Anand and Urvi Travel The World

18 Moments From 18 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:57:00 +0000

The trip maybe over but the legacy is just beginning.

We are hosting a exhibition of a selection of our most memorable photos from the 4th to the 25th of February at Droitwich Library, Victoria Square, Droitwich, WR98DQ.

The photos are also available online at our web gallery - http://www.photoboxgallery.com/worldmoments

please do feel free to check these out, and we would love your feedback.

E:urvianand@gmail.com
M:07976 758523

World Trip Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:31:00 +0000

So the trip is over... but the legacy will go on!!

Urvi and I want this trip to be an inspiration to everyone, anyone who wants to fulfil a dream - You Can!!!

For ANY travel advice or guidance, don't hesitate to get in touch with Urvi or I on urvianand@gmail.com

The final Blog post of the trip

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:55:00 +0000

I have thought for a while what and how I should write the last blog entry of the trip. I have pondered whether it should be a summary of things we have done and experiences we have had, or maybe something more emotional and reflective. In the end I opted for a simple download of thoughts. There are many thoughts I am having about this trip and its conclusion, so much so that I think it is best for me to simple begin typing a blog post and end when it feels right! I have no idea where this will go and how long it will be so apologies if the post is too long or boring!

The world trip, the life that Urvi and I have led for the last 558 days is over. I am writing this post in the departure lounge of Johannesburg as we wait for our flight to Mumbai. I recall the moment well when the idea for the trip was born. It was during the summer of 2005. Urvi had seen an article in the Sunday Times Travel supplement about the increasing numbers of Career Gappers - people who would decide to give up their jobs and start to travel, seriously travel and see the world. She thought it was an awesome idea, but as ever I was most cautious about it. We were just chit chatting about it and Dad was saying that it sounded like a great idea and that he would have loved to have done this earlier in life. The idea was born. Goodness only knows how this casual chat about travelling for 3 months or so evolved into an 18 month mammoth trip, but evolve it did!

The last firework went off on New Years 2007 and the plan was on, we had to work hard and get things sorted, for we were leaving on the 2nd May 2009! The date was somewhat random, but it was also related to the year end dates in the UK. That was a special moment, as from then on all our efforts were focused on working for the trip. We made a number of serious life compromises during the years building up to our departure and although at the time I had some regrets, the moment that we started on the travel trail all those regrets vanished. Really the moment we arrived in Beijing and checked into our hostel, I knew this was going to be some trip. Beijing was such a rich place full of people and culture that just got me going, got me excited about travel and made me really understand that people are so different as much as they are so similar.

I look back at the first few months, and the pile of things that we packed that we did not use even once, I look back at the gleaming ruck sacks, and freshly ironed cloths, and it makes me smile. Just how far we have indeed come in such a time. Back at the start, every day was a vacation and yet every day was a challenge. It was such an undertaking for us, despite my confidence about being independent. At that time I particularly found it hard to mingle and speak to random people, I found it hard to share, because I guess I don't think I had that much to share. Over the months our routine became more fixed, between us our roles became defined and things smoothed out. We were then left with the experiences of every day. Both Urvi and I grow in stature and confidence, we began to enjoy time, just for the sake of it. We began to calm down and really let the world soak in.

By the end of the trip I think that our mindset to travel, to challenges and to each other has changed so so so much. Urvi is so comfortable with being uncomfortable and never have either of us felt that we are being forced to live a life on the road that we did not want. That was a special point really that only at the end I can appreciate. Urvi has compromised and been so flexible during the trip, and really I don't think we could have travelled with anyone else. At this time of reflection the partnership was just perfect. It sounds a little patronising but I am so proud of Urvi for all that we have achieved and for all that she has supported me to achieve.

On a very personal note I have learnt a great deal about myself and I believe I have changed a great deal. I am not scared to work hard, to be uncomfortable and to really put some effort into things. What ever it might be. People work hard around the world and achieve things and seeing that is very motivating. I have been happy with second best much of the time, but this trip was nothing short of life changing, because we both worked really hard to make it so.

I have learnt that I enjoy the company of new people more than I thought, I have learnt that I know just a fraction of a fraction of what the world and its people can offer, and the most interesting thing is that the knowledge is all out there, in the people you speak with and spend time with. I have learnt this during the trip.

I know now that I can overcome physical challenges and that I in fact enjoy that sense of challenge and totally cherish the moment of achievement. I could go on and on, but simply put I have learnt that there is so much out there that we are foolish to be happy in our own little niche.

The people we met during this time away have been truly AMAZING. Each and everyone of the great friends we have made are inspirational in so many ways. For what they have done in life, for what they were doing, for the way they thought about things, for the joy and love they gave us, for how close we became over the space of hours or days. The friends we made are the real jewels that we have collected throughout the route. I am not going to name a single one, because to name one means I must name them all, but for them all, thank you, and go well in your future and current travels. You were all amazing.

That goes for the people who kept track of us to, cared about us from a distance and talked about us to friends and family. There are people all over the world now who have heard of our trip, and if even 1 person does something that they thought was impossible for them because of some inspiration we gave them, then I am so proud. To be honest I don't expect or want this trip to be replicated by others, but I do hope that people will embark on their own ‘world trip’ - in their own way, by setting out to do something big, something hard and achieving it.

As we all know only to well, time is such a thing that cant be bought, no matter how much cash you have we all have the same unit of time and none of us truly knows how much we are given. Therefore you cant wait, you cant put things off. Start the diet today, plan for your trek today, save for your TV today. WHATEVER it is, do something today. The sense of achievement I feel after this trip will keep me going for a jolly long time!

We touched the feet of all 7 continents, we have seen the sun rise and set all over the world. Would I take up this challenge again? Of course I would. Indeed I think that travel and the feelings that only travelling can give you are now fixed I my head. I want to progress in my life but, travel will be part of that life I am sure. In this regard I am soooooo thankful that Urvi and I just click totally on this. She is a total travel addict too, and I am sure the moment we get home the travel magazines will be out again!

I don't know how life will be in the next days weeks or months, but I know that we have this experience to hold and give us strength as we go forward. We have done and seen things that most dream about, we have had the chance to have many life changing trips, within this one trip. We are lucky but we have also worked hard for it and worked hard during it.

