the Tuesday before Thanksgiving vacation. For Alex and I, our flight path took us up to New York before down to Lima where we met Liz (who had arrived a day early) and Barbara in the airport for our flight to Cusco. For those who do not know, Cusco was the capital of the Inca empire back in 1200-1500s. The city is known as the 'Archaeological Capital of the Americas' because of its striking contrasts between the indigenous styles and the modern western world. The other thing about Cusco is that ... read more

A few months ago, my mother told me she and my father were contemplating a trip to Lebanon for my father's 60th birthday. The Lebanese influence from my father's side has played a huge role in our lives, and considering we've never been because of troubles in Lebanon, I of course really encouraged the trip. Things finally were solidified only about 2 months ago for my parents, Melissa and I to spend a week together in Lebanon, touring the 'Blaird' (in South African adopted Arabic this means our homeland)! A quick flight over to Paris and a 4-hour transfer across the Mediterranean to Beirut landed us here Saturday afternoon September 12. Upon arrival at the hotel, we were all a bit dazed and confused from the lack of sleep, jet lag, and unfamiliar surroundings when I ... read more

After an exhausting few days rushing through some of the sights that Cairo and Luxor have to offer, Chris and I planned for some R&R in South Sinai in Dahab. From Luxor, we took a flight connecting through Cairo that got us into Sharm El Shiek in 2 hours. The flights and everything associated with them went very smoothly. Overall, I'm impressed with the airline system in Egypt & the ease with which one can travel (unlike here in the States with countless delays, lines and hassle in general). After having to wait a lil longer than expected for our ride to pick us up in Sharm & take us to Dahab, we had what I think was the only 'scary' encounter of our trip. That was - we were in this random car w/ this ... read more

Well, Its been quite some time since my last blog entry, and I have got to say, these last two trips, which deserve much attention & detail, are actually going to get totally overlooked as I've just waited too long! Last Labor Day, Chris and I headed back to Puerto Rico for round 2. Let me say, the adventure was just as incredible as the first time. We've gotten quite a feel for the island, having done the Eastern half during our first trip and now the Western part. I highly recommend this trip to everyone. Its just so close to US mainland, its exciting, the scenery is dramatic, and the locals are friendly! I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to point you to Chris' blog for a few more details & ... read more