THE ENDLESS SKY

Where's Winter?

2012-01-16T12:46:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we headed over to the eastern Sierra, taking advantage of the mild winter weather that has allowed the highway passes to remain open.

Saturday was Amber's birthday and she wanted to go to Mammoth Lakes so we went there via Tioga Pass. On the way up, we stopped at Tenaya Lake. The lake is completely frozen over and we walked across it. Other people were ice skating, playing hockey and even pushing strollers across the frozen lake.

On the way down the pass, we saw some people ice climbing. This reminded me of trips in college where we would climb a frozen waterfall in New Hampshire.

After spending the night in Mammoth, we headed to our favorite park at Mono Lake. We then went back home over Sonora Pass, stopping to run up the frozen streams. What an incredible (and rare) experience!

Cheers to 2012!

2011-12-30T17:23:00.000-08:00

As 2011 comes to a close, we want to wish everyone a happy upcoming 2012!

Since I last posted, Amber has wrapped up another successful season of roller derby. She's now gearing up for the Hellcat's new season (first home bout is Feb. 25).

Ediza's lost two of her front teeth. Here she is on Christmas morning wearing some new clothes out in the yard.

As for me, I turned 30 and wrapped up my fundraising campaign. I raised thousands of dollars to help protect Antarctica and its penguins, but unfortunately I won't be going there to run a marathon.

I've learned a lot these past several months and I have some exciting ideas for the future. Here's some pics from last month's "Fire & Ice" benefit that helped raise money for research in Antarctica.

SoCal & NorCal

2011-10-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

So far this month, our weekends have been spent at a wedding along the Merced River in El Portal, at crowded Disneyland in Anaheim and up north in Chico for Amber's roller derby bout.

We're more kind of camping people rather than Disneyland people, but we still (mostly) enjoyed this crazy experience. We took Ediza (who turned 5 this past weekend) and Shannon (one of the Circle Home gals who is obsessed with Disneyland).

Amber bid on these tickets last year during a fundraiser for Ediza's then-preschool, and she assured me that we wouldn't win them. Well, guess what? We won the tickets and ended up going a year later!

Here's Shannon and I outside of "It's a Small World"...

And Amber and Ediza during lunch (notice the birthday badge).

Ediza got this Princess hat as an early birthday present.

She spent her actual birthday in Chico the following weekend for Amber's roller derby bout. Her team lost, but apparently made up for it during the after parties (Amber rode a mechanical bull at one bar). The next day I went on an awesome tour of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and we all went out to eat at the brewery's restaurant.

Here's Ediza with her birthday sundae. She sure looked stylish in her dress made from an old Sierra Nevada Bigfoot T-shirt.

Fire & Ice benefit

2011-10-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, but this event (along with working, writing and family time) has been occupying all of my time. If you're able to attend, please contact me about tickets. If you're not, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here (just choose "Oceanites donation on behalf of marathoner Mike Morris" under the "Select a program to donate to" section). Also, check out Fundraising for Antarctica (help me save penguins & glaciers). Many thanks!

Cooling off

2011-08-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share these fun pics of Ediza cooling off during a concert this summer at Mountain Sage in Groveland. The photos were taken by Emily Yates, who is the media director for an organization called Veteran Artists (www.veteranartists.org). She's also married to one of the members of Hot Buttered Rum (the band that was playing that evening).

Ediza has been staying wet this summer swimming at the pool in addition to doing gymnastics class, riding horses, painting pottery and playing with her new kitten (which we picked up a month ago at a moving sale in Twain Harte). She's getting ready to start kindergarten at the Sierra Waldorf School (www.sierrawaldorf.com) this coming week!

Also, wanted to post a link to my latest L.A. Times travel story, "Monterey's a family-friendly destination." We took a family trip to Monterey back in April (see earlier post below), but the story just ran a week ago. For those on Facebook, another link to check out is www.facebook.com/fundraising4antarctica (it now has enough "likes" to have its own site).

We're gearing up for the fall Strawberry Music Festival this coming week. Hot Buttered Rum is also playing there, but there won't be any misters for Ediza to play in:)

Lake Ediza (Part V)

2011-08-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

We recently returned from our 5th annual family hiking trip to Ediza's namesake — Lake Ediza. It was a much shorter trek than last summer, when we walked from Agnew Meadows near Mammoth Lakes to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. This time around we just hiked into Lake Ediza and then back out two days later.

What seemed like a simple trip was still quite involved. A week ago, we drove to Mammoth late at night and camped in the forest so that we were there early the next morning. We had to get a walk-in permit because all the reserved permits were booked when we wanted to go. I arrived at the permit station at 7 a.m. to wait in line until they opened an hour later only to get a number (I was second in line) to return back at 11 a.m. and get our permit for the next day. So we went back home, packed, got the llamas ready and drove back to Mammoth the following day.

Because of all this we started pretty late so we camped a little bit before Lake Ediza on our first night. Unfortunately, we were swarmed by mosquitoes there. Amber took this close-up of my face, and if you look carefully you'll see a mosquito sucking my blood next to my right eyebrow.

The next morning we finished the hike to Lake Ediza. The lake had by far the most snow we've seen in the past five years. As we approached the lake, Ediza rode Golden (which she did most of the hike) over a snowy patch.

Once we arrived, Ediza was all smiles...

...and felt very peaceful.

We still had more streams to cross until we got to our regular camping spot up above the lake.

But it was well worth the effort after we arrived...

...and ate lunch.

But the best part was probably how the weather was sunny, breezy and mosquito free! A highlight for me is always watching the twinkling stars in the crystal-clear sky.

Amber and Ediza enjoyed sledding on our sleeping mats.

That night was so chilly that Ediza was able to eat some ice from a frozen stream the following morning.

It's difficult to imagine that back in 2007, on our first family trip to Lake Ediza, she was just a little baby splashing in the water on the lake's sandy shore. Now, she's an adventurer climbing granite like a pro. Here she is at a spot near our campsite which she refers to as "Dream Mountain."

I can see why she named it that. The whole area around Lake Ediza is quite magical and dreamlike!

Fundraising for Antarctica

2011-07-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

So this post is about the latest project I'm tackling. Those who know me know that I love a good challenge and my latest one involves fundraising for a nonprofit that does vital research in Antarctica.

Oceanites, a nonprofit based in Maryland (my home state), aims to help conserve the world's oceans, islands and their wildlife by providing an "appreciation of the sensitive connections we humans have to our watery globe." I think it's easy to forget that we really are all connected and what is happening in one part of the globe truly does affect us all.

One-hundred percent of the money I'm raising supports the Antarctic Site Inventory's data collection and analysis — the only project monitoring penguin and seabird populations as well as environmental changes throughout the Antarctic Peninsula. Indeed, Oceanites is the only nonprofit, publicly-supported science project working in Antarctica. My goal is to raise $25,000 for this important cause by Dec. 1.

In exchange for my fundraising efforts, I will be given the opportunity to run a marathon in Antarctica next year. This will help me achieve my larger-scale goal of running a marathon on every continent. I have already completed North America (San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon) and Asia (Great Wall of China Marathon).

A Boston-based marathon tour company chose myself (and another runner) out of applicants from around the world to participate in this incredible opportunity.

You are able to help me in supporting Oceanites by making a tax-deductible donation either online or by check (please make checks payable to Oceanites). If you can get me a check I will take care of sending it off or you can mail one directly to: Oceanites, P.O. Box 15259, Chevy Chase, MD 20825 (please put my name, Mike Morris, in the memo line of the check).

If donating online, please go to the website www.oceanites.org and click on "Donate Here" towards the bottom of the home page. That will take you to a page where you enter the donation amount, and then under the section "Select a program to donate to" please choose "Oceanites donation on behalf of marathoner Mike Morris." From there, you just follow the steps to complete the process. You can even use a credit card to donate!

If you're on Facebook, please like my brand new page "Fundraising for Antarctica (help me save penguins & glaciers)" and HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS FUNDRAISER (in anyway you can). Feel free to share any ideas or suggestions with me.

Please let me know if you made or plan to make a donation so I can keep track of them. If you are not able to help out financially, please just think good thoughts for me and this effort!

Spring update

2011-06-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd post some pics from the most recent Strawberry Music Festival (held over Memorial Day weekend). Like the fall festival, I helped build the stage again, and like last spring's festival it was very chilly (even with frozen precipitation again)!

Just before arriving at Strawberry, Ediza graduated from preschool. She started gymnastics class this week to help keep her active during the summer (not that she really needs any help with that).

Memorial Day was mine and Amber's fifth wedding anniversary. Apparently you're supposed to give your spouse something wooden on a fifth anniversary so I stopped at Mountain Sage in Groveland on the way home from Strawberry and bought her a candle holder made out of manzanita. It's made by a talented local artist. Check out his blog at yosemitegoat.blogspot.com

Amber is still nonstop roller derby. Her team, the High Country Hellcats, continue their 3-0 winning streak. They have another home bout coming up Father's Day weekend.

On the home front, we continue working on projects (inside and out). We now have some llamas living full-time at the ranch!

I'll end with another Strawberry picture (because I think it's funny). Ediza was more traditional with her olive pizza, while Amber was experimental with some tasty pesto pineapple pizza!

Exploring the coast

2011-04-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

We took a little trip to Monterey earlier this week so thought I'd post some photos. This time around we camped at this great city park with easy access to everything Monterey has to offer. Our friend who lives there, Maggy, set up her VW Vanagon named Brownie for us to camp in. Here's Amber and Ediza in the camper van and Ediza climbing a tree at our campsite.

Monterey is such a family-friendly place with so many fun activities for kids (which I'm in the process of writing about). While at the elaborate Dennis the Menace Playground we were approached by a couple we met in China (he ran the Great Wall Marathon with me). They had just moved to Monterey with their kids four days before. Once again, it's a small world.

Of all the things we did in a short amount of time, Ediza was probably most impressed with the beach. She ran around chasing seagulls and collecting sea shells. We also saw jellyfish, sea lions and lots of hermit crabs in tide pools.

We hope everyone has a great Earth Day today and a Happy Easter this weekend. We'll be having an egg hunt with all of our chicken eggs!

Goodbye winter, hello spring

2011-03-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

After almost three months, we're getting more and more settled into our new home. We still don't have the Internet and we don't have any plans to get it installed (as usual, we don't have a television either). Surprisingly, we've been getting by just fine without having the Internet at home (after all, it's available just about everywhere else). Instead of being a distraction at home, we've found more time to read books, practice yoga, and just hang out.

Speaking of going online, please check out my new L.A. Times travel article, "Where to stay when visiting Yosemite."

Above is a family pic of us in Yosemite that was taken by my parents when they were visiting last month. In addition to ice skating in Yosemite Valley, we went wine tasting in Murphys (we highly recommend Presidents Wine Weekend) and worked on some projects around the house. Below is a picture of Amber in the backyard with our rooster (named "Mike" by Ediza).

Amber had her first roller derby bout of the 2011 season this past weekend, where she made her debut as a jammer. Her team, the High Country Hellcats, beat the Monterey Bay Derby Dames before singing karaoke with them later at the after party. Next month they travel up to Redding to take on the Angry Beavers!

Well, spring has finally arrived although it feels more like the dead of winter with cold temps, strong winds, rain and even snow. Hopefully March showers will bring April flowers.

New year, new home

2011-01-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't posted much here lately, but I have a good excuse: we moved. Yup, after several years at the llama farm we've moved to a nearby house on a beautiful 110-acre ranch. This photo was taken at the base of a huge oak tree in our new backyard. We have plenty to keep us busy -- house projects, building a chicken pen, putting in a garden, preparing a llama pasture, etc. I will try to update our progress here. We hope 2011 is off to a great start for everyone!

Better late than never!

2010-11-13T11:11:00.001-08:00

Here's some pics from our Halloween party we hosted a few weeks ago. The photos were taken by my friend Sarah (who is pictured below). We first met in Australia, worked together at a summer camp in Missouri and now live near each other in California. She's a professional photographer based in the Bay Area. Check out her Web site at sarahcrossphoto.com.

At the party, Amber went as a sorceress and I was a sorcerer. I wore a fancy kurta that was given to me earlier this year in India along with some fake star tattoos on my face. Amber — who made my staff from last year's manzanita Christmas tree — wore a $3 thrift store dress combined with lots of costume jewelry, a labor-intensive tulle and a hair piece.

As midnight approached, I led groups on a haunted llama farm tour...

It had rained earlier in the day so everything was damp and cool. Detailed decorations — including a spooky graveyard, dozens of lit pumpkins and even dried flowers spray painted black — provided the perfect atmosphere. There was a bonfire next to the keg and live music played in the background. And, of course, plenty of interesting characters were roaming about...

Happy Birthday Ediza!

2010-10-16T07:17:00.001-07:00

Our little pumpkin turns 4 years old today. These are just some of the pumpkins Amber grew in her garden:

Weekend getaways

2010-09-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend up at Lake Tahoe because Amber played against the roller derby team there. It was a good bout, but the slippery outdoor track and altitude gave the home team the advantage to win. We stayed at a nice time share, got to explore the lake's shore a bit and had some amazing food (including toasted coconut french toast for breakfast)!

