1. Have a look at Albert Einstein’s flat

The Einstein Haus used to be where the genius, Albert Einstein himself took residence in. It has been turned into a small museum and is now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site This small apartment is where Einstein was able to develop his theory of relativity in 1905. On the second floor you will find furniture which depicts accurately how Einstein and his family lived in the past and on the third floor you will find Einstein’s biography and some of his life works. A film about Einstein may also be played at the top floor. The Einstein Haus can be found at Kramgasse No. 49 in Bern.

2. Go to the Bear Pits

According to legend, the founder of the city Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen’s first kill was a bear and now the bear has become a symbol of Bern. The Bärengraben, or Bear Pits in English is a popular tourist spot. Admission is free so you don’t have to worry about spending. Animal rights activists do not approve of these bear pits though as the bears seem to be in a miserable living condition. Still, it’s a must-see when you are with children as you will be able to see the bears up close. At present, a new place has been built for the bears, Bärenpark where their living conditions may have been upgraded.

3. Travel back in time at Berne’s Old City

The Old City of Berne is built on a hill peninsula and is quite a must-see. It has a lot of 15th century arcades and 16th century fountains and is surrounded by the Aare River. The buildings are nice to look at and gives off a Baroque feel. It also home to tallest cathedral in England and a lot of other churches. The Old City of Berne is also a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site.

4. See the city of Berne from Gurten Park

If you want to have a bird’s eye view of the city of Berne, you’ll have to go up Gurten. Gurten is a mountain to the south of Berne. From this park you can see the Alps, the Aare, & Bern. It is a great place to bring your family as the area is wide and grassy, perfect for children. You may even want to go on a picnik when you get up there so be sure to bring a mat and some food.

5. See how the Zytglogge Zeitglockentrum or the Clock Tower works

Known mostly for its engineering feat, the Clock Tower used to be place where they imprisoned prostitutes. The astronomical clock itself was added only in 1530. This clock tower served as Bern’s west gate from 1191-1250. You can go inside on a tour to be able to see for yourself how the clock works. You can find this tower in the Old City of Berne.

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1. Experience fine dining

Several of Dubai’s restaurants offer European cuisine, extravagant seafood and fusions. You might want to try out Gary Rhodes’ Mezzanine, restaurant by Michelin Star celebrity Chef Gary Rhodes where the food served is mostly British with a bit of French. Find it at Mezzanine level, Tower One. Another famous restaurant is Indego by Vineet Bhatia, another famous chef. Indego has a terrace fit for the romantics and comfortable chairs that you will certainly appreciate. You’d want to eat there at night when the starts are out. They serve tapas such as Sun-Dried Tomato-Basil Chicken Tikka, Goat Cheese ‘Potli’, and Chilli-Lime Scallops.

2. Go shopping at the world’s largest mall

Over 12 million square feet–Dubai Mall, the world’s largest mall, includes around 1,200 shops. You’ll definitely have to see it for yourself to believe it. Not only that, you’ll find the gigantic Dubai Aquarium, and Discovery Centre inside the mall which is worth going to. This mall even has a Dubai Ice Rink which has a top-class facility and some Learn-to-Skate programs. You will also be able to see SEGA’s first indoor theme park on the second floor. The SEGA theme park is dedicated mostly to one of SEGA’s most known characters, Sonic the Hedgehog and features around 150 amusement games.

3. See the 7-star Burj Al Arab

Famous all around the globe as the only 7-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab is of course costly. If you want to explore the insides of this hotel, you’ll have to book a table at one of their restaurants which is quite costly itself. You can choose from: Al Mahara (a fish restaurant), Sahn Eddar, Majlis al Bahar or Al Muntaha.

4. Go skiing at the Mall of the Emirates

The Mall of The Emirates offers Ski Dubai, a huge skiing rink at 1,500 feet where you can ski on real snow indoors. You can also go snowboarding or even just play with the snow! The Ski Dubai was made to look like a snowy mountain so if you wanted to, you could go on a chairlift or roll down in the Giant ball run.

5. Experience the desert

A day in the dunes offers you being around other tourists riding jeeps while the sand flows freely. There are several tours around Dubai that will take you out on to the desert to show you magnificent sand landscapes. Other activities that you might enjoy are sand surfing and hot air balloon flights.

