We are a global village of women with a mission to close the gap between people and places. We do that by sharing travel stories, food recipes, and advice . How we travel. Our unique perspectives on the world. Our love of food and family. Tidbits of wisdom we’ve collected along the way. By putting faces next to places, we hope to tell stories that promote a better world.
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Happy New Year
As the last light of 2020 is fading away, I’m grateful that I am still here—that those I love are still alive and well. Collectively we had a rough year ...
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A year in the circus
In 2018, I ran away and joined the circus. That’s what writing is. You spin and you twirl. You create an illusion, a trapdoor, an escape pod. You fly out ...
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The Closet Introvert travels alone
Traveling alone is easier than ever. Not because the smartphones have created countries of socially awkward people that would choose a root canal over making eye contact, making it safe ...
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6 Skills a child needs to become globally minded
Being a mom of three elementary school-aged children teaches me one thing: nature is stronger than nurture. You cannot change the nature of your children, but you can nurture and ...
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What to eat in New Orleans when you can’t taste a thing
This winter comes with a bad flu season. I was one such unlucky soul who had the flu that hit me like a Category 5 Hurricane deserving of a name ...
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Not-So-Basic Fettuccini Alfredo Recipe
I was 18 years old and on my own, a half-starved and broke college student living in my first apartment in Glassboro, NJ. My Dad was in town for a ...
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Woman talk on investment
2018 is upon us. We’re older. Hopefully wiser. Definitely closer to our retirement age. So now is as good a time as ever to reevaluate our investment portfolio. Don’t want ...
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Planning for resilience
We make a lot of plans, set a lot of goals, especially this time of year. How do you stay resilient when things change, as they all too often do? ...
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Genchi Genbutsu: “Go and see for yourself”
"While we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one." - J.K. Rowling I recently combined a fear of traveling alone with a ...
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Joshua Tree National Park
It was two days after Christmas and 70 degrees Fahrenheit at Joshua Tree National Park. A clear azure sky and not a single cloud in sight. SPF 50 on our ...
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One people. One World. A 60-second video on SE Asia.
Nine countries. Eight weeks. Seven local beers. Six new elephant friends. Five times that I was certain I'd be "Taken". Four languages that locals approached me in (Thai, Japanese, Korean, ...
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8 Helpful Tips for Traveling with Children & Raising Responsible Travelers
I love to travel. Next to reading, it is one of the best ways to build empathy, resiliency, social intelligence, and knowledge. And I knew that once I had children, ...
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Recipe for Vietnamese Chả Cá La Vong (Turmeric Fish with Dills)
I don’t consider myself a Chef but I do find myself in the kitchen whenever I feel inspired by the food I’ve eaten around the world or at new local ...
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Travel tips: some pointers to make your journey smooth and your return even smoother
Having the ability to travel is awesome! Hoping these tips help you keep memories of the trip sweet and not overshadowed by the weird and wonky things that could easily ...
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Waterworld: Ecotourism in Thailand
A story about how a little village in Thailand is using ecotourism to raise itself from the mud and teach people to save the environment. Ban Khun Samut Jeen is ...
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Recipe for your left-over Thanksgiving turkey: Indonesian Lontong and Turkey Curry
Since I talked about Thai food last week, this week I feel compelled to bring you Indonesian food. And because it’s Thanksgiving week, I’m going to honor the turkey as ...
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A story about Thai chicken green curry (with recipe)
When I tell strangers I’m Thai, one of the first things they tell me is that they love Thai food. My reply is usually, ‘so do I’. What’s not to ...
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How to live on just enough
No one likes to think that one day they will be old, but everyone daydreams about retirement. And because people are living longer, the nightmare is that we will outlive ...
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How to save Sapa and places like it
Sapa, Vietnam. Why should we care to save it? The gorgeous valley of fertile land where bubbling brooks empty into waterfalls and a perpetual fog covers the tip of majestic ...
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Vietnam: Hanoi through the eyes of an Asian-American
How did it feel to be in a country where ‘Communism’ is not a bad word? Not that different. Vietnam first entered most Americans’ hearts and minds in the 60’s ...
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How to travel Myanmar in 7 days
Myanmar is an old country with a recorded history that goes back hundreds of years. Its culture is complex and its government policies intricate. I've read the news. I know ...
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5 traits in an ideal traveling partner
One of the perks of being married is always having someone to travel with. Or so I thought. There are reasons like kids’ school, work schedule, or just a simple ...
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Myanmar: Phaungdawoo temple, Shwe Indein Village
In Myanmar, the levels of safety are categorized by color. Black (unsafe), brown (requires permission), and white (safe). A market along Inle Lake where we visited was 'black' up until ...
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Myanmar: Inle Lake, a poem
Long-tail boats with jewel colors Glide through the channel like lovers Stirring silts up the shallow water with reflection of sky Houses on stilts lean into the river Like women ...
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Myanmar: Shan State, Pindaya Cave
Another sleepless night on the bus and Laurie and I rethought our decision on night buses. It was driven by a man and his sidekick who yelled out directions as ...
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Myanmar: Mount Popa
The drive to Mount Popa from Bagan took over 2 hours due to the bumpy, potholed roads. It threatened the loss of an amazing lunch we had eaten at Secret ...
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Myanmar: Bagan sunrise
That first night in Bagan, I woke up to a weight at the end of my bed. My first thought was of Laurie waking me up for our rendezvous with ...
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Myanmar: Bagan – The ancient city
We took the overnight bus from Yangon to Bagan. Although technically we could have afforded plane tickets, we decided to try the local way. I've traveled by bus before in ...
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Myanmar: Yangon – Botataung temple, fisherman’s village
My second impression of Yangon was of their breakfast. I can write an ode to the chicken noodles in coconut milk soup alone. It was a sweet wake up kiss ...
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Myanmar: Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon
Shwedagon Pagoda is a must visit in Yangon. The ancient temple is a source of pride for the Burmese. From the first look, I knew why. At night, the Shwedagon Pagoda ...
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