Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors and I have read a lot of her work. My favorites include The Museum of Extraordinary Things and The Dovekeepers. Skylight Confessions, one of her older books published in 2007 was very good, but not my favorite of her work. Here is my book review Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman.
Paranormal
Like all of Hoffman’s vast collection of novels, there is a mystical element to Skylight Confessions. But Hoffman’s gift is to seamlessly weave the magic and paranormal into a realistic plot with normal characters. In Skylilght Confessions opposites attract early on in the book when John and Arlyn have a powerful magnetism that results in a lifetime of regret. A loveless marriage filled with infidelity will result in two children, the first named Sam finds life and acceptance difficult from the start.
Death
Death visits the family when Arlyn dies and leaves a devastated John who turns to the neighbor for physical love. Arlyn’s death also crushes George, her one true love. But most of all it changes young Sam’s entire world and he will never be the same.
Haunting
Meridith joins the family as a nanny, but Meridith’s presence is only as a result of her ability to see Arlyn’s ghost. Arlyn is unable to cross over and haunts the families mansion and her husband John. The weight of this paranormal presence will create chaos and unhappiness through the decades, fracture the family even further and cause Sam and his sister Blanca to hate their father and stay as far away as possible.
Book Review Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman
This is a sad story of how love, mistakes, dishonesty and grief disintegrate lives and a family…but the ending will give you hope for healing.
***Three stars for Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman.
Thank you for reading my Book Review Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman.
Read last week’s book review The Furrows by Namwali Serpell
MAUI is open for business and needs your support. Although Lahaina has years and years of recovery, the rest of Maui welcomes you. PLEASE consider supporting the aid efforts for the residents of Maui. We suggest the following;
A re-share from October 2020 –Please check current status of individual suggestions as the situation is fluid.
Maui is hands down my favorite of all the Hawaiian Islands. We have now been on Maui for seven weeks and still have two more weeks to go! Everything about it I love. And despite the fact there isn’t anything negative I can say about this beautiful place, I do have some favorites. So today I thought I would share with you my Maui top five things to do – best of the best.
Top Five Beaches
Secret Beach Makena
Keawakapu – our most frequented beach in South Kihei offers a wide sandy beach, warm clear water and gentle waves
Makena Beaches – Makena also in the south, is dotted with public access to dozens of beautiful and often secluded beach. Secret Beach is worth finding. MaKena Beach State Park is a wonderful huge expanse of a beach and rarely busy.
Black Beach Hana – for the sheer beauty of it, Black Beach on the road to Hana is worth a visit
Baldwin Beach – on the north shore Baldwin Beach is great for body surfing
Napili Bay Beach – I have not swam at this beach but it is so beautiful and has easy access at the north end of the island
Maui Beaches
Top Five Snorkeling
Keawakapu, Kihei
Black Rock Kaanapali – the beach in front of the Kaanapali Sheraton known as Black Rock is one of my favorite places to snorkel. Clear and full of fish and turtles.
Turtle Rock – On a guided snorkel trip a few years ago we had the most amazing time at Turtle Rock – hundreds of turtles here.
Molokini – Though sometimes crowded, a snorkel tour to Molokini is a must at least once in your life to see the abundant marine life here.
Makena Beaches – there are several public access beaches on this long stretch of south Maui with some of the best and easily accessed snorkeling on the island.
Keawakapu – my favorite beach, and the one closest to where we usually stay, has an easy access into the water with snorkel options at the far north of the beach around a large lava reef. Wonderful sealife, turtles and fish.
Top Five Hikes
Kapalua Coastal Trail
Waihee Ridge – mid island, five mile roundtrip with incline to spectacular views but weather can be unpredictable.
Kapalua Coastal Trail – hugging the coast from Kapalua to Napili this rugged and beautiful hike has views of Molokai, Lanai and the ocean. Windy.
Halemau’u Haleakala – hike down into the crater starting at 8000 foot level where you will find easy parking. The trail is a switch back and easy for most fit hikers. Temperatures can be very cold at times.
Sliding Sands Haleakala – this is a work out let me tell you, but if you are fit it’s spectacular. Bring lots of water, be prepared for wind and cold or heat and sun you never know. A great place to see the rare and beautiful Silver Sword plant.
