The sun cast shadows on red-brown dunes, making them look as though a giant shovel had hollowed out one side. Then I saw pink sand dunes and deadwood branches spidering in multiple directions on a flat area. One scene was more fascinating than the one before it. Then Widu parked the car in a lot and invited me to observe the Great One. It was orange sand filled with footprints of people seeking a means to reach the top. I gasped as I looked upward at the distant peak against a blue sky.
Travel can change the way we see the world, but it can also change the way we see ourselves. In “After the Sunset,” Arlene Pullen brings readers along on a remarkable collection of journeys spanning continents, cultures, landscapes, and oceans. Proudly published by Citi of Books, this is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retail platforms.
From the vast deserts of Africa and the historic streets of Europe to Caribbean islands, Central America, and unforgettable cruise destinations, Pullen records the places she visited with curiosity, humor, appreciation, and an eye for the small details that make travel memorable.
Woven throughout the adventures are stories about the animals who shared the author’s life, particularly her cats, as well as reflections on family, friendship, aging, memories, loss, and what comes next. The result is an intimate memoir in which spectacular destinations and ordinary personal moments exist side by side.
The book begins with a collection of experiences that introduce readers to Pullen’s personality and her love of observation. One early section, “There’s a Cat in the Backyard,” immediately establishes the importance of animals in her life. Other early chapters introduce subjects ranging from Gray and the Buzzard to the Serenity Wall before the memoir moves into a major section devoted to adventures in Africa.
Africa provides some of the book’s most vivid travel experiences. Pullen visits destinations in Tunisia, Botswana, and Namibia, encountering extraordinary landscapes and wildlife along the way. In one memorable experience, a young leopard lies beneath her tour vehicle, causing the driver to wait patiently until the animal finally moves into the jungle. During another evening in Botswana, she hears a strange sound outside her lodging and discovers an elephant emerging from the nearby water and passing her deck on its way toward the jungle.
“After the Sunset” is compelling because it offers two journeys at once. One is geographical, taking readers across countries, oceans, deserts, historic cities, islands, and wilderness. The other is deeply personal, revealing the author’s relationships with family, friends, fellow travelers, and beloved pets. These two journeys continually overlap, making the memoir feel both expansive and intimate.
Pullen’s storytelling is particularly enjoyable because she pays attention to the details that can easily be overlooked. A bowl of gelato beside the harbor, an unexpected animal encounter, a historic building, a local meal, a sunset viewed from a balcony, or a conversation with another traveler can become an important part of the experience. Her observations give the reader the sense of traveling alongside her rather than simply reading a list of destinations.
Ultimately, “After the Sunset” is a celebration of curiosity and the willingness to keep experiencing life. Its pages move from wildlife encounters and ancient sites to cruises, friendships, family memories, and beloved pets, creating a portrait of a life enriched by exploration. Arlene Pullen reminds readers that every journey leaves something behind, whether it is a photograph, a story, a friendship, a cherished memory, or simply the feeling of having witnessed something beautiful. Even when the sun finally disappears beyond the horizon, the experiences we gather along the way continue to illuminate what comes next.
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