What I Brought Back From Egypt and Other Random Bits of Fun

I'm always saving photos of neat things to share with you, but sometimes I never get around to including them in a post. Sometimes it's just a single photo or a little idea, so not quite enough to create a whole post about. Today, I've pulled a bunch of those little moments/ideas together. We'll be jumping all over the place in this post so there should be something fun or interesting in here for … [Read more...]




Dinner in the 1902 Restaurant, Old Cataract Hotel, Aswan Egypt

Welcome to the 536th Tablescape Thursday! Last October, I spent 15 days traveling across Egypt with my friend, Teresa. That trip was definitely one of the most exciting and mysterious, bucket-list trips I've ever been on. In a word, it was awesome--Disney Rash and all! lol During the trip to Egypt, we had a rather interesting adventure during a visit to the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. … [Read more...]




How I Foiled a Pickpocket Thief in the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo

After visiting the Hanging Church in Cairo, I was less than thrilled when our guide announced we were next headed to the souk, also known as the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar. When I hear the word "souk," it brings back terrible memories of all the souks we visited during my trip to Morocco with Overseas Adventure Travel in March 2017. In Morocco, the souks were always super crowded, smelled bad, and were … [Read more...]




In the Footsteps of Agatha Christie: A Visit to the Old Cataract Hotel, Aswan, Egypt

I have so many mixed emotions about my trip to Egypt. Every day was truly an adventure filled with wonder, but there were also moments that were disconcerting like the one I shared in this post: Foiling a Pickpocket Thief in the Khan Al-Khali Bazaar in Cairo. As I share photos and experiences from my time in Egypt, I'll share it all--the good and the not-so-good. That way if you ever decide to put Egypt … [Read more...]




What Do Travelers Really Wear When Visiting Egypt?

It's 4 am here. Last night we arrived back in Cairo, having completed the Aswan-Abu Simble part of our trip. I can't wait to go through all the photos I've taken to share some of the highlights of this tour across Egypt! It will take some time to go through all the photos I've taken and to organize them for a post, but I hope to share those soon. I've received a few comments here and on Instagram … [Read more...]




An Egypt River Cruise: Sailing & Dining on the Nile River

Welcome to the 526th Tablescape Thursday! We've had a lot of early mornings on this trip across Egypt and tomorrow will be another one as I'll be rising at 4:30 AM for a trip to Abu Simbel. The WiFi on our boat is the pitts. If you use more than a certain amount, it logs you out and you have to request a new password at the front desk to continue. I've lost count of how many new passwords I've had to … [Read more...]




The Giza Plateau & Last Remaining Member of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

Hello from Egypt! How has your week been going? The last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind. I had hoped to post before now but it's taken longer to go through photos than I had expected. I've been posting a bunch on Instagram, though...so be sure and follow there for daily updates. You'll find BNOTP on Instagram here: BNOTP. If you ever visit Egypt to see the pyramids, I can definitely recommend a … [Read more...]




What’s Inside My Travel Handbag & Travel-Themed Toothpaste

Thanks so much to Ginger for telling me about this fun "luxury" travel toothpaste. The toothpaste comes in some pretty exotic-sounding flavors. The description describes them this way: This set contains 1.3oz travel sizes of all three limited edition toothpaste flavors in Marvis’ Wonders of the World collection, inspired by an imaginary and adventurous journey around the world. I purchased one set … [Read more...]




5 New Items I’m Packing for Egypt, One I Should Have Purchased Ages Ago!

It's countdown time--I'll be leaving for Egypt in less than a week.  This trip seemed so far off when I shared the details in this previous post: Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile River. Before every trip abroad, I usually pick up a few new items. I love trying new things, especially if it will enhance some aspect of the trip or prevent a problem.   2-Stage Filtered Water Bottle, … [Read more...]




Packing for Travel to Egypt and a Cruise Along the Nile River

In a few short weeks, I'll be heading off on a new adventure. I'll be leaving for a 16-day trip to Egypt. This will be my third time visiting the continent of Africa--somehow it keeps drawing me back. It's going to be quite hot in Egypt, I'm guessing very much like the summers here in Georgia but with less humidity since it's really a desert environment. Today I'm sharing the wardrobe I plan to pack, … [Read more...]




5 Ways To Save Big For Travel Abroad

I've always wanted to travel and see more of this big, beautiful world, but for many years traveling outside the United States seemed like just a dream, something other folks did but I would never be able to afford.   After I retired, Wanderlust really set in. The one place I had always wanted to visit more than any place else was Italy. With more free time on my hands, I started researching … [Read more...]




