A few months ago my wonderful wife suggested a trip to Morocco. I smiled and said two words “Marrakesh Express”. Just a great song by CS&N and something I always wanted to do. Take the train from Casablanca going south Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth. We actually boarded the train in Fez. We passed through farmland, [...]
After two weeks in Holland in the middle of wettest and coldest spring they had had in “106 years”, carrying my death of cold, I was ready for dry hot desert air. Morocco was just the place. As is our norm, we flew Qatar Airways. There are certain advantages to staying loyal to an airline. We could have taken AirArabia, [...]
This is supposed to be an irreverent travel blog. However, I find it hard to be irreverent about a sunset. Before I started blogging, or carrying a digital camera, I watched sunsets from places such as the Altiplano of Bolivia. The North Slope of Alaska. Maui. Santa Monica. Bocas Del Toro. From a sail boat in the middle of the Caribbean. [...]
This will be my last post from Zanzibar. I hope you have enjoyed your vicarious visit as much as my wife and I enjoyed the actual experience. Before I left, people asked “Why Zanzibar?” My response was “because it starts with a Z.” After a week there I can give many more reasons for visiting this beautiful island off the east [...]
My long time readers remember that I am enamored by doors, windows and alleys when I travel. I always do a separate post for every site just for doors, and usually windows. In Zanzibar, they make a truly outlandish effort at having wonderful doors. They even sell little door replicas as souvenirs. Also, if you read my last two posts you [...]
No, not that kind of Uzi! It is six kilometres in length, making it the second largest of the smaller islands which surrounds Unguja, Unguja is the main island of Zanzibar. We decided to go there because it has a unique economy. Strangely enough the economy is based on women collecting seaweed. The seaweed is used for everything from [...]
Our trip to Zanzibar started with bad news. A day before our departure, we were disappointed to learn that the Dreamliner (Boeing 787) we were looking forward to flying was, along with all of it’s like, grounded. We were headed for Dar es Salam, in Tanzania. When we checked in at the Dubai airport, I found out for the first time that [...]
I travel because I love to travel. I love planes and trains. I even love airports. I am a travel blogger because I love to write. Hopefully you love to read what I write. That is the only reason I have a blog at all, because I really like the idea that someone, somewhere is reading what I write. I [...]
In this, the apex chapter of my safari to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, I will tell you about what can honestly be called a once in a lifetime experience. I trekked up a mountain to see the gorillas in the mist, and I do not mean the movie. Curse Dian Fossey! couldn’t she have found some cute endangered species somewhere [...]
Wait…what happened to chapter seven? Well folks, chapter 7 will be all about the actual visit to the gorillas. I am making you wait for it because I had to wait for it for such a long time. At least you are not bouncing around in a lumber truck. Do this math…16×24=384. 384 hours, most of them in less t han [...]