Have you ever traveled somewhere where it was utterly impossible for you to fit in? It is an experience that any avid traveler will face at some point in their travels and honestly, it is an important life lesson that I found truly fascinating and insightful. It wasn’t until I began to get off the…
Photo above taken last Monday, January 1st in Tucson, Arizona. A family walk through Sabino Canyon with Grandma, Grandpa, me and the kids. After nine days in sunny, warm Arizona and two weeks off of school, we are back in balmy Minnesota (it has been record highs lately making me wonder what month it truly…
As I always say, there is no better way to experience the raw beauty of nature than to do it by a good hike. Sabino Canyon is just one of those places. It is achingly beautiful and perhaps one of the most stunning places in all of southwestern Arizona. Nestled in the southeastern foothills of…
Throughout my stay in urban China, I was bemused, amazed, surprised and continually fascinated by the resourcefulness of the Chinese in regards to modes of transportation. Here is a photo blog of what inspired me. When getting around or transporting goods, anything works, especially bicycles! These were the “party bikes” located in the bar…
Culture shock (noun): a sense of confusion, discomfort, disorientation, and uncertainty felt by those exposed to a different cultural environment. Even the statues have a third-eye….yet where was mine? I woke up Saturday morning feeling foggy and confused. Where am I again? I wondered half-awake. Somehow or another, I managed to get four and half…
I woke up Thursday morning after a rough night sleep of tossing and turning which has become the norm now before a big trip. I am actually surprised that I am able to sleep at all! But by now, I guess I’ve become sort of a veteran at taking these crazy, adventurous trips. All the…
As I pack for my upcoming trip to China (countdown: 2 days until departure), there is something new that I’ll be bringing along with me on my trip. It sits there discreetly and unaware. It is small and shiny yet one of the most life-changing hand-sized objects I now possess: My shiny new iPhone 4S….
Photo above of the kids in front of their beloved minivan Airport taxi. We don’t have a minivan yet they LOVE them. So whenever the maroon colored Airport taxi arrives outside of our house, they are thrilled. It was a LONG LONG day. It always is when traveling with kids. I can fly for 24…
My family and I in the ’70s at Lake Superior during our annual fall trip to Lutsen, Minnesota to see the splendid fall colors. I’ve always been a traveler, all my life, starting during the impressionable years of young childhood and blossoming over time into a full fledge passion and even obsession to see the world. Simply put, I cannot…
Note: This post first appeared in the Elephant Journal. It is a cummulation of my story of how I became the thirdeyemom, why I started this blog, what inspired me to make a difference in my life and others and why I began fundraising for Nepal. The link to the original post is here: Nepal was…
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Lago Nahuel Huapi, Villa La Angostura or Narrow Village is named after its location on a narrow isthmus. It is a sleepy, quiet town which receives much less traffic and tourism than Bariloche. What a pity! For it is a secret treasure of beauty and serenity and there are few others…
September 11, 2001. A day we will always remember. A day that we will never forget. A day that changed our world as we know it. A day that made our lives never the same. “First Pass, Defenders Over Washington” by Rick Herter. The painting depicts Capt. Dean Eckmann in his F-16, as he was the…