Fifteen People Have Spoken: 2010’s Best Stuff – Part Two

Here begins part two of the 2010’s Best Stuff Round-Up Discussion. Unlike part one, most of these later entries deal with family. I hope you enjoy these responses as much as yo have of those in Part One. Here’s a small reminder of the topic:

Travelling Tonito’s Adventures in the Sahara

The best thing of 2010 for me was watching my country, South Africa, successfully host Africa’s first World Cup. A lot of people doubted our ability to do it. Even more people wanted us to fail so they could wag their finger at FIFA and say “I told you so!”. However South Africa gave the doubters the finger and hosted an excellent World Cup. When the final whistle blew in Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africans’ hearts burst with pride!

Not only did we host an excellent World Cup (there might have been some minor issues) but the World Cup also united the country. At least for two months, we forgot our troubled past and showed the world that we could get things done. South Africans from all backgrounds came together to enjoy the spectacle. I’m always proudly South African, but for two months this year, it went beyond that. I was honoured to be able to say that I was South African!

Might be corny as hell, but I don’t care as this was South Africa’s year!

Indie Travel Podcast

For me, 2010 was a year spent with people, so its appropriate that my top travel experience of the year was one I spent with three of my best friends (and three random Bolivians, but that’s par for the course). Getting to Uyuni, Bolivia was a bit of a mission, but the salt flats tour that starts from there was amazing.

We set off in the early morning, stopped at the “train graveyard” and a small souvenir town on the way to the Salar. As we drove along the endless expanse of white, the driver explained how it was formed and how locals harvest the salt. We had lunch at an island in the middle of the white sea, and continued on to our destination for the night: a hotel made of salt bricks.

On the following days, we saw other natural wonders: hills striped with seven colours of clay, a natural rock formation shaped like a tree, flamingos. We saw a geyser erupting in the pre-dawn light and sat in hot pools as the snow slowly started to fall around us (which is another story: who knew snow fell in the desert?) Our driver dropped us at the Chilean border at midday on day three, and it was all over — but it remains my top travel experience of the year.

Notes from the Road

The best thing for me in 2010 was the story of the barefoot bandit. Let me explain. Every day, I get all this spam in my inbox from the travel industry. I get all these PR people wanting to promote their Travel Channel personality on my amateur travel blog or a guest blog with links back to their travel gadgets. This year, we watched the very sad story of a boy who went out on a terrible and harrowing journey across North America, stealing cars, planes and boats to move himself across the country and just out of reach of authorities. While the barefoot bandit’s crimes, personal history and two years on the run are nothing to admire, his story really captivated me. I couldn’t help to think that this boy saw and traveled and observed more about the nature of humanity in those two years than any Travel Channel personality could in ten. And his story kept reminding me over and over that travel begins once you set your foot out the door, and not when your cruise ship first gets into port. And that adventure is not something you go on, but something that we as regular travelers should responsibly hope to avoid. The barefoot bandit, more than anything, inspired me into embracing the immediacy of travel. Maybe when he gets out of jail, he’ll make a fine travel writer.

Travel Guy

My Best of 2010 would be traveling through Patagonia with my parents. It was the first vacation I’d taken with them since I was 18, and oh my how things have changed. I guess this puts me in the category of taking a vacation as an adult with my parents, when I’m able to choose the wine at dinner and help out with the long drives. It was a totally different experience than I’m used to, but it was nice and I welcomed it. I’m used to traveling like a dirty backpacker, but we stayed in luxury estancias and traveled like older people with comfort in mind. I think just the bonding alone made it more important for me, and in many ways that was the most rewarding part of the trip. Though there were few trips in 2010, it was definitely the best.

