Category Archives: Hawaii

Travel Smart, Be Safe

Posted on by

 

When Travel Stories Skip the “Not‑So‑Great” Parts

When we talk about travel—or read the glossy blogs and glowing travelogues—we mostly hear how wonderful a place is. Sure, someone might mention bad weather or a disappointing meal, but the overall tone is usually sunshine and rainbows. I’m guilty of it myself. Except for my Road to Hana misadventure, I sing Hawaii’s praises every chance I get.

But every now and then, a little reality check is healthy.

The Comfort of a Timeshare… and the Trade‑Offs

For nearly twenty years, I traveled through my timeshare. It was one of the hardest things to give up when I retired, but the maintenance fees just didn’t fit my fixed income. While I had it, though? I traveled in style. Beautiful accommodations, attentive staff, and a sense of security—especially important because I often traveled alone.

Timeshares get a bad rap, and yes, getting out of one is neither painless nor easy. But if I ever hit the lottery, I’d consider it again. And here’s a tip: you can sometimes get the same perks without ownership by checking Redweek.com, where owners rent out their weeks to offset costs.

When a Destination Doesn’t Match the Hype

Even with all that comfort, not every trip felt safe. New Orleans is the one that stands out. Friends raved about the energy, the food, the parades—even outside Mardi Gras season. What they didn’t mention was the grime, the chaos, and the aggressive hustlers who thought nothing of following you down the street. I never felt unsafe anywhere else quite like I did there.

Other cities come with their own cautions. Detroit requires you to be mindful of the neighborhood you wander into. St. Louis consistently ranks among the most violent cities in the country. Oakland has seen a rise in break‑ins and street crime.

Nature Has Its Own Hazards

It’s not just cities. Even the most iconic outdoor destinations can be dangerous if you’re unprepared. Death Valley, for example, is one of the deadliest national parks due to extreme heat and dehydration risks.

Yellowstone has dangers from  geysers to wildlife. If you have any doubt read about my encounter with the Bison of Yellowstone . I was sure I was going to be flattened to roadkill before I was through.

Getting ready to pass by

On the South Rim, Grand Canyon 2008

A Little Research Goes a Long Way

I’m not saying you should stay home. Travel is still one of the most exciting, enriching things you can do. But a bit of research before you go—and a few simple precautions—can make the difference between a great adventure and a stressful one. Know the risks, plan accordingly, and you’ll come home with memories worth keeping.

Quick, No‑Nonsense Travel Tips That Actually Help

  • Know the vibe before you go — Not just the “Top 10 Things to Do” list. Look up neighborhood safety, recent news, and what locals say. Every city has great areas and “maybe not after dark” areas.
  • Trust your spidey sense — If something feels off, it probably is. Change direction, duck into a store, or call it a night.
  • Stay where the people are — Wandering is fun until it isn’t. Stick to well‑lit, busy areas, especially if you’re solo.
  • Keep your stuff simple — Crossbody bag, zipper closed, nothing dangling. Leave the “I’m a tourist!” clues at home.
  • Have a “just in case” plan — Screenshot directions, save the hotel address, and keep a backup way to get back.
  • Hydrate like it’s your job — Especially in places with heat, altitude, or long trails.
  • Don’t overshare in real time — Post the photos after you leave the location.
  • Ask locals the right question — Not “Is it safe?” but “Where would you go or avoid after dark?”
  • Give yourself permission to bail — If a situation feels sketchy, you don’t owe anyone an explanation.

So go forth, intrepid adventurer, and make memories worth keeping… safely, of course.

Alaska 2013

 

 

 

 

 

When Pele Sends a Birthday Card: Turning 75 With a Bang

Posted on by

 

Three-Quarters of a Century… Already?

Thank you to everyone who showered me with birthday wishes. Somehow, I’ve managed to make it to the three‑quarter‑century mark. Seventy‑five. It looks ancient on paper, but honestly? Other than a few arthritic grumbles, I feel pretty darn good for an “old babe.”

What really gets me every year is how many people take the time to reach out. For 364 days, I wander around thinking I’m just living my quiet little life. Then my birthday rolls in—usually accompanied by a nor’easter—and suddenly my inbox explodes like I’m George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. I never realize how many lives I’ve brushed up against until that one day when everyone pops out of the woodwork. It’s humbling, heartwarming, and a little overwhelming in the best way.

Enter Hawaii, Stage Left

KilaueaThis year, even Hawaii decided to join the celebration. And if you’ve been following this space for any length of time, you already know I can wax poetic about Hawaii until someone gently pries the keyboard from my hands. Especially when it comes to my favorite diva of the Pacific: Kilauea.

My very first trip to the islands was to the Big Island, and I spent a full day exploring Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. I drove Chain of Craters Road, peered into the caldera from Volcano House, and saw my first plume of vog where lava met the sea. Kilauea was quiet that trip—too quiet—but I was hooked. I wanted to see an eruption with my own eyes.

