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    Under A Different Sky

    Allie has never been the type of woman to settle for cozy domesticity and weekend barbecues on the porch. Together with her husband and their three children, she has the rat race behind her to embark on a life of adventures on the open road, exploring all the four corners of the world. She wants a different kind of life for herself and her children, and she knows she never wants to go back. But when her husband decides to go home and leaves them in a remote Indian village, Allie finds herself struggling to keep the travel dream alive. A shocking assault leaves her badly shaken, and she seeks…

  • About

    About Me

    I’m an ordinary mother living an extraordinary life of adventure with my three children. We have been traveling the world for over 10 years, and I draw on my experiences to create stories of all kinds. A professional writer since the age of 18, I was living a regular suburban mom lifestyle in Israel until one day I realized I wanted more out of life: more adventure, more freedom, more passion…and less mundanity. I didn’t have money, knowledge or support. But I made it happen. Travel helps me look at the world with fresh eyes and has given me new perspectives on everything from parenting and problem-solving to dating and…

  • Behind The Scenes

    Under a Different Sky – Behind the Scenes

    Background  It was the summer of 2013. My three kids and I were staying in Pokhara, Nepal, and thinking about where we should go for the summer.   The previous years we had spent our summers relaxing in India, but this time I felt  I wanted something else. For years, I had dreamed of visiting Mongolia, and had been waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment. I knew summer would be the best season to go there (not too cold) so I started looking into how I could make it happen.   I discovered that flights to China were really cheap, and worked out that we could stay there for a month, and then cross the…

  • About

    Sometimes, All It Takes Is A Cup Of Coffee

    This is the story of a very average woman who discovered she could be a total badass.     Chapter one   If you search the term ‘life changing’ on Amazon, you’ll get over 10,000 results: most of them are books. Other items that are purportedly life-changing include spendy cosmetics, water filters, and a certain type of dog food.    Which begs the question: if it’s so easy to change your life, how come so many people still live a shitty existence, unaware of the unlimited options that, for just a few dollars, will do the job that no therapist managed to do?  My name is Haleli Smadar. Seventeen years ago, I was…