This weekend we plan to head back to the Eastern Sierra and camp at some hot springs. Speaking of the East Side, please check out "Hiking the Sierra with three llamas and a baby" online at travel.latimes.com and in this Sunday's L.A. Times Travel section. Thanks:)

Horses & Strawberry

2010-09-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

Since meeting King (the horse in Yosemite), Ediza and Amber have had a joint horseback riding lesson at a therapeutic riding center just down the road from us. Ediza rode a horse named India.

A few days after that we took two llamas up to the mountains for a horse trail riding event. We were one of the obstacles and the horses were judged at how well they handled themselves around the llamas (which can sometimes spook them, especially if they've never met before).

Earlier this week we returned from the fall Strawberry Music Festival. This festival I arrived early to help set up the stage, which saw the likes of Arlo Guthrie and Keb' Mo. After Keb' was finished Sunday night I helped take down the stage and wrapped up the job Monday morning (nothing like some labor on Labor Day).

Here are some shots of Ediza at Strawberry:

An aspiring photographer, Ediza turned the camera on us:

Sierra hike

2010-08-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the month, we took a weeklong hike from the Mammoth Lakes area (where we went on our fourth annual trip to Lake Ediza) all the way north to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. Naturally, I've written about this, but for now we'll just let the pictures tell the story...

Fresh at the start...

Ediza falling asleep while riding Golden hours later....

Back awake and in the carrier as we arrive at Lake Ediza...

Checking out her namesake the following day with mom...

Protecting herself from swarms of mosquitos...

Arriving at Thousand Island Lake the next day...

Taking a break for yoga by the lake...

Helping me set up the tent...

Back on the trail the next day, we stop under this tree for lunch...

And I filter water with this view...

Later, I soak up some sun at our new campsite...

The next morning, Ediza hops on Golden to go over Donohue Pass...

We cross snow going up...

And water on the way down...

After camping a night in Yosemite, we hike out the following day to this bridge in Tuolumne Meadows...

Just as we finish, we come across this nice ranger who introduces Ediza to her horse, King.

More than 30 miles with three llamas and a spirited 3-year-old and we survived!

Hellcats & Guinea Pigs

2010-07-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

After four months of training, Amber has officially become a High Country Hellcat. She had a roller derby scrimmage a week ago, where she proved her skills and was able to join the team. Congratulations Amber for setting a goal and accomplishing it!

I have been busy working and hiking (both new outings and classic ones like Half Dome). Meanwhile, Ediza has been spending her summer playing "glitter and glue" and taking care of her friend's guinea pig named Ethel. Here she is dressing up the very patient guinea pig.

Exploration

2010-06-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

Summer is off to an adventuresome start with lots of hiking, swimming and exploring. On Father's Day, we went with our friends to the top of Columns of the Giants, where a mini family photo shoot was taken with this Juniper tree.

Just as we did last year, we took llamas to Camp Tuolumne Trails (twice in the past two weeks). The camp, near Groveland and Yosemite, is geared towards people with special medical needs. I've actually started helping take care of a special needs guy here in Sonora.

Amber continues to be busy with llama shearing and roller derby. She has to come up with a roller derby name — one that hasn't already been taken. Maybe llama mama?

Strawberry snow & sun

2010-06-03T08:37:00.001-07:00

This Strawberry Music Festival, held at the end of May near Yosemite, we experienced some extreme weather. The first night it snowed on us, causing our shade canopy and friends tent to collapse (they spent the night in the llama van with us). By the time the weekend rolled around we were getting sunburned due to the intense sunshine!

As usual, we had a lot fun. The musical highlight for me was the MarchFourth Marching Band, which entertained us with instruments, stiltwalkers and dancers.

Something that made this Strawberry extra special was that our friend, Penny, came to the festival with us. We met her two years ago when we were visiting New Zealand, and we stayed at her house near Auckland.

After Strawberry, we took Penny to Yosemite Valley on Memorial Day to see the waterfalls (here she is at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls). Ediza, who also wore tie-dye, decided to take a stroll through Yosemite Creek.

Penny spent the last day of her month-long tour of North America with us in Sonora. She visited Colorado, Canada, and naturally saved the best for last — California.

Tahoe to Yosemite to Frogtown

2010-05-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here's the group from India at Lake Tahoe, where we attended a conference last weekend. They gave a presentation about India and themselves, while we gave one about our experiences in India. We were even talked into getting up in front of everyone and performing a Bollywood-style dance. They were bummed about not getting to leave the hotel so I snuck them out Sunday morning to go see the lake (where this photo was taken).

I also made it to Yosemite twice this week — once for work, the other to hike Yosemite Falls (up and down in less than three hours!) and then met up with the Indians for lunch at The Ahwahnee. Every season in the park is beautiful, but the rushing waterfalls in springtime make it even more special.

Later in the week, Ediza did some gold panning on a preschool field trip followed by an early Mother's Day lunch at a nearby tea house. The next day we marched with her preschool in the Mother Lode Round-Up Parade, where we all got dressed up in crazy hats.

This coming weekend is the Jumping Frog Jubilee in Angels Camp. It's my latest Travel article for the L.A. Times. Check out "Calaveras County: Still hopping to it" at travel.latimes.com. You never know what you'll find in Angels Camp (here's a frog decorated like a disco ball, for example).

Battle Wounds

2010-04-28T06:42:00.001-07:00

This is a close-up of Amber's leg following a recent roller derby practice. If you notice, the rug burn is in the pattern of her fishnet stockings. Ouch. Amber has been going to roller derby practice three times a week for several weeks now. The local team is called the High Country Hellcats. She's referred to as a "kitten" until she passes a written and skills test and officially joins the team. When not skating, Amber has been playing softball, ultimate frisbee and she even took a belly dance class. Oh, and she just got a new car to take her to all of her practices!

Ediza has been staying busy playing with her friends and attending preschool. Amber and I were just elected to the preschool's Board of Directors, although the future of the school is up in the air due to budget cuts that are forcing the layoff of the school's teacher:(

Lately, I have been doing all kinds of different writing — from a dentist newsletter to travel articles. As part of the cultural exchange I was involved with in India, a group from Delhi was supposed to come here to California in mid-April. The group's leader had a delay in getting his visa and the volcano in Iceland just added to the problem. So we had to cancel our elaborate "welcome to Sonora" party for them this past weekend. Also canceled was yesterday's trip with them to Yosemite. Hopefully they'll arrive by this weekend, when they're expected at a Rotary conference up at Lake Tahoe.

Treasure hunting

2010-03-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

My new L.A. Times article — "One-of-a-kind treasures in New Delhi's markets" — is in today's newspaper and online at travel.latimes.com. (The above photo was used on the front of the Travel section as well as a teaser pic on the front page of the paper).

We actually spent this weekend having some fun in Southern California. At Venice Beach we checked out the surfers, skaters, street performers and graffiti artists. Also on the itinerary was thrift store shopping (though not as good as the markets in India) and cruising Santa Monica and Hollywood (where we saw Michael Jackson, a platform-wearing Batman and Dora the Explorer).

Ediza recently discovered Dora and sometimes watches her on the laptop. It's funny because Ediza learns Spanish from Dora and then teaches it to Amber and I. Adios, for now.

Indian princess

2010-03-03T09:51:00.000-08:00

Our last few days in India were filled with visiting Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, touring Delhi University and taking a bicycle rickshaw ride back at Chandni Chowk. We also paid a visit to one of the less touristy sites we saw on our entire trip: Coronation Park. This is where they put all the British monuments in one obscure park surrounded by a sewage treatment plant, radio towers and a dusty field where kids play cricket.

Once we said good-bye to all our Indian friends (we had a sendoff meeting and more parties) we headed to the airport and took a midnight flight back to the states. We flew into a snowy New Jersey, where our flight was delayed by nearly two hours. This caused us to miss our connecting flight in San Francisco, but we were able to get the next flight to Modesto.

Amber and Ediza picked me up at the airport and we went back home to go through all the presents I brought them. Amber said it was better than Christmas. In the photo above, Ediza is wearing a bindi, a pink Sanskrit scarf and a sparkly top to one of her lenghas. Truly an Indian princess!

'All is Well'

2010-02-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

Our adventures of late have taken us from serene Lodi Gardens to a hectic street market called Janpath. Not to let things get too carefree, the next morning we visited St. Stephen's Hospital, the oldest privately-owned hospital in the city.

We met at length with an orthopedic surgeon who operates on children and young adults suffering from polio. He presented to us a powerful presentation showing case after case of polio patients who were reduced to crawling or being carried around until they had corrective surgery and were then able to walk. The surgeries are very expensive for these patients, many of whom come from poor and remote parts of India. Fortunately, money given by Rotary as well as private donors allow the surgeries to be done for free. The need for funds is still great.

In the hospital, we were ushered along dark hallways that smelled of medicine until we reached the polio ward. There, patients were recovering from surgery and were obviously in a lot of pain. The doctor helping them is a positive person who takes his role of making them as independent as possible very seriously. He got philosophical with us explaining how these patients have great strengths and many talents that far surpass some of us who can walk. I left feeling drained, but inspired to help this place.

Later that day, we visited Old Delhi and the famous Chandni Chowk market. The chaotic scene was sensory overload: thick, humid air was heavy on the skin; smells of car exhaust, urine and tobacco smoke surrounded us; sugary syrup dripped down our fingers as we ate a hot deep-fried snack. The market was followed by a sound and light show at the Red Fort. We ended the evening at a magical restaurant full of mirrors, silver shimmers and red lights.

Following this late night we got up early to head off to Jaipur, a vacation destination about 250 kilometers outside of Delhi. We first visited the City Palace, where we saw this snake charmer. We did more shopping followed by a nighttime camel ride along a busy street before heading back to our hotel.

On the way out of town the next day we went to the Amber Fort, where painted elephants parade up the hillside to a palace. This place looks like something out of a movie. In fact, a fight scene from a movie was being shot while we were there.

Driving back to Delhi we added another dining experience to our list — lunch at a truck stop surrounded by flies. Once in Delhi, we were picked up by our new club, Faridabad Midtown. Faridibad is out in the suburbs of Delhi, but has a population of 2.5 million people. The father of my host family owns 13 liquor stores in town, yet he doesn't drink. One morning he took me to his Sikh temple, which I had been eager to visit since I haven't made it to one of those yet. I was the only guy there not wearing a turban. Before entering I had to remove my shoes, wash my hands and tie a scarf around my head.

After experiencing his daily ritual, I was dropped off with the group and some younger Indians to see something else I wanted to experience — the movie "Three Idiots." Despite being in Hindi (I had a good translator sitting behind me), this is my new favorite movie. "Three Idiots" has some good life lessons: not to pressure your children to be something they're not, learn for knowledge (not just to memorize useless information) and whenever in doubt just follow your heart and tell yourself that "all is well" and it will be.

Bollywood movies can be so over the top with the singing and dancing that it almost goes beyond cheesy and becomes cool. They can make you laugh and cry. Indian movies are also long (so long they have an intermission where attendants bring you popcorn and cappuccinos).

Afterwards we went to a mall and then back home for pizza, whiskey and karaoke. My song selection was "Born to be Wild," which earned me 43 out of 100 possible points (surprisingly, that put me at third from last place). I was told at least part of my performance was videotaped so hopefully it won't end up on YouTube someday.

After that late night we got up early the next day to drive to Agra and visit the world-famous Taj Mahal. Built by an emperor in tribute to his wife — who died giving birth to the couple's 14th child — this building is a symbol of eternal love throughout the world. A highlight was walking on the cold marble in my bare feet.

We then ate lunch at a five-star hotel before taking the long drive back to Faridabad for our farewell dance party. This involved dancing with bright lazers, strobe lights and fog machines combined with more whiskey and "meaning of life" talks.

At our next club, Delhi South, we got to attend a yoga class at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. We toured the complex and learned about what the ashram offers, ate a cafeteria-style lunch (in which we washed our own dishes afterwards) and sat on a rooftop lawn to discuss yoga, nutrition and overall well being with a doctor.

Other recent stops include visiting India's polio headquarters and the Bahai Temple, which is shaped like a lotus flower and is open to all faiths for silent meditation and prayers. We have now made it to our eighth and final host club — Delhi Uptown — and are still going strong.

When the planets align

2010-02-13T02:37:00.000-08:00

The night after our first wedding, we went to a Sikh pre-wedding celebration. Mounted video cameras projected all the action, including traditional dancing, on giant screens.

Thankfully, we skipped another pre-wedding party the following night so we could have a low-key dinner with our host families (it was a Monday night after all). Dinner typically isn't served until about 10 p.m. here. It was nice to go to bed around midnight instead of 2 a.m. for a change. Busy days followed by nonstop parties has started to take its toll on me.

On Tuesday night I went to my third wedding held at a farmhouse just outside of the city. This time of year is known as "wedding season" as it's considered an auspicious time to get married. Consulting astrological charts to determine what month and even what day to get married is very mystical and goes far beyond just picking a favorite season or a date that works well with everyone's schedule.

