TravelStream™ news feed for member globedecker on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/globedecker en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:00:58 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185825300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185825300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185825300/tpod.html Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:00:58 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Hoboken, New Jersey, United States

We Said:

In sharing stories with others about our trip, inevitably people ask, "What was your favorite country/place/food/sight/etc". Since we've experienced so many really diverse places, peoples, cultures, and landscapes, these types of questions are actually very difficult to answer.

Sifting through about 5000 photos we picked our top 30, and after a few conversations we came up with the following list of "Favorites" and "Mosts..." Even after a lot of debate we found it impossible to choose a "#1" for any category (except "Favorite Continent"), so these are not listed in any particular order


Favorite Continent: AFRICA!!!


Favorite Nations to Travel Within:
Turkey
Namibia
South Africa
India
Vietnam
Peru


Favorite Really Big Cities:
Cape Town, South Africa
Hong, Kong, China
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Istanbul, Turkey
Seville, Spain


Favorite Smaller Cities & Towns:
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Marrakech, Morocco
Swakopmund, Namibia
Evora, Portugal
Brasov, Romania
Hanoi, Vietnam
Cusco, Peru
Yangshuo, China


Favorite Beaches & Beach Towns:
Anse Volbert on Praslin Island, Seychelles
Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue Island, Seychelles
Nungwi on Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
White Beach on Boracay Island, Philippines
Unawatuna, Sri Lanka
Mui Ne, Vietnam
Palolem, India
Pantai Cenang on Palau Langkawi, Malaysia


Favorite "Backpacker Towns":
Yangshuo, China
Dahab, Egypt
Hampi, India
Hoi An, Vietnam
Livingstone, Zambia


Favorite/Most Beautiful Natural Sites:
Sossusvlei, Namibia
Dune 45, Namibia
Karst Hills of Yangshuo, China
Rock Islands, Palau
Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles
Matopos National Park, Zimbabwe
Spitzkoppe, Namibia
Etosha National Park, Namibia


Favorite/Most Amazing Human Constructed Sites:
Gal Vihara, Sri Lanka
Hagia Sofia in Instanbul, Turkey
Pyramids and Nile Temples, Egypt
Machu Picchu, Peru
Wat Pra Keaw in Bangkok, Thailand
Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Taj Mahal, India
The Palm Jumierah, United Arab Emirates
Stone Money "Banks" of Yap Island, Micronesia
Backwaters of Kerala, India


Most Bizarre Sites and Peoples:
The Sadhus of Varanasi, India
The Burning Ghat of Varanasi, India
The nightly India/Pakistan Border closing ceremony at Wagah, India
The giant Buddha outside the caves of Dambula, Sri Lanka
A ski area (complete with chair lift) inside the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, UAE
Haw Par Villa, Singapore


Most Thrilling/Death Defying Experiences:
Cage diving with Great White Sharks in Gansbaai, South Africa
High-speed drift SCUBA diving off Boracay, Philippines
Todd's 500' bungy jump in Pettenberg Bay, South Africa
Driving a car anywhere in Sri Lanka
Encountering huge ocean swells on our inter-island ferry in Seychelles
Walking safari in the midst of families of huge rhinoceros in Matopos Park, Zimbabwe


Some of our Favorite "Magic Moments":
Watching sunrise on top of Dune 45 in Namibia
The parting of morning mists on Machu Picchu to unveil the panorama of the city
A huge bull elephant wandering into our camp in South Luangwa Park, Zambia
All of our sunsets in Zanzibar
Visiting Namibia's Cape Cross Seal Colony only hours after thousands of pups were born
Walking the edenesque landscape of Praslin & La Digue Islands in Seychelles
Wandering the ancient labyrinthine streets of Varanasi, India
SCUBA diving with huge Manta Rays in Yap, Micronesia
Hanging out with a colony of Meerkats in Keetmanshoop, Namibia


Favorite National Cuisines:
Vietnam
Malaysia
Argentina
Turkey
Greece
Thailand

Katie's Favorite Local Foods/Dishes:
Couscous (Morocco)
Fornetti (Romania)
Tzasiki (Greece)
Hummus & Pita (Egypt)
Snapper (Zanzibar)
Tibetan Momos (India)
Navrathan Korma (India)
Veg Thali (India)
Satay (Malaysia)
Pho Bo (Vietnam)
Udon Miso (Japan)
Pan Artisinal (Peru)

Todd's Favorite Local Foods/Dishes:
Souvlaki/Kebab Pita (Greece & Turkey)
Oryx (Namibia)
Biltong (South Africa)
Nan & Paratha (India)
Bun Ca (Vietnam)
Chow Keaw Tow (Singapore)
Mee Goreng (Malaysia)
Pao (China)
Pork Tocino (Philippines)
Asado (Argentina)
Alfajores (Argentina)
Chivitos (Uruguay)
Salsa Lizano (Costa Rica)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185825000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185825000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185825000/tpod.html Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:54:23 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Hoboken, New Jersey, United States

We Said:

We heard somewhere that travel acquires meaning only upon reflection. Over the last few months as our trip began to wrap up we spent a lot of time thinking about what we had seen, done, and learned during our year on the road and what it all meant. In the last year of globetrotting, we have come to a number of opinionated conclusions.

Note: Please keep in mind that we have spent our lives living in the United States. This has colored the lenses through which we view the world, and tends to focus our attention on how experiences relate to our version of "home".


In our view...


Most people we encountered around the world want the exact same thing: To live in a stable society and have opportunities to better themselves and their families in a safe and wholesome environment. Whether the government in name is socialist, communist, democratic, or dictatorship is only of importance to most people for the degree which it effects the chances of their attaining the above goal. Until you have widespread prosperity, people didn't seem to care what "ism" their government follows.