Where I Find the Best Travel Deals & Some Amazing Deals Available Right Now

Recently I shared a post where I highlighted a few items I always take when I travel abroad. If you missed that post, you'll find it here: 5 Essentials for Traveling Internationally. I love the comments you leave on posts--always learn new things from you with each and every post. The interactions and discussions in the comments are wonderful, appreciate those so much. On that particular post linked … [Read more...]




My 5 Essentials for Traveling Internationally

It's that time of year when a lot of us are thinking more about vacation and travel. Recently, a friend and I scheduled a trip for fall. (Read more about that here: Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile.) When I travel, sometimes there's very little time to prepare if I've jumped on one of the "last-minute-travel-deals" that some travel companies offer, but in the case of the fall trip, there's plenty … [Read more...]




Pyramids, Mummies and Cruising the Nile River

Happy Weekend! It is absolutely gorgeous here, the kind of day that pulls you outdoors. I'll be heading outside for a hike this afternoon with my son, dil and grandsons. They have so many natural areas and parks here to enjoy, all perfect for hiking. I hope you are enjoying beautiful weather, be it spring or fall depending on where you live. Back in 2015 when I thought I was a year away from turning 60 … [Read more...]




A Safari, Travel-Inspired Bedroom Guaranteed to Delight Any Guest

Welcome to the 474th Metamorphosis Monday! Delphine enjoys traveling and has collected some wonderful memorabilia over the years. When she designed her guest room, she was inspired to decorate in a delightful travel/safari theme What a fabulous idea for a guest room since anyone lucky enough to sleep here would most likely love all things, travel.   For this travel-themed bedroom, Delphine … [Read more...]




Awesome Travel Deal & A Peek Inside My Summer Bag

Happy Friday! It's here! The wicker bag I ordered a few days ago came, so I'm sharing some pics of how it looks in person, as promised.   I took photos in a few different spots in the upstairs living room so you could get a better idea of the color in different lighting.   The leather top is a nice warm brown and I really like the bamboo handle.   The interior … [Read more...]




Morocco & Two Fascinating Tours: Fossil Tables & Beautiful Leather Jackets

When I was in Morocco, we visited some truly fascinating places. I wish I could have put you in my pocket before I left and taken you on every inch of this trip. At least I can share those parts that I think you'll find interesting or maybe even helpful. Whenever I do share something from my travels, I always ask myself, is this something I would find interesting or fascinating even if I didn't really … [Read more...]




5 Items I Always Take When Traveling Internationally

I discovered something new on this last international trip. I discovered that I much prefer taking the longer 8-9 hour flights during the daytime, instead of at night. This was the first trip I've been on where the longest flight took place during the day time. I always thought I'd be bored to death on a long flight, but I purchased the in-flight WiFi and that, along with some interesting reading, made the … [Read more...]




New Rules That Impacted My Flight Home From Paris

Happy Friday! Hope you've had a great week! I think my body is just about back on U.S. time. I'm actually able to keep my eyes open past 8 or 9 PM now, although I'm still waking up very early, usually by 5 AM. That's okay by me though; I'm loving the early morning hours. I thought I'd address one of the most common concerns and questions I received before I left for Morocco. Several folks voiced surprise … [Read more...]




Dining in Fez & Cooking in a Tagine

Welcome to the 445th Tablescape Thursday! I'm back home! Enjoyed my time in Morocco but there's definitely no place like home. When traveling, it seems like every time you turn around it's time to eat again, not that I'm complaining! Trying new foods is definitely one of the best parts of travel. On Saturday, March 18th, we explored Fez, a place our guide-book states is often considered "the world's … [Read more...]




Camping in the Sahara Desert, A Moroccan Adventure

Welcome to the 426th Metamorphosis Monday! It's Sunday evening in Marrakesh. As I type this, I find myself perched on a tiny stool in the corner of my hotel room. The hotel is lovely, but like all the hotels we've stayed in during out time here in Morocco, sans one, the concept of providing patrons with a proper desk, chair and WiFi fast enough to do anything other than access email and Facebook (and … [Read more...]




A Visit to the Souks

Welcome to the 444th Tablescape Thursday! The place we are staying here in the Sahara before we head out to our tented camp in the desert, has the absolute worst internet I've encountered the entire trip. So instead of trying to create a large post sharing one of the many dinners we've had on our trip, I thought I'd take you on a brief trip through the Fez Market, also known as the "Soucks" for this … [Read more...]




