July 8, 2020 Fort Point Lighthouse Fort Point Lighthouse Fort Point Lighthouse Fog Bell Dyce Head Lighthouse Dyce Head Lighthouse Dyce Head Lighthouse Dyce Head Coast
Day 17- Even More Maine
Day 16- More Maine
July 7, 2020 Doubling Point Lighthouse Hendrick's Head Lighthouse Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Marshall Point Lighthouse Marshall Point Lighthouse Marshall Point Lighthouse Owl's Head Lighthouse Owl's Head Lighthouse Owl's Head Lighthouse OWL'S Head Lighthouse Rockland Breakwater Light Rockland Breakwater Light Path to Curtis Lighthouse Lookout Curtis Lighthouse Curtis Lighthouse
Day 15- Maine
July 6, 2020 Goat Island Lighthouse Kennebunkport, Maine Wood Island Lighthouse Lobstah Roll Portland Lighthouse
Day 14- Massachusetts
July 5, 2020 Marblehead Lighthouse Derby Wharf Lighthouse, Salem, MA Fort Pickering Lighthouse Hospital Point Range Rear Lighthouse Hospital Point Range Rear Lighthouse Eastern Point Lighthouse
Day 13- Rhode Island to Massachusetts
July 4, 2020 Warwick Lighthouse, Rhode Island Warwick Lighthouse Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Nayatt Point Lighthouse Conimicut Lighthouse Bristol Ferry Lighthouse Goat Island Lighthouse Castle Hill Lighthouse Beavertail Lighthouse Butler Flats Lighthouse, Massachusetts Ned Point Lighthouse
Day 11 and 12- NY to Rhode Island
July 3, 2020 Driving through New York yesterday sucked. SUCKED. Ran off the road once, nearly 8 wrecks from people cutting me off or just being Super Jerks. People who were taught to drive in Los Angeles in the late 80s INVENTED ROAD RAGE! With that, Eff You, Long Island! I skipped every single lighthouse... Continue Reading →
Day 10- New Jersey
July 1, 2020 I slept in a Hampton Inn last night and it was absolutely glorious. Not just because it was an actual bed with air-conditioning and a bathroom all to myself but it was only 12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points which is like so super cheap. A serious win on all fronts. Like everybody in... Continue Reading →
Day 9- NC to NJ
June 30, 2020 I survived another night sleeping in a rest stop but not before being woken up and startled by a thunderous crash next to my car in the middle of the night. It was the ice settling in the cooler just next to me. Note: don’t listen to podcasts of roadside serial killers... Continue Reading →
Day 8- The Outer Banks
June 29, 2020 I think Blackbeard WILLINGLY SURRENDERED and agreed (possibly suggested) to be shot five times, and stabbed many more, just to be finally rid of THE MOSQUITOES ON OCRACOKE ISLAND! 3 words: Deep. Woods. Off. Although a very lovely place, last night’s sleep did not go as well as one would expect in... Continue Reading →
Day 7- Ferry to Ocracoke Island
June 27, 2020 While waiting for my ferry this afternoon, I checked my odometer’s Trip setting. I have driven 1,669 miles since leaving my condo in Falls Church, Virginia a week ago. That doesn’t even count all the miles Rick put on his car when we were wandering Richmond, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg together.... Continue Reading →
Day 6- Oak Island to the Outer Banks, NC
June 27, 2020 It took me three hours to get to my first lighthouse, on Oak Island, and I was already tired. At 3:15 in the morning, my rest stop turned into a disco when at least 8-9 cars packed with people showed up. All their plates....Florida. Apparently, they are bringing their Covid-infected bodies north.... Continue Reading →
Day 5- Savannah on North
June 26, 2020 I certainly got a free sauna treatment last night from sleeping in the car in the south. It’s much hotter than I expected. Nobody bothered me last night but tonight‘s rest area apparently is patrolled by police so I expect them to shoot me out at any time. I drove into Savannah... Continue Reading →
Day 4- Florida is a HARD PASS
June 25, 2020 I talked to my Floridian friend, Cheryl, last night and she convinced me to abandon Florida. Florida is a NO GO for a Lighthouse adventure. I have no intention of contracting this virus. As of today, Florida had 10,000 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN TWO DAYS! Their governor is an idiot! No face... Continue Reading →
Day 3- Williamsburg and Richmond
June 24, 2020 I coughed myself awake, only once, at 3:30 AM and was convinced that I had the coronavirus until 4:45 AM. Eventually back to sleep, I then dreamt that I was back in high school and a girl made fun of my pajama pants pattern. I ended up chasing her. I woke up... Continue Reading →
Day 2- Virginia Beach
June 23, 2020 For some ungodly reason, I woke up at 6am. Apparently, I was excited to go to the beach and get my first lighthouse pic. Rick rolled downstairs an hour later stunned at me hunkered down without coffee reading. Coffee, bagels, pack the car, 800 SPF applied and off we went. Located right... Continue Reading →
Day 1- Richmond
June 22, 2020 Officially leaving the apartment for the first time in three months is an odd feeling. The car is packed, my goodbyes to my amazing roommates were said, and the navigation set for Rick's house in Richmond Virginia. My travel companions at Mile 0 The plan for the next three days is amazing!... Continue Reading →
Planning for an Extended Road Trip
June 19, 2020 I was in junior high when I climbed Mount Whitney. It took us two miserable days to reach the 14,505 foot peak. I was with my friend's insane family. Seriously, they were completely nuts. I don't know what my parents were thinking allowing me to go off high into the Sierra with... Continue Reading →
Mapping The Lighthouses
June 17, 2020 Ok. There are quite a few more lighthouses than I expected. New Jersey, you brought your A-Game when prepping for nautical safety back in the day. 18 that I can actually get to without a boat. But Massachusetts, I stopped counting at 35+. You came to win! (If building lighthouses was a... Continue Reading →
A Dystopian Road Trip
June 15, 2020 I can't take it anymore. I have to get out of this apartment. 2020 sucks. This year, so far, has yielded a mid-January hysterectomy, two weeks later I flew to Hong Kong (for an adult tour) and was trapped with my group for one month on the NCL Westerdam in the South... Continue Reading →
A Great Day in Washington D.C.