A few cultures we encountered had a strict social separation of the sexes for the purpose of reducing "immoral behavior", eliminating "lustful thoughts" or in order to "preserve women's dignity". In our observation this seldom worked. It seemed that the more strict the separation of the sexes, the more warped men's view of women, the fewer legal and political rights women were accorded, the greater the marginalization of women, and the fewer economic opportunities women had available. These systems often fostered huge illicit sex industries with brutal exploitation of young women and in our view had quite the opposite of the intended effect of encouraging any type of "morality".


In general, the fewer the outlets and opportunities for locals to be carefree and have "fun" the more antagonistic the society seemed and hostile that local peoples interactions were with us and each other. The locals' happiness usually seemed to have little if any relation to the level of economic prosperity. Usually the "lack of fun" went hand-in-hand with strict separation of the sexes and/or fundamentalist religious practice.


The poorer the nation, the more likely that girl children will get the short end of the stick. In most developing nations, girls are universally the last children to be educated, most likely to be put to work at an early age, and most likely to be the targets of abuse and exploitation.


There is a widespread perception that the United States is a very violent and dangerous place. During conversations when people found out we lived in the New York area and that Todd is a public school teacher, questions were often raised such as: "Have you ever been shot at?" and "Do your students bring weapons to school?" We found this supremely ironic due to the fact that prior to our departure many of our friends and family expressed concern about our safety in traveling outside the USA!


There is a huge misperception amongst Americans that "everybody hates us". This could not be more false. Although George W. Bush and select US foreign policy decisions (Iraq) seem to be universally reviled, this contempt doesn't extend to the populace of the US. The ability to separate politics from people is a skill most people practice. We visited many places that past US foreign policy had inflicted huge tragedies upon but not once were we mistreated as a result. When asked, we never hesitated to tell people we were from the United States and not once did we feel discriminated against or singled out because of it. In fact, it was very common to encounter people who had friends, family, or aspirations to work in the US.


US television(especially cancelled sitcoms, "B" action movies, professional wrestling, and American Idol) is pervasive throughout the world. In seeing the view of the USA that comes across on the media, it is no wonder there is such a warped, superficial, and overly violent perception of what the USA is like.


Colonialism has left an indelible imprint around the world that continues strongly into this age. It is difficult to understate both the positive and negative legacies of imperialism on the religion, language, culture, and interpersonal relations within dozens of far ranging nations.


From our observation, the evidence of religious practice in everyday life was usually inversely proportional to the countries' level of economic prosperity. Generally speaking; the richer the society economically, the more secular that citizens daily life appeared.


Most people are honest and happy to help you. Anonymous people expecting nothing in return assisted us countless times. While traveling, you are far more likely to be swindled or overcharged by cab drivers than anyone else you encounter.


Dramatic economic inequality is the norm in much of the world and makes the division between rich and poor in the USA seem small in comparison. Being at the bottom of the economic ladder in the USA provides a far better quality of life than being "average" in much of the world. Despite this though, in our observation most people we encountered seemed content in the communities and nations in which they lived. In the majority of the places we visited, the bulk of people seemed genuinely happy, comfortable, and rooted in their sense of place.


Western definitions of social graces and courteous manners are in no way worldwide concepts. Waiting in line, holding doors open, not littering, giving personal space, etc. are not universal hallmarks of proper manners. Lack of this protocol does not necessarily imply disrespect to you. After all, "when in Rome..."


In much of the world, cities can be concentrations of misery and squalor. In most of our experiences, smaller cities/towns/villages were far friendlier, better fed, and more likely to be filled with smiling people.


It is impossible to have much economic prosperity for the general population without a lot of modern infrastructure. Without reliable electricity, sewage treatment, maintained roads, and a reliable system of law and order there seemed little else that could develop on any great scale.


Problems like theft, drug abuse, graffiti, and general "seediness" seemed to be far more prevalent in wealthy nations. With only a few exceptions, we usually felt safest in poorer countries, but in over one year on the road we never once felt our personal safety threatened (except for a few scary high-speed taxi rides).


The USA has many things it does very well (such as an incredible road system that is unmatched anywhere) but has other attributes that are woefully inadequate (such as a virtually miniscule amount of efficient and affordable public transportation) even when compared to many very poor nations we visited.


Reading for pleasure does not occur in much of the world. We know that literacy is certainly not universal and books can be costly, but it was very rare for us to encounter local people reading literature or anything other than an occasional local newspaper. Perhaps some if this is due to the fact that very few books seem to be published in local languages. If you can't read in English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, or Chinese there isn't much published for you to read.


Dental hygiene is not a universal value and is linked to cultural norms rather than economic circumstances. In much of the world, having a set of straight, pearly white teeth is simply not a priority even for those who can easily afford it. Conversely, we've also encountered very poor locales where teeth are essential to personal beauty and are meticulously cared for.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185368160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185368160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1185368160/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:15:09 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Hoboken, New Jersey, United States

We Said:

Well we are home! Instead of boring you will all our tales of woe unpacking our apartment and going back to work we tried to create a few postings dedicated to packing, our lists of favorites, and our final conclusions.

This entry is an exhaustive list of exactly what we brought along. If you are traveling soon it will hopefully be of some use to you. If you are not hitting the road and were curious about what we carried around to sustain ourselves for our year away, here it is...


Packing for a trip of this scale.

Every person has different "essentials" matching their personal style and tolerance for carrying a heavy pack. We considered ourselves to be middle of the road but saw plenty of fellow travelers with significantly more or less gear than us. A big consideration in packing is the type of journey you are taking and the climate you will be traveling through. Our trip was through predominantly dry and warm climates, with no serious hiking and included very few occasions requiring nice attire. The fact that we did no unsupported camping requiring us having our own cooking equipment, tent, etc significantly reduced the size of our packs as well.

