We landed back in our home base of Thailand after an amazing time in Africa - enjoying such a variety of activities and experiences that only this continent can deliver. This was in my top 5 best trips taken so far. My heart is still in Africa while my body is in Thailand enjoying the Thai spices of life which include the food and the 5+ hour spa's in Bangkok. We arrived back in Bangkok mid day from Ethiopia. Lucky we had our yellow fever cards … [Read more...]
We are in Namibia!
I have acquired a Namibian souvenir in the form of a haircut or perhaps, lack of hair. That is what I get for going into an African barber - leave with a totally shaved head - most of the people here have very short hair. So now I fit in well. We are in the Caprivi Strip - a narrow band of the country bordered by Angola, Zambia and Botswana. It has a convoluted history - at times under Italian, German and South African control. Namibia became … [Read more...]
The Power & Beauty of Sub Saharan Africa
Upon finalizing my flights to South Africa from Bangkok, I told a good friend who has traveled extensively in Africa that I would kiss the African soil for him. He replied, "Kiss Africa's ground for me, but remember: Africa always wins. No matter how much you try to make sense of all the nonsense, it'll never make sense. Thus Africa wins." Winning or not, the unpredictability of adventure travel in Sub Saharan Africa has always appealed to me … [Read more...]
Palau Features Natures Most Unique, One-of-a-Kind Attractions…Swimming with Jellyfish
"Swimming in warm, golden Jellyfish Lake, I'm surrounded by friendly intelligent jellyfish," writes travel journalist and photographer Sharon Spence Lieb. "At first I'm afraid I'll be stung. But these creatures are different: They caress my body and embrace my face. These gelatinous orbs seem downright curious. If I could laugh underwater I would. Who would ever think jellyfish could be so harmless? I'll remember this sensational wildlife … [Read more...]
Visiting Narita and Tokyo
Narita Airport is a major hub airport for both Japan and all of the Asian Pacific rim. Hundreds of flights arrive and depart daily. We have flown here a number of times and on long layovers enjoy visiting both nearby Narita and the Tokyo metropolitan region. The airport itself has two major terminals (1 and 2) and a bus provides transportation between each one. The airport is modern, has free WiFi in a number of selected WiFi stations and for … [Read more...]
Peach Cigarettes in Tokyo
The first time I ever smoked a peach cigarette, I was wearing a dinosaur suit and sitting on my friend's balcony in a Tokyo suburb. My friend had a dinosaur suit because he'd gone to a fancy dress party the week before, and I was wearing it because I was cold and it was made of fleece. I'd never been much of a smoker, but the vending machine sold dozens of different flavours and what was the point of traveling halfway around the world if I wasn't … [Read more...]
Fishing Time
Every year around this time the villagers drain one of the local ponds into an adjoining rice field. This takes all night - a couple guys stay up all night with the pump. Then in the very early morning about 15 people gather at the banks for a mud infused assault on the fish. This is not clean work - they jump into the mud, sinking up to their waists and crawl around with small nets and buckets collecting all the fish. By mid morning its … [Read more...]
Tourism in the Pacific by David Stanley
Tourism is the world's largest and fastest-growing industry, accounting for 10 percent of world economic activity and one in 15 jobs worldwide. Some 750 million people a year currently travel abroad compared to only 25 million in 1950, and each year over 100 million first-world tourists visit developing countries, transferring billions of dollars from North to South. Tourism is the only industry that allows a net flow of wealth from richer to … [Read more...]
Village Life, Eastern Thailand
Back in the village in Eastern Thailand - 90 minutes from Poipet on the Cambodia border - nice to have some pleasant weather - two days ago hot with fans needed at night - now blankets needed! Village is only 2 homes (used to be about 6 homes) but population swelled dramatically the past few days when friends moved in along with all their tents! Enjoying home made coconut ice cream along with lots of fried insets we are catching with the blue … [Read more...]
Rattler
You plan on some things, and others just happen. Usually you don't plan on getting bitten by a rattlesnake for example. It's just one of those things when you're out in desolate country; alone, weather beaten and emotionally off guard. Of course you could argue that inserting yourself into desolate and dangerous country is, in a way, inviting an encounter with an ill-tempered reptile. True I didn't know when setting out on my two-month canoe trip … [Read more...]
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