Travel Bug Events

Subject	Date	Category	Presenter	Description
Sailing Down the Congo	Sat Aug 09	Slide Show	Sangeeta Sahaya	Last December Sangeeta spent almost a full month in the Congo Basin exploring one of the few areas of the African continent that she had not visited before. While the Congo provided the thrill of spotting wildlife and even introduced her to new species of flora and fauna, what really distinguished this trip from many others was its history and the deep sense of discovery it engendered in her throughout. Until the mid-1800 's, the Congo remained almost entirely unexplored by outsiders. The dense forests and wild rivers of the Congo made travel and exploration much more forbidding and even to this day, the Congo does not give up her secrets easily. Like Alice in Wonderland, as this journey unfolded it only became "curiouser and curiouser. " Join Sangeeta as we step through this Looking Glass into an enigmatic world of great apes, pinkish-tusked elephants, red river hogs, water-drumming tribes and the fashionistas who inspired the theme of the last Met Gala!
Indian Market no show	Sat Aug 16	CANCELED		Too much chaos downtown, catch us next week!
Alula to Petra Jordan	Sat Aug 23	Slide Show	Christy Gervers	A Do-It-Yourself Trip to Saudi Arabia and Jordan "High on our bucket list was the historic Nabatean civilization in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. In 2025 we finally went. Our destination in Saudi was AlUla, it is new to tourism and there is not much information available about independent travel. We found an English speaking taxi driver at the AlUla airport who became our driver for the whole visit. Alula has ancient town sites and 1500 year old Nabatean tombs. Petra was spectacular and almost deserted because the Red Sea cruises have been discontinued. We walked or rode donkeys into the ancient city of Petra to visit the amazing rock cut Treasury, Monastery, temples and other edifices. " --Christy Gervers
Art in the Loo	Sun Aug 24	Booksigning	Christy Hengst	Art in the Loo book release/signing and pop-up exhibit of the original pieces, Sunday August 24th 3-5 pm, at Travel Bug and in the Axle truck (in parking lot of Travel Bug). Informal chat about the experience of this year-long clandestine public art project at 4pm. Art in the Loo was a city-wide, public art project in which 40 small paintings of Yucca plants were installed anonymously in public bathroom stalls all over Santa Fe, NM, for the duration of one year. The proposal was to create a little surprise and aesthetic pleasure in a place that typically is not considered in that way. Give a little lift where it 's needed most.
Travel Bug Book Dissussions 5pm	Tue Aug 26	Book Group	Aimee Gwynne Franklyn	Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green Tuesday, August 26, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, preventable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year. In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.
Story Safari: Ethiopia	Sat Aug 30	Slide Show	Kenny Mann	Kenny (born in Kenya) has travelled all over the world, but rarely in a tourist group. She prefers to travel authentically "among the people of the country you’re visiting, not in an isolated tour bus.” In January 2024, Kenny and her husband Uli hired a local Ethiopian guide to take them to visit the Omo River Valley. Although it was fascinating to witness the local culture - still raw and relatively untouched by tourism- Kenny came away feeling like a privileged white voyeur and vowed never to travel that way again. Instead, Kenny has come up with an idea for mutual cultural exchange that could change the travel industry in Ethiopia, Kenya, and other countries. Please join Kenny in a discussion around her idea, illustrated by images and videos from her journey.
Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm	Fri Sep 05	SPECIAL	Emily Estes	Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening! From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living. Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer! Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm! Everyone welcome!
Exploring New Mexico's Special Places	Sat Sep 06	Slide Show	David Ryan	With cooler temperatures just around the corner, now is the time to get ready to explore our fantastic state. David Ryan shows us many of the special places that you can only find in New Mexico – places that are compelling and important enough to warrant a trip across the country to check out. David Ryan, who moved to New Mexico in 1998 (after completing the 2180-mile Appalachian Trail), is the author of Wandering in the Clear Light of New Mexico and the coauthor of the most recent edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque. Both books are available at Travel Bug. He will be signing books at the conclusion of his talk.
