I’m Still Human (And No, I Wasn’t Kidnapped by Aliens)

Hi readers! It’s me Nicole aka thirdeyemom. I am just here to prove that I’m human and not some AI robot.

I was not kidnapped by aliens. I am still me, and thankfully I don’t have an AI chip implanted in my brain!

When Technology Goes Wrong

My last blog post, “10 Responsible Travel Tips to Reduce your Impact”, which I worked so hard at, was sent out to my readers via email as a complete garbled up mess!

Horrified, I opened up WordPress to see what caused the blog post malfunction. As an “OG” (“original gangster” aka someone who has been blogging forever) I tried to use new WP technology to make my workflow faster. Yesterday I tried to use the more powerful Block Editor that also has some AI features to help organize the behind-the-scenes structure of blog posts.

I did not want to suck all the water out of the Mississippi River to help cool the AI datacenter by using a couple of AI features such as the AI title and meta description tool  (more on that later).  Yet, quite frankly, I was curious to try it out and see if these AI tools help my content be found in searches. I had read all the news that “the blog is dead” and “no one can find your content in AI searches anymore”. I wanted to see if this was true, and if this AI tool helped.

A Formatting Disaster

What happened was this (see screenshot below): an absolute formatting malfunction which ended up taking me hours to fix. It was not a result of the AI tool I used. It was all a HUMAN error. I didn’t know how to use it. I made a mistake, and guess what, AI makes mistakes too. Just like humans, it can be wrong. Very wrong. So search results and AI chat garb must be, I repeat must be, further researched for its validity.

A traditional Quechua weaving day trip from Cusco is worth every penny, and it stands out as one of the most meaningful cultural experiences in Peru. My daughter and I spent a half-day with a multi-generational weaving family in Amaru Village, about 1.5 hours northeast of Cusco, learning how alpaca and sheep wool is sheared, cleaned, naturally dyed, spun, and finally woven. The whole process, from raw fiber to finished textile, is done entirely by hand using techniques passed down for thousands of years. It was a beautiful, hands-on, and deeply moving experience. Here’s why you should do a day trip from Cusco to see traditional weavers.

Our amazing guide Martin holding Betsy’s little boy, Samir, who stole the show with his cuteness. 

Last August, my daughter and I completed the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, an unforgettable adventure through the soaring Andes to one of the most iconic treasures of the Inca civilization. While visiting Cusco, the historic heart of the Inca Empire, I was eager to experience another important part of Peruvian culture: the ancient weaving traditions of the Quechua people.

The Quechua people of Peru are renowned for their extraordinary textiles, colorful handwoven fabrics created and preserved for thousands of years in the Andes. More than simply beautiful souvenirs, these traditional Andean textiles are deeply connected to Quechua history, spirituality, and daily life. Because the Quechua language was historically passed down orally rather than through written texts, weaving became an essential way to preserve ancestral stories, mythology, cultural identity, and regional traditions.

Today, Quechua weaving remains a sacred art form passed from one generation to the next. Every pattern, color, and symbol woven into the fabric carries meaning, telling stories of family, nature, and life in the Andes. Visiting a Quechua weaving community near Cusco offered us a rare opportunity to learn firsthand about one of Peru’s most enduring and meaningful cultural traditions.

Beautiful mama and baby (Betsy and her son, Samir) who showed us how to thread wool – not an easy thing to do – with a baby on her back.

Finding the right Spanish language school can make all the difference in how quickly and how deeply you learn a new language. While apps and textbooks have their place, nothing compares to learning directly from native speakers, especially in an immersive, in-person environment. That’s where Na’atik Language and Culture Institute stands out. Nestled in the heart of stunning Quintana Roo, Mexico, Na’atik offers a unique opportunity to study both Spanish and Maya with local instructors who bring language to life through culture, conversation, and real-world connection.

Whether you choose to learn on-site or join their flexible online programs, you’ll experience a more meaningful, authentic path to fluency. Best of all, Na’atik Language and Culture Institute gives back to the local Maya community, making this program a win-win situation for both the traveler and the locals (which rates high in my books). While I’m a huge fan and daily user of Duolingo, nothing is better than practicing with a live person.  Learn more in this Q&A with Na’atik Language and Culture Institute founder Catherine Gray.

A student group visiting Na’atik Language and Culture Institute in Mexico

I haven’t done one of these reflective posts in a while, but for some reason, as I sit inside by a warm fire and the snow blankets the trees outside, I feel compelled to write. As with every year in life, 2025 was one of plenty of highs and lows. Yet, it was also a year of immense change and transformation, as I transitioned from being the matriarch at home to an empty nester. Combine that with a lot of travel and another new hip, and it certainly has been a year for the books.

