What to wear to a temple in Bali

What to wear to a temple in Bali
John is all dressed up in a sarong and traditional udeng headwear for a temple visit in Bali

BALI, INDONESIA – Whether going out for a nice dinner, attending a festive celebration or meeting the in-laws for the first time, who hasn’t wondered, “What should I wear?”

I must confess, fashion is not my strong suit. Most of the time I dress strictly for comfort. Shorts and sandals, a favorite T-shirt (worn so thin it’s almost transparent) and I’m good to go.

If I need to be more dressy I’ll switch out my battered Tee for a real shirt with buttons and a pocket.

But when we travel, local rules of etiquette sometimes require me to venture outside my sartorial comfort zone.

Continue reading “What to wear to a temple in Bali”

The dragonflies are back: Did they ever really go away?

 

The dragonflies are back in Danang, Vietnam (Photo by maritsch28/Pixabay)

The dragonflies are back in Danang, Vietnam (Photo by maritsch28/Pixabay)

DANANG, VIETNAM – We’ve been seeing a lot of dragonflies around lately, mostly in the morning when we’re swimming at our local pool.

It’s possible, I suppose, that they’ve been around all the time, but I’ve only just noticed them again within the last month or so.

Continue reading “The dragonflies are back: Did they ever really go away?”

The road to Bhutan is paved with good intentions

Paro Taktsang (also known as the Tiger's Nest) is a Himalayan Buddhist sacred site located in the cliffside of Bhutan’s upper Paro valley (jboots/Pixabay)
Paro Taktsang (also known as the Tiger’s Nest) is a Himalayan Buddhist sacred site located in the cliffside of Bhutan’s upper Paro valley (Photo: jboots/Pixabay)

DANANG, VIETNAM – When Melanie and I registered last year for a weeklong tour of Bhutan, we promised ourselves we would get into better shape for the expected miles of hiking and the thinner air of the high-altitude environment.

Our starting point (Thimpu) is about a mile and a half above sea level, and the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in the photo above is located at about 10,000 feet.

The tour was described as moderately physical, so we figured we could manage whatever comes up along the way. But it would be nice if we could manage it without having to struggle.

Continue reading “The road to Bhutan is paved with good intentions”

A Thrilling Motorcycle Sidecar Ride in Vietnam

Melanie gets ready to hit the highway in a vintage motorcycle sidecar
Melanie gets ready to hit the highway in a vintage motorcycle sidecar

PHONG NHA, VIETNAM – One of my all-time favorite movie chase scenes comes from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his father (played by Sean Connery) have just escaped from their Nazi captors.

Indie steals a motorcycle, and with his “very proper” British father seated in the attached sidecar they race away along rugged dirt roads with a gang of motorcycle-mounted German soldiers in hot pursuit.

Continue reading “A Thrilling Motorcycle Sidecar Ride in Vietnam”