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BY Nancy Mueller 7 Comments ON April 30, 2013

Z is for Zihuatanejo Bay!

ZihuatanejoBayRoryFinnerenflickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr

To wrap up my participation in the April A – Z Blogging Challenge – and coincidentally the last day of National Poetry Month – I’m ending with three distinct travel destinations:

I.ZihuatanejoBaySunsetRoryFinnerenflickr (450 x 253)

Photo courtesy of Rory Finneren – flickr

Z zips us to Mexico’s tropical coast, Zihuatanejo Bay.
Come play in the surf, eat lobster, too, and practice
your Spanish – olé!

II.ZwingerPalaceTheLastMoorishKingflickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of The Last Moorish King – flickr

The Zwinger Palace in Dresden is
capped by an onion-shaped crown.
With its beautiful setting and showcase for art
it’s a major landmark in town.

III.ZigZagRailwayBotheredbyBeesflickr (450 x 322)

Photo courtesy of BotheredByBees – flicker

Follow the Z in a series of switchbacks, dated 1869.
On Australia’s Zig-Zag Railway, we’ve come . . .
to . . . the . . . end . . . of . . . the . . . line.

 

Thank you for joining our A – Z journey!

But of course, dear Reader, we haven’t seen all.

So pack your bags and a sense of adventure –

there’s so much more to explore.

The whole wide world is waiting,

just as soon as you open your door.

Where are you headed next in your travels, wanderboomers?

Filed Under: Activities, Australia, Baby Boomers and Travel, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations, Mexico, Travel Experiences Tagged With: A - Z Blogging Challenge, Australia, Dresden, Mexico, National Poetry Month, Spanish, Zig Zag Railway, Zihuatanejo Bay, Zwinger Palace

BY Nancy Mueller 7 Comments ON April 24, 2013

U is for Uluru

Ulura. The aboriginal name for Ayers Rock, Australia . . .

I recall when Oprah was planning her Australian adventure extravaganza a few years back. She hadn’t considered visiting Ayers Rock until her pal Paul Simon told her she needed to go. After her visit, she said he was right.

Ulurujemasmithflickr (450 x 300)

Photo courtesy of jema smith – flickr

What is it about this sandstone monolith located in the middle of nowhere Australia that calls to 400,000 to 500,000 visitors a year? Is it the changing colors of the rock and sky at sunrise and sunset? Or something more profound . . .

Ulurucharlesbukowskyflickr (450 x 338)

Photo courtesy of charles bukowsky – flickr

For aboriginal Australians, Uluru is considered a sacred site, home to ancient paintings in the caves at the base of the massive monument that were created during their mythical Dreamtime. Though requested by the aborigines not to climb the rock because of its spiritual nature, visitors are still allowed to do so – for now. Today the government is considering a ban on climbing for safety, environmental and cultural reasons, making it only a matter of time before visitors find the path closed.

UluruTheCreativePennflickr (450 x 300)

Photo courtesy of The Creative Penn – flickr

Have you visited Ayers Rock, wanderboomers? What was your experience?

Filed Under: Activities, Australia, Baby Boomers and Travel, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations, Travel Experiences Tagged With: aborigines, Australia, Ayers Rock, Dreamtime, Oprah, Paul Simon, sacred site, sunrise, sunset, Uluru

BY Nancy Mueller 6 Comments ON October 5, 2011

A Bird’s Eye View of Genovesa Island

Every day spent in the Galapagos Islands is a nature lover’s delight. But for anyone passionate about birdwatching, Genovesa (Tower) Island in the Galapagos is a must-see destination. And if you weren’t passionate about seabirds before your visit, you will be by the time you leave.

On Day 5 of our small-ship cruise, we’re visiting this serene, pristine northern island for our only chance to see red-footed boobies. If we’re lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of a short-eared owl.

Oh – and did I mention nazca boobies, red-billed tropical birds, great frigate birds, storm petrels, lava herons, large cactus finches, Galapagos doves, mockingbirds and swallow-tailed gulls?

For a birder, I don’t know what would be worse: never seeing this home to a million seabirds – or visiting and then having to leave.