We have this to look back on and motivate our children to never shy away from any challenge.

The best of the trip...

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:55:00 +0000

These are some of the ‘bests’ of the trip...

Hostel - Sandalwood hostel, Kyoto, Japan
Nights Sleep - Lebua at State Tower, Bangkok, Thailand
Train Journey - Xining to Lhasa, The Tibet Railroad
Bus Journey - Bahir Dar to Lalibela, Ethiopia
Sunset - Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
Sunrise - Poon Hill, Nepal
Cruise/Boat trip - ANTARCTICA!!!!
Street Food - Super Tacos, Mexico City
Swim - The Dead Sea, Jordan
Trek - Torres Del Paine, Patagonia, Chile
Mountain - Dhaulagiri, Nepal (Anand), Fitzroy, El Chalten (Urvi)
City - Cape Town, South Africa
Natural Experience - Leopard Seal Kill, Antarctica (Urvi), White Sharks, South Africa (Anand)
Cultural Experience - Hamer Tribe, Bull Jumping, Ethiopia
Thrill - Sky Diving
Day - Wine Route in New Zealand (Urvi), A380 Flight to NZ (Anand)
Diving - Coral Garden, Dahab, Egypt
Boat - Iceberg Alley, Antarctica
Drink - Coffee in Ethiopia
Religious Site - Angkor Wat
Best Architectural site - Potala Palace, Tibet (Anand), Petra, Jordan (Urvi)

Would go back tomorrow - Nepal, Japan, South Africa
Left Undone - Peru, Bolivia, Africa

Cape Town - the most magical City I have ever been to...

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 23:53:00 +0000

I was very nervous about coming to cape town after 8 years, as I had such memories of the city and such admiration that I was really worried that these expectations would not be met again. A lot has certainly changed in CPT but I think that I have changed a lot too. Not least travelling here with Urvi, in a much more relaxed mood ha helped to bring out the best in tis wonderful, beautiful and alluring city.

We have spent a few days here now, and I must say all those great thoughts and images have come flooding back. People here are so relaxed and yet confident, the city is simply stunning and when the sun beams over table mountain there is NO city in the world more magical.

We stayed in the Gardens area of the City, which to be honest is just awesome for the flash packers like us! There are great coffee shops around and the views of the mountain are constant, we were also near by to long street and so never far from a great night out.

I have always said that Cape Town is the one place I would live, without question, the best thing about the last week in CPT is that Urvi feels the same now! We just lived our dream lifestyle there, lattes, dinners, friends, sun, shopping! I admit this was a dream time to mark the end of our trip, but even then I can see ourselves living here and loving every moment of it.

Heres hoping!

Thanks to all the tour and expedition guides!!

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:09:00 +0000

We are currently at Victoria Falls and getting ready to do a days White Water Rafting. I am listening to the briefing that Hippo our guide is giving and by this I am reminded about the various guides and drivers we have met, travelled with and relied on through out the trip. I think that these guys and gals deserve a special and collective thanks from us both

We have trekked in Tibet with Chung Dak; Bumped around Mongolia; driven by Nemo; Learnt diving with PADI instructor Tom; Walked around the rice fields of Vietnam with the young informal tour guide girls of Sa Pa; lost and then found my Walking boots with the guides from Greenland Adventures; Jumped out of a plane with our tandem Sky Dive masters in NZ; enjoyed a life changing trip to Antarctica with Sebastian and his team; Climbed Cotopaxi with climbing guide Guido; Sweated in the desert of Jordan with Abed and his son Neal; Visited the tribes of the south Omo valley with Daniel and got soaked while white water rafting with Hippo and his gang.

These and many many other guides and drivers, have kept us safe and more than that helped us have some of the most amazing experiences I could ever imagine. I know this is their job but these people have a love for what they do, for their country and this is really infectious, they have really enriched our trip and I am thankful to them all!

Urvi would not have made it over the Drom La Pass on Mount Kailash if it were not for our driver and Chung Dak. This was the biggest achieved of the trip for her and it was the support and dedication of the driver that gave her the chance. We interact with people all the time, but when we meet guides and support teams, we build a short but important friendship. This is easy to disregard but it is important to acknowledge - thanks All!

Next time your are taking a guided excursion or thrill activity, spare a thought for the people who are assisting you, they are special and fun people!

Returning to South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 08:04:00 +0000

Touching down in Johannesburg and taking a car to Blyde River Canyon and then Kruger gives me such a feeling that I am meeting up with an old friend, who I have not been in touch with for a while. South Africa was one of the places that I can say gave me a bit of the travelling bug. I came here for work almost exactly 8 years to the day, and travelled like a backpacker for the first time.

I was taken immediately by the beauty of the country and the warmth of the people. Despite the history and internal turmoil, the people I met then were so warm and welcoming. Nothing has changed, I have again been blown away by the natural beauty and diversity of South Africa, and once again can see why I feel in love with the people.

Ever since returning from South Africa last time I have not stopped talking about it. Especially Cape Town! And so we have decided that this would be the last country of the trip and Cape Town our last stop. I cant quite believe that we are here, at the final step, the final days. I am quite nervous after having raved about SA so much, I just hope that it will live up to the expectations that have been set.

South Africa is in fact the first country (excluding India) that either Urvi or I have been to before. This is a sign of just little we have travelled in the past and I guess something of a testament to how much travelling we have done on this trip! I was really keen to make sure that we don’t just replicate the trip I made all those years ago. Things have changed, we have changed and interests have changed. For example SA has some of the best National Park setups around, and last time I only got to 1 of the parks. This time we plan to go to many. In total we will be here for 5 weeks and I want to get to some new places, stay away from cities and make sure that we leave the trip with no regrets. This is a big ask but I think can be done in SA.

Cape Town should be the perfect place to end our trip, it has lots to do, great hostels and awesome food all set within one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There will surely be bittersweet feelings when we finally zip up our backpacks for the very last time but I cant think of a better place to be than SA for such a moment. The travel bug was seeded here and for me it will be renewed here. Maybe the next years wi just be a pause before another trip...

