"Having no destination, I am never lost"
Ikkyū
Birthday in Vietnam
[Note: This is being posted in May 2020 for travel in 2019. While now is not the time to travel, one day we will be able to explore again.] Fall 2019. I was long overdue […]
Japan Adventures: My First Ryokan
I feel like I need to start a “merit badge” program for new Japan residents, with a list of must do induction items. And because it is Japan, it should come with a point card you always forget to bring. I’m glad to have finally earned my “Ryokan Novice” badge, and my “Learning to Love Onsen” badge.
Japan Weekends: Nikko
Jen figures out how to leave Tokyo
Wine Trails: Willamette Valley
It’s early August 2019 and I’m nearing the end of my three week summer stint in the PacNW. I started with a few weeks of work, with a long weekend in between in the San […]
This f***ing year
“I can’t go back to yesterday because
I was a different person then.” -Lewis Carroll
What has been going on? Where have I been? …
Yacht Life: San Juans
Well, it is confirmed. I am not a yachter. It’s also confirmed I’d be completely happy as a seaplane pilot ferrying people to their boats. So if this lawyering thing doesn’t work out, Kenmore, where […]
Hong Kong Discovery
I’ll start with my Hong Kong instagram post. I planned Hong Kong from another vacation in January. I figured I should plan something for my first holiday weekend. I didn’t realize then how much I’d […]
Jen 2.0
Hello world, again. [Update August 2019: this was attempt #1 to restart the blog, posted in May 2019. For a more recent update on life, click here after reading] Welcome, back. Like much of my […]
Safari: South Africa & Victoria Falls
It’s taken me a few months (OK, seven) to get this post written. I still haven’t really gone through my thousands of photos. The problem I keep facing as I sit down to finalize this – there is no way to do the trip justice. I’ve been fortunate to go many interesting places, but there is nothing comparable to seeing a parade of elephants, including infants, so close they could turn on you in seconds – or seeing a lioness devour her kill as her babies perch nearby waiting to get their turn. We saw the Big 5, the largest waterfall in the world, went rafting on some terrifying Class 5 rapids, and came face to face with great whites.
So I’ll keep this post factual and full of links to help you plan your African safari. (I’ve also posted my top photos here.)