What are South Africa’s Big Five?
That is a question that could be answered in a variety of ways……but the Big Five we are speaking of we hope to see on our upcoming tour, Safari South Africa. In the animal kingdom of Africa, there is the term for the “Big Five”—which are the Elephant, the Lion, the Leopard, the Cape Buffalo, and the Rhinoceros. They are not called the Big Five because of their size—though they are certainly big. In the days of hunting on foot, these five animals were the most dangerous and could turn and charge the hunters. It was the dream of the... read more
Is Bolivia Now a Foodie Destination?
The food and cuisine of Bolivia is changing–a new infusion of talented chefs in La Paz create new along with traditional Bolivian foods.
read moreInside Cuba: Farewell to Fidel
“Sad….it’s very sad”, said our Casa Particular* owner when she told us of Fidel Castro’s passing. On November 25, Cubans lost the only leader that most had ever known. His death produced a profound sense of loss for many Cubans, and a hope for something new and different for others. When Fidel’s death was announced, we found ourselves in Santiago de Cuba, the nation’s second largest city which is located on the far eastern end of the island. It is a city rich with the history of Cuban revolutions, and it is the city from which... read more
Did We Say Cuba?
Direct Flights to Cuba. A number of American carriers have initiated direct flights to Cuba. This makes traveling to the island much easier as you do not have to transit through Miami. For example, there are non stops between Los Angeles – Havana, Charlotte-Havana, Atlanta – Havana, JFK – Havana and more. Also there are direct flights from the US to other cities on the island such as Camaguey, Holguin, Cienfuegos and Santiago. The cost of these flights is competitive as there is an overcapacity of flights at the... read more
Is There a Land of Land of Hugs?
I live in both the “Land of Sky”—Asheville, North Carolina, USA—and also in the “Land of Smiles”—Thailand, where I encounter numerous smiling people every day. But do you know where is the “Land of Hugs” ??? I came upon the Land of Hugs on a year-long odyssey through South America in 1975. In the Land of Hugs, I found the people warm and friendly, somewhat shy at times, but certainly not huggers. The locals made beautiful woven fabrics. They played traditional Andean musical instruments... read more
Salt of the Earth—Tons of It!
Salar de Uyuni by Seth Arlow Welcome to one of the natural wonders of the world, The Salar de Uyuni, or the great Salt Flat of Uyuni, Bolivia. It is the world’s largest salt flat and it resulted from the transformation of several prehistoric lakes.When it rains, it also becomes the world’s largest mirror. It can be seen from the moon…… Traversing and exploring the salt flat is one of the highlights on our Viva Bolivia! Tour. The salt flat covers over 4,000 square miles and contains 10 billion tons of salt! We want to acknowledge... read more
Angkor Wat ~ Bagan ~ Machu Picchu
How Do You Compare Them?
Imagine yourself on a magic carpet taking you to three of the world’s most amazing ancient ruins: Machu Picchu in Peru, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and Bagan in Myanmar (Burma). Today’s blog post will be your magic carpet ride to these three magical locations, all of which I have visited.
No haircuts on Wednesday and other Thai customs
After a number of months of living here in Thailand, I have learned some unusual (to my western perspective) customs, which I will share with you in this blog post. Did you know that it is bad luck to have your hair cut on a Wednesday in Thailand? That explains why barbershops and beauty salons are often closed here on Wednesdays: it is a bad luck day to have your hair cut. Why? This custom is attributed to two different reasons: one is that this started many years ago when a previous king (the Thais love and revere their king) had his hair... read more
A Small Footprints Journey is Good for the Soul!
Traveling around the world makes your soul sing and shine…..but a journey that is good for your soul lasts a lifetime. Our SFT trips make your travel dreams come true ! With a small group (max 12 travelers) we experience the world in a more conscious present way. And the photographs we make facilitate the memories of shared understandings. Small Footprint Travelers journey in harmony with the cultures and peoples at our destination countries. With a spirit of discovery and exploration, we enjoy a more intimate immediate awareness,... read more
Can a Missing Jet Bring a Government Change?
Unless you have been off the media grid, undoubtedly you have heard about the missing (for 11 days now) Malaysian Airlines flight which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. My sympathy goes out to all of the families of the passengers and crew on that flight. A few days ago, I was in Kuala Lumpur, a coincidental convergence of being in the capital as the drama unfolded. Top right. A traditional Malaysian... read more