I can go home now. I had such a great time at Laguna Yal-Ku in Akumal that I’m totally fulfilled. When I walked from the parking area through the meticulously manicured path and arrived at the entrance of the laguna proper, my mind was blown. It took a good long while to wrap my head around how beautiful the location is. The above-water world is only partially what makes this place one of my favorite in the world. The snorkelling was fantastic. And there isn’t even any brillantly colored coral. The lagoon floor is white and peppered with white rock formations below, mangroves above. As I swam, I would see light piercing through an opening in the rocks and in due time I was able to follow an opening to the other side. It was very ... read more

Dorothy wasn't the only gal to rediscover the pleasures of being home. Despite my travels far and wide, I continue to enjoy the treasures right in my backyard. Invited by my special friend, Stephanie, who happens to own a Land Rover, we drove down to Carmel-by-the-Sea one recent Saturday morning for an off-road adventure. On the grounds of Quail Lodge, a former resort and current golf course, one will also find the Land Rover Experience driving school. The lodge sits on 850 acres - far more area than we could cover in our one-day adventure, which included some hair-raising off-roading, a slalom course and blindfolded driving (don't worry, one person gave instructions - the one without the blindfold, while the other slowly crawled through sets of cones scattered around a clearing). My highlights included the parts ... read more

The World Cup officially ended July 11th, however the last match in Cape Town was on July 6th, which was also the last day I had volunteer duties. I hadn’t booked my return flight back to the US until August 3rd, giving me a few weeks to travel around southern Africa. I expected to hear about interesting places to go while I was based in Cape Town. Ironically, the most intriguing destinations to me were outside of South Africa. Namibia, a mere 6 hours away from Cape Town, was the closest option. On the other hand, Mozambique, on the far opposite side of South Africa, is known for its majestic, isolated beaches. I decided to aim big. Why not take a mega-road trip through Namibia, to the other intriguing destination of Botswana, quickly passing through Victoria ... read more

Many of you have been asking and wondering how my World Cup experience has been. To answer this question, it is vital that I break down “experience” into two parts: First, my experience of being in South Africa during the World Cup; and second, my experience of being a volunteer in South Africa during the World Cup. Let me start with the volunteer experience. If I spoke with you before I left for SA, (in this case, South Africa), then it won’t surprise you that the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organizing Committee (aka the South Africans running the show) are amongst the most disorganized of any organization I’ve worked with. Unfortunately, dealing with the most important items, i.e., meals and money, has been the most frustrating. Processes change all the time, communication is terrible. On ... read more

As I write this, I’m sitting in San Francisco International airport (SFO) waiting to board my delayed flight to New York. From New York, I fly to Johannesburg. From Joburg to Cape Town. It’s a 30-hour or so travel itinerary. I figure once you get up around or past 30 hours, it doesn’t really matter how long you’re on the road, the trip is long. (In retrospect, I am going to say after 15 hours, it doesn’t really matter). Today is June 1st. Well, it’s almost June 2nd, and will be by the time the plane hits the tarmac. I returned to the US on May 12th. It’s been rough, I won’t lie. The first week I was in a serious funk. Then I started becoming bitter. Bitter at the lifestyles my friends and family have ... read more