There are often surprising powers which propel us toward special directions in our life. It is like an unknown force gives us a nudge. The Island of Bali is such a serendipitous destination. In 1995 after over a year of brutal treatments for cancer (multiple surgeries, an experimental stemcell transfer…
Years ago my Mom would call me to ask…”Are you watching the Tour?” For her the Tour de France was not about bike racing, but a wonderful travelogue on France. She loved seeing the fabulous countryside, ancient chateaus and monasteries. I miss those conversations with her…
The magical island of Bali features many fascinating wonders of spiritual rituals, mystical temples, and a unique and beautiful culture. On our trip in May we scheduled a driver to take Marla, our daughter Lisa and husband Ray and me to visit some of our favorite temples. Our first stop…
After our superb AHI “Essence of Southeast Asia” tour ended in Siem Reap, Cambodia Marla, daughter Lisa and husband Ray, and I flew to Bali for the last leg of our trip. We’ve stayed at many Bali hotels over the years and wanted something new this time. We chose…
Our wonderful AHI “Treasures of Southeast Asia” tour took us from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We stayed at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Resort. Our last visit to Siem Reap was in 2023 with two of our grandsons from Dallas. Our very first trip was in 1997 when…
Our Malaysian adventure continues with a stop at the Taman Negara National Park. Children from a nearby school serenaded us. We were so lucky to experience this! We travelled on pickup trucks to start the ride to the park. What seatbelts??? The “Tree Top Walk” took us high…
Having a 3-night Belmond train excursion as a component of our AHI “Treasures of Southeast Asia” trip was a giant bonus and something I always wanted to do! Of course I was a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”…
We were transported to beautiful Kandy House boutique hotel after a 2 hour drive from Water Garden Sigirya. In 1804, the last Chief Minister of the Kandyan kingdom built a palatial villa with local, moorish and dutch styles in the beautiful countryside near the former capital. 200 years later…
The Dambulla Cave Temple was a place I always wanted to visit but it was not on our bike tour itinerary. Our guide Peter made it happen for three of us who were interested. We were still exhausted from climbing Sigiriya’s 1250 steps before lunch so the 400…
We took the van to our next luxury resort, Water Garden Sigiriya. Beautiful water features and pathways in the resort. Sigiriya Lion Rock looms very large in the background of our resort. It is an ancient rock fortress known for its massive column of rock that reaches nearly 650 feet…