Hoapili, La Perouse – past Makena where the road ends you will find parking and the trailhead of the Hoapili, the historic Kings Road. The rough trail takes you over a 300 year old lava field to the far south end of the island. Bring lots of water, it is a hot and dry trail.
Drive Hana Backwards (counterclockwise) – miss the crowds by doing this drive the opposite way most people go. Read what we wrote about Going to Hana Backwards here.
Top Four Inexpensive Golf
Maui Nui Golf, Kihei
Golf can be very expensive on Maui, but if you know where to go, you can play nine or 18 holes on a budget. Here are our favorite budget friendly courses (we can’t find five, so four will do).
Maui Nui, Kihei – well cared for grounds at a great price
Waiehu County Golf, Wailuku – county run course with a magnificent ocean view
Pukalani, Makawao, upcountry course with beautiful views, sometimes wet
So if you are thinking about visiting Maui for the first time, or are planning to return for another visit, check out some of my top fives – you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Wailea Sunrise
Be a Kind & Generous Visitor
And remember, Maui took a big hit during the pandemic and is now dealing with an unprecedented disaster. The local people have lost lives, family, homes, jobs, income and businesses closed permanently, on this island that depends on tourism. If you can afford to visit Maui, you can afford to make a donation while you are there. Please be generous.
Help breathe life back into the local economy by shopping and dining at locally owned stores, supporting locally run activities, taking time to talk to and understand the local people and their culture, and donate to a local non-profit agency that is helping the local people.
A strange book. I spent a lot of time wondering what was happening…but I stuck with it. Liked but didn’t love it. Here is my book review The Furrows by Namwali Serpell
A Celebrated Novel
This book, much celebrated and awarded just didn’t do it for me. Sometimes it happens. My mood? My stress level? Who knows, but I struggled. But other’s have certainly found this book remarkable – New York Magazine claiming it “A triumph”.
I can certainly say it was unique. A wild ride through a families grief after the loss of a child. A mystery of sorts as you navigate an ever changing narrative of how this child died. Or did he die? Is he just missing?
Grief
At its core, this novel is about grief and the multitudes of ways people negotiate grief. Cassandra, who was the only witness to her brothers death is plagued with uncertainty through out her life, her multitude of therapists, her visions and dreams…is she mentally ill?
Her mother, neurotic and obsessive, with no body ever found, she refuses to believe Wayne is dead. Could a seven year old survive alone somewhere? Has he been kidnapped? Her unwillingness to process through the grief leaves the family torn, disembowled, breft.
Cassandra’s relationship with her parents – one who stays and focuses only the lost child and one who leaves and starts a whole new family – will be all she has for her entire life following Wayne’s death. Until she meets someone who also is searching…searching for a life without doubt.
It’s a grim story of mourning and memory, letting go and living.
Thank you for reading my book review The Furrows by Namwali Serpell.
***Three stars for The Furrows by Namwali Serpell
Read last week’s book review The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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We usually do our mountain hikes at Mount Rainier, it’s about an hour and half from our summer home in Washington. But we decided to venture a bit further, and drove the two and half hours to Mount Saint Helens National Monument for a fabulous Fall Hike in Mount Saint Helens.
Mount Saint Helens
May 18, 1980
I was in college in May of 1980 when Mount Saint Helens blew her top. It’s a day I will never forget. One of those “where were you” moments. Fifty-seven people died, the entire region was ravaged and the landscape was forever changed.
Spirit Lake with Mount Adams in the distance
It’s been probably twenty years since I was in the national monument, and I was astonished to find how scared it still is. It’s a testament to both the power of the earth and the rebirth of nature. I stand in awe at this mountain, as I do for all the mountains in the great State of Washington.
Johnston Ridge
Fall colors
We drove to the Johnston Ridge Observatory to begin our hike. Named for David Johnston, a 30-year-old volcanologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, who was swept away by the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens on the morning of May 18, 1980.
At the observatory there is plenty of parking and a visitor center. This is the start of several hikes. We decided to do Harry’s Ridge Hike.
At the top of Harry’s Ridge overlooking Spirit Lake
Harry’s Ridge
Named for Harry R. Truman (October 30, 1896– May 18, 1980) was an American businessman, bootlegger, and prospector. He lived near Mount St. Helens, an active volcano in the state of Washington, and was the owner and caretaker of Mount St. Helens Lodge at Spirit Lake near the base of the mountain. Truman came to fame as a folk hero in the months leading up to the volcano’s 1980 eruption after refusing to leave his home despite evacuation orders. He was killed by a pyroclastic flow that overtook his lodge and buried the site under 150 ft (46 m) of volcanic debris. (source Wikipedia)
The trail is well maintained by dry and dusty
The Ridge is an out and back 7.5 mile hike with fabulous views of of Spirit Lake and Mount Saint Helens. In the fall the area is covered in colorful red bushes (blueberries) and other low growing foliage, creating a beautiful Fall Hike in Mount Saint Helens. This hike offers almost no shade and can be very hot and dusty. Bring more water than you think you will need.
Picnic lunch on Harry’s Ridge
Visit Mount Saint Helens
There is so much to do in the beautiful area from hiking and camping to fishing and sight-seeing. Learn more about Mount Saint Helens here.
Hail Mount Saint Helens
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Sometimes wonderful, often strange, I struggled with parts of this book but in the end loved it. Here is my book review The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Pre-Civil War
Slavery is alive and well but the great plantations of Virginia are diminishing and struggling. We are introduced to Hiram, a mixed race slave fathered by the plantation owner of Lockless. Hiram’s mother was sold when he was very young and he struggles to find his own place. Unlike any slavery novel I’ve read the vocabulary surrounding the era is interested. The “enslaved” are referred to as “tasked”, the plantation owners are the “quality” and the low-class whites are “the low”.
Conduction is the super human ability he possesses, with a handful of other like him, he is recruited to help with the underground railroad. He is betrayed by one he trusts, loses the love of his life, meets Harriet Tubman and is able to find his way in helping the Underground, and eventually finding his way back to the family he loves.
Conduction
Hiram knows always that he is different than many of the other slaves. But he doesn’t understand the super natural events that he has witnessed in his young life. He knows he is intelligent with an extraordinary photographic memory, but only after his half brother dies in a freak accident does his unique super natural abilities come to light…for both himself and one of the “quality”.
Not Just Another Slavery Story
Coates debut novel is a unique twist on the Pre-Civil War story, a look at life in slavery, the Underground work down by black and white alike, and the super natural power many African slaves believed could and would save them from the depths of a horrific life.
Four tars for The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Thanks for reading my book review The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
See last week’s book review Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
In the beginning we didn’t know if we would do this for 6 months or six years. In the beginning we didn’t know much. But eight years later, 270,539 miles flown, 128 countries visited – well we know a lot. And yes, I do count countries, particularly now as I work to keep track of the growing number.
It was 2016 when we launched our travel life. After three years of prep – we were anxious to get started. But as we launched, we also knew we had a lot still to learn. Honestly, we won’t ever stop learning. The magnificent cultures, ancient history, remarkable people, delicious food…it’s all been such an eye-opening experience.
Our bags the day we left November 2016 – so shiny and clean. We still are using the same bags today.
Covid cramped our style for a while, but, we actually learned a lot from the PanDamit too. We learned to be more spontaneous, flexible and adventurous. We have learned to navigate a more difficult travel environment, more expensive and more crowded. We also give more consideration to overtourism, choosing as much as possible the less traveled destinations. But here we are, Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins.
How Much More?
Year Seven in Bolivia
We get this question a lot. We don’t exactly know the answer…but we both feel some changes will happen in year nine. Perhaps shorter trips, with more time at home between the trips…perhaps? What we do know is we have put together a very unique itinerary that will take us on the road for eight months from Asia to Europe, Oceania to Africa – hitting some major bucket list destinations. It’s time to do it again.
One Thing Different
There is one thing a bit different this time…we are doing more tours than ever before. Why? Because as we traverse the countries we still would like to visit, many are difficult to navigate without a guide. Like last spring in Bolivia, we have chosen to allow reputable tour companies to take us through three places this time; Papua New Guinea, Socotra (off the coast of Yemen), and Madagascar. See more about these destinations below.
Where do we Begin?