Crescent-shaped Tower Island is an enormous caldera, a large crater formed by a volcanic collapse. For this reason, the island is relatively flat, rising a scant 250 feet (just over 76 meters) above the water surface. Wave erosion has worn away one wall of the sunken volcano, creating an inlet known as Darwin’s Bay, one of two accessible visitor sites.

An 8AM panga ride treats us to our first view of the numerous bird colonies along the jagged cliffs before our “dry” landing at Prince Philips Steps. Located on the eastern side of the island, the steps are so-named because of the Prince’s visit here in the early ’60’s. The steps up the rockface are challenging, but doable for all in our group thanks to handrails, fellow passengers and our naturalist guides,  Whew! After a steep climb up the steps, we arrive on a plateau for a walking tour of the the bird nesting areas.

From here we take in the panoramic views and learn about one of the primary bird nesting areas, the aromatic “palo santo” ( “holy stick”) forest.

The resin oils and wood from the trees are used to produce incense and oils used for healing practices. Hence, the name “holy stick.” Cactus abounds here, including prickly pear cactus

and lava cactus that grow atop the lava fields despite the barren landscape.

After a turn at kayaking in the choppy waters following lunch, I decide my skills are better suited for calmer waters – a sentiment surely echoed by my Australian paddle buddy. To his credit, he never once pointed out who was doing most of the paddling . . .

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations, Galapagos Islands Tagged With: Australia, birding, birds, birdwatching, caldera, Darwin Bay, Galapagos doves, great frigatebirds, holy stick genovesa Island, inlet, kayaking, large cactus finches, lava cactus, lava heron, mockingbirds, Nazca Boobies, Palo Santo, palo santo incense, palo santo oil, prickly pear cactus, Prince Philip's Steps, red-footed boobies, short-eared owl, storm petrels, swallow-tailed gulls, Tower Island, volcano

BY Nancy Mueller 6 Comments ON May 26, 2011

Thank You, Oprah!

OprahStoryAccentsflickr (450 x 378)

Photo courtesy of Story Accents – flickr

I know. You’re wondering what on earth could Oprah possibly have to do with this travel blog – besides the fact that she’s a Wander Boomer who likes to travel (Can you say “Australia”  anyone?). But Oprah represents so much more than that to this Wanderboomer. We grew up together after all. Yes, she was in Chicago while I was in Seattle. But we learned from making some of the same mistakes. I’ll bet some of you did, too. We learned when it’s time to let go and move on, to trust our inner voice, and to use that voice to stand up for ourselves and others.

Oprah has blazed a bright trail for women – and men – yet her message to each of us has always been to get off the beaten path and follow our own calling. I took her message to heart – literally. When classmates and colleagues went to Europe, I hopped on a plane to Egypt, and later Brazil. Long after friends had given birth to their children, my husband and I traveled to China to bring home our toddler daughter.

When I travel to far-flung locations, I am my best self – not always as fearless or as smart as I’d like to be, but I go anyway. I’m still learning, still a work in progress, still growing into a better version of who I am capable of becoming. Travel helps me do that. I’m forced out of my comfort zone, the blinders come off, and I have to figure out how to be resourceful in unexpected situations .

So many of my “Aha” moments have come while I’ve been on the road: clarity about decisions hanging over my head; a recognition that despite our differences, we are all interconnected; a visceral understanding of how vital it is to preserve a pristine natural habitat for our planet.

Travel to Quito, Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands is next up for me, while Antarctica and Australia are still ahead. But wherever I go, I’ll take Oprah’s gifts with me: grace towards others who may see the world differently than I do, generosity of spirit, and gratitude for the freedom to travel the world and live an adventurous life. When you think about it, not bad items to bring along on any of our journeys.

Thanks, Oprah!

What about you, Boomers? How has travel changed you? Where are you going next?

Filed Under: Baby Boomers and Travel Tagged With: Antarctica, Australia, Brazil, Chicago, China, Ecuador, Europe, Galapagos Islands, inner voice, intuition, Oprah, travel

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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