Wade and Petra Courtesy of Wade Shepard

Vagabond Journey

Getting on that first international flight with my five month old daughter had to have been the highlight of 2010. Followed up by watching her roll over for the first time in the Dominican Republic, crawl for the first time in El Salvador, learn how to stand up in the jungle of Guatemala, take her first steps Mexico, and now listening as she tries out new words in Spanish and English. Never thought it could be so enjoyable traveling with a child, but watching Petra grow up on the road has not only been the main highlights of this past year but also of all my previous ten years of travel combined.

The Beerman Chronicles

The best thing for me in 2010 has to be the same as the last 20 years, my marriage. Rather, make that the woman I married. We celebrated our 20th anniversary this year, which traditionally is the “china” anniversary (got enough plates and bowls, thank you) but in more modern times has become the “platinum” anniversary (this is good – can’t have enough platinum – please send all your platinum to me in small boxes). It is because of this woman that we made our only travels of 2010 – four nights in New York City hobnobbing with bloggers and three nights in far western Minnesota meeting family I’ve never met and she hasn’t seen in thirty-some years. And they even let me drive their jet-ski, a first for me. Sure, once you go full throttle, you can’t hear them shouting at you from shore to slow down – I thought they were just waving……

Our Two Cents Worth…

I honestly don’t know where to begin because so many unique things have happened to me this past year. Though I’m not a big fan of lists (but I hear they work), here goes:

1) Twenty years of marriage to the man I devoutly love and admire. (Damn, we’re a gushy couple. LOL!)

2) Being offered this position as Editor of TravelBlogs. (A “never in my wildest dreams” moment. Hope I’ve kept all of you happy so far.)

3) Reconnecting with family I’ve not seen since 1979. (Ohhh, playing on the jet-ski too.)

4) Visiting New York City for the first time during TBEX. Plus, seeing the Statue of Liberty “up close and sorta personal”. (Made me cry.)

5) A new snow blower. (Seriously, that’s a highlight as I hate shoveling snow. And, it’s red!)

Sunset by Gretchen Wilson-Kalav

True Nomads

Best Things about being an Expat 2010:

1) You can eat fresh shrimp and not worry about how much BP product you are ingesting.

2) You can fly around the world – and only rarely will you have to transit a TSA staffed airport – and by the sound of it, that is a very good thing.

3) You can enjoy the holiday season minus the ice storms, blizzards and below zero wind chills – although I do miss a white Christmas now and then.

4) You can follow the Sarah Palin revolution from a disinterested distance if you would rather not hear about it on a daily basis.

5) No new taxes!

6) Inflation is less noticeable in the non-first world economy – your morning coffee and paper is still only a buck.

7) No two-week vacation limit!

When you are really tired and fed-up with the relentless headlines and news, of how rough a place the world is these days, you can sit on the white sand with your coconut drink, and watch the sky blaze pink red and orange as the sun settles into the cobalt sea, marking the end of another fine day. As you breath in the fresh sea air, you realize that all is still well with the world – you just were distracted for a while.

Happy 2011!!! From True Nomads and keep traveling!

The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part Two

The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part One ended with a discussion about their favorite places (so far) and how they go about choosing their next destination.

Part Two delves into their expectations of each other, their commitment to activism, creative endeavors and snowballs – the white frozen rain kind. Again, there are Miro’s remaining “Bonus Questions”. He even comments to something about his Mother’s quirky remarks… Enjoy the read!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miro: Thus far your travels have been to relatively warm countries. Are you looking forward to seeing cold and snow? (More than that found in the mountains of California, that is.)

Yeah. Can’t wait to hit my mom with a snowball!

Lainie: Same question – cold and snow?

I’m not so much a cold weather kind of person, but Miro wants to hit me with a snowball, so…. gotta do it!

Miro: All parents can be a little difficult at times – have there been occasions when you really had to motivate your mom to do something you thought was important?

Everything I think she needs to do is not important. So ,to answer that question, “no”. Things I’d like for her to do are: 1.) Play monopoly with me, because she always refuses. 2.) Play video games (RPG’s) with me. 3.) Stop cheating at fooseball.

