by Missie Hills | Dec 18, 2025 | Asia, International Adventures
We came to Cappadocia with one vision in mind…
Hundreds of hot air balloons floating quietly over the hoodoo valley during a beautiful sunrise. Spoiler alert… we didn’t experience the hot air balloons on this trip. But we left with so much more.
Cappadocia surprised us in the best way. It showed us a side of Turkish culture far from the energy of Istanbul. Slower. Grounded. And Deeply human. The landscape felt otherworldly, but the soul of the place came from the people, the history, and the craft passed down through generations.
We arrived with a packed itinerary and a personal guide ready to lead the way. Our first stop was the Göreme Open Air Museum. Walking through ancient rock-cut churches, we moved from cave to cave, room to room. Faded frescoes still clung to the walls, delicate and worn, telling stories centuries old. It was impossible not to imagine what life must have been like inside those small spaces… Quiet, communal, and intentional.
The kids immediately found their own joy. A camel ride through the valley was must stop. Watching them bounce along, laughing, felt like the perfect contrast to the weight of history around us.
Then came the underground city. Descending into it felt surreal. Narrow tunnels, low ceilings, tight corners. We joked that we looked like naked mole rats shuffling through the dark. We all laughed as Jason his his best to fit in the tiny tunnels while the kids easily walked through no problem. The boys, of course, loved learning about the defense systems, stone doors and hidden traps. We saw small holes in the ceilings where intruders could be met with a brutal end. History suddenly felt very real.
We had a interesting stop at a local pottery workshop where we were given a personal tour of the entire process, from clay pulled straight from the nearby river to the final firing. The craftsmanship was incredible. The kids, and Adam, got their hands dirty, shaping mud into whatever their imaginations could manage. Then we walked through the shop where we saw the real craft on display. Hundreds of beautiful pots with intricate details caught my eye, but my focused remained on ensuring that the kids didn’t accident smash one casting us thousands of dollars.
That night, we stayed in a cave hotel built directly into the hoodoos. After a wonderfully quiet rooftop dinner were we relaxed in the calm energy, sleeping inside the hoodoo itself felt surreal and grounding at the same time.
Then came the 4 a.m. wake-up call, and the disappointment. We dragged our selves out of bed and into the van to take us to meet our balloon. After waiting in the van for a couple hours, we learned the balloon rides were canceled due to wind. We were crushed but only briefly. Because Cappadocia wasn’t done with us yet. We spent the day exploring Red Valley and Rose Valley, stopping at breathtaking viewpoints that somehow felt even more dramatic under shifting skies. We drank Turkish Coffee and stopped for an amazing lunch. We learned about Turkish soda discovering that each regions of Turkey was known for its own unique flavor offerings. It became a game to try all the different flavors we found along the way.
We visited a jewelry workshop and learned about Zultanite, a rare Turkish gemstone that changes color depending on the light. This stop turned into a very good time for the adults. Free whiskey, Turkish wine and new friends set us up for a good time and slightly looser wallets. I left with Zultanite pieces I’ll treasure forever and memories I didn’t expect to make.
Later, we hiked through Imagination Valley, turning it into a game of spotting animals and shapes in the hoodoos. The weather was perfect, the hike short but stunning. Jill and I loved spotting all the different plants and wildflowers growing throughout the hike.
By the time we reached Monk Valley, we were pushing through light rain, and it was still absolutely worth it. The formations there are unlike anywhere else. And yes, they are unmistakably… phallic shaped. The adults couldn’t stop giggling. The kids, blissfully unaware of why, joined in, convinced we were just very amused by fairy chimneys. That moment captured Cappadocia perfectly. Awe, humor, curiosity, and joy all layered together.
At dinner, we made friends with other travelers who loved our energy and insisted on photos with us. We found ourselves lost in the moment, enjoying the unique experience of being in a new place with new people. We may have come for the balloons, but what stayed with us was much deeper.
Our guide shared something that stuck with me. Cappadocia is struggling with a specific kind of over-tourism, Influencers chasing the perfect photo. This has led to a change in the area. Everywhere you go there are carefully placed props and photo perfect experiences like rides in vintage cars and staged horse encounters. This tourism industry has increasingly been built around image instead of experience. Some locals have embraced it using it to their advantage to provide that perfect photo op. Others are heartbroken by it. They see visitors arrive, snap photos, and leave without ever touching what truly makes this place sacred.
The people.
The craftsmanship.
The attention to detail and excellence.
The perseverance of life carved into stone.