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You pay for the distance you want to travel, and get off in the city of your choice. It’s the quickest and easiest way to get through Central America, without flying, and definitely the most comfortable. I left Copán in the mid-afternoon, and 48 hours later… after surviving two nights in sketchy downtown hotels in San Pedro Sula (Honduras) and Managua (Nicaragua), one torrential tropical downpour, two border crossings, a major backpack search, zero hot showers and 30 hours on buses, I arrived in San José.

After so many hours on buses, over the previous three weeks (84 hours to be exact) I felt the overwhelming need to go somewhere warm, sandy, and quiet, to do a lot of nothing for a few days. And that’s just what I did. I caught the next bus headed north to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast, enjoyed one of the most breathtaking rides yet (through some magnificent cloud forest), and made my way to a small bungalow near the beach with no internet, t.v., or much in the way of connection to the outside world.

I put my camera away, I relaxed on the beach, I rented a bike one morning, I read a book, and when it got really hot, I went down to the beach to buy coconut water and fresh tropical fruit from the local fishermen. Four days later, I re-emerged ready for the next leg of my trip, South America. First stop… the land of coffee, cocaine, and cartels; Colombia.

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It was a bit of gringo city of course (that is to say, full of Brits, Americans, Australians, and Germans) but a welcomed reprise after spending the entire day bumbling along with my limited Spanish trying to figure out the chaotic ins and outs of public transportation in Central America. Twisted Tanya herself served me one of the best mojitos I’ve ever had, along with an amazing salad full of fresh vegetables (anything remotely “fresh” or “green” is a bit like the holy grail in Central America…this land of fried… well, fried *everything*), and by the end of the evening she had me convinced about this supposed “hidden gem” on the outskirts of town; a sanctuary and nature reserve for rescued and endangered tropical birds.

The town’s main tourist draw is of course the nearby archaelogical site Copán (another major Maya center) from which it gets its name, and the cobblestone streets and surprisingly laid back attitude have also made it a very popular place for westerners to study Spanish… but the most memorable experience for me, was a visit to Macaw Mountain.

Macaw Mountain’s history traces back to the 1980s and the Caribbean island of Roatan (also part of Honduras) where a conservationist and bird lover began rescuing toucans and parrots. An American biologist inherited the private collection in the ’90s, and by 2003, over 100 birds composed of 20 different species, were moved to the new facility on the mainland, now known as Macaw Mountain. The park is located in a pristine old growth forest, full of beautiful tropical flowers and lush foliage…and more than a few pretty freaky looking spiders! I was offered a tour of the facility, which was excellent (and thankfully in English) and learned a number of very interesting things about the birds in the park (such as the fact that macaws, a type of parrot, mate for life).

Many of the birds have been rescued from abusive owners, or owners who grow “tired” of caring for them (some parrots can live anywhere from 40-80 years…and even longer outside of captivity) and although some birds were still noticeably recovering from terrible traumas – psychological stress manifesting in physical disorders, such as feathers falling out – most of the birds looked quite healthy and were clearly well cared for. I also sampled some of the locally grown coffee, and a Bay Island-style chowder; a delicious blend of coconut milk, lime, spices and fresh seafood.

The illegal pet trade combined with human ignorance, along with habitat destruction are very serious threats to these highly intelligent and gorgeous animals, and the key to improving this situation lies in educating the public. I found Macaw Mountain to strike a beautiful balance between entertainment and education for the tourists, and quality of life for the birds. It was a pleasant if unexpected surprise, and probably the best $10 I spent in Copán. Thanks “Twisted Tanya”!

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But in all seriousness, when those big yellow school buses from North America acquire too many miles and are no longer deemed safe for transporting our children, they do ship them down south for errr, “modification”. They spray paint them with bright colours, decorate them with elaborate murals, adorn them with “good luck” blessings (God is my co-pilot, Jesus holds the wheel…and yes if you are wondering, this disturbing “if-we-all-die-because-I’m-a-raving-lunatic-driver-it’s-not-my-fault-it’s-fate” theme continues!), plaster them with stickers and flags of their favourite soccer teams (more often than not, the universally loved “Barcelona FC”) and give them pretty names like “Esperanza”. Then my friends, they find the craziest drivers on the planet to operate them. They work in teams.