Chasing the Elusive Eruption

Since then, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve returned to Hawaii. Oahu? Check. Pearl Harbor? Absolutely. Maui? More times than I can count. The Big Island? A repeat favorite. Kauai? Not yet—but hey, I may be 75, but I’m not done adventuring.

Volcanoes National Park is always on my itinerary, and I’ve had some close calls. One year, Kilauea started huffing and puffing while I was on a park tour. Rangers and visitors lined up at the observatory, watching the lava lake glow as darkness fell. Little fountains teased us from the caldera. The excitement was electric.

Lava Lake Glow

And then—because this is my life—nothing big happened. My tour bus rolled away, Kilauea still grumbling but holding back. The next day, I flew home… and she blew her top while I was somewhere over the Pacific. I watched the eruption on the news, muttering “Really?” at the screen.

A Fiery Birthday Gift

Which brings me to this year. My birthday. My big 75. And what does Pele do? She sends me a present.

Episode 42 of Kilauea’s eruption began at 1:50 p.m. HST—on my birthday. High lava fountains shot into the sky, with bursts reaching 1,000 to 1,200 feet from the north vent and 800 to 1,000 feet from the south vent. A full‑blown, fiery celebration in my honor.

I may not have been there in person, but it’s the thought that counts. And honestly? As birthday surprises go, a volcanic eruption is hard to top.

What a spectacular way to kick off my next lap around the sun.

Travel Daydreams: The Finale

Posted on by

 

As I wrap up this three-part wander through the “40 Trips Every Woman Should Take Before She Dies” list, I’m still amazed at how many of these adventures I’ve already checked off—or at least dreamed about. This last batch brings back some big memories and sparks a few new ideas too.

Grand Canyon

#27 – The Grand Canyon (Again, and Worth It Every Time)

We’ve talked about the Grand Canyon before, but honestly, it deserves another mention. If I were ranking this list, it would be sitting proudly at #1. I’ve been twice, and the second visit was every bit as jaw-dropping as the first. Even with my adrenaline-junky streak, I still have zero desire to take that mule ride into the canyon. Watching from the rim suits me just fine—plenty of awe without the saddle sores.

#32 – A Weekend in Las Vegas

I’ve spent many weekends in Las Vegas, but not for the reasons most people go. The casinos don’t tempt me at all, but the shows? Absolutely. Still, if I return, I’d rather trade the neon lights for the fiery glow of Valley of Fire State Park. Those red sandstone formations and ancient petroglyphs are calling my name. And if you’re already in the area, a side trip to Hoover Dam is well worth the time. I’ve done it, and it’s every bit as impressive as the postcards suggest.

#33 – Leaf Peeping in the FallFall leaves

Living in Taunton, MA puts me right in the heart of leaf-peeping country, so this one feels like home. One of my favorite fall memories is riding the Kancamagus Highway on the back of my brother’s motorcycle—no car windows, no distractions, just pure color exploding around every curve. The list also recommends the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, and honestly, that would be spectacular in any season.

#34 – A Road Trip on Route 66

Ah, Route 66—the Mother Road. Not all of it survives today, but the stretch I explored in Arizona near the Grand Canyon still carries that nostalgic charm. Vintage neon signs, old-school diners, quirky souvenir shops… it’s a living postcard from America’s road‑tripping heyday. You can almost hear the hum of classic cars cruising by.

The Ones I Skipped

Wine-tasting tours from California to France didn’t make my personal list—I’m not much of a drinker. And the shopping trips to NYC or the Mall of America? Also not my style.

 

I’ve been to New York City, but I went for the history and the sights: Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Museum of Natural History… and of course, a Broadway show. And ever since 9/11, no trip to the city feels complete without visiting the 9/11 Memorial. It’s a powerful, solemn place that reminds you how deeply the city—and the world—was changed.

A Final Thought

If I were adding to this list, I’d say any relaxing Hawaii trip should include a stop at Pearl Harbor. It’s a beautiful, solemn memorial and a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by so many.

So now I’m curious—what do you think.
Which trips did these professional travel writers overlook. Check out the full list here
Do you have a favorite getaway that always calls you back.
And how many of their 40 have you crossed off.

 

When Travel Feels Like Imagination Come to Life

Posted on by

 

Yesterday I shared my thoughts on imagination — that wonderful, boundless world we carry in our minds. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something surprising. Those same feelings of wonder, disbelief, and pure childlike awe show up in another part of my life too: when I’m traveling and exploring the world.

There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when reality feels too extraordinary to be real. It’s the same spark I felt as a child pretending to see fairies in the woods, only now it comes from standing in front of places so breathtaking they feel like they were dreamed into existence.