Tribes of Southern Omo Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:44:00 +0000

There have been times on this trip when we have debated about going some place or another, and most of the time we have not regretted the decision. During the Ethiopia leg of the journey the big debate was to head south or not. Whats in the South?? The Tribes are in the south! Ethiopia for the traveler is essentially split into discrete circuits covering the north, south and east of the country. The North is the Church and Historical circuit. The East has some amazing natural wonders, and the south has the tribes. The tribes of Ethiopia are varied and interesting, they hold much intrigue for those who venture down to visit them, and deciding to take this trip was the best choice of the whole african leg of the journey.

We were really debating this one hard, solely because of the costs - you have to take a 4x4 to visit the tribes, as the roads are even worse than the awful highway roads found around Addis! They really are African Bum massagers! The 4x4 guys have a great monopoly going on and the rates rarely drop below $100US per car per day. Sure for a group this might work out ok, but for us backpackers, thats a lot of Injera!

We were super lucky that as we were booking our jeeps we met a couple of guys from the Czech Republic and Slovakia - Ivan and Michel, they too wanted to do the trip and so we were set, 50% straight off!

I guess the first thing to say is that there are tribes all over Ethiopia, but the southern Omo Valley tribes have gained some notoriety as they have been cut off for a number of years (for main stream travelers, the villages were really only opened for visits 15 years ago), also they have maintained customs and traditions to this day that set them apart from what I or most others would know. They are intriguing and mind boggling in the way they live life. I think it gives some indication on how past generations may have lived.

Of course times are changing as these tribes are becoming more commercially savvy. There are new ‘better’ roads being built and villages are becoming easier to get to. There are park and village entrance fees, and I am waiting for the first tribal Starbucks to open soon!! Seriously I think that we had an experience that was somewhat staged, but as close to real life as I would expect. In the end we were visiting people in their homes and communities and jumping out of a non air-conditioned 4x4 to take photos and gawp at bull jumping and lip plates, is already pretty synthetic. This aside the experience was mind blowing and I am so glad that we decided to visit these tribes.

We were fortunate in that over 3 days we visited 4 different tribal groups - the Konso, the Arbore, the Hamer and the Mursi. Each were different. The Konso were most like conventional towns folk, the Arbore are famous for the beaded and metal jewelry they wear. The Mursi are rough, aggressive, savvy and plain weird! The ladies are famous for the huge lip plates the wear IN their bottom lips. These plate could easily hold my dinner on them and they are apparently a sign of beauty. I am not one to judge but the way that the ladies were taking the plates out and letting the resultant skin flap around was not too catchy for me!!

The Hamer were the most interesting and most welcoming of the tribes we met. We were super lucky to be in the area at the right time of year and the right day to witness and in some ways be part of the famous bull jumping ceremony they have. The Bull jumping is a coming of age ritual that any boy must perform before they can be called men. It is complex and goes on for many days, but the main highlights are as follows.

All boys must undergo the ceremonial process to become a man, indeed even if you leave the village for work or anything else, you must come back to your village for this ceremony.

All the ladies of the family of the boy perform many dances and performances to show their support to the boy. The greatest sign of their support however is that they are voluntarily whipped, by whippers for the area. These are no light dashes with a leaf, this whipping leads to blood. It is a very disturbing process to watch, but one can’t help being enthralled by the ruthlessness of the act. The more the whipping the more you are showing your support for your brother or cousin or son.

The boys family must arrange for many bulls to be brought to the village, the more bulls they can buy the richer they are and again the better for the boy. As you might guess there is whole marriage subtext to this whole thing, as once the boy becomes a man he needs a wife. As ever everyone is one to impress!

The concluding act of the bull jumping ceremony is exactly that. The boy must jump onto and run over the backs of all the bulls that have been collected. Other men of the tribe help him by holding the bulls by their tails and horns and her jumps on them and runs. He must do this non stop at least 3 times and he cant ‘train’ for it. More over as ever with tribes he is naked (why do they always do this!).

Seeing a boy grow in to a man by jumping over 7-10 angry bulls in a row is a sight to behold. This was not a show, it was not put on to impress the tour groups, these ceremonies are how life moves with the Hamer. I was taken aback by it all and it really was a privilege to see the events unfold. Sure I felt a bit uncomfortable as I clicked away throughout the ceremonies, but to be honest this was a time when the pics did not matter, having seen the tribes of the south Omo valley was an experience by itself and was unforgetable.

What is the cost of a Photo

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:43:00 +0000

We have taken over 23,000 photos on this trip so far and many have been of people, of young and old. Indeed the people we have seen on our trip are the most interesting subjects for me when taking photos. To date most of these pictures were largely unstaged, in many cases spontaneous and in some cases, down right sneakily taken! So when we decided to come to Ethiopia and ‘visit’ the southern Omo tribes, Urvi told me of the custom of paying for all the photos. Villagers would be happy to pose for us (even what to pose) but insist on payment. There is no choice in this and in the end you enter into what feels like a mass portrait session, with numerous photo shoots taking place throughout the village.

I must say that this was very unforgettable for me, not least because although the tribes were in tradition dress and setting, most would pose for a photo, this resulted in staged looking photos, which I didn’t like. However we were fortunate to come across one tribal group that did not pose for shots. The Hamer are a welcoming and intense tribe with many distinct traditions. The reason that they were not posing for shots was that we visited at the time of a bull jumping ceremony. This is described in detail in a later post, but we were lucky that as the tribe were busy in this celebratory function, they were happy to invite us in and allowed photos. Indeed some of the tribe are budding snappers themselves, and loved to click away happily. I pondered what they actually thought of taking photos as they believe that when you take a photo it takes some part of the subjects soul away and captures it! Maybe they are right, paying for posed shots was a bit soul consuming for me!

Paying for photos is not in itself a bad thing, but the business transaction takes away all feeling that the photo you take is a glimpse in the real life of the subject. I didn't have the photographic skills to influence the situation, and I guess just photographing these tribes in interesting enough. General feedback on the shots was positive so something must have good right!