The history layered beneath your feet.
The natural beauty.
The sacred ground.
We came for the balloons. And even though they never took off, we fell in love with Turkey even more deeply. Honestly, that feels like exactly what Cappadocia wanted to teach us.
Until next time,
by Missie Hills | Dec 6, 2025 | Asia, Europe, International Adventures
The Hills and Autens… together again! It had been two years since our last group adventure to South America, and we missed our travel friends deeply. A lot had changed in those last two years, but once we were together it felt like we didn’t miss a beat. This time we chose to explore more of Europe. I was itching to revisit my favorite city in the world with the kiddos.
We started this trip with a little gift for the parents, an immediate adult night out with the help of a local babysitter. This was a great way to beat the jet lag and a wonderful start to the break from our daily grind. Taksim Square was buzzing when we arrived. At night, it felt electric. We wandered down the main strip that runs along the iconic tram line. The street had everything. Luxury fashion, tiny boutiques, spice shops, Turkish delights, and more street food than any of us could resist. We found a little alley restaurant, grabbed an outdoor table, and listened to the city swirl around us as we caught up on old times. Then we grabbed fried sardines and warm roasted chestnuts from street vendors. We walked until our feet gave out and somehow ended up right back at our hotel without ever needing a ride. It was a perfect first night to kickstart the fun.
The next morning kicked off the first official day of our adventure. Since Jason and I had been to Istanbul before, we wanted a mix of kid-friendly stops and things we missed last time. We braved the local bus system to Topkapi Palace. It may sound silly, but I feel a sense of pride every time we successfully use a local transit. Getting into Topkapi Palace proved to be a bit harder to get into than I thought it would be. After following multiple directions from palace staff, we finally found a tour guide to get tickets. Once we made it through the massive gates, the chaos was worth it.
Topkapi was much bigger than I expected, layered with courtyards and rooms that seem to fold into each other. Built in the 15th century, it was the home of Ottoman sultans for almost four hundred years, and it feels like a world unto itself. Tilework covers nearly every surface. Colors everywhere. Calligraphy, domes, ornate doors, and relics that stopped me in my tracks. We took our time wandering through every corridor, finding myself wonderfully lost in the details.
After we finally surfaced from the palace, we walked through the gardens with the Blue Mosque on one side and Hagia Sophia on the other. Seeing them again lit me up. The kids were full of energy ready to explore. So from there we slipped underground into the Basilica Cistern. It was dark and echoey and a little eerie, the perfect environment for my boys who love all things spooky. They had the best time searching for Medusa’s head.
We grabbed lunch at a small restaurant with a great view. After we were full and relaxed, Jason and Adam disappeared for their Turkish bath appointment. Jill and I took the kids on our own adventure. It may have started with a taxi driver scamming us and charging double… but it ended with a unique experience that I’ll never forget. Jill had heard about a very special church, the Church of Saint Mary of the Mongols. It’s the only Byzantine church in Istanbul that has always remained Greek Orthodox, never converted to a mosque. It’s tucked behind a tall wall, not open to the public, and the only way in is to find a hidden door and ring a bell like you’re in some kind of secret society.
I thought she was a bit crazy when she told me about the secret door. But I followed along as we searched through a maze of narrow alleys. Suddenly she stopped, examined a very average looking door and pressed the doorbell. A woman actually answered. She looked at us, she looked up and down the alley and seeing that we were alone, she let us in with a quick You have 10 minutes. The church was small, warm, and full of energy. It felt like discovering a little pocket of history no one else knew about.
After that surprise win, we grabbed Turkish coffee brewed in hot sand and chocolate-covered strawberries from an adorable cafe tucked into the side of staircase. We wandered through a tiny local market full of handmade goods. It was a quaint neighborhood, and a new side of Istanbul I hadn’t met before.
Determined not to be scammed again, we once again braved public transit back across the strait to meet the boys near Galata Tower. We stopped for cheesecake, and the kids got that famous Turkish ice cream where the ice-cream vendor plays tricks. He has the kids laughing in stiches. When the boys finally arrived, pink and shiny from their hammam, we all climbed the Galata Tower just in time for sunset. The whole city glowed.
The next morning we flew to Cappadocia… I’ll save that story for another post. But we did return to Istanbul for one last night. This time we explored the port, and the kids loved watching the boats and spotting the tiny jellyfish drifting near the edge of the water. We tried more street food… corn, stuffed clams, and fresh seafood. E even ate a fish eyeball, which he’s still bragging about.
