Courtesy of ChatGPT, Images tab, and the prompt: “Create a caricature of me based on everything you know about me.” P.S.: I tried – I really, really tried – to get “BASSPORT” to be “PASSPORT” and the 2nd “Compliance” gremlin’s hat to read COMPliance not POMPliance (like its buddy), but no dice. Funnily enough, these […]
Author: Sandy
I asked ChatGPT to choose my nail polish. H had other plans.
I’m about to leave for Africa, which means my life has entered its sacred pre-trip phase:lists, sub-lists, nested lists under other lists, and a level of logistical intensity that suggests I’m either going on safari with a weight limit . . . or launching a rocket into orbit. So when it came time for my […]
My New Travel Assistant is an Algorithm (& it’s Judgier than my Husband ever was)
Back in the day—when my husband and I were traveling regularly, usually once a year to Austria to visit his parents (and later, just his dad), plus assorted shorter and longer jaunts—I had a system. Actually, correction: H had a system. I had . . . vibes. H always had a “go bag.” His was […]
Next Trip: Africa! (Then Vancouver…then Japan…)
Coming up in February/March, I’m off with Overseas Adventure Travel again, this time to Africa. The overview is HERE, the day-to-day itinerary is HERE. I am doing the pre- and post-trips as well, then staying an extra couple of days in Namibia, at a Cheetah Conservation Organization that Herbert and I have supported for decades. […]
Puerto Rico Postscript
What now? Why, laundry of course! 🙂 Well, in actual fact, the laundry is in, so it’s time for a little coquito in front of the fire. And, as you can see, Bruno is Ready to Par-Tay! (Yes, that is the Ron del Barrilito container . . . Mr. Dumpster Diver, at your service . […]
Puerto Rico: Day Seven (Last Day)
When the Ocean Says “Not Today” As I type this, we’ve just received notification that our snorkeling tour has been canceled — again — due to high waves. We’ll get our money back (thank you, Get Your Guide, for at least being efficient about that), but I’m honestly pretty sad. I was really hoping to […]
Puerto Rico: Day Six
Rain Decisions, Rum Barrels, and Strategic Napping Yesterday’s plan (manatees!) quietly surrendered to what turned into a serious, unapologetic loll. Sharon found us a place on the beach while I was putting the final touches on the blog; when I got down, she already had our standard order of quesadillas and Painkillers waiting. We settled […]
Puerto Rico: Day Five
Plans, Punctuality, and a Cancelled Snorkel Well… this one was a little sad. Due to the weather, our snorkeling trip was cancelled. Of course, being us, we were there a full hour early and didn’t think to check our phones until the “mandatory 10 minutes before” tour time—at which point we discovered the cancellation notice […]
Puerto Rico: Day Four
Rainstorms, Rum, and When an “Avocado Salad” Is… Interpreted Very Literally A Strategic Retreat (a/k/a No More Wet Rocks) We officially decided not to do the tide pools. As mentioned at the end of Day 3, we had simply reached our lifetime quota for gallivanting across wet rocks that tried to rearrange our ankles. Instead, I […]
Puerto Rico: Day Three
Cliffs, Coquí, and the Courage to Paddle in Pitch Black (Then Collapse in Bed) (or: We Came, We Jumped, We Kayaked in the Dark, We Didn’t Die) Early Start (and Thank Goodness for It) We got going just after 8:00 a.m. (for a 40 minute drive to a 10:30 a.m. pickup), and thank goodness we […]