Islands of Thailand

Close to Phuket there are 39 smaller islands to the southeast, studded with tropical forests, mountains, beautiful limestone formations, pristine beaches, surrounded by coral reefs and the aquamarine water of the Andaman Sea.
We saw a few monkeys and baboons off one of the islands.

Snorkeling off of Phi Phi and 4 other islands ....... colorful coral forests, tropical fish and other marine life, including leopard sharks, moray eels, octopus and turtles. We were bummed that I forgot my underwater camera but hope that you enjoy these shots.

Bako National Park-Borneo

"The compulsion to see what lies beyond the far ridge or that ocean-or this planet-is a defining part of human identity and success."

  David Dobbs

At Bako we enjoyed an outstanding diversity of natural landscapes. We hiked in the dense rainforest, home to many flora and fauna including the rare highly endangered proboscis monkey. We spotted several during low tide as they foraged in the exposed Mangrove tree swamps. 

On adventures like this, we discover ourselves and the planet.

Longhouse people-Ibans

This Asian adventure was brutal in terms of time on airplanes, in airports and getting ourselves to the destinations we wanted. We endure the pain for the joy that comes from discovering ourselves and the planet.
We traveled by long boat across the Batang Ai Reservoir to the Ali Longhouse eco-resort and the next day took a longboat down the Engkari River to a real Iban longhouse, an entire village under one roof.
The Iban people were once head hunters but not since being converted to Christianity. This was a memorable day!

2000 Miles through Turkey

"If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul." -Alphonse de Lamartine 

After spending four fabulous days in New York City we were off to Turkey for 14 days. Turkey has attracted so many visitors over the centuries and we decided to come and discover their legacy for ourselves. We travelled over 2000 miles through this incredible country and were delighted to find the landscapes varied and stunning. We explored ancient ruins and bucolic villages that dotted the rural areas. Taking in this scenery could not have been more pleasant. We checked out mosques, palaces, ruins, and museums along the way as well as the mountain ranges (Turkish Alps) and beaches. The people were warm, friendly and simply wonderful. We ate way too much, satisfying our epicurean indulgence from street snacks to gourmet restaurants with panoramic terraces. We met interesting people from around the world and loved every minute in the country that spans two continents. 

We have been privileged to visit many different countries (45) and Turkey is rated close to the top for our vacation dollars. 

Our silk road: Istanbul, Cannakale, Izmir, Antalya, Cappadocia,  Ankara and return to Istanbul.