Author: Nancy

Standing in the midst of these giant redwoods with the occassional ray of sunlight filtering through to the forest floor is an almost spirtual experience. It soothes the mind and calms the soul. By all rights, I should not be here. It was a very difficult fall, with my dad’s health issues and hospitalizations. He…

I have wanted to commune with polar bears in the wild for years. I started researching trips prior to COVID and quickly determined no tundra buggies for me. Like Humvees on steriods, these monster vehicles hold up to 40 people and with their large wheels and electric propulsion systems navigate the uneven, rocky terrain of…

Until we’d visited Crater Lake, I hadn’t appreciated what a geological hot spot Oregon was and still is. Granted, I knew that Crater Lake was formed by a massive volcanic explosion, but that was almost 8000 years ago. What I didn’t realize was the earth here was still shifting, settling, venting gases, and occassionally erupting…

I understood the meaning of ineffable when I first saw Crater Lake. The blue was so brilliant it took my breath away. Even now I stuggle to describe the beauty of this lake captured within the caldera of a long extinct volcano. My husband and I were visiting our daughter and future son-in-law in Portland,…

Estonia … a new country for me; one that I knew little about but proved to be an enchanting place to visit. I was in Helsinki for a conference so decided to stay the weekend for some exploring. I love Helsinki, particularly in June with the pleasant weather and eleven o’clock sunsets, but had visited…

Glamorous, glitzy Dubai. A city that boast hundreds of world records for the biggest, tallest, greatest … dancing fountain, building, shopping mall, flower garden, man-made islands, suspended aquarium, ferris wheel … and the list goes on. A fun city to spend a few days in but like Vegas can quickly overwhelm. The city had grown…

Rub Al Khali, the Empty Quarter, is the largest sand sea in the world stretching across parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Our destination in the Empty Quarter was a desert resort, Qasr Al Sarab, a secluded oasis two and a half hours south of Abu Dhabi and twenty miles…

Mention the United Arab Emirates and everyone immediately thinks of Dubai. Yet its more conservative, albeit less flashy neighbor, Abu Dhabi is a modern, cosmopolitan city worth a more extensive visit than a day trip from Dubai. Following three days of a conference and work meetings in Dubai, I met my husband and son for…

The many places we visited on this Ancient Crossroads itinerary highlighted the importance of human interaction and exchange. When diverse people come together, whether because of trade, evangelization or adventure, ideas flow. Sometimes the intention may be hostile – greed, power, subversion, but the intermixing of diverse cultures always produces something – an idea, a…

We arrived in Muscat midafternoon. Deplaning, we appeared to be entering a palace, not an airport. The sun was intense and the white sandstone facade shimmered with reflected light. No, not a mirage but our first introduction to the grandeur of Muscat, Oman’s capital city. We quickly cleared customs and boarded a shuttle for a…