🌄 The Grand Canyon: A Vision Too Vast to Believe

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on the Grand Canyon. The wonder of it was overwhelming — a dizzying spectacle of color, depth, and silence. People say it “takes your breath away,” and for once that wasn’t an exaggeration. I literally forgot to breathe.

It felt like a projection, a backdrop, something painted by a giant with an overactive imagination. How could anything so massive, so intricate, so impossibly beautiful be real? And yet there it was, stretching out before me, daring me to believe my own eyes.

Grand Canyon

🌋 Hawaii’s Chain of Craters Road: Fire Meeting the Sea

Another moment etched into my memory forever happened on Hawaii’s Chain of Craters Road. I had nothing but a disposable camera with me, but honestly, no photograph could have captured what I saw.

Plumes of brilliant white vog rose where molten lava met the ocean. The sky was a vivid, endless blue. The contrast was surreal — like watching the earth breathe. It was raw, elemental, and unforgettable.

🦌 Wyoming’s Elk Migration: Wildness in Motion

In Wyoming, I watched elk herds migrate across the landscape. There were fences, roads, and signs of human life all around, but none of it mattered. In that moment, those animals were exactly what they had always been — wild, free, and following ancient paths to their wintering grounds.

Elk Migration

It felt like witnessing a story older than memory.

🌡️ Yellowstone’s Geysers: A Step Back in TimeOld Faithful Erupts

Yellowstone added its own chapter to my collection of wonders. The primal energy of the geysers, the hiss of steam, the earth rumbling beneath my feet — it all felt like stepping into a prehistoric world.

Buffalo wandered through clouds of steam along the Firehole River as if they had been doing it for centuries. Maybe they had. Time seemed to fold in on itself there.

snuba at Turtletown 2020

🌊 Encounters Beneath the Waves

Some of my most magical travel moments happened underwater. I’ve snorkeled with manta rays and scuba‑dived with sea turtles, drifting through a world so peaceful and alien it felt like a dream.

I’ve watched humpback whales breach with breathtaking power, and I’ve been surrounded by dolphins spinning and leaping like acrobats putting on a private show.

And then there are the tiny wonders — like the little octopus I spotted off Maui, curious and delicate, reminding me that magic exists at every scale.

✨ Wonder That Stays With You

When I think of the places I’ve been, I hardly have the words to describe the wonder. How do you put experiences like that into sentences? How do you capture the feeling of being so small and so alive at the same time?

Maybe you don’t. Maybe you just carry those moments with you — treasures you can revisit anytime your mind needs a spark of joy or a reminder that the world is far bigger and more beautiful than we often remember.

These memories are my own living daydreams, the real‑world magic I get to enjoy over and over again. And in their own way, they’re every bit as powerful as imagination itself.

 

From Dusty Roads to Sacred Waters: Remembering Pearl Harbor

Posted on by

 

Standing in Silence: My Visit to Pearl Harbor

Photo Credit Deb Neumann

A Journey Beyond History

When I stepped onto the grounds of Pearl Harbor, I thought I knew the story. I had read the dates, the numbers, the accounts of December 7, 1941. But history on a page is different from standing in the place where it happened. The air felt heavy, as if it carried the echoes of that morning when the world changed forever.

The Arizona Memorial Experience

Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial was unlike anything I’ve ever felt. The structure itself is simple, white and graceful, resting above the sunken battleship. Yet the emotions it stirs are anything but simple. Looking down at the quiet waters, knowing that more than a thousand sailors still rest below, I felt a silence that spoke louder than words. It was not just sadness—it was reverence, a deep awareness that this place holds both grief and honor.

Photo credit Deb Neumann

AP photo Twin Towers, NYC

Memory Across Generations

As I stood there, I thought about how many in today’s generation don’t carry personal memories of Pearl Harbor. For them, it is history class, not lived experience. In that way, it reminded me of how 9/11 shaped my own generation—an event that defined us, just as Pearl Harbor defined those before us. Both moments remind us that tragedy can strike suddenly, but resilience rises just as quickly.

A Lasting Impression

I cannot fully explain what the memorial gave me, only that it will stay with me forever. It is a reminder that freedom is fragile, that sacrifice is real, and that remembrance is essential. Pearl Harbor is not just about the past—it is about carrying forward the lessons of unity and courage.

Passing It On

For those who have never been, I encourage you to visit if you can. Stand in that silence. Feel the weight of history. And then carry it with you, so the stories of Pearl Harbor are never forgotten.

Around Dusty Roads

Travel has a way of leaving footprints on our hearts. Some roads lead us to joy, others to reflection, and some—like the path to Pearl Harbor—remind us of the sacrifices that shaped the world we walk today. Around Dusty Roads is about more than destinations; it is about the meaning we find along the way. Pearl Harbor is one of those places where history and humanity meet, and where the journey becomes part of who we are.