The stars also influence how parents choose a mate for their children. Most marriages here are still arraigned, however, it seems (at least in urban and affluent India) there is great value placed on the child's opinion and preference. In other words, if the child objects a replacement mate can be found.

Once a match has been made, a wedding date is set. Traditionally, the groom will ride a white horse to the bride's house as dancers surround him. A three-hour ceremony follows with reciting vows, sprinkling flowers and walking around a fire. Here are some photos from the first wedding we attended (the close-up shot is the bride and groom).

Our nights may have been spent attending weddings, but our days also remain active. We visited the Rotary Vidya Kendra, a preschool dedicated to educating underprivileged children. We then went in the basement of the school where women create handmade crafts that are sold to benefit her and her family. We bought all kinds of goodies to support them. This photo shows the women working behind a stack of bags made from old newspapers.

Other visits include meeting with management at The Indian Express newspaper and touring one of Delhi's most famous structures, the Qutab Minar (see photos below). Scott is now out of the hospital and we reunited at the Qutab Minar. He and I are actually staying together at our new host club, the Rotary Club of Delhi Midtown.

The first activity we did with Delhi Midtown was visit the Akshardham Temple, a modern temple that appears as if it's thousands of years old. The most memorable part of this temple was reading all the stories on plaques surrounding it. They are filled with sound-bite, or take-home, quotes such as, "Nature worship is an expression of gratitude towards all forms of life," and "The language of love is understood by all." I also made a wish before tossing my rupee into a water fountain.

Following a dinner party the other night, we all sat around in a circle while songs were sung in Hindi. Scott and I were pressured into singing John Denver's "Country Roads" in front of everyone. The Indians at the party actually knew the lyrics better than we did. There's something about being in India — sitting on a leather sofa underneath a crystal chandelier — and having a roomful of people sing the words, "West Virginia, mountain mama." Just the thought of it makes me smile.

Whirlwind

2010-02-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

We continue our journey visiting the movers and shakers of Delhi. I'm now staying at my fourth home (at the last home they export clothes to Europe, while here they manufacture cables).

The last few days have taken us from the Rotary Blood Bank and the Dilli Haat market to Humayun's Tomb (a world heritage monument) and the National Museum. At the museum, we saw a fascinating exhibit of miniature paintings on Indian mythology.

Mary (the Rotarian team leader) and I were the only ones to go to the museum as Michelle and Carin went to visit a doctor and Scott (the other guy) is in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. Not to worry, everyone will be OK.

I visited Scott in the hospital yesterday before a lunch meeting where we did our fourth presentation followed by a visit to a Hindu temple called Birla Mandir. I was then picked up by my driver in a brand new black BMW and taken to my home to get ready for a wedding.

I got dressed in my beautiful new kurta, which was given to me by a Rotarian named Neeraj (the above photo was taken during a rooftop party at his house the other night). On the way to the wedding, I stopped by the house where Michelle and Carin are staying. This house is more like a hotel as it has an atrium and an elevator.

From there, we made our way to the wedding. Driving up and and getting out of the car felt like we were arriving for the Oscars. We witnessed the end of the marriage ceremony before entering a giant tent where the elaborate after party was hosted. A small army served guests anything they wanted to eat or drink.

On the flip side of life, today we visited slums to vaccinate children from polio. We each got to give children two drops of the vaccine on their tongue before marking their left pinky for proof that they were vaccinated. We went to two sites followed by lunch at a fancy restaurant where we drank beer and ate chocolate souffle for dessert.

Trying to process all that I've seen lately, I head back home in a nice car with a driver who speaks little English. Playing on my iPod is a cover version of Bob Marley's "One Love." I look out the window and see a public transportation bus driving next to the car. Looking out the bus window is an Indian guy about my age also wearing headphones. We stare at each other for a good couple of seconds almost as if we're both wondering what it would feel like to be the other. He smiles, I smile back. He waves, I wave back. The car and the bus criss-cross in the crazy Delhi traffic and we disappear from each other's sight.

Birds & Outsourcing & Newspapers, Oh My!

2010-02-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

On our last day in Gurgaon we got out of the city again, this time to visit a bird sanctuary where thousands of migrating birds spend their winter. On our guided walk we also spotted "jungle cows" and some naughty monkeys.

In keeping with the theme of contrasts, we later visited a modern call center called Teleperformance. This was very interesting to see as the outsource business has been given lots of attention in recent years. At this center, employees offer tech support as well as collection work. When dealing with upset customers, employees are taught to "take that frustration and view it as an opportunity." Words to live by, I guess.

After giving our second club presentation (about where we come from and how life is there) we said say good-bye to our new friends and moved on to another club back in Delhi. The room I'm now staying in belongs to the son of the club's president. Ironically, his son is living in the states (attending college at the University of Texas in Austin).

Yesterday we visited the National Rail Museum, while I spent most of today learning about the Hindustan Times and its affiliated newspapers and radio station. The Hindustan Times, which is printed in English and has a partnership with the Washington Post, is one of the largest newspapers in Delhi. There's also the Hindustan (printed in Hindi) and Mint (which is business focused and has a partnership with the Wall Street Journal).

I got to meet one-on-one with the senior editor of Mint and the resident editor of the Hindustan Times along with the company's head lawyer. All of these discussions were really interesting and informative. India's newspaper industry is not struggling the way it is in the U.S. Maybe that's because Internet access is not as common or the literacy rate is improving among such a large population or people just like holding the newspaper in their hands. Or maybe it's from all the advertising revenue brought in by the "Matrimonial" classified section?

Arraigned marriages and love marriages are a totally different topic. More on that one later, I must get ready for our nightly dinner party:)

Life's a party (for some)

2010-01-31T10:26:00.000-08:00

In a land of contrast, we have been exposed to extreme poverty and extreme wealth — from beggars banging on the car window to posh homes filled with chandeliers. We've left the Megapolis Rotary Club and are now with the Gurgaon Rotary Club. Gurgaon is considered the suburbs of Delhi, and there's plenty of industry and construction here.

Tours during the past few days include:

• Rotary Public School, which serves students from ages 2 to 18. The school started in 1981 in a small building with four rooms. It's now housed on an impressive five-acre campus. Some things that stood out to me are the bulletin boards filled with inspirational quotes and the fact that yoga is part of the school's curriculum.

• Ambience Mall, the largest shopping mall in India. A major difference between this mall and those in the states is you have to pay to park and security guards search your trunk for bombs.

• Factories that make rubber, fabric (buyers include Calvin Klein) and auto parts (supplying companies such as BMW and Toyota). These tours created a much greater awareness of where products we purchase in the U.S. come from.

My first host family is in the tile and mosaic business, while my new family has a variety of endeavors. I discovered one of them while having a conversation about Hinduism in my bedroom. From the living room next door I could hear loud dance music all of a sudden. As it turns out, my new house is full of dance instructors. Children come after school to learn dance on their large marble floor (see photos above).

Today we drove to what seemed like the Tuscany of India, where we attended a catered party at a large villa. There was drinking, gambling, kite flying, cricket playing and lots of food. As a vegetarian, one of the best things about India is the abundance of tasty meat-free food. Check out these kabobs made with paneer (cheese) and peppers.

An eye-opener

2010-01-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was our most intense day yet as we visited a cancer hospital and an orphanage.

We met with a doctor who discussed with us the 200-bed hospital. Patients from throughout India and other countries, such as Afghanistan or Nepal, come to the center to receive free care. There is a 10 to 15 day waiting period for inpatient care.

The Rotary Cancer Center is funded by the government and supplemented by Rotary and other groups. The hospital is part of a larger complex that serves a staggering 10,000 patients a day. There is a constant stream of people filling the crowded waiting rooms. We received a tour of the hospital, which was to say the least, an eye-opener.

Afterwards, we went to Hauz Khas Village and toured old ruins before having lunch at a restaurant in a lush park. Up next up was an orphanage of Human Care International, which hit us like a ton of bricks.

We were greeted by a saint-like man dressed in all white who gave us a tour of the complex. Many of the more than 150 kids who live there are children of lepers. It was explained to us that there was no hope for these children as no school would accept them for fear of being infected with the disease.

The orphanage gives these children a place to stay and study while keeping them off the streets. The center also serves women who were abused and left on the roadside along with those who are HIV positive. Additionally, there's a home for the mentally challenged and the unwanted elderly.

Right now they are raising money to build a hospital next to the orphanage. We toured the construction of the hospital, which like most everything else around here is done by hand.

During a ceremony held with all the children we were given the best chai I've tasted so far along with a cookie and another flower garland. Together we sang "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Mary had a Little Lamb." We were all deeply touched by this place.

In the evening, we visited India Gate (above) and the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was still all lit up in honor of Republic Day.

Arrival

2010-01-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

So we made it after nearly 30 hours of travel. We flew from Modesto to San Francisco to New Jersey and then all the way to New Delhi. We spent the first day meeting many wonderful people and eating way too much, including a banquet-style dinner.

On Tuesday, we celebrated the 60th annual Republic Day, which honors the day India got its own constitution. It's one of three national holidays (along with Independence Day on Aug. 15 and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on Oct. 2).

As New Delhi is the national capital, we attended the Republic Day Parade in the morning. No pictures were taken because we couldn't bring anything into the parade except our passports and our invitations from the Ministry of Defense. Getting there, we drove in the thick morning fog, dodging other vehicles and cows walking the roadways.

Once we were seated along the parade route, patriotic poems were read and out of the rolling fog emerged horses, tanks, marching bands, decorated camels, colorful dancers, roaring airplanes and elaborate floats celebrating India's different states. The fog, along with seeing things like a tuba player riding a camel, gave the parade a surreal, dream-like quality.

After the parade, we went to eat southern Indian cuisine before visiting two of the five schools the Rotary Club of Megapolis is running in the outskirts of Delhi. The program — called Koshish, the Hindi word for "an attempt" — focuses on teaching children ages 3 to 6 basic skills so they develop an interest in learning and continue on with public education.

The school serves children of migrant laborers who otherwise would need to leave their young children at home while they go out to work. Teachers at the schools must actually go to the homes and bring the children to their modest classrooms.

The students, dressed in uniform jumpsuits, sang to us their national anthem along with other songs and performed Bollywood-style dances. One of the cutest things was when some of the little kids got up to recite nursery rhymes in English, such as "one, two, buckle my shoe" and "rain, rain, go away."

During a welcoming ceremony, they put a red dot on our forehead along with some rice overtop so that we "may never know hunger" along with placing a garland of flowers around our necks. This was done at each of the schools as well as an Indian flag ceremony, where we got to help display the flag on Republic Day. We were treated like very special guests and we all found the children really sweet and the whole experience very touching.

As if the day wasn't busy enough, I was also taken to a party where I sipped scotch with older Indian gentlemen before going to a Hare Krishna temple and then to another late-night dinner party. An Indian Rotarian told me, "the more we love you, the more we feed you." Needless to say, we feel very loved.

Off to India

2010-01-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

So we have been back from the East Coast for about two weeks now, and last week Amber celebrated her 27th birthday. It was a three-day event filled with lots of oolong tea (her favorite), Yosemite, a shopping spree in Fresno, an ice skating party in Long Barn and, of course, plenty of cake and ice cream.

Early Saturday, I'm off to India for a month as part of Rotary International's Group Study Exchange program. I will be traveling with other young professionals from several California counties to New Delhi as part of this cultural exchange. We will all be learning about how our jobs are done over in India (in my case newspapers) along with doing touristy things such as visiting the Taj Mahal.

Sadly, Amber and Ediza can't go, but I've promised them lots of fun sparkly presents. Well, I must get back to packing. Look for posts from India soon.

Cities

2010-01-04T17:55:00.001-08:00

We started the New Year off with a trip to Baltimore to visit my friend who lives in the Federal Hill area of the city (where the above photo was taken). We all walked down to the Inner Harbor for dinner and a trip to the Maryland Science Center.

The next day we headed back up to Pennsylvania so Ediza could have some fun in a ball pit. She's been in search for one of these since New Zealand.

And yesterday we braved freezing weather and stinging wind to walk around the National Mall in Washington D.C. Amber and Ediza had never been there before. I think it's important that they (and all Americans) see it. We did the best we could given the weather. All major attractions — the Washington Monument, White House and Lincoln Memorial — were visited. Ediza even got to witness her first official protest!

Surprise!

2009-12-31T09:01:00.000-08:00

We have been on the East Coast for a week now. Our visit was a surprise so we didn't tell anyone we were coming. We flew from Oakland to Las Vegas, where we had a surreal layover (they have slot machines, oxygen bars and vending machines that sell iPods there). Once we arrived in Baltimore, we took a taxi all the way out to my parents house and trekked through the deep snow in their front yard to ring the doorbell at midnight — the official start of Christmas Eve.

It took my mom a few days to get over the shock. I've got to visit with lots of relatives I haven't seen in awhile (this includes checking out one of my uncles new Grinch tattoo — no joke). Ediza has gotten to play with her cousins who live in Pennsylvania, and last night my mom took Amber to get a pedicure.