We met the babysitter one more time so the adults could squeeze in another night out. We found a restaurant that served tray after tray of incredible food in the cutest hidden food court off Taksim Square. We drank Turkish Raki and toasted to our friendship. Then walked through the lit-up streets, soaking in the energy of a city one more time. An energy that somehow felt both ancient and alive in the same breath.
Every city I visit I assign a word that represents that city’s essence. The first time Jason and I visited Turkey 10 years ago, I gave Istanbul the word charm. That night I confirmed the word still fits perfectly. I fell in love with Istanbul all over again. The City of Charm has fully secured its position as my favorite city in the world.
Until next time,
by Missie Hills | Jul 27, 2016 | Asia, International Adventures
I admit it, I LOVE weddings. The romance, the tears, the cake, and, most of all, the dancing! So, when our friend, Jit, invited us to his Hindu wedding in India, I was ecstatic! I had no idea what to expect really. My knowledge of Hindu weddings was pretty scarce. Ok, so maybe it was non-existent. Something about red wedding dresses and the groom riding an elephant… Right? Well, that all changed, kind of… Our experience enlighten my view of Southern Indian customs. Although, I’m still a little fuzzy on the details. Due to the language barrier, most of the time, Jason and I had absolutely no idea what was going on.
Our wedding experience started in Trivandrum with a quick shopping trip to find wedding cloths for Jason and I. We needed to look like we fit in (well as much as two Americans in a sea of Indians can fit in). Jit had arranged for an artist to come to my hotel and decorate my hands and arms with mehndi. I sat for a couple hours while the artist hand painted intricate details on my arms. I loved the delicate mandala design.
Then, Jason and I put on our first set of Indian attire for the rehearsal dinner. I felt like a princess in my ivory and gold dress, and Jason looked sharp in his matching tunic.
The rehearsal dinner was full of laughter and joy. Family and friends gathered and spread love throughout the party hall. The bride, Pooja, was gorgeous in her beautiful red dress. There was singing and dancing… speeches and cheers… and traditional Kerala cuisine. We were asked to say a few words, which was rather funny… Me speaking in front of hundreds of strangers who couldn’t understand a word I was saying. They smiled and cheered for me nonetheless. Bless my heart.
The children were very curious about Jason and I. They had never seen Americans before, and my pale skin and blond hair was intriguing them. They stared and giggled at us and would shyly run away when we tried to talk to them.
The next day, we dressed for the wedding in traditional Indian flare. I wore a beautiful white and gold sari that reminded me of an American bride’s wedding dress. I was worried about wearing white, but Jit assured me that it didn’t matter. Jason wore the traditional mundu. Jit’s mom wrapped flowers in my hair and blessed us with some ash on our foreheads. I thought we fit in pretty well, even if everyone was staring at us all the time.
The wedding hall was decorated with flowers and bright colors everywhere. We found a seat and waited for events to begin. People started pouring in.There were over 1000 guests! It was hard for us to tell what exactly was going on. We weren’t sure what marked the start of the ceremony. However, at last, the bride’s party came out in a procession, led by trumpeters, to meet the groom’s party arrival. We frantically followed the commotion outside and watched the crowd greet and bless the groom and his family.
Then, back inside, the bride made her appearance, looking absolutely stunning in a beautiful red sari and draped in gold.
Then we watched the ceremony, having no idea what was going on. Some walking in circles, tossing of flower petals, lighting of candles… And finally, lots and lots of photos. Because there was no kiss to mark the point that the two were officially married, Jason and I had a hard time knowing when the ceremony had ended. And the fact that the guests never really settled down and were constantly up walking around and socializing made it even harder to understand the process. However, at some point we were ushered up to the stage to have photos taken with the couple and then whisked away to the dinning hall for a traditional banana leaf meal.
Everything happened in quite a rush. It was definitely the experience of a lifetime. Watching friends join hands is already such a special, sacred bonding moment. But watching in another country brings this experience to a whole other level of spirituality. We are grateful to have been apart of it.
We wish and pray for a lifetime of happiness for this wonderful couple. May God bless you, Jit and Pudja, with a joyful life!
