Archives for 2011

Travel Essential #2: Headlamp

Lighting the way.

Whether my trip is big or small, I always make sure to pack my headlamp. A decent headlamp is a travel essential for me for many reasons.


Caving in Nepal

1. When you’re traveling you find yourself needing to get up at odd and early hours. Unless you want to aggravate the entire dorm room, a headlamp is your best friend to help you find your baggage and get out the door quickly.

2. Some places I’ve stayed, like a remote island getaway in Thailand, only have electricity during a few hours of the evening. If you need light at any other time, a headlamp has you covered.

3. It’s not always easy to fall asleep in new and strange places. Using a headlamp to read while your travel partner sleeps can be the perfect solution.

4. Ever need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night?

5. Sometimes when exploring you’ll find yourself in dark places, like a few of the castle ruins in Jordan or the caves in Nepal.

I’m sure there are many more reasons to keep a headlamp close by. I received mine as a Christmas gift several years ago. I must say, it’s been invaluable.

Do you bring a headlamp on your travels?

xo, jill

Travel Essential #1: Camera(s)

Click click click!

There’s no way I’m going on a trip without my camera! Traveling is probably the number one thing that has improved my photography skills. It’s easier to improve when you’re motivated to capture all the beautiful things you may never get a chance to see again.

I usually bring two cameras on trips but occasionally three, if I’m feeling strong enough.

1. The main camera I use is a Nikon D40. It’s a very basic dSLR but it gets the job done. I’ve been using it for nearly there years now and still don’t feel like I’ve got it mastered. It’s a bit heavy to lug around but usually worth it in the end. For lenses I usually bring a 35mm and an 18-55mm or 55-200mm.

Taken with my D40 in Sweden.

2. I always bring a little point and shoot back up camera with me on travels. I have a Canon Powershot SD1400 IS ELPH. If I’m doing something more active or just don’t want to carry the giant D40, the tiny point and shoot comes in handy. It also has video which is sometimes fun.


Taken with my point and shoot on a hike in Slovenia.

3. If I have extra room or know I won’t have to carry my luggage for long periods of time, I like to bring along my Fuji Instax 210. It’s fun to have an instant photo and local people often get a kick out of it too. The downside is that this camera is kind of big. Ok, it’s pretty huge. You can get a smaller version but the photos are just too tiny for my taste.


Taken with my Fuji Instax 210 in Sri Lanka.

What type of camera do you bring traveling?

xo, jill

Kiva Loan: December

12 down, 0 to go!

It’s my 12th Kiva loan and the last loan of the year. I’ve really looked forward to selecting and funding my monthly loans over the past twelve months. A year in and it’s still a little thrill. I think that’s a good sign.

Photo from Ha’s Kiva listing.

Loaning to a borrower in Vietnam seemed like the perfect choice since by the time you’ll be reading this I’ll actually be there! December’s loan goes to Ha Nguyen Thi Thu who runs a general store with her husband. Ha plans to use the loan to buy more goods in bulk in order to improve her business and her family’s living conditions.

Is anyone giving a Kiva gift card for Christmas?

xo, jill

Away we go.

And away we go.

Mike and I are off to explore Vietnam and Malaysia for the next few weeks!

Don’t go away though because I’ve scheduled a few posts to avoid the blog going quiet. A few weeks ago I was browsing travel blogs and noticing people’s travel essentials. I thought that while I’m gone I could share the five things I always take traveling. And… it’s almost Christmas so you can expect a few holiday posts… including the annual Christmas video!

See you in the new year!

xo, jill

Qasr al Sarab

“mystic desert charm”

Way back in October I was working on my Halloween costume and getting ready to attend a party when Molly called. Her mom was in town visiting and they had booked a room at a luxury hotel out in the desert. When they arrived they were informed that the Deluxe Room they booked was unavailable. The hotel would have to upgrade them to a 3 Bedroom Villa and would that be alright? Now Molly was on the phone asking if Mike and I would like to sleep in the third bedroom. Oh, and there was also a private pool.

Coincidentally, I was coming off of a bad week. I needed to get away, even for a night. Mike and I hopped in the car and two hours later arrived at Qasr al Sarab. After being received with tea and dates in the grand room, we were driven to the villa via golf cart. Molly and her mother were waiting to greet us.

So let’s talk about this villa. Three bedrooms (two kings and two singles), four bathrooms (complete with showers, spas, armoires, and vanities) kitchenette, living room, dining room, small study, outdoor dining space, outdoor loungers, pool, and perhaps the most exciting thing: grass!

Bedroom with king bed

Living room

Pool and dunes

Pool and outdoor dining area

By the time we arrived Molly and her mom were ready for bed. Mike and I took a quick swim before heading to bed ourselves.

The next morning we played in the dunes, swam, relaxed by the pool, and celebrated Molly’s mother’s belated birthday. Eventually the golf carts arrived to bring us back to the main building. Molly told her driver how much we enjoyed the upgrade. Molly’s driver told her just how much of an upgrade it was. The room cost 13,000AED per night (3,500 USD).

Photo by Molly
Patio off our room

Lounging area/ Photo by Molly
Photo by Molly

I can’t say I’d ever pay that amount myself for a hotel room, but it was fun to pretend for a night.

Thanks Molly!

xo, jill

Sandbox

Heavy on the sand.

A camping trip was on the calendar for this past weekend. Unfortunately, illness and report card season knocked a few friends out of the festivities. Sarah, Skylar, Mike and I decided to still head out to the dunes and I’m glad we did. What’s not to enjoy about playing and sleeping in a gigantic sandbox?

I didn’t realize the ISO was up for these shots. I like the effect on the color though.

Photo by Sarah

Photo by Skylar

Unfortunately, other people like to play in the sandbox too.

Photo by Mike

Yep, that’s our tent getting showered with sand thanks to the hooligan on the quad.

Photo by Sarah

The next morning a few camels ambled down the road nearby.

Photo by Sarah

xo, jill

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