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When I first met with Sherry Ott and Michaela Potter of Briefcase to Backpack earlier this year, they were toying with the idea of hosting a night in San Francisco and New York that explored [...]

I wasn’t sure what to expect before I left for Africa in June.  It was the only continent I hadn’t visited, and the one I was most eager to go to.  Now, having spent 5+ weeks in Kenya and [...]

 When I arrived at the Nairobi International Airport in early June, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  A travel writer, I’d seen the likes of five continents, but this was my first trip to Africa and [...]

Four days on a beach in Mombasa leads back to Njabini and Flying Kites.  Only this time, we’re prepared for the Gimwa, our home away from home.  We’re not surprised when it takes two hours to [...]

A rainbow of blues—marine, turquoise, sea foam, sky, and royal—undulate gently to meet the reef.  Defunct rowboats idle along shore.  A concentration of tin-roofed houses opens onto vibrant [...]

Accompanied by the three babus, Sam (babu Thomas’s son), and Sandy, we head off to Tarangire National Park.  Guides Dennis and Rajai will transport us, and in Rajai’s Rover we speed over some of [...]

As we pull onto the long dirt road leading to the village, a haze of dust kicking up in our wake, Sandy is dismayed.  Uh-oh.  I’ve only seen Sandy dismayed once before, on Kilimanjaro, and it [...]

Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp Hike: 10 miles Altitude: 15, 331 feet to 19, 341 feet to 10,065 feet Midnight.  Elias turns up at our tent.  His usual “How you doing?” disrupts our [...]

Day Five: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp Hike: 2 miles Altitude: 13, 105 feet to 15, 331 feet Oh what a beautiful morning.  Oh what a beautiful day.  Finally.  Darryl gives my face the once over and [...]

Day Three: Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp Hike: 6 miles Altitude: 12,500 feet to 15, 190 feet to 13, 044 feet The mornings are cold and misty.  And this morning, particularly, I’m [...]