We went to Tunisia in 2009, before the Arab Spring and all the things that have happened since. I don't want to dwell on the Arab Spring (there are plenty of sites out there for that), but I think I'd be remiss in talking about Tunisia without saying something. 

As a tourist, I couldn't really "see" or "sense" the bubbles about to explode.  Maybe I was just young and naive, or maybe it wasn't apparent if you didn't spend more time there. I don't know. Yes, there were little things that just seemed off at the time, like how our guide said he had to check in at least 2 times per day with the authorities, since we were all Americans, to tell them our location, destination, and to make sure everything was o.k.  We'll never know if this was really true--or not--or if they were checking to make sure we weren't press or something else.  And of course if you had read just a little deeper, you were well aware of ongoing turmoil, including concern from NGOs on human rights records, news censorship, and the general corruption of the ruling elite.  But the Tunisians also were proud of their successes and pretty moderate society. If you've gone to Tunisia both before and after the revolution as a visitor, please chime in, I'd really be curious to see how your impressions have changed.

 I'm definitely glad we went--it was a fascinating place and the first time I had visited a Muslim country.  Call me strange, but I actually enjoy waking up to the call to prayer most mornings. Much better than beeeep beeeep beeeep. Their archaeological sites are absolutely incredible (Dougga and El Djem are deserving of their own posts), as is the country's long and varied history. That said, we spent two weeks there which I think was a wee bit too long. Particularly because we were on a tour, and couldn't linger where we wanted and move on (city-wise) from what was just meh. For example, I'd have loved to spend more time in Sidi Bou Said, but I was ready to get out of Sousse after a morning walk.

However, Tozeur, Tunisia was one of my favorite places.  When I imagined an "oasis", I imagined a place like Tozeur, where all of a sudden, palm trees and life appear out of nothing.  Bonus, the locals even called me Anna Kournikova, since I was blond. That was enough to seal my affinity for the place.

OMGeeezieee...this makes me feel so old!  I went to Chamonix when I was in college, over spring break my freshman year.  Chamonix was my first trip to France, and totally amazing spring skiing. I snowboarded down L'Aiguille du Midi (the Vallee Blanche) which I still think is pretty freaking awesome. It was the only time, in my nearly 2 decades of snowboarding/skiing, that I wondered if I had gotten in over my head. I mean, we passed someone who had fallen into a crevasse, and was at least 20 feet down (it really does happen, they aren't kidding when they warn you to watch where you turn). But I made it down, in one piece, and absolutely thrilled by the experience. As I'm sure you can glean by my excessive use of adjectives.

I'm going to start doing flashback photo Friday posts--past trips, before I started TravelingSaurus.  I love going back through old photos and reminiscing! First up? The Skeleton Coast.

The first time I visited Namibia, I only went to the Caprivi Strip.  Definitely brilliant--tons of wildlife with hippos everywhere!  But there was so much of the country left to visit. So we returned, as a graduation present for my piled-higher-deeper degree in 2011.  There were so many highlights of this trip, from tracking rhinos in Damaraland to seeing the dunes at Soussesvlei.
 
But the Skeleton Coast was just incredible.  Miles and miles of untouched coastline. Some native populations in Namibia called the Skeleton Coast "The Land God Made in Anger"--hundreds of kilometers of arid, unforgiving terrain. 

We had an extra day in Kigali, Rwanda before our flights back to the States in the late evening. My mother and I had just finished a wonderful, 2-week trip through Uganda and Rwanda, highlighted by trekking to observe the incredible mountain gorillas in both countries. Most of our group had already departed; but we, along with one other couple, remained.
 
When we first drove into Rwanda from Uganda three days earlier, two things were immediately striking. First was the total lack of trash, anywhere. Second was the law-obeying drivers. There was development as far as the eye could see in Kigali. From the outside, it would be easy to label the country--as some have--the "Switzerland" of the region. Whether facade or not, first impressions were impressive.

It didn't take long to start talking about how things were in Rwanda, now, with our Ugandan guide. I'm sure we were still given a rosy version of the situation but it wasn't very rosy. They suggested we tread very lightly when asking people anything about current politics, as rumor had it that spies reported anything the least bit disparaging or dissenting back to Kagame's government. (At the time, I thought they were exaggerating a bit; the day we returned, The New York Times Magazine released this fascinating piece about Kagame.) 

Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley seem to get all the attention for easy and great snorkeling.  On our last day in Belize, we wanted to have another snorkeling outing (we had been kayaking out to the reef and going on our own), and decided on Mexico Rocks.

It was rainy, windy, and rough.  We weren't sure we would be able to go until the last minute.  As the surf picked up, waves kept crashing over the top of our snorkels.  

But the snorkeling? Amazing.  We were also all alone, in part due to the weather; there wasn't a single other boat at the buoy.   

(I really told you all about the weather conditions to provide an excuse for some of the photos being a bit blurry. It's hard to take great underwater shots while you are being rocked around, clearing your snorkel, and swimming nearly all the time to combat the currents.  And....we also just aren't superior underwater photographers, so there is that.)