If you are traveling in mostly warm areas, try having a small enough pack so you can carry it on when flying thereby avoiding checking luggage altogether. Although it may constrain the amount of clothes you can bring and limit the size of souvenirs you acquire, it will save you innumerable hours of waiting at baggage claim, worrying "did my bag make it?" as well as make carrying your gear a far less arduous experience.

By far the most useful item we brought was our laptop computer. The ability to keep organized records, store and organize photos, write without paying by-the-minute for computer use at an internet café, and download travel info, music, and TV shows made our computer a luxurious travel tool. WiFi internet is becoming standard in hotels, airports, and many restaurants all over the globe. If we not had our own computer, we would have never been able to take advantage of the literally hundreds of free hotspots we encountered.


What we brought:

Electronic Gear
Apple 12" iBook G4 personal computer with set of Apple world adapter plugs.
iPod Mini (one each) with USB sync/charging cable.
Unlocked Nokia GSM cellular phone with USB charging cable.
256MB portable USB Jump/Flash drive on a lanyard.
Canon PowerShot A85 camera with 1GB CompactFlash memory card and cable.
Ethernet cable
Cable laptop lock
USB Headphones with microphone
Unlocked Nokia GSM cell phone with USB charging cable
CD-R discs for data backup
Eagle Creek storage pouches and camera case


Packing gear/Containers

Katie
North Face, small/medium sized frameless backpack
REI expandable daypack
Eagle Creek 12" Pack-it cube
Eagle Creek toiletry kit
Eagle Creek 12" zippered pouch
Waist security wallet

Todd
Eagle Creek World Journey backpack
O'gio "Sector Z" daypack with built in laptop pocket
Padded removable computer sleeve
Eagle Creek 12" Pack-it cube
Eagle Creek 4" zippered pouch
Kelty ticket and document folder
Concealed passport/cash security wallet
Nylon wallet


Clothing (This varied by country, season, wearing-out/replacement but these items remained consistent throughout most of our trip)

Katie
2 bathing suits
4 short sleeve t-shirts
1 long sleeve t-shirt
1 pair Addidas running shoes (seldom worn)
1 outfit for running (jogbra, shorts, socks)
10 pairs of cotton underwear
2 tank tops
1 pair cargo pocket capri pants
1 pair of jeans
2 pairs of knee length shorts
1 black drawstring calf-length skirt
1 pair Havianas flip-flops
1 pair Chaco river sandals
1 black nylon belt
1 zippered ExOfficio hoodie impregnated with "Bug Off" repellent
1 nylon rain jacket/windbreaker
1 large cotton sarong
1 wide brim Colombia hat
1 Casio G-Shock digital watch

Todd
4 Cotton black and white T-shirts (white t's are the coolest to wear in hot climates. black t's can be worn when "dressy" clothing is needed and does not readily show dirt or sweat)
1 Pair of dark cotton pants. Worn in cold weather or when circumstances dictate
1 Pair of Colombia convertible Capri-length pants/shorts
2 Pairs of knee length cargo pocket shorts in dark colors
4 Pairs of cotton boxer briefs
1 Pair Black Quicksilver flip-flops
1 Board shorts swimsuit
1 Pair of North Face river sandals (seldom worn)
1 Colombia nylon web belt
1 Kelty rain jacket/windbreaker
1 Zippered hoodie jacket/sweatshirt
1 Wide brim cotton ranger hat


Toiletries
Most personal care items can be purchased around the world. Bringing large containers of shampoo, lotions, etc is unnecessary and will make your luggage really heavy! Besides the obvious (toothbrush, etc) the following are some personal care items we brought along and found useful

Nail clipper and file
Tweezers
High SPF sunscreen
Lip balm with SPF
High DEET insect repellent (3M Ultrathon)
Q-tips in a plastic container
"Shower poof" scrubber
Schick Intuition razor and refill blades (Katie)
Olay Daily Facials wipes (Both Wet and Dry versions)
Palmolive brushless shave cream in a tube (Todd)


"Must brings" that can occasionally be difficult to acquire en route
Contact lenses and cleaning solution
Good quality deodorant/anti-perspirant
Tampons
Ibuprofen (acetaminophen though is very easy to find)
Quality facial moisturizers with SPF
First aid supplies (See below)


Contents of our First Aid Kit (packed into a JanSport First Aid Cube)
Various sizes of Band-aid bandages
Compeed medium-sized hydrocolloid bandages
Gauze roll sealed in sterile packaging
Emergency dental putty
Antibiotic ointment and antibiotic cleansing wipes
Small eyeglasses screwdriver and extra screws
Waterproof first aid cloth tape
Digital thermometer
Small and medium sized safety pins
Potable Aqua water purification tablets
Small plastic zip-ties
Prescription medications - 800mg ibuprofen, Ciprofloxin (general antibiotic), Fluconazole (for yeast infection), Phenazopyridine (for bladder infection), Lariam (anti-malarial), Ambien (sleep aid)
Over the Counter medications - Advil, Tylenol PM, Dramamine, Imodium, Benadryl Allergy


Other items we brought along
Laundry kit (universal sink plug, braided elastic clothes line, small nylon brush, hand wash detergent)
Bath-sized pack towel (one each)
Silk sleep sheet (one each)
Earplugs
Eye mask for sleeping
Ballpoint pens
Small scissors
Scotch tape
Door wedge (cheap and easy backup security system)
Business cards preprinted with our website and email address
Combination cable lock
Combination padlock
4 Small combination luggage locks
Large and small Ziplock bags
2 Small carabiners
5' length of duct tape wrapped around a pencil
Deck of playing cards
Dental floss (used as emergency fastener)
Compact blank notebook/journal
Chinese fan
Compact flashlight
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184723400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184723400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184723400/tpod.html Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:02:20 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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West End, Roatan Island, Honduras

Todd Said:

It was only fitting that in getting to the final stop of our entire RTW adventure we'd have to pay the piper one last time. The fare; thirteen hours of bus time on three separate coaches from our departure in Managua at 5:00am to our arrival in the Honduran port city of La Ceiba at 10:00pm. Blah! On the bright side, early the next morning we hopped a ferry to the Caribbean island of Roatan and voila, paradise regained!