We woke up this morning to a fresh dusting of snow and Ediza tried out her new bear-claw snowshoes that Santa brought her. A year ago, Ediza was on my back during a snowshoe trek to a cabin in Yosemite. Things were a little bit different this time around.

For New Year's we went to Gettysburg. The night found us meeting a man on stilts dressed as Abraham Lincoln, having coffee and dessert at a diner and sipping champagne in the streets while watching a fireworks display. We wish everyone a happy, healthy and adventure-filled new year!

Holiday Photos

2009-12-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

This year we went unconventional and decorated a piece of manzanita as our Christmas tree. Going this route has a number of practical benefits: it was free, it doesn't need watered and it helped clear the brush from someone's property. Aside from those reasons, it is very beautiful. The white lights paired with silver and crystal ornaments seem to give it a special glow.

During the past few weeks we have been attending many holiday parties and events. Earlier this month, I was an elf at a Christmas dinner for senior citizens. The following day we walked llamas in Twain Harte's charming Winter Wonderland Christmas Parade. Ediza preferred to be carried rather than ride on Mac.

Just the other day we participated in the 30th annual Pop Hudson Memorial Christmas Sing in downtown Sonora. The newspaper organizes the event, where community groups stand on the courthouse steps and lead Christmas carols. Everyone standing in the park below joins in. The newspaper's staff always starts the festivities by singing "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful." I got to sing a second time (with Ediza's preschool). Can you guess what song we sang?

One parade down, another to go

2009-11-30T19:47:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken the other night at the 26th annual Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade. We've walked Mac and Golden in this parade for the past three years (since Ediza was just a little baby). This year, we're also participating in Twain Harte's Winter Wonderland Christmas Parade later this week.

As you can see, Ediza continues to grow. She is really enjoying her preschool, which is a cooperative run by parents. At the school, parents work directly with the children. Parents also help cook, attend meetings, perform maintenance and complete fundraising. For our fundraiser, Amber and I helped put on a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament. The event was a huge success and raised more than $1,000 for the school.

A few days later I celebrated my 28th birthday with a bowling party. That celebration led to Thanksgiving parties, which have quickly turned to Christmas cheer. Indeed, there's much to celebrate!

Pumpkin fairies

2009-10-31T07:12:00.000-07:00

This Halloween Amber and Ediza are pumpkin fairies. Amber made the wings out of wire, panty hose, paint and lots of glitter. She tried to get me to be a pumpkin fairy as well, offering to make me a pair of "manly" wings. Once she showed me the tights she wanted me to wear, I knew that I was going as a pirate again. Arghhh.

This morning we went to a nearby shopping center where Ediza and tons of other kids paraded around to all the stores collecting candy. Ediza won third place (and a $10 gift certificate) for her costume!

Within the past week, we've been to two Halloween parties, and I got to hang out with a gravedigger for an article I wrote. Tonight we're going to the Sierra Waldorf School for their elaborate celebration. Happy Halloween to everyone!

The third year's a charm

2009-10-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

The big news around here is that Ediza turned 3 on Friday. After cupcakes and a pumpkin hunt at preschool, she had a birthday celebration with Amber's parents and sister. We then went to see "Where the Wild Things Are" -- Ediza's first indoor movie. The movie was artistically done and had good music, however, the plot needed some work. Ediza has the book so well memorized that she can read it to us now.

The next day Ediza and six of her girlfriends painted pottery at her birthday party. Amber made festive party hats and the girls painted everything from tiny teacups to ceramic snakes. Here she is blowing out the last candle of her ice cream cake.

We ended the day with a family walk where bats flew around us at dusk. Today, after I finished working around the farm in the morning, we went up to the high country to visit the family ranch of our friend. It was a beautiful autumn day and everyone got into the Halloween spirit by carving pumpkins (check out the final creations).

Ediza ended her birthday weekend with a stroll around the mountains on a horsie named Luna.

Strawberry Hideaway

2009-09-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day we returned from another Strawberry Music Festival and after a busy week of work, preschool, etc., I'm just now getting a chance to blog about it.

This time around our friends from Monterey, Maggy and Karen, came to stay with us a few days before and after. We camped with them in our usual spot hidden in the trees. Amber decorated the camp with butterfly ornaments to give it a whimsical feel.

What made this festival extra special was a beaming full moon that lit up the night. Musical highlights of the festival included Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, the Avett Brothers and the Del McCoury Band.

Here's Maggy and I at the Sunday morning revival, and below is Ediza taking a bath -- Strawberry style.

Our return to Lake Ediza

2009-08-21T19:01:00.001-07:00

We recently returned from our third annual family hike to Lake Ediza, a hidden gem in California's eastern Sierra Nevada.

Ediza, who turns three in October, has also been to her namesake when she was 8 months old and 21 months old. Just as we've done the past two summers, we headed over Sonora Pass with three llamas. The beasts of burden make it possible for us to backpack with a toddler. I carry Ediza on my back while the llamas carry everything else.

Our first night was spent at Shepherds Hot Spring in the high-elevation desert. There, a late-night reveler climbed on a rock and preached a drunken sermon to us as if we were his congregation. Thankfully, once Ediza finally passes out she can sleep through just about anything. Amber and I were not so fortunate.

In the morning, a hot-air balloon took to the air right in front of us. Here's a pic of two of the llamas below the rising balloon.

Shortly after this we hit the trail to Lake Ediza, tucked away in the rugged mountains near Mammoth Lakes. After days of planning, enduring a sleepless night and hiking in the hot afternoon sun we finally arrive at our destination -- Lake Ediza.

The picturesque lake can be found deep in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of the Inyo National Forest. We were lucky enough to spend three days/two nights at this magical place.

When Amber was pregnant and we were coming up with potential baby names, we were both drawn to Ediza as it sounds exotic and, like the lake, is very beautiful. About a year after our daughter was born, I began to research who the lake was named after.

I asked people, read guidebooks, researched Basque immigrants, even enlisted the help of a retired forest historian. She used her vast contacts ranging from Inyo National Forest employees to a U.S. Geological Survey cartographer in Colorado. Still nothing.

Just like the lake's deep blue waters, I guess some things are better left a mystery.

Summertime

2009-08-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

The other day I hiked Half Dome with my friends Dominique (a former coworker who now helps put on professional tennis tournaments all over the world) and Chris (a longtime reporter/columnist at our local newspaper). Despite the crowds, Half Dome continues to be the ultimate day hike -- climbing up two waterfalls, winding through the forest, the climax of the cables. It's always such a thrill.

Well, it seems as if I'm always writing about or posting photos of Yosemite so here's some of what else we've been up to.

Amber has had quite a successful llama shearing business this spring and summer. She just sheared two more yesterday. And she's reaping the benefits of all her hard work in her garden. It's amazing how much better home-grown produce tastes than what you'd buy at the grocery store.

Ediza continues to keep us busy with her nonstop energy. The only time we can really get her to nap is in her car seat. Ediza is now completely potty trained and she's excited about starting preschool in a few weeks.

As for me, I just started a three-month gig at the newspaper I used to work for here. I only work three days this coming week because the other half will be spent on our annual llama-packing trip to Lake Ediza. Photos from that trek will be posted soon.

A week of sightseeing & ice cream

2009-07-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

My parents flew back home to Maryland today after a busy week of watching fireworks at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys, riding a historic train in Jamestown, gambling at Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne, taking Amber to llama shearing jobs, walking around Yosemite Valley, dancing in the streets of Columbia and eating out at what feels like a million restaurants and ice cream shops.

Despite all the activity, we did manage some downtime. The photos above were taken in Yosemite, while the ones below were at home. (The one at the bottom was Amber and I holding Maggie after sharing a couple bottles of wine).

Fair photos

2009-06-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to enter photos in our local Mother Lode Fair but never seemed to have the time. This year I made it a priority and entered pics from our around-the-world journey. The fair was held this past weekend and I earned two ribbons, including one for this photo of Ediza on the beach in Greece. For this photo, I won an impressive $7 -- exactly what it costs to buy one soft pretzel and a bottled water at the fair:)

More importantly, entering photos in the fair forced me to tackle a much larger project: sorting through and developing prints of some of the 5,000 photos we took during our trip. Not an easy task!

Camp Tuolumne Trails

2009-06-25T20:39:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything. We've been staying busy working around the farm, fixing up our home, etc. On Father's Day, we took Ediza and Maggie on a hike all the way around Pinecrest Lake (a week or two before that we went up to Pinecrest to watch an outdoor movie under the stars -- very cool).

Today we took two llamas -- Golden and Pele -- to Camp Tuolumne Trails, just outside of Groveland. The camp is geared towards children and adults with special medical needs. The campers we met really enjoyed visiting with the llamas and were naturally very inquisitive. My favorite question one of them asked me went something like, "When a llama goes to a new place does he take time to observe his surroundings?" Good question.

Pucker up, Golden.

Pele wants some love, too.

Yes, that's Ediza -- a llama trainer in training.

I've visited the camp a few times while it was being built, but today was my first time since it opened last summer. The camp was created by a couple who want to help kids with special needs experience the "simple pleasures of childhood." It was really great to see their dream (not to mention all the time, money and everything else they've invested into the camp) finally become a reality. We'll be returning next week to introduce the llamas to a whole new set of campers!

Yosemite Falls

2009-05-29T20:16:00.001-07:00

My new article for the L.A. Times -- "Hiking to the top of Yosemite Falls" -- is now online at travel.latimes.com and will be in this Sunday's travel section. Below are some more photos from my hike there earlier this month.

Tomorrow Amber and I will celebrate our third wedding anniversary. The day after we got married we went to Yosemite and got drenched by another waterfall -- the appropriately named Bridalveil Fall.

Spring Strawberry

2009-05-25T19:41:00.001-07:00

We just returned from four days of camping at the Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite. As usual, all three of us had so much fun! It's tough not to have fun when you enter Strawberry -- a surreal world filled with tie dye and bubbles and hula hoops. Its very basis is fun. Where else can you drink cocktails and go hiking to a beautiful lookout point only to return to camp and listen to world-class music under the shining stars?

Some of our musical highlights included two sets by Michael Franti (one acoustic by the lake and the other a high-energy dance party) as well as a powerful performance at Sunday morning's revival by Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue. Ediza especially enjoyed Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster.

The music ended last night and we made our way back home to the llama farm today. It always takes us some time to transition from Strawberry land back to the "real world." My transition was accelerated today by shoveling llama manure for more than three hours in the hot afternoon sun:)

Walking the line

2009-05-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

The other day I hiked Yosemite Falls -- now in its full springtime glory from the snowmelt runoff. When I made it to the top I was lucky enough to watch this world-renowned slackliner (similar to a tightrope walker) make his way across a rope above the falls. It was really incredible to witness the stillness and balance on the rope as the waterfall raged below.

About a week or so ago I saw a preview for a documentary, "Man on Wire," about a young Frenchman who in 1974 walked a wire illegally rigged between New York World Trade Center's twin towers. I had been thinking a lot about this movie and when I saw the guy walk over the waterfall I knew I had to watch it. Last night we saw the film and I must say I was enthralled from beginning to end. It was really creative as the documentary used the tightrope walking as a metaphor for how you should live your life.

Completely unrelated, we hope all the mothers out there enjoyed their Mother's Day. We went down to the big city to buy some paint. I love the names they come up with for paint. We are painting our bedroom Indian Sky with Sanctuary trim and our bathroom will be Bali Turquoise with Bitter Orange and Terracotta Pot. Of course, Ediza left the store with paint swatches featuring every shade of pink you could imagine.

'Around the World in 80 Days'

2009-04-29T20:22:00.000-07:00

Other than a couples yoga class, Amber and I haven't been on a proper date in 2 1/2 years. That changed this past weekend when Amber's sister watched Ediza and Amber and I went out to dinner (Indian food) and a play ('Around the World in 80 Days'). We had a lot of fun. Amber wore a dress she got in Paris and I even wore cologne (also for the first time in years). Of course, we talked plenty about Ediza. Before the play we reminisced about our own around-the-world adventure, although ours took much longer than 80 days (more like double that).

While it's no far off distant land, the town of Mariposa (Amber's hometown) is the subject of my latest article for the L.A. Times travel section. Check out "Mariposa Butterfly Festival will take flight May 1 to 3" at travel.latimes.com. We'll be headed there this weekend.

Easter eggs

2009-04-12T20:40:00.001-07:00

Ediza has finally fallen asleep! It seems like she's been up for the past two days straight with all this Easter excitement. She went on two egg hunts this weekend -- one Saturday morning with nearly 12,000 eggs and the other this afternoon at the llama farm. Amber prepared a beautiful feast for us today and she's now reading one of her Easter presents -- "Breaking Dawn," the fourth book in the "Twilight" series. Amber got me an iPod shuffle, which will come in handy when I go running. This past week I ran for the first time since the marathon in China and I'm still sore! Well, I better go hide the candy before Ediza wakes up (it was last Easter in New Zealand, after all, when she first discovered chocolate by biting right through the foil of a chocolate egg).

