What’s the secret ingredient for a truly unforgettable trip? It’s those moments that make you stop, blink, and think, “Did that just happen?!” Whether it is an invitation for an unbelievable local experience, a chance encounter with wildlife, or being in a landscape so surreal it feels like a dream, my most cherished travel memories are the ones that took me completely by surprise and touched my heart. Prepare for a dose of wanderlust and a sprinkle of disbelief – these are my once-in-a-lifetime “wait, what?!” adventures.
One and done: kilimanjaro
“They don’t tell you that climbing Kilimanjaro is mostly a mental game played in the dark. We began our final ascent at midnight, a slow-motion procession of headlamps snaking up the volcanic scree in sub-zero winds. At 19,341 feet, the air is so thin it feels like you’re breathing through a straw.
The ‘Wait, What?’ moment hit just as the sun began to crack over the horizon. I looked to my left and saw a massive, prehistoric wall of blue ice—the Furtwängler Glacier—glowing in the dawn light. Standing on the roof of Africa, looking at glaciers just miles from the equator, the exhaustion vanished. It was a cold, quiet triumph that made every grueling step of the Lemosho Route worth it.”
Our driver Ronnie had proved skilled and informative during our safari in the Mara. Now we find ourselves in the back of the Rover driving out of the National Park. We are heading into the neighboring Masai Village. We are greeted with a dozen Maasai warriors draped in their traditional colorful wraps and adorned with jewelry. Visiting the Maasai Warriors whoa! I only would read about these tribes in Nat Geo when I was young or view on an adventurers IG. Their plan is to perform for the tourists coming through the village but on this day it was only my friend and I. We watched in amazement as they performed and jumped and listened to the interesting and coordinated humming and chanting.
After the performance it was time to venture into their village and meet the children. They gathered round and were most happy to see themselves in our cameras. The warriors also showed us how they make fire which involves a fire board (soft, dry wood), a fire stick (hard, straight wood), and tinder (dried grass, leaves, or bark). Making fire is a team effort with several men trading off the spinning until the main Maasai gently blew the ember until the smoke turned into fire! The women of the tribe also have a roll and quickly laid out their jewelry and crafts on hand made tables. I did feel awkward that we were only two people! More tourists to purchase their wares would be best.
After we were done exploring the village, we took a walk with the two Maasai to the local school. We walked through a rough mud road and passed more children playing, doing errands and helping out a goat that just gave birth, until we got to the little town with the school. This school needs supplies urgently. Supplies, food and medical care is hard to come by. I thought I could send a care package from the U.S. with school and art supplies. They said that they would never recieve a package through the mail.
After walking and talking for hours, the end of our time with the Maasai chiefs was here. Suddenly the ‘fire chief’ expressed that he wanted my long sleeve grey outdoor shirt with a half zipper. He would trade with me and touched the Maasai traditional choker that he had around his neck! Wait, What? These chokers are vibrant, handcrafted beaded neckpieces often symbolizing social status, marital status, and age. They are unisex and are worn during rituals or as daily adornment. Yes please! Let’s make a deal. I felt very honored to receive something so special. My friend also made a trade as i looked over and the other Maasai proudly had on her white cap.
Walking into Baalbek: are the gods calling my name?
So much has changed since I went to Lebanon. The economy collapsed, there was the explosion and destruction that followed, and air strikes. Of course currently they are being bombed, again. I was there before this turmoil and discovered that Lebanon is a beautiful country with friendly residents and ancient history. There is much to explore in Lebanon: from the modern city of Beirut, museums, food, architecture, culture, the beach to it’s ancient history.
We were driving through the Beqaa Valley, a dusty desert deserted road for hours. I spotted signs for Hezbollah. ‘Not to worry’ our driver insisted. I truly did not know what to expect as we pulled into a dusty parking lot. We jumped out of the car and looked in amazement: One of the preeminent ancient sites of the world is Baalbek. I could see seemingly intact Temples and clear carvings in huge stone blocks. It’s like stepping into a time capsule, where the grandeur of ancient civilizations unfolds before your eyes.
