Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living

Follow Me to Dubai on My New Travel Website

April 28, 2019 by Sonia Marsh 5 Comments

Highlights of Dubai Day Trip

Follow me to Dubai on my new website. I’ll then take you along my adventure to see the wildlife and lodges I’m inspecting for future Safaris in Botswana, Kruger and finally, Cape Town. Before we travel together, please sign-up for my new website updates on “We Travel With A Purpose” where you’ll see my upcoming trips, and videos.

My new video, explains what I’m doing as a tour leader and travel consultant. I view this as an extension of my “Gutsy Living” adventures since my Peace Corps life in Lesotho. My goal is to share travel experiences with you and perhaps one day, you’ll want to join me on one of my upcoming trips.

One of my favorite airlines to fly when traveling to various destinations in Africa, is Emirates. Not only are they often less expensive than other airlines, but they offer better service, food and more leg room. I fly coach, and there is such a difference with Emirates compared to many US airlines, that make my flying experience seem more luxurious. They have convenient flight times, and even offer coach passengers a layover (hotel paid for) in Dubai, before connecting with your next flight to various destinations such as Nairobi (for East Africa), and Johannesburg and Cape Town (for Southern Africa.)

I arrive in Dubai at 7:30 p.m., and on the following day, I’ll get a tour of Dubai which will be my first time experiencing the half day city tour. It starts at 9 a.m., and ends at 1 p.m.

Dubai City Lights at night — Dubai City Lights

I look forward to viewing the towering skyscrapers followed by a visit to Bastakiya, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Dubai. I’ll share what I learn about the 19th-century life in Dubai, and my visit to the Dubai Museum and a stroll through the alleys of the Al Fahidi Historical District.

I’ll board an “abra”, a traditional water taxi that ferried the locals through the years across the Dubai Creek. Then a walk through the gold and spice souks, and finally a photo stop at Jumeirah beach with the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel, known as “the most luxurious hotel in the world” and Jumeirah Mosque.

The second part of my day in Dubai starts at 2 p.m. I cannot wait to experience the falconry display and the camel ride. I’ll share the highlights of the Heritage Dinner Safari which ends at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Highlights of Heritage Dinner:

Ride on a vintage land rover
Soft drive in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
Opportunity to see local wildlife
Falconry display
Activities in the bedouin camp: camel ride opportunity, henna tatoo, dinner in the camp, live cultural entertainment, among others

A camel ride in the Bedouin camp, Dubai — Camel ride

I look forward to a camel ride in order to reach the nomadic Bedouin camp, where I’ll get a glimpse into authentic Bedouin life.

I’ll be greeted in traditional fashion, with rose water, Arabic coffee, and dates. (Yummy!)

I’ll get to explore the village, constructed of traditional woven goat hair, wood, and stones; a tribute to the resourcefulness of the nomadic people. Let’s hope I have a chance to chat with Bedouin storytellers, and see the Arabian hunting dogs called Saluki’s. Apparently, Bedouin-style hunting involved the deadly combination of falconry and Saluki dogs.

Saluki Dog used by Bedouin hunters — Saluki Dog used by Bedouin Hunters

This video shows how falcons are trained. Thy’re the world’s fastest animal in flight. I cannot believe they use drones to train them to fly faster for their competitions.

Land Rovers were first introduced in 1948 transforming the Bedouins life. They could finally trade, explore and survey the vast desert areas with ease. I hope to climb aboard a vintage Land Rover into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve for a wildlife safari.

Land Rovers from 1948 with the Bedouins — Land Rovers introduced in 1948

I invite you to follow my adventure in Dubai as I post photos on several sites, and blog when I have a moment during my one-month trip to Africa.

Facebook: WeTravelWithAPurpose

FaceBook: SoniaMarsh

FaceBook: HoldenSafaris

And before you forget, please sign-up for my new website “We Travel With A Purpose” and there you’ll see my 3 upcoming trips, just scroll down to see them as well as my videos.

My Plans for 2019-A Time for Reflection

December 23, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 7 Comments

I love the end of the year as it’s a time for reflection and making plans for the year ahead.

In my case, I add travel to the mix, as this enables me to see life from a different perspective; something I always value as I get new insights into the direction I want my life to take.

This time, I’m off to London, Paris and Copenhagen, to spend time with family and childhood friends, and I plan to bounce my ideas off them.

2018 brought three major changes to my life.

A Place to Call Home

The biggest change was getting my own place to live. Since 2015, I’ve rented a room in a friend’s house. I then moved to my Peace Corps rondavel in Lesotho, and finally returned in January 2017, to stay with my friend, Heidi, once again.

Finding a home happened while I was trying to kill time. I walked into a real estate office in a 55+ community, not expecting to find anything, as most of the condos date from the 70’s and are in need of repairs.

“Do you have a two-bedroom, 2-bath completely renovated condo?” I asked the realtor.

“We have one that has just been listed. Would you like to see it?”