Visions from an Alien world

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:42:00 +0000

As we trundle around Ethiopia I am starting to contemplate what life will be like in a few short months when I will be back in the UK. So many things have happened in the last year that I am not sure what life will look life when I return. It is in many ways an alien world for me. I find it a very bizarre feeling that I am currently on never ending dirt road in Ethiopia, with farms all around me, chickens and pigs scuttling all over the place and in 2 months I will be back in a different world again. How will this be?? I have no idea. For so many reasons I am not sure I recall normal life. I know that things will settle quickly, but right now this thought is as alien for me as the tribes of southern Ethiopia will be!

Ethiopia - A Land Full of Surprises

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:41:00 +0000

It seemed strange at first, but the people we met who had either been to Ethiopia or were visiting when we were there, all showed some major commitment in travelling to this country. By this I meant that people didn't seem to just land up in Ethiopia and it wasn't not to be found on any sort of gringo backpackers trail through Africa. This meant that travelers (us included had some story and reason to be in Ethiopia). Why is this notable? Well, it got me thinking why people were here? What was special about this country that made people ‘want’ to come here rather than just land up here.

It soon became very clear. Ethiopia is totally intoxicating - if you open up and let it in. Arriving in the capital Addis Ababa is an experience, the city is a mess, and is not very welcoming but spend a day here and we started to warm to the Capitals ways. In many ways it felt to us like we were hauled back in time, people went about their business mainly on foot, and the air of old world africa is all over. There are very few new buildings anywhere in Addis, and business style and culture just seemed to be stuck in the 20s!

Addis was where the real point of Ethiopia started to become apparent to us. This city and the country moreover is totally a land of surprises. Surprises and more importantly broken stereotypes. If you had asked me or most people about Ethiopia, the main themes that would come back are the famine of 1984 and a vision of an arid land, with no sense of future - all in all another african basket-case. Ethiopia is nothing of the sort. It is a land so rich in history and culture that it would put most other countries to shame, indeed the lands of Ethiopia are thought to be some of the first to host Mankind no less! Ethiopia’s history spans many generations and includes a rich and complex religious structure - the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian church is a religion all by its self and evident in most of the north of the country. We were amazed at the churches and substantial religious tradition here. The churches are simple but totally different to any other Christian buildings we have seen, and have the stamp of Africa and Ethiopia all over them.

Sure the country is poor, very poor, but its people are so hard working and over the last decades the state of the country has been totally turned around. Far from being a basket-case of Africa, Ethiopia is one of the success stories. And as in so many other countries we have visited the richness of the culture and the people shines through. Ethiopian people are so good to each other that we were seriously taken aback at the familial nature of society. Maybe history had had a part to play, but for example, no one will let a stranger eat alone. While travelling we would take lunch breaks and if there was someone travelling alone, without fail others would call them over to share a meal. We were invited for coffee by the driver of our bus on one such journey. People here really have big hearts and it shows all the time. Smiles are free and donate in abundance.

Another surprise was just how naturally beautiful Ethiopia is. Again a legacy of the coverage of the famine - peoples can be forgiven for thinking that Ethiopia would be nothing more than dry and parched scrub land. In fact, it is green green green, There are lush forests, stunning green fields the like of which we have only seen in Vietnam and just outstandingly beautiful lakes,hills and mountains. Ethiopia is truly stunning and varied in appearance - a total surprise to me in particular.

By far and away the most pleasant surprise for both of us was the variety and quality of the food. Put simply Ethiopians sure know how to cook. We were totally spoilt for most of our time here. The local fare is dominated by Injera. A kind of pancake made from a millet kind of grain, it is steamed, and then served cold. This forms the base (literally) of your meal. On top you are served with Wat (curry) or Shiro (like a Dal) or best of all a Beyenatu (a combo of curries, daals, salads and all). Its true injera takes a few goes to get used to, but once you are happy with it (Urvi as ever adapted faster than me) it is a really hearty meal. Best of all, the traditional way to eat Ethiopian food is together with company. One always asks people to join in and share a meal, and this is never turned down. It is such a nice change from the one person one plate culture that is all over the West.

You would be forgiven for thinking that this might be the limit of the food enjoyment, but its just the start. Ethiopia had some of the best pasts we have EVER eaten, including the fair we had in Italy! There are a few truly awesome restaurants and in general anywhere you order pasta you are sure to get a good meal. To top this off we had great pizza, Indian and even sandwiches.

Ethiopia is really a place where food is a joy and we had a great time, however even better than the food was the coffee. Oh My, I will go as far as saying, coffee in Ethiopia is pretty much the best coffee I have ever had. In the traditional form it is strong but served with sugar and from a classic clay jug, along side much incense burning. Its just a great way to finish your injera meal. In the western espresso or Macchiato form, the coffee is smooth, intense and just a joy. Add the 25p price tag for a cup and it is pure coffee drinkers heaven!!

Ethiopia may well be THE find of the world trip for us. We thought that Laos was a discovery for us, but this welcoming part of central Africa has won a place in both our hearts, and as I sip another cup of black gold coffee, I am so thankful that we were tempted to visit here, and that Urvi confirmed it in the plans. Missing Ethiopia would have (in hindsight) been such a mistake.

The home straight is well and truly upon us.

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:23:00 +0000

We have 2 months to go, we have 2 main countries to go and we have little energy left. Don't get me wrong, Africa is as important for us as any of the other continents, but I think that we needed to break the trip up with some work or some other distraction, volunteering or something. I might be giving the impression that I cant wait for the trip to finish, this is not true, I am really saying that if you are gonna be away for this length of time then really consider what it means. It means a new way of life for that long, its not a vacation and its not always easy. When you know that you are ending this type of trip you really do feel mixed emotions, in many ways just as when you start it.

I am sure that we did the right thing to take on such a long venture, and I am also sure that at this final stage, the benefits may seem hazy than ever before, but I think that once we decompress in a few months time, we will look back with nothing but fondness to what has been unimaginably wonderful.

Ethiopia and Southern Africa await. I hope that we run through the finish line and not stumble over it out of breath and pining for home.

Egypt - dare I say - do it on a tour!