Usually a middle-aged man drives, while a younger man in his late teens or early twenties hangs out the door of the bus, screaming the names of towns on the route in an attempt to drum up more passengers, and then collect the money from those who choose to hop on. They cram as many people as possible into these death traps, along with half a dozen sacs of maize, beans, rice, and bananas for good measure, and they’re off to the races…literally.

They’re environmental nightmares, churning out giant black clouds of nastiness at every corner, and when they’re fully packed, the hopelessly under-serviced engines scream in agony going up even the most modest of hills. While I don’t think you could say the experience is one of pleasure or enjoyment, or even comfort, it is nothing is not entertaining….and a pretty remarkable window into the local culture. If you spend any length of time traveling this way, even if it’s just one day, I can say with great confidence that you’re pretty much guaranteed to see just about everything under the sun.

I’ve sat next to mothers breast-feeding their infants, children who mistook my lap for a giant pillow, listened to people preach about everything from religion to health food in the aisle. I’ve been serenaded by a revolving cast of musicians busking for change, some so terrible I’ve been tempted to pay them just to stop, and some much too talented to be performing on such a bus for pennies. I’ve rolled down my passenger window to buy freshly steamed corn-on-the-cob and plastic bags full of coconut milk from a street vendor, while sitting under speakers big enough (and more than loud enough) for a U2 show. I’ve seen terrible poverty masked behind the most remarkable generosity: one man, obviously not of great means himself, bought a massive bunch of bananas – easily 40 or 50 – from a farmer we passed on the road, and gave everyone on the bus one each. Conversely, I’ve seen the most sinister pickpockets at work relieving unsuspecting gringos of their fancy gadgets with frightening precision, and zero shame.

But the real excitement usually comes in and around the “pit stops”; when driver gets hungry enough or has to use the bathroom, he’ll stop at random places, usually in the middle of nowhere, where you can pay to use a public toilet and buy some sort of greasy food. I once asked the driver if I had time for a bathroom break – after nearly six hours non-stop (“Si, si, senorita!”), only to come out washroom running and screaming at the bus to stop as it squealed out of the parking lot, through one giant cloud of dust and diesel.

Yes, it’s pure chaos, but somehow… it works. Well, sort of.

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After negotiating my first overland border crossing – through a “no-man’s land” which I can only liken to wild, wild *WILD* Mexican west – I was greeted by the lush rolling hills of the Guatemalan highlands, torrential rain, volcanoes looming in the distance, and streets lined with an inordinate number of sidewalk restaurants dishing up Central America’s number one culinary obsession: fried chicken! My first stop was the idyllic Lake Atitlan, followed by the pretty colonial town of Antigua. But I didn’t linger long, as I was really itching to get up north, near the border of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula and Belize, to see my first Mayan site, Tikal (Tee-Kal).

Once a large city and major center of power and political influence (during the Classical Period, approximately 1000 years ago), Tikal National Park is now designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, and what remains of the city is slowly being enveloped by the surrounding jungle… something which both adds to the mystic of the place and helps to preserve the delicate limestone structures from wind and rain erosion. Some people claim the site is too “touristy” or “commercialized”, which is true in one sense, but completely irrelevant in another.

I’ve since encountered this sort of “backpacker-holier-than-thou” attitude nearly everywhere I go, and while on one hand I say “to each their own”, I also say this: would you skip the Taj Mahal because someone figured out it’s pretty darn impressive? In fact, one backpacker actually told me NOT to go (she’d been too a Mayan site nearby that was WAY better and less crowded…). When I asked her if she’d actually *been* to Tikal (umm, no) I decided to take everything she had to say with a pound of salt.

The complex itself is so massive, it would probably take 8-10 hours to hike around and see everything. Although the terrain is relatively flat, the tropical heat and humidity of the northern lowlands is a force to be reckoned with at anytime of year, but especially so in August, and I wisely decided to split my time there into two days; late afternoon and early morning.

I am having so much fun exploring Central America.

I found myself walking the trails connecting the temples and various archaeological sites accompanied not by bus-loads of Japanese tourists, but instead by the sound of howler monkeys screaming in the distance, spider monkeys playing in the trees above, the collective chorus of myriad of topical birds and the drone of millions of insects buzzing in unison. Many times, I felt as though I had the entire place to myself. Tikal blew my mind away, and anyone who tells you *not* to go, or that they’ve been somewhere “better”, is just fooling themselves… and you.