“Why not?” I said, not knowing that the minute I walked in, it would feel like “home” for the first time since my divorce.

From that moment on, I couldn’t stop dreaming about this condo and put in an offer. The timing was perfect as it was close to Christmas 2017, and no one else was looking at homes during the holidays.

I was the only one who put in an offer and I moved into my new condo in March 2018.

I love having my own place and being independent. I furnished it the way I’ve always wanted my place to be: clutter-free and modern.

I didn’t realize what I’d been missing and how important it was for me to have a place I could call “home.” When I traveled, I didn’t look forward to coming back as I didn’t have a place to call “home.” Now I do, and I feel more secure.

My Own Travel Club

The 2nd major change is starting my “Travel with a Purpose” Club in the 55+ community where I live.

The purpose of starting my club is to inspire people to travel with a purpose and to remove any fear of travel. We are now on our 4th meeting, and the club is growing in popularity. I run it once a month, and invite presentations from inspiring speakers who have traveled. You can view the dates and location of upcoming meetings here.

Our speaker on January 17th is going to explain: “How to Pack Efficiently-One Week/One Month/One Carry-On.”

Leading My First Trip to Africa

I led my first trip to Kenya in October, with a theme-focused Safari where we combined helping orphans, visiting their school, and giving back to the African Child Foundation. All 12 women bonded and we have become close friends, getting together once a month since our trip to Kenya.

I’m planning other Safaris with a theme such as elephant and rhino conservation-educational Safaris, writers’ retreats, quilting group Safaris and more.

Several people seem interested in river cruises in Europe. What are your travel dreams for the future? Please let me know.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and may your 2019 be the best you want it to be.

Arriving at Heathrow airport, London, December 2018

How Much Does A Safari Cost?

November 17, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 1 Comment

One of the first questions I get from people I meet is, “How much does a Safari cost?”

While this is a normal question, I feel like replying with another question: “How much does a car cost?”

Obviously this depends on the car. A Kia is not the same as a Porsche. I understand why some people may be shocked at the price of a Safari, but as my friend Judy said after she got back from her first trip to Kenya:

“The most amazing trip I’ve ever been on. I plan to be on the next one. I can’t recommend it enough. Luxury mixed with adventure! What a way to go.” Judy P.

Since returning from the Peace Corps, I now design custom Safaris for my “Travel with a Purpose” Club in Laguna Woods, with Jim Holden, as my expert on Africa.

The key word here is “Custom.” My Safaris are tailored to specific themes, (for example, a writers’ retreat, a culinary Safari experience, or an elephant conservation Safari.)

I think the main reason some people balk at the price, is that they compare a Safari to places they’re familiar with. Africa cannot be compared with a vacation in Hawaii, Paris or Tuscany.

Africa is an experience, not a typical vacation.

Let me explain. One of the main reasons people travel to Africa, is to see the wildlife, especially the BIG 5.

The Wildlife:

There are several components that make a wildlife experience spectacular: the guides, and in particular their knowledge, the vehicles they use, and where they take you. The knowledge of the guides can make or break your overall Safari experience. If you travel on a budget Safari with a large group of 16 or more people, you won’t get the same level of interaction with your “personal and professional” guide as when you’re on an exclusive Safari with no more than 6-travelers per vehicle. On my Safaris, you’re able to ask many questions about the wildlife, and learn facts you didn’t know about leopards, elephants, zebras, hippos, wildebeest and more.

The Accommodation:

I find that most people expect comfort while on Safari. They want a nice hot shower, a flushing toilet, electricity, delicious meals, and drinks. There is now way you can take an Uber to a restaurant or a fast food restaurant while in the National Parks or private concessions, so everything is included when you stay in a lodge. All the food and beverages have to be flown, or driven in, and kept refrigerated in the lodge. The local staff are trained to cook and plate the food by Chefs and serve meals that appeal to our western palate. They offer a variety of meats, fish, vegetables, desserts, and fresh baked items, on a daily basis. This, as well as the laundry, soft sheets and towels, and all the other amenities we’re used to, obviously adds to the cost. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the average cost of a Safari today is $1,000/person/day. This cost also includes all activities as well as flights between countries in Africa.

I’ve done cost comparisons of hotels in my area, Laguna Beach, as well as in similar accommodations in Paris, London and Rome, and the cheapest room at one resort is $950/night. This does not include any meals or drinks, or activities, or shows, unlike what you would get on a Safari. Basically nothing other than the room and a 15% tax is included in my Laguna Beach area hotel.

Of course, just like a Motel 6, for $66/night, there are budget Safaris where you’ll be staying in cheap accommodations, like the tent below on the left. There’s nothing wrong with that, if you’re happy to stay in a tent with a bush toilet and a bucket shower. I’ve stayed at the Serengeti Bushtops camp on the right, and those are the smaller lodges that I like to offer to my “Travel with a Purpose” groups. Another advantage is that these smaller lodges hire and train people from the local villages and part of what you’re paying for goes towards supporting local communities, schools, books, teachers’ salaries and wildlife conservation efforts. Most tourists don’t realize that by going on Safari, they are actually contributing towards those sustainable causes, offering employment opportunities and education to the people in neighboring villages, including the Masai in Kenya.

