Nā-kālele blowhole and rainbow
Hawaii, May

Maui in May

In May 2021, we spent a week on Maui. Compared to our usual trips, this was a more relaxing vacation. We snorkeled, took short walks and hikes, watched birds, and enjoyed reading. During our trip, we spent four nights in Nāpili and four nights in Kihei.

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Halema'uma'u Crater at night, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii, January, North America, United States

The Big Island of Hawaii in January

In January 2016, we again sought a long weekend’s respite from the gray and gloom of Seattle winter–this time on the Big Island of Hawaii. This was my second visit to Hawaii and I was excited to return after our delightful visit to Maui the previous March. We divided our time between the Kona, Volcano, and Pahoa areas. Activities included visits to a coffee plantation, several beaches and state parks, and hikes at the beautiful Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Like our other Hawaii trips to Kauai and Maui, we packed a lot into our long weekend. For a more relaxed approach, check out our trip to Oahu.

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The Routeburn Track's Lake Harris in the rain and clouds, New Zealand
Gear, Hut-to-hut walks, New Zealand

Milford and Routeburn Track Packing List

On the Milford and Routeburn tracks, hikers can experience four seasons in a day. Though we hiked in New Zealand’s early fall and hoped for mild days, we also knew the passes could receive feet of snow at this time of year.

This made it difficult to strike the right balance. We wanted to pack light enough to be able to move quickly and have energy for side trips, but we also wanted to be comfortable regardless of weather. Fortunately, we’ve acquired a good set of layering gear over the years, which we could draw on to assemble our packs.

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Laphroaig
Europe, May, Scotland

Scotland: Islay Whisky

In planning our 2015 trip to Scotland, we reluctantly cut Islay from our itinerary. Friends had enthusiastically recommended a visit, but we could not make it work with our schedule. We pledged, however, to visit on a future trip, and made it a priority when planning our 2019 visit.

We allocated three days (& three nights) to Islay. This gave us time to explore the island’s beaches and visit several of our favorite distilleries for in depth tours and tastings.

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