My Own Private Safari

A recent conversation with a friend inspired me to write an article about affordable safaris.  She was aghast that I had visited five national parks in Tanzania on my safari, under the impression that safaris were reserved for the affluent.  Hardly, I explained to her.  I researched many tour companies online, including Facebook reviews, and found that the in-country companies were the most affordable.  I was also searching for a combination package, where one company would arrange my Kilimanjaro climb and safari, for one price.  Zara Tours turned out to have the best reviews and was the most affordable.  As expected, it was a no-frills adventure, but highly personalized and the guides were exemplary.

Read the story here.  If you are considering a safari, contact me with questions!

Lake Manyara National Park, the first stop.

My cheap camera captured the expanse of Serengeti National Park rather well.

Observing the frolicking zebras in Ngorongoro Crater.

Indian Intestinal Adventures

Any travel guide, blog, or seasoned traveller will tell you that it's virtually impossible to avoid intestinal troubles while travelling in India.  Yes, there are ways to stay safe, but those tactics are also boring when you are presented with enticing food and drink as you stroll down the streets.  I didn't eat anything unusual or anything my fellow yoga students didn't try.  I just suffered a major stroke of bad luck, incredibly bad luck.

A special heartfelt thank you goes to the staff and teachers at Rishikesh Yog Peeth, who deal with these issues regularly.  My fellow yogis comforted and supported me when the trauma seemed insurmountable.  Obviously, I surmounted it, as I am writing this story and now hold a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) certification.

Click here to read my story on Pink Pangea, but wait until you are finished eating.

Post-hospital touring at the abandoned ashram where The Beatles stayed during their time in Rishikesh.

Spontaneous Travel vs Planned Travel

My second Pink Pangea Feature Writer story focuses on spontaneous travel versus planned travel.  As I was exploring what I thought was a dichotomy, I realized that the two types of travel are more intertwined than I knew.  The best types of trips offer a little of both, just enough planning to arrive and recover from jetlag safely, yet enough allowance to alter your plans if an interesting opportunity arises.  You can ease into a higher level of discomfort as your experience with travel grows.

Click here to read the full story.  Enjoy and please comment if you'd like.  I love hearing other travellers' stories!

Smart Cook Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  My Pad Thai was delicious!

Papaya salad.  I have yet to replicate this recipe, but I do evaluate every Thai restaurant visited in California, with no close comparisons.

My Travel Evolution

My first Pink Pangea Feature Writer story examines the stages through which my travel has transported me.  From childhood travel to college travel to friend travel to tour travel and finally, to solo travel.  Please take some time to examine the current stage of your travel evolution.  If you are not currently travelling, what stage most strongly appeals to you?  Obviously, some stages cannot be relived, but I'm certain friend travel, tour travel, and solo travel will feature prominently for the rest of my life.

Read the story by clicking here.  Never stop exploring!

Tour Travel:  Starting Day 3 of Mt. Kilimanjaro climb with Zara Tours.  Leaving Shira Camp at 12,600 feet.

A Double Dose of Pink Pangea

If you've read my blog for the past year, you know that I love writing for Pink Pangea.  Soon after I returned from Australia, I began contributing stories to their community of women travellers.  Rachel, one of the co-founders, emailed me to ask if I would like to contribute to a series of travel tips they were compiling for their readers.  Of course!  I couldn't decide between Airbnb and Meetup, so I included both of them in a piece designed to focus on meeting new people while travelling.  My story quickly inched beyond the 1000 word limit, so I divided it into two pieces, with Rachel's permission.  Disclosure on both pieces:  I couldn't remember my acquaintances' names, and was too lazy to rifle through the journals that are currently stored in the garage, so I assigned monikers that approximated their actual names.  Plus, I never know how my travel acquaintances feel about being featured in published stories.  It was probably for the best.  Click on the links below to access the stories.  Lots more coming soon!


How to Make the Most of Airbnb as a Solo Traveller
Photos featured in the story:

The Eastern Beaches Coastal Walk was one of my favorite activities when I stayed in Clovelly.  I could walk south down to Coogee, or I could make the trek north to Bondi.  Sometimes, I would stroll along and stop at every bench I saw, only to meditate on the sounds of the Pacific Ocean, amazed that it is part of the same ocean nearest my home in California.

