Natural Beauty, Quirkiness and All Things Water

Exploring the Seaside Gem of Nebukawa, Japan

I wish I could say the story begins at the dreamy Hilton south of Tokyo, with its endless pools, hot springs, and the hollow clunking of bamboo in the breeze. But really, it starts at Yokohama train station in the middle of Tokyo. We get off the airport train, trying to transfer to another train that will take us to tiny seaside Nebukawa…but the ticket machines in this station ONLY take yen as payment. No cards. And every ATM has rejected Sam’s card.

How is this possible, I wonder, trying to flag down anyone even remotely western-looking in hopes of exchanging some dollars for yen. This is a technologically advanced country! How am I at the mercy of paper? 

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Sailing Remote Palawan, Philippines: Adventures on the Sulu Sea!

“I don’t know if this is for real,” Ryan starts. “The Danish guy still hasn’t asked for any money for his boat.”

The six of us laugh, to cover the possibility of our dream breaking. 

“At least we’ll be in the Philippines, and it’s cheap and beautiful,” Sam chimes in.

“I’m just saying, if this turns out weird, I warned you guys.”

Ahem.

“Look at that one!”

Ryan zooms in on one of hundreds of islands. A emerald speck emerges, both sides curved in identical coves of white sand, the shallows ringed in surreal, bright turquoise. 

“Brah…!”

Even for the kids raised on Maui, the place is jaw dropping.

The thing is–out of the six of us, only Ryan can sail.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll learn to tie bowlins!” We laugh and promise Ryan.

Hopefully it’s not a problem.

There’s me, my husband Sam, my 18 year old stepson Jai, our 5 year old Anika, Cap’n Ryan, and his 10 year old son Zeb, all flying halfway around the world to jump on a stranger’s boat in a remote archipelago of the Philippines: Palawan. What could go wrong?

On a map this trail of islands looks like it’s trying to escape westward from the rest of the country’s eastern swing. Palawan is the old land bridge to Borneo, and we’re aiming for a group of gorgeous islands near its border. “Isn’t that area full of pirates? And salt water crocodiles?” My friend asks after googling it. “It’s close to all that,” I say, “but not quite in it,” hoping to reassure her. Still, I learn to say help among other choice words in Tagalog. 

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Driving the Waterfall Highway: Umpqua Hot Springs to Crater Lake

Umpqua Hot Springs to Crater Lake, baby! We turn off 138, Oregon’s waterfall highway, jamming to music and ready to bask in Umpqua Hot Springs next to the roaring river–the 2 mile hike is only a few miles off the road. But instead we find ourselves curving up, up, deeper into dirt logging roads, and after a few minutes it becomes clear something doesn’t feel right… “Download your directions,” Chrissy had said. “There’s no signal up there.” Gulp.

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Adventure in the Channel Islands: California Back in Time

My maritime obsessed father named me Marina and it feels right–I always want to get out on the water. After browsing for day trips on boats leaving out of Santa Barbara, an upcoming getaway, my husband Sam found one boat offering a once-a-year, 5 day, live-aboard, fully guided and supported expedition adventure in the Channel Islands. We stopped looked at each other in stunned silence–screw day trips, this was the dream! And the expedition was leaving the harbor in, uh, 48 hours. After a wild childcare scramble, we made it from Hawaii to the Santa Barbara harbor, the last guests to drag our bags, surfboards and cooler onto the 80-foot Vision, joining maybe 15 other adventurous souls and a motley crew of grinning staff, no doubt stoked they got to come along for this rare voyage.

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The Wild and Scenic Elk River: Oregon’s Secret Jewel

Maybe I shouldn’t share Oregon’s secret jewel, The Elk River. But if you’re the kind that falls in love with rivers and diving into turquoise makes your bones quiver, and you’ve chosen to transport yourself into this isolated corner of southern Oregon, I’m sharing this for you. Because everyone knows the Smith, and on a hot summer day they’ll be there. Some people know the Trinity. Maybe the Illinois if you’re hip, or the gushing upper Rogue because the highway follows it and the pullouts advertise it. But this is different. In a world where “Tourists are ruining the world’s most beautiful destinations,” The Guardian, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/aug/17/wish-you-werent-here-how-tourists-are-ruining-the-worlds-greatest-destinations sharing a spot like this is love, and even more, trust.

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Surfing La Saladita: Crocodile ghosts, hot springs and the wave

Hot Springs, La Saladita

Hot Springs, La Saladita, Guerrero

What else is there to do besides surfing in La Saladita? It’s only one of the world’s longest and mellowist left point breaks, summer water temp a balmy 85, purple thunderclouds crackling above coconut groves.

But there’s more to this town than its perfect waves. Down an unmarked dirt road past the magic mushroom spot, check out the curative hot springs, (there is also a cold part, where unmoving toes are treated to a fish-nibbling spa a la Thailand) eat the freshest seafood, admire the architecture of natural materials–and steer clear of crocodiles.

 

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Bike Camping New Mexico: A Standoff, Hot Springs and the VLA

empty highway with storm, new mexico

Afternoon storm, New Mexico

Bike camping New Mexico and nothing goes the way I think it will. For starters, I have no idea I’m pregnant. I think my period disappeared because we’re biking 50 miles a day. Fast forward to a public park in Deming, New Mexico. Homeless men sprouting up around us like flowers. I hear diesel trucks going by and I know from when I was upright that they’re full of chiles. I can smell some roasting. My bike is sprawled with me in the fluffy grass, my sleeping bag has slipped off, church bells chime whatever hour it is and I can’t. Get. Up. 

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How to Find Authentic Sri Lanka

At first glance it’s easy to see Sri Lanka as a Paradise Lost. The war is over and “India Lite” is swelling with Euros and Aussies dumping cold Lions down their gullets, chainsmoking and lying about their best waves. Urban hustlers scam tourists for scooter rentals and mango lassis. The flip side is because it’s new and popular, people seem to flock to the same destinations. It’s a tale of two worlds: gorgeous places full of people or deserted places that are even more gorgeous.

If you’re looking for an authentic experience in Sri Lanka though, all you have to do is try.

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Colombia’s Secret Red River: Quebrada Las Gachas

Lots of people know about Cano Cristales, Colombia’s multicolored river. Nobody knows about this place– yet. Which is part of the reason Juliana and I are going there. Only we’re flying sorta blind, sorta broke.

But determined to get to the teeny town of Guadalupe and find the secret red river. So I’m at a bus station called “Papi, I want pineapple!” while my Colombian girlfriend bargains with another bus driver. See, we missed our bus. And she’s one of about twelve hippies in a country of fake butts, fake titties and painted nails (even the guys do clear coats) and I’m an American whose ATM card keeps getting barfed out, cashless. So we’re doing this trip, you know, different. In Colombia, they call hitchhiking going “de adventura.” And we didn’t see a single other person doing it.

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Learning to Fly in Colombia: Paragliding

Test SEO

I’m headed to Bucaramanga, Colombia to get certified to paraglide. I planned this trip, oh, six days in advance. I have no experience, just a love for the sky and freedom and the g-forces I felt on a tandem flight years ago. The first step is getting to Bogota, Colombia. I arrive at 2am, alone. My eyes blur the huddle of caffeinated drivers shouting taxi señora? and the long yellow streak at the curb. I shake my head no and explain that I’m waiting for friends. But I’m not.

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