We embarked on our first safari to Masai Mara. We took a small propeller plane to reach there; we were the second stop. However, when the plane landed on a dirt runway for the first stop, we got a flat tire. Who knew airplanes can get blow outs? Fortunately, they had a spare tire. We disembarked, the pilot and his crew jacked up the plane, and in under half an hour, we were back on our way to our destination. We were greeted by a driver from the Offbeat Ndoto Camp, where we w

We wandered through the gardens of the 17th-century Ritsurin Park.  The beauty and serenity of the numerous gardens and parks we explored is likely my top highlight from Japan. This garden features over 1,400 pine trees, most of which are pruned by the gardeners to resemble large, elegantly curved bonsai.

The Double Vine Bridges  known as Oku Iya Niju Kazurabashi are twin suspension bridges made of intertwined vines. I am not a fan of crossing bridges that sway with every footstep, but if you don’t look down between the slats, it is doable.

We traveled along the steep slopes of the Iya Valley to a ravine with a 300-year-old thatched farmhouse, part of the Chiiori Trust , a unique project that seeks to preserve age-old rural traditions in the valley. A delightful 80-year-old lady prepared our lunch and entertained us with a traditional folk song. She truly embodied the essence of life in a blue zone. The tempura was amazing!! We continued on to have tea in a village in Ochiai, a community featuring traditional ho

The Singapore Botanical Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The average temperature is about 88 degrees with high humidity. The climate was quite oppressive, and similar to those three-shower summer days in NYC. Strolling through the gardens was a way to acclimate to the environment. The gardens were breathtaking, featuring a diverse array of tropical plants, enormous fig trees, Ficus, a small rainforest, and a magnificent orchid garden. Given how precious land is in S

We arrived in Singapore around 8 AM after a 17-hour flight from LAX. Singapore Airlines Business Class was impressive. The food and service were excellent, and the lay-flat beds have a unique design where you fold down the seat back to create the bed. It was comfortable for me, but my 6'4" husband found it a bit short, though he slept well despite the person snoring behind him. The flight left LA at 11 PM, and I was worried about staying up late for supper service, but the ex

We arrived in Kyoto from Singapore a day before the National Geographic Inside Japan tour to acclimate and explore on our own. Before discussing Kyoto, I must mention the ordeal of getting through Osaka Airport. Our Singapore Airlines flight was excellent as usual, but the immigration process in Osaka was chaotic. We spent two hours in a line moving at a snail's pace, seemingly due to more visitors than available officers. There is a “ Visit Japan Web QR code ” we could hav

Mount Koya is the central hub of the Shingon Buddhist sect. Buddhism consists of three primary schools: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, each with numerous sects, subsects, and movements. The core tenets of Buddhism focus on understanding suffering, identifying its causes, and pursuing a path to liberation through mindfulness, compassion, and ethical behavior, all aimed at achieving nirvana (enlightenment).   We wandered through an enchanting cemetery nestled among tower