Serengeti in Maasai means Endless Plains

We had been driving for hours staring at the flat landscape that stretched to the horizon when we realized that indeed we were now in the Serengeti - aka Africa’s Endless Plains.

If Jurassic Park were real, you would find it Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater

Imagine a volcanic caldera formed 2 million years ago and presently filled with wildlife, the Big Five, hippos, and flocks of flamingoes. The crater floor is 5,900 feet above sea level and is surrounded by a 2,000-foot rim that makes it almost impossible for animals to leave once they find their way inside. No wonder it’s called the 8th wonder of the world.

When Tanzania reopened its borders last August 2020, I began planning a safari trip. By September, I had put together a group of six first-time safari travelers. In October, we were on a plane from the US, headed for our final destination: Kilimanjaro Airport. Why Tanzania? I’d heard of the Great Wildebeest Migration and wanted to see it myself. Because there were so few tourists in Africa, I felt this was an ideal time to visit sans crowds.

Is it safe to travel during COVID? In 2020, I traveled to the Philippines and Cambodia (pre-lockdown), then to Mexico, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, and back to Mexico again (post-lockdown). These are the steps I take to travel safely.

We flew to Greece on Turkish Airlines to deliberately stopover in Istanbul before heading back to New York. After 2 weeks of traveling through Greece on a sailboat, exploring Istanbul on foot was a welcome change. Like dervishes, we whirled through the city's history, culture, and cuisine all in two and a half days. Here are some of my recommended experiences.

My three grown sons and my husband and I met up in Bali last December. It was our first time on the Island of the Gods. We stayed in a beautiful villa among the rice fields of Ubud. And because I am my mother’s child, I had everyone up in the early mornings for a plethora of activities. We visited markets and had a Balinese cooking class. We learned how to make batik. We participated in local temple rituals. We climbed Mount Batur.