Books, Writing, History, and Me
In “Books, Writing, History, and Me” I share my thoughts on travel, cooking, van-life, books, the process of writing, the experiences of an indie-publisher, WWII, the Holocaust, and anything else I feel might be of interest to readers of my books. Please send me comments and let me know what you like and what you want to know more about. Everything in this blog reflects my personal ideas and feelings–a memoir of sorts, it is my perspective and any errors or omissions are mine.
Solo Women Travelers in Mumbai (Part 5 of Return to India)
After a late night, Una and I began our first day on our own in India very slowly. I spent what seemed like hours on the phone booking a driver and guide for the next day. We arranged for an Elderhostel friend, a lady who also stayed a few extra days in Mumbai, to join…
A Room with a View in Mumbai (Part 4 of Return to India)
From Mumbai on, Una and I would be women traveling on our own in India. We were both nervous and excited. I had been in charge of planning and organizing this part of our adventure. Because I retained pleasant memories of the waterfront area of Mumbai from my previous trip twenty-eight years before, I felt…
Finally Rajasthan (Part 3 of Return to India)
After five days in Northern India seeing the iconic sites of the classic Mogul emperors, we headed west. Finally, I would see Rajasthan. The largest state in India, it hugs the Pakistani border and much of it consists of the inhospitable Thar Desert. Once the home of the Rajput maharajas, Rajasthan literally means “the land…
Elderhostel and Agra Revisited (Part 2 of Return to India)
After 28 years, I was again in India. This time, rather than sharing a romantic adventure with my new husband, I was on an Elderhostel tour with my older sister, Una. I had reached the ripe age of 55, which at that time was the age the travel group considered elder-enough. Of course, younger travel…
A Night in Delhi (Part 1 of Return to India)
“We need to head straight for Delhi,” Tom said. “I want to get you to a doctor.” I simply groaned. I didn’t want to miss Rajasthan, our next planned stop, but I was miserable and scared. (page 281, Wherever the Road Leads) This illness in early March of 1973, set the stage for my return…
A Young Woman on the Hippie Trail
Diane was barely twenty-one when she began her adventure. Raised in a middle-class family in Colorado, she felt lucky to be attending Stanford University as a pre-med student. However, by her Junior year she realized she didn’t want to be a surgeon as she had always thought. Suddenly unsure what she wanted to do with…
Hippie Trail Adventures
According to Wikipedia, the Hippie Trail is the name given to the overland journey from Europe to India and Nepal taken by travelers between the mid-1950s and the late 1970s.
A Reading Challenge for Travel Lovers
I have been aware of book-reading challenges for some time but I never thought I would join one. My own bookshelves offer enough of a challenge. I am a book buying addict and my shelves overflow with books waiting to be read. I love used book stores, Friends of the Library shops, and most of…
Resolutions
Happy New Year! Have you made a 2021 resolution? Years ago, I swore I would never again waste my resolution on “losing weight.” Though I usually succeeded with a dozen pounds or more in the short term, by the time January rolled around again, the efforts I had made would be buried under the joys of…
Memories of Christmas Past or, So You Think this Holiday Season is Sad?
2020 has been a year to forget. And now we are looking forward to a Holiday that is limited by a pandemic – a Christmas or Chanukah without our usual parties or family gatherings. This got me thinking about other Christmases that were less than perfect. There have been a few, but one stands out…