The Food:

Most people who travel to Africa for the first time, like the women on my recent “Travel with a Purpose” trip to Kenya, have no idea what to expect. They are blown away by the quality and presentation of the food. We have a wonderful “Foods of Africa” trip to Madikwe, South Africa, with an award-winning Chef, Nico Verster, who will be cooking for us and showing us plating techniques. He is co-owner of the beautiful Jamala lodge.

Since I have way more to say, please check out next Sunday’s blog post. Your comments and shares, are always appreciated.

Also, I am proud to say that I was interviewed in the OC Register and so were some of the woman on my recent trip to Kenya. You can read the article by clicking here.

Continued in (Part 2) next week

My First Trip As a Tour Leader

October 13, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 4 Comments

As you can see from the broad smiles on these lovely ladies, my first trip as a tour leader to Africa went incredibly well and exceeded my expectations. I was fortunate to have Roz Berry (far left), Director of the African Child Foundation, assist with our “Women Travel with a Purpose” Safari. Roz brought two duffel-bags full of T-shirts from the U.S., which we sorted, first-thing, before visiting the schools in the suburbs of Nairobi.

Our hotel in Nairobi was the perfect setting for the start of a Safari, as it’s located on the edge of Nairobi National park and offers an introduction to Kenya’s wildlife. All of us enjoyed getting to know one-another for breakfast on our first day. A few giraffes and a Cape Buffalo roamed in the park behind us.

Our schedule was jam-packed with activities, and I’m going to share several blog posts so you get a feel for what “Travel with a Purpose” entails. On our first morning, we visited Fanaka primary school and Mt. Olive boarding school, both run by Father Henry.

Father Henry greeting us at Fanaka Primary school

All of us were impressed with the level of reading and writing in the classroom. A couple of ladies commented on how the children have such beautiful penmanship, compared to their own children back in the U.S.

The children enjoyed dancing and singing and we could tell they had been rehearsing for days before we arrived.

After a full-day at both schools, we returned to our hotel, and had a delicious dinner at the Norfolk Hotel, where we met the four young University students, sponsored by the African Child Foundation. Two of them are studying law, one accounting, and one medical studies.

Two Women travel with a Purpose and a sponsored student

Ladies enjoying a Happy Hour at the Norfolk Hotel before we met the students.

It’s been one year and five months since I started my new career in the Safari business. I decided to design theme-focused trips to Africa that would interest women. October 2018, was my first trip leading 11 women to Kenya. Most of them had never been to Africa and were somewhat frightened of what to expect, however, my first, “Travel with a Purpose” Safari, turned out to be the best bonding experience of 12 women. A camaraderie and intense friendship developed as together we experienced the wonderful children, the wildlife in the Masai Mara, and the warm-hearted Kenyans and their broad smiles.

Next week, I’ll share some of our adventures in the Masai Mara.

How Do You Keep Your Sense of Wonder?

September 23, 2018 by Sonia Marsh 1 Comment

In my mind, a sense of wonder starts with curiosity: something we’re all born with. The question I ask myself is: How can we keep that sense of wonder as we grow older?

Young children are constantly learning something new: how to read, how to tie their shoes, how to ride a bicycle. It’s not surprising that if we don’t make a conscious effort to keep a sense of curiosity and wonder, life may seem mundane as we grow older.

When I lived in Lesotho, I listened to BBC World on my small radio, and was interested in hearing how Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, reflected on her travels abroad. The interviewer commented on how brave Elizabeth was to uproot her life and move alone to Italy, India and Bali, for one year. Elizabeth replied that she didn’t think she was brave, but simply curious about life and other people.

Another person I admire is Maria Shriver. She recently wrote in her blog, “Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper,” about how she took a one-month break from work, and decided to focus on:

“Less busyness. Less intense thinking. More calm. More connection. More wonder.”

Shriver decided to travel to Africa with her youngest son, and her goal was to focus on:

the concept of wonder

“Wonder gets you out of your head. It feels less intense than thinking. It feels more stream of consciousness and more creative. It actually feels freeing and it allows one to connect more with oneself and others.

Wonder is what I felt as I drove across the vast, open Serengeti. I found myself wondering what it might be like to live there full time, either working in the conservation movement or working with the women I met who are trying to overcome deep poverty and build lives that their mothers could have never imagined.
The thing that I found interesting was how she found the right word to describe Africa. Wonder.” Maria Shriver

I feel a connection with Elizabeth Gilbert and Maria Shriver, in that I’m curious about other people, and always want to keep learning.

Some people are more curious, and thirsty for new experiences than others. I’ve always felt the need to get away from my daily routine in order to satisfy my sense of curiosity. I do this in the following ways:

On a small scale: