TravelStream™ news feed for member tracystravels on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/tracystravels en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:04:56 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1193859180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1193859180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1193859180/tpod.html Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:04:56 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Tunis, Tunisia

Arrived in Tunis via three trains yesterday...oh joy.  Our first stop on the way was Monastir where we had breakfast and wandered around the historic fort where they filmed Monty Python's Life of Brian.  Clearly a place of major importance...oh and some historic significance as well too...Walked briskly back to the train for another short jaunt and then long haul with bags and the final train to Tunis and back to the Historic Hotel Russie.  Today we had a local guide who took us around the Bardo Museum which was filled with elaborate mosaics and stunning architecture.  We took the Metro and then a tram to Carthage where we strolled through what has become quite an upscale neighborhood.  Tree-lined streets, views of the water, palm trees...it was rough.  Had a quick picnic at a historic cemetery then walked up to the archaeological sites including an impressive former Roman Bath.  Ended up in Sid Bou Said, an idyllic hillside town where we enjoyed the stunning sunset and pine nut tea the local specialty at the cafe...go figure?
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1211805420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1211805420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1211805420/tpod.html Mon, 26 May 2008 11:44:52 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Long Beach, California, United States

Arrived from Oahu late on the 20th of May to the smiling face of my father in the luggage claim at LAX.  Went through immigration in Oahu about 7 days earlier so the domestic arrival was a breeze.  Actually, I was shocked at how easy it was to get through immigration in Oahu...a few questions about foot and mouth disease and whether I was carrying any food and that was it.  Customs in Japan tore through my stuff with more vigor and interest when I arrived from India and I expected the same treatment in the "Terror Alert" post 9-11 America.  Luckily, it was not the case.Been seeing family and friends since arriving and although it feels a bit surreal to be back with running water that I can drink out of a tap, and a washer and dryer consistently, the transition is going fairly smoothly.  After a year on the road, it was time to come home and I imagine that is why I'm settling in more easily than in 2006.  Of course, between sorting out a years worth of mail and seeing if all of my overseas packages arrived...I'm dreaming of distant lands...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210650240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210650240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210650240/tpod.html Tue, 13 May 2008 00:01:36 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Tokyo, Japan

...for the best toilet experience in the world (at least as much as I have seen of it)...is Japan!  Never before has my bum been so well cared for as here...I'm talking about the hotels primarily.  Imagine...if you will...sitting down and voila, the seat is warm (heated, and not by someone else's rear).  The sounds of water trickling set the mood and then when I'm finished, there are a variety of water spray, bidet options to choose from.  Direct spray?  Overall spray?  Oh, and don't forget to choose your water temperature. Asia and the Middle East certainly embrace the idea of washing rather than just wiping but usually it's a sprayer (last seen by most American, next to their dish washing liquid in the kitchen) coming out of the wall or even better a manually bent metal tube sticking precariously out from the back of the toilet seat that looks a bit like it will impale you when you sit down but actually sprays water, usually at the correct place!  The worst I would say was in Western China in the Tibet Autonomous Region (yeah, right).  It consisted of a semi-private rectangular hole dug out in the back of this restaurant where you lined your heels up at the edge and squatted while trying to align yourself with the hole and squat without falling in or having anything to grab hold of.  Afterwards, you were on your own as there was no place to wash your hands...I'll spare you the grim experience of the shower drain turned toilet in the Colca Canyon of Peru I encountered about 10 years ago...those details are not fit to print!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210498080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210498080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210498080/tpod.html Sun, 11 May 2008 05:56:05 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Kyoto, Kinki, Japan

The flight from Dubai to Osaka was uneventful as I slept most of the way, woke up for breakfast and then deplaned into an almost empty sparkling airport.  Took the JR train to Kyoto, lugged way too many bags (I did some shopping in Delhi) and moved as quickly as possible in the rain to the taxi stand.  The driver looked slightly alarmed at first...perhaps not wanting or knowing how to speak English...but then the door opened automatically and I pushed my bags and then myself into the cab.  Checked into the hotel and then caught up and had an amazing dinner with my uncle who lives in Kyoto. It was a Saturday night and the streets were fairly empty...of course my last frame of reference was India which never seems to stop.  Met my uncle again in the am and we had a quick breakfast of coffee and bread at a local bakery and then headed downtown on the train.  We parted ways and I set off towards the Gion part of town where a number of interesting temples and shrines are located.  Ran into loads of Geisha and as the morning went on, loads of locals and other tourists although I didn't see too many westerners.  Started at Yasaka-Jinja Shrine then on to Maruyama Park, Kodaiji Temple, Ryozen-Gokuku-jinju Shrine (a tribute to the unknown soldiers who perished in WWII), and Kiyomizu Temple (amazing views!).Took public transport to the other end of town to see some other temples: Rokuon-ji Temple aka the Golden Pavilion or Kinkakuji, Ryoanji Temple (famous for the rock garden) and with about 5 minutes to spare saw some of the Ninnanji Temple and adjacent Rengeji Temple. After photographing some Buddhas, I walked through an immaculate neighborhood with compact houses and cars and then got on the train and bus back to my hotel.  I think all of the students that had been at Ryoanji were on the same bus with me! Tonight, I'm planning to soak in really hot water in my Japanese style tub and then go out to dinner with my uncle.  My feet are killing me!!  Tomorrow I will head off to Tokyo for one night before flying out to Oahu...almost home.Here are some pictures from the day:http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115056&l=d2468&id=658590573
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210366320/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210366320/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1210366320/tpod.html Fri, 09 May 2008 17:03:05 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Just landed from New Delhi into the Dubai airport.  It's the middle of the night and I feel like I'm in the middle of a multi-level shopping complex not an airport.  In between all the shops you can spy the gates but it's really over the top.  Not the first time I've been here but it continues to amaze each time.  In about an hour I hop on another Emirates flight to Osaka...I'm sure it'll be over 10 hours but I haven't confirmed that yet.  Luckily, I have my business class RTW...so I'm in my Tantra t-shirt from this cool Indian store, backpack and cardboard tube containing my Buddhist Tangka rubbing elbows with the 'other' half.  Thank goodness my travel agent found that super discounted fare last year...it's made all the difference on these long hauls.I sat next to a really nice Sikh businessman on the previous flight and was invited to his daughter's wedding in New Delhi at the end of the year. He reminisced about his time hitchhiking throughout the Middle East when it was still safe to travel through Iraq and some family caravan travels through Europe...as well as grilling me about my African Safari experiences.  I think he wants to go.  You never know when the next interesting person will pop up to talk with when traveling.  I think I will miss these unexpected conversations when I return home...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1209540960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1209540960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1209540960/tpod.html Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:44:23 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Ko Samui, Thailand

Just arrived on Ko Samui from Phuket (second time around) and we figured we could check into the airport because it put some luxury resorts to shame!  We could see immediately, that the tourist industry had found this tropical island paradise in the Eastern Gulf area of Thailand!  Didn't have any reservations so we started out at the place our Swedish friends had recommended but it was full so we set off down the road to go hotel shopping.  We finally ended up at a great resort in one of their cheap rooms with access to all of the amenities at a lower cost.  Internet is 1 Bhat a minute here instead of the 2 or 3 we saw on Ko Phi Phi and Patong and the weather is HOT...and HUMID.  We spent our last night on the sex/ladyboy/bar scene road on Patong beach at the Irish Bar where there was a Thai/Irish cover band playing American country while we first watched Americans ride bulls and then switched to the Man United v. Barcelona football match...it was quite a cultural mix up as usual!  Finally hit the bed at around 5am and woke up at 7 to catch our flight to Ko Samui...we are TIRED in a big way!Here are some of the latest pictures: (just click on the link)http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=110651&l=28325&id=658590573
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1208006940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1208006940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1208006940/tpod.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:35:18 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Rishikesh, India

Stepped off the train in Haridwar after sleeping for about 5 hours in my A/C chair class train and slogged over to the bus station across and down the street to pick up the local bus to Rishikesh.  It left about 5 minutes after I jumped on and we were on our way!  The scenery changed from browns and tans to progressively more greenery as we got closer, a few times we crossed the holy river Ganges on our way.  Took an auto rickshaw from the bus station to the suspension bridge near town because only pedestrians and two wheel vehicles were allowed from that point onward.  Walked across the moving/swaying suspension bridge and gazed at the views of the Ganges, boulders, river rafters, and hills.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207833300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207833300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207833300/tpod.html Sat, 12 Apr 2008 09:25:14 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Delhi, India

Took a mid-morning flight from Calcutta to New Delhi and arrived into the oven that was Delhi!  So hot...but dove into a taxi and set off for the Paharganj area main bazaar near the New Delhi train station.  Transfered to a cycle rickshaw at the main entrance cuz no cars allowed...and this uber thin man took me and my bags down the crowded streets.  We turned into an alleyway at one point and I jumped off and helped him push...it was too excruciating to see him struggle with the heavy load, the horrible streets and multiple obstacles.  Got to my hotel, paid him 10 rupees and checked in.  After resting for a bit, set out to find something to eat.  Finally found a crowded place filled with foreigners smoking and enjoyed a veggie thali and masala chai while watching the street activity pass.After eating I started wandering towards the ATM when two tall strapping youngish Kashmiri guys stopped me in my tracks inviting me to join them on their travels to Kashmir.  Translation:  you look gullible...our uncle, father, family...you fill in the blank, has a travel agency and wants to sell you an overpriced trip to Kashmir...which although we'll reassure you it's safe...we don't really know.  Oh, and if you wait around long enough...we'd like to sell you a carpet.They invited me to get chai and I accepted and we all sat around for a bit joking around...little by little it dawned on them that although I was enjoying the tea, I was headed to Rishikesh and not Kashmir...period.  We said our goodbyes and I headed back to the hotel to repack and get some much needed sleep!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207647420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207647420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207647420/tpod.html Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:32:19 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Kolkata (Calcutta), India

Had a great time with a local family in the home stay below Darjeeling city proper that my last tour guide's brother set up for me.  Had a harrowing drive in one of the usual shared mini-vans on steep switchback roads that clearly had been constructed and then left to decay without any thought of continuing maintenance (quite the norm here in India unfortunately).  Discussed some of these as well as environmental, political and ecological issues at length while down in the village.  The population of India is growing rapidly and the infrastructure just really isn't there or is not sufficient to support the current and future populations.  In Darjeeling, apparently the waste treatment facilities, originally constructed by the British for a city of roughly 30,000 people, are not even being used...the waste from the current city population of around 150,000 most likely seeping out of disintegrating pipes or not even making it into this system in the first place and going directly into the local rivers and soil.  Ironically, some local farmers had told my guide that they wouldn't work on his land if he chose to fertilize with the contents of his human waste compost made from the outhouses on his property.  These are the same farmers that are probably drinking the water from the streams that are the receptacles for the city of Darjeeling's own waste...Came back into the city after my village stay and settled into a nice mid-range hotel with the potential spectacular view of the local mountain range.  I say potential because I had yet to spend a day in Darjeeling that wasn't primarily overcast and rainy.  I keep thinking 'clear, sunny, views' most of the day and was rewarded the following morning with warm rays of sun pouring into the side windows of my guest room.  Against my body's will, I forced myself to get out of my warm bed, peeled back the deep red velvet curtains and finally saw the mountains I had been waiting so long to see!  Had tea, spoke to some other business tourists from the good ole US of A and headed down to Glenarys for a western/British type breakfast and another view of the the town and hills.The night before, I had walked over to Glenary's to do some Internet and have a bite to eat.  After the remote server crashed (a usual occurrence)  I got to talking with a woman from France and ended up joining her and her boyfriend downstairs to listen to what turned out to be a fantastic blues cover band.  Had a tasty glass of sweet white wine, garlic naan and a savory corn flake chili dusted snack mix (only in India!) and danced and drank the night away.  So anyway, after breakfast I wandered back to the hotel and then with one of the guys from the hotel, went off to see the zoo and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.  At the zoo, finally saw a tiger, snow leopard, various types of wolves and a red panda.  The Mountaineering Institute had an interesting collection of various mountaineering equipment and notable figures and a separate room devoted entirely to climbing Mount Everest.  Got back to the hotel and with the help of my new hotel acquaintance, lugged all of my bags down to the share jeep station near the market.  Paid for the front three seats this time (it's significantly more comfortable to have the entire front seat to myself for me and my luggage and the cost for each seat was around 2 USD...) The back seat which would seat 3 westerners none too comfortably, was packed with 4 locals and a baby just to give you an idea of the usual density of these vehicles.  In fact, sometime you get some extra passengers on the top luggage rack or just hanging onto the back.We headed off to Siliguri then NJP train station where I was due to pick up my overnight train to Kolkata at 20:00.   Arrived with minimal complication, and even though the weather had been slowly heating up as we headed down from Darjeeling, the humidity and heat began to hit me as I wandered around the station waiting for the train.  As we drove out of Darjeeling, we saw a couple of crowds of people, mostly young men, standing by the side of the road with sticks or pieces of wood...they would stop our jeep and then wave us by.  It was a bit unnerving to be passing through what seemed to be the beginnings of a political protest relating to the locals desire to secede from the state of West Bengal and create their own state of Gorkhaland.  Luckily we passed through without much delay. I enjoyed a freshly prepared masala dosa (thin savory pancake with spicy potato filling) from a local stall and boarded the train around 19:00 and ended up sitting with a group of locals who worked together and were returning from their holiday together.  The evening was great fun, filled with their singing and lots of conversation before we all eventually settled down to sleep...our locked bags, locked to the train and tucked in below the seats carefully to discourage theft...In the morning, we all went on our way, I had a terse negotiation with an industrious if a bit dishonest taxi driver...and arrived at the Fairlawn Hotel right in the midst of the main Sudder Street tourist area.  The taxi driver had walked into the station and picked me out of the crowd and followed me saying 'pre-paid taxi miss' over and over again, and then proceeded to bypass the official pre-paid taxi booth where you are supposed to pay a fixed rate and get into a cue and steer me over to his dilapidated taxi.  I answered 100 rupees to his initial offer of 150 knowing that even 100 was about twice what the price should be.  Each time he refused, I put my backpack on and got out of the taxi shaking my head and saying 100...then he'd nod his head, I'd get back in, then he'd say 120 and the whole process would start again.  Finally, he theoretically agreed to the 100 and away we went.  As usual, he said he knew where the hotel was, then just happened to mention another hotel as the destination (probably one where he would receive a commission) and then the discussion continued between us because of course he didn't actually know where the Fairlawn hotel was but had said he did just to get the fare...After the usual taxi drama, I wandered a block through road construction, human-powered rickshaws, dogs, cows, street vendors, mud, broken bricks, water puddles and 'other' puddles into what was certainly the most serene, green, and tranquil throwback to another era that I had experienced in a while.  Sat in the reception of the former British Raj Mansion that had been converted to the Fairlawn Hotel, had breakfast, checked-in, cleaned up...I could see the dirt from the train and city pouring down the drain in the bathtub as I shaved my legs...and set off to the US Embassy to add more pages to my poor suffering passport!  Had a strict by the books shakedown by a serious minded Indian woman at the entrance of the embassy...she even wanted to take my book until the guy working with her nudged her and and suggested that I could keep my book even though the 'regulations' said otherwise, filled out a quick application, had a brief interrogation by embassy staff who witnessed the signature of my 'good' name and after about 30 minutes had about 24 more blank pages!!!  I say 'good' name because in India, it is quite common to be asked what your 'good' name is...which roughly translates into the formal name you use in public as opposed to your nickname given to you by your family. Then set off to send yet another package home via the Indian Postal Service.  After my initial consultation with the man running a postal package consulting service (term used loosely) in the front lobby of the Post Office, I set off to find a box to put my stuff in, because the guy couldn't sew up my stuff in fabric without it.  After my first few inquiries at local businesses, I ended up next to the local trash dump and recycling center (term again used very...loosely) basically a huge pile of refuse piled on the city street where one very thin wirey man was shoveling refuse into the back of an intricately decorated 'goods carrier' truck...black crows and thin dogs all around having their daily bread.  The guys collecting paper and cardboard from the locals went back into his warehouse and came out with a relatively clean, thin cardboard box which was just the right size...and at 5 rupees (40 rupees = 1 USD) just the right price!Brought the box and my stuff back to my 'consultant' and he put it all together, the guy assisting him wrapped it in white cotton fabric and sewed it up and after the rest of the stuff was taking care of...the package was sent back to hopefully arrive in the US via land and air combination in about 45 days!Planning to have high tea at 16:00 back at the Fairlawn then head off to the Sri Aurobindo Center to take a class in beginner's meditation...frankly, a required skill in India!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207118160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207118160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracystravels/worldwide-2007/1207118160/tpod.html Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:42:41 -0400 I'm off again to explore more of the world, this time into 2008. Stay tuned...

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Gangtok, India

The Three Gorges Dam in China is not the only controversial hydro-electric project in Asia.  Projects that will vastly affect the environment and local villagers are currently planned in North Sikkim.  You can read about the protesters' hunger strikes and about the projects at the following website if you are interested:www.weepingsikkim.blogspot.com
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