Arrival in Praia, Cabo Verde
The weather in Malaga turned nasty last week (OK, nasty by Malagan standards, not Canadian ones: a bit of rain, grey skies, temperatures as low as +12c.) Then there was a big hailstorm which drew kids into the street to…
Tema Frank
Historical Fiction & Business Author, World Traveler & Speaker
Tema Frank
Historical Fiction & Business Author, World Traveler & Speaker
Category Travel
Why Contingency Funds Are Important in Retirement Planning
In thinking through whether we could afford to retire early and still have the kind of life (and travels) that we wanted, we knew it was important to set aside contingency funds. While the assumption was that it would be…
Cultural Fantasies
Guest post by DH When our children attended Parkview Elementary School we were amazed by the arrogance or ignorance associated with the Xmas “shows” put on that students participated in. Christmas Celebrations Around the World was the best catch all…
A Retrospective Look at 2 Weeks in the Middle East
Spoiler alert: I survived. Took a lot of Benadryl, and mainly ate beef jerky, dates and Made Good nut-free, seed-free granola bars, but I’m now safe and sound in Malaga! Of course, I let my guard down and got poisoned…
Jerusalem to Tel Aviv
What whiplash I’ve experienced in the past 24 hours. From the drab, long black skirts, sensible shoes and headscarves of the religious in Jerusalem to chic boutiques and edgy fashions in Tel Aviv. From the conflict in Hebron to standing…
Still Alive
When I was 20 I wanted to enter the foreign service. I got the application package, and was ready to write the exam. But when I started going through the package, one of the questions was, “Are there any countries…
Arriving in the Promised Land
Israel is not off to a great start for me. The Israeli couple who sat next to me on the plane didn’t even acknowledge my presence when they sat down. I don’t think I’ve ever had that happen before. I…
Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
(Sorry if I get the They Might Be Giants song, Istanbul (not Constantinople) stuck in your head; I’m afraid it was going through mine the whole time I was there! Don’t click the link unless you want to risk the earworm.…
Speaking in Kuwait
I was excited to go to Kuwait, as it was a new part of the world for me. And when you get to go with a conference organizer ensuring that all the details are taken care of for you, and…
Gearing Up for Nearly 5 Months of Travel
Yikes! I’m just a day away from departing on my next batch of travels. This time I’ll be going to: Kuwait Turkey Israel Spain Morocco I hope to have the energy to blog while I’m in each of these places,…
View From a Naples Pizza Stand
DH and I rarely do speed tourism. We prefer to stay in one location for several days at least, preferably weeks or months, so we can soak in what the place is really like. Unfortunately, this is DH’s teaching term,…
Vietri Sul Mare, Italy
1705 Platter The town of Vietri Sul Mare, once known as the gateway to the Amalfi Coast, is famous for its ceramics. The streets of the small village are lined with ceramic shops. According to the guides, there was a…