Lainie: All children can be a little difficult at times – have there been occasions when you really had to motivate Miro to do something you thought was important?

We have had our moments, but my greatest teacher has always been Miro since the moment he came into my life. He is an extraordinary human being, and all those that have met him, will tell you so. I do not know of other children so much, I know of this child, and even though I have been blessed with the honor of being his guardian and protector during his childhood, he is my equal. I know that’s a revolutionary thing for parent to say, but I have so much respect for this human being called my “son”.

Those that have known us before our travels often commented on the extraordinary bond we seem to have and it’s true. We have spent almost every single day of the last year and a half together and the strategy we use is complete transparency on every level. We talk about our feelings, frustrations, fears and joys. We also make sure we laugh a lot and have a lot of fun. This is the biggest gift a parent could have, cherishing the moments we have together, because I know sometime soon, he’ll be out in the world on his own, as an adult. For now, the greatest joy in all of this, is the knowing that Miro experiences the world as a safe place and that is my gift to him.

Human Rights Courtesy of Miro & Lainie

Miro: As the two of you have traveled, you’ve been activists on both the environmental and human rights levels. What have you gained from these involvements?

I see the world for what it is. I don’t like to see people or animals suffering and I know I can do things to help out and when I can, I do. I don’t like watching the news because I recognize all they show is negative stuff which is usually highlighting people suffering and that doesn’t make me feel good.

Lainie: Same question. (Activism, environmentalism and human rights.)

I have always been moved to act on the issues of peace, human rights, equality, and the environment. (My parents were hippies, after all.) Therefore, these passions have become a natural part of my parenting. Teaching Miro to be active and use his voice for the things he believes in, teaches accountability as well as compassion . I have seen Miro develop into a compassionate person who is ripe with empathy for other people and their “life situations”, and for that, I could not be more proud.

Miro: I hear you’re learning to play guitar – any favorite style of music so far? (Permission to be Creative article reference.)

Our friend, Julia, was visiting Guatemala, who had the guitar. She gave me a few lessons, but when she left, the guitar went with her. That’s ok, it was really a lot of work and my fingers hurt after my lesson. I do other creative things though, like draw, write stories, design virtual worlds and stories for RPGs (role playing games).

Lainie Sketches Courtesy of Miro & Lainie

Lainie: How is the artwork coming along? (Permission to be Creative article reference.)

I wish it was so romantic or mysterious or technologically smart. Our locations are determined by a few simple things – where we physically are at the point of the decision, how much money we have, and if I have work.

My artwork has been put on the back burner, once again.. for a little while at least. I work large, and with messy, messy charcoals, which is difficult while we are traveling. I am toting around a sketch book with me though, and have doodled on a few occasions since Guatemala. On a totally unrelated subject, I learned how to surf, tried for the first time at 44!

Bonus 5. What place are you really dying to see?

I would LOVE to see Japan. I just can’t wait to see the culture!

Bonus 6. How do you feel about not knowing where you’ll be next? Does that ever bother you?

Not really. Unless we heard about frightening things happening in that country, then I get a little nervous.

Bonus 7. What is the best part about traveling with your mom?

I would say the best part about traveling with my mom would is hearing her quirky remarks and how we interact together.

Bonus 8. How do you and your mom make decisions about where you are going and how long you will stay in a place?

We don’t, we just play it by ear.

Bonus 9. What have you learned about the world so far that you didn’t know before you left on your trip?

I have learned that the world is such a vast place. I have also learned a little Spanish and Central American geography.

de la pura vida Costa Rica

Blogsde la pura vida Costa Rica

So, you take a trip to Costa Rica and fall in love. For Erin Morris, it wasn’t just falling in love with the country but also the first person she met – her tour guide. After a “long distance relationship”, Erin and her dog moved to CR. She, Julio and their (now) two dogs travel the country with Erin writing about their wonderful experiences on her site.

