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# Wandering Fi

Places I've Been, Things I've Seen

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://wanderingfi.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [How To Spend Three Wonderful Days in Zanzibar](https://wanderingfi.com/how-to-spend-three-wonderful-days-in-zanzibar/) - We had a truly memorable time on safari in Tanzania, but all too soon it was time to leave the mainland and head to Zanzibar for the remainder of our trip. We bid farewell to Lameck, hopped on a plane at Arusha Airport, and had touched down in Zanzibar in about an hour. Zanzibar Zanzibar.
- [Lions, Hippos, and More. Five Days of Tanzanian Adventure.](https://wanderingfi.com/lions-hippos-and-more-five-days-of-tanzanian-adventure/) - Experience Tanzania's best: intimate safaris, dramatic landscapes, and wildlife sightings across five unforgettable days.
- [How to Call? Phone Options When You're Traveling](https://wanderingfi.com/how-to-call-phone-options-when-youre-traveling/) - Remember the days before cellphones when you'd just go off on your travels and your loved ones would wait for a postcard? Now, people expect a phonecall or a text or some sort of message to let them know you've arrived safely. And our phones serve as map, guidebook, currency convertor, and more. I've used
- [Tanzania: How to Plan an Unforgettable Trip](https://wanderingfi.com/tanzania-how-to-plan-an-unforgettable-trip/) - Tanzania has incredible wildlife, stunning scenery, and everything you could want from a dream vacation.
- [Hit the Road: Have Fun Discovering New Mexico](https://wanderingfi.com/hit-the-road-have-fun-discovering-new-mexico/) - If New Mexico has not been on your list of places to go, it is time to add it. It bills itself as the Land of Enchantment and that is not simply wishful thinking. There is so much to see that you can't even hope to cram it all in to one week. However, here
- [Why Now is a Great Time to Discover Japan's National Parks](https://wanderingfi.com/why-now-is-a-great-time-to-discover-japans-national-parks/) - It seems Japan is on everyone's travel list at the moment, and with good reason. The weak yen means that you can get more bang for your buck, so why not take advantage? I would hazard a guest that most visitors are sticking to the same few destinations - Tokyo, Kyoto, and perhaps a side
- [Discover the Best Budget-Friendly Alternatives for 2026](https://wanderingfi.com/discover-the-best-budget-friendly-alternatives-for-2026/) - As I'm writing this, the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are starting to die down. If you got the travel deal of your dreams, great! But if you're still trying to make up your mind about where to go, or if even the best deal still seems a bit beyond your budget, maybe it's
- [Visiting White Sands National Park: What You Need to Know](https://wanderingfi.com/visiting-white-sands-national-park-what-you-need-to-know/) - What does White Sands National Park have to offer? Well, if you're looking for somewhere that feels oddly reminiscent of a winter snowfall, but somehow never melts, this is your go-to place. On the other hand, if you're looking for miles of pure sandy beach that won't burn your toes, this is your go-to place.
- [Chasing Aliens: What to See and Do in Roswell](https://wanderingfi.com/chasing-aliens-what-to-see-and-do-in-roswell/) - Did aliens crash near Roswell in 1947? Whatever you believe, it's been a boon for the town's tourism.
- [Chloride, New Mexico: The Mining Town That Refuses to Die](https://wanderingfi.com/chloride-new-mexico-the-mining-town-that-refuses-to-die/) - A former mining town in New Mexico that just keeps going.
- [Dinant, Belgium: Saxophones and Wartime Resilience](https://wanderingfi.com/dinant-belgium-the-saxophone-to-wartime-resilience/) - Discover a world of history and music in the Belgian town of Dinant.
- [A Quick Break in Brussels](https://wanderingfi.com/a-quick-break-in-brussels/) - Easily accessible from much of Europe, Brussels is a great destination for a quick weekend getaway.
- [Can I Get a Refund for Cancelled or Delayed Trips?](https://wanderingfi.com/can-i-get-a-refund-for-cancelled-or-delayed-trips/) - What can you do if your much-awaited trip is delayed or, even worse, cancelled?
- [The Natchez Trace Parkway: When the Journey is the Destination](https://wanderingfi.com/the-natchez-trace-parkway-when-the-journey-is-the-destination/) - Sometimes, the route between two points can be fascinating in its own right.
- [Need a Reason to Visit Oregon? Look No Further.](https://wanderingfi.com/need-a-reason-to-visit-oregon-look-no-further/) - A photo montage of a long weekend in Oregon.
- [Your Guide to Delicious Food and Drink in Portugal](https://wanderingfi.com/your-guide-to-delicious-food-and-drink-in-portugal/) - It's always tempting to think that the food just tastes better because you haven't had to prepare it, but no, the food in Portugal really is that good.
- [4 Museums You’ll Love in Lisbon](https://wanderingfi.com/4-museums-youll-love-in-lisbon/) - If you've been following this series of posts about Portugal you'll know that I loved my time there. I had several days to wander Lisbon by myself, and while I love people-watching and just roaming, I also enjoy a good museum. These were my four favorites that I visited during the trip.
- [Make the Most of Your Time in Lisbon](https://wanderingfi.com/make-the-most-of-your-time-in-lisbon/) - Whether you're in Lisbon for a few days or a week, learn how to make the most of your time in this beautiful city.