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (Canva)
Confirmed 12 days – tour
In September we have a long grueling travel day from Seattle to LA to Manila and finally to Papua New Guinea. We will spend 12 days in PNG with a company called Indigo Safaris. We will be two of only about 400 non-natives to witness the annual Goroka Festival where more than 100 tribes of Papua New Guinea come together to celebrate their unique and colorful culture. Did you know there are 800 languages in Papua New Guinea?
Hong Kong
Hong Kong (Canva)
Confirmed 7 days – Airbnb
After PNG we will head to the big city of Hong Kong. We were meant to visit Hong Kong in 2019, but the riots there had us changing our plans. We will try again; I have booked a cooking class, some tours and we also plan to walk across the border to the tiny country of Macau.
Philippines
Cebu Philippines (Canva)
Confirmed 32 days – Airbnb
Next stop the island of Bohol in the Philippines. We have only briefly been in Manila, and we look forward to a relaxing month on Bohol where we can kick back and regroup in October after the whirlwind of September.
Winter Down Under
Australia
Hobart Tasmania (Canva)
Confirmed 4 weeks in an RV mainland and 30 days Airbnb Tasmania
As usual we like to spend as much time as possible in perpetual summer, so all of November and all of December we will be down under. We visited Australia very early in the Grand Adventure, but there is so much more we want to see. This time we begin in Brisbane. Then we have rented an RV for one month to travel south to Melbourne at a slow pace. In early December we fly to the Australian island of Tasmania and spend all of December relaxing in Hobart where we have rented a darling historic home.
We debated about heading from here to one or two of our past favorite countries (New Zealand and French Polynesia) but instead we will fly west. We know we will be back to those countries again some day.
South East Asia
Singapore
Singapore (Canva)
Confirmed 3 days hotel
I love this city/country but boy is it expensive, so we will just have a quick visit to say hello again to one of the world’s most beautiful places.
Thailand
Koh Chang Thailand (Canva)
Confirmed 30 days Airbnb
Back to Thailand! Thailand was the very FIRST country we visited when we began the Grand Adventure in November 2016. It’s a beautiful country; friendly, inexpensive, and delicious. We will spend one month on the island of Koh Chang.
Europe
Italy
Sicily Italy (Canva)
Confirmed 7 days road trip Bologna to Puglio and 19 days Airbnb Sicily
Even though it will only be February, we are headed to the amazing country of Italy for an entire month. Keeping our fingers crossed for dry and not too cold; we will visit Bologna and the country of San Marino, the Puglia region and then on to Sicily.
Africa
Egypt
Egypt (Canva)
Confirmed 3 days hotel
We will have a brief stop back in Cairo as we transit through but we are holding a couple of days open in hopes that the new, decades in the making, Egyptian Museum will be open. But we are really going to Egypt because that is where we pick up our tour to…
Yemen
Socotra, Yemen (Canva)
Confirmed 7 days private tour
Not on many people’s bucket list, Yemen was never on mine either. But my husband has long wanted to visit the island of Socotra off the coast of Yemen ever since we read the book The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie. This is a more complicated country to visit, so we are on a private tour. We are using the company Inertia, who we have spent months working with to make this happen. Should definitely be different…and exciting.
Back to Europe
Greece
Crete, Greece (Canva)
Confirmed 18 days Airbnb
Back to Europe we go, with our first stop the island of Crete. This is one of the Greek Islands we have not visited, and I have heard so much about it. So we will spend 18 days enjoying the Greek life (and food) once again. Here we will be joined by friends, two couples we really enjoy traveling with.
Albania
Albania (Canva)
Not yet confirmed
We are still trying to work our way through the last of the countries we had to abandon when Covid shut down our travels, and Albania is one. We have really enjoyed all of the Balkan countries we have visited over the years and it is one of our most favorite regions in the world. Inexpensive and so welcoming, we look forward to one week in Albania.
North Macedonia
Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia (Canva)
Not yet confirmed
An easy drive over the border from Albania we could just do a day-trip to North Macedonia but we really want to spend some time in the beautiful Lake Ohrid region we have heard so much about. So we will visit for four days then return to Albania for our flight out.
Serbia
Serbia (Canva)
Not yet confirmed
An easy flight to Belgrade will get us to Serbia. We only plan to be in Belgrade one day, then we will do a road trip to many of the ancient and beautiful sites in this landlocked country and former Yugoslavian state. Serbia remains a less visited part of Central Europe and I can’t wait to see it.
