See the World’s Most Exotic, Chaotic, Exciting Destinations

A rich travel experience is like a great jazz performance; master the basics first and then improvise.

With that in mind, I’ve planned my trips for 2023, taking advantage of discounts, flash sale promos and end of the year savings. I’ve managed to save a bundle by looking 12 months out, comparing travel insurance pricing, tour and flight options, and using trusted group tour and travel partners.

But as everyone who travels knows, you have to be able to improvise. Plan well, but embrace the uncertainty. And the adventure!

First step, another Covid booster and visas for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Rules and regs on vaccines are changing daily now that China is allowing travel so a great resource is Sherpa.com for country specific requirements. And they really are changing daily! It’s your responsibility, not your airline or travel group, to stay current so bookmark this site. It’s simple to use and updates in real time.

Here’s the 2023 itinerary, booked and insured for changes in plans if necessary:

Southeast Asia

I’ll fly to Phnom Penh Cambodia in February for a few days, then on to Siem Riep to see Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, a flight to Bangkok for three days, then on to Luang Prabang in Laos for another 2-3 days. From Laos to Hanoi and the long awaited overnight cruise to experience one of the “new seven wonders of the world, Ha Long Bay. Then back to Hanoi for four days for highlights like Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and a private cooking class specializing in popular Vietnamese dishes. And a cyclo ride or two.

Southern Italy

May will find me in Southern Italy for two blissful weeks, enjoying the gastronomy and local wineries as we travel from Naples to Sorrento with stops in Narre, Lecce, Campania and an excursion to Otranto, Alberobello, Castellana Grotte and Paestum. Beautiful views, a leisurely pace and a feast for the soul! Che bello!

Iceland

In July I’ll spend eleven days in Iceland starting in Reykjavik, a dip in the world-famous geothermal Blue Lagoon, Snæfellsjökull National Park with its striking glacier. Then the fjords of Akureyri, Siglufjörður, the closest town to the Arctic Circle in Iceland and Lake Mývatn. I’ll visit the rugged and remote Eastfjords region, and Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajökull Glacier. Waterfalls, geysers and a tour of Þingvellir National Park.

The Galapagos, Ecuador and the Andes

At the end of August I’ll head south to Guayaquil, Ecuador to visit the lush tropics of South America. Then on to the Galapagos Archipelago of volcanic islands with hopes of seeing sea lions, turtles, iguanas and whitetip reef sharks.

The tour includes a hike to Sierra Negra, one of the islands’ most active volcanoes. We’ll visit the “Middle of the World” monument at the Equator that marks latitude 0º, thermal springs at Papallacta in the Andes and then head into the Amazon for four days birds-watching and tours. Finally, the tour ends with three days in historic, colonial Quito.

India with Ranthambore and Nepal

And finally, after a three year wait… India and Nepal! Mid-October hopefully finds me landing in New Delhi for close to three weeks in country. Highlights include Raj Ghat, the cremation site and memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, the Qutab Minar Victory Tower. And the Taj Mahal, considered the most perfect architectural monument in the world. The tour includes a couple of days on safari in Ranthambore National Park, previously hunting grounds of the Maharajas.

We’ll visit the Amber Fort with its gorgeous Palace of Mirrors, the Mehrangarh Fort, called the “Citadel of the Sun” and Udaipur’s spectacular City Palace. Then Nepalese temples, villages and mountain vistas including a “flightseeing tour” of Everest. And after all of that mind-bending, jaw dropping grandeur, the long trek home from Kathmandu though Doha, Qatar with a stop at JFK then Charlotte.

This broad traveling abroad looks forward to sharing each of these adventures with you. And I truly welcome and appreciate your questions, comments and feedback!