- [A Quick Trip to Colares and the Coast](https://wanderingfi.com/a-quick-trip-to-colares-and-the-coast/) - Since our visit to Sintra was limited due to parking, we headed to the coast for the latter part of the afternoon. Growing up by the sea, I'm always glad for any occasion to breathe the salt air.
- [Sintra: What to Know Before You Visit](https://wanderingfi.com/sintra-what-to-know-before-you-visit/) - The charming Portuguese town of Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular day trip destination from Lisbon. But can you really take in all it has to offer in a day?
- [Cascais Calling: The Magic of the Portuguese Riviera](https://wanderingfi.com/cascais-calling-the-magic-of-the-portuguese-riviera/) - Cascais is a town on the Portuguese Riviera, west of Lisbon. The fishing village turned luxury tourist destination features museums, restaurants, and other attractions.
- [Renting a Car? Here's What You Need to Know.](https://wanderingfi.com/renting-a-car-heres-what-you-need-to-know/) - Renting a car on vacation can be a great way to explore. We offer tips and advice to make your rental go smoothly so that you can relax and enjoy your vacation.
- [How I Fell in Love with Portugal](https://wanderingfi.com/how-i-fell-in-love-with-portugal/) - Portugal had never ranked high on my list of dream destination but a recent trip showed me there is more to this beautiful country than I had imagin
- [Where It All Started](https://wanderingfi.com/where-it-all-started/) - Ramsgate Harbor If I'm going to have a blog about my travels, and some of my favorite places, it makes sense to start with where I grew up. If you look at a map of the UK and find London, then follow the coastline out to the tip of the southeastern point, you find Thanet.
- [Open Air Rodin](https://wanderingfi.com/open-air-rodin/) - San Francisco is one of my favorite US cities to visit. Although it offers a wide variety of museums to please every art palate, it is still worth taking the short drive to the Stanford University campus near Palo Alto to visit the Cantor Center for Visual Arts. Collections at the museum range from
- [Tarahumara Girl](https://wanderingfi.com/tarahumara-girl/) - The sun helped to lessen the chill of the late December afternoon as we started down the rocky path from our hotel, which stood on the edge of the Barrancas del Cobre, the Copper Canyon. Turning a corner, we saw a young Tarahumara girl. She held out her hands to reveal several quartz rocks. We
- [Tranquility](https://wanderingfi.com/tranquility/) - We all have times when we need to get away from it all, wherever we happen to live, which is how I ended up taking the train from my home in Yamanashi, Japan down to Shimoda on the Izu Peninsula. I stayed in a small hostel, ate at little local restaurants, and spent my days
- [The Winchester House](https://wanderingfi.com/the-winchester-house/) - Since childhood, I have had a fascination with the paranormal and so I typically try to include a ghost walk or a visit to a purported haunted house in many of my trips. With that in mind, when I visited San Francisco a few years ago, a drive down to San Jose to visit
- [Stumbling on the Unexpected](https://wanderingfi.com/stumbling-on-the-unexpected/) - Sometimes when you're traveling, the most memorable times are those when you discover something without any planning at all. Example: the Point Reyes Lighthouse on the California coastline. During a trip to San Francisco, I remembered hiking in Marin County many years earlier. It was with that in mind, that we decided to drive north
- [The Ashley-Drake Historic Inn, Franklin, IN](https://wanderingfi.com/the-ashley-drake-historic-inn-franklin-in/) - It goes without saying that travel doesn't have to mean weeks off work, hours at the airport, and miles of road between you and home. Sometimes, all you need is a weekend break to recharge your batteries. And if that's the case, I highly recommend hitting the road to find a taste of small town
- [Danville, KY - Small Town American Charm](https://wanderingfi.com/danville-ky-small-town-american-charm/) - I first heard of Danville in Japan of all places. I was dating Nic (now my husband) and he mentioned that his stepdad worked at the radio station there. Just a few months later, while perusing a book of the best 100 small towns in America, lo and behold - there was Danville again! Summer
- [Finding Freedom Through Travel](https://wanderingfi.com/finding-freedom-through-travel/) - Picture yourself in the following scenario…. You are in a foreign land where you don’t speak the language and you stand out visually, Japan for example. You have just moved there, not to a big city, but to a small rural area and after your first week, you bravely decide to take the
- [Adventure Travel in Mexico's Copper Canyon](https://wanderingfi.com/adventure-travel-in-mexicos-copper-canyon/) - Just one of the fabulous views in the Copper Canyon If the beaches of Mexico are a little too touristy for your liking, not to mention reminiscent of a bad MTV spring break special, you will want to head further north in your search for relaxation and adventure. The Barranca del Cobre, or Copper Canyon,
- [May Be Smaller Than They Appear](https://wanderingfi.com/may-be-smaller-than-they-appear/) - I've been putting off writing for several months because it always feels a little odd to be writing about a visit to my hometown from the perspective of a traveler. However, it is time to get back into the swing of things and today the topic is art. When traveling, I always try to make
- [South of the Border: Ex-Pats in Mexico Share Their Thoughts About Safety](https://wanderingfi.com/south-of-the-border-ex-pats-in-mexico-share-their-thoughts-about-safety/) - I wrote the piece below last year but it was never published due to closures in the magazine industry. Headlines warn to stay away from Mexico, telling of drug cartels that roam the streets, killing anyone who gets in their way… including tourists. A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle reported the violence has
- [Hotel Mirador, Mexico's Copper Canyon](https://wanderingfi.com/hotel-mirador-mexicos-copper-canyon/) - Few hotels inspire you to sleep with the curtains open, let alone to get up before the crack of dawn while you’re on vacation. But you won’t want to miss the sunrise if you are staying at the Hotel Mirador in Mexico’s Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon). Watching the sunrise from our room. Built into