Austria
Vienna Austria (Canva)
Not yet confirmed
Somehow I have traveled all over Europe but have missed Vienna entirely. My husband has been there and keeps telling me I will LOVE it, so Vienna it is for four days. It’s also a great place to get a flight to our next destination.
And Back to Africa
Madagascar
Madagascar (Canva)
Confirmed 10 days tour with Fosa Travel
From Vienna we will fly via Addis Ababa Ethiopia to the island of Madagascar. We have been blessed to visit several Indian Ocean islands, but Madagascar is a first for us. We have booked a private tour for ten days with Fosa Travel and it will be a dream come true for me to see the Lemurs and the magnificent Baobab Trees. A very big Bucket List for me.
Back to Europe to Wrap It Up
Spain and Andorra
Andorra (Canva)
Not yet confirmed
Andorra is one of our Covid-deleted countries, and I am excited to see this tiny country that borders Spain. We will fly into Barcelona and drive to Andorra for a short four day visit before returning to Barcelona for our flight back to Seattle. We expect to arrive back in Seattle May 17th; 19 countries, 8 months and a lifetime of memories.
Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins
Year Eight here we come!
I’ll say again, we have no intention of trying to visit every country in the world (BTW there are 195 recognized countries. United Nations recognizes 193 and there are a couple unrecognized we have visited including Taiwan). However, after this trip, we still have a few left in the bucket. So, as we think about what lies ahead, we certainly know we will never stop traveling. We know we have some rock solid favorites we would like to return to. We know we have some difficult countries left we would like to see with a guide. But we also know, particularly after the PanDamit, we should not look too far out into the future…things can change so fast. So, we will embrace year eight with bells on, and we hope you will come along for the ride. As always, we feel so grateful to all of you who faithfully read and ask questions and engage with us through our crazy travel life. Thank you.
Note – there may be times when I can not make a deadline to have a travel post every Friday. Additionally I expect to not have easy access to WiFi. Just keep watching and I’ll get to it as soon as I can.
Considering full-time or long-term travel yourself? I wrote this post last year and it may help answer some of your questions. Click here for Becoming A Traveler. We’d love to connect out in the Big World with you!
We love it when you comment, pin and share our posts. Thank you. Away we go!
I have read at least a half a dozen Ann Patchett novels over the years (she has 14 novels I think) and this one, Tom Lake, is my favorite by far. A beautiful story. Here is my book review Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
Pandemic
I’ve been waiting for the first book to fall that really uses the pandemic and lockdown as part of the plot. Tom Lake does it effortlessly. Without drama or politics, the pandemic and the family bubble of the Nelson family during Covid, provides Patchett the perfect opportunity to unravel this tale.
Once Upon a Time
Northern Michigan in the spring of 2020 is about as far away from Hollywood and Movie Stars as you could get. But here we meet Lara and her three adult daughters. With husband Joe the family operates a cherry farm in Northern Michigan. The girls have returned to the nest during Covid, and together the family is desperately trying to get the cherries off the trees before fruit rots. This work, done all by hand, takes hours and hours, but gives the perfect opportunity for storytelling.
Daughters Emily, Maisie and Nel, each trying to find their own path in life, want to use the tedious time to hear their mother tell them the story of her brief time as an actress. And her brief time in a relationship with famous actor Peter Duke.
Family
This is a story about family first and foremost. It’s a look at how our children often can’t see us as people, or understand who we were before we were their parents. It’s also a story about self-discovery, young love, youthful recklessness and true love. It’s a book that makes you think about hope and happiness, even during a historic period where it seemed the world was falling apart. One of the most charming parts of this book is the solid and sublime relationship Lara has with her husband Joe…even in the midst of her narrative to her daughter about her first love Peter Duke. Patchett’s remarkable talent pulls you into the affection and tenderness this family has for each other.
Audible
This book was one of my summer audible reads, in the car. Brilliantly narrated by none other than the incomparable Meryl Streep I highly recommend it as an audible. Although I’m sure it would be just as amazing on kindle or book in hand. Whichever you chose, read Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. One of my favorites of summer 2023.
Thank you for reading my book review Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
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