about me

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

                         -Robert Frost

Hi! I'm Carol and I grew up in a small town on the coast of Maine. Family trips consisted of piling into the station wagon and Dad driving us to our intended destination whether it was the heart of Washington DC, Disneyworld, or through northern Maine. We managed to see a good chunk of the USA this way. Needless to say, I was hooked on traveling at a young age and I've been on the road ever since.

Since my station wagon days, my travel style has evolved a bit. I've backpacked, gone on organized trips, and traveled solo as well. I look for interesting adventures, especially in places where it seems there are no more unique experiences to be had. If I get to travel with friends that's great, but I'm also willing and content to travel on my own. I really like to get to know local people and I aim to have experiences that can only come from slowing down and taking a little time to understand the culture.

My first trip overseas was at Christmastime to Salzburg to visit a good friend. Since then, I've lived in Europe and Asia, walked from Florenceo see where I'm headed next, I hope you'll join me - on

about this site

The future for me is already a thing of the past –
You were my first love and you will be my last.

                                         -Bob Dylan

This site is dedicated to my very best friend and travel partner Dr. Roy Nirschel who passed away very unexpectedly on April 16th in 2018. Roy's zest for life, passion for education, and love of travel carried him around the world and I was lucky enough to be invited along for the ride. Both passionate travelers, we had some amazing adventures, both together and solo. Before I met Roy, he climbed Kilimanjaro, hiked to Macchu Pichhu, and traversed Patagonia. Together, we swam in cenotes, body boarded in the Pacific ocean, and walked from Florence to Rome and authored a book about the experience. I love Roy's mantra of  "life is short, enjoy every sandwich" (thank you to the late, great Warren Zevon) and we vowed to enjoy each day and every trip to the fullest.

Unimaginably, that all came to a standstill on a sunny spring afternoon in Saigon where we were living and working. I not only lost the love of my life and best friend, I also lost my partner and travel inspiration. Now I move forward, determined and excited to continue traveling and sharing our love of travel with you. There are stories and photographs here from some of our epic trips as well as contributions about my solo travels. I hope you'll enjoy the adventures and stories as well as philosophical musings and travel tips. I am also hopeful this will inspire you to travel as well and take on new adventures. Honor Roy's memory by planning an epic adventure of your own, whether you plan a trip around the world or down the street. And remember to enjoy every sandwich.