What I’m Packing For Travel During Shoulder Season

Welcome to the 424th Metamorphosis Monday! I had hoped to post photos of the hat rack I ordered back on February 25th, installed here in the office. Unfortunately, it still hasn't arrived. It's coming from Bulgaria and the last time I looked, it had finally made it to the U.S. and was in New York. So since I can't share that little before and after, I thought I'd share how I'm packing for my upcoming … [Read more...]




The One Part of Travel I Always Dread and a New Tactic for Managing It

Email Update: I just noticed today that the company I use to send out emails for BNOTP, has been using the wrong return email address. It's been changed to the correct one which is [email protected] . So please add that address to your "approved contacts" or your email addresses. That will help to ensure that you'll receive email updates when a new post is up here on the blog. If you're one … [Read more...]




When You’re on Safari, It’s All About the Animals: Part II

Thanks so much for all the comments on Sunday's post where I shared many of the animals we saw during our safaris out into the Kenyan bush on a trip to Africa in fall, 2015. In this second post, I'm sharing a few more of the beautiful and amazing creatures we saw during our many game drives. We came across so many groups/families of elephants while out on safari. There were always babies around so we … [Read more...]




When You’re On Safari, It’s All About the Animals: Part I

In September 2015, I took a six day trip to Kenya. While there I stayed at the beautiful safari camp, Mahali Mzuri, where we took two game drives each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. That trip was the first time I had ever traveled to another country and though it was brief, every single moment was filled with wonder and enchantment. It's All About the Animals I've blogged and shared … [Read more...]




How I Got Approved For Global Entry in 20 Days

When I booked a trip to Morocco recently, the agent who helped me asked if I had already applied for Global Entry. She was the second person to mention Global Entry to me that week. I took that has a sign and decided to apply.   I completed the application online on January 4, 2017 and today, just twenty days later, I received Global Entry Approval and a Global Entry number, aka, Known … [Read more...]




Awesome Deal on a Small Group Travel Adventure! Come With!

Snow and a "wintry mix" were predicted for our area starting around 4 PM today. The snow part doesn't scare folks around here that much, it's the phrase "wintry mix" that sends everyone into a panic. I really didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to make a trip to the grocery store. I never like shopping for groceries, snow or no snow, so shopping when the store is packed is something I avoid like the … [Read more...]




A Tour of Daisy Room at Giraffe Manor & A Visitor to my Balcony

I'm finally going through all the photos I took on my visit to Giraffe Manor and I realized today that I had never given you a full tour of the beautiful room I stayed in while visiting the manor. This post has 20 photos in it that I've never shared from my visit. Each of the rooms in the manor is named after one of the Rothschild Giraffe who have either lived or are currently living on the property. … [Read more...]




Dining at Mahali Mzuri and Giraffe Manor, One Could Get Used to This!

Welcome to the 418th Tablescape Thursday! I have a lovely friend coming to visit real soon who is super crafty. She creates beautiful cards and the most amazing scrapbooks/photo albums! You can see her beautiful work in these delightful, 3-D, handmade cards I've received this past year. Aren't they wonderful?! Each is such a treasure, I could never part with them!   This dear friend … [Read more...]




Video Walk Around Mahali Mzuri, Richard Branson’s Safari Camp in Kenya

Last fall when I was on safari in Kenya, I stayed in Richard Branson's safari camp, Mahali Mzuri. One afternoon after returning from a morning safari, I grabbed my camera and filmed a quick walkabout for you. I wanted to take you around the camp so you could get a feel for it, instead of just seeing it in photos. I don't know why it's taken me so long to get it uploaded, but I finally got that done … [Read more...]




On Safari: An African Safari-Themed Tablescape

Welcome to the 399th Tablescape Thursday! When I was on safari in Kenya last September, I stayed in romantic Giraffe Manor for one of  the nights I was there. Giraffe Manor, built in 1938 in the style of a Scottish Hunting Lodge, is truly like something out of a storybook. The Rothschild Giraffe is endangered and the good folks at Giraffe Manor are doing what they can to increase the population. Did … [Read more...]




A Metamorphosis of the Animal Kind: Baby Elephants Playing and Feeding

Welcome to the 363rd Metamorphosis Monday! My metamorphosis this week is an unusual one, one of the animal kind. During my week long visit to Africa back in September for a photographic safari, on my last day there before my flight late that night, a guide took me to several fascinating places. I visited a bead factory where I didn't buy anything but was super tempted.   I toured the home … [Read more...]




