About Me (Barbara Weibel)

Barbara Weibel After years of working 70 hours a week at jobs I detested, I felt like the proverbial "hole in the donut" - solid on the outside, but empty on the inside. Searching for meaning in my life, I abandoned my successful but unsatisfying career and set out on a six-month solo backpacking trip around the world to pursue my true passions of travel, writing, and photography. My blog features stories about the destinations I visit, people I meet, the crazy things...Read more here....


Monthly Archives: July 2009

Great news! Devoted Hole In The Donut readers will never again have to worry about missing a post!

Look for the new “Get New Posts By Email” box on the very top of the right-hand sidebar. Enter your email address and click on the subscribe button. You will receive a confirmation email containing a link that must be clicked to verify your subscription. Once verified, you will receive an email notice each time I publish a post. Emails contains the title of the post, allowing you to decide if the content is something that would be of interest. You can also unsubscribe at any time by returning to the same box, entering your email address, and clicking on the unsubscribe button. Happy reading!

You might also like:

Sarasota-4th-July-Fireworks

Gorgeous starburst fireworks. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/duaneschoon/3389256448.

Oh yes, it’s HOT in Florida right now. Most days you could probably fry that proverbial egg on our sun-baked sidewalks. But that’s not the kind of sizzle I’m talking about. It’s the smokin’ hot lineup of events planned for Independence Day that I’m talkin’ about!

A weekend of festivities kicks off with “Powerboats By The Bay,” a collection of souped-up racing boats on display at downtown’s Centennial Park on July 3rd & 4th, followed by a spectacular fireworks show over Sarasota Bay at 9 p.m. on the 4th. Although the fireworks can be seen from almost anywhere in the downtown area, in-the-know Sarasotans head for the Bayfront near Island Park, where the the dazzling pyrotechnics create mirror images in the calm waters of the Bay.

Sarasota-4th-July-Fireworks-Mosaic

Mosaic of pyrotechnics, as seen from Sarasota's Bayfront Park. Photos courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/markus941/729113535.

Continue reading

You might also like:

michaela_potter

Michaela Potter in the Galapagos. Photo courtesy of BriefcaseToBackpack.com.

A while back I wrote that Hole In The Donut was featured on the Briefcase to Backpack website.  The founders of the site, Michaela Potter and Sherry Ott, both took a mid-career break to travel around the world and in so doing discovered an interesting fact: although Brits, Aussies and many other cultures accept the value of such a break, the concept is virtually unknown in the U.S. Having benefited in many ways from their travels, the duo wanted to “inspire others to take a cultural career break and gain insightful lessons on life.” Thus Briefcase To Backpack was born, and my around the world trip was one of the first to be featured on their site.

sherry_ott

Sherry Ott in India. Photo courtesy of BriefcaseToBackpack.com.

After my initial phone interview with Michaela, she asked if I would be willing to have a follow-up conversation where she would record my comments for a future podcast. Although I had no idea how they intended to use the audio, I was delighted when, just a few days ago, I discovered Michaela and Sherry had incorporated my comments into a podcast now appearing on the immensely popular Indie Travel Podcast. The site is run by Craig and Linda, full-time travelers who bring you tips and topics from the world of independent travel. They provide regular travel advice, review products and services they have found useful, or bring you an interview from someone they’ve met along the way.

I must admit to being somewhat surprised by the sound of my own voice – do I really sound like that???? But I was otherwise blown away when I listened to it. Perhaps half of the 21-minute podcast was devoted to my phone interview. I sounded articulate, humorous, engaged, energized…all I can say is, somebody must have some mighty fine editing skills! I subsequently realized that the Continue reading

You might also like:

Follow Hole in the Donut

Expedia Summer Sale

Expedia Summer Sale

Free Photography Ebook

Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers
To download your free copy of "Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers," subscribe to Hole In The Donut to receive an email each time a new article is published
* = required field

powered by MailChimp!

Current Location

I'm currently in Pokhara, Nepal

Where I’ve Been

VISIT MY SPONSORS


Prague Hotels
by Prague-Stay.com, the leading accommodation server in Prague

Last minute car rental

Cheap Accommodation

Up to 80% OFF on Accommodation Rates. Price comparison in +100 Booking Sites!



Disney World Tickets


Las Vegas Show Tickets



Choose Uncle Bob's premier longterm storage when traveling abroad - new specials every month!

Condos




Booked a holiday and looking for an airport transfer Holiday Taxis provide airport taxis and airport shuttles to thousands of destinations worldwide including sunny alicante transfers Get a quote & book online today with us!
Punta Cana Hotels

Cheap holiday deals from Expedia.co.uk. Find the latest travel deals on hotels, flights, car hire & more.

Las Vegas Shows
Las Vegas Shows





Disney Tickets

Perfect holidays in Maldives from Letsgo2

Book cheap Amsterdam breaks from AA Getaways

Favorite Sites

Who Likes Us on Facebook

AWARDS, HONORS, AFFILIATIONS