The last seven days we've been staying in a small apartment across the street from a small sandy beach in the village of West End. Mornings are consumed SCUBA diving nearby reefs and shipwrecks, afternoons are spent sitting under the palms on the beach with a novel. Once we've had our fill of UV rays, we retreat to the hammock on the patio to look for the occasional hummingbird or gecko dashing by and in the interim watch a continuous parade of leaf-cutter ants slowly disassemble a nearby tree. About the only thing that disturbs the peace is an occasional thud of a mango or coconut dropping on our roof or the local roosters, which have seriously impaired circadian rhythms, crowing out their tune at pretty much any hour of the day.

The SCUBA in Roatan is terrific. Multicolored reefs, resplendent sea life, and rock bottom prices make Roatan a top spot on the international dive circuit. Besides the innumerable species of reef fish we continuously spotted, a few other highlights included sea turtles, masses of four to six foot-long grouper (with the biggest fish lips you can imagine!), colossal lobster, eagle rays, flying fish, huge moray eels, and massive stone crabs.

In a few hours we'll be flying from Roatan to the Honduran mainland city of San Pedro Sula for our last night abroad. By this time tomorrow we'll be landing in Atlanta to pick up the car and our dog. Once we do the drive back to New Jersey, our trip is officially over. I think we are both at the point where we are ready to resume "real life" and sleep in the same place for a while. Despite that, I'm still finding myself sad that it is almost over, mainly because I know it will be at least a decade or two before we can travel on a scale anywhere near this duration and scope.


Katie Said:

After a 17-hour bus transportation day from Managua to La Ceiba (which, I have to say, wasn't that bad since we have perfected the art of "spacing out"), we took the early morning ferry the next day to the island of Roatan. It is cute, low key, and hassle-free here in this little pocket of island paradise. We are staying in West End, the "independent traveler" part of the island, and as of today, I feel like we live here. Over the last 8 days, we have made several friends, gone on lots SCUBA dives, cooked our own food (it's nice to know exactly what your eating for once), had the happy hour pina-colada special daily, and slept at least 10 hours a night. I will be sad to leave here, but I know we will return again soon. Continental and Delta both fly here directly from the US for under $400.

Our time here has been a fantastic and relaxing way to end our trip, and has provided ample opportunity to start getting excited about returning home. I am really looking forward to everyday regular things like: playing with my dog, using the phone to call people whenever we want, seeing our friends and family, drinking tap water, not taking malaria pills or applying bug spray every day, using a hair dryer, cooking meals (well, Todd's cooking), sleeping in the same bed and not worrying if there might be bed bugs, not repacking everyday, having more than one towel, wearing a much wider selection of clothing and shoes, paying for stuff in dollars, eating crunchy cheetos, using the internet at home as much as I want without paying by the minute or waiting in line, not negotiating for every little thing, and of course, HAVING A PAYCHECK!! Traveling for 13 months without working has been more than a bit draining on the bank account. But, we were religious about sticking to the budget, and as of today, are pretty close to on target...not bad for 400 days of travel!


We Said:

Before we sign out altogether, we have a few more posts we are presently putting together and will get online as soon as we arrive home. Keep an eye out for our final entries, which will be titled, "Our Packing List", "What We Learned" and "Our Favorites".

Our voyage has been nothing short of an incredible experience. We feel without hesitation this journey has been the most amazing thing we have ever experienced. We hope all our travelogues have given encouragement and provided inspiration for at least a few of you to get out there and see our remarkable world. For both our regular and intermittent readers, we would love to hear your observations. Please feel free to post your comments, questions and remarks!

We are looking forward to receiving email notifications for YOUR Travelpod posts very soon!!!

Katie & Todd
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184522340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184522340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184522340/tpod.html Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:01:15 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Managua, Nicaragua

Julie Said:

For me, the highlight of Managua was meeting William, an uncle of a former student of mine. I had been looking forward to this part of the trip since we arrived and I was not disappointed. William, and his daughter, Ilsa, met us at our hotel and took us around Managua for an entire Saturday afternoon and into the evening. Our tour would have continued, but Todd, Katie and I were all a bit tired from our travels. William, our gracious host, would have continued to show us his home city. I particularly enjoyed meeting William's family and visiting his home. So often we travel to places, we pass through the roads, we relax on the beaches, we hike the trails, but we do not have the opportunity to meet the people. William offered us such a generous glimpse into not only Managua, but also family life in Managua. This glimpse was more than consistent with the social grace of the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan people.

The Costa Rican people call themselves Ticos and many of the Nicaraguan people refer to themselves as "Nicas". I have found the citizens of both these countries to be extremely hospitable and happy to help. Somewhere in one of our guidebooks, I read that "a smile goes a long way" even if one's Spanish is a bit rusty. My Spanish is VERY rusty, but people have generously and patiently waited for me to stammer out the question or sentence and they have answered kindly. Although it's very helpful to know some Spanish, it is a relief that the locals respond with such patience. Katie and I have wondered if Americans are as patient with non-English speaking tourists who visit the U.S.


Todd Said:

Managua is a town that can be tough to grasp. Originally when it was laid out at it's founding, it had a neat grid plan. A few centuries of unbridled growth and two cataclysmic earthquakes later you have a metropolis that through haphazard rebuilding and no zoning has organically grown into a huge perplexing sprawl. Most of the streets in Managua do not have names (was this the place U2 was singing about in their hit tune?), which makes this city of over 3 million people completely unnavigable to anyone who doesn't live here.

Thankfully we were shepherded through the Managua maze by William, an uncle of one of Julie's former students who has lived here most of his life. It is difficult to express how welcome it is to be shown around by a local. We have been fending for ourselves in so many unfamiliar places for the last year that being able to spend the day in the able hands of a gracious host is delightful.

A few of the highlights of the afternoon included a stop at the pre-earthquake of 1972 downtown of Managua, now a rather empty area dotted with a few surviving buildings and a spookily large amount of open spaces that once housed the thriving heart of the city. The Monumento de la Paz (Monument of Peace) is a moody and forlorn structure dedicated to the end of the Contra War and composed of thousands of buried rifles and a tank all covered with grey cement and sticking out of the walls of an open plaza. The earthquake damaged remains of a huge cathedral nearby add to the apocalyptic setting of the old downtown. We also visited a small park that contained the petrified footprints of a family that had been left in the mud over 7000 years ago (making them the oldest human footprints found in the Western Hemisphere). Call me a sentimental simpleton if you may, but these simple tracks were so much more real and meaningful than sterile museum displays of early humans that I've seen in dozens of places over the years.

Since William is a professional geologist, much of the tour included insights into the unique and highly volatile geographic setting of Managua. Visits to sunken crater lakes, fault lines, and panoramas where he explained geologic events were items on the tour that we would have never been able to encounter on our own. All in all, it was an extremely engaging and interesting day!

Early tomorrow morning we are off to our final destination on the trip, beach time in the nation of Honduras.


Katie Said:

Hum...those two didn't leave much material to work with, did they?!? Well, I wasn't really as enamored with Managua as Todd and Julie. It was great to have William taking us around, and we certainly saw more of the city than we would have on our own. However, Managua is not a place that I see myself just clamoring to go back to. It had a strange mix of over and under development, combined with pretty substantial infrastructure issues. But I did find out what the deal is with the constant power cuts. Apparently, several key decisions that should have been made 20+ years ago to invest in hydroelectric or geothermal energy plants were passed over by the government in favor of private enterprise "get rich quick" scheme. Why significantly invest in the future of the nation when there is serious cash to be made now supporting privately owned oil powered energy plants (these private owners were also government officials...get it)? This was all well and good when the price for a barrel of oil was cheap, but with the dramatic rise in the price of fuel over the last several years, the private companies can't afford to run their plants. So the answer... rotating power cuts. The government has declared that this is a temporary energy crisis, has asked the people to deal with it, and committed to having the situation resolved by January 2008. Construction is currently under way on several alternative energy plants.

Anyway, I am just trying to enjoy our last 10 days because pretty soon we will be back to work, and this trip will only live on in photos and our memories.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184467020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184467020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184467020/tpod.html Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:46:33 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Granada, Nicaragua

Julie Said:

So, exchanging our surfboards for borders and our colones for cordoba, we crossed the border from Costa Rica to Nicaragua. Although prior reports suggested that it could take up to 6 hours to cross the border, it only took us two hours which is fortunate because it was already dark when we arrived at the border on our "Tica bus" transport. Had I never crossed a border before in a similar fashion, I would have been surprised, perhaps even disturbed, when the Nicaraguan customs official boarded the bus with a large, pink, plastic bag, into which he "systematically" dropped each passenger's passport. To the inexperienced traveler, this seemingly nonchalant passport handling can be disconcerting. However, Katie and Todd have long ago stopped worrying about such minor travel events and for me it just affirmed that I was indeed back on the road of international travel that I love.

Katie and Todd will share with you some specific details of our journey between La Isla de Ometepe and Grenada; I'll just provide a snapshot of a small event that Katie references: the bus ride. The last five kilometers before we arrived in Grenada, we found ourselves on a school bus. Everything was damp for we were caught in a rainy season deluge as we hopped between busses; my pack on my lap, the local passenger sitting next to me, and my hair all sort of sticking uncomfortably together in the moisture. I sat by the condensation-coated window feeling as if I were back in grade school. If I wanted to see out the bus, then I had to wipe the window (upon which I was tempted to make happy faces). You might wonder why I would be making happy faces when our ride sounds downright dreary. Well, at the front of the bus, as I came to notice with many public busses, stickers were affixed to the metal above the large window. Looking down upon the moist passengers were a collection of visages of Loony Toons characters, the mouth and tongue associated with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, and the Virgin Mary. How could I respond to this unlikely Nicaraguan bus decor except with my own smiley face on the window?


Todd Said:

Almost shedding a tear, we departed Playa Tamarindo to drive to the city of Liberia where we dropped off our rental car and caught a bus into Nicaragua (albeit after a four hour wait). After an overnight stay in the town of Rivas we made our way by ferry to Isla de Ometepe, which is a figure-8, shaped island made up of two volcanic cones floating in the middle of the expansive Lake Colcibolca. A short historical note; this lake originally was slated to be the midpoint of the canal that was later dug in Panama after concerns of volcanic activity took Nicaragua out of the running. We originally planned on doing some trekking on Ometepe but it turns out that Teva sandals aren't quite hardy enough to hike a volcano. Bummer! We contented ourselves with wandering the streets of Altagracia village, occasionally dodging a roving piglet, steer, or hen.

After departing from Ometepe the next morning by ferry we took a few local buses (including the ubiquitous yellow school buses that get a new life as public transport down here once their U.S. service life is over) to the colonial city of Granada. Granada is a charmingly well-preserved town that is actually the oldest continually occupied city in the Americas. We spent our time enjoying the architecture and partaking in the local cuisine as well as gelato and pastries from the "Euro Café". This town seems to be on the cusp of a boom. The urban center is being revitalized and renewal projects seem to be fanning out in all directions. There is so much great history, charming architecture, and chilled out ambiance to Granada that is it only a matter of time before it is "discovered" by the global mass tourist market. So if you are looking to invest in property or dream of building a small restaurant or hotel, Grenada seems appears an ideal candidate.

For Nicaragua, the turbulent times of the Contra War in the 1980's are clearly long gone. Although plenty of damage and suffering were inflicted upon this nation, little remains of that today. There are no guerrilla rebels running around, Nicaraguan people certainly don't hold a grudge against Americans for the role our government played in that conflict, and there is a steady flow of visitors making their way to the multitude of natural and historical sites on offer. Compared to Costa Rica, Nicaragua feels a bit off the tourist trail, but that is exactly what makes it such a great destination. Get here before everyone else figures out what they are missing!


Katie Said:

After dropping off the trusty rental car in Costa Rica, I was sad to get back on yet another bus. I was getting used to the freedom that a car brings, and after this last year, the car was a nice relief from many long bus rides. We crossed the border into Nicaragua, and the following day took a rusty old ferry-boat to the Isla Ometepe to have a go at hiking the volcano there. As it turns out, we were CRAZY to think it could be hiked in Tevas, as it is the rainy season and the trails are extremely muddy. We ended up taking pass at the whole thing. Let's just say that the Island isn't exactly happening, and unless you seriously want to hike up to the volcano, or see what life is like in a very small and secluded Nicaraguan town, there isn't anything to do there. But the roosters are very active, and they make sure you don't oversleep the early morning ferry.

We then headed to the Spanish colonial town of Granada, and had our first real taste of local travel. We took a local mini-bus from the ferry to Granada (about 100 miles away) for about $2 each...at least we thought it was going direct to Granada. About halfway though the ride, I guess the driver changed his mind on the route, and he pulled over and kicked us out (by the way, it was pouring down rain) and told us to get on the converted old US yellow school bus that was behind us. It's best to just go with the flow.

When we got to Granada, we splurged for nice hotel with a pool in a Spanish style courtyard and free wireless internet. The town itself is cute, with pretty Spanish churches, wide streets, colorful buildings, and lots of local charm. It seems that this town is really just in the beginning stages of tourism, but that many people are investing in upscale boutique hotels and nice restaurants in anticipation of the boom. It is certainly a nice place to spend a few days, particularly if you are interested in taking some Spanish language lessons.

During our stay in Granada, we realized that Nicaragua has a serious problem with its energy resources. The power went out several times, included a full city blackout while we happened to be walking across the main square at night. These power issues also affect the water supply, as most water is pumped with electric pumps. It was quite common to have no water in the room from about 7am until 3 pm, with intermitted power outages throughout the day, ending with a long one at night. In all our travels, not even in India, have we experienced this many power outages in one day. We are meeting up with an uncle of one of Julie's students in Managua in a few days and will definitely be asking him about the apparent energy crisis.



]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1182478440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1182478440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1182478440/tpod.html Fri, 13 Jul 2007 17:58:56 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Portland, Oregon, United States

We Said:

We spent a few weeks in and around Portland visiting friends in the region, celebrating a family wedding, and catching up with all our relatives. Besides the big wedding we were able to get out and see a few sites further afield. Highlights included visiting the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington while seeing friends in Seattle and going on a hike with cousins through beautiful Silver Falls State Park in Silverton, Oregon.

For the next and final leg we are on to Central America for our last hurrah before reporting back to real life...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1183754460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1183754460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1183754460/tpod.html Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:09:35 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Monteverde, Costa Rica

He Said:

Central America has had more than its share of devastating political turbulence. Costa Rica is the bright exception to the revolutions and poverty that has plagued most of the "Banana Republics". The longstanding democratic tradition, high level of exports, and burgeoning tourism industry have given Costa Rica's population a level of affluence envied by its neighbors. In fact, Costa Rica's prosperity, liberal land ownership laws, and abundance of high-quality services has made the nation an extremely popular place for American retirees to purchase property and settle in order to stretch their fixed incomes.
From the time our plane landed in the capital of San Jose I have been surprised at the high quality roads, clean streets, modern buildings, and surprisingly high prices which tend to be a few of the hallmarks of developed nations.

After a quick overnight in San Jose and meeting up with Julie (a New Jersey teaching colleague of mine and past traveling companion) we rented a small 4x4 and headed north into the rain forests of the highlands. Our first stop was the town of La Fortuna at the base of Volcan Arenal. Arenal is the most active volcano in Central America and visitors are regularly treated to plumes of steam and smoke as well as the occasional spewing of lava and red-hot boulders. Unfortunately for us, the top half of the mountain was completely socked-in with mist during our entire visit. A nice consolation was staying in a resort with a geothermic heated pool with a swim-up bar. Not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon!

Yesterday morning we headed across the highlands through verdant hills dotted with coffee plantations. In a drive through the hills of Costa Rica you'll see at least a million different shades of green! After a few bumpy hours on an unpaved road we rolled into the tourist boomtowns of Santa Elena and Monteverde. This area is the home to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, which is one of the most concentrated areas of biodiversity on Earth. A guided night walk through part of the reserve introduced us to a few of the small mammals, big spiders, and variety of poisonous bugs the forest hosts (as well as gave Katie a few serious freak-outs).

This morning we headed back into the reserve to see the dense greenery in the daylight hours. A heavy downpour dampened things a bit and limited the birdlife we were able to see, but we were able to catch an extended look at a family of howler monkeys just as we were heading out of the park. So we are beach bound now, hoping to dry off a bit and maybe catch a few waves on Costa Rica's Pacific breaks.