This ancient site is so well preserved and there are so few people wandering around. Baalbek, also known as Heliopolis in ancient times, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a history spanning over 11,000 years! It has witnessed the rise and fall of various empires, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans, each leaving its mark on the city’s architecture and culture. The Roman-era temples are particularly impressive, showcasing the empire’s architectural prowess at its peak.
The Temple of Jupiter is a colossal structure that once stood as one of the largest Roman temples ever built. Its massive columns and intricate carvings are a testament to the engineering and artistic skills of the ancient Romans. The Temple of Bacchus is another remarkable structure, known for its well-preserved details and elaborate decorations.
The sheer scale of the stones used in these temples, some weighing over 800 tons, is a source of constant fascination and wonder.
Walking among the ruins, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer magnitude of the structures and the history they represent. There is also a museum underneath that is home to delicate and important artifacts that have somehow survived over thousands of years. I tried to imagine how a civilization so advanced lived in this special place thousands of years ago. I was transported to the past and my imagination was sparked. This is a special place and most unforgettable.
Remote Jungle Hut Nightmares
Getting to Asia from the U.S. is no joke with some destinations 29 or more hours away. Such is Indonesia…After several very long flights my daughter and I are still hours away from our destination. We are traveling in Indonesia to a very ‘off the beathen path’ locale. First stop: the remote jungles of Sumatra. Travel has been complicated here. It is a new frontier for me and trying to arrange activities, accommodations, food, transportation is a challenge. Add to this is my travel compadre, my 16 year old daughter. I want her to have an amazing adventure but cannot make it too difficult, too boring etc. After landing in Medan, there is no turning back.
Most travelers chase the “authentic” experience until they actually find it. After 29 hours of transit, my 16-year-old daughter and I arrived at a remote jungle hut in Sumatra that redefined the term “off the beaten path.”
The walls were more of a suggestion than a barrier. As night fell, the jungle didn’t just surround us; it moved in. Every rustle in the thatch roof sounded like a prowling tiger, and the humidity was so thick it felt like breathing through a wet towel.
The “Wait, What?” moment came at 3:00 AM when I looked over at my daughter—a teenager who usually requires high-speed Wi-Fi and a climate-controlled room—sleeping soundly while a spider the size of a dinner plate scouted the rafters above us. It was a brutal, sleepless lesson in resilience: sometimes the most “miserable” nights are the ones that prove you can handle anything the world throws at you.
Dancing with mantas
What can I say? I am exhilarated with wild animal encounters. A nature girl at heart, being in the ocean and observing these mantas swimming around so close that I could feel the current from their wings and hear their high pitched call is electrifying!! This encounter happened in the Galapagos Islands. I was on a boat and we were heading for a beach landing. Unfortunately or fortunately the waves were too rough so we had to turn back. That is when the captain and crew spotted the tips of manta wings sporadically coming out of the water. Apparently the mantas were chasing a female and trying to mate with her. Then our guide said ‘lets get in’ and for me those words are heaven…
Wait, What?
My first safari: nairobi national park
The Wild and the Wire: Nairobi National Park
Maybe it is because I just saw Black Panther or maybe because it is my first safari but heading to Nairobi National Park from the big city felt unreal. I was about to see and experience the park for myself. Let me tell you, it is cool. Watching wild animals and birds, driving through the park in safari trucks, thinking you are in the middle of nowhere and then you see Nairobi in the distance. Wait, what?
Most people think you have to trek hours into the bush to see a lion. In Nairobi, you just have to look past the skyscrapers.
Entering the park felt like a glitch in the matrix. On one side of the Land Rover, a group of irritated water buffalo grunts and gets close; on the other, the glass and metal towers of the city’s central business district pierced the horizon. It is a surreal, high-contrast landscape where the natural world: the animal kingdom and the modern one are neighbors.