Vernal Equinox

2009-03-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

On Friday, the first day of spring, Ediza received her first haircut. She got her bangs and some curls trimmed at the place where Amber gets her hair done.

The next day we all went to a wedding. Amber and I have been to a variety of weddings (including one overlooking the Pacific Ocean and another at a Christmas tree farm) and this one was right up there as far as originality goes. They were married at a lake and the reception followed in their yurt. In the past, we had researched getting a yurt. Being inside of this one, which had a kitchen and bathroom, made us again interested in making one our home someday.

Waking up the next morning we were surprised by some of the largest snowflakes I've ever seen (and later that day we were caught in a brief snow and hailstorm whiteout). What made it so surprising was that we had been enjoying such nice spring-like weather and just the day before we saw hillsides blazed with bright orange California poppies. Looking out the window now, seeing frost on the ground and on the llamas backs, it appears as if Old Man Winter hasn't called it quits yet.

Murphys

2009-03-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

My new L.A. Times article -- "Murphys rings in St. Patrick's Day with green wine" -- is now online at travel.latimes.com (it will also be in Sunday's Travel section). Murphys is a cool little town that's a short drive from us in Sonora. We plan on making that drive Tuesday to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in true Irish style!

Spiritual Well Being & cherry tomatoes

2009-03-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

The other day I was cleaning off a book shelf when I found an old journal of mine from when I studied abroad in Australia back in 2001. Before these handy little blogs came about I used to write about my travels in a little notebook (and I guess I still do). Reading over what I wrote provided glimpses into that time of my life: scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, camping in the rainforest, dancing with friends until dawn, living overseas during 9/11.

I also used the book to take notes during some classes, which included an Aboriginal studies course and Spiritual Well Being. The latter class was unlike any other college course I've ever taken. We would spread out on the floor and the teacher would lead us through guided meditations. (Keep in mind, the university I was at was just outside of progressive Byron Bay). Notes from my final lecture of Spiritual Well Being on Oct. 24, 2001: "Radical forgiveness calls upon the highest human virtues. You can forgive anyone for anything because that person taught you a lesson and made you who you are today. Nothing is wrong so there's nothing to forgive."

I passed all my classes with high marks despite taking off a few weeks in the middle of the semester for a trip to southeast Asia. My journal entries from Asia include practicing yoga at the airport in Singapore, drinking beer out of teacups in Bangkok and trying to communicate with a Buddhist monk.

On my way back to the states I took a monthlong detour in New Zealand and spent a week in Fiji. I stayed with a Samoan family in Auckland for a week before heading to a rural area to work in a greenhouse picking cherry tomatoes. Each morning I would sit on a skateboard and make my way up and down rows of tomatoes, picking and trimming them to the tune of the Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar." After working there a few weeks, I went almost two years before eating another cherry tomato!

What a different (and even more incredible) experience returning to New Zealand seven years later with my family. I guess I'm posting this because it reminds me how fun and important travel is. It also reminds me that you never truly know where life will lead you. That's the beauty of it.

Winter Wonderland

2009-02-27T16:13:00.000-08:00

My most recent article for the Los Angeles Times travel section -- "Yosemite roars into winter action" -- is now on the Web at travel.latimes.com. The story is about all the fun things you can do in Yosemite National Park during the winter. As you can tell from previous posts, we're big fans of snowshoeing and just snow in general.

Friday the 13th (and Saturday the 14th)

2009-02-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

Shortly after waking up yesterday morning the heavy rain turned to heavy snow. Before I knew it we were out in the female llama pasture playing and sledding.

Later that night, after the roads cleared, we made our way to a party in El Portal, a small community at one of the entrances to Yosemite National Park. All the elements for a good party were there: bonfire, music, dancing, interesting people, good food. Ediza and Maggie entertained the crowd until we feel asleep in the early morning.

On our way back home we paid a visit to Amber's dad, Valen, who was celebrating his birthday. He was born on Valentine's Day 50 years ago! This evening Amber made a fancy dinner and Ediza charmed us afterwards by dancing to romantic French music with her pink cowgirl boots. Ooh la la.

'Ultimate Guide to the World'

2009-02-05T21:22:00.001-08:00

I wanted to say thanks to everybody for their support regarding my story in the Los Angeles Times travel section. The story -- about our around-the-world journey -- can be found online (travel.latimes.com) and in the paper's "Ultimate Guide to the World 2009" (published 2/8/09).

The goal of my story was to inspire people to turn off their televisions, quit obsessing over the "recession" and go out and have an adventure -- whether it's walking down the street or traveling around the globe. And having kids shouldn't stop you.

This weekend we went down to L.A. for a change of pace. On Saturday, we visited the zoo, which was celebrating the Chinese New Year. I've never been a big fan of zoos (they're actually quite depressing), but it was neat for Ediza to see some of the animals from all of her books come to life. Wearing her favorite color, Ediza blends in with a flock of pink flamingos below.

The next morning I took a walk down Sunset Boulevard and went to a Starbucks inside of a huge laundromat. I bought an L.A. Times and sat down to read it. When I came across my story, the opening line struck me: "My boss handed me a fortune cookie on my last day of work." Ironically, that last day of work was exactly (to the day) a year ago.

When I quit my job and was about to embark on our epic adventure I knew good things were in store. Did I think a year later I would be sipping a chai latte while watching people shove dirty laundry into washing machines and reading about our trip in one of the country's largest newspapers? Probably not.

Cleansing

2009-01-18T15:32:00.000-08:00

Last week we tried this cleanse where you can't have any sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten or animal products (including eggs, cheese and milk). This week we made up for lost time, eating Ben & Jerry's ice cream for Amber's 26th birthday on Wednesday, and as I type this I'm nibbling on a chocolate truffle.

Following our hiatus, we returned to Starbucks yesterday before driving up to Pinecrest Lake. We took Maggie to the lake for her first big outing. Some people, including Amber and Ediza, attempted sledding despite the lack of snow. Lately, it has been feeling more like June than January around here.

We plan to take advantage of the weather tomorrow and return to the old railroad grade where I started my training a year ago for the Great Wall Marathon. Come to think of it, I haven't ran since the marathon eight months ago:)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T20:38:00.001-08:00

To wrap up our adventurous 2008 we decided to do something that epitomizes adventure: A 20 mile (roundtrip) snowshoe hike up steep switchbacks to a remote cabin in Yosemite National Park.

The trek was quite challenging, especially with Ediza on my back. After hiking all afternoon (not to mention hours in the dark) we finally made it to Snow Creek Cabin. Once we made our way inside, we entered a tiny, dimly-lit room that was filled with people sitting around a wood-burning stove. We were then handed a plate of spicy veggie stir-fry and a drink made with lemonade, vodka and, of course, snow.

In Amber's backpack, wrapped up in a sleeping bag, was a bottle of pineau -- a mixture of Cognac and grape juice -- that we were given as a gift while staying in southwest France. At midnight, a bottle of champagne was passed around. We later cuddled underneath a table in the main room and fell asleep. This was definitely one of the more memorable New Year's Eve parties I've been to.

The next morning some of us made our way back down the mountain, while others stayed at the cabin for more snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It was incredible to experience some of the rich history of Snow Creek Cabin, which was built in 1929 and restored in 2006.

In unrelated New Year's news, we were lucky enough to be included in the 2009 calendar of the New Zealand Llama Association. Below is the calendar's amazing cover.

The month of February was dedicated to Ediza, who is pictured trying to halter the llama that was named after her at Rangemore Llama Farm in Kerikeri.

A family photo of us at Llama Lookout in Governors Bay was featured for the month of May.

Aside from our photos, what I like about this calendar is that you learn new holidays -- like Feb. 6 is Waitangi Day and June 1 is the Queen's birthday.

We hope everyone has a blessed 2009!

Peace on Earth

2008-12-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

Mike, Amber, Ediza, Maggie, Golden and Sherpa wish you a beautiful holiday season!

Today we took Maggie for a walk in the freshly-fallen snow, ate warm chocolate chip cookies and wrapped Christmas presents. We hadn't been in the snow since we were in the Swiss Alps back in June. The fluffy flakes that fell today have left us dreaming of a white Christmas.

'Tis the season

2008-11-29T19:49:00.001-08:00

We walked two llamas -- Mac and Golden -- in the 25th annual Historic Downtown Sonora Christmas Parade. The parade is held each year the night after Thanksgiving. Last year the llamas wore packs with presents in them, while this year we put lights and bells around their necks.

Thousands of people lined Washington Street to watch the parade and get into the holiday spirit. We continued with the momentum of the parade by attending a Christmas craft fair today and tomorrow we'll cut down our Christmas tree. Not bad for it still being November.

Second fall

2008-11-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

During our around-the-world adventure from February until July we stayed in a variety of accommodations: guest bedrooms, fancy hotels, cheap motels, historic homes, modern lofts, a chateau, a motor home, and so on. Now we can add another to our list: tent cabin.

This weekend we stayed in a canvas tent cabin in Curry Village, a longtime establishment in Yosemite Valley. Our heated tent was just a short distance from an area roped off (and now permanently off limits) due to a large rock slide last month.

Despite Curry Village being the site of a convention for recovering alcoholics this weekend, we managed to drink a bottle of champagne (and eat way too many chocolate-covered espresso beans) in celebration of my 27th birthday!

Earlier this year, during California's spring, we were in New Zealand during their autumn. So, really, we are experiencing fall for the second time this year. The crisp air, the foliage, it's amazingly similar whether you're in California or thousands of miles away.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

This Halloween Amber and Ediza were a pair of witches while I was some sort of disco-hippie pirate.

We started the day with Ediza's usual Friday morning singalong and ended it with singing around a bonfire at an elaborate Halloween festival put on by the Sierra Waldorf School.

Before we left, Ediza posed with the massive 26-pound pumpkin she picked out a few weeks ago at a nearby apple farm.

Meet Maggie (a.k.a. Draw)

2008-10-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Last year for Ediza's birthday we got her a Lavender Lab, a stuffed puppy filled with lavender. This year we got her the real thing!

Meet Maggie, an Old English Sheepdog who joined our family this weekend. Maggie was born seven weeks ago at Rainbow's End, another group home for the developmentally disabled. Her parents are Babs and Buster and she has six brothers -- that's right, she was the only girl in the litter.

While Maggie's name is technically short for Magnolia, Ediza still seems to like the name Draw. As you can see from the photo, Maggie has a white face, blue eyes and she's very tiny -- at least for now.

I guess potty training a toddler wasn't challenging enough so now we've added housebreaking a puppy. Finally, they both fell asleep this afternoon at the same time!

Ediza turns 2

2008-10-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Ediza celebrated her second birthday with an around-the-world themed party at a nearby playground. The celebration was inspired by all of the great children's birthday parties we witnessed in Amsterdam's Vondelpark.

For Ediza's party, guests were sent invitations that resembled an airplane boarding pass.

Those attending the party (like Amber's mom below) were encouraged to wear ethnic clothing. I wore a shirt from Peru, Amber wore a dress she got in Paris and Ediza wore a Chinese dress we bought her at Silk Alley in Beijing.

Amber made some neat decorations using construction paper, glitter and photos from old National Geographic magazines. Globe balloons, world maps and postcards from our trip were among the other decorations.

As for the food, there was hummus and vegetables for Greece, pizza for Italy and eggrolls and fortune cookies for China (ironically, the latter came from a Chinese restaurant called the "Great Wall.") To top off the meal there was a homemade globe cake alongside cupcakes and French truffles with miniature flags from countries around the world.

Party favor bags had stickers on them with sayings like, "See the World" and "Travel Light." They were filled with crayons, rainbow-colored bubbles, lollipops and globe bouncy balls. Ediza's goodies included a tiara, hot pink Crocs and a fancy tricycle. Today Ediza has been talking about riding her new trike "back to China."

Last year Ediza celebrated her first birthday with an elaborate outdoor tea party. This year she traveled the world and partied at a playground. Wonder what next year will bring?

Monterey

2008-09-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

We traded in Sonora's heat for the chilly California coast this weekend. On Friday we drove down to Monterey and stayed with Maggy (one of the women we camped with at Strawberry). In an attempt to find her house we ended up at Lovers Point in nearby Pacific Grove.

After playing in the waves there, Ediza checked out this statue of a little boy and his toy sailboat.

The next morning we toured the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, where we saw sharks, sea otters, penguins and these mesmerizing jellyfish. Like a quote on the wall read: "The sea is as near as we come to another world."

Later that day we took Ediza to Dennis the Menace Park, a popular playground that both kids and their parents seem to enjoy.

On Sunday we drove down the coast to Point Lobos State Reserve, which bills itself as the greatest meeting of land and water in the world. While I wouldn't go that far, it is pretty spectacular. We walked sandy paths along rocky cliff tops, watching waves crash below and pelicans fly above in unison. Here I am pointing out some noisy sea lions to Ediza.

Hours after eating a picnic lunch there we returned to Monterey to meet up with Maggy and Karen (the other lady we camped with) for dinner at a local Indian restaurant. After eating a savory meal of samosas and curries we smoked mango-flavored tobacco out of a hookah. Only in California could you have a weekend like this.

