This video is from the Rio Pueblo Gorge, near Taos, New Mexico. This river comes from Taos Pueblo land and runs into the Rio Grande River. This is a deep gorge, but not as deep as the Rio Grande Gorge, which is a spectacular gash across the high desert — almost shocking when you first see it.

On our Santa Fe trip, we go rafting on the Rio Grande. Even though this is a tributary canyon, the video is nice in that it gives you the feeling of the land there. The warm, languid, relaxing feeling you’d get sitting on the side of the river, just enjoying a sunny fall day. It’s the same feeling you get floating downstream — in the calm spots, when you’re not paddling the whitewater, that is!

Lovely Taos Pueblo Flute Music from WindWalk: Music of Blackhill Albino Lujan of Taos Pueblo

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We’ll be back in Santa Fe and Taos for our women’s trip to New Mexico in September. I can hardly wait! It’s a captivating place, and each time I’m here, I wish I could stay longer.
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OK, I’ll say it right up front. We do NOT go scuba diving on our San Juan Islands trips! I’m a wimpy warm water diver (think British Virgin Islands)!

However, even though that water looks pretty chilly to me, it’s fascinating to know what lives down there! The undisputed rulers of the local seas are the orca whales, but there are a ton of other lesser-known, and much less-seen species that live on rocks, walls, and tidal areas around the islands.

When we go kayaking, you can see some underwater stuff, but only a few feet down into the water. Think starfish, mussels, clams, kelp, and seals (who visit any depth they want, and look like they’re having fun doing it!) This video takes you further down than we can see from our kayaks, to give you a deeper glimpse of “what’s down there”.

Me, I’m happy to stay above the water, peering in to see what I can see. Maybe someday global warming will warm these waters up enough for me…  But then, everything that lives here now would be dead.  OK, let’s not do that, OK?

In the meantime, have a look at some underwater video shot by other, warmer-blooded souls!
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Our San Juan Islands trips for women run every year in August. If you’re on the trip, and newly inspired to try the scuba diving, I bet we could arrange for you to join a dive with one of these groups. Just let me know!
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Friday photo:

So there we were.. ready for our medieval feast

If you visit during this time, you’ll find quite a different place than normal! The townspeople are all dressed in medieval garb, and the locals are very much into the spirit of the event. As you wander through the streets, you’ll find all sorts of unusual activities underway, from falconry, to blacksmithing, to paper making.

The town is historically divided into four quarters, “Le Gaite”. These neighborhoods compete against each other in different events as part of the festival, and there’s a real rivalry between them. Archery is one of the events. Watching the contestants in their tunics engaged in this traditional endeavor, can really take you back. Just pretend that the spectators are of a different era, too!

One of the competitions is cooking, and that’s where our banquet comes in. For this, we all got to dress in character, and attend an authentic medieval feast. There were jesters and musicians, and food and drink appropriate to the time.

“Appropriate to the time” has a very specific meaning here. It must be “food as it was prepared and served between 1250 and 1350, in this region of Italy”. They’re very particular about this authenticity when it comes to judging. A dish could be eliminated from competition if it used a type of apple that wasn’t grown at that time! Somehow I expected this historical food to be bland, but I was surprised by how delicious it was. I was fortunate enough to be given a cookbook with the secret recipes from Gaita Santa Maria.

You can see photos of the town at Excursion to Bevagna, taken at a quieter time of year, without all the medieval activity!

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I’m not sure when we’ll be back in Bevagna, but looking at this makes me hope it will be soon. We’ll have to start planning another Tuscany and Umbria trip before long… That was so much fun!

PS. The guy in the middle looking like a happy Friar Tuck was our driver, Massimo. His true calling should have been opera singer — what an amazing voice!
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Influenza virus particle

If your travels are affected by a disease outbreak like swine flu, what does your travel insurance cover? We don’t have any trips to Mexico now (thank goodness). However, this recent information release from Travelex (our partner for travel insurance) is great information on what would happen if YOUR trip were to be affected by something like this!

