It's a state of mind.
Sadly, we’re long gone from the Galapagos. But it’s a place of such unique beauty that visions of the islands keep coming back to us, in our thoughts and conversations. Sometimes even in our dreams.
Dusk was settling over Quito’s Old Town. It was time to head back to our hotel. We had chosen lodging near the airport, in a small town called Pifo that few of the city’s cab drivers are apparently familiar with.
The Galapagos Islands are one of those remote places that words alone can’t really do justice to.
Why spend time in Cuzco at all? Why not hightail it back to Lima and nibble on some ceviche at sea-level, where God surely intended all people to live?
No one knows why the Incas built Machu Picchu in the first place, at the height of their power, or what the heck they did up there.
To be fair, the left side of the road isn’t really the wrong side. It’s an arbitrary choice, I think. I just don’t understand why the motoring world didn’t get together a long time ago and pick one side or the other.
After getting soaked at Victoria Falls (and slightly abused by a couple of South Africa’s budget airlines) our little ragamuffin gang – whoops, I mean our ambiguity – touched down in Cape Town to enjoy a few days of touring at a somewhat more relaxed pace.
Apart from our time in South Africa, our little ragamuffin gang also took a side trip to the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. That’s where you’ll find Victoria Falls, one of the so-called seven natural wonders of the world.
Blogging about a safari in the 21st Century seems like an almost pointless endeavor. After all, far better writers than me long ago documented the thrills of being ten feet away from a massive predator capable of ripping you to pieces in seconds flat.
Though Johannesburg is much safer than it used to be, it does still have some very poor areas, and it’s still not a place where ragamuffin tourists should wander around independently. So we hired a car and a guide, and got out there to see what Johannesburg is all about.
Despite touring Japan for three solid weeks, we nearly failed in our quest to bring home a mate for Mikki, our antique Kokeshi doll.