The “Wait, What?” moment hit when a giraffe stepped into frame, its long neck perfectly silhouetted against a backdrop of construction cranes and traffic. It was a stark, beautiful reminder that even in the heart of a bustling metropolis, the wild is still watching.
My friend, Chrissy, and I, wanted to do a trip together to Jordan. We were flying in from different locations so would meet in Amman, the main city. Like many of my adventures it’s 80% enthusiasm and 20% research (on a good day) Experience has shown that we’re in a new country, anything could happen!
Little did we know, Petra was about to give us a story for the ages, an experience of a lifetime, a bit of drama, much excitement, new and unexpected friendships and exotic places full of ancient history.
We found an efficient local hotel near Petra with an amazing rooftop pool that was a lifesaver in the Jordanian heat and began to plan our foray into Petra.
As soon as we passed the visitors center and started our trek into Petra it is like walking back in time and stepping into a new world. Petra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site. I could imagine the ancient Nabataean people walking along the same narrow paths surrounded by the narrow rose colored sandstone cliffs. Even though the sun could not reach us because of the tall cliffs it was hot. The echoing sound of horses’ hooves clippety clopping through the centuries worn dirt paths was immersive and transformative. Kansas this is not!
The afternoon’s descent from the oppressive heat found us traversing the Siq, a natural gorge that narrowed with each step, heightening the sense of entering a sacred space. And then at the end of the long road, the Treasury revealed itself, a monument carved into the cliff face, a testament to the Nabataean civilization’s artistry and engineering. The sight was both breathtaking and humbling, a confluence of history and human endeavor. I snapped a photo of the moment that we stepped into this sacred space the feeling of awe and wonderment forever captured.
The presence of the exotic and frankly hot Bedouins, think ‘Jack Sparrow’, with their beautiful caramel skin and shiny long black curls wrapped with traditional head scarfs called keffiyeh or hatta and kohl outlining their eyes, confidently attending to their camels and donkeys, added another layer to our experience. They are the inheritors of this ancient land, their lives intertwined with Petra’s history for centuries.
Chrissy, her ankle protesting the walk, opted for a camel’s perspective, and I soon found myself astride a rather reluctant vocal young camel, guided by two Bedouin men, Rakim and Lost (obviously aliases hmm). We set off each of us on a camel and the two locals sharing a rather cute donkey. Our tour of Petra’s vast expanse, under the softening light of the setting sun, was just breathtaking. A private tour after hours in the lost city of Petra…
After hours of laughing, exploring and camel riding, Lost spoke of his grandmother, born in a cave within Petra, she still lived there, a rare exception to the community’s forced relocation. This was not a mere tourist encounter; it was an invitation to witness a living connection to the past. Hell yes!! is what I was thinking.
We were just invited to dinner with Lost, his family and Rakim. Lost and I jumped on the donkey. The donkey seemed tiny compared to the camel but he was nimble and maneuvered along the rocky and dusty desert trails, passing long abandoned caves carved into the surrounding sandstone formations. We embarked on a journey unknown (to us), a ride into the never ending desert, further and further away from the tourist sites, following paths carved into the rock and dirt by generations on hooves and feet. I see a structure ahead with a large patio. This is Grandmother’s cave, which seemed like a palace, a profound dwelling, quite tall and rectangular shaped, the sandstones gorgeous striped pattern encompassed the entirety. There was an opening but there was not a door. I could not see inside the dark space. Grandmother and several others (two children, two adults) were sitting on the patios rock floor with a platter of white liquid milk and goat meat. They were eating with their hands and spitting the bones out. Grandmother looked at us suspiciously. She did not speak English. I tried to be inconspicuous while I snapped photos on my phone. I was offered food. Lost had eagerly already started to eat. Chrissy was sitting as well. I sat down and picked up a small bit of goat. The strong smell of the gamey meat made my hand refuse to get more. G-ma was not convinced and was visibly wondering why we were there. She would skeptically glance over at me. Nevertheless the others were friendly and curious and made us feel welcome. One young male had what appeared to be a club foot and needed surgery which he would probably never receive. The young female was bright and all smiles. It was a moment of profound human connection, a reminder that travel’s true riches lie in these unexpected encounters and that we are all the same regardless of religion, economic status or the color of our skin.
