Y Travel Blog

When I surprised Savannah with tickets to see the Dallas Wings play in San Francisco, she screamed, dropped to the floor of our dining room, and rolled around in tears. I sat here eating my dinner a little baffled. We were going to a basketball game. Even more baffling was her request for a two-hour get ready time frame in our dodgy hotel room. Couldn’t we spend that afternoon finding a San Francisco bakery and a good flat white instead? No. This was the dream. The dream realized

We had to build game-time prep into our San Francisco trip, and I was a little baffled by it. We’re going to a basketball game. Couldn’t we spend that hour finding a good flat white and a slab of cake somewhere instead? No. This was Savannah’s dream. When I first surprised her with tickets, she screamed, dropped to the floor, and rolled around in tears at our dining room table. So I gave up the coffee idea, went back to our shabby little hotel room, and waited the bet

We were somewhere on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, dropping 4,000 feet into a canyon that kept narrowing, the Kings River appearing below us like a turquoise thread, when 14 year old Savannah who had been looking out the window turned to me and said, “You know. I’m kinda glad my phone fell down the toilet because now I’m paying attention more.” Thank goodness for small phone slip miracles and stunning nature to prove her point. Her mesmerizing beauty trumps all pokes,

There’s a table on the edge of a hill in Gornje Cerovo in Slovenia where the vineyards fall away in front of you and keep going until they turn into Italy. On a clear evening you can follow them all the way to a thin silver line of the Adriatic. We sat at that table for hours. Amazing local restaurant in Goriška Brda The church of St Nicholas stands right beside it, and its bell rings every quarter hour. There’s a pattern to the tolls, something the farmers once read to know wh

There’s a stretch of Mount Triglav, maybe 50 meters below a small wooden hut, where I gripped a rock face with both hands and swore at it. I was scared in a way I don’t usually get scared. Angry too, which surprised me more. We’d been scrambling for what felt like a very long time across rock that fell away on both sides, and my body had quietly decided it was finished. One wrong foot and I’d slide, and the slide had somewhere bad to go. So I held on and gave my

I sat in a 10°C river for 10 minutes and came out grinning. That was the afternoon after a morning of jumping off canyon walls and rappelling down a 50-meter waterfall on a rope. By lunch I was floating in water the color of a tropical beach, cold to the bone, in the shadow of the Julian Alps, happier than I’d been in a long time. That’s the thing about Slovenia. You can throw yourself down a waterfall before breakfast and be lying in a hammock by dinner. It’s a smal

I lost a day in Ljubljana before I ever got there. Cancelled flight out of Raleigh, then a delayed one, then an overnight reroute through London that ate the extra day I’d deliberately built into the front of the trip. My airport shuttle broke down on the way in, and we sat waiting for a replacement. I finally reached the hotel mid-afternoon with two days of travel on me and one thought in my head, which was coffee. So, I walked. Two blocks down to the river. And I stood there thinki

We came out the far end of Vintgar Gorge feeling pleased with ourselves and then stood in the middle of the forest for a while trying to work out how to get back. It’s a beautiful walk. The boardwalks are pinned into the rock, the water underneath runs a green you’d assume had been edited, and the whole thing is over in about 45 minutes. What we hadn’t understood was that those 45 minutes were the easy half. When we asked, locals told us they know. People get caught by th

On our second night in Lake Bled we walked back from dinner past a small bar on the edge of the lake, and there was a band on. A local band, singing in Slovenian, playing to a crowd on the grass with the water going dark behind them. People were up dancing. Friends, couples, a few kids running around the edges. Not one person I could see was filming it. I stood there for a while. I didn’t understand a word, and it made no difference at all, because it was the same scene I’ve wa

The main reason for our recent 3-night getaway to New York City was because my 14-year-old daughter Savannah is a die-hard WNBA fan. And when the New York Liberty schedule lined up with a game versus the Dallas Wings, we had to make happen. Savannah outside Barclays Center She picked the NY vs. Dallas game because her idol is Paige Bueckers from Uconn, who now plays for Dallas. New York is a lot closer to Raleigh than Dallas, and obviously a way better city to visit! So, tickets secured, f