She Said:

Well, here we are on our last hurrah. I can't believe a whole year has almost passed since we set out on this trip last July. After spending two weeks in the States visiting relatives and friends, assisting with Todd's sister's wedding, and helping Todd's brother and sister-in-law move, we are ready for a vacation! Poor us!

After two relatively quick and painless flights, we landed in the very modern capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. And by modern I mean Land Rover dealerships, electronic street signs with traffic updates, every American chain fast food restaurant you can think of, and a noticeable lack of roving livestock and trash on the side of the road. It quickly became apparent that Costa Rica is firmly entrenched on the beaten path. After meeting up with Julie and deciding on our itinerary, we headed north to see Arenal Volcano in the town of La Fortuna. While we were still in Portland, I went to get my eyes checked, and the eye doctor turned out to have a wealth of knowledge about Costa Rica, and recommended several hotels. He vividly described one near the base of the Arenal Volcano as "the most amazing view" he had ever seen, with "a huge volcano with active lava flows right outside the window, and the occasional toucan flying by." We ended up taking his advice, and it was an amazing view, we did see toucans, but unfortunately no lava as the clouds remained rooted to the peak during our stay.

The next day we took a beautiful drive through the mountains to the town of St. Elena near the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Besides clouds and rain, the forest has lots of icky insects, poisonous snakes, and small mammals. One evening, we took guided a "night walk" though the forest to see the things that only come out at night. I wasn't nervous until we were under the rain forest canopy with lots of tree branches overhead, leaves on the ground, and total darkness except for a few flashlights. All of a sudden, everything looked like a snake hanging from a tree, things were brushing against my feet, and I was totally freaked that something was going to fall out of a tree onto my head. The guide kept finding spider holes and jamming sticks in them so we could get a good view of the mega tarantula or wolf spider hanging out inside. I was so relieved when the two-hour tour was over! My one piece of advice is to wear long pants and closed toed shoes while in the rainforest at dark!

Tomorrow we are off to the beach town of Playa Tamarindo to get away from the rain and spiders!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184079540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184079540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1184079540/tpod.html Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:07:01 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Note: For the remainder of our trip we will occasionally have a special guest writer in addition to the usual "he said, she said". Julie, a good friend from the US has joined us for our travels throughout Central America.


Julie Said:

Clearly a beach resort town, Tamarindo caters to international and domestic tourists. On our initial drive through town, none of us were particularly impressed. This beach side settlement was far from quaint, marked by many souvenir shops, American fast food chains such as Pizza Hut, and overpriced tourist guided activities. However, after some searching, we stumbled upon Casa Cook, slightly outside of town but along the beach so we could walk beach side into town if we chose. Although the street side of Casa Cook was under construction, the beach side, around the other side of the custom made pool, offered a tranquil, scenic place to spend our nights. Also, our ¨cabina¨ had a full kitchen where we (well, Todd, mostly) cooked our meals. He fried up an outstanding snapper (which we bought fresh and whole at the local market) one night. Eating has not been a problem for us!

The first day on la Playa, we spent lounging on hammocks, hanging from trees yards from the beach. All three of us read our books, snoozed and enjoyed the slow pace of the day. Eventually, the daily thunderstorm rolled in and we scuttled inside like the colorful red and black crabs that peppered the beach. Oh...and have I mentioned the beach? The water held almost a Caribbean blue hue, but because of the black and tan (yes, like the beer) shades of the velvety sand, the water, although a clear blue, is somewhat subdued. The waves role in on a long, flat stretch to the beach so that at low tide, one looks across the black and tan mottled beach and imagines that it´s a giant swath of smooth ice, but instead her footsteps are absorbed by the warm waves gently spreading across the beach. Of course, at high tide, the surfers bring out their boards to catch those long, rolling, approachable waves. Even Katie and I, after a try our two during our two hour lesson, were able to stand on our boards and catch a wave. La Playa Tamarindo is a novice surfer's playground and I have to say, I understand the surfer's addiction. I wanted to continue to catch those waves long after our two hour lesson was finished. Alas, my thirty something body began to creak a bit and both Katie and I decided to call it a day before we incapacitated ourselves for the rest of the trip. Todd, of course, rejected the lesson and surfed throughout the morning with much success and many antics to distract Katie and me from our watery endeavors. All in all...I´ll be happy to jump on a board anytime the offer presents itself!


Todd Said:

It seems that a pattern we've established on this trip is that anytime we spend a few days sightseeing and bouncing around from place to place, we want to stay in one place and sit still for awhile...and that sitting is preferably done on a beach. The location this time is Playa Tamarindo on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. This lovely stretch of speckled sand dotted with small hotels unfolds around a large bay with gentle breaking waves. One big bonus; every night the beach plays host to some of the most lovely and richly colorful sunsets I've ever witnessed.

Tamarindo is one of those exceptional beaches that is perfect for learning to surf. The waist-high waves roll for extended lengths through the shallows providing the ideal place for novices to give the sport a try. Yesterday morning while Katie and Julie took a first-timers lesson, I rented a big longboard (10') and paddled out. My surfing experience prior to Tamarindo consisted of a few feeble attempts in Oregon thrashing about in a thick wetsuit and being battered by freezing cold waves. I think my cumulative time actually standing up on the board added up to less than fifteen seconds. Needless to say, I was hoping the huge stable board, no wetsuit, and calm waves would help me to at least get up once or twice in this go around. I was not disappointed. Within a few minutes of paddling out, a set of waves began to swell, I got into position, started paddling like mad and before I knew it, I was up, and as the Beach Boys sing, "Sittin' on top of the world"!!! I couldn't believe it! The wave propelled me along at a slow pace for a good half minute, longer than all my previous rides combined! In the next two hours I had at least a few dozen similar waves and began to figure out how to maneuver the huge board. No "hang tens", but I picked it up fast and soon was able to weave through the crowds bobbing in the water without decapitating anyone. Katie and Julie did equally well, each getting in a lot of long rides! Maybe we should look into buying boards...I wonder how the surf is in New Jersey?

