Travels 2013

We left Baja early this year to have a dream come true as we went to Egypt and Jordan. We saw the wonderful ancient highlights of the middle east and northern Africa. Petra in Jordan was simply amazing with its tombs several stories high carved right into the sand stone over 2000 years old. In Egypt we sailed the Nile which revealed temples to explore right on the riverside. I got to touch the Meditarian sea in Alexandria. That city was almost European in feeling. Many of the surrounding countries had made their mark left now as ruins everywhere you looked. We could spend more time there exploring its past of Greek, Roman, you name it!

After leaving the boat in the fall, the hot springs exploration this time went down the center of Nevada. Moon Valley is still my favorite. Spencer Springs near Austin had many stock tanks that were very hot BUT adjustable. Great camping at all we visited. A baby burro came up to us. We're not sure if it had been abandoned BUT plenty of people visit those springs so we hoped it would be OK.

This winter brought my family together again on the Pacific. But this time we went to Hawaii! We went over with my brother and mom but we stayed the entire winter. First in Oahu with mom at Waikiki, then over to Molokai ending up for a few months on the Big Island. Molokai has very few tourists. I was able to re unite with a Alta ski buddy Karen and her husband Bob. They have lived on Molokai for nearly 10 years. They have a wonderful piece of paradise right near the ocean. You can certainly hear the crashing waves all the time while visiting.

For kicks and giggles we took a cruise on the Pride of America. This gave us a taste of Kauai and Maui. We saw a sister ship like ours in Nawhilliwilli Bay on Kauai named Lucky Star, Sacramento. Small world – another home made steel boat! We stayed on a coffee plantation on the Big Island and actually caught up with some boating buddies from SV Rainshadow. They have bought a home in the Puna area. The lava threatened to come through their area BUT stopped just in the nick of time. We thought we might love living in Hawaii, but that little fact of life does not seem too inviting.