If you’ve ever thought about visiting South West Rocks in NSW, one of the best ways to see it is to grab your car keys, hit the road, and stay at one of the caravan parks. Caravan Parks in South West Rocks allow you to stay in nature, enjoy lower prices, park up your RV or camper van, and have your own space. Arakoon National Park, South West Rocks | Credit Destination NSW As well as being more budget-friendly, they are also kitted out like mini resorts, with many on-site amenities

I was lying on my back on a paddleboard in the middle of Lake Bohinj with my eyes shut, listening to six women breathe. I’d told them it would take 5 minutes. It ran closer to 10, because when I opened my eyes, nobody had moved. They were flat out on their boards with their arms trailing in the water and I’m fairly sure a couple of them had fallen asleep. I let it run. Then I had to wake them up, because the boards were due back. That’s Lake Bohinj. It’s the lake wh

New York City is well-known for its culinary scene. From world-class restaurants to $1 hot dogs from street carts, everyone knows that New Yorkers love food. But for tourists visiting the city, it can be overwhelming knowing where to eat, what to eat, and how much it’s going to cost you. So to get yourself acquainted with the cuisine in the Big Apple, I recommend taking a food tour of New York City. I’ll let you into a little secret. I love food. I love good food. I love fresh, go

North Coast NSW is one of my favourite areas in Australia. It’s lush, hilly, filled with ancient rainforests, magnificent views, stunning coastline and beaches, and alternative lifestyles. It’s where my soul comes to breathe and just be. The best way to take in all the beauty and serenity of this region is on a NSW road trip from Lennox Head to the Gold Coast. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast It passes through the hinterland and also vast stretches of coast, as well as stops through sleepy towns

Although our teenagers are well-traveled and know how to keep themselves safe on the road, as they get older, I am finding myself more concerned with safety than I was when they were children.  When they were children, everything was organized for them, and everything we did together as a family. As my teens get older, they start to want more independence; their own hotel room and some downtime to talk with friends, that kind of thing. They’re also turning into young adults and soo

I was standing on a rock ledge in the Soča Valley, about 6 meters above a pool of water so green it looked fake. Our canyoneering guide was next to me, counting me down and telling me to be confident. Down below me, a few women I’d known for a week were yelling my name with a “You can do it” affirmation.  1,2,3 Jump I jumped. I came up gasping (the water was freezing, wetsuit or not) and swam to the side grinning like an idiot. Then I turned around and watched the next woman do

There is hardly a place in Europe that evokes images of beauty, glamour, and tranquility more than Lake Como in Italy. For hundreds of years, it’s been a popular destination with the rich and famous, but there are plenty of things to do at Lake Como for the humble tourist, too. Or, for your Italian honeymoon, since it offers the kind of romantic beauty that only Shakespeare can portray. Lake Como is one of Italy’s most beautiful lakes While Lake Como isn’t Italy’s largest lake (that

Cairns is blessed to be on the doorstep of some of the most incredible natural sites. It’s the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, the stunning Tropical North Queensland beaches, and the untamed jungles of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest. If you’re looking for things to do in Cairns that offer the best views of nature and a thrilling experience wrapped up in one, then a ride on the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Kuranda Skyrail Rainforest Cableway should not go amiss. The

Carnarvon Gorge National Park is located in Queensland’s sandstone country. You’ll find deep, craggy gorges, jaw-dropping cliffs, and more than 2,000 pieces of Aboriginal rock art. Nestled amongst the rocks, you’ll find mossy gardens and bright, emerald green plants and fauna. It’s simply a wonder to behold, and a stark contrast from other national parks in Queensland that offer a more tropical vibe. You might even say that Carnarvon Gorge is a tropical oasis. If y

It took me a couple of days to adjust to Magnetic Island, or should I just say Maggie, as the locals call it. It was like I had suddenly walked into a bubble and was left suspended on the twig of a tree. Just waiting to drop. There was no past or future, nothing to distract me or fill the time with, and no need for worrying. It was just a place to be. When you’re used to constantly moving and filling every second you have with action, it’s extremely difficult to just stop and relax. But M