Triangulating, Calibrating and Adjusting

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Agingadventurer

2016 means I hope to “discover” 5 new countries.  It can be difficult since most of my trips involve one country at a time due to many factors like proximity, time and cost. It makes most sense for me to finish up one continent/region at a time and Europe’s map is almost filled in.

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I’ll be going to Albania this month, via Istanbul where I found a cheap flight to Tirana. At least once each week I check fares for Barcelona in order to get to Andorra. Belarus and Malta are currently  too difficult and too expensive but the rest of Europe, east and west, have been checked off!

I did find a reasonable fare to South Africa in March and hopefully will manage to drive to Lesotho and then fly to Zambia (actually stepped foot on the shoreline once when I was on a canoe safari down the Zambezi back in 2001) for a few more days.

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I am also watching the news in hopes that the U.S.  carriers will start flights to Cuba, allowing me to go on my own terms. Since there are a few too many variables with these five, I need to have some back-ups and will keep South America in consideration.  Brazil may waive visas this summer due to the Olympics and I’ve not been to Paraguay, Bolivia or Venezuela!  There’s also the possibility that I find a low fare to Singapore or  Hong Kong where I can find  a budget airline going to someplace exciting like Papua New Guinea or East Timor….

 

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Where in the World

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Agingadventurer

There is a Trump Hotel and Tower, so Baku is no stranger to Donald, although like many instances about him there is a bit of controversy surrounding this investment. The city has grown exponentially in the past 10 years according to the oilman from the U.S. who has lived there for the past 12 years.  He watched the pleasant old city be surrounded on 3 sides by buildings that would rival Dubai.

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From my hotel I walked through the new city including apartment complexes that were built to house Olympic athletes. This area of town looked more like Paris. Baku failed in its bid for the 2016 Summer Games but hosted the 2015 European Games. Their new airport, roads, London taxis, promenade, stadiums and big city stores are quite impressive.

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Within the confines of the old city walls the Palace of the Shirvanshahs displays its history and stories in grand fashion with guides who speak your language fluently.  The young woman who gave me the tour said she was taught Russian in school but only a few years later, the students learned English. She was most knowledgeable and friendly with answers to any and all questions. But what surprised me most was that she refused a tip, reminding me that tourists were most welcome in their country.  baku 025    baku 028

 

 

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Hop, Skip and a Jump

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Agingadventurer

Started out the New Year in a proper way for the mile collector. I flew to Phoenix in the morning and back again early evening in order to attend a football bowl game!
It was not my regular airline so I flew without any status finding out how crowded and stuffy it can be. Never watched so many people with so much stuff; babies on laps, luggage crammed in everywhere, and a noise level that was deafening. I was happy it was only an hour flight!

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It was a fun day, a great event but my team lost…BIG! But I was with my daughter so it really was a win.

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flight time

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Agingadventurer

Finished up the year with one of my more crazy trips….mostly due to time spent traveling outweighing the hours on site in Baku, Azerbaijan ( on the Caspian Sea for those of you who have really never heard of it).

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Will write more about it later when I’ve recovered from the 48 transit hours surrounding my 36 hours in the city.  Meanwhile, I’m wishing you all a very prosperous, fun, exciting and healthy new year!

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Christmas in Ethiopia

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Agingadventurer

Maregu, the young man who is studying to become a tourist guide, just happened to be in the right place at the right time when I visited Addis Ababa and agreed to take me on a full day tour of various sites outside the city. He was most helpful, agreeable and delightful the entire time, arranging transportation and sharing his knowledge of the country, culture and the people.
Hopefully he will not mind me sharing his explanation of the Christmas Holiday in Ethiopia.
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“I wish for you a happy merry Christmas and a prosperous new year of 2016 and best of all in life.
Christmas is one of the most celebrated of holy days . For Ethiopia, which has its own our calendar ,the holy day occur after a week than many western countries celebrate the birth of Christ .The spirit of Gena brings elation to Ethiopian Christian ,and people in the cities begin exchange gifts and decorating Christmas trees one day prior to the exact day. Residents in rural areas, however celebrate differently and preparation for holy day begin even earlier. Especially in my place Lalibela,it is highly religious festival that it will be celebrated by more different from here.
Here ,women buy a new dress ,or launder their favorite traditional one.  Young men go in to the forest and find stick which they carve and set aside for traditional game played on Christmas Morning ,called Yegena chewata .
At day break, the players gather on a designated filed with their sticks and wooden ball, they group themselves into two teams, and the game begins with each member hitting the ball as hard as possible toward the opposing end .
Villagers choose side, cheering and singing an old song, Begena Chewata Ayekotam geta,meaning every one is allowed to play and even the lord lets his servants take part on Gena! this game is believed to have started centuries’ ago with the introduction of Christianity to Ethiopia ”

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Maregu Biru can be reached at maregubiru@yahoo.com and would be happy to take you on tour if you are ever headed his way!

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Happy Holidays

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Agingadventurer

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Hope you all have a wonderful 2016…full of travel, fun or whatever you most treasure!

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Lucy in the Sky….

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Agingadventurer

The National Museum in Addis Ababa is impressive, especially the basement floor where Lucy, the 3.2 million year old ancestor of humans is displayed. Lucky for me there was an expert who just happened to be there filming a documentary.  He took time to point out various treasures including the earliest child, even older than Lucy!

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There are other places of note to visit in the capital city like the Addis Ababa University campus that also houses the Ethnography Museum. By starting here, I was able to take in a few places without getting lost like the Holy Trinity Church, the Haile Selassie Museum and the Parliament buildings.

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Because the names of the streets are not mapped one does have to stop and ask young adults directions…and one of them happened to be a young lady who now lived in Minnesota and was back in Ethiopia visiting relatives!  With their help I was also able to visit the Piazza area too.

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Getting  out of the city was a must in order to see how the majority of people lived.  I enjoyed seeing the villages, the farms, the markets and of course, the children!

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Eating in Ethiopia

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Agingadventurer

American fast food franchises are ubiquitous  around the world but my last two trips were to countries without any.  However, there are many places in the city of Addis Ababa where one could get burgers and pizza.  But why would you when you could enjoy their national dish of injera with wot and other condiments like beets and rice?

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I had recently watched the CNN’s Anthony Bourdain episode when he visited Ethiopia with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelssen so was not surprised by the tasty cuisine.

In the villages one could easily find both coffee (said to have originated in this country just like humans!) and beer.  The alcohol was advertised with a can on a stick with a white rag wrapped around it, usually sticking out the window of the hut. While I did not indulge in this I did try the coffee.

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Traveling in the Time of Terrorism

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Agingadventurer

People have asked if I’m afraid to be traveling now, especially when some of the countries I visit are not always the road most travelled.  Some would argue that as a “Westerner” I’m safer going to the unusual places. And then there are those who would be correct in saying that violent extremists have been around for a long time.

My first foray into such a world came in October of 2001.  I had planned a Round the World trip for months, was packed and ready to go when 9/11 happened.   My itinerary was centered on sites I considered Great Wonders of the World like the pyramids, Victoria Falls, the wildlife of Africa, Agra, Mount Everest, the Petronas Towers and the Great Barrier Reef.  The solidarity with the USA was never stronger, in each and every one of the places I visited.

Rick Steves, a famous travel advisor, wrote “there’s an important difference between fear and risk!”  And I believe that to be true.  I do fear any sort of violence and greatly admire the French, the Bostonians, the Brits, the Lebanese, and all those facing  terrorism and destruction in their countries for declaring that they will not let this horror change their lives.

I am also a realist and know that we all are changed by this, and that terrorism will not ever be entirely wiped out.  I mourn for those who have suffered and hope that I will not experience this first hand but I will continue to travel.

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There are definitely a few things I will  practice in order to decrease risks.  Because of incidents like Amman,  Mumbai and Male, I stay in smaller local hotels.  I avoid assemblies of people protesting;  I respect local customs and dress and act accordingly. I expect there to be delays now going through security and strangers rummaging through my suitcase, but it’s really about those wonderful new experiences, new sites and incredible people on the horizon.

 

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Utopia?

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Agingadventurer

It certainly is as close to perfection as any country I’ve visited. While there is some controversy about touring in Bhutan such as the mandated “per person spend” I found it to be worth every penny. Staying in locally owned hotels and using travel experts that live in the country certainly add to the cultural experience. I’m not opposed to big international travel agencies but like it when the locals benefit the most.

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Bhutan, a small country on the southeast slope of the Himalayas is governed by a constitutional monarchy. Much of Bhutanese law has been designed to promote Gross National Happiness, which basically means promoting and preserving their culture instead of giving in to the western ways. My brief experience here found the people to be happy, content and proud of their country and it’s traditions.

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During my research stage I read a raving review about a particular travel agency in Bhutan on Trip Advisor.  What caught my eye was the fact that they were willing to offer a driver and guide during the dates I wanted, and during my correspondence with them by email I discovered that they were flexible about the daily schedule as well. It appears that most of the companies offer a similar itinerary for their 7 day cultural trip.  I went with the Bhutan Travel Company and they added much more hiking to my delight! And as important, they were much less expensive than companies from the outside (saving $4000).

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