Kennecott Alaska	Sat Sep 13	Slide Show	Richard Rindone	Richard will take you deep within the Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, a very large but deserted mine operation that ran between 1911 to 1938 when it closed almost overnight. Everything was left behind including dishes on tables and medical records in the hospital. Richard felt as if he was transported through time wandering through the empty buildings. The Historic Landmark is located about 300 miles from Anchorage. The Kennecott Glacier Lodge operates a very nice hotel for stays while visiting. Guided tours are given daily. The remote location is rich with both history and hiking.
Europe and Great Britain	Sat Sep 20	Slide Show	Suzanne Blazier	Join Suzanne Blazier for a presentation of sites seen across Great Britain and Europe. This was a recent trip, May 2025, and included spending time in Wales, England, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris. The journey was 24 days, with two of those spent traveling from Albuquerque there and back. This journey was planned by Suzanne and was not part of a tour group experience.
Sierra Club: Wild Rivers Trails	Sat Sep 27	Slide Show	John Buscher	Hiking the lesser-used Wild Rivers Trails Del Dubois will share his extensive knowledge of the trails in the northern section of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The talk will be followed with an hike guided by Del to Cerro De La Olla (Pot Mountain) on a weekend day.
Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm	Fri Oct 03	SPECIAL	Emily Estes	Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening! From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living. Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer! Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm! Everyone welcome!
Two Sticks, One Path	Sat Oct 04	Booksigning	Darrow Kirkpatrick	Two Sticks, One Path: A Journey Beyond Fear on the Colorado Trail Stunning photos and moving narration from the memoir about a six-year-long section hike of the highest long trail in the country... on crutches! Two Sticks, One Path is a heartfelt memoir that chronicles a journey of resilience and determination. The narrative unfolds against the majestic but stricken Rocky Mountains, tracing the author 's evolution from a young boy enamored with the wilderness to a man grappling with physical disability and crippling anxiety. The author 's boyhood dream is put to the ultimate test as he battles injuries, self-doubt, and the unforgiving elements of nature. Armed with crutches and commitment, he embarks on a journey that is as much about self-discovery as it is about survival.
GUATEMALA: Traditions, Textiles and Evolving Culture	Sat Oct 11	Slide Show	Judith Haden	The long history of endemic poverty, a horrific civil war, and sudden computerization are all colliding to create much adaptation within the ancient, mystical Guatemalan indigenous culture. But all is not lost! Join Judith for an informative presentation accompanied by her stunning photography.
Beer Hiking	Sat Oct 18	Booksigning	Kevin Holsapple	Join New Mexico author Kevin Holsapple for a unique and captivating presentation on the niche pursuit of "beer hiking. " In this special booksigning event, Kevin will take you on a journey around the world with a stunning slideshow of images from his global beer hiking adventures, including some of the best from his new book, Beer Hiking Southern Rockies. The presentation will delve into the art of combining breathtaking hikes with visits to local breweries, sharing the stories behind the trails and the craft beer scenes that define these communities. Following the slideshow, Kevin will host a Q&A session, followed by a booksigning. A drawing will be held for a custom Beer Hiker 's Kit designed by Kevin. Come for the adventure, stay for the stories, and enjoy a cold beer from Travelbug. It 's the perfect evening for outdoor enthusiasts and craft beer lovers alike!
Spanish in Merida, Mexico	Fri Oct 24	SPECIAL	Greg	We are presenting a one week Spanish conversation class with our Spanish teacher, Clara Evans, at our hacienda near Merida, Mexico. Dates are tentative If you are interested in joining please email us for more information: travelbug@mapsofnewmexico.com