- [Why Primates? Why me? Why Now?](https://wanderingfi.com/why-primates-why-me-why-now/) - Image courtesy of www.morguephoto.com Did you have a passion as a kid? Mine was apes. I could spend hours watching the gorillas and chimps at the Aspinall parks in Kent, where I grew up. I wanted to learn more about them. My college friends even said that I was most likely to be trekking in
- [One Crazy Kyoto Day - Part One](https://wanderingfi.com/one-crazy-kyoto-day-part-one/) - As a break from talking about monkeys and apes, I plan to spend the next few days sharing the crazy events that all fell into one day back in 1997, while Nic and I were in Japan. Looking back through some old photos brought back a bunch of memories, and I promise, this all happened
- [One Crazy Kyoto Day - Part Two](https://wanderingfi.com/one-crazy-kyoto-day-part-two/) - So yesterday, I left us in Kyoto on New Year's Eve, visiting temples in the surrounding areas. What I didn't mention was the monkey population. You didn't think I'd leave out monkeys, did you? These two are Japanese macaques, also known as the Nihonzaru (Japanese monkey) or the snow monkey. They are the world's most
- [One Crazy Day in Kyoto - Part Three](https://wanderingfi.com/one-crazy-day-in-kyoto-part-three/) - We'd been to temples; we'd had monkey encounters; and now evening was drawing close. New Year's Eve. What to do? We both knew this would be our last New Year in Japan. My first year there, I saw in New Year avoiding cockroaches at my landlord's house as I fielded the advances of his drunken
- [Splendid Isolation](https://wanderingfi.com/splendid-isolation/) - I wanna live all alone in the desert I wanna be like Georgia O'Keeffe I wanna live on the Upper East Side And never go down to the street. "Splendid Isolation" by Warren Zevon I admit it - I like my own company. And while I'm not quite the hermit my husband likes to think I
- [Closer to Home: Stanford's Bluebird Cafe](https://wanderingfi.com/closer-to-home-stanfords-bluebird-cafe/) - Because travel doesn't always mean the other side of the world... Whether you live in Kentucky or just happen to be passing through, the Bluebird Cafe in the small town of Stanford is well worth a stop. With locally sourced products, including hormone and antibiotic free meats, you are guaranteed the freshest food with a wonderful taste.
- [Update on Trip and Changes at Chimp Eden](https://wanderingfi.com/update-on-trip-and-changes-at-chimp-eden/) - With only 24 days to go until I fly to Johannesburg, I wanted to give a few updates to my trip. More importantly, I wanted to let you all know about some changes at Chimp Eden and how that may alter my plans. The flights are booked, insurance purchased, and I take the last dose
- [A Weekend Getaway to North Carolina](https://wanderingfi.com/a-weekend-getaway-to-north-carolina/) - With my departure to South Africa looming ever closer on the calendar, it seemed like the perfect time to take a quick break last weekend so off to North Carolina we drove. Our original plan when booking a weekend getaway in Asheville was to go skiing nearby. However, as the date approached, that idea was
- [Day One - On My Way to South Africa](https://wanderingfi.com/day-one-on-my-way-to-south-africa/) - My trip to South Africa began with a flight delay while we waited for the plane to de-ice. To tell the truth, my journey began months before this, but now the planning is all in motion and after a 4.30am alarm (much to the chagrin of the dogs who will need to get used to
- [Arrived at IPR](https://wanderingfi.com/arrived-at-ipr/) - It is 7.30am and those of you who know me will be surprised to find that I have been up and awake since 5.30. It won’t last – combination of jetlag and new surroundings. The flight was long, too long – a sixteen hour cycle of try to watch a movie, try to sleep, stretch
- [The Heat!](https://wanderingfi.com/the-heat/) - Is it possible to have too much liquid? I know it is, but I don’t think it’s even remotely possible in this weather. Oma Today, I helped dig a ditch for a bathtub; the four Barbary macaques will enjoy a nice cool soak to escape the sun. After that, it was my turn to have
- [Introducing the Marmosets](https://wanderingfi.com/introducing-the-marmosets/) - So let me introduce a few of the characters here at the sanctuary, with promises of many more to come over the next few weeks. Goliath is one of the many marmosets here, mostly rescued from the pet trade. I’ve spent the past few days feeding them, topping up their feed later in the day,
- [Introducing the Capuchins](https://wanderingfi.com/introducing-the-capuchins/) - Jethro Another storm last night meant that this morning was quite overcast and cool, perfect since I was working on a construction project with Kirsty. It’s started to warm up but is still quite comfortable. I promised to mention some of the capuchins so here we go. Jethro (one of my personal favorites) lives with
- [International Primate Rescue](https://wanderingfi.com/international-primate-rescue/) - Five new volunteers arrived last night and, as if to welcome them, the heavens opened and the roof leaked. Even buckets couldn’t stop the deluge from flooding the walkway to the kitchen and the communal dining area. Fortunately by this morning, it had dried up. If you’re wondering why the roof is in such bad
- [Release the Macaques](https://wanderingfi.com/release-the-macaques/) - Today was a happy one for the four Barbary macaques here at IPR; they could finally return to their outdoor enclosure. A severe storm a few months ago had damaged much of their enclosure. While repairs and rebuilding have been going on, Solomon and company have been stuck indoors. Finally the big moment came and
- [Primate Observation Gets Interesting](https://wanderingfi.com/primate-observation-gets-interesting/) - Was it The Kinks who sang about lazing on a sunny afternoon? For some reason, I’ve got that song stuck in my head. Whoever sang it, we are definitely not lazing about over here. Friday was my day off so I visited a local mall and then spent the afternoon by the pool. This mall
- [A Very Brief Update](https://wanderingfi.com/a-very-brief-update/) - Another 5 a.m. feed today. A quiet day at IPR since a lot of folks have gone off to a Lion Sanctuary and to the Cradle of Humankind. Luckily, this meant I could have some quality time with Oma this afternoon. We groomed each other and life is good.