Dinner Under The Stars With a Spirited Performance By Maasai Warriors

Welcome to the 367th Tablescape Thursday! One afternoon while relaxing on the deck of my tent during my trip to Kenya...   ...this invitation was hand-delivered to my door. Ummm, what have they planned for us now?   Promptly at 19:00 hours, I made my way to the main tent where the Mahaliz Mzuri bar is located. Since it was now dark, I had to be escorted by one of the Maasai … [Read more...]




Answering Your Safari Travel Questions & What I Brought Back From Kenya

I've received a lot of questions via email and comments about the recent trip I took to Africa. Today, I thought I'd take time to answer some of those and to make this post a bit more fun so it's not just a bunch of words, I'm including pictures of the souvenirs I brought back, along with some of the little gifts I received during my stay at Mahali Mzuri and Giraffe Manor. Please Note: The captions under … [Read more...]




Mahali Mzuri: An Unforgettable Stay at Sir Richard Branson’s Safari Camp in Kenya

Welcome to the 348th Metamorphosis Monday! What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, "Going on safari?" For the next few minutes, erase all the pre-existing ideas, thoughts, and concepts you have about what it's like to go on safari. If there's anything I've learned from my recent trip to Africa, it's that safari camps and safari experiences can all be completely different. No two safari camps or safari … [Read more...]




What Worked & What Didn’t On My First Trip Abroad

I've had so much fun sharing Kenya with you over this past week. Did you get a chance to see the 30+ pictures I shared on Instagram? Once I get a chance to go through all my photos, I'll create one big post sharing all the animals we saw on safari. I also have some additional video to share that I think you'll enjoy. We were very fortunate to catch the Wilderbeest and Zebra migration across the Mara River … [Read more...]




Dining by Candlelight in Giraffe Manor

Welcome to the 366th Tablescape Thursday! Shortly after arriving at Giraffe Manor, a beautiful manor home built in 1932 in the style of a wonderful old Scottish hunting lodge...   ...I walked through the downstairs rooms taking a few pictures to share with you upon my return. This is how the dining room looked during the daytime.   Come evening, lit by candlelight, it takes … [Read more...]




Breakfast with Daisy and Giraffe Kisses

Greetings, dear Friends! I'm back home from a fun, exciting week in Kenya. It will take me a while to get through all the photos I took, but I can't wait to share them with you. I caught some exciting footage of the migration and I'll be sharing it soon. In the meantime I've uploaded a couple of more videos that were shot while I was staying at Giraffe Manor.   In the first video below, … [Read more...]




A Romantic Bedtime Makeover

Welcome to the 347th Metamorphosis Monday! Today I left Mahali Mzuri and headed off to Giraffe Manor. Visiting Giraffe Manor is such a great way to end this African safari adventure.   I was booked for the "Daisy" room. All the rooms are named after much-loved giraffes that have called Giraffe Manor home at some point.     When I arrived the beds looked like … [Read more...]




On Safari in Kenya with Lions and Giraffe: 2 Videos

How's your Friday going? Mine is going great as I continue on safari here in Kenya. I've been sharing photos today on Instagram, hope you're enjoying those! If you're not yet following BNOTP on Instagram, you'll find the link on the sidebar or click here: BNOTP on Instagram. It's going to take me quite a while to go through all the pictures I've taken, so I thought I'd share a couple of short videos, … [Read more...]




A Dry Run

Yesterday morning I took photos for the post I planned to publish, then I headed off to an eye-appointment. It's been a while since I've been to the eye doctor and I had totally forgotten that they dilate your eyes. Unfortunately, there was to be no picture sorting or post writing after that. Vaccines...My Experience Before getting into today's post, several folks have asked about the vaccines I had … [Read more...]




Packing For An African Safari

Welcome to the 343rd Metamorphosis Monday! This isn't exactly a metamorphosis but in a way it is since it's a drastic change from how I would normally pack for vacation or a trip. I guess you can call it a luggage metamorphosis. When I travel to Africa in a few weeks, I'll be traveling via "light aircraft" on two different occasions. On the smaller planes, suitcases with pull-handles and wheels are … [Read more...]




Africa Bound: A Visit To Mahali Mzuri and Giraffe Manor

In December of last year, I posted about a magical place called Giraffe Manor. Ever since then I've been obsessed with the idea of one day visiting the manor and seeing the endangered Rothschild giraffes in person.   How much fun would it be to breakfast with giraffes! I've actually thought about it so much, I've started dreaming about it! Have you ever thought about a place so much you, you … [Read more...]