Contributing writer Sally Kay has been traveling through South America for 17 months, from Ushuaia, the southernmost tip of Argentina, all the way to Cartagena in the north of Colombia. She has covered many of those miles by hitchhiking.  I was about to meet her in Colombia but she got temporarily held up in Ecuador after being robbed. I was intrigued by her hitchhiking, especially alone as a woman, and I wanted to bring her story to our readers. So she answered some of my questions via email.

Sally Kay above Santiago, Chile

GN: First, the stats: How many times, roughly, have you hitched? How many countries? What was your longest ride?

Sally: I’ve probably hitched about 100 times, give or take, in seven countries.  My longest ride was with a friend across Argentina from Rosario, in the east almost to Salta in the west. When the truck driver stopped for the night we unrolled our sleeping bags and slept beside the semi.

GN: How many years have you been traveling like this? When was your first hitch?

Sally: I am relatively new to hitching.  My first ride was in 2009, but I was hooked from the start.

GN: The question most people want to know: Are you ever scared hitching as a female? Do you usually hitch with a male companion or another female? Is it safe?

Sally: I have been in slightly uncomfortable or awkward situations, but nothing scary.  Like anything else, I think it’s important to be safe about it. I have hitched alone and with another person without problems, but it really is safer to have a partner while hitchhiking.

I don’t think it’s unsafe for a woman to hitchhike alone during the daytime (depending on the place) and by no means would I advise against it, but a woman and a man together is definitely the best combination.  Whether or not you are actually a couple doesn’t matter, it gives that impression and discourages awkward overtures.

GN: I am biased about hitching in my home country, the U.S., because I think can be more dangerous than other places. Have you ever hitched in the States?

Sally: I think that it is more dangerous in the States.  I have thought about it, but the closest I have gotten to hitching in the States is Craigslist rideshares. The main reason I say this, is that while people will tell you hitching is dangerous all over the world, in South America people who do hitch, recommend it. In the States, hitchhikers have warned me that it is too dangerous for a girl alone.  There is also the added problem that hitching is illegal in many states and police will often fine hitchhikers.

GN: What was your easiest country for getting rides? Your most difficult?

Sally: Chile was probably the easiest country to get a ride in. The roads are wonderful, many people have cars, and everyone seems willing to give hitchhikers a ride. I hitched from La Serena on the west coast to Mendoza, Argentina in a day, getting one ride after another.

Colombia was by far the most difficult country to get a ride in. Though Colombians are wonderful people there is still a fear of kidnappings and guerillas. The government even has run announcements warning drivers not to pick up hitchhikers. This sadly makes hitching in Colombia almost impossible.

GN: Any stories of over-the-top hospitality?

Sally: That’s part of why I love hitchhiking.  It’s pretty standard for truck drivers to buy hitchhikers meals when they stop to eat, which is always nice.  I have had truckers offer to pay for bus tickets when we weren’t headed to the same place. I have had truckers invite myself and a hitching partner sailing with them.

I think probably my favorite over-the-top hospitality experience was traveling with a friend.  A truck driver called ahead to the city we were visiting, found us a hotel room, and paid for our accommodation.

GN: What has been the most frightening part of hitching; when were you worried the most?

Sally: I have been pretty lucky and haven’t had any really frightening experiences.  Once I hitched with a trucker, it was pretty far, but I thought we would make it to our destination before nightfall.  Much to my surprise he pulled over and stopped for the night and ended up making advances on me.  It was extremely uncomfortable but I told him quite firmