Budapest: This Buda’s For You

Budapest: This Buda’s For You

The minivan motored over an elegant stone suspension bridge, up a hill and arrived in Buda at what had to be a former Habsburg hub. I looked out the closest window and saw an especially stately palace adorned with marble statues, wrought iron gates, towers and spires. The tour guide began to speak, and I … Continued

Scotland: The Heather and the Fern

A pile of travel diaries sits on my desk. Most are mine, two are not. My grandfather’s 1937 and my mother’s 1951 diaries augment my stack. All New Zealanders of Scottish descent, it is 150 years since our ancestors emigrated but we have all felt the pull to Scotland. The cat jumps on my desk … Continued

Tanzania: Our Doc

Our guide raised the roof of the jeep. Literally. It was not a pop- up roof, but needed to be lifted off the car to rest on four metal legs. The metal roof floated above our heads so we could stand and see the animals. I had chosen to celebrate my 50th birthday on safari … Continued

Dharamsala, India: Goodbye

We leave at four in the morning. Guman, whose love for genuine conversation has managed to overcome the fact that I cannot understand Hindi and he cannot speak English, is telling me how Guru (teacher) is god. It is apparently written in the Bhagvad Gita. Those from whom we have the opportunity to learn gifts … Continued

Antarctica: At Earth’s End

My most awe-inspiring trip was an unlikely voyage. I went to a place of ice and snow, yet I hate winter. I crossed the roughest sea passage in the world, yet I am someone who gets seasick as soon as a boat starts rolling. Perhaps the destination was made more special because of the hardships … Continued

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