“Better late than never,” as they say. In May 2022, my husband and I, and four other couples, finally made it to Scotland for a couples’ whisky tasting tour originally scheduled for 2020. I’d visited Scotland twice before, along with three of the women on this trip. Because both trips were fantastic, we decided to
On September 7, 2019, 10 ladies flew over the Atlantic Ocean to see what they could see. In Iceland. Joan’s Perspective: Never has a country been more aptly named than Iceland, the land of fire and ice. Both extremes were beautifully evident at every location we traveled. It is a land of extremes and of contradictions. The heated
Years ago my mini-me asked, “When can I get my nose pierced?” This question caused me to launch into one of my favorite travel stories. “When you’re 18. Maybe.” She snarled her face. “Same for a tattoo?” “Oh, baby. You don’t want one of those.” “Yeah, I do.” I patted the sofa. “Sit. Let me tell you a story.
Last month I flew with friends to Scotland. Again. This time eight ladies traveled instead of 10, half of them recruited by me. Like before, after leaving the Inverness airport, we drove to two castles. The first was Urquhart Castle at Loch Ness. The ruins—remains of a wall and stone turrets on a patch of lush
Right about now, all over America, mothers of college freshmen (and kids taking [international] “gap years,” studying abroad, or leaving for mission trips) are dampening tissues and handkerchiefs, perhaps even the pillows in their children’s bedrooms, with copious tears. If you’re one of those mothers and you’re worried about staying in touch with your kids when
On Dec. 2, 2017, I accomplished something awe-mazing. I drove over the New River Gorge Bridge. That may seem like no big deal to you, but, to me, it’s huge. If you know me well, or if you read my post last week, “A Scaredy-cat’s Guide to Travel,” you know I suffer from gephyrophobia, fear
When I was growing up, most of our summer vacations involved a two-day drive—from Huntington, Best Virginia to Wytheville, Virginia to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina—a week in the ocean-front Hartford C Motor Inn, then two days to travel back home. Yep. Two days each way. Don’t laugh. My dad was that driver. The summer after
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friend! Today I’m offering up travel tips for the emerald, patchwork-quilt island known as Ireland. Specifically, the southern region. First and foremost: Pack a high-quality rain jacket. Maybe even test-drive it in the shower. Because the weather in Ireland can be super rainy. Unless you visit in May or June, their
You can tell I’ve fallen in love with a city (or country) if I pick up a real estate publication for the area. If I wanted to move there, how much might a house cost? Over the years, I’ve considered Bruges in Belgium, Sanibel Island in Florida, and San Francisco. And now, Scotland. Shall I
Last week I flew to a remote village in Scotland for a women’s “listening and hiking retreat.” The website applecross.uk.com describes the area like this: “Between the mainland mountain masses and the Island of Skye lies the Applecross Peninsula. Home to just a couple of hundred people, and accessed by only two roads, the Bealach