Just as it has been physically tiring (with the hip replacement surgery and lots of hikes), it has also been emotionally draining. With painful complications following my hip surgery to my mother’s unexpected illness, which nearly brought me to my knees. My daughter’s last few months at home until she left for college on the other side of the country, and my own deeper dive back into my career. Then last but not least, the emotional distress that this last year has caused me to be angry, deeply sad, and devastated at the direction that our country has taken. One filled with racism, misogyny, and entitlement, and greed, along with everyday violence, including a school shooting killing two innocent children right down the street from my home. It is easy to curl up in a ball and cry, but that is the easy way out. Not doing anything, letting this happen, would be a hypocrisy to everything I believe in. So I fight. At least we still have the freedom of speech (somewhat) in this country and the ability to protest and stand up for what we believe in. At least for now. I’ve been to many countries where it is not possible, and I feel fortunate to have this basic human right still.

It has been a lot, but I feel this time around, I’ve taken the highs and lows in stride and grace. I’ve learned after all these years how to manage my emotional anxiety that has come and gone throughout the years, and I have found ways to ground my racing, wanderlust soul. It hasn’t been easy – but then again, perhaps now at age 54, I’ve gained some wisdom throughout it all. As much as I miss the hustle and bustle of the kids, having more time to myself and less stress has been amazingly therapeutic. I’ve finally learned to calm down, embrace the day, and take walks with no phone, no sound, and just spend my time noticing. With all the chaos in the world (not to mention the 24/7 news frenzy of horrific daily news), it is a must to slow down. Turn off the noise and dig deep into the fleetingness of life. For each day, each month, and each year seems to go faster and faster.  It is up to us to take a breath.

It had been fourteen years since I last visited Nepal and this magical country has held a special place in my heart ever since. That fateful trip birthed this very blog which I have been sharing my journey ever since. In May 2024, I returned to Nepal with Community Homestay Network (CHN) for a whirlwind trip exploring the rural communities of Kathmandu Valley for a week-long trip.  This trip called Community Connect, brought together journalists, travel advisors, and others all passionate about the power of community tourism to change the face of travel.

Community Homestay Network (CHN) is a social enterprise that supports a network of community homestays in Nepal. CHN connects travelers with communities across Nepal, providing a unique opportunity to stay with Nepali families and immerse themselves in real Nepali life. At the same time, local host families can share their culture and landscapes with the world while gaining access to a sustainable source of income through tourism. The authentic experiences CHN offers travelers are created to positively impact Nepali communities, women, and families, as well as the travelers themselves.

The first day of our trip began with a short drive outside of Kathmandu to the historic Newari region of Bhaktapur, an area rich in culture and lavish Newari architecture, Hindu temples, heritage, and beauty. Our first stop was in Madhyapur Thimi, a village known for its pottery and ceramics where we took a pottery class and learned how the community supports themselves through this beautiful craft.  Thimi is one of the ancient cultural and historical villages along the ancient trade route from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu, and is known as the pottery capital of the region. Roughly 11 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu, Thimi is easily reachable for a day trip and continues to play an important role in Nepali culture and tourism.

The impressive 17th-century Hindu Siddhikali Temple. The two-story roofed temple is dedicated to Hindu Gods Kali, Shiva, and Ganesh.

The first thing I noticed while walking the ancient streets of Nepal is that color is everywhere in Nepal and means everything. It can be found in its religion, culture, clothing, food, and of course, within the natural environment.

Towards the end of my trip in Bhutan, we made a stop on the way back to Paro in Thimphu to visit a traditional dezo (paper-making) factory called the Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory.

Bhutan takes immense pride in its culture, history and traditions and the government has tried hard to keep the Kingdom’s artistic heritage alive through its art schools and community programs offering education in the centuries-old traditions of painting, weaving, woodwork and paper making. A visit to a workshop or factory producing these amazing handicrafts is a must for any traveler to Bhutan.

Never would I have imagined that I would have to have a total hip replacement at age 51. Nor would I realize how hard a hip replacement was and what to really expect after having a total hip replacement. I had experienced on-and-off pain for over nine years on my right side but never attributed it to needing a new hip. Instead, I thought everything was related to a tear in my labrum, a thin piece of cartilage that goes around the hip. While I avoided surgery then, it never fully disappeared.

My hip replacement story

It took a year of physical therapy to get rid of the pain and I was back at running again, hiking, biking, skiing, and living my normally active lifestyle. Yet last summer I did a workout that was truly the straw that broke the camel’s back. I did a series of squats and twists with weights and the next day my right IT band was on fire. I thought it was just a sore muscle until it did not go away for weeks and only got worse. That is when I went back to my doctor and they did the X-ray that provided the surprising news. I had nothing left, was bone on bone, and could try PT but eventually would need a full hip replacement. I was truly stunned.

Once the news let out, the questions began. Everyone asked me, “Does it run in your family?“. No. My dad is 80 and still runs and never had a hip replacement. “Did you do something to make this happen to you?”. No, not really. I just lived my life. The questions stressed me out more than the news itself so I simply quit telling people.

51-year-old me at the Dochula Pass, Bhutan

I have been active all my life. Growing up, I was a dancer for 15 years, and a competitive swimmer for five years. I was a runner for 30 years. I downhill ski, Nordic ski, bike, and hike. But when I asked my surgeon why it happened to me so young, he simply said “Bad luck“.