Sailing Down the Congo

Sat Aug 09

Slide Show

Sangeeta Sahaya

Last December Sangeeta spent almost a full month in the Congo Basin exploring one of the few areas of the African continent that she had not visited before.

While the Congo provided the thrill of spotting wildlife and even introduced her to new species of flora and fauna, what really distinguished this trip from many others was its history and the deep sense of discovery it engendered in her throughout.

Until the mid-1800 's, the Congo remained almost entirely unexplored by outsiders. The dense forests and wild rivers of the Congo made travel and exploration much more forbidding and even to this day, the Congo does not give up her secrets easily. Like Alice in Wonderland, as this journey unfolded it only became "curiouser and curiouser. "

Join Sangeeta as we step through this Looking Glass into an enigmatic world of great apes, pinkish-tusked elephants, red river hogs, water-drumming tribes and the fashionistas who inspired the theme of the last Met Gala!

Indian Market no show

Sat Aug 16

CANCELED

Too much chaos downtown, catch us next week!

Alula to Petra Jordan

Sat Aug 23

Slide Show

Christy Gervers

A Do-It-Yourself Trip to Saudi Arabia and Jordan
"High on our bucket list was the historic Nabatean civilization in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. In 2025 we finally went. Our destination in Saudi was AlUla, it is new to tourism and there is not much information available about independent travel. We found an English speaking taxi driver at the AlUla airport who became our driver for the whole visit. Alula has ancient town sites and 1500 year old Nabatean tombs.
Petra was spectacular and almost deserted because the Red Sea cruises have been discontinued. We walked or rode donkeys into the ancient city of Petra to visit the amazing rock cut Treasury, Monastery, temples and other edifices. " --Christy Gervers

Art in the Loo

Sun Aug 24

Booksigning

Christy Hengst

Art in the Loo book release/signing and pop-up exhibit of the original pieces, Sunday August 24th 3-5 pm, at Travel Bug and in the Axle truck (in parking lot of Travel Bug).

Informal chat about the experience of this year-long clandestine public art project at 4pm.

Art in the Loo was a city-wide, public art project in which 40 small paintings of Yucca plants were installed anonymously in public bathroom stalls all over Santa Fe, NM, for the duration of one year. The proposal was to create a little surprise and aesthetic pleasure in a place that typically is not considered in that way. Give a little lift where it 's needed most.

Travel Bug Book Dissussions 5pm

Tue Aug 26

Book Group

Aimee Gwynne Franklyn

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

Tuesday, August 26, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it.

In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, preventable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year.

In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.

Story Safari: Ethiopia

Sat Aug 30

Slide Show

Kenny Mann

Kenny (born in Kenya) has travelled all over the world, but rarely in a tourist group. She prefers to travel authentically "among the people of the country you’re visiting, not in an isolated tour bus.”

In January 2024, Kenny and her husband Uli hired a local Ethiopian guide to take them to visit the Omo River Valley. Although it was fascinating to witness the local culture - still raw and relatively untouched by tourism- Kenny came away feeling like a privileged white voyeur and vowed never to travel that way again.

Instead, Kenny has come up with an idea for mutual cultural exchange that could change the travel industry in Ethiopia, Kenya, and other countries.

Please join Kenny in a discussion around her idea, illustrated by images and videos from her journey.

Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm

Fri Sep 05

SPECIAL

Emily Estes

Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening!

From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living.

Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer!

Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm!

Everyone welcome!

Exploring New Mexico's Special Places

Sat Sep 06

Slide Show

David Ryan

With cooler temperatures just around the corner, now is the time to get ready to explore our fantastic state. David Ryan shows us many of the special places that you can only find in New Mexico – places that are compelling and important enough to warrant a trip across the country to check out.

David Ryan, who moved to New Mexico in 1998 (after completing the 2180-mile Appalachian Trail), is the author of Wandering in the Clear Light of New Mexico and the coauthor of the most recent edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque. Both books are available at Travel Bug. He will be signing books at the conclusion of his talk.

Kennecott Alaska

Sat Sep 13

Slide Show

Richard Rindone

Richard will take you deep within the Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, a very large but deserted mine operation that ran between 1911 to 1938 when it closed almost overnight. Everything was left behind including dishes on tables and medical records in the hospital. Richard felt as if he was transported through time wandering through the empty buildings. The Historic Landmark is located about 300 miles from Anchorage. The Kennecott Glacier Lodge operates a very nice hotel for stays while visiting. Guided tours are given daily. The remote location is rich with both history and hiking.

