Portland, Oregon - September 02, 2001 Victoria and the lower Forty Eight The planned few days off in Victoria turned into two weeks, thanks to the relentless hospitality of my friends Gil and Lynne Blair, both of whom I met on a cycling trip two years ago in Washington State. I am greatly indebted to them for providing me with thousands of calories, electric light, this thing that spews hot water (they call it a 'shower'), and teaching me … [Read more...]
Where can you find Islands the Shape of Palm Trees?
All my preconceived notions about the rigid cultural conservativism of countries in the Arab peninsula were thrown out the minute I entered Dubai, a sprawling and mushrooming megalopolis rising up between the fringes of the Arab deserts and the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia may still be the country of chokingly strict laws, but Dubai seems to be the total opposite. Actually it is one of two major cities in the United Arab Emirates, a country roughly … [Read more...]
Windhoek, Namibia
The last time I signed off, my brother Abdul and I had just arrived in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia by bus from South Africa. We decided to pony up some extra money and take a Greyhound type coach and survive the trip, as opposed to paying next to nothing on one of the ubiquitous minibuses but putting our lives into the hands of a crazed driver hell bent to make it to his destination in the shortest time possible. Our guidebook called … [Read more...]
Capetown, South Africa
What an amazing feeling to step out of an airplane and get blasted by the heat of the southern hemisphere's summer sun high up in the sky. Morocco was by no means cold, but its mild temperatures pale in comparison to South Africa's summer heat. I could barely contain my excitement over arriving in Capetown and setting foot on the southernmost latitude I have ever been to. However, the excitement quickly gave way to horror when I almost had my … [Read more...]
Loitet
Loitet is the toughest man I ever knew. I love him. He is my hero. A man who knew me before I knew myself. Who has memories of me that I do not. Loitet is black. Jet black, beautiful black. So black that on a dark moonless night he is invisible unless he smiles. And what a smile. Bold gleaming teeth and eyes full of mischief. Loitet tells me that my first language was also his. That a tiny blonde American toddler could speak Turkana before she … [Read more...]
Mohammed And The Crocodile
In 1979 I was 18 years old and living with my family on a mission outpost in Northern Kenya. I was invited to go with a similar organization on a two-week trip to show a film called "The Jesus Film" and meet people in several area communities. There was quite a mix of young people. We had youth from several tribal groups including Maasai, Samburu, Kikuyu, a German, me- an American and an old Somali man named Mohammed. (From my vantage point 20 … [Read more...]
Under the Cobalt
Africa greets you with immediate attention. You just barely exit the boat ramp before many men, who we kindly call hustlers, but who call themselves "guides," greet you, offering you their local expertise for a price. I ignored all eyes and comments as a way to say I was uninterested, but it was more difficult than that. We managed to make our way to the more honest taxi stands and request a ride to the bus station. We had decided to go directly … [Read more...]
Visit California
Are you planning a vacation, but can't decide where to go or what to do? If you are, then stop worrying, vacation in sunny California. California has a land area of over 155,000 square miles with almost 850 miles of coastline and beaches, 25,000,000 acres of desert, mountains, including Mount Whitney which at 14,505 feet above sea level is the second tallest mountain in the continental United States, numerous lakes, rivers and creeks, forests … [Read more...]
Visit Pasadena
No one thinks about the city of Pasadena, California, unless it is Rose Bowl or Rose Parade time, except for Los Angeles County residents and people who hear the song "Little Old Lady From Pasadena". When tourists think about visiting California they most often think about going to Disneyland or cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco or beach cities like Long Beach, Monterey, Newport Beach, San Diego, Santa Monica, etc.. Very few of them … [Read more...]
The Good China: Yunnan
Ni Hao once again from China, still the world's most populous country. I had forgotten since my last tour here which ended just 9 months ago that it may also be the world's loudest and dirtiest at times. Which is not to say it's all bad. Only the areas with too many people are. The trick is getting to those rare places without swarming masses as I finally did a week into my stay here. Hong Kong Phooey: Not that it's all that bad, I just liked … [Read more...]
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