Here’s a rundown on possible situations and coverage options from Travelex.
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If a traveler gets sick with the Swine Flu:

• Current insured travelers who become ill would be eligible for coverage under the trip interruption, medical expense and evacuation benefits of their plan up to the limits of the policy and subject to its general terms and conditions.
• If you are aware of any insured passenger in Mexico with flu-like symptoms or who has been admitted to the hospital, please make sure to contact the applicable assistance company — contact information is also stated on the traveler’s Confirmation of Coverage.

If a traveler is contemplating cancellation:

• Insured customers that are considering cancellation or have canceled arrangements due to travel restrictions, warnings or general fear of traveling, whether to Mexico or elsewhere, are not eligible for cash reimbursement under the provisions of the plan.
• Insureds who purchased the Cancel for Any Reason upgrade will be eligible for Trip Cancellation coverage under the provision of the plan.
• Specific to the Travel Select and Travel Max plans: Should the destination airport close and insured customers are unable to reach their destination, the cancellation benefit for losing 50% or more of their covered trip may apply, assuming all terms and conditions of the benefit are met.

If a traveler is being quarantined:

• Quarantine coverage is included under Trip Cancellation/Interruption and Trip Delay benefits in the event a physician quarantines the traveler/insured for any illness which prevents traveling.
• Quarantine means that the person is restricted to their home or a medical facility - not restricted from one country or destination.

If a traveler transfers travel dates:

• If the insured is allowed to transfer their travel payments (trip deposits or full payments) without charge, they can also elect to transfer the protection plan monies on the booking to the new travel dates as well. Typically the protection plan monies are non-refundable inside the penalty period but Travelex is making an exception for this specific case.
• Any expenses for change fees to move airfares to the new trips would not be covered, unless such move was predicated by the travel supplier’s cancellation of the original trip.
• Transfers would only apply to trips that are booked within 12 months from the original departure date.
• If the trip cost increases as a result of the transfer, then the insured will have to make an additional insurance payment to cover the full trip cost in order to best protect themselves. Note: they would need to make the purchase within the required time to continue to receive cancel for any reason, pre-existing condition waiver and any other benefit with an advanced date purchase requirement.

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We always recommend the purchase of trip insurance, especially for trips out of the country. I sincerely hope that none of you are being affected right now, but this is a great real-life example of how it would work. Personally, that “cancel for any reason” upgrade is looking pretty good right now!
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Friday photo - Armadillo at Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

The armadillo gets my vote for most unusual mammal

Peninsula Valdez in Argentina is a sweeping, open space, where the dusty brown desert stretches right to the sparkling sea. Where else do you see armadillos and elephant seals all on the same walk? Not to mention guanacos and sea lions, killer whales and rheas!

I’d always heard that armadillos were shy, and that we were unlikely to see one. However, this little guy (or girl, for all I can tell!) was so intent on lapping up the drops of water that had spilled on the ground here, that his thirst overcame any fear of people, and we were able to get an excellent close-up view.

From a distance, the armadillo’s protective armor looks like a hard shell. How appropriate that the name “armadillo” means “little armored one” in Spanish. As you get closer, you see that it’s hairy. In fact, this particular animal is the species Hairy Armadillo — once again a very appropriate name! Yes, this little armored creature really is a mammal, and one of the most unusual ones anywhere. When you get even closer, it looks like he’s wearing an ornate golden headpiece!

Armadillos are omnivores, which must be a useful trait when living in such a harsh environment. They live in burrows, and in desert climates adjust their schedule day or night to take advantage of the best temperatures. Among their more surprising characteristics is an ability to swim, inflating their stomachs & intestines with air to keep themselves afloat. See more at the Wonderful World of Armadillos.

So next time you’re hanging out at Peninsula Valdez, keep an eye out for hairy little armored ones, especially around the miniature watering holes.

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We’re going back to Argentina for our women’s trip to Patagonia in February 2010. It’s an exciting trip! Peninsula Valdez is a stop half-way down the coast of Argentina, not far from Punta Tombo (with its hundreds of thousands of nesting penguins). But that’s another post!
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Wondering about the San Juan Islands? This video (first in a series) shows you what the ferry travel is like out to the islands, and around the islands.

If you’re going on our tour, you can ignore the part about which highway exits to take — we’ll handle all the driving! Just enjoy the part about being out on the water. It’s a beautiful ride, to a beautiful place.

I always think the ferry ride is very special. There’s truly a feeling of leaving the “real world” behind, and entering something different. As soon as we pull away from the dock, I start feeling it, and half an hour (max) into the trip, it’s a palpable sensation. I know I’m somewhere different. And this different place is beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing.

I know that being out on the water and breathing fresh sea air has a restorative effect. I’m a sailor, and any time on the water is good time! But it’s more than that, too. If we were taking the 3-hour cruise and heading back to Seattle, it wouldn’t be the same at all.

The ride is charming, and I love it a lot! But knowing that you arrive in the San Juan Islands is the other half of the magic.
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We’ll be doing our next women’s trip to the San Juan Islands this August. We’ve been going there for years, and I simply adore it. If you ever need a serious break from the stresses of normal life, this is an excellent place to do it. So close, and yet so far!
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Friday photo - Rock spiral on a Napa trail
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Napa trail spiral - in one end, out the other

I was out hiking by myself on a trail up in the hills above Calistoga (north end of Napa Valley), when the trail took an unexpected detour.  One minute I was striding down a fairly typical trail, admiring the views of the valley.  Then next, I was going around and around and around in circles!  Then back to the normal trail — just carry on as though nothing had happened.  What an odd feeling!

Somebody had put in considerable effort, out here in the middle of nowhere, to add this rock spiral to the trail.  What you can’t tell from the photo (because I didn’t have the bird’s eye view) is that it’s a double spiral, so you go in one end, follow it into the center, then keep going and you come out the other side.

Now I know that some people would say the area should stay as natural as possible, and would want to remove this spiral.  Personally, I thought it was a lovely, unexpected addition.  After all, the other 99.99% of the area is still left as-is, and this is rearranging a few rocks that were already there, not pouring concrete.  Of course, if there were rock spirals everywhere, that would be a different matter, but it doesn’t seem to have caught on that well. 

The trail is up in Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.  On our Napa Valley tours, we visit this park and take a different trail, so that we can see the site of his famous abandoned mine honeymoon.  I still wonder what his new bride thought of that!

On the way back to the car, I found I was looking forward to finding the spiral again.   Sure enough, it was still there.  (It’s hard to find a more distinctive trail marker!)  I dutifully walked through it the other way on my way back.

Afterwards, I had a thought.  Does reversing the steps through it undo the magic from going through forward the first time?  Could I have won the lottery and found true love if only I didn’t “unwind” the spiral on the way back?  Shoot!  I might just have to go back. 

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We’ll be back in Napa Valley this Sept/Oct for our women’s trip to San Francisco and Napa.  I love going back there every year!  Both San Francisco and Napa rate way up there on my list of favorite places on earth.
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Friday photo - Blooming hedgehog cactus in Sedona
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Hedgehog cactus - beauty among the rocks

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One nice thing about visiting the desert in the spring is the flowers that add splashes of color to the landscape. It’s amazing how even the forbidding cacti, covered in treacherous thorns, have these beautiful blooms. It almost doesn’t seem to go together.

These little hedgehogs are just a few inches tall, and the blossoms are nearly as big as the plants themselves.

As for the name? Looking at these adorable baby hedgehogs, it’s easy to see the resemblance!

Baby hedgehogs

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We’ll be headed back to Sedona soon, for our Sedona Red Rock Getaway. The mesquite trees are in bloom now, and the palo verdes will be coming soon. With any luck, we’ll see plenty of blooming hedgehogs while we’re there too.
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Monday quote:

You will never ‘find’ time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.”
~ Charles Bruxton

Pickles and wine - yes. Time - no luck.

I took a Harv Eker seminar a few years ago, and it was excellent.  He covered a lot of ground in a 3-day session, and one of the concepts that really struck a chord with me is that we each have our own favorite thoughts/excuses that we use all the time.  Mine is “I just don’t have enough time”.

This thought must run through my head a zillion times a day, and I use it as a reason (excuse) to avoid many things.  Writing articles, exercising, going to Toastmasters, remembering people’s birthdays, sending out press releases, eating healthy, updating the database, ironing, and many more!

As excuses go, this is a pretty good one.  It’s highly versatile, and can be applied to almost anything. It involves a universal concept that everyone can relate to.  I’ve got a great story to go with it, so it’s very convincing (to myself and others)!

Lost time is never found again

But as the quote says, we will NEVER find time for anything!  That means using this as a universal excuse is a huge limitation.  Once you get into the habit of the “time excuse”, it’s so easy to keep ruling things out, instead of finding a way to get them done.

Bruxton is right.  Instead of finding time, we have to make time, and that’s all a matter of priorities and efficiencies.  Removing useless time suckers, delegating what we can, and deciding what the big things are that we are going to make time for, no matter what.

One thing that drove this home was discovering Obama’s regular exercise schedule.  If he finds time to work out every day, how on earth can I say I don’t have time to?  It sounds pretty lame in that context, doesn’t it?

So now I can’t say that.  The standard excuse just doesn’t work like it used to, and I’ve got to acknowledge the real truth.  Either I do it, or I choose not to.  Either I make the time for it, or I don’t.  It’s not up to the giant time god, it’s up to me!

Do you have a standard excuse that you use regularly?  Is it serving you, or limiting you?  Is there a better way of looking at things?

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There are so many things in life that we tend to put off — just “don’t have the time now”.  Maybe next week / month / year / decade.  Are there things you’ve been putting off way too long?  Remember — you’ll never find the time, you have to make it.
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Friday photo - Caiman watching from the water
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Caiman eyes watching

They hide pretty well, don’t they?

Caimans (click for larger image) are smaller relatives of crocodiles, and often they’re hard to spot.  They can be sitting perfectly still in the water, almost submerged except for their eyes.  Look back under the trees, or hidden among the floating vegetation, and you just might spot one.

Of course, the reliable way to see one is to listen to your guide! Seriously, the guides in Costa Rica point out a TON of wildlife that you’d never see on your own.  I’m sure I would have walked / boated right past 99% of the wildlife we saw if I didn’t have somebody with sharp, experienced eyes to point it all out!

But back to the caimans…  They’re actually beneficiaries of our taste for fashionable handbags.

How does that work?  The large crocodiles that used to live here were hunted until they almost vanished, for those lustrous patterned skins of theirs.  As the dominant crocodiles were removed by humans, it left more room for their smaller cousins, the caimans.  But the real thing that’s saved them?  Their skins just aren’t so good for tanning.  Caiman-skin just doesn’t work as well as crocodile-skin.  Lucky devils!

And the cutest thing we saw when I was in Costa Rica?  The baby caimans! Our guide knew just where to go, and how to get their attention, waggling his fingers in the water.  We all waited quietly on the boat, wondering what on earth he was doing.  Our patience and his knowledge paid off, and soon a bunch of baby caimans were swimming over, all less than a foot long.  Awwwwww… 

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We just wrapped up our Costa Rica wildlife adventure last month, and the wenches reported having a great time.  Tortuguero (over on the Caribbean coast side of Costa Rica) is often people’s favorite part of the trip.  We’ll be back there in Feb 2010, to spot more hidden caimans!
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