March 3rd Tuesday 7pm
The Impenetrable Forest with author Thor Hanson
Lying in the remote hills of southwest Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest harbors elephants, chimpanzees, monkeys, and half the world’s population of endangered mountain gorillas. For two years Thor Hanson called that forest home, working with local guides and trackers to develop a gorilla tourism program in the newly-formed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. He helped habituate wild gorillas to the presence of human beings, coming into regular contact with two mountain gorilla families. Tonight, with stories from his book The Impenetrable Forest, along with images and music, Thor gives us a rare and unforgettable glimpse into the world of mountain gorillas, and the human cultures that surround them.

March 10th Tuesday 7pm
Beautiful Bali with Reid Coen of Imprint Tours
Long the traveler’s jewel of Indonesia, the island paradise of Bali is blessed with a stunning variety of natural beauty, a rich cultural heritage, welcoming locals, and wonderfully low prices. The small island of Bali includes volcanic peaks, photogenic rice terraces, dramatic waterfalls, some of the world’s best beaches, and a cultural life that is colorful, rich, accessible, and engaging. Traditional Balinese dance, music, and theater are available everywhere, the island is dotted with beautiful temples, and Balinese arts and crafts make it a shopping paradise. A traditional Hindu-Animist culture means visitors are safe and treated as honored guests. Finally, Bali is an incredible travel bargain. Join Reid Coen of Imprint Tours for a visual feast of Bali’s enchanting highlights.

March 17th Tuesday 7pm
Smiling at the World with author Joyce Major
With its spotlight on volunteer travel around the world, Major’s ecotourism adventure takes us into the hearts and minds of the world as she volunteers with lions, elephants, kangaroos, and baboons. In China she teaches English, works on a restoration project in Italy, and heads to New Zealand to work at a sustainability sanctuary. She even volunteers as a reporter in Ireland. You’ll want to pack your bags as Major fires up your own desire to travel, to learn, and to give back to the world. Major’s journey began with the gnawing question: Is the life I am leading right now, the best way for me to live, to use my talents, to help the planet? Now, she’s living her answer. What’s your answer? Don’t miss this engaging, inspiring event with the author of Smiling at the World.

March 21st Saturday 9am
Solo Traveler
Join us for an informal gathering of travelers as they meet and learn from each other’s travel experiences and share wisdom learned on the road. Whether you’re preparing for your first solo journey or your hundredth, you’ll enjoy sharing your adventures with your fellow sojourners. Bring your coffee and your questions!

March 24th Tuesday 7pm
The Adventurous Traveler’s Guide to Health with author Christopher Sanford, M.D.
Travel safely throughout the developing world with this easy to read, knowledgeable, and light enough to pack book. With many targeted suggestions and strategies for reducing illness and injury while abroad, The Adventurous Traveler’s Guide is useful for students, travelers to both urban and eco-tourism sites, and adventurers who travel off the beaten path. Dr. Sanford is co-director of the UW Travel Clinic.

March 31st Tuesday 7pm
Vietnam and Laos with David Rothschild, the Adventure Travel Company
Vietnam offers travelers a huge variety of fascinating sites, ethnic minorities, regional delicacies and renowned beauty. From the rice terraced hills to the bustling Old Quarter and ambient French District of Hanoi, from historic Hue to charming Hoi An, from the manic pace of Ho Chi Minh City to the lazy rhythms of the Mekong River – Vietnam has a wealth of fabulous travel opportunities that amaze and inspire all visitors. Devoutly Buddhist and largely undeveloped, the Lao are a gentle and welcoming people whose relaxed pace of life stands in sharp contrast to its neighbors. Luang Prabang is a perfectly-preserved blend of rustic colonial architecture and gilded monasteries. Vientiane, the laid-back waterside capital, is one of Asia’s most atmospheric cities. Explore the diversities of Vietnam and Lao with David Rothschild, Asia specialist for the Adventure Travel Company.

February 3rd Tuesday 7pm
The School of Essential Ingredients with author Erica Bauermeister
Once a month on Monday night, eight students gather in Lillian’s Restaurant for a cooking class. The students have come to learn the art behind Lillian’s soulful dishes, but it soon becomes clear that each seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. Over time, the paths of the students mingle and intertwine, and the essence of Lillian’s cooking expands beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of their lives, with results that are often unexpected, and always delicious. Join us tonight with Erica to celebrate the pleasurable places food can take us.

February 10th Tuesday 7pm
Peru: Classic Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu with Sandy Braun of Adventure Associates
The astonishing breadth and beauty of Peru is unsurpassed: glistening 20,000 ft. Andean peaks tower above crystalline glacial lakes, the majestic heritage of the Inca civilization, and the famed citadel of Machu Picchu. Join Sandra Braun, founder of Adventure Associates and world travel guide, for a slide presentation of the ultimate Peruvian adventure: visit ruins of Cusco - “the Archeological capital of the Americas”- explore Sacred Valley handicraft markets and villages of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, and experience our classic five day trek along the ancient footpaths of the Incas. It will be an evening of photographs and stories as we traverse a magnificent walkway of stones, stairways and tunnels until we reach Machu Picchu and explore the wonders of the “Lost City of the Incas.”

February 17th Tuesday 7pm
Around Lake Baikal with Bob Birkby
A cold February night seems just right for a warm evening of great stories and slide show from Siberia. Our friend and author Bob Birkby recently swung a pack onto his shoulders and spent a month traveling around Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake, a National Heritage Preserve surrounded by five national parks and reserves. Four hundred miles long, the lake carves a narrow blue crescent in the mountainous terrain of eastern Siberia. Invited by the Great Baikal Trail Association to evaluate hiking trails, Russian trail crews have been using his best-selling book Lightly on the Land for guidance in designing and constructing the beginnings of a remarkable network of trails. Please join us for an enlightening presentation and also to share in the launching of the paperback edition of Bob’s latest book, Mountain Madness: Scott Fischer, Mt. Everest, and a Life Lived on High.

February 21st Saturday 9am
Gutsy Women
Join us as we host an informal gathering for women to meet and learn from each other’s travel experiences and share wisdom learned from the road. Bring your coffee and your questions.

February 24th Tuesday 7pm
A Year in Umbria with Candace and John Sheehan
John and Candace Sheehan recently fulfilled a long-held dream and lived for a year in the countryside in Umbria Italy. Beginning with the practical - why and how they did this - they will move on to the more exciting aspects of living in a country filled with art and known for it’s incredible food and wine, while delving into Italy’s culture and people. Learn about their day-to-day lives and also their travels in a country that is consistently a best-seller location at Wide World. John, a passionate photographer, will visually take us to this magical land and everyone will leave saying Mille Grazie!