- [Repeat After Me: Primates Are Not Pets](https://wanderingfi.com/repeat-after-me-primates-are-not-pets/) - Roxy Roxy, our Fennec Fox, was finally able to move into her new enclosure yesterday, making way for a new monkey arrival. If you ever needed any explanation as to why monkeys should not be kept as pets, Brandy is the perfect example. A capuchin, Brandy was bought by her owners from a pet store
- [Exploring and a Complicated Issue](https://wanderingfi.com/exploring-and-a-complicated-issue/) - Today, before it got too hot to enjoy my day off, I went on a very pleasant five mile walk, doing the loop around Hammanskraal. I had been hoping to see some springbok; Ethan saw them the other evening on his run. No springbok for me but plenty of emu. (I know emu are Australian
- [Bushfires and Bushbabies](https://wanderingfi.com/bushfires-and-bushbabies/) - The start of my last week at IPR and it kicked off with a bushfire and a new emergency arrival. Word of the bushfire came during lunchtime while I was doing obs on Brandy. Her new enclosure is under construction (I spent this afternoon painting the roof), but she and some of the others are
- [A New Arrival](https://wanderingfi.com/a-new-arrival/) - It’s not necessarily that amazing how much the atmosphere of a place can change as people come and go, but it is always surprising. Four short term volunteers left yesterday and the IPR seems so quiet now, with only six short termers left. Last night, instead of struggling to find somewhere to sit and then
- [My Last Monkey Time](https://wanderingfi.com/my-last-monkey-time/) - Thursday is always a fairly short day because the afternoons are put by for house cleaning and monkey time so there is not much to report from today. For my last monkey time, I chose to go in with some of the squirrel monkeys, but they were much more interested in hunting for crickets and
- [Farewell IPR, Hello Nelspruit](https://wanderingfi.com/farewell-ipr-hello-nelspruit/) - And so, like all good things, my time at IPR came to an end. Early Saturday morning, I bid a fond farewell and boarded a bus to Nelspruit. One thing that caught me completely by surprise was just how much I would miss IPR - the people and the monkeys. I knew I would to
- [Pilgrim's Rest to God's Window](https://wanderingfi.com/pilgrims-rest-to-gods-window/) - As I enter my final few days of a month in South Africa, I am having a few days of R&R in the Nelspruit area, which is at the lower edge of Kruger National Park. Today I picked up my rental car, and drove north to the little town of Pilgrim's Rest. Originally a gold
- [I've Been to Eden](https://wanderingfi.com/ive-been-to-eden/) - Chimp Eden that is, and it was every bit as rewarding as I expected. And sorry to be a tease but this is the only photo you get to see; I need to do a little editing work to get rid of wires. Since I was on a 10am tour with 35 French people and
- [Final Day in South Africa: Subterranean at Sudwala and a Fishy Nibble](https://wanderingfi.com/final-day-in-south-africa-subterranean-at-sudwala-and-a-fishy-nibble/) - Maybe it's my hermit nature but I love caves. There is something so refreshing about being underground, in the darkness, constant temperatures, away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. So when I first heard about the caves at Sudwala, I knew they would probably be on my itinerary at some point. With
- [How to Have a Travel Adventure Close to Home](https://wanderingfi.com/how-to-have-a-travel-adventure-close-to-home/) - I've mentioned before how one helpful way to deal with the readjustment-type culture shock when you return home after overseas travel is to immerse yourself in your local community and try to see it with new eyes. You will often be surprised how many fascinating places are right under your nose - those places you
- [Not a Country Music Fan? You Can Still Enjoy Nashville.](https://wanderingfi.com/not-a-country-music-fan-you-can-still-enjoy-nashville/) - The last few months have seen me making multiple trips to Tennessee: with parents, with nieces, and just with hubby. This means there'll be more Tennessee posts to come but for now let's look at Nashville. Think of Nashville and you think of country music, but what if you're not a country fan? Is there
- [Leiper's Fork, Tennessee](https://wanderingfi.com/leipers-fork-tennessee/) - Continuing our non-country music visit to Nashville, just a short drive away is the historical town of Leiper's Fork. I have a liking for those little settlements that have now become havens for art galleries, antique shops, and weekend visitors, so this fit the bill perfectly. Leiper's Creek Gallery Not that I'll be spending much
- [Why You Should Skip Stonehenge](https://wanderingfi.com/why-you-should-skip-stonehenge/) - To some, what I am about to say will be sacrilege. I am going to tell you why you shouldn't bother visiting that ultimate image of old Britain: Stonehenge. Yes, I've been there and yes, I had a wonderful time, but would I recommend it? No. Better here than in the flesh? In a perfect
- [Forget Your French Lessons - It's Byoolee!](https://wanderingfi.com/forget-your-french-lessons-its-byoolee/) - Stately homes often conjure up images of stuffy old buildings, busloads of old people, and bored kids being dragged from room to room by their parents. And there's no doubt that I've visited my share of those (although I was the odd child who enjoyed these old houses). Something old Fortunately, though, Lord Montagu, ancestral
- [Five of My Favorite Castles](https://wanderingfi.com/five-of-my-favorite-castles/) - Time for a quick photo show of some of the my favorite castles that I've visited around the world. In no particular order... Leeds Castle, England Photo by Ron Smith Reportedly called the loveliest castle in the world, Leeds Castle in my home county of Kent is quite spectacular. It also is home to possibly