To be included in such an intimate experience, to witness a way of life that has persisted through time, was deeply inspiring. It was a reminder that history is not just carved into stone; it lives in the hearts and hands of those who call these places home. As we departed Petra under the cloak of night, I carried with me a sense of gratitude and a renewed appreciation for the enduring power of human connection, a lesson etched as deeply as the monuments themselves.
We ended up spending several days with these two, renting a car, spending the night in the desert under the stars, drinking arak, several visits to Umm Sayhoun, being stranded for a bit on rocks in Petra at night and listening to yelling and gunshots at a far off wedding that the guys had to go to (family feud), car breaking down in the middle of nowhere, swimming, spending a night ‘cruising’ Amman, a roadtrip to Amman with three Bedouins and us and last but not least a visit to the Roman Theater in Amman. It was truly an amazing experience and we were able to explore Jordan with a greater appreciation for the culture and history. It is a journey that I will never forget and as I am looking through my photos of that trip and looking at the very first photo i took of the Treasury and remembering how in awe I felt, I notice that Lost is in the photo looking towards me as I stepped into the plaza. A moment in time…
They said "don't bother" and i did and it was soulful: joberg
Has this ever happened to you? You are planning a trip and friends and family offer up “don’t go there!’, or ‘it is not safe there’, ‘ not much to see or do there”.
I have heard these warnings a lot and I usually end up going and then I am happy I did. Johannesburg is one of those places. When I arrived in Johannesburg I stayed at a hostel in Soweto, did a bike tour through the townships, learned about the history of apartheid, visited Mandelas house and the apartheid museum, ate soul food, then I went to another hostel in a cool area with hip bars and restaurants, a design scene, new friends and a lot of graffiti. Check out my post of graffiti around the world! We also visited a vibrant area with food courts, music and shopping that was so much fun. Thank you Joberg!!
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Skinny dipping in Santorini
“In Santorini, the crowd is a physical force, a sea of linen and selfie sticks swirling through the white-washed alleys of Oia. But my hostel roommate and I shared a silent, rebellious intuition: the real island was down, not up.
We bypassed the souvenir shops and began the steep descent toward the water, winding between sun-bleached homes and the occasional wild cat dozing in the heat. By the time we reached the jagged edge of the Aegean, the noise of the village had evaporated.
The ‘Wait, What?’ moment was the silence. Even with thousands of tourists walking directly above our heads, we had found a pocket of total privacy. We didn’t even need to speak; we just stepped into the cool, crystal water. Skinny dipping in the shadow of a caldera while the rest of the world stands in line for a photo is the ultimate travel luxury.”
Mot, Hai, Ba, YO! Exploring Ha Giang with EasyRiders and new friends
“In Northern Vietnam, the ‘Easy Riders’ don’t just drive; they navigate a vertical world of limestone pinnacles and hairpin turns that seem to defy physics. Strapped to the back of a motorbike, I spent three days winding through the Ha Giang Loop, where the Ma Pi Leng Pass offers a terrifyingly beautiful view of the Nho Que River thousands of feet below.
The ‘Wait, What?’ moment wasn’t the scenery, though—it was the ‘Happy Water.’ Every night, after hours of white-knuckle riding, we’d gather with local families for a chorus of ‘Mot, Hai, Ba, YO!’ (1, 2, 3, Cheers!). Between the shots of potent rice wine and the roar of the engines, the language barrier vanished. It’s a place where the adrenaline of the road is only matched by the warmth of a communal table.”
Walking with gentle giants
The heat was intense but today way the day for me to visit the Elephant Nature Preserve in Northern Thailand. A van picked me up and there were videos explaining the plight of elephants when they are taken from nature to work.
Feeling spiritual under the Aurora Borealis in Iceland
Coming soon:
