Time spent using public transportation are good opportunities to reflect on previous travels. One does not always get to do this; when you are addicted to travel you are often thinking about your next trip even during your current trip. I came up with a list of my top 3 favorite trips and the one "trip from hell". #1 Trip to Nepal I took in 1996 - this trip really turned me on to International travel and the hardships I personally faced … [Read more...]
Trains and More Chaos
Chaos reigns at the New Delhi airport - pre paid taxis are a joke. Many people in old dirty clothes hanging around. The fog here was TERRIBLE last night. Its the norm in the winter during the nights with merely 5 to 7 feet visibility. We landed around 9pm and arrived at our hotel around midnight just to catch the New Year's festivities. Drive from airport normally takes 25 minutes! Hahaha yea. Driver kept stopping every few seconds while getting … [Read more...]
Volunteer abroad with Basecamp International Centers & Make a difference
Basecamp International Centers believe international volunteering promotes cross-cultural learning that helps create global awareness, understanding between cultures and provides the platform for positive change. Our volunteers have taught in schools, provided disaster relief support for the International Red Cross, conducted essential research to improve the management strategies of threatened environments, built homes for impoverished … [Read more...]
Greetings from Peru!!
Arrived in Lima and rested all day which was good. Saw the catacombs underground in the 16th century St Francis of Assisi Monastery. Many skulls staring upwards with individual bones all separated and arranged nicely in neat orderly piles. Took bus overnight to C. Huayash - the pass was about 14,000 feet which we hit at 1am. I was in bad shape by then - arrived at 6am into town and immediately found hostel and crashed. For 2 days was … [Read more...]
Everest: Base Camp Diary
This morning I experienced strange tinglings in my feet and face as we waited to board a small plane to Lukla. When someone else described having the same sensations, the doctor on our trip confirmed the classic side effects of altitude sickness tablets. After take-off, however, the discomfort was forgotten as we flew through scenery so stunning you felt you could reach out and touch the snow-topped mountains. Within about ten minutes of landing … [Read more...]
Mt. Rainier, WA
In every inspiring natural creation there is a realism that speaks to you. In every moment on a mountain you find it more and more. You discover yourself in ways not possible through other means. This stays with you and guides you for the rest of your life. May everyone have this chance at least once. ~ Dave Mt. Rainier is the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest and the 700 mile long Cascade range spanning from Mt. Lassen in the south, all … [Read more...]
Annapurna Circuit
I'd always fancied myself as a bit of an outdoors-type, and what better way to prove it than a trek through the Himalayas. "Why would I want to walk for that long?" said a startled friend when I asked if he wanted to come along. Obviously he hadn't pictured it in his mind like I had. There it was; snow-capped peaks looming over pine-forests, twinkling stars dancing across the dark Northern skies, Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind, … [Read more...]
Kopan Monastery, Nepal – December 2003
Kopan Monastery Nepal - The Kopan Monastery is a very special place located in the terraced rice steppes just above the Kathmandu valley. The monastery is high enough in the foothills of the Himalayas that it can be seen for miles around. This active monastery is home to 360 monks and is a mecca for foreign visitors from around the world. Meditation and other courses are offered year round - full room and board provided at a reasonable cost. … [Read more...]
Dave’s Travel Corner reaches its 10,000th visit
(6/13/00) Dave's Travel Corner (DTC) began as an idea formed in Dave's mind after a powerful trip to Nepal in December of 1996. He wanted to share his travel experiences and knowledge with people in order to help others make online travel decisions. After many articles, research, time, and three and a half years, Dave's Travel Corner has reached its 10,000 user. Thanks in part to recent listings on Yahoo and several other search engines, … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – Altitude
While most people can climb Kilimanjaro if they are fit, climb slowly, drink plenty of clean water and have excellent guides, most people suffer some form of altitude sickness on this mountain. Although you do not need to have mountaineering skills and be in top shape, you have to be extremely careful with the altitude because this is such a tall mountain. Some early symptoms to be aware of are headaches, nausea, vomiting, dry cough, … [Read more...]