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 |   ON THE WRITE PATH: travel journal for Around-the-World in 2015, 16, 18. |
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For there are many paths.  A tlog. A travel blog. A keeping-track of my trials, er.. travels. February 26, 2015 until ... June 18,2015. January 12, 2016 until February 15, 2016. November 13 to 30 2018 ... 2019, 2020: Taiwain. I went nowhere in 2021. 2022: Portugal, Thailand. Will include: Hawai'i, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Untied Arab Emirates, Portugal, Norway, Ireland and... (2015) ... Norway and Estonia (2016), México (2018), Taiwan, Balkans, Baltics, Turkey, Costa Rica, Nicaragua. Vi får se.  "Where I have traveled, stayed and visited. Over 181 places."     |
I wrote to 💙 Carly  : "I'm not there ... but you probably are aware of that by now. I will check in. If just to rescue [you-know-who] if he asks!In many ways both poles are deserts. The water is frozen and for sure piles up but without winds over warm currents there's little snowfall in the interior... what's there has been there for millennia. Where there is water there is life. Without muddy runoff the waters may be clear enough to let the light penetrate further [during summer]. I don't snorkel but I'd like to see what's under the surface of the sea. There are not as many stars in the southern sky, but at least you can see them! A map of the sky full of stars y'all might like: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/night/antarctica/south-pole Note this star map, Lyn's a sly fox  Apondia  Prosperous Snow celebrating  Fivesixer  QPdoll  BlueMoon  SandraLynn Team Florent!  Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008 .A personal note: I'll peek in ... you know I will! ... because that's what I do.  But July drained me I had about 100 poems/blogs to write and I did most but not all of them. I need a month off. And my 'characters? Well, unless there's a place to party and show off, Quentin or Sara Shoom wouldn't be very interested. As for the vamps? Lily already slept for a century after she fell (pushed...?) in a crack in a glacier. She loves the cold and is tempted. She does warn y'all ... be careful ... the world goes on without you while you sleep. The others are NOT amused. Tackling a leopard seal for a blood-fix doesn't seem appealing. I can hear the vamps in Portugal laughing from here, "there are beaches and then there are beaches". Jarom might like your company; he's lonely. Akaisama ... being a mountain ... can't join you. And Ao and Hanuda have their own struggles (it's why they have remained silent). Oriole might like the change of landscape, but you didn't invite him! |
| I have seen the snows of summer on the way from Lom to Solvorn by taking the bus over the Sognfjellsvegen. We did stop half ways at a ski/resort/restaurant but we were nowhere near the snowfields and glaciers. I could see them though and took photos. The bus only runs until the end of August. Global warming is taking a toll on glaciers but not necessarily in parts of Noway. There is concern that cooler waters due to ice melt in the Arctic and Greenland will change the climate, destroy what little agriculture can survive in the far north and that the glaciers may actually grow as snowfall increases and snowmelt decreases in cooler summers. But the quote ... perhaps a bit sarcastic? But it's not as if we need another tropical beach. There's enough empty sand in Australia to keep everyone happy. But they're not keen on anyone moving there. They intend to keep the sands "white". Antarctica ... where white on white may make you rethink how much you like the color white. Not all of Antarctica is snow-covered though. They have cold-deserts and parts of the Palmer Peninsula are even north of the polar circle (but still frigid). I've been north of the polar circle in Norway. Tromso has 2 months of sunshine (approx. May 21 - July 21). It has lovely flowers, small trees and a lively university. It was 17 degrees this week. A bit chilly for anyone who wants to swim though. I believe there's a small lake/pond that locals use.  Prompt/quote: “I want to visit the snow in Antarctica before global warming turns it into a tropical paradise.” ― Steven Magee From:
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| For: "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" If you won a free trip to any foreign country, all expenses paid in your own private jet and had the time to go (and there were no travel restrictions due to a global pandemic *Pthb*), what is the first foreign country you would visit? Who would you bring with you? What would you spend your time doing? Mars ... by myself I post an appropriate story I wrote. Hand-in-hand They walked hand-in-hand down the red dirt path, around the circle of green scum covering the pond they had dug. Michele spoke about the last time she had tossed back a Guinness as Miguela closed her eyes and inhaled, hoping to recall the fragrance of a deep red wine. The air was dry and still. —I remember the old men making dough, guarding their recipes as if their life depended on it. —I'm sure their livelihood did. —No—their life. "Pizzo paid by pizza" my father always cackled. Miguela pulled a comb thru her snarled wires. Michele just winked and tossed her long black locks. —Want to stop for tea and scones? Her eyes crinkled. —Only if you remembered the garlic and extra oregano. Miguela laughed. She loved laughter, eyes twinkling more than those stars looking down at them thru the black sky. Her homeland rocked to a volcanic beat, she'd always snicker. Michele would just smile, pretending they were walking the Giant's Causeway every time they wandered out to the pond's dock. It was afternoon. They needed no clock; they just knew. The movement of the small blue starlet and big yellow star informed them. Back home, one wall showed a scene of a distant Emerald Isle, the other white stones and blue shutters baking in the heat. Michele served tea and they both sat quietly. Time passed. Michele grabbed her bodhrán and Miguela started to sing. They wove a melody and beat that no one could hear. It was the year... 87... and the denizens of the cemetery were stone deaf, each grave hand dug, the most recent mouldering now for 50 years. Mars was a lonely place for a party of one. Calmed, Miguela quietly stowed her stiletto. Michele knowingly smiled... lost in thoughts of all the worlds she had once visited. She looked up. Beyond the empty sky she could see... Forever. © Kåre Enga [14.March.2017] Originally written in 15 minutes and posted in "Hand-in-hand" |
 João: Lagos. The beaches. The water. The sun glistening off the water. All the shiny things. Me: Yes, you'll like it there. João: What's there to do? Me: Relax! João: No, really. Me: There's a small science museum, a small church museum, the ruins of the greatest school of navigation. João: Anything shiny? Me: A 3 cent silver coin from the United States displayed in the church. And no, you can't have it. João: You know me. [laughs] Me: Yes, I do. [laughs] Ask Filipa where to go and what to do. She's looking forward to meeting you. Pack a hat, some shorts and something red. João: I always do. Me: You'll need to eat. Try the grilled sardines or octopus salad. Don't forget to try a frango and there's pastries everywhere. João: Are they sweet? Me: Very sweet, but not as sweet as you! [laughs] Some are savory. João: I can be that too. [smirks] Me: Be nice. João: I'm always nice. Me: And be nice to yourself. Lagos is a place stamped with history. Let 600 years of the Age of Discovery wash over you as you stretch out on the beach. Then go for a swim. And don't forget to take a boat ride to see the caves. Sea-kayaking is an option too. Plenty enough to do. João: Party? Me: All the small cafes. João: And Portimão? Me: Don't bother. You'd be better off in England, plus Filipa would give you hell! Better to relax in Lagos. It's more than nice for anyone ... especially for you. For:
Prompt: Write about the last time you did something nice for yourself. Every trip I make. Portugal was supposed to be this past April. The ice cream I bought yesterday does not make up for it. Here, João from "Os vampiros não vivem em Évora" joins me. |
| Gallo pinto Beyond the fear there was the gallo pinto1 and down the hill a house for sale where once he'd dwelt and walking futher back in time he found a young boy quivering but did not linger in the fog and fragrant treacheries and turned around to trudge back up the trail he'd laid, giving thanks for rice and beans still steaming. © Kåre Enga [177.124] (7.juli.2020) 6 lines Prompt: Write about a journey - you can interpret this however you wish. Note: I returned to Costa Rica in 2009 after being gone 35 years. For:
Footnotes |
  I may never go back. The glare into the back of my head cannot be unseen. The screech of Akrikaans on the graffitied train2 from Simon's Town cannot be unheard. And my smeller no longer can catch the faint fragrance of protea3. Plus, the penguins didn't show up. I spent my birthday at Kirstenbosch Garden. Marveled at the beauty of the fynbos4, a narrow-leaf plant kingdom of it's own. Took a picture of Oliver5, a 150 year old rescued olive tree, now a bonsai, and wondered who'll rescue me and my wrinkles. I even had my picture taken by a friendly group. And there's the rub. They were not the only friendly people. The bookseller at Wordsworth6, a lady under the oaks in The Company's Gardens7, a man on the main drag, Long Street8... all friendly... but there was a scent of hostility hanging in the air... most everywhere. I got to see a seal being fed at Hout Bay on the line of the hop-on hop-off bus9 and the brightly painted homes in Bo-kaap 10. I even ventured around windy Table Top11 taking the rotating cable car ascending and descending like an alien ship12 with a magnificent view of the city13. It was enough. There's little reason to return. I know no one there and made no connections. Cape Town is a beautiful place. It has one of the most scenic backdrops of any city in the world1415. But for me it's about people and culture and there are at least 20 places in Africa I'd like to visit before I'm too old. Translation sung by Doris Day and Frankie Lane circa 1952. A nice article: http://africanaromatics.com/oh-sugarbush-how-sweet-you-are-me/ 2.532 Footnotes |
For:
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein That was last month's prompt, but too appropo to pass up. I was looking forward to visiting Spain in March of 2020. In hindsight it's just as well I didn't go. It's June ... and I might still be stranded there. I thought I could survive Madrid even though it has never been on my bucket list. But then other great cities like Vienna and Paris weren't either and I've been to both. London? Maybe never. But there were great tickets! About $700!! Cheap and good flights. To Madrid on March 3rd and back from Bilbao in May. 9 weeks seemed a tad long but I was willing if not thrilled. I figured I could go south to Malaga and maybe some other places that off-season might not be overrun with tourists. I'm not a good tourist. Frankly? Prefer travelers and locals to tourists. But one shouldn't complain. Spain ... is close to Morocco ... and I've never been. Checked flights to Casablanca ... doable. A place to stay in Rabat ... very doable. Fes, Chefchouen, Tangiers? All good. Then back to Spain and on to Portugal. But ... which side of the border would I have been on when Morocco suddenly closed on March 16th. The US offered to rescue Americans ... for $2,500. I'd still be there or somewhere rambling around Europe. Of course ... I didn't find out. On March 1st I canceled when I couldn't add travel insurance. My tickets were non-refundable. I lost $700. And that's where Shelley's quote becomes pertinent. The anguish of not only having to cancel a trip but to lose my money ... and then to know that no one cared. A 'it sucks to be me moment' par excellence. I was upset for days. I wasn't safe at home in a building with shared facilities any more than I would've been in Europe in a hostel. And I was further pissed off at ignorant Americans who thought that their American superiority complex mattered to a virus and then ... the me-me-me's of 'freedom now' because wearing a mask was crushing their rights ... I was hurting, upset, LIVID. Still am. But I've blogged about that elsewhere. I will get to Morocco some day. I will revisit my favorite places in Portugal. Madrid? Who knows. 2,529 |
| MHWA Prompt: You just stumbled into a university class - and you're the professor! What's the name of your course and what will you be teaching your students? Conectedness. Let's first look at two definitions. "The state of being joined or linked." As in "the connectedness of American business life and American sports". And "a feeling of belonging to or having affinity with a particular person or group" expressed in this sentence "it's about partnering, trust, and connectedness." One thing I learned by traveling was how connected we all are. But these two definitions are not quite the same and perhaps not exactly what I nor you need to learn. There is a connectedness to everything and everybody that transcends the narrow this-is-connected-to-that example of the first definition and seems to be opposed to the second's echo of exclusivity. Both sound good, but are they? People want to believe that life is either black/white, always-good or always-bad. My experience, and hopefully yours, teaches me that it isn't that simple. Focusing on the quid-pro-quo of sports and business leaves out their other connections. Sports provides a group identity to people who may not otherwise have one. It allows people to cross barriers that the taboo of race, religion, ethnicity seeks to instill. Yet, it strengthens new barriers of body-form, age and gender. And frankly, those who watch it from the outside, those we call 'fans' are no more than a self-defined amorphous gang. Business uses the fame of sports figures to promote their own fortunes. Whether it's 'use' or 'abuse' is for others to decide. Regardless it's a quid-pro-quo at many levels. The local sports hero can expect adulation and deference for the rest of his life. And yes, woman have come lately to that exclusive club, and have not been equally awarded. The cycle of sports hero to successful CEO supporting new athletes and using their fame to to become even more successful as these used-up heroes become the new CEOs of the next generation is an All Man's Club ... no women allowed. The connectedness is limited to those blessed enough to be welcomed into the club. The second definition reinforces this. Partnering and trust are key words. Do you partner with just anyone or everyone? Do you trust everyone who crosses your path? Unless you are polyamorous, the first is like an exclusive marriage. You-and-me and no one else. The second demands that you unlearn prejudices, fears, ignorance ... or just decide to reinforce them. Nuclear families, church groups, bridge clubs, neighborhood gangs all depend on connectedness, but at the price of excluding others. When you travel it helps to be aware of a third type of connectedness that offers the hope that you can connect with anyone anywhere. But, it's a hope that can be dashed into pieces and you risk becoming cynical and small minded once more. What are the key components then of a fruitful travel experience that connects you to the world? Oneness, respect and flexibility. Believe that "We Are One". It helps if this is reinforced by your family, community or religious group. If not, you will need to contemplate the wisdom of this many times during your journey and will hopefully grow beyond the small box you were raised in. If you wish to never be challenged, to always consider yourself outside-of or separate-from the circle of humanity, traveling may be painful for you. The good news? As you travel, you will be amazed by daily examples of kindness, caring, sharing and even joy that helps you heal from the lies we all were taught. And this will convince of the truth, "We are One". Even those hurtful moments will be mere echoes of what you have already experienced back home. An attitude of respect invites you to learn that there are other points-of-views, instructs you that we are all trapped by time and circumstance in a body that has its own limitations. Humility means accepting that your language-faith-ethnicity does NOT make you superior. Respect, not because someone has 'earned' it. This not a lesson of quid-pro-quo. No one needs to cater to you. Except they will. The housekeeper who changes your sheets, the old man who invites you to sit and share tea, the customer service person who irons out a glitch in your flight. They all deserve your respect. As does the person who stands too close or too far away, the person wearing clothes you don't approve of, those too loud or unwilling to speak. We all come from a place of cultural norms and personal preference. All of us. Kindness helps if you are not sure how to show proper respect. Many are willing to forgive you. So expect to be flexible. Flexibility allows you to navigate the unknown. Unknown food, customs, laws. It makes you define your core, allowing you to let go of what you or others have assigned to you. It's akin to walking around naked. It helps to get over the fear that you will somehow lose yourself. You will only lose what's least important and reveal who you truly are. If you are a vegan vigilante or will not touch anything that's not kosher, if you insist on observing ancient rituals regardless of the surrounding reality, or demean other people's rituals as pagan or satanic, if you adhere to rigid schedules, to personal habits you refuse to change, if you are OCD ... I advise you to reconsider travel. Are you ready to leave your comfort zone? Until you are able to be mentally flexible you may just want to stick to an only-over-60-all-white-wealthy or gay-Jewish-ab-fab-muscleman cruise. Both are examples of connecting to people just-like-you. Neither connects to the outside world you either ignore or deny or feel superior to. Travelling is about embracing. And embracing can be messy and frightening. And overcoming those fears and cleaning up those messes can lead to personal growth. If you are willing to be flexible you are strong enough to pass this test. Traveling is mind-blowing. It opens one up to a world of connections beyond group identity or the promise of monetary payback. Physical, mental, and emotional connections rapidly become apparent. Open yourself up to this reality, "We are One" and join humanity's journey. I wish you the best on your travels. 2.471 |
| When I travel: 7 pairs of black underwear, 3 pairs of pants, 7 shirts that match the pants. In Taiwan I was black and blue and dark whatever. Next trip? Different season, different culture, different color scheme. I should also pack less (4/2/4 would probably work fine). I have a back-pack and roller bag. If it doesn't fit it doesn't go. I make lists and mostly follow them. It helps me when I'm hysterical at the last moment. I know that I can buy most anything most anywhere, but finding it? Plus, I dislike shopping. Odd things on my list: Gifts: I made 10 packets and gave them all away. Token gifts are best. Things from Montana. People are surprised... but no one has rejected them. They usually smile. Postcards... I now have an address book as my sheet of paper was getting ragged. I sent 13 to 12 friends. Some have been received. No word from some people... so who knows... the one I sent to Africa may arrive by May. Everyone should make a list of what is important or hard to replace: meds, chargers, itinerary, personal info. So... back to underwear... black is basic and less see-through than other colors. I stay in hostels... enough said? Also, easier to change clothes on the occasional beach (I'm not a beach person). Clothes and items that can do double duty are best. Socks should all match. Layering is also important. Hard to control the weather! |
| All in the quest for ... ? I'm not on anyone else's quest. Just got a reply about my comment on Rick Steve's fb page re my not liking the crowds of Prague. Inez suggested that I go on a river cruise to 'manage the crowds' and really enjoy Prague. She missed the memo that "I don't like crowds" and I'm not interested in "managing" them. A week-long river cruise costs 2 to 3 thousand for 7 nights. I spent 1 thousand for a month in Taiwan... she didn't get that memo either! I'm not her customer. I'm not on the "old wealthy man's quest".  If someone gifted me a cruise? Yes. If only for the experience. The above was written in a response to an awesome-as-usually blog by Robert Waltz  .So what is my quest? I'll try to answer that over the next 4 days. How do I do travel without money? No... I have no product to sell. I just live within my means and follow one of my passions. Most people can do that if: 1. They have any income. Yes, it's possible to live off the kindness of strangers... but at some point that can become parasitic if not symbiotic. Not sure which is better. Even the monetarily poor individualist might be able to make choices to free up money. Many homeless who live off the grid manage to. For the rest it's learning how to be frugal and being happy with less. Being miserable isn't a good plan and has sustainability issues. 2. They have a passion. Many once did ... which is sad. But lost passions can be revived and new ones can be developed! Now I sound giddy. My passions were gardening and traveling, meeting new people and recording what I experience ... so photography. But on this last trip I met Isla from France who is passionate about cake. Good on her! 2,443 |
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