March 3, 2020 We saw so many amazing things today. We went to the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ... let’s just say we saw a lot of memorials before going to Arlington National Cemetery. My group had a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then we got access to... Continue Reading →
Back to Work – New York City
February 29, 2020 Almost a week since returning from my Westerdam adventure, and it is Back To Work! Reflection inside the Vessel in Hudson Yards The day after I returned home I received several phone calls from the Center for Disease Control, Virginia Department of Health, and the Fairfax County Department of Health. They knew... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 12
February 20, 2020 The PLAN WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK. A traveler's note: You never want to think to yourself, "Huh, I wonder why the plane is turning around? and why is Pakistan our new destination?" Lobby of the gorgeous Sokha Hotel It was a gorgeous morning in Phenom Penh! A fantastic breakfast and a little... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 11
January 19, 2020 It all happened pretty quick today. The Captain came on the sound system early this morning and told us that we were getting off the ship, loading onto 10 busses, heading to a hotel in Phenom Penh, and then flown home from there. We had 3 hours to get ready. Since all... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 10
February 18, 2020 The Westerdam treated all of us to Happy Hour in the BB King Blues Lounge last night. I guess they figured that if we had to have 8-inch Q-Tips shoved deep up into our brain for testing and another one down our gullets, then we deserved to be a little shit-faced. So... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam – part 9
February 17, 2020 I BOARDED THE HOLLAND AMERICA WESTERDAM 17 DAYS AGO. Sorry, my caps lock must have been stuck. SCUTTLEBUTT: My new ship-turned-hotel-refugee-BFF, Judy Barr, who has been in 'quarantine' in a Phnom Phen hotel for the last two days with her husband and a ton of other Westerdam guests, tells me that yesterday... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 8
February 16, 2020 If I even hear the word 'quarantine', I am very calmly placing my phone, passport, credit cards and cash in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and will jump overboard, swim to shore, hire a tuk tuk, and get out of here! After disembarking over 1,100 people yesterday, one tested positive for the coronavirus... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the No-Longer-Stranded Westerdam, part 7
February 15, 2020 Today is the second day since docking and I still do not have flights out of Cambodia. They 'should' have me flying out sometime tomorrow, February 16. I believe there are only 60 of us who will stay onboard one more night awaiting flights home. They are certainly not kicking me off... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 6
February 14, 2020 WELCOME TO CAMBODIA! What an eventful day! But first, anchor in the bay, have immigration and health officials come on board, 20 people swabbed for the virus, visas glued into passports, and we wait. And wait. We are professionals at waiting. Ok, done, now the ship can move to the dock. The... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 5
February 13, 2020 Ok, so I did NOT see this next part coming... Thailand refused us entry into their country after two days of negotiations at the 'highest levels' between the Thai government and the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands. Ok, now what? Where? Where can we possibly go next? We... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 4
February 12, 2020 This ship's hollandaise sauce is one of many reasons why I am perfectly fine with just one of my thighs being the size of ALL of Renée Zellweger. At the next Christmas party, or perhaps even next Tuesday, it may be hollandaise sauce in my mug, not egg nog. The gossip continues!... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 3
February 11, 2020 This entire experience is just like preparing for a high school prom. You have an idea of who you want to ask to the big dance, you get up the nerve and ask, and luckily, he says yes! You buy a dress and find fun shoes you can dance in that don't... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 2
February 10, 2020 Where did I leave off? Oh, yes... 7 knots in the Philippine Sea... The Captain had said to us that Holland America was working closely with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Navy and all local authorities to find a solution. So, when the ship's course started heading into the Pacific Ocean... Continue Reading →
Life Aboard the Stranded Westerdam, part 1
February 7, 2020 I was not planning on writing much about this 'event' but I really feel that I owe it to the phenomenal staff aboard this Holland America Westerdam ship to set the record straight. For those of you who have not followed the news, there is currently a massive outbreak of Coronavirus flu... Continue Reading →
Porto, Portugal
Friday, November 29, 2019
UK- Day 16 of 37
Thursday, November 7, 2019 A rainy freezing day in Glasgow.
UK – Day 15 of 37 – Scotland, finally…
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 Dumbarton Castle and Bothwell Castle, both outside Glasgow.
UK – Day 14 of 37 – Northern England
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 Lancaster Castle, which was used as a jail until 2011, Lancaster Parish that had a massive blow-up of the moon, Lanercost Priory, and Hadrian's Wall, which was amazing!
UK – Day 13 of 37 – Blenheim Palace
Monday, November 4, 2019 Sir Winston Churchill's birthplace, the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace, and a whole bunch of other history...
UK – Day 12 of 37 – The Cotswolds
Sunday, November 3, 2019 SO many little towns, castles and estates that we wandered through.... The Cotswolds is absolutely gorgeous! Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Broadway, Broadway Castle, Stanton, Hailes Abbey, Sudeley Castle, Snowshill Manor, and Chastleton House and Gardens Moreton-in-Marsh Hailes Abbey, Cotswolds Sudeley Castle Snowshill Manor
UK – Day 11 of 37 – Oxford
Saturday, November 2, 2019 An afternoon in Oxford.