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Egypt is only the 2nd country I can think of that we have had mixed emotions about leaving. Everywhere else other than here and Ecuador (excluding Galapagos and Cotopaxi) we were real sad to be moving on. Its not that we have had a bad time, but I guess that there are a number of factors that make this part of the trip less enjoyable than many others. The first is that despite Egypt housing some of the oldest and most important monuments in the world, it felt that there was not much to experience. The culture of the Egyptian people today is far from interesting and from the travelers perspective Egypt is the Nile, the Pyramids and ancient remains. These do indeed blow your mind but after that what?? The modern day culture is a little bland and there is little to sink your teeth or mind into. I think that we therefore found the place to be a little underwhelming from the travelers perspective. You also don't meet that many other travelers. Meeting others has been the cornerstone of our trip and we have enriched the experience beyond comparison because of the people we have met as well as physically where we have met them. So while in Egypt we have felt alone and detached from the traveller circuit and we have been besieged by tour groups and people on short breaks!

Indeed I think the dynamics of travelling in Egypt make it perfect for the tour or short break setup. Thats basically what you end up doing anyway so why not have the comfort and ease of travel that comes with it too!

2 weeks touring around Egypt gets you to all the major sights and although all our travelling friends will be freaking out as I say this, I think that it is a far more pleasurable experience if you bite the bullet and just travel on the tour bus! Would we have missed anything if we had done that? I don't think so...

Travelling hardships - part of the fun or too much?

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:39:00 +0000

Backpacking and travelling generally on a budget carries with it many sacrifices and compromises. Not least comfort. To be totally comfortable in travel, or accommodation or even food, and try and stick to a budget for 18months that equates to around $50 a day, its just not possible. So what gives? Well there is always a tension between cost, comfort and time. If we need to move fast, it costs; if we want to live in plush comfort it is gonna cost. And of course the other side of the equation is that if we want to be frugal then we are going to be in slow transport and cheap accommodation.

I guess the question is if it feel like sacrifice, whats the point? We are in a fortunate position (and thanks be to God for it) where funds are not the limiting factor for us to undertake this trip. By this I mean that we don't have unlimited funds but we have more funds than we need to undertake the trip. We have met many people who are right on the limit and for them spending more means cutting the time they will travel and maybe the destinations they can go. For us this is not the case - Japan, Tibet, Business class to New Zealand and Antarctica are testimony to that! For others it is therefore a matter of trip survival that they must budget, but if this is not the case for us then whats the story?

Living on a budget means that you end up eatig local food, travelling in the most local fashion that is possible, making more friends to pool costs and pass your time taking in the atmosphere of where ever you are, rather than doing things that cost money. Is this a good thing?? I think that it depends. Some people reading this are probably thinking that its obvious, doing things cheaply is a good thing and the only way to travel. Hostels and couch surfing are the centre of many peoples budget experience, and many would say that this is the only way to travel. Others would say that we are mad, why would you on purpose share dorm rooms with people, eat and drink on the streets, and pass night after night on buses and trains? Even more why would you do this when you have a choice!! Fair comments from both sides.

This is why it is a real question for me. We have travelled for 16months, and I would say we have travelled cheaply and wisely. We have not compromised a huge amount but in some places and at some times, it has got too much. Every so often I particularly have felt like I need some comfort. I am shocked that it was me that felt this first. Urvi has been a complete budget warrior, she has been happy with the cheapest hostel and the cheapest food. I have wanted to fly to places and she has set me straight, and in the end we have taken the bus etc. Her point of view is that we should be true to what this trip is about, and in the main this trip is about discovering and challenging. Doing things the cheapest way means finding our own solutions to things, and this is a good thing. I still maintain it is a bind sometimes but I guess I will look back at this time and think that it is worth it. There are more stories because of this approach. We would not have gone to the the 4000 thousand islands in Laos if we weren't doing things on the budget, we would not have travelled and seen South America by land in the way that we did if we were splashing out. We would not have cooked while trekking in Patagonia if we were wanting comfort, and most of of all there are many people, life changing people who we would just not have met if we were checking into hotels each night.

Comfort and 5 stars have their place but the trip would not have had the rich texture that it does if we had gone comfort class. I am proud that we as people had this choice and than we have been able to move in all these circles. 56th floor penthouse or 8 bed dorm, 2nd class 24hour bus or A380 suite. We have been able to do it all.

Murder on the night train to Aswan, a bugs tale

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:32:00 +0000

We had not taken a long distance train in quite a while (for an overnight train - since India) and so I particularly was looking forward to the train rides in Egypt. Rumor was that they were pretty good value and comfortable and the first short hop that we did from Alexandria to Cairo was exactly that. Feeling confident we got our night tickets for Aswan, only 13 hours, it was a short ride down the country. Due to the attacks on tourists a few years back people are not allowed to travel on the day trains. There are ways are it but in any case we opted to save the nights accommodation and go for the night train.

Problems hit from the start, the cabin we were given was an old style coupe, like something out of harry potter! The seats did not recline and all 6 seats were full. So yup sitting up all 13 hours. Ok not a big deal. But then... It soon became apparent the cabin was overbooked! We sat down and found out that our seats were already taken. Not double booked by people but by a collection of bugs and mites!! Urvi started itching and then I started! We were wriggling and giggling all night and all the morning. I think that it may well have been the worst journey we have had on the whole trip. It took a whole 2 days for the itching to recede and worse our bags had carried some of the critters along with them, so for at least 3 days we had to quarantine the bags!

Really it was horrible but maybe this is what travelling is all about...??

How hot can you take?!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:45:00 +0000

OK, so I am talking about the weather. Since we planned our route going essentially eastward, we have been broiling in the summers of South East Asia, Chilling in the South American summer and now have entered the oven of the Middle Eastern/North African summer.

I am pretty macho about heat, both in terms of food and climate and I reckon I take any temperature. Food wise I proved my credentials, by polishing of South Americas hottest curry. This ‘vindaloo’ in La Paz had over 30 chilies in one portion, it was mind blowingly spicy and with loads of rice and lots of moral support from the friends who put me up to this challenge I did it, and got the t shirt!

Weatherwise the heat that we are tramping around in right now is getting to be too much! We entered Mexico, and Cuba and it was kind of balmy, probably around 33ish. Canada and the US was fine, not really a major issue, but then we landed in Jordan, and more significantly we got to Wadi Rum, and boy oh boy! Ya I know its the desert, so what did we expect... 44 or so in the day, and no shade anywhere, the wind blew the hot air around like a fan assisted oven and slowly but surely we were both being roasted like two plump chickens. My glasses were hot on my face and walking on the sand was a form of torture. This was super hot!Urvi was actually pretty good about it all, but we both have really felt the heat. Trying to live on a budget is not easy, when AC seems a must but adds to the costs!