- [Marengo Cave, Indiana](https://wanderingfi.com/marengo-cave-indiana/) - Next time you are in the Louisville area, it's worth taking the hour or so drive into Southern Indiana to visit the cave at Marengo. Although nowhere near as big as Kentucky's Mammoth Cave, Marengo certainly offers a fun way to spend an afternoon. There are two basic tours of the cave, one lasting 45
- [Why I'll Never Stay at a Howard Johnson Hotel Again.](https://wanderingfi.com/why-ill-never-stay-at-a-howard-johnson-hotel-again/) - The first time I stayed at a Howard Johnson, or HoJo, was 20 years ago. An exchange student at the University of Iowa, some fellow foreign students and I rented two cars and drove to Washington D.C. for spring break. The four guys crammed in one room, the four girls in another... and another. Our
- [The Vintage Whinery at Niagara Falls.](https://wanderingfi.com/the-vintage-whinery-at-niagara-falls/) - Mural in the entryway This is a long overdue post but one that has to be written, because I cannot wait to go back. Over the past few years, I have heard mixed reviews about Airbnb, both from travelers and property owners. However, a good friend had wonderful luck finding a place during a trip
- [Step Off the Bourbon Trail](https://wanderingfi.com/step-off-the-bourbon-trail/) - Most visitors to Kentucky make time for at least one bourbon distillery tour, and I can't blame them. Although I still have to complete my Bourbon Trail passport, I've thoroughly enjoyed each distillery tour I've taken. In addition to learning more about the production of Kentucky's most beloved spirit, I love the fact that each
- [This Hermit Gets Her Week in the Desert](https://wanderingfi.com/this-hermit-gets-her-week-in-the-desert/) - I'm something of a hermit. Not - as my husband would like to believe - the sort that would happily live in the middle of nowhere for the rest of my days, with zero human contact. I just find being around people draining and I have to carefully balance my being social with alone time...
- [Atomic Aliens in Nevada](https://wanderingfi.com/atomic-aliens-in-nevada/) - Landed in Las Vegas. Check. Picked up car after ridiculously long lines and a free upgrade to SuperBug. Check. Stopped for lunch at very tasty but overpriced Indian restaurant. Check. What do you do upon arrival in Sin City? Go to the National Atomic Testing Museum of course. Stranger still, it was my choice! Science
- [Atomic Aliens Part 2 - Area 51](https://wanderingfi.com/atomic-aliens-part-2-area-51/) - Panoramic Shot of Rachel, NV. Photo by Nic Brown. After whetting our appetites with the Area 51 exhibit at the National Atomic Testing Museum, what better way to spend our first full day in Nevada than a trip to Area 51 itself. We got off to a rather late start due to an unscheduled trip
- [Hoover Dam](https://wanderingfi.com/hoover-dam/) - Hoover Dam Complex Hoover Dam. My knowledge of dams is strictly African in focus - we learned about the Aswan High Dam years ago in school. But it seems that Hoover Dam is something that you should see if you're in the Vegas area so off we went in SuperBug. A work colleague had warned
- [Desert Mining Towns Part 1 - Chloride, AZ](https://wanderingfi.com/desert-mining-towns-part-1-chloride-az/) - Originally, I was going to write one piece about the mining towns we encountered during our recent trip to Nevada, but I soon realised there was one problem. I have too many photos that I want to share. The desert light was just so perfect. And so this is going to be a two-part post,
- [Desert Mining Towns Part 2 - Rhyolite, NV](https://wanderingfi.com/desert-mining-towns-part-2-rhyolite-nv/) - Yesterday, I wrote about the former mining town of Chloride, AZ, now a quirky community with gunfights for tourists at weekends. Today I want to look at another former mining town that we visited during our trip to Nevada, this one now a skeleton of its former self, and just a few miles from Death
- [Grand Canyon](https://wanderingfi.com/grand-canyon/) - Do you ever have that one day on vacation? That one day you've been looking forward to more than the others? That one big day that ends up being the most frustrating day of the entire vacation? For me, it was the day we visited the Grand Canyon. I know, I know. It's the Grand
- [Exploring Vegas - Fremont St.](https://wanderingfi.com/exploring-vegas-fremont-st/) - Fremont St at night During our recent trip to Vegas, we stayed in the Fremont St area, against the advice of friends who rarely ventured off the strip during their vacations. Fremont Street is the old downtown area, before the development of what is now the Strip. This is where the first casinos and hotels
- [Eating on Fremont](https://wanderingfi.com/eating-on-fremont/) - There is no shortage of places to eat in Vegas' Fremont Street area, from quick to cheap to pricier to the ever-present all-you-can-eat buffet. I ate wonderful shawarma here, some of the best fries and sausage sandwiches (the beer garden at The Plaza), award-winning pizza... and then there was one of the worst meals I've
- [The Vegas Strip](https://wanderingfi.com/the-vegas-strip/) - Caesar's Palace This post is going to be more pictorial than anything, because quite honestly, I don't have a lot to say about the Vegas Strip. For all of the expected gaudiness, it is actually a very nice area and we spent a couple of afternoons wandering, sightseeing, etc. In fact, the gardens at Caesar's
- [Feeling Alive in Death Valley](https://wanderingfi.com/feeling-alive-in-death-valley/) - Of all the places we visited during our week in Vegas, Death Valley was my favorite, even better than the Grand Canyon. I fell in love with the place. We had saved Death Valley for the last day of our trip, knowing it would be a lot of driving (it turned out to be less
