Fernando de Noronha - Brazil's paradise island

In early July 2013, I took a trip to Fernando de Noronha, an idyllic tropical island an hour's flight off Brazil's northeastern coastline in the Atlantic Ocean. I was drawn to visiting this island because I had heard/read accolades of the island's pristine beaches, beautiful nature and lack of overdevelopment. There are no brand name hotels on the small island, only small family-owned pousadas, or Brazilian b&b's. The island lies just south of the equator, but I found the climate warm and comfortable, not hot and humid. Typical daily highs were 25*C/77*F, and there seemed to be a cool, comfortable breeze blowing at any given time, due to the close proximity of the surrounding ocean. All visitors are required to register upon arrival and pay a tourist tax based on the number of days staying on the island. My five day visit cost $110, a worthwhile contribution towards the preservation of this geographic gem. Typical local fare included fresh fish/seafood accompanied by rice and beans. Fresh fruit and vegetables were plentiful as well. Ground tapioca is used as a flour to make tasty sweet and savory pancake like treats (best with dulce de leche and coconut!) I took an island tour which consisted of a 10-hour visit to a half-dozen beaches around the island. Praia de Sancho (Sancho Beach) was one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever visited in my life. Many tropical birds, including frigates, boobies and tropic birds were observed at every turn. My fave were the tropic birds, with their beautiful flowing long white tails that float in rhythmic unison with its body in flight. Brazil is definitely a beach culture, and Brazilians are clearly most at home and content in the sun and sand. The positive vibe is infectious and visitors soon happily join in. Another day I took an island boat tour, including stops along the coastline following by dropping anchor in the bay at Praia de Sancho. Some wonderful snorkeling ensued. My favorite aspect of the trip occured when a small pod of six or so common dolphins came along to ride the waves at the bow (front) of the boat. One of the dolphins flipped over with its stomach facing upwards and playfully flapped its tail (flukes) against the water's surface, suggesting a light-hearted "look at me!" tone. After having lost my sister Julie to breast cancer in mid-April, and then work being so busy the past couple of months, I was ready for a nice, relaxing beach vacation; something simple and focused on nature. Fernando de Noronha provided the perfect getaway for me. I highly recommend it. My one regret is that I felt at a clear disadvantage for not being able to speak Portuguese. My English, French, German and Spanish didn't get me very far on Fernando. Much easier for visitors who can speak Portuguese. I could get by with a combination of English and Spanish, but I was at a clear disadvantage. Happy Travels! Mark

Passage to India - A Sensory Overload

In October 2012, I had the opportunity to spend a week on vacation in India, following an aviation conference in Abu Dhabi. I decided to focus on Rajasthan, as I had heard so many amazing stories of the regions vibrant colors and beautiful cities. I arrived in Delhi and spent a day acclimating before setting off on my adventure. After spending the evening catching up with some industry friends at my friend Kiran's house, I caught an early morning flight to Jodhpur. Well worth the one hour flight instead of the 10-hour drive! Jodphur is known as the blue city because of the bluish tint of the whitewashed buildings in the city which glisten an amazing blue tone in the afternoon sun. The city is famed for its palace, perched atop a hill with a strategic 360 view of the surrounding area. Next was a guided walk through the town's market, and a stop at a rug/fabric shop. I couldn't take my eyes of a beautiful silk comforter cover and a cashmere sofa cover. After some careful negotiating, they were both mine! The next afternoon I flew back to Delhi and rested up for the big day following. We got an early start on the road. I had arranged a car/driver for the week. Next stop - Agra and the fabled Taj Mahal. Fortunately, the highway between Delhi and Agra had been upgraded in recent months and what was once a four hour drive now only takes 2 1/2 hours. The weather was pleasant - hot and sunny, but no remnants of the oppressive humidity of the summer monsoon rains. After settling into the beautiful ITC Mughal hotel (Starwood affiliated), I set out for Agra Fort, a former palace dating back centuries that overlooking the river and the Taj in the distance. Soon after, we moved on to catch sunset glimpses of the Taj from the across the riverbank from the world famous mausoleum. This vantage point provided an exquisite perspective on the Taj, especially in the dwindling daylight. The next morning, I set out early with my personal guide to hit the Taj before the swarms of tourists arrived. It was a beautiful, clear, crisp morning. The Taj Mahal shown in all her glory and the ensuing walk around the grounds and inside the Taj was incredible. It truly is as amazing as everyone says it is. Definitely unique and worth the visit. By midday, we hit the road for the second leg of my Delhi-Agra-Jaipur triangle journey. The trip lasted a long five hours and I was ready to hit the pool by the time we arrived at the ITC Rajputana hotel in Jaipur. The next morning we set out for the famous Jaipur Fort, a centuries-old fortress atop a mountain on the eastern edge of the city. The highlight was a ride up the hill atop a colorfully tattooed elephant. The Fort was impressive with amazing views over the surrounding area. The afternoon was spent at an astronomical park in the central park of Jaipur. The next morning was low-key chill out and then a four hour afternoon drive back to Delhi to catch a redeye flight back to Europe and then homeward bound. This trip to India provided a great opportunity to see more of the countryside than just my previous visits to Delhi and Mumbai. Rajasthan was as beautiful and exotic as I had hoped it would be, and I highly recommend it. My one regret was that I didn't have enough time to also visit the city of Udaipur, with its beautiful lake palace, but it was simply too far away to include on this trip. Will need to save that for next time. Happy Travels! Mark