A Few of the Benefits of Just Pulling Over

Single woman in pink gloves and blue hat in leek field in Kusadasi, Turkey by Ralph Velasco

Are you the curious type?  Can you step out of your comfort zone and approach a group of strangers? A few years ago, I had an opportunity to photograph in Turkey, a destination I’d been eager to get to for quite some time.  I was there on a scouting trip, which is something I almost […]

What Is the Highway Code of India?

Women laughing on rickshaw in traffic in Delhi, India by Ralph Velasco

Did you know there’s a Highway Code of India? On my first trip to India’s Golden Triangle (an area bounded by Delhi, Agra & Jaipur) our local guide on the group tour part of the trip (I stayed for four more days on my own), was a very affable man named Anil.  During a bus […]

What’s It Like to Ride Camels in the Desert?

Touareg man in blue with camel and group in distance in Sahara desert near Merzouga, Morocco by Ralph Velasco

Let’s get a feel for what it’s like to ride camels in the desert. For the past 7 or 8 years I’ve led our Mystical Morocco tour, and as always, one of the highlights of the trip is when we get to ride camels in the Sahara desert at sunrise.  Outside the town of Erfoud, […]

La Chaya Maya, a Unique and Refreshing Drink from México

Man Preparing Chaya in Merida, Mexico by Ralph Velasco

Let’s venture to México’s Yúcatan peninsula to try some refreshing and oh so good for you Chaya Maya. When I travel, I’m constantly on the lookout for unique and interesting drinks, particularly ones that I don’t think I’d easily find anywhere else. Several years ago, I was in Mérida, México, and I hit the jackpot […]

Introducing My New Continental DRIFTER Blog and Website

Ralph Velasco with young monks on riverfront in Phnom Penh, Cambodia by Carol Lloyd

Welcome to my new blog, and website, the Continental DRIFTER.  It’s been a long time coming but this is a project I’ve been working on for quite a while now.   My Goal with the Continental DRIFTER Blog and Website My goal with the Continental DRIFTER blog and its accompanying YouTube channel of the same name […]