Until next time,
by Missie Hills | Jun 8, 2016 | Asia, International Adventures
After our warm welcome in India while on the backwaters of Kerala, we were rested and ready for what the country had in store for us. Through all of our travels, on only one other occasion did we get the opportunity to spend our time with a local family truly immersing ourselves in the culture surrounding us. Now that we have done it twice, we agree, this is definitely the way to travel. Yeah, you might miss out on the resort style luxury where the staff caters to your every whim. And you might miss out the privacy of having your own hotel room stocked with a mini fridge of beer. But in exchange, you gain a deep relationship with your hosts, the generosity of strangers treating you like family, and personal exposure to the local lifestyle. Yes, this is the way we like to travel.
We were invited to Kerala by our friend, Jit. Jit moved to the States to work as an engineer, which is how he and Jason first met. We spent a lot of time with him eating Indian food in Mississippi while we chatted about how different our two countries are. He promised me that once he was ready to get married, he would invite us to attend his wedding in India. A few years later, he upheld that promise. So, despite our pre-planned trip to Europe at the same time, how could we say no? We shortened our Europe trip and made time to visit Jit and his family for his upcoming nuptials.
Jit had a whole agenda ready for us. We were just along for the ride. Most of the time we had no idea where that ride was taking us. The ride started by Jit’s brother, Jipin, and cousin, Manu, picking us up at the houseboat dock and taking us to see the ocean. Technically, we saw the Laccadive Sea, but we thought it was the Indian Ocean, and we were ecstatic to mark another ocean off our bucket lists.
We then took a long scenic ride through the jungle to Jit’s summer home in Pathanamthitta where his family was waiting for us with lunch. After meeting the family and settling into our cozy room, Mom had lunch waiting for us on the table. Dad sat with us while we ate and the ladies served us. The conversation was quiet, probably due to the language barrier. Also, it was a little awkward to have everyone watch us as we ate. But the food was delicious! And it just kept coming. As we finished up our meals, the men in the house begin to eat. This is when we first noticed that we were the only ones eating with utensils. The rest of the family ate with their right hand. Suddenly, I understood why everyone was watching us eat. We must have looked so strange eating with forks, and I know they went through a lot of effort to find forks for us in the first place. Once we (as the guests) were done and the men of the house were done, the women ate last. It was very traditional and very different then dinners back home. Jason and I were stuffed.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing at the house before Jit and Manu took us on a drive of the country side. We drove through the jungle keeping our eyes out for wild elephants. We stopped for a short hike to a waterfall where we met some more locals that we followed up to the top. A nice dip in the water was refreshing and worth the steep hike up.
We then visited Manu’s home and met some of his family including his pet cows. His family was so happy to see us. They fed us snacks and tea, and I even got a beautiful necklace as a gift.
We never spotted any wild elephants. So, Jit and Manu took us to an elephant sanctuary that next morning. Once again, I came face to face with these massive lovable beasts.
Then, Jit and Manu took us to visit his mom’s family home. We visited with her parents, sisters, and nieces. They showed us the massive garden they kept in the neighborhood. It wasn’t the type of garden I am used to seeing here in the states. This garden was wild, thick and full of every fruit and vegetable we had tried in India so far. Mangoes, bananas, coconuts, peppercorn, even coffee beans! And of course rubber trees. They showed us how the rubber was gathered from the trees and processed right there in the backyard. We had a wonderful traditional lunch served on a banana leaf before we headed out for the next stop on the agenda.
Next, we stopped at a local stream where we rode a little round boat through the jungle. The ride was serene and perfect for the nice weather outside.
After more driving through the jungle-side, we ended up at Jit’s dad’s family home. We saw the house that Dad was born in. Then we walked to a local Hindu temple while the family attended church. We watched as they prayed to their gods. That next day Jit would be married to a beautiful woman who was waiting for him in Trivadrum. Two families would join. They had a lot to be blessed for. And as I watched this beautiful family gather under the temple roof and pray to gods I did not know, I couldn’t help but be amazed. I thought of my own family back home, my mom, my dad, my sisters and brothers. I thought about Jason’s family and how they are now mine too. And I thought about the family that Jason and I were creating at that moment, the baby growing inside my womb. In that moment, I whispered a prayer to my god, thanking him for reminding me of the faith we can find in family.
Until next time,
by Missie Hills | May 30, 2016 | Asia, International Adventures
Getting to Southern India is no easy task, even if you leave from Vienna. An 8 hour flight, 6 hour layover, and 4 hour flight all in the middle of the night proved to be a bit more than I could handle. At least a bit more than pregnant Missie could handle. So by the time we landed in Cochin, I was shot. Thankfully, we had a houseboat waiting to float us through the beautiful backwaters of Kerala in Indian luxury fashion.