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Well I started off my journey around the world with the proverbially *BANG*! On the morning of August 17, I left sleepy Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island (population 8,502) on route to one of the world’s largest cities. Ciudad de México, a.k.a. “D.F.” (Distrito Federal), was not only the first stop on my round-the-world trip, but also the first time I’d been outside of Canada/USA in my entire life. It was nothing if not a shock to the system. It’s loud, crowded, polluted, sprawling, constantly in your face; in many ways it typifies the modern megalopolis (keeping in mind that the majority of people on the planet do NOT reside in neat tidy cities like Vancouver, Chicago, or Toronto).

It’s also lush with trees, urban parks, full of a contagious vibrancy, and home to more museums than any other city in the world – yes, more than Paris, London, or Rome. It’s an embarrassment of riches for anyone even remotely interested in history, art and culture. I could have easily spend two or three weeks exploring the various museums, exhibits and cultural centres; alas, I had less than five days. A brief breakdown of the highlights:

Museo Nacional de Anthropological:
This is quite possibly the most impressive museum I’ve ever been to. I was blown away by the beauty and elegance of the museum itself, and even more so by the staggering history it displayed.

Teotihuacan:

Not even the constant harassment from vendors hawking the usual tourist kitsch could detract from this incredible site (no quiero nada or “I don’t want *anything*” has since become my mantra). The massive archaeological complex, located about 40km northeast of the city, contains some of the largest pyramidal structures in the Americas, as well as the world’s third largest pyramid in “The Pyramid of the Sun” (behind the Pyramids of Giza & Cholua)

Frida Kahlo Museum (“Casa Azul”):

The former home of two of Mexico’s most celebrated artists (and tormented lovers), Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, has been turned into a showcase for their artwork as well as a museum frozen in time (complete with books, paints, photographs, medications, kitchen pots and pans, etc.). The 2002 Julie Taymor film Frida originally piqued my interest in Mexico City, and it was surreal to see this place in person.

Palacio Nacional:

The current seat of the federal executive, the building’s site has been home to the ruling class of Mexico since Aztec times (and apparently some of the original materials from Moctezuma’s original palace were used in the modern palace’s construction). Tourists flock here to see the famous Diego Rivera murals which grace the inner walls, and truly are magnificent.

The Metro:

The metro was surprisingly easy to get around on, and at 3$ MXN (or about $0.25 CDN) very easy on the pocketbook! It also proved to be an excellent showcase for the remarkable ingenuity of the Mexican people (more on that for a later post).

2. Oaxaca

It was time to move south. The greyhound-like bus ride through the Sierra Madre was very comfortable and picturesque, and six-hours later I arrived in Oaxaca (“wah-hawk-kah”); a clean, pretty, laid back (dare I say orderly!) city chock-full of beautiful colonial architecture and wonderful local arts and crafts. Rick Steves might even say it’s quaint. It’s also world-renowned for its array of culinary delights, including fried bugs or champulites (and *yes* I did try them…tastes like chicken?), and is particularly famous for three things: mezcal, chocolate, and mole (a traditional sauce).

I’d been introduced to mole negro in Mexico City, and was immediately seduced by its unique combination of flavours; part sweet, part bitter, part salty, entirely delicious. In Oaxaca, there are seven classic moles; negro, amarillo, colorado, verde, chichilo, coloradito, and mancha manteles. I sampled a few different ones, but kept coming back to the negro (unfortunately for me, and my limited cooking skills, mole negro is the most complicated and difficult to make!). The chocolate here is prepared by combining cocoa with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sometimes almonds. It’s traditionally prepared hot, though not always. One afternoon, I stopped in a local shop and enjoyed a hot chocolate prepared from scratch. Mmmmmm.

3. San Cristóbal de las Casas

Following a 12-hour helter skelter (and at times down right frightening) night bus, through winding mountain roads and over sheer cliffs in the pitch dark, I arrived at the San Cristóbal bus terminal in the early morning, to cool, crisp mountain air – and without a wink of sleep I might add. I hopped in the first taxi I saw, with a random hostel pamphlet in hand, and was soon checked-in just in time for freshly brewed coffee and breakfast.

San Cristóbal de las Casas, is a small city perched up in the highlands of Chiapas, and boasts a large indigenous population (Tzotzil Maya – in fact the city itself is named after Saint Christopher and Bartolomé de Las Casas, a Spanish priest who defended the rights of indigenous Americans). Over the next few days, I took in more beautiful colonial architecture, and also enjoyed a day trip down to Sumidero Canyon, a national park featuring 1000m cliffs and a variety of wildlife, including crocodiles.

