About
About Kaleidoscopic Wandering
The world is a rainbow of colors and I want to paint with them all.
My travel experiences started before I was three and could fly for free. My dad would prop me on his briefcase, tell me to hang on like a monkey and swing me down the corridors of the airport on our way to the departure gate. Since then, I’ve seen much of the United States by car and parts of the rest of the world by air and boat. I’ve served as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Kenya, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, white water rafted the Nile River, watched the sunset from Jeju Island and hiked the Inca Trail, but there is so much more of the world left for me to explore.
I currently live in Las Vegas but have an affinity for the great outdoors. I’m in love with our National Parks and enjoy the simple pleasures of walking, hiking, biking, exploring and venturing in to most things adventure-related.
I created this blog to share my stories and travel tips … my hope is that I inspire you to learn, love and live your own travel dreams.
My Scribbles
I’ve written on many topics, most commonly travel, dance, college life, and arts and culture. Check out my full complete portfolio at my website, but dig right into my travel writing at:
- A Cat’s Meow: Saving Exotic Felines in Rural California (Donne Tempo)
- Cusco, Peru: The Heart of the Inca Empire (Global Writes)
- Defining Paradise: Why is it All About the Beaches? (BootsnAll)
- Domingo’s Mexican & Seafood Restaurant (Donne Tempo)
- Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (TravelMuse)
- How to Deal with Culture Shock (Copia Magazine)
- Jeju Island, Korea (Donne Tempo)
- Local Culture Club: The Universal Desire to Fit In (Matador Network | Brave New Traveler)
- Photo Essay: Ground Zero for 2012 in Copan, Honduras (Matador Network | Brave New Traveler)
- Redefining Kenya (Vagabondish)
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (Donne Tempo)
- Should You Listen to the Travel Warnings about Honduras? (Matador Network | Matador Abroad)
- Solo Travel: Pros and Cons (BootsnAll)
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Safety and Security Tips to Know Before You Go (BootsnAll)
- Taste the Local Flavor: Why Eating is an Important Part of Traveling Abroad (Copia Magazine)
Vodcasts
Guest blog posts and interviews
- Indie Travel Podcast Magazine, Tripping and Talking with JoAnna Haugen – Issue 2, December 2009-January 2010
- Isabelle’s Travel Guide Favorite Blogger of the Week – Plane, Train and Automobile
- Sharing Travel Experiences – Interview: Kaleidoscopic Globe Trotting
- Solo Traveler – Burning Man for the Solo Traveler
- The Big Blend Vacation Station radio interview about Cusco, Peru – January 19, 2010
- The No Debt World Travel Guide Ebook by Brian Peters – December 2009
- Velvet Escape – A World of Inspiration: A Confident Smile
Award-winning travel writing
- WanderWomen Write Contest – Building a Family in Kenya
- Sharing Travel Experiences World’s Most Inspirational Place Contest – The Grand Canyon on Christmas Day
My Photos
My husband and favorite travel partner, Cory, and I take the majority of the photos on this travel blog. If photos come from another source, it will be noted in that particular post.
What Can I Do For You?
Hopefully you’ll find the information on this site fun and informative, but a girl’s got to make a living too. If you’re looking for a print, web or copy writer, you’ve come to the right place. Drop me a line here and I’d be happy to send you clips, references and the like. (Please make let me know in your note that you came through Kaleidoscopic Wandering.)
My Virtual Life
Find me wandering in cyberspace at:
- My Website
- Kaleidoscopic Wandering Facebook Fan Page
- Matador Travel
- Travel Blog Exchange
- Peace Corps Connect
Copyright Protection
All materials on Kaleidoscopic Wandering are copyrighted and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.










JoAnna, I look forward to following your adventures this summer. Speaking of rainbows, the Rainbow Gathering will be in New Mexico this year (not far from you). If you want to commune with nature and plenty of earth kids check it out at http://www.welcomehome.org/rainbow/sites/annual-site.html
Be well and live large, Pat
Very cool! Loving it so far
Thanks for all the great feedback on Wordpress Anna! I’m glad I went this route!
i’ll be waiting in anticiaption for each installment….
i remember reading your ‘redefining Kenya’ piece and thinking oh, wow. beautiful writing!
For some reason, I just now made it to your blog, and it’s great! Your articles are so well written and on a variety of interesting topics – I love it! I look forward to reading more!
Jo, If you haven’t already – check out “Tales of a Female Nomad.” This is among my fav. travel books! Keep on Truckin’!
@Sarah ~ I love Tales of a Female Nomad! What a fantastic and inspiring book! If you liked that one, you might also enjoy Eat, Pray, Love.
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