You can almost hear the water splashing on the rocks in this photo.  This cliff is closer to Bondi, as the trail ascends and descends with stairways.  Sometimes, I would spot people clambering over the lower rocks, but I'd never try it.

My room in my Airbnb accommodation in Clovelly.  I'm always attracted to rooms that feature bookshelves in the photos.  I read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits during my stay.

How to Make the Most of Meetup as a Solo Traveller
Photos featured in the story:

A relaxing view at the Manly Jazz Festival in Manly, Australia.  Take the ferry from Circular Quay in Sydney for a scenic ride through the Harbour.  Along with the Jazz Festival, I enjoyed a flight at Four Pines Brewing Company.  I even returned near the end of my trip because the beer was so tasty.

Drinking wine in a public park...an incredible revelation in Australia!  I'm also holding a bag of Doritos, a welcome and frequent reminder of home during my trip.

Publications Update

I just read an old post that promised I'd update my publications on the blog as soon as humanly possible after publication, and I've obviously broken that promise.  Thanks to those of you who've checked every day since last May!  As I've mentioned before, writing experiences spurts, and I'm having one of those at the present moment.  Having just submitted a story I took way too long to write, I'll blame it on the cluttered psyche.  Alas, here's the update (click on the subheadings to access the stories):

Dispelling the Patong Beach Myth
I discovered Go See Write while perusing travel pages on Facebook, the same way I've discovered other sites.  While you're checking out my contribution about the Phuket island party town in Thailand, check out their entire website.  It's comprehensive and attracts a lovely community of travellers.  I've appreciated the positive and supportive comments from the community.

One of my first and favorite Patong Beach shots, encapsulating the spirit there.  Anne Castagnaro, 2013.

My Great Barrier Reef Diving Attempt
One of my favorite stories of all time is my blog post about diving the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, Australia.  I hadn't contributed to Pink Pangea for a while, so I emailed Jaclyn to ask if they needed a GBR story.  I had to truncate it quite a bit from the original version to meet their maximum word limit, but concision is always good.  I'm happy with the result.

Attempting something new is better than never trying, even if that attempt involves restricted airways.  Anne Castagnaro, 2013.

How I Blew My Travel Budget, With No Regrets
I was afraid this piece would appear elitist, bragging about spending so much money on travel while others are struggling to survive.  In retrospect, if I hadn't taken that trip, I would have been a broken, horrible mess.  I used the means I had to build my confidence and propagate opportunities and advice for others to do the same.  Of course, it's always wonderful to write for Pink Pangea!

Right hand drive on the left side of the road....that's how they drive in Australia.  Yes, I knew that, and it was easier than I thought it would be.  Anne Castagnaro, 2013.

Recent Publications

My writing has been relatively prolific since I returned from my trip, at least as far as travel publications are concerned.  I still seek a goal of one blog post a week, but just like anything, if you're forced to do it, it becomes tedious.  I offer you my post of the week:  two more publications.  Two additional features are either in press or in progress, and I promise to share them sooner.

So many people have inspired me throughout my travels, and many of them are older than I am.  I compiled several experiences into my second Pink Pangea article.  Again, PP was lovely to work with and I highly recommend visiting their website, not just for my articles, but for all the features.  Click here to read the article.

Nancy and I enjoy our final Black Russians at the Tawana Hotel in Bangkok, 2013.

Edd’s 89th Birthday Celebration in San Jose, Costa Rica, 2008.

I wrote a short review of The Artist House in Patong, Thailand, where I spent three weeks last November.  Though it is featured in the Solo Travel Society's Accommodation Guide, you don't have to be a solo traveller to stay there.  Click here and scroll to the Thailand section to read the review.

My First Travel Publication

This blog is my first foray into the non academic genre of writing.  After writing a dissertation, which requires edits and revisions from committee members, it's refreshing to have an unknown audience.

I discovered Pink Pangea on Facebook.  I had made a comment on one of the many travel pages I frequent, and they responded to my comment.  I checked out their page, where they post calls for a range of travel writing features.  I messaged the women who run the page, Rachel and Jaclyn, and received an immediate response and interest in my story.

I wrote about the influence my study abroad experience had on my future travels, especially my recent solo trip.  Please click here to read the article, and I hope to present you with some more publications in the near future!

One of the article's featured photos, "Older and Wiser".  Bondi Beach, Sydney, 2013.