In a country that boasts everything from beaches, tropical rainforests, deserts, magnificent archaeological ruins, colonial architecture galore, wonderful *cheap* food on nearly every street corner, modern mega-cities with all the amenities, and peaceful mountain-top villages… I barely scratched the surface of what Mexico has to offer. Off to Tikal Ruins!

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Clothing:
socks (4)
underwear/bras (5)
t-shirts (5)
longsleeved shirt (1)
shorts (2)
pants (3)
hoodies (2)
fleece jacket
Patagonia houdini rain jacket
belt
swimsuit
flip flops
Garmont hiking shoes
day shoes

Electronics:
Lumix DMC-FZ28 camera (*not pictured – duh!)
camera lens filters (2)
lens hood
mini tripod
memory cards (4)
HP Compaq mini netbook
logitech wireless mouse
32GB iPod touch
Shure sound isolating headphones (doubles as ear plugs for noisy buses/loud hostels)
Apple earbuds w/ built-in microphone (for skype)
Petzl headlamp
Suunto wrist-top computer (compass, altimeter, barometer)
Timex sports watch
Nokia cell phone (old school)
Steripen
Zoom H2 digital recorder
USB powered external hard drives (2)
power adapters/usb cables/battery chargers
Belkin surge protector mini powerbar

Other Gear:
Fossil shoulder/messenger bag
Bushnell binoculars
travel towel
Nalgene 1L water bottle
Moleskine journals
pens
money belt
locker padlock
Guyot squishy bowl/cup set
spork (2)
toiletries
first-aid kit
mini sewing kit/scissors
antibiotics/malaria pills
sunscreen
insect repellent
mosquito net
sunglasses
hat
Lonely Planet Spanish & Portuguese phrasebooks
South Africa wildlife field guide
ziplock bags
bansuri flute

Documents:
Passport (& photocopies)
Yellow fever/Int’l vaccination record
Driver’s license
PADI dive card
Dive log
ATM card
Credit cards
US dollars (the greenback is king around the world. It’ll get you out of a pinch just about everywhere)
e-tickets/reservations

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There was no turning back…my ’round-the-world’ trip was born. Perhaps I got a little carried away. Truth be told, I wanted to see everything. The more I researched online and in books, the more I wanted to see. I had never been outside of North America, and suddenly I could go anywhere I wanted. The world felt like an all-you-can-eat buffet, and I was famished. I finally “narrowed” it down to 6 continents(!) which it’s fair to say is more than a little ambitious, especially the transportation part. After immersing myself in an array of guide books, and especially the online travel community, I slowly started to realize the virtues of slowing down and planning less. At the same time, the reality of how expensive the western world is, also hit home. I gradually started to prioritize.

In pragmatic terms, I’m young enough now and have the energy, patience, and appetite for “adventure” that will serve me well in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. And on the flip side, I most decidedly do not have the budget for destinations such as Europe (ironic, I know), Australia or New Zealand – at least not for any significant length of time. Nor do I feel the western world has as much to offer me, at this particular time in my life. I had to accept that I was breaking one of the cardinal rules of RTW travel; don’t make this is your ONE opportunity to travel, and try to squeeze in everything.

When people ask me why I want to travel, I often find it difficult to answer. I don’t know why, but there’s a Louis Armstrong quote that comes to mind (when asked “what” jazz is); “If you have to ask, you’ll never know“.

I sometimes feel that way about travel, and in particular long-term travel. People who “get” it, don’t shudder in terror at the mere mention of Africa, or ask why I’d want to live out of a backpack for a year. I read something online recently that immediately struck a chord in me, and I think says more in one short sentence than I can convey in an entire paragraph:

“I am living uncomfortably in a comfortable world”

The truth is that what lies beyond my comfort zone is exactly what compels me to travel. The impetus for this trip was to study something intangible; something that cannot be found in book or taught in a classroom. I don’t yet know what it is I’m searching for, and perhaps I will never be able to articulate it, but I feel somehow intuitively that there is a reason certain areas of the world are calling to me – all I need to do is listen.

So I guess you could say this trip has undergone an evolution of sorts. And to be perfectly honest, I hope the trend continues as I hit the road… because nothing in life should remain static.

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