Well, with Jim taking so many photographs in Laos (over 2000!) and then needing to process them, we have got behind in our postings. Unfortunately this corresponds to us arriving in Tanzania to daily, and sometimes day-long, power outages and limited access to the Internet. We just wanted you to know that our posting will be sporadic over the next while. Here is our tentative itinerary: Mar 1-16 - volunteering in Arusha Mar 16-22 - safari in Tanzania & trave...

After 18 hours of travel, from Bangkok through Dubai to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania then a short, small-plane journey to the island of Zanzibar, we were ready to rest. Stone Town is a unique spot, introducing us to African culture with strong Arabic,Indian, and European influences. Needing a short nap, I laid down while Jim went out to explore the town coming across groups of highly athletic children playing soccer, volleyball and doing gymnastics in the late after...

Part of our transition to Africa was a jarring three days spent in and around Khao San Road in Bangkok. This is an area for backpackers with music blaring until 5:00am, crowds of tourists, street vendors selling everything and anything and cheap accommodation and food seven days a week. We did none of the usual tourist activities because we have been to Bangkok twice before and lacked the motivation to see more temples, the palace, take a boat ride, etc. So, Ji...

Bumpy roads - literally. No, this is not some metaphor for a stage in our travel or the state of our marriage. This leg of our trip was characterized by long, hot, and very bumpy journeys. It was one after the other and even when we expressly requested air conditioned transportation, open windows was the vendors' interpretation of AC. And when we made assumptions about what kind of travel we were going on, boy, were we surprised! I guess that is what happens when...

Luang Prabang was the right place at the right time for us. It is a quiet city with no shortage of charm and we found a delightful place to stay (Villa Chitdara). We liked it so much we stayed in this town for 4 days each at the beginning and ending of our time in Laos. Filled with temples and monks, this World Heritage Site's most intriguing attraction is the 6:30am daily 'alms’ where the monks walk in silence through the streets while locals and some tou...