This heat wave we are wandering around in had not gone away, and I don't think it will until we fly into Ethiopia. The day temperature has not dropped below 40 it seems, and worse still the night temperatures have been in the 30s.

Seriously these are times to really be sensible about your travel plans and be really conscious about how much water you drink. I would never bother about this too much but in the last month I have really seen what hot is, and without the luxury of air conditioning everywhere you go, the heat soon gets to you.

Roll on the Southern African Spring...

Dahab, its not old it doesn't have pyramids, but it is diving heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:37:00 +0000

Our first steps into Africa were actually splashes into the waters of the Red Sea. And all I can say is Wow. The Red Sea (named due to the sunbathed pink/red landscape that surrounds the coast) should be called the clear blue sea, because thats exactly what it is. The waters off the coast are just so clear that you hardly feel like you are in the salty waters of the ocean.

Dahab may not have pyramids, or have been on Rameses II list of temple sites, but boy does it have the best diving and swimming around.

The books talk about Dahab being a hippy backpacker chill out location, and in some ways it is, but with this description I was sceptical about spending any major time there. We initially decided on having a couple of days detoxing from Jordan, and then move on to Egypt proper. However within hours of lounging in a beach front restaurant (at 2am by the way!) we were hooked. Dahab had us. It only got better a few days later when we started diving there. Going with an outfit called Sea Dancer, the diving is simply outstanding. There are of course better dive sites all round the world, with better challenges, more fish, more whales, more of anything, but for the developing novice, dahab is awesome. The diving is very accessible (no long boat rides out), its super rewarding (an outstanding array of fish and other life, all close by), and its ‘easy’ (warm water, clear water, calm water).

We loved it so much that not only did we stay for over a week, but I think that I would like to come back yearly to further develop my diving. Its the perfect place to progress this new found lifetime hobby (cheers Urvi!). There are a couple of sites that I would love to dive that I missed out on, including the Thistlegorm, which is a 1940s ship wreck, so I can see this being the first visit of many!

Why was Dahab such a welcome surprise? I guess this is really about the relaxed and easy atmosphere here. There is lots of great food, and being here for more that a couple of days you soon start to feel like a local! For me the dive centre and the instructor I did my Advanced Diver course with (Kal) really made it a great short break within the trip.

I have been feeling for a while that the trip has been tough, and these few days really helped to recharge the mind and the body! Sorry Jordan, but after 2 weeks going stir crazy in Amman, we needed a nice change and boy was Dahab the change we needed!!!

7 out of 7, we have done it!

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Finally with our bright new passports in hand we stepped of the ferry that took us from Aqaba, Jordan to Nuweiba, Egypt. With our first step off the ferry, we had completed the mission! We had entered each of the worlds 7 continents.

Whichever way you cut the world into continents (some say there are 5, some 6 and others 7) we have now set foot on each and every one of them. The biggest achievement was of course getting to Antarctica, but being in Africa is no less of a feat. I think now we can truly say we have travelled the world. Of course there is such a lot to see and experience but the continents are now our new friends and we will go back to each one with some fond memories to recall and talk about!

Ramadan Experiences - Mall Style

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:44:00 +0000

As I mentioned before we have been stuck in Amman waiting for our passports for a few weeks, and during this time Ramadan has also started. There is definitely a routine and rhythm to the holy month, that you have to get used to, in order to survive, enjoy and also be respectful to others.

Breakfast is early and although hostels do still provide breakfast but its meagre. Shops and other places (non food related) will open late and generally close up before the Iftar (the evening meal taken after the sun sets). Most tourist related spots stay open but close early. Food stores will be open during the day, but restaurants and eating stalls will be closed in the main. More importantly whether we like it or not it is disrespectful to be out and about in public with a sandwich and bags of crisps in your hand! Water is a tough one, because most locals will not drink during the day, however for people not used to the Middle Eastern heat, water is a must. So we have been buying water during our days.

If you want to eat in the day the only places you can buy meals are the more foreigner orientated locations, so McDonalds and Subway will happily serve you. Again its going to be more expensive and not that easy to find. We have therefore bumbled our way through the afternoon meal, sometimes finding a local place that will serve meals to tourists and cheeky locals sneaking a snack in the day and sometimes not eating anything.

However all in all, we have found it is essentially best to eat light, drink lots and then save up for the evening meal. Most people break fast at home, so when the clocks approach 7pm, the streets empty, EVERYTHING shuts, and restaurants may or may not be ready and open. There are some famous and popular places where people like to eat outside and there you see huge picnic/catering set ups where people all eat together. However a word of warning - When it comes to Iftar outside, it is like taking part in a motor race, people get to the restaurants early, order early and are ready on the start line with their food for the lights to go green, at which point they chow down in a cloud or falafels! If you want to eat at this time you have to follow the same routine, otherwise wait until 8:30 before venturing out. Its funny but for tourists Ramadan may mean an hour extra of fasting!!

For me it has been nice to follow some, if not all, the routines of Ramadan. We have eaten less during this month for sure, and going out in the evening, when the town come to life, people eat, drink coffees, play games and shop, it is nice to feel that you are taking part in something local and authentic.

The funniest experience was a day when we decided we wanted to break out of the routine. We were going stir crazy at the hostel, and thought we would head to mall and camp in Starbucks, for some coffee and wifi.

As most will know, when the going gets tough, Urvi and Anand get to the Mall! We have done it before and it just works for us, every so often to window gaze, sip mochas and sun bath in the incessant air conditioning. However this day we got to the mall at 1300, and found that EVERYTHING was still closed. What we forgot that not only was it Ramadan but it was also Friday. The shops and eateries were all closed, Starbucks - Shut.

OK no problem, we decided to combine the 2 things that were open at the time, the Cinema and the large (and pretty grand) supermarket. The store was full of upmarket Ammanites shopping for the Iftar meal. We also picked up noodles and other stuff, and then decided to go to the cinema. We therefore also got the usual M&Ms and Chips and drinks etc. Shopping bags in hand we got into the cinema and as it was mid afternoon on a Friday the place was empty, well apart from us and 2 others.