WanderingNotLost

“My life was content, meaningful, and secure.” writes Kate Convissor on her blog. But, she gave up (almost) everything for travel – except her dog Oreo. (He travels too.) Armed with a Dodge Durango and a 14-foot pull-behind camper trailer, Kate and Oreo hit the open road for places unknown. They may not know where they are going, but they’ll know it when they get there.

The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part Two

The Road of Life: Interviews with Lainie & Miro – Part One ended with a discussion about their favorite places (so far) and how they go about choosing their next destination.

Part Two delves into their expectations of each other, their commitment to activism, creative endeavors and snowballs – the white frozen rain kind. Again, there are Miro’s remaining “Bonus Questions”. He even comments to something about his Mother’s quirky remarks… Enjoy the read!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miro: Thus far your travels have been to relatively warm countries. Are you looking forward to seeing cold and snow? (More than that found in the mountains of California, that is.)

Yeah. Can’t wait to hit my mom with a snowball!

Lainie: Same question – cold and snow?

I’m not so much a cold weather kind of person, but Miro wants to hit me with a snowball, so…. gotta do it!

Miro: All parents can be a little difficult at times – have there been occasions when you really had to motivate your mom to do something you thought was important?

Everything I think she needs to do is not important. So ,to answer that question, “no”. Things I’d like for her to do are: 1.) Play monopoly with me, because she always refuses. 2.) Play video games (RPG’s) with me. 3.) Stop cheating at fooseball.

Lainie: All children can be a little difficult at times – have there been occasions when you really had to motivate Miro to do something you thought was important?

We have had our moments, but my greatest teacher has always been Miro since the moment he came into my life. He is an extraordinary human being, and all those that have met him, will tell you so. I do not know of other children so much, I know of this child, and even though I have been blessed with the honor of being his guardian and protector during his childhood, he is my equal. I know that’s a revolutionary thing for parent to say, but I have so much respect for this human being called my “son”.

Those that have known us before our travels often commented on the extraordinary bond we seem to have and it’s true. We have spent almost every single day of the last year and a half together and the strategy we use is complete transparency on every level. We talk about our feelings, frustrations, fears and joys. We also make sure we laugh a lot and have a lot of fun. This is the biggest gift a parent could have, cherishing the moments we have together, because I know sometime soon, he’ll be out in the world on his own, as an adult. For now, the greatest joy in all of this, is the knowing that Miro experiences the world as a safe place and that is my gift to him.

Human Rights Courtesy of Miro & Lainie

Miro: As the two of you have traveled, you’ve been activists on both the environmental and human rights levels. What have you gained from these involvements?

I see the world for what it is. I don’t like to see people or animals suffering and I know I can do things to help out and when I can, I do. I don’t like watching the news because I recognize all they show is negative stuff which is usually highlighting people suffering and that doesn’t make me feel good.

Lainie: Same question. (Activism, environmentalism and human rights.)

I have always been moved to act on the issues of peace, human rights, equality, and the environment. (My parents were hippies, after all.) Therefore, these passions have become a natural part of my parenting. Teaching Miro to be active and use his voice for the things he believes in, teaches accountability as well as compassion . I have seen Miro develop into a compassionate person who is ripe with empathy for other people and their “life situations”, and for that, I could not be more proud.

Miro: I hear you’re learning to play guitar – any favorite style of music so far? (Permission to be Creative article reference.)

Our friend, Julia, was visiting Guatemala, who had the guitar. She gave me a few lessons, but when she left, the guitar went with her. That’s ok, it was really a lot of work and my fingers hurt after my lesson. I do other creative things though, like draw, write stories, design virtual worlds and stories for RPGs (role playing games).

Lainie Sketches Courtesy of Miro & Lainie

Lainie: How is the artwork coming along? (Permission to be Creative article reference.)

I wish it was so romantic or mysterious or technologically smart. Our locations are determined by a few simple things – where we physically are at the point of the decision, how much money we have, and if I have work.