Strawberry

2008-09-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

We just returned from another inspiring Strawberry Music Festival. At the four-day festival, held at Camp Mather near Yosemite, we camped with two fun women from Monterey. We hung a large, colorful paper mache butterfly above our tent. In the photo below, Amber and Ediza are releasing a real butterfly from inside the tent.

Strawberry has a very relaxed, family-oriented atmosphere. Kids are pulled around in wagons, there's outdoor yoga classes by the lake, and of course there's nonstop music -- both on stage and off. Most of the festival's music is bluegrass and folk based, however, there's usually an eclectic lineup. Here's Ediza dancing in the Music Meadow to Chic Gamine, a talented Canadian group who sing some songs in French and even Spanish.

Amber got to do some crazy dancing with two of her longtime friends, while I got to have some long overdue conversations with people I haven't seen since before our trip. Our around-the-world adventure, obviously, was a main topic of discussion. In general, the festival has a very cultured, global feel to it. Fittingly, here's a flag of the earth hanging from some tall pines.

Magic of the Night

2008-08-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

We're continuing to adjust to life back in California. The other night I went with some friends to see the band Hot Buttered Rum at Black Oak Casino, and the following night we went as a family to Magic of the Night. That's where all the shops in downtown Sonora stay open late and there's live music on every other street corner.

We watched belly dancers, one of them being fellow blogger Thalisha. Our friends Brandi and Kevin, known as Mountain Mischief, performed a crowd-pleasing fire dancing show in the park. Just as they did at our wedding reception two years ago, they put on a great show at Magic of the Night.

Lake Ediza

2008-07-29T12:35:00.001-07:00

We wrapped up our around-the-world odyssey with a backpacking trip to the lake we named Ediza after -- Lake Ediza.

On Friday we got our backcountry permit in Mammoth Lakes and then spent the afternoon at a park on Mono Lake. It was there we met a group of tourists visiting from Paris. You should have seen the look on their faces when Ediza told them "au revoir" -- French for goodbye -- as they left. Further proof that it's a small world, at this remote park we met a family from Washington D.C. The son wore a Baltimore Orioles baseball cap and the mom went to the same college as me.

That night we were met by Amber's little brother, Bruce, her sister, Andrea, and Andrea's boyfriend, Russell. We camped at hot springs in the high-elevation desert near Mammoth. There, Ediza climbed on this boulder wearing her cool dude sunglasses from Queenstown, New Zealand.

The next morning we got packed up and drove to the trailhead. We took three llamas with us to help carry the gear (although I think I got the heaviest load of all -- Ediza). Once we hit the trail, we eventually climbed up these steps (though merely a fraction of those on the Great Wall of China).

Then we (llamas included) crossed rivers.

Finally, we made it to Ediza's picturesque lake high in the Ansel Adams Wilderness of the Inyo National Forest.

On Sunday we had a picnic along the lake's shore and we all took a dip in the freezing yet refreshing snowmelt water.

This was Ediza's second visit to her lake. Amber and I took her last summer when she was just eight months old. She sure has grown a lot since then.

On the hike we took our llama Golden (above with Ediza), his father, Puytu, and the unstoppable Tenario.

Three years ago Puytu and Tenario hiked with Amber and I on the John Muir Trail, which spans more than 200 miles from Yosemite National Park down to Mount Whitney.

Yesterday, on our last morning, Amber cooked up some pancakes with Lake Ediza in the background.

Of all the beautiful places we've visited on our epic adventure, Lake Ediza is right there at the top of the list.

The clear blue skies (other than the occasional smoke from nearby wildfires) provided the perfect backdrop for the rugged Minarets. The only thing that would interrupt the flawless sky was an airplane flying by here and there. I wondered what they were doing up there, where they were going.

Once we hiked out of the backcountry, Russell learned that his family was evacuated and his home almost burned down due to a wildfire raging between Mariposa and Yosemite.

As they rushed home, we drove up over mountainous Sonora Pass, known for its steep and narrow roadway. As I drove, Amber was vomiting her dinner in the back and Ediza screamed from her car seat. Way to go out with a bang!

Here's a self-timed group shot of us on our last night at Lake Ediza. I'm holding a bag of dehydrated smores. Yum.

By the way, some people have asked about the continuation of the blog, and we've decided we'll still post from time to time as we find it's the best way of staying in touch with everybody:)

Circle Home

2008-07-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

We've made it back home to Llamas of Circle Home (www.experiencellamas.com) in Sonora. The ranch, owned by George and Christine, is home to about 70 llamas (not to mention a dog, cats, parrots and a tortoise). It's also a group home for four developmentally disabled gals -- Shannon, Heather, Susan and Kim (who made us homemade "welcome back" cards).

We've been settling in, unpacking and going through five months worth of mail (including three big boxes we shipped home). Last night Amber played on her new softball team, The Fighting Cavities (they're sponsored by a local dentist). They won 15-5.

Trampoline nights

2008-07-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

Monday night we went to a country carnival in Maryland, where Ediza rode the carousel (although much different from the ones in Paris). Tuesday we flew to Oakland via Kansas City (our 10th and 11th flights of the trip). Wednesday we went to an evening farmers market in Mariposa and then slept on the trampoline under the full moon.

We have been visiting with Amber's family in Mariposa, the small town she grew up in near Yosemite National Park. Amber's sister, Andrea, and her mother, Pat, have been enjoying their time with Ediza. Here's her dad, Valen (he was born on Valentine's Day), with a rattlesnake he caught at their house this summer (he grew that beard during our trip).

Yesterday I took Amber's little brother, Bruce, to hike Yosemite's famed Half Dome. The hike is 16.4 miles roundtrip, but we ended up walking about 18 miles to and from my car. I find Half Dome the most satisfying of all day hikes.

The first half of the hike you pass by Vernal (below) and Nevada falls before making your way to the cables that take you up the steep granite dome.

On the trail I talked with all kinds of people: an Italian couple who live near where we stayed in Milan, a man who sends money he earns from cutting hair to poor people in Indonesia and two guys who we gave water to after they ran out.

I've hiked Half Dome more than a dozen times, including once when I wrote an article about the crew who installs the cables. And yes, Ediza's been to the top, too. Amber and I hiked the trail last September and I carried Ediza on my back.

Here's Bruce at the top of the 8,842-foot summit. Once we returned to Mariposa we ate pizza and Amber, Ediza and I spent the night on the trampoline again.

'Bringing sexy back'

2008-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have been staying busy window shopping in historic Ellicott City, dining at Fells Point in downtown Baltimore and attending the wedding of my second cousin. I had to pass on the Electric Slide and Macarena, but we did dance as a family to a variety of songs both old and new.

Originally, we were going to rent a hybrid car and drive cross country back to California. But a dwindling budget, outrageous one-way rental car prices and soaring gas costs made us think twice.

We received several offers from an online posting I made on a rideshare Web site. Those offers ranged from driving someone's moving van out to Denver for them to catching a ride with someone else to Montana.

In the end, we decided it was best to fly back so that's what we're doing. We arrive in Oakland tomorrow night and will spend some time in the Mariposa and Sonora area before going on our journey's grand finale -- a backpack trip to Ediza's namesake, Lake Ediza.

Ediza! (Part 5)

2008-07-12T05:17:00.000-07:00

This is some of what Ediza has been up to this past week on the East Coast.

Meeting "Mother Goose" after watching a play at the local arts center.

Walking back after playing with a turtle on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Holding hands with her cousin, Monica, on an Amish buggy ride in Pennsylvania.

Wearing a batting helmet during a visit to a nearby baseball field.

We love 'Intercourse'

2008-07-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we explored some Amish communities in Pennsylvania. As we drove into the town of Paradise we came across this jogging Santa (yes, in July) who gave my mom a high five out of her van window.

We met my other brother, Tim, his wife, Mary, and their two kids, Monica and Matthias (Mary's due at the end of the month with their third child). They live on a 30-acre homestead in northeastern Pennsylvania.

All of us went to an Amish farm for a horse-drawn wagon ride between the towns of Bird-In-Hand (yes, that's the name of the town) and Intercourse (yes, that's the name of the town).

After eating homemade ice cream there we went home and drank homemade blackberry sangria. In the backyard, my dad set off fireworks that we watched under the stars and fireflies.

Independence Day (fireworks & floods)

2008-07-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

Our trip started five months ago with us overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This past weekend, having come almost full circle, we swam in the chilly Atlantic Ocean on Maryland's Eastern Shore. We went with my parents and my dad's uncle to a house near Ocean City that I grew up visiting.

On the 4th of July we visited a crowded beach and within minutes saw dolphins swimming near the shore. Later that night we sat in traffic and watched fireworks from inside our van. It's a good thing the fireworks display was moved up an hour early because moments later a major tropical storm with dramatic lightning and booming thunder rolled in. Sitting in traffic for two hours, we watched the rain rise above the street curbs -- at times creating mini waves in the streets.

The next morning we went to the boardwalk, where you can find such specialty items as deep-fried Oreo cookies, airbrushed T-shirts and painted hermit crabs.

Adding to her collection of gifts, Ediza was given a giant stuffed purple monkey that some guy won at a boardwalk arcade. Afterwards, we drove to the Assateague Island National Seashore, where 136 wild ponies roam the island.

Here's a pony we stopped to see along the road.

It was there we were greeted by the Pony Patrol.

Unlike in New Zealand, Ediza couldn't ride these ponies:(

U.S.A.

2008-07-02T06:34:00.000-07:00

After 4 1/2 months overseas, we have arrived back in America! We flew from London to the Washington D.C. area, where we were picked up from the airport by my parents.

I grew up in the Baltimore suburbs. My parents have since moved to a more rural area of Maryland near the Pennsylvania border. It seems like their street has more tractors than cars driving on it.

We've been staying busy swimming in their pool, lounging in the backyard hammock, exchanging presents, visiting relatives, playing with Noodle the Labradoodle (she's a mix between a poodle and a labrador retriever) and shopping at some of our favorite stores, like REI and Trader Joe's.

Last night, we enjoyed America's favorite pastime -- more specifically, a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals. We went to Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore with my parents, Richard and Debbie, and my youngest brother, Matt, who plays minor league baseball in Texas.

Ediza Rose received a special certificate because it was her first official baseball game. She must have been a good luck charm as the Orioles won 7-5.

London Bridge

2008-06-28T12:29:00.001-07:00

Today we took a train to the London Bridge station and then hopped on the underground "tube" over towards the River Thames. (Ediza and I are actually standing in front of Tower Bridge, which is often mistakenly referred to as London Bridge).

Along the river we saw other famous sites, like Big Ben.

We also were entertained by lots of colorful street performers.

Some were silver...

Others were blue...

And this guy with huge arms gave Amber a hug (at the same time he scared Ediza).

Later on, Ediza decided to practice her "down dog" yoga moves on a grassy field. Behind her is the London Eye, which is like a giant ferris wheel where you can see all of London from. But just like with the Eiffel Tower the lines to go on were so long that we decided to go to a nearby playground instead.

On our walk around the city we came across an outdoor market, a school music concert and this statue of Nelson Mandela. Yesterday there was a huge celebration in London's Hyde Park in honor of Mandela's 90th birthday -- an inspiring way to end the international portion of our journey.

U.K.

2008-06-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

This morning we made our way to the Amsterdam airport -- the same place we first entered Europe from China. Needless to say, we had a whole new perspective today then from when we first arrived nearly six weeks ago.

After waiting in several long lines we boarded our delayed airplane and took a quick flight over to London. We're staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Horley, which is about a 30 minute train ride to London.

Like usual, Ediza took advantage of the room's bathtub. Afterwards, she wore her pony shirt from Switzerland and her sunflower lunchbox from the Vincent van Gogh Museum.

By the way, this weekend will be our last before flying back to the states Sunday evening.

Bikes & tattoos

2008-06-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

Of all the cities we've visited on our trip, Amsterdam is by far the coolest. It has historic canals, cozy houseboats, hip neighborhoods, creative shops and people who play saxophone in the park. Each day we visit the park, where there always seems to be some sort of celebration going on. And because it doesn't get dark here until almost 11 p.m., the party continues well into the night.

We've been busy exploring Amsterdam on our rented bicycles. Cycling is a main mode of transportation here (there's bike backups at traffic lights and bike racks on every street corner). All of the streets have special bike lanes and crossings (today I saw a motorcycle that had collided with a bike in one). With our attempt at city biking, we've made sure Ediza is safe and secure riding in the front of Amber's bike.

One of our bike-riding missions was to find a tattoo studio, which we found yesterday. I was lucky to get one that afternoon because most tattoo artists here are booked for weeks, if not months. My new tattoo (on the back of my left leg) is of the ancient Sanskrit symbol Om. I guess it should balance out the cross I got tattooed on my right leg during a trip to Europe in college.

Vincent van Gogh

2008-06-23T02:22:00.000-07:00

It's been five years, almost to the day, since I moved out to California. When I got the call offering me the job in Sonora I remember exactly what I was doing -- reading a biography on Vincent van Gogh.

