Two weeks covering a lot of ground from the historical dry zone of Ayutthaya, to the Northern hill country of Chiang Mai, and south to the beaches of Phuket and Phang Nga Bay. An amazing whirlwind tour leaving this traveler wanting more spicy foods!

Wherein my husband and I take our 6-month-old on a self-drive tour in Alaska. We rented a camper van and explored the Kenai Peninsula, Anchorage and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. And we learned how (and how not!) to travel with baby.

Most people who know me know that I hate to fly. The smaller the plane is, the more worried I become. So all of you travelers who ask me how big the plane is that flies between Quito and the Galapagos --- I know why you're asking and I feel your pain! The smallest touch of turbulence and I'm clutching the seat in front of me, convinced we …