We smuggled all the food in, and chomped through all our snacks, being careful to only rustle or slurp when there was an action scene and lots of noise!! It was a sight, stuck in the back corner of the cinema, with contraband food! Too much.

We got out of our food frenzied movie, and decided to check out if Starbucks was now open, the stores were open and so we thought we had a good chance. Nope, Starbucks - Still closed.

We walked around a bit and by 1700 we realised that the shops were now closing up again, by 1800 all the stores in the mall were shut, and apart from the few cleaners and us, the place was deserted. Everyone who had stayed had made their way to the food court. I felt like Tom Hanks in Terminal! As we walked around people smiled at us quizzically, as if to ask what are you still doing here! All alone with nothing but empty shops around us was a weird feeling, still we had the AC on!

At 1930 we also made our way to the food court and decided to order dinner, the place was packed it was the most bizarre sight! Everyone had ordered and were staring at the KFC, Pizza hut, Quiznos and McDonalds trays they had in front of them. There was not a seat in sight, and we walked though the maze of people with everyone staring as if we had descended from another planet. The mall speakers blasted out the verses from the qua’ ran and everyone was off eating. Its only after the breaking of the fast that people entered a state of normality and at that point the mall was a buzz, the coffee shops were rocking and the shops were alive. Starbucks was still closed...

We gave up our mission for the frappuchino and ended up at another coffee shop, and at 2300 when Urvi proclaimed she was tired, we exited our home for the day, the city mall in Amman, just as it was getting super busy! Midnight is the time to be at a mall during Ramadan in the Middle East, its like mid day on a Saturday in London.

Oh and Starbucks never did open!

Less than 3 months to go...

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:37:00 +0000

The countdown timer has really started now, we have less than 3 months just 90 days to go before this marathon trip is over. We end and begin at the same time. Take stock of the past and plan the future. Feel happy and sad all at once.

Being on the trip has often felt like living a parallel life, one that is often like a dream, but magically real. Who knows exactly how we will feel when we finally set down our Bergaus bags for the last time and ask if the hostel has WIFI for the last time. I know that there will be totally mixed emotions. The trip has been a total roller coaster for many reasons, we have experienced many many great things and a few things that have changed our outlook on the world totally, and indeed what this world looks like fundamentally. Would I change anything I have done on this trip, a few things yes. Do I regret no, definitely not.

Somebody said (or maybe I heard it in a movie) that one should make something of each day you are given, and end each day with a memory rather than a regret. End with a positive and not sadness. I think we be sure that on day 467, we have had more than 467 memories and are truly thankful for every one.

The countdown is on, we have 91 days left, and I just hope that we have the mental and physical energy to ensure we have more memories and no regrets...

Encamped in Amman

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:43:00 +0000

As some of you may know we have travelled so much and accumulated so many stamps in our passports that we were faced with the conundrum of how to get new ones made. This is seemingly only a major issue if you have a UK passport, as for whatever reason they don’t have a system of adding pages into the existing document - as the US do. In fact, I think this is the only reason why I would want US citizenship!

Anyhow, due to the need to consolidate the UK foreign office has decided that it would make all overseas applicants for Passports send them to area based centres. To cut a long story short this meant that we had to either travel back to the UK and get our passports made, or send the application off to Paris and get the office there to process it and send us the new docs back. We went with the latter option.

BIT OF ADVICE - When planning an extended trip like this GET A NEW PASSPORT WHATEVER. The only exception to this rule is if you have literally just renewed your passport. Otherwise just get a new one. This might sound like a waste of passport pages but if you think that you will fill up the 20 remaining pages in your current passport, then its better to waste those rather than pause your trip and spend more money while en route.

What this did mean is that we had to camp in Amman for a few weeks, while waiting for the UK bureaucratic machine to do its thing! We actually had quite a lot of fun during this time. Despite Ramadan starting we did a tour of most of the new eateries in the town (of which there were quite a few!) and after the 3rd night eating in a fancy restaurant, we had a reality check and then started enjoying in the local, cheaper favourites!

All in all, it was a head ache to be in Amman for a longer time. The city is not a place you can really spend weeks in without having something specific to work on, but still it was nice to have no agenda for a while, and I could cite many other worse places to be encamped in! And the FCO finished up the job in 3 weeks and we were on our way sooner than expected.

Wadi Rum, Bedouin camps and the Arabian Nights

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:36:00 +0000

From the heat and awe of Petra we moved on to the full on open desert and dreamscapes of Wadi Rum. If you want to really feel the harshness and the beauty of the Arabian desert then this is the place for you. Just thinking about it and typing this blog is making me feel super thirsty. The desert of Wadi Rum is super super hot. I think (and I know I have said this before!!) this is the hottest place I have ever been to. The temp would be at least 45c and there was no air conditioning or even fan to speak of. Indeed a fan would have been no use at all, as it would have blown the hot air right into us!

We stayed at a camp called Bedouin desert camp. It is run by a local guy of bedouin ancestry, called Abaid. The set up is simple, tents for sleeping in the night and boiling yourself during the day, a covered area for eating and a camp fire for the night.

The days were too tough, the only way to survive in the heat is to follow the natural rhythm of the nature. Wake early and do what you can in the cooler morning. Have a major major siesta in the day until the sun fall low enough that shadows are cast from the rocks, allowing you to move about. Be active in the evening and once the sun sets take in the cool breeze that the night affords you. Sit by the camp fire and just stare into its mesmerizing flames. They take you wherever you want to go.

We rode camels through the desert, were flung around on a jeep as we careered through the sand, and revisited many stunning sites, many of which were used in the famous movie Lawrence of Arabia.

The rocks in Wadi Rum are what make it special. There are many stunning sand dunes but the rocks really do rock! The formations make the rocks look as if they are giant ice creams, just melting away in the heat of the day. The sides run almost like a smoothy and give rise to smooth and soft curves all over. It is tremendous, and despite the heat, and dust, and lack of water anywhere, you just don’t care. You are hypnotized again by the beauty of nature.