My fascination with van Gogh -- the art, the madness, the ear, the suicide -- naturally lead us to the Vincent van Gogh Museum here in Amsterdam.

The museum is the world's largest collection of works by van Gogh. It houses more than 200 paintings, including many of his famous masterpieces. To the disappointment of many, van Gogh's most well-known painting, "Starry Night," is currently on loan to a museum in New York City.

We still saw lots of others, like "Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries," "Fourteen Sunflowers in a Vase" and "Wheat Fields with Reaper at Sunrise."

Babies and art museums are usually a tricky combination so we had to act quick. Like in most museums, you're not allowed to take photographs so I'm posting some photos from "van Gogh's World of Color," a Baby Einstein book. Amber got Ediza the book before we left for our trip.

At the museum, we bought this small canvas print of van Gogh's "Almond Blossom."

I've always really liked Don McLean's song, "Vincent," so I think I'll end this post with lyrics to the song's chorus:

"For they could not love you, but still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight, on that starry starry night
You took your life as lovers often do,
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you."

Amsterdam

2008-06-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

We've spent much of the past two days on trains, traveling from southwest France back up to Paris and spending the day there before taking another train to Belgium. The best part of our night in Brussels was eating Haagen Dazs ice cream on Belgium waffles!

Early the next morning we took a three-hour train ride further north to Amsterdam, where we've settled into our apartment. We're renting an apartment from an artist named Theo who was born and raised here.

Theo created several paintings that are placed throughout the apartment, like this one behind Amber and Ediza. This afternoon Amber helped make some fresh flower arrangements, while Ediza played with dominoes and flower petals on the bed.

The apartment sits above a T-shirt shop that sells shirts reading things like, "Today I hired a detective to track me down." And in true Amsterdam fashion, there's a bong shop a few doors down the street.

On our walk to nearby Vondelpark the streets were plastered in orange (just like the crazy guys at the Swiss train station) for the Euro Cup soccer game (Holland lost 3-1 to Russia). We could hear the collective cheers and moans of the large crowds gathered at parties and pubs to watch the game.

At the park we walked by other groups gathered to watch live theater, including this play set in the water. We also visited the playground, where Amber -- who still thinks she's 5 years old -- got stuck in the tires.

French llamas & Kenyan crooks

2008-06-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago, Brian and Margaret sat on a log while vacationing in Cognac. It was there they decided something had to give. Brian no longer wanted to sit in traffic five hours a day commuting to and from work.

"It's about time we took control of our lives rather than let time take control," he remembered thinking.

A year later they moved from Britain to France, and last year they started Les Lamas de Brossac (www.trekking-llamas-france.com). They offer basic llama encounters and hiking with llamas (plus a home cooked meal) as well as using the animals as therapy for the disabled. "We don't expect to make a fortune, it's just to keep us going," Margaret said of their business venture.

This afternoon Brian took us for a trek with three llamas through the tranquil French countryside and around a nearby lake. Amber walked Prince, while Ediza and I took Micchu (his brother is Pachu, like Machu Picchu in Peru but with the "M" and "P" reversed).

On the downside, after the hike we learned that our bank card information was stolen and some crook in Kenya has been making withdraws. Thankfully, I got that sorted out and everything will be fine.

Chateaus & cognac

2008-06-18T03:34:00.000-07:00

We traded in our tiny attic apartment in Paris (where I kept hitting my head on the ceiling) for a huge chateau in southwest France. Our room has sweeping ceilings, chandeliers and windows twice as tall as me.

While in China about a month ago, we were contacted by Brian and Margaret -- a British couple who now live in France and have a herd of 10 llamas (they came across our blog online). They kindly picked us up from the Angouleme train station, gave us a tour of the region in the rain and brought us to our chateau just down the street from them. We then went back to their place to play with llamas and have dinner.

The following morning we went to a small cognac house that has been family-run for eight generations. We later drove through the town of Cognac, where we saw the large manufacturers like Hennessy and Remy Martin. At the intimate place we toured, we got a family photo along an old stage coach route that ran from Paris to Bordeaux.

Next, we had lunch at a restaurant where the special of the day was cows tongue. As vegetarians, we opted for cheese omelettes and experimented a bit with trying mussels in curry sauce. We finished the meal with homemade chocolate moose!

Then it was off to see some champion show llamas at another farm before returning to Brian and Margaret's to help feed their herd.

The next day started off exciting with two llamas and a reporter from an area newspaper meeting us at the chateau for a photo shoot. As a reporter myself, it was interesting to talk with Jean-Yves Delage, a longtime teacher turned reporter for the Charente Libre.

We then loaded up the llamas and paid a visit to the town hall. We posed for photos and had coffee with the head of the local tourism department, who presented us with a bottle of pineau -- a mixture of grape juice and cognac. Joining us was yet another reporter from a different newspaper.

Two newspaper articles, meeting elected officials, what was next we thought?

After lunch, we went to another tourism office for photos with their staff before going to an underground church that was built in a cave. To finish off the day we stopped by an alpaca farm and then sipped chilled pineau before eating Spanish omelettes at dusk.

Ediza! (Part 4)

2008-06-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

This is the Father's Day edition of Ediza's adventures across Europe.

Up close and adorable in Greece.

With daddy and baby doll Cailin after a bath in Italy.

With mommy and a playful puppy in Milan.

Later, in a borrowed stroller with her gelato.

Riding on a train through the Swiss countryside.

Watching skydivers land on a field in Interlaken, Switzerland.

Walking on a covered bridge with papa through a Swiss village.

In her new Minnie Mouse sweatshirt, Ediza hugs a stuffed Minnie.

Passed out in Paris.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

Champs Elysees

2008-06-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the Champs Elysees turned out to be a strange one. Once we got off the subway and walked up to the street we noticed there was no traffic. Instead, there were helicopters flying above, armed guards standing by and people pressed up against street barricades.

We asked one of the guards what was going on. The only thing I could understand from his reply in French was, "Mr. Bush" and "Champs Elysees." A minute or two later this huge motorcade drove by. The odd thing was there was no clapping, or booing, just silence.

Like elsewhere, Bush is unpopular in France. He stopped here as part of his farewell European tour to celebrate warmer ties between the United States and France. I actually met Bush once, but that's a whole other story.

Back on the Champs Elysees, one of the most well-known streets in the world, we strolled by the famous cafes and specialty shops. The avenue is also home to huge chain stores like the Gap, Nike and the fanciest McDonald's you'd probably ever see.

On our subway trip back to the Bastille, I was carrying Ediza in my arms and Amber was wearing the empty backpack. I had just stepped on the crowded train when, just like in the movies, the door quickly shut, leaving Amber trapped outside. She caught the next train, however, and we were later reunited.

Eiffel Tower

2008-06-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Bonjour. No trip to Paris would be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower so that's where we went today.

Amber and Ediza rode a carousel at the base of the 1,063-foot tower -- not once, but twice.

Instead of waiting in long lines to go up the tower we decided to visit a nearby playground that had the world-famous icon as a backdrop.

The Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It's 119 years old, weighs about 10,000 tons and has 1,665 steps. After the Great Wall of China that would have been a cakewalk.

'It's a Small World'

2008-06-11T13:15:00.001-07:00

As a reward for being such a good globetrotting baby we took Ediza Rose to Euro Disney, which can be found in the suburbs of Paris.

We had an eventful day, riding the carousel...

and the teacups...

not to mention Dumbo.

One of the highlights of the day was, surprisingly, the "It's a Small World After All" ride. That's the one where you get in a boat and ride through all of these different scenes from around the world while little dolls sing and dance.

I know it sounds crazy, but it was really cool to see China and Greece and Italy and all these places Ediza has been exposed to in a way she can relate to.

France

2008-06-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

Another week, another country.

We took four trains (five including the subway) to go from our tiny Swiss village to the sprawling city of Paris. Some of the trains were extra crowded because of the Euro Cup soccer games. All of these crazy Dutchmen dressed in orange had an impromptu parade through one of the train stations.

While I was in the bathroom with Ediza, one of them had placed an orange lei on Amber. (For some reason the photo turned out purple).

We finally made it to the Place de la Bastille -- where the storming of the Bastille triggered the French Revolution. The site now features L'Opera de la Bastille, a large and modern opera house that we can see from the windows of our attic apartment.

This is the courtyard of the complex we're staying a week at. To get to our place you have to walk up four flights of narrow, wooden spiral steps.

Here Amber is again at the entrance to our cosy apartment. You enter in the bathroom, then reach the kitchen and lastly the bedroom.

A few people have asked how we found some of the places we've stayed at. The house on the Greek island, the loft in Milan and this apartment were all listed as vacation rentals on Craigslist. We're also staying at an artist's apartment in Amsterdam we found there as well.

Alps

2008-06-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

We went from June to January with our ascent up into the Swiss Alps.

We took an extremely steep train ride from Wilderswil up to Schynige Platte, where we spent the night. We were the only people staying in an isolated hotel at the summit. To be up there by ourselves and surrounded completely by clouds was quite a memorable experience.

The weather was very wet and cold, but that didn't stop us from venturing high into the clouds on a hike the following morning. We passed some amazing scenery in the mist and even walked by some wildflowers that we ate in our salad the previous evening.

At the top, we were joined by a large group of Japanese tourists who gave Ediza little origami presents along with Japanese chocolates. Several of them took photographs and videotaped her.

Once we returned, Amber and Ediza went down this enormous slide before going inside for a bowl of potato soup.

Glacier waterfalls

2008-06-05T12:42:00.000-07:00

Today we trekked through the Lauterbrunnen Valley, where we explored Europe's only glacier waterfalls that are accessible from inside of a mountain.

The 10 waterfalls, known as the Trummelbach, drain the mighty glaciers of Eiger, Monk and Jungfrau. Up to 20,000 liters of water pass through them each second.

A total of 72 waterfalls can be seen in this valley, which looks very similar to Yosemite Valley except there's just a huge wildflower meadow and some old barns on the valley floor.

We took a train from Wilderswil up to Lauterbrunnen, where we had a good time checking out the town and the beautiful countryside.

We've seen lots of original homes since arriving in Switzerland, however, this one with the grass roof probably takes the prize.

Switzerland

2008-06-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

From Milan's bustling central station we boarded a train through northern Italy and into Switzerland. We passed through some gorgeous scenery, although it was sometimes difficult to view due to a hyperactive Ediza Rose.

Aboard our third consecutive train, Ediza finally fell asleep as we rode from Spiez along Lake Thun to Interlaken. We are staying in the picturesque village of Wilderswil, just outside of Interlaken.

As we were checking into our bed-and-breakfast, our host Claudia joked that the music coming from up the street was being performed to welcome us. In fact, there was some sort of school concert complete with singing, dancing and even alphorns right in the middle of the road.

We're actually now staying at the hotel in the background for a few nights until we move higher up in the mountains. Here's a photo from the traditional Swiss room we're staying in.

The weather has been rainy, but we still managed to walk around the village and check out some sights. On our walk this afternoon, we could hear the cows with their bells on the hills surrounding us. They're needed for all that Swiss cheese, no doubt.

Milan

2008-06-03T02:34:00.001-07:00

Milan is a combination of both old and new.

We found this out on a walk from our modern loft to the city's duomo -- one of the world's largest churches.

Practically next to the ornate duomo are shops by fashion designers like Gucci and Prada. Milan is known as one of the major fashion capitals of the world.

I feel a little out of place walking around in my black bandana and llama T-shirt while everyone else is wearing oversized sunglasses and ripped jeans they paid good money for.

In the plaza in front of the duomo, Ediza and I fed (and got attacked by) the pigeons.

We ended the day, of course, with gnocchi and tiramisu:)

Anniversary

2008-05-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

We made it to our Milan loft today, which happens to be our second wedding anniversary.

After taking another subway train and taxi, we were greeted by David, a Scottish guy who now lives in Italy. He took us off the busy city street through a tiny wooden door, down a courtyard, up a flight of stairs and into our stylish little hideaway.

I ventured off to a nearby market and brought back a huge piece of tiramisu! But the best anniversary gift of all was probably when Ediza Rose, who has become even more of a little handful since arriving in Europe, fell asleep this afternoon.

By the way, that's a mosquito net -- we're not staying in a bridal suite.

Italy

2008-05-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Now that we're well rested and have nice tans we took the ferry back to mainland Greece and trekked around Athens, checking out some of the ancient sites like the Acropolis.

Today we took two subway lines to the airport and hopped on a flight over to Italy (sounds easy, but with a baby and all our luggage it was quite an accomplishment). We're now staying at a wonderful bed-and-breakfast near the airport, and this evening we enjoyed an authentic Italian meal of pizza and tiramisu.

Tomorrow we head off to our loft in Milan's trendy canal district. Ciao for now.

Kamares

2008-05-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

Across Sifnos, past terraced olive groves and almond trees, is the lively port of Kamares. We've been here since leaving our quiet little village of Kastro four days ago.

We're staying in a small, family-run hotel just steps away from a large beach that we visit each day. Our balcony is just above the market on the main street, which is lined with waterfront tavernas and pottery shops. This man invited us into his pottery studio to watch him at work.