My artwork has been put on the back burner, once again.. for a little while at least. I work large, and with messy, messy charcoals, which is difficult while we are traveling. I am toting around a sketch book with me though, and have doodled on a few occasions since Guatemala. On a totally unrelated subject, I learned how to surf, tried for the first time at 44!

Bonus 5. What place are you really dying to see?

I would LOVE to see Japan. I just can’t wait to see the culture!

Bonus 6. How do you feel about not knowing where you’ll be next? Does that ever bother you?

Not really. Unless we heard about frightening things happening in that country, then I get a little nervous.

Bonus 7. What is the best part about traveling with your mom?

I would say the best part about traveling with my mom would is hearing her quirky remarks and how we interact together.

Bonus 8. How do you and your mom make decisions about where you are going and how long you will stay in a place?

We don’t, we just play it by ear.

Bonus 9. What have you learned about the world so far that you didn’t know before you left on your trip?

I have learned that the world is such a vast place. I have also learned a little Spanish and Central American geography.

Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide To The City – Book Review

Agia Sophia by night. Istanbul. by El poed

Turkey, and especially Istanbul, are favorite travel destinations for many people. Because of this, I was more than willing to review this revised travel guide. Sadly, I was not up to the task. It took months to get through the first 100 pages, and having not been to the country/city (nor planning to visit anytime soon), I was bogged down by the intricate details it contained. Giving up all hope of finishing the guide, I offered it to my sister-in-law as she and her husband have been to Istanbul and found it truly an amazing place.

I was exceptionally pleased when I opened my e-mail inbox recently and found a book review of ‘Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide To The City’. Deb Martens succeeded where I had failed – and I thank her whole-heartedly for her contribution.

John Freely is the author of over thirty travel books and guides including Istanbul: The Imperial City. He lives in Istanbul, Turkey.

Hilary Sumner-Boyd (1910-1976) was professor of humanities at Robert-College-Bosphorus University. His magisterial work, The Seven Hills of Constantinople: A Study of the Byzantine and Turkish Monuments of the City, was unpublished at the time of his death in 1977 and is now being prepared for publication by Bosphorus University Press.

*Editor’s Note: Text courtesy of Palgrave Macmillan.

O, lucky is the traveler in a foreign land who has not only an historian but an architect as guides! Hilary Sumner-Boyd & John Freely’s updated Strolling through Istanbul: The Classic Guide To The City (2010) is that guide. Conveniently divided into manageable sections of the city, it’s easy to see as much or as little of the architectural wonders, past and present, as one wishes. Focusing not only on the “must see sites” of the Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Covered Market, one is taken down the streets and alleyways of the little known and sometimes no longer existing splendors of old. Who wouldn’t want to know that they are passing through the Gate of the Spoon-Makers?

Turkey by Randy Martens Photography

More importantly, for those of us who are not particularly scholarly, this guide explains the historical and hence, architectural periods of the city – Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman. How many of us have grown tired of viewing churches, museums and such because we didn’t understand the significance of what we were seeing – yes, another mosaic of the Virgin with Angels. Ending the guide is a listing of all the rulers of the city (as are known) in date order with which you can memorize and amuse (or bore) your friends and relatives! That alone should make one wish to read or at least carry this fascinating guide!

Buy now: Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City on Amazon.

Editor’s notes: This article contains affiliate links. The book was also received compliments of Palgrave Macmillan/Tauris Parke Paperbacks for review.

Sandcruiser.com

The journey started about 10 years ago for Steve and Jocelyn Broyles. They are on their fourth Sandcruiser (landcruisers with attitude) and still on the road. Okay, there have been stops in between but never for very long. Besides Calypso, their dog, they are joined periodically by an assortment of friends, family and other travelers. It’s been an interesting ride – or should I say drive. WOOF! (More can be found at Sandcruiser.com: Adventure Continues)