We arrived to the backwaters just in time for the start of houseboat season. So, the normally crowded canals were wide open and peaceful. As we boarded our private houseboat, we were in awe of the luxury they had waiting for us. Our room was decked out with flowers, fresh fruit, and chocolate. The king sized bed was calling my name. But I knew better then to snuggle in and waste our entire time in the beautiful country side tucked inside. A cold beer for Jason and a short nap for me on the roof top lounge was just what we needed to reboot our systems.
We stopped for fresh seafood at a local market mid-afternoon. During this stop, we shopped for some local woodworking souvenirs and visited a Catholic church. This turned out to be the oldest church we have ever explored, being built in 427 AD!
Then as it begin to rain, we boarded our houseboat and waited patiently for the dinner we just bought at the market to be cooked. We ate our wonderful dinner as the rain pitter-pattered around us. When we were through and after the rain passed, we took a canoe out into the smaller canals and watched as the locals continued on through their daily lives washing their cloths, their dishes, themselves, (pretty much anything) in the water as we floated by. We saw families dressed in bright colors and draped in gold as they walked the banks to the Hindu temple for the night. Their lives were fascinating and so different from our own.
We spent the night on the water as the boat swayed softly and the crickets chirped sweet music outside. And when we woke up at sunrise to the sound of kingfishers singing their morning songs, we couldn’t help but to feel the warm welcome India had given us.
Until next time,
by Missie Hills | Oct 6, 2015 | Asia, Europe, International Adventures
As we near our next big trip, Jason and I are going a bit stir crazy here in Texas. Yes, we do love it here, and we stay quite busy doing Texan-y things, like going to the rodeo and watching football. But nothing can quite replace the rush we get when we experience a complete different culture from our own. And that wanderlust in us has us looking back on our past adventures in envy. So, today I am thinking about our exploration of Istanbul, the city of charm.
After our 8 days at sea, it was nice to wind down on land. Ok, wind down? Maybe, not. Istanbul is not really a city you wind down in. But either way, we were on land. And we had two days to see the city. Two days is a very aggressive timeline. But if you know me, you know that I can see a lot in two days.
We started our tour of Istanbul at the famous Grand Bazaar. The title of the Grand Bazaar should have prepared me for what we were up against. But the word “Grand” doesn’t really capture the essence of this bazaar. Perhaps it should be called “Colossal, paralyzing, in-your-face” Bazaar. Because that is how I felt from the moment I walked in. And I LOVED it. Yeah, I was scared to death to look any shop giver in the eye out of fear of being talked into buying a rug. And yeah, being chased down the aisle because you ignored aggressive shop owners was also uncomfortable. But looking past the aggressiveness of it all, I was astounded by the never ending stimuli that continued to catch my senses. The colors of the lamps, scarfs, and beads… The aromas of the exotic spices… The taste samples of the Turkish delight… Oh My! Yes, maybe it was a bit of sensory overload. Still, Jason and I let ourselves get caught up in it all. And we left with a good amount of trinkets to take home.
Our next stop was at the Basilica Cistern, the largest of several ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. The semi-long wait to get down into the cistern was worth every minute. The moment you walk into the cool underground you feel an eerie sense of being pulled into a dark underworld. However, the mass of touristy people in all directions brings you back to reality quickly.
The next morning we woke at sunrise to try to beat the crowds for Istanbul’s main attractions, the mosques. And despite the unexpected downpour, we headed out wrapped in rain gear to the
Hagia Sofia. After some creative deals with street tour guides, we were the first guests to walk through the Hagia Sophia doors that day. Our early rise paid off. The former mosque and former Christian church was undergoing restorations while we were there. However, we still were knocked breathless at our first gaze up to the iconic dome.
Then, we strolled across the square to the Blue Mosque and waited in a line that seemed to last an eternity. The reward of seeing the millions of blue tiles filling the mosque was good enough to pay off the wait. However, we were crowded into the small room with many other people forcing us to snap a few photos and leave quickly to get fresh air.
We spent the rest of the day walking around the city soaking in the local culture and ended the night with a wonderful dinner in a rooftop bar overlooking both beautiful mosques.
Istanbul definitely has that charm I expected from an old Turkish city. At the same time, it had that bustling big city feel you’d expect out of one of the largest cities in the world. Every corner presented something new. Every alley was a mini adventure. Every shop and bistro was packed full of culture. It was a wanderlust’s dream getaway, and the memory of every bit of it has me begging for more: more culture, more charm, and more adventure.
Until next time,
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