Europe and Great Britain

Sat Sep 20

Slide Show

Suzanne Blazier

Join Suzanne Blazier for a presentation of sites seen across Great Britain and Europe. This was a recent trip, May 2025, and included spending time in Wales, England, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris. The journey was 24 days, with two of those spent traveling from Albuquerque there and back. This journey was planned by Suzanne and was not part of a tour group experience.

Sierra Club: Wild Rivers Trails

Sat Sep 27

Slide Show

John Buscher

Hiking the lesser-used Wild Rivers Trails

Del Dubois will share his extensive knowledge of the trails in the northern section of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

The talk will be followed with an hike guided by Del to Cerro De La Olla (Pot Mountain) on a weekend day.

Financial Fridays! 5:00-6:30pm

Fri Oct 03

SPECIAL

Emily Estes

Join us and Emily Estes (Financial Advisor, Edward Jones) the first Friday of every month for an informal, but informative way to enjoy your evening!

From 5:15-5:45pm Emily will cover various financial topics to help you live a life worth living.

Stay after the talk until 6:30pm for the Q&A, casual discussion, and a beer!

Remember Happy Hour is 5-6pm!

Everyone welcome!

Two Sticks, One Path

Sat Oct 04

Booksigning

Darrow Kirkpatrick

Two Sticks, One Path: A Journey Beyond Fear on the Colorado Trail

Stunning photos and moving narration from the memoir about a six-year-long section hike of the highest long trail in the country... on crutches!

Two Sticks, One Path is a heartfelt memoir that chronicles a journey of resilience and determination. The narrative unfolds against the majestic but stricken Rocky Mountains, tracing the author 's evolution from a young boy enamored with the wilderness to a man grappling with physical disability and crippling anxiety. The author 's boyhood dream is put to the ultimate test as he battles injuries, self-doubt, and the unforgiving elements of nature. Armed with crutches and commitment, he embarks on a journey that is as much about self-discovery as it is about survival.

GUATEMALA: Traditions, Textiles and Evolving Culture

Sat Oct 11

Slide Show

Judith Haden

The long history of endemic poverty, a horrific civil war, and sudden computerization are all colliding to create much adaptation within the ancient, mystical Guatemalan indigenous culture. But all is not lost! Join Judith for an informative presentation accompanied by her stunning photography.

Beer Hiking

Sat Oct 18

Booksigning

Kevin Holsapple

Join New Mexico author Kevin Holsapple for a unique and captivating presentation on the niche pursuit of "beer hiking. " In this special booksigning event, Kevin will take you on a journey around the world with a stunning slideshow of images from his global beer hiking adventures, including some of the best from his new book, Beer Hiking Southern Rockies.

The presentation will delve into the art of combining breathtaking hikes with visits to local breweries, sharing the stories behind the trails and the craft beer scenes that define these communities. Following the slideshow, Kevin will host a Q&A session, followed by a booksigning. A drawing will be held for a custom Beer Hiker 's Kit designed by Kevin.

Come for the adventure, stay for the stories, and enjoy a cold beer from Travelbug. It 's the perfect evening for outdoor enthusiasts and craft beer lovers alike!

Spanish in Merida, Mexico

Fri Oct 24

SPECIAL

Greg

We are presenting a one week Spanish conversation class with our Spanish teacher, Clara Evans, at our hacienda near Merida, Mexico.

Dates are tentative

If you are interested in joining please email us for more information: travelbug@mapsofnewmexico.com

Next Event

Travel Bug
839 Paseo de Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501

travelbug@mapsofnewmexico.com

505-992-0418

Current Hours: Monday - Saturday 9-6 Sunday 12 - 4
Slide Shows typically Saturdays at 5pm
Join our eMail annoucement list

Next Event

Travel Bug 839 Paseo de Peralta Santa Fe, NM 87501

travelbug@mapsofnewmexico.com 505-992-0418

Current Hours: Monday - Saturday 9-6 Sunday 12 - 4 Slide Shows typically Saturdays at 5pm Join our eMail annoucement list

Travel Bug
839 Paseo de Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501

travelbug@mapsofnewmexico.com

505-992-0418

Current Hours: Monday - Saturday 9-6 Sunday 12 - 4
Slide Shows typically Saturdays at 5pm
Join our eMail annoucement list