When we decided to go to Belize, we opted (like many who visit) to spend a few days inland and a few days on the beach.  We ended up spending one less day inland than planned when we purchased our tickets/made hotel reservations, thanks to United's splendid flight schedule changes from DCA which meant we arrived at 7pm instead of 11am. Ugh. 

We really only had one particular goal, and that was to see Caracol.  I'm a huge fan of ruins, and Caracol's were definitely worth the diversion from the wonderful marine life on the coast.  

We stayed at Hidden Valley, an adorable lodge set on a beautiful reserve with lots of waterfalls and trails.  We requested a trip to Caracol, with a guide from Hidden Valley.  You can self-drive, but that seemed too stressful for a vacation, and DH and I wisely didn't want to argue over directions when we were lost on dirt roads without signs. 

Some years ago there were problems (robberies, etc) on the road to Caracol, which means that each day, there is a military escort by the Belize Defence Forces which meets all visitors going at a specified point and time, and escorts them to Caracol and back (note: private cars are free to meet at the aforementioned point and go with the rest of the vehicles). 

So, what really can you see on a single day in Yellowstone? So much!  

• 1. Old Faithful, obviously.  Yes, there are a ton of people. Yes, there are other geysers that are also interesting.  But do you want to miss this iconic site? No.
  
• 2. Drive up to the awesome Fountain Paint Pot.  Unless you think mudpots are boring.  I think mudpots are awesome.  Where else can you see mud splurt , bubble, and burp all over?
  
• 3. Check out Norris Geyser Basin.  In particular, the Porcelain Basin is beautiful, and a great place to take a stroll if you want to stretch your legs.
• 4. The falls.  Just beautiful.  
• 5. Yellowstone Lake.  The views are just stunning, with mountains towering behind the lake.  Also, while we didn't see any, bears are commonly sighted here.

Between these five highlights are beautiful views, lots of geysers that you can pick and choose from, and wildlife! We saw elk and bison on this trip.  It took us about 8 hours to do this loop.  There also wasn't traffic, which should be considered during high season.

So even if you don't have that much time, but you want to see Yellowstone (particularly for those who have been to the park before, do it! It's a wonderful day-trip from Jackson. 

Photos from the day...(some courtesy of dear husband, as I'm cursing my camera that elects to not function properly at opportune moments).

We only had a few days in Wyoming, but dear husband had never been to Yellowstone.  Rather than miss it entirely, we decided to make the most of a full day in the park.  I have been to Yellowstone many times, but not recently (I think it's been 10 years).  You know how sometimes you remember something as a kid so favorably, with rose colored glasses, and then you do it as an adult and it really disappoints?  

Yellowstone National Park is not one of those things.

I loved seeing Old Faithful, one of the biggest mudpots, the geysers, and the wildlife. It was fun to see dear husband hopping out of the car and trying to get good shots of the bison.  I grew up across the road from a bison ranch, and I've seen them my whole life, so while I appreciate their majestic nature...they are...just...not...that...interesting after the first few dozen.  Sorry.

For the record, because it irritates me to no end, husband did not go anywhere near the bison. Or elk. Or any other wildlife.  They give you a special, one page flyer when you enter the park that has this ridiculously cute (but clearly ineffective) cartoon about how you should not approach wildlife.  We made it about two hours in the park before we saw people less than 10 feet away from a bison.  Nothing between them except for grass.  Then another set, standing right beside their car, with the bison directly in front of them.  With small children.  Come on people!  Bison may look slow but I can guarantee they move faster than you. I know this because I just followed you up the path to the geyser.  Brains people. Use them. Or I'll nominate you for a Darwin Award.  Yellowstoneisnotazoo.  End of rant.

We're already thinking about our next trip to Wyoming.  Something about living in a city that makes me ever more appreciative of the wildlife and wilderness I had at my fingertips growing up. 

A trip to Ambergris Caye is never complete without some snorkeling or diving.  One of the most popular spots in Belize, because of its easy accessibility and substantial marine life, is Hol Chan Marine Reserve.  It's a protected area right off the coast of Ambergris Caye.

We went to Belize in January, and while I didn't blog then, Hol Chan and Belize are definitely worth a few throw back posts! Dear husband was gifted a underwater camera for Belize, and it was definitely a treat.  I've never had underwater photos before (even if they are a bit blurry).

We took a tour from Matachica, where we stayed.  The currents aren't bad if you are comfortable in the water, but there were places where constant kicking was required to stay in place.  I would say the deepest water we were in was about 25 feet.  Husband didn't get cold at all, but I'm a total water wimp, and after about 45 minutes my teeth were chattering.  The water temp was reported to be about 79F.

So here is the best of Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley (a specific area of Hol Chan, known for it's population of nurse sharks and rays).  Lots of turtles, spotted eagle rays, stingrays, and nurse sharks!

We are headed to Wyoming this weekend.  It's a bit strange to me that Wyoming is a vacation destination for many, as it is where I grew up.
 
Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful. Well, now it is...funny how sometimes you don't really notice or appreciate where you live until you move.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough when I was a teenager (or maybe I just needed a little more perspective as a young 'in, there's always that).  But I still live in a major city, so I guess I don't miss it that much.  Though I do enjoy an occasional visit.