Our relaxing days have been full of eating lots of great Greek food, taking afternoon naps and going for walks along the beach at sunset.

Kastro

2008-05-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

We've stepped back in time while staying in the quaint cliff-top village of Kastro on the Greek island of Sifnos.

Ediza jumped on a donkey that wandered by our front door the other day.

Here Ediza is on the ground level of the amazing house we stayed in.

A ladder brings you up to this charming middle floor.

Another ladder takes you up higher to the bedroom. This was the view from our bed. Out those doors is a tiny balcony where, at night, you can see the moon light up the sea and you can hear romantic music drift down the alleyways.

Kastro is classic Greece at its best with brilliant white buildings that shine against a bright blue sky and narrow stone walkways that zig-zag like a maze.

"This is the most beautiful place I've ever been," Amber kept saying as we went on a walk exploring the village.

Next door to where we stayed was a bakery and just down from there was a cool cafe with some great lounge areas.

Follow another path away from there and you come out to this church perched high atop a cliff.

Take yet another path down from there, among fragrant wildflowers and butterflies, and you get to this turquoise-colored swimming hole in the Aegean Sea.

We went swimming there and had to seek shelter from the blazing sun in this little cave area. (Airport security in Beijing had confiscated our sunscreen, but we made sure Ediza Rose was protected).

Amber and Ediza took time to blow some dandelions, probably wishing we never had to leave this place.

Athens

2008-05-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

After traveling for about 30 hours straight, we arrived in Athens -- home of the marathon -- early this morning. We are taking a three-hour ferry ride tomorrow morning to the Greek island of Sifnos, where we will spend a week.

Great Wall

2008-05-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, what an intense week. Sorry for the lack of posts but we have been very busy and without Internet access.

First off, I completed the Great Wall Marathon on Saturday. For a variety of reasons it was a very emotional day.

The day started with getting up before 4 in the morning and driving to the Great Wall. During an opening ceremony there was a moment of silence for the victims of last week's devastating earthquake in central China and in a way the race was dedicated to them.

The marathon started at 7:30 with a run up a steep road leading to the wall. We then ran a section of the ancient wall before making our way down to run through the villages. By the time I returned to run the wall again I was feeling pretty good.

But not having eaten during the entire run caught up with me on the ascent back up the wall. Climbing nearly-vertical, knee-high steps after running 21 miles was absolutely brutal. And this is coming from someone who likes to run up Half Dome.

These steps were one of the biggest tests of my stamina ever. Grown men and women were literally crawling up them, people were throwing up, it was crazy. That was one of several moments when it felt more like an obstacle course than a marathon.

Throughout the race I received encouragement in many ways -- from little kids in the villages waving and saying "hello" to the intoxicating smell of blooming jasmine trees.

I was grateful I did a bulk of my training in a country as hilly as New Zealand. There were still a bunch of running-related challenges to overcome while traveling New Zealand, the main ones being making sure I ran often enough (which was sometimes difficult due to our busy travel schedule) and making sure I ran long enough (which involved converting kilometers to miles, and I'm not a math person).

In the end, I crossed the finish line -- which was on a giant yin yang -- after 4 hours, 43 minutes and 43 seconds. Maybe a new lucky number?

I have with us a travel-size "Encyclopedia of World History" that says the Great Wall was built between 214-204 BC across China's northern border to keep out the hostile Huns. It was more than 1,400 miles long and wide enough for chariots to pass along.

Thousands of peasants worked on the wall and if their work was below standard they were killed. Convicted criminals were also used as a workforce.

Now back to the marathon: Two days before the race, runners visited the Great Wall with their friends and family so they could check it out before running it.

On the way to the wall we saw these camels (Amber and Ediza even got on one for a minute).

Hundreds of people from around the world ran the 9th annual Great Wall Marathon. There were also shorter runs, including a half marathon and 5K and 10K.

The group wearing red in the above photo were from a chocolate company based in Switzerland. They had people pledge them money and they raised enough to build two schools in Africa.

Money was also raised to help with the earthquake's aftermath. Today, the day we flew out, China began a three-day period of national mourning for the earthquake victims.

After what seemed like a never-ending flight from Beijing, we are now at the Amsterdam airport awaiting another flight to Athens. Amber and Ediza are passed out beside me.

Without their support I wouldn't have been able to complete the marathon. Thanks to everyone else, too, for their encouragement.

Ediza! (Part 3)

2008-05-17T06:30:00.001-07:00

Here's a sampling of Ediza's Chinese adventures:

Everywhere we go Ediza is treated like a celebrity. People continue to crowd around her, give her gifts, want to hold her and take pictures of her (and us) with their cell phone cameras.

The other day some girls begged us to come up to their photography studio so Ediza could have a baby photo shoot. They dressed her in all kinds of outfits and had her play with things like rose petals and plastic balls. They plan to frame photos of her for their displays. Could this be the start of her modeling career?

A great baby climbing a Great Wall.

Amber and Ediza check out some colorful balloons at one of the Chinese markets we visited.

China

2008-05-14T03:18:00.000-07:00

It was sad saying good-bye to New Zealand:( Penny took us to the airport Tuesday morning and pretty soon we were on our way to Hong Kong. After an exhausting 12-hour flight from Auckland we arrived in Hong Kong and spent the night before boarding another flight this morning to Beijing -- the capital of China.

We met up with the Great Wall Marathon tour group and were brought to our hotel in downtown Beijing. There's definitely an excitement here about Beijing hosting the upcoming Olympic games. The city has this thick layer of smog so I can't really imagine bringing the world's top athletes here to perform their best.

Hopefully the air will be cleaner at the rural town we head off to tomorrow. We look forward to learning more about Chinese culture during our stay there and also when we return back to Beijing.

One thing's for sure: Chinese people (both men and women) love Ediza. Maybe it's the blonde hair or the big brown eyes, but they all just can't get enough of her. When I was signing in today for the tour, I look over in the middle of the hotel lobby and there's this group of employees huddled around Ediza watching her every move. One of the women even gave Ediza her pearl bracelet (she's wearing it in the photo below).

Want more proof? When we went out to eat late this afternoon the waitress, on her own, brought Ediza some watermelon and a baby cake for dessert. We'll see what she gets tomorrow.

New Zealand recap

2008-05-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Our last full day in New Zealand was quite an eventful one (Amber gave llama injections, I ran to a local waterfall, we finally sold our car, the list could go on and on).

As we get ready to leave for China I thought I'd share what I just wrote for the New Zealand Llama Association magazine.

An amazing trip from tip to tip

Hidden in a colourful collage on Penny King's bathroom wall is a postcard promoting a book about the "extraordinary passions of ordinary New Zealanders."

During our three month tour of New Zealand, it's safe to say we've met some extraordinary New Zealanders with a similar passion -- llamas, of course.

Right there at the top of our list is Julie Insley, who ironically is featured on the cover of the "With a Passion" book.

We were fortunate enough to spend three weeks at her place once we arrived in February.

Julie, owner of Rangemore Llama Farm in Kerikeri and president of the New Zealand Llama Association, is quite an inspiration.

Following a horse riding accident years ago in Papua New Guinea, Julie said she felt unsafe at the unpredictability of horses. So she found herself a herd of llamas in the nearby town of Russell and instantly fell in love.

In 1996, she bought her first llama.

"What the hell do you do with a llama?" she remembered thinking.

Well, she soon found out as she eventually acquired the whole herd of 16 llamas from Russell.

"They're like potato chips," she said. "You can't have just one."

While she's on the computer in the early morning and evening hours, Julie likes to spend the days out with her herd of llamas, which has now grown to about 50.

Julie zips around in her electric wheelchair, usually with a cup of Milo close by and Bruno, a green Indian Ringneck, either on her lap or hat. She said she's constantly amazed at the reliability and intelligence of llamas.

"I don't see malice in a llama," she said.

We were honoured when Julie chose to name her Leap Year baby cria after Ediza.

From Kerikeri we headed down to Thames to help first-time llama owners Mark Skelding and his partner, Trish.

In their kitchen they have a chalkboard shaped like a rooster where they write things they want -- things ranging from a first aid kit to a kitchen sink plug. For a long time they had llamas written on it until Mark's mother bought them a pair for his 50th birthday.

"I always thought they were really, really cool," Mark said of llamas.

After more than a week of exploring the Coromandel Peninsula, we made our way to Wellington to catch the ferry down to the South Island. First up, was Peter and Sue Wastney's dome-shaped house in Nelson.

Sue -- a friendly lady who always has a story to share -- takes care of a menagerie of animals, including a herd of about 20 llamas and alpacas.

Amber and Sue enjoyed grooming a trio of female llamas and taking them for walks at places like the mud flats across from where they live and in the gentle waves at the beach.

A highlight of our time in Nelson was when Peter flew us in his four-person airplane across the top of the South Island, a flight spanning from Karamea to the Farewell Spit and across the Golden Bay region.

We stayed two enjoyable weeks in Nelson before driving to Llama Lookout in Governors Bay, just outside of Christchurch, where we were greeted by Robyn Robinson and her family.

There, our accommodation was a beautiful llama-themed apartment, in which Amber added a new piece of artwork to.

"The reason why we have llamas is because we think they're living art," Robyn says.

She thinks of her herd as an extension of her family.

A llama owner for the past 10 years, Robyn said she can't imagine life without them. "I only ever want just one more," she said of her llama addiction.

Amber also led a successful training and trekking seminar at Llama Lookout (see Robyn's article).

Robyn gave us numerous tours of the area, including stops at Anne Thompson's place and Fred and Emma Schwithal's ranch, Palmdale Llamas. Diane Kelly even gave us a tour of Akaroa -- the only French settlement in New Zealand and the oldest town on the South Island.

After nearly two fun-filled weeks at Llama Lookout we drove straight down to the Catlins at the bottom of the South Island.

We stayed at our own little beach house in the remote town of Papatowai, where the coastal rain forest meets the sea.

While down south, we got a full-day tour of Janette Buckingham's Thickthorne Llamas property. Janette and her husband, George, own a 1,400-acre farm which has llamas, guanacos, cows, sheep and even yaks.

During a tour of their place, Janette showed us some of the clothing she creates with her animals fibre.

Janette first got a small herd of guanacos almost 20 years ago to spin their fibre and make clothing out of it. She soon found, however, there wasn't much variation in the guanacos brown coat. Hence llamas.

Having visited Cape Reinga at the very top of the North Island during our stay in Kerikeri, we took a break from Thickthorne Llamas to drive to nearby Slope Point -- the southern most point of the South Island.

On our drive back up the island, we saw the beautiful fall foliage of Queenstown and the mystical Aoraki Mount Cook National Park before arriving at Cushchine Cottage in Kaikoura.

Cushchine Cottage differed from the others we stayed at because it's an actual farm park. Along with a herd of seven male llamas, they have a variety of other animals -- ranging from donkeys to a wallaby -- that people come to see.

Owner Lynn Barrett bought the farm park last year and moved there from England in November.

In England, Lynn worked for an insurance company and did some llama trekking on the side. Wanting a change, she found the Cushchine Cottage property on Trade Me.

"I've always wanted my own little bit of land, not necessarily a farm park, but the idea appealed to me when I found it," she said.

After a long journey back to the North Island, we arrived in the Auckland area at our seventh and final llama farm -- Karma Llamas.

Owner Penny King helped us wrap up some loose ends, like selling our car. She also took us over to Geoff Clarke and Jenny Arscott's place for a lovely lunch and tour of their place.

Penny, vice president of the NZLA, has a herd of 23 llamas and enjoys taking them out on day treks. The name of her ranch came from a line of poetry some kids wrote after meeting her llamas: "If you want good karma, take care of your llamas."

Judging from what we've seen, the extraordinary (not to mention generous and hospitable) llama people we met on our journey should certainly enjoy good karma for some time to come.

Mamas & llamas

2008-05-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

There's been lots of photos of ponies and horses on here lately so we thought we'd show some llamas. This morning Amber and Penny did some "click and reward" training, a hands-off and reward-based approach to training llamas. Ediza and Zeb, one of Penny's two whippets, were also on hand.

This afternoon we met Penny's family for a Mother's Day lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Just about all the food had some form of meat in it, but we still enjoyed drinking tea and eating sweet custard rolls.

The meal was good preparation for our upcoming trip to China. We have been busy getting ready -- donating things we've accumulated to The Salvation Army, getting packages together to mail home. Still working on selling the car.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Karma Llamas

2008-05-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

After a long journey back to the North Island, we've arrived in the Auckland area at our seventh and final llama farm -- Karma Llamas (www.karmallamas.co.nz).

Owner Penny King is helping us wrap up some loose ends (like attempting to sell our car) before we head off to China next week.

Penny has a herd of 23 llamas and sometimes takes people out on day treks with them. The name of her ranch came from a line of poetry some kids wrote after meeting her llamas: "If you want good karma, take care of your llamas."

Late this afternoon, we visited a friend of Penny's who has this little white pony -- Twinkle Toes -- who remarkably has no eyes.