Petra by day, Petra by night, Petra by candlelight

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:35:00 +0000

Our travelling in Jordan was going to follow a fairly well trodden path down the kings highway that cuts the country in 2 halves. About 5 hours south from Amman (in the north) is the town of Wadi Musa (wadi means Valley). Wadi Musa is the launching point for Petra. This town was similar to Siam Reap in Cambodia, in that it only exists to cater and earn from the tourists that flock to trek to Petra.

Similar to Angkor (but not quite on the same scale), Petra Is actually a sprawling city of many temples and buildings. However again just like Angkor there is one focal point that most go to see, here it is the Treasury.

We visited the site 3 times over 3 days and each time it was different, we Saw Petra by Candlelight, by Sunset, and by day. The night time excursion was pretty nice. You walk the 2kms from the entrance to the treasury in a candle light procession, on arrival there is the wonderful sight of the 2,000 year old building glowing orange in the light of the candles. Story telling and music add to the romantic and eerie feel to the place and the silence of the desert is all around.

Petra was a Nabatean (old Arab tribe) City (with Roman and Greek influence) that was built up on the trading route that took people from west to east across Roman run Arabia. The buildings are mainly carved into the sides of the towering rocks and the scale and intricacy of the work is simple mind boggling. The conditions of the remains are also very dramatic. Some look as if the buildings were built just a few years ago.

The highlights are the Monastery, the Roman Road and surrounds, and the Treasury. The monastery is a mammoth temple at least 30m high and grand in its design. The trek up to the monastery is about 3kms up and so we left many of the day bus tourist behind at the start. This was a tough hike in the 40 degree sun, but so worth it. You come out on a flat plain where you see nothing. Then turn around and you gasp at the beauty of this site. With such few people at the top you have the whole place to yourself!

The roman road and surrounds are just typical of the constructions of that time. Roads that last 2000 years, put most of todays routes to shame! The pillars and temples along the route are again grand and just invite you to dare to imagine with life in those days was like. Real time travel.

The Treasury is a great wow moment. Not so much for the beauty or grandeur of the building (although it is beautiful), but more for the approach to it and the impact of the first sights of it. The route from the entrance to the treasury takes you through a winding labyrinth, where the rocks tower 50m above you. The path is relatively narrow at about 5-6m but you don’t feel boxed in. The rocks take turns to shade you as you go, and at every corner you think you must have made it, each time you are wrong, but still greeted with truly magnificent colour and contours on the formations all around. Finally in the distance you can hear the gasps of others who have found the treasury, it is near. You walk through and see the first sight of the 2000 year old monolith, so typically Roman in scale that you think you could be in Rome itself. The world famous photo of the treasury covered in part by the rocks that have followed you all the way here, is a sight in itself. You stop and imagine for a second who has experienced these first sights before, and even before them, the first people to rediscover this site. How did they feel!

The ancient city of Petra is a true wonder of the world, and despite the 40c temperatures and the baked hot sands, one cant stop to gaze and wonder what stories must have been told in the past about this place and about its people.

Adios Amigos! The final day in the world of Latin America

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:40:00 +0000

Finally as I sink back in my seat and the plane whizzes down the runway in Mexico City, I can truly say Adios Amigos! After 154 days in Latin America, I feel drained, and yet sad that we are leaving a place that we have called Nos Casa (Our home) for all this time, we have had a totally out of this world experience, but feel so much it is time to move on. We jet on to Toronto and to my Brother in Boston, and then hit another culture all together - the middle east. Of course this is going to be interesting for more than just Falafels and Hummus but right now all I say is goodbye Latin America, God bless you, you have kept us safe all this time. You have blown our mind and shown us beauty in a thousand winds, icebergs and volcanos, endless Penguins. Our outlook on life will never be the same, now that we have trekked your parks and climbed your mountains, you have shown us that anything is possible. But just for now My friend all I can say is...

Adios Amigos!!!

Urvi shed a silent tear as she sipped on her Bloody Mary, recalling those heady days when Buenos Aires was warm, and she was fortunate enough to call it home, to the days when Patagonia was windy and she was fortunate enough to see the Torres in blue splendor, to those days when she was able to share all these dreams with all the new friends we met. Thanks to South America we met Phil, Dom, Lynda, Hilde, Rael, Andy, Sebastian, Andrea, Jana, Sergei, Cat, Matt, Melissa, Claire, Michael, Grant, Claire (Ecuador), Ester (Ecuador), Sarah (BA), Jamie (BA), Nicole (BA) and so many more. This is what travelling is about. Unforgettable.

When in Cuba, Swing to the music and sway with the Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (Urvi and Anand Shah) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:39:00 +0000

The single most important thing for people in Cuba is music, and coupled with that is Dance. EVERYONE knows how to salsa. It is more important than any other skill, and you see it everywhere. Children who can barely walk to old ladies who can barely see!

Music flows out of every doorway, with a beat, and energy that is indeed infectious. And when the music pumps people dance, or at least swing and jig. Movement is in everyones bones. I have not seen a culture where this love affair with music and dance is so deep rooted. What is great is it only takes someone to start tapping on the table, to be joined by someone beating with a juice bottle, and they are off, the rhythm is going and people just join in like a snow ball.

Music in Cuba has many origins, just like the people but the defining routes are the Spanish and crucially the African blend. Music was, and still is a release from the pain of life, from the slavery of the past and the lack of opportunity of today. Love it.

I love to listen to music but I am NO dancer, yet Urvi was adamant, she was gonna get me to dance salsa! So we did what you do in Habana, found ourselves a salsa teacher and got to it. After 5 lessons, I was no dancer, but I had great fun, had a great workout and now have a totally new respect for dancers of any type. The flexibility and grace you need to dance well is beyond me but is just wonderful to see and experience.

We went to more clubs and dance shows in Cuba than we have been to in all the trip so far, and it was awesome. Jazz (my fav), traditional Cuban old classics, and of course the world famed salsa clubs. The nights start late and go on later, but what is for sure people enjoy, dance and live life as if there is nothing else. The freedom with which old and young, fit and fat move was a real lesson to me. The music and dance of Cuba will be as unforgettable as the mountains of Nepal or the beaches of Thailand!