Reluctantly we'll be leaving the beach tomorrow. We are continuing the adventure on into Nicaragua where we'll hopefully start to experience the "real" Central America!


Katie Said:

We lucked out in Playa Tamarindo and found a really cute two-bedroom cottage with a kitchen right on the beach owned by a retired American couple. The place had a private pool and was located at the end of the beach in a tranquil area. With the complete end of our trip and our jobs lurking in the not too distant future, it really felt like we were on a real vacation (instead of constantly moving and repacking our backpack).

It feels good to be back at the beach again. I LOVE the beach and think that I could possibly be addicted to beaches. There is nothing like beach breezes, the sound of crashing waves, and soft sand beneath your feet. Throw in a good book and a beach chair, and you have the makings for the perfect afternoon (and sunscreen and some shade, of course).

Add in waves with gentle conditions and a two-hour surfing lesson, and you have just put the icing on the cake for any beach bum. Usually, surfing would not be something that appealed to me...huge waves crashing on you, sharks mistaking you for a seal snack, cold water, rocks and coral just waiting to cut you, and just generally taking a beating while trying to learn. Plus standing up on a board on moving water looked really tough... at least in snowboarding the ground is stationary. But in Tamarindo, none of these conditions exist... shallow warm water (we were never in over our shoulders), nice waves with little undertow or strange currents, complete sandy bottom, and an extremely low history of shark snacking. And our teacher (an American girl from Pennsylvania) was soothing and patient, and really made you feel like you could do it. And what do you know... on my second attempt, I made it on to my feet and rode for about 10 seconds! Really cool. We spend the next few hours learning all the basics, like how to choose a wave, when to start paddling, and getting better at standing up. It was really fun, and our only regret was that we didn't have more time there to get in a few more surfing days. Looks like we might be making a trip back in the future!

Anyway, Todd and Julie are really keen to move on into Nicaragua (while I would be just as happy staying here!), so tomorrow we are off again. But, I am looking forward to our final week of traveling... all on the beach in Honduras.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1182257220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1182257220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/globedecker/rtw_2006-2007/1182257220/tpod.html Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:09:56 -0400 13 months, 6 continents, 40 nations.

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Buenos Aires, Argentina

He Said:

From Montevideo we headed back to Colonia then caught a ferry to our last stop in South America, Buenos Aires. I love Buenos Aires! This city offers the best of so many things. Stunning classic architecture, gracious people, delightful food, unique local traditions, sophisticated culture, shopping in abundance, and a number of distinctive neighborhoods make it a destination anyone would adore. Although we were hampered a bit by rain and cold weather, we were still able to link up with friends who live here and take in much of what the city has to offer.

One of the "must sees" when visiting Buenos Aires is the Recoleta Cemetery. The elaborate crypts are built to accommodate generations of families and quite a few were comparable in size to our apartment back home! Statues, lavish carvings, memorial altars, and distinctive architecture make it a cemetery like no other. We also hit a number of the trendier neighborhoods in the Palermo section of town. Hip boutiques, stylish cafes, and chic nightclubs lined the streets interspersed with car repair shops, local delis and the occasional tenement. Actually it reminded me of a lot of up-and-coming neighborhoods in New York. Buenos Aires also has a recently revitalized port area flanked with renovated warehouses that now house a huge number of restaurants (including Hooters and TGI Fridays!) Unfortunately we missed out on the tango dancing that takes place in the San Telmo neighborhood on weekends, but hey, there is always next time!

Of course one the highlights of our stay here was meeting up with my friend Olga and her husband Javier for an afternoon on the town and smorgasbord of delectable Argentine cuisine. Even though we live over 7000 miles from them, in most of our conversation we seemed to have the same concerns. It seems that being thirtysomething in Argentina isn't too much different than in New Jersey.

So tonight we are back on a plane again for a long ride back to the USA (Argentina is further from the US than Japan!) for family wedding festivities for a few weeks before wrapping up our trip in Central America.


She Said:

Buenos Aires is an amazing city that has a lot to offer visitors. There are museums galore, several colorful neighborhoods to walk around, historic buildings (some with French architecture which could make you think you are in Paris), a nice waterfront, lots of parks, and of course plenty of grilled meat. Honestly, it is so comfortable here that it really doesn't feel like we are traveling anymore. Besides walking our feet off all over the city, we really enjoyed spending an afternoon with one of Todd's friends and her husband, Olga and Javier. They graciously picked us up one afternoon and drove us all around the outer parts of the city to see places we never could have seen on our own. And we had a great meat meal at a real local place, which in addition to the standard steaks and pork, also served tripe, udder, and other internal organs (which Todd LOVES). It was really nice to have some locals show us around and teach us a few Spanish swear words! I won't share any of them with you here, but I am anxious to try them out... I just need the right moment. The vocab would have come in handy during the stolen bag fiasco. Other than that, it is pretty cold here, so much of the normal "street life" (tango on the corner) wasn't happening. I feel like I really need to come back during warmer weather to have a more full Argentine experience.

Anyway, we are heading back to the USA tonight for two weeks for my sister-in-law's wedding and to visit family. Our return is bittersweet, as we are certainly excited to get back into the swing of things, but will really miss spending so much time together and all the constant excitement of new places. We still have a three-week jaunt through Central America in July to cap off our travels.

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