Around the World

Photo of the Week: Paradise

/ lifeafter9to5 / 2 Comments

IMG_6931Coco Plum Cay, Belize

It’s officially the middle of winter, and I have the blues.  I closed my eyes and transported myself back to the island of Coco Plum, where it is always warm and the water is clear and calm. So clear in fact, that you can look down and see the fish and eagle rays gliding through the water.  It’s truly a little piece of paradise on Earth.  

This tranquil picture was taken early one morning when we woke up to watch the sun rise over the ocean.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Travel Tips for Tanzania

/ lifeafter9to5 / 1 Comment

IMG_0532

When traveling to a foreign country, there are a lot of unknowns that can cause anxiety.  This was especially true when we planned our African safari trip. We didn’t know what to expect from clothing consideration to the money we’ll need.  After doing some research and having had gone through the experience, we put together a short list of tips for traveling to Tanzania. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Ephesus

/ lifeafter9to5 / Leave a comment

Ephesus (398)Ephesus, Turkey

Ephesus was an important trade center of the ancient world through many successions of empires from the Greek to Roman to Ottoman.  This was one of the richest cities in the world for centuries, once famed for the Temple of Artemis – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  

This is a photo of Curetes Street, the main pathway leading from the Gates of Hercules to the famed library of Celsus. The wide street, paved with marble, was once lined with shops in ancient times.  All that is left now are the crumpling pillars and mosaics that have managed to stand the test of time.   

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Zanzibar: Beach Life

/ lifeafter9to5 / 3 Comments

IMG_2566

If you want to get away from the stress of every day life and relax, head to Zanzibar – one of the most picturesque places on the planet. The island located off the east coast of Tanzania was once a major center of trade, that has turned into a vacationer’s dream paradise. Imagine soft white sand beaches that stretch on for miles and turquoise blue water so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom.   The air is warm and rich with local spices grown here in abundance.  The island invites people to its shores and keeps them longing to return again.

Continue reading →

Cheap Flights

/ lifeafter9to5 / 2 Comments

download (1)

It’s almost February and we still have no travel plans for 2016! *gasp*  The year started pretty slow for us – we have a few ideas of where we want to go, but haven’t booked anything. This is a little bit shocking to our friends and family who keep asking where we’re off to this year.  By this time last year we had already snatched a great deal to Rio. With gas prices continuing to plummet, I expected that there would be a lot of cheap flights, especially to Asia.  So, this morning when I found out that American Airlines was having a great sale on flights from major cities in the US to Asia with flexible dates, I tried to jump on it. Continue reading →

Tribes of Tanzania

/ lifeafter9to5 / 1 Comment

IMG_9254

Tanzania is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world with over 120 different cultural tribes inhabiting the country.  Each of the tribes have their own distinct customs, traditions, and languages; but together they unite to form the country of Tanzania.  After its independence, the government recognized that all the diverse spoken languages could cause a communication problem, and therefore made Swahili the official language.  Even though most people can speak Swahili, in each tribe people still speak in their own mother tongue. On our trip to Tanzania, we got to visit two of these tribes: the graceful Maasai, and the Hadza bushmen and learn a little bit about their way of life. Continue reading →

Photo Essay: Ngorongoro Crater

/ lifeafter9to5 / 9 Comments

IMG_0653

Tanzania is the birthplace of the human race. It’s where they found the first human skull. If you believe in Charles Darwin’s  theory of evolution, this is where our ancestors evolved and the first humans walked across the Serengeti plains; hunted, gathered, survived, and evolved millions of years ago. “There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows, and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne – bubbling allover with heartfelt gratitude for being alive .” (Karen Blixen – Out of Africa) Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Niagara

/ lifeafter9to5 / Leave a comment

DSCF2653Niagara, Canada

I remember the first time I visited the famous Niagara Falls and how I felt completely thunderstruck by the mighty force of water.   Even from the parking lot, I could hear the roaring water crashing down.  Over 600,000 gallons of water fall over the edge of Horseshoe Falls every second! This majestic waterfall is located at the border of Canada and the United States.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Photo Essay: Serengeti

/ lifeafter9to5 / 5 Comments

IMG_0532

IMG_9694

I’ve been dragging my feet on this article because of the holiday season, and also because I was too busy stuffing my face.  I am making up for it with a very long post! Without further ado, here are the photos from our second and third day in Africa, where we headed into the endless plain of the Serengeti, a massive wildlife park that spans across 12,000 square feet extending from northern Tanzania into Southern Kenya (that’s about the size of Maryland or Belgium if you’re interested).  In the Serengeti we got to experience the migration of the wildebeest, witness the feast of the lions, and appreciate nature in it’s rawest form – where predators and prey fight for daily survival.
Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Spiraled

/ lifeafter9to5 / 2 Comments

IMG_2414Vatican City

Surprisingly, one of the most photographed pieces at the Vatican museum is not one of the numerous artworks, but this double helix staircase, located at the exit of the museum. There are two access points at the bottom – one for people going up and the other for people going down.  This graceful wrought iron staircase was designed by Guiseppe Momo who was inspired by the original stairs designed by Donato Bramante.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.