- [Eating Our Way Around Indy](https://wanderingfi.com/eating-our-way-around-indy/) - I've been to Indianapolis a few times, but usually just as a stopover on my way to Chicago. While I've raced around the Indy Speedway, enjoyed the works of Georgia O'Keeffe at the Museum of Art, and toured the Medical History Museum (highly underrated and well worth a visit), I've not spent much time exploring
- [Primate Posting: Cincinnati's Bonobos](https://wanderingfi.com/primate-posting-cincinnatis-bonobos/) - It's been a while since I've posted about my beloved primates. No I didn't jet off for a quick trip to Africa, but I did stop off at Cincinnati Zoo on the way back from Indianapolis. The gorillas weren't feeling particularly sociable but I did spend some time watching the bonobos, and snapped a few
- [Favouring Faversham](https://wanderingfi.com/favouring-faversham/) - It seems to me that when it comes to visitors, much of East Kent is overshadowed by Canterbury. Not that there is anything wrong with Canterbury; it is a beautiful little city and, when I'm home, I enjoy making day trips there to browse the shops and soak up some history. But East Kent has
- [Rediscovering Dover](https://wanderingfi.com/rediscovering-dover/) - View across Dover from Dover Castle Continuing my series on overlooked places in East Kent, today I'm turning my attention to Dover. Hold on a minute. We all know Dover, right? White cliffs. Ferries to and from France. But when you were taking one of those ferries, did you ever stop and look around the
- [Ramsgate: Above and Below](https://wanderingfi.com/ramsgate-above-and-below/) - One of my favourite sights - Ramsgate Harbour. Yes, this was taken in December! I have recently returned from a five-and-a-half week trip to Ramsgate, in the South-East of England, to spend Christmas with my family. Returning home is always an odd thing after so many years living elsewhere. On the one hand, it is
- [Reculver and Wantsum](https://wanderingfi.com/reculver-and-wantsum/) - Reculver against a winter sky If you happen to find yourself visiting Kent and driving down the Thanet Way, you may find yourself glancing across to the sea and wondering about that old tower you see. The one that looks like the remains of something once much larger. What you are seeing is the Reculver
- [A Little Bit of Chocolate Heaven](https://wanderingfi.com/a-little-bit-of-chocolate-heaven/) - So you walk around a few little side streets in Central London, and you come across a little, rather unassuming corner store. But when you step inside, you see this: And one more thing... it's all chocolate. Welcome to Choccywoccydoodah! A magnificence of chocolate! I had never heard of this place until a year or
- [Art Viewing in Vegas](https://wanderingfi.com/art-viewing-in-vegas/) - I've been meaning to put these photos up since our trip to Las Vegas last summer. Staying off-strip in the Fremont Street area allowed us to see and experience so much more than lots of people I've spoken to who spend all their time on the strip. Case in point: all of this fabulous street
- [The Ups and Downs of LA](https://wanderingfi.com/the-ups-and-downs-of-la/) - Griffith Park in LA. No idea who the guy is - he wandered in and posed as I took it! LA. I have been to LA twice in my life and it's one city that leaves me with very mixed feelings. For me, it is a stressful city to visit, and a large part of
- [Introducing British Food and Travel](https://wanderingfi.com/introducing-british-food-and-travel/) - If you're wondering why I haven't updated here for a while, there have been a variety of reasons, but the main one has been that I've been busy building a new site dedicated to my home country. British Food and Travel recently launched. The site highlights the best of British food, coast, and countryside. Each
- [Budget Friendly Vacationing in the Big Easy](https://wanderingfi.com/budget-friendly-vacationing-in-the-big-easy/) - Photo by Didier Moise We finally did it! We made it to New Orleans for a vacation. Ordinarily that might not sound like a big deal, but we had started to think we might be a jinx upon the place. We had first talked about visiting years ago... and then Katrina happened. A few years
- [Treme: The Musical Heart of New Orleans](https://wanderingfi.com/treme-the-musical-heart-of-new-orleans/) - There's no going to New Orleans and ignoring the music. Why would you want to? The city is a vibrant combination of color, life, and sounds. This is a place where, if you can pull together a band and $50 for a license, you can have a parade for any reason. Seriously! If I lived
- [New Orleans and Voodoo](https://wanderingfi.com/new-orleans-and-voodoo/) - (Note: The following is by no means an attempt to explain voodoo in full. There are many excellent books on the subject for those interested in learning more. When visiting New Orleans, be aware that voodoo is a spiritual belief system and should be treated with respect.) It is almost impossible to separate voodoo from
- [Book Review: South Carolina Country Roads](https://wanderingfi.com/book-review-south-carolina-country-roads/) - Venture off the beaten path to forgotten roads, where a hidden South Carolina exists. Time-travel and dead-end at a ferry that leads to wild islands. Cross a rusting steel truss bridge into a scene from the 1930s. Behold an old gristmill and imagine its creaking, clashing gears grinding corn. See an old gas pump
- [Show Cleveland Some Love](https://wanderingfi.com/show-cleveland-some-love/) - Photo by Erik Drost. It's time to give Cleveland the love it deserves. We've just got back from a long weekend up on the banks of the Erie and had a great time. In fact, we found some many things to do and places to eat that we definitely need to go back. But so
- [Feed South Africa](https://wanderingfi.com/feed-south-africa/) - Head over to my food blog where I am helping to raise awareness about hunger in South Africa. We can all make a difference.
- [Someone Finds Me Inspiring!](https://wanderingfi.com/someone-finds-me-inspiring/) - Over the course of a recent two week visit from family, I was delighted to find that blogger and author Marian Allen gave me a Very Inspiring Blogger Award for my recent travels to South Africa to pursue my dreams. As I would say back in England, I'm dead chuffed! Here's what Marian had to say
- [And Then I Come Home: Dealing With Reverse Culture Shock](https://wanderingfi.com/and-then-i-come-home-dealing-with-reverse-culture-shock/) - It has been nearly four weeks since I left South Africa; I've been home almost as long as I was there, but I've had the hardest time writing about it or even talking about it since I arrived home. One of the things you are rarely prepared for after traveling is reverse culture shock. I
- [Kruger National Park](https://wanderingfi.com/kruger-national-park/) - The watch alarm gave a timid beep. 4:30 am. I leaped out of bed and grabbed my clothes. That alone should give pause to those of you who know me. An early bird I am not. Yet during my month-long stay in South Africa, my alarm beeped at 4:30 am four times, and each time,
- [Don't Read This If You Want To Get Sick on Your Travels!](https://wanderingfi.com/dont-read-this-if-you-want-to-get-sick-on-your-travels/) - A touch of Montezuma's Revenge or sunburn while you're on vacation is bad enough, but if you don't take the right precautions, you could end up with something much more serious. Fortunately, with a little preparation and some common sense, you can avoid most health risks, no matter where you happen to be traveling. Since
- [Five Things to Remember When Shopping for Travel Insurance](https://wanderingfi.com/five-things-to-remember-when-shopping-for-travel-insurance/) - I know this will make some of you cringe, but I have rarely bought travel insurance when going overseas before. However, this was usually because I was covered in other ways - European health coverage, provided by my employer in Japan and so on. When we traveled to Mexico a few years ago, insurance was
- [Yikes, This is Real!](https://wanderingfi.com/yikes-this-is-real/) - Nic always despairs that I rarely get overexcited or overemotional about things. He explains it as being a product of my British upbringing. My being "mildly enthusiastic" is what he hopes for, since he knows I'm not about to jump, scream, and generally carry on. So of course he was out of town on business
- [You've Got Questions...](https://wanderingfi.com/youve-got-questions/) - And I'm here with the answers. Since launching my IndieGoGo Campaign earlier this month, I've been asked a number of questions so here is my attempt at providing a few answers. Why South Africa? Not as simple as you might first think. You see at the end of this year, I will be celebrating a
- [Get Ready for Something Big](https://wanderingfi.com/get-ready-for-something-big/) - I haven't been posting here much lately because I have been busy researching and making plans. As you may remember, earlier this year I was feeling quite down about my recent lack of travel, an impeding 40th birthday, and a sense that I have not followed many of my dreams. I am please to tell
- [Back in the CCCP](https://wanderingfi.com/back-in-the-cccp/) - Those of you familiar with the Cyrillic alphabet will know that CCCP stands for Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик (or as we know it, the USSR). The Soviet Union may be long gone, but its varied peoples and cultures live on. In the past decade or so, Thanet has seen a large influx of asylum seekers,
- [That was then; this is now.](https://wanderingfi.com/that-was-then-this-is-now/) - I've been pondering how to write this for the last week or so, but the confusion intensified when I came across some pictures taken during a trip to Paris back in 1999. Yes, that's me in the photo below, cooling off outside the Louvre. I have many photos and stories from that trip, so many

## Pages

- [About](https://wanderingfi.com/about/) - It's a big, beautiful world out there and I don't have the time or the means to see it all. But that doesn't mean, I can't share what I am fortunate to see. These are my travels. I only write about places I've been and experienced for myself, and if I have a terrible time,

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://wanderingfi.com/category/uncategorized/)
- [US](https://wanderingfi.com/category/us/)
- [Africa](https://wanderingfi.com/category/africa/)
- [Europe](https://wanderingfi.com/category/europe/)
- [Asia](https://wanderingfi.com/category/asia/)
- [North America](https://wanderingfi.com/category/north-america/)

## Tags

- [Portugal](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/portugal/)
- [Cascais](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/cascais/)
- [coast](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/coast/)
- [car rental](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/car-rental/)
- [driving](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/driving/)
- [travel tips](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/travel-tips/)
- [restaurants](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/restaurants/)
- [dining](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/dining/)
- [hotel](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/hotel/)
- [Sintra](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/sintra/)
- [Byron](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/byron/)
- [UNESCO](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/unesco/)
- [palace](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/palace/)
- [castle](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/castle/)
- [art](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/art/)
- [architecture](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/architecture/)
- [Colares](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/colares/)
- [Cabo de Roca](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/cabo-de-roca/)
- [lighthouse](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/lighthouse/)
- [beer](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/beer/)
- [Lisbon](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/lisbon/)
- [Santa Justa](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/santa-justa/)
- [Changing the Guard](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/changing-the-guard/)
- [bookshop](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/bookshop/)
- [museums](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/museums/)
- [food](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/food/)
- [drink](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/drink/)
- [Ginja](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/ginja/)
- [ginjinha](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/ginjinha/)
- [tarts](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tarts/)
- [fish](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/fish/)
- [wine](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/wine/)
- [Oregon](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/oregon/)
- [Tennessee](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tennessee/)
- [Mississippi](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/mississippi/)
- [Alabama](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/alabama/)
- [New Orleans](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/new-orleans/)
- [drive](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/drive/)
- [Natchez Trace Parkway](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/natchez-trace-parkway/)
- [Tupelo](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tupelo/)
- [Elvis Presley](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/elvis-presley/)
- [Belgium](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/belgium/)
- [Brussels](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/brussels/)
- [vacation](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/vacation/)
- [holiday](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/holiday/)
- [cancellation](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/cancellation/)
- [delay](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/delay/)
- [compensation](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/compensation/)
- [flight](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/flight/)
- [train](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/train/)
- [refund](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/refund/)
- [insurance](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/insurance/)
- [botanical gardens](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/botanical-gardens/)
- [Tintin](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tintin/)
- [comics](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/comics/)
- [Dinant](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/dinant/)
- [Citadel](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/citadel/)
- [Meuse](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/meuse/)
- [World War I](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/world-war-i/)
- [First World War](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/first-world-war/)
- [music](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/music/)
- [Charles de Gaulle](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/charles-de-gaulle/)
- [jazz](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/jazz/)
- [saxophone](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/saxophone/)
- [New Mexico](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/new-mexico/)
- [Chloride](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/chloride/)
- [ghost town](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/ghost-town/)
- [mining](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/mining/)
- [museum](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/museum/)
- [art gallery](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/art-gallery/)
- [Roswell](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/roswell/)
- [aliens](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/aliens/)
- [UFO](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/ufo/)
- [state park](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/state-park/)
- [festival](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/festival/)
- [national park](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/national-park/)
- [white Sands](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/white-sands/)
- [phone](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/phone/)
- [SIM](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/sim/)
- [communications](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/communications/)
- [wifi](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/wifi/)
- [thailand](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/thailand/)
- [vietnam](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/vietnam/)
- [albania](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/albania/)
- [greece](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/greece/)
- [bulgaria](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/bulgaria/)
- [philippines](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/philippines/)
- [budapest](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/budapest/)
- [amsterdam](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/amsterdam/)
- [krakow](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/krakow/)
- [south africa](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/south-africa/)
- [sri lanka](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/sri-lanka/)
- [spain](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/spain/)
- [herzegovina](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/herzegovina/)
- [guatemala](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/guatemala/)
- [Japan](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/japan/)
- [Izu](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/izu/)
- [Hakone](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/hakone/)
- [Yamanashi](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/yamanashi/)
- [Fuji](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/fuji/)
- [Hokkaido](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/hokkaido/)
- [Santa Fe](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/santa-fe/)
- [Bandelier National Monument](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/bandelier-national-monument/)
- [Chimayo](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/chimayo/)
- [Africa](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/africa/)
- [Tanzania](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tanzania/)
- [safari](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/safari/)
- [Zanzibar](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/zanzibar/)
- [Tanganyika](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tanganyika/)
- [Kilimanjaro](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/kilimanjaro/)
- [wildlife](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/wildlife/)
- [Arusha](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/arusha/)
- [monkey](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/monkey/)
- [Tarangire](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/tarangire/)
- [Serengeti](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/serengeti/)
- [Ngorongoro](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/ngorongoro/)
- [zebra](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/zebra/)
- [leopard](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/leopard/)
- [elephants](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/elephants/)
- [rhino](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/rhino/)
- [hippo](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/hippo/)
- [wildebeest](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/wildebeest/)
- [buffalo](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/buffalo/)
- [baboon](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/baboon/)
- [Stone Town](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/stone-town/)
- [Freddie Mercury](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/freddie-mercury/)
- [Jozani Forest](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/jozani-forest/)
- [Indian Ocean](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/indian-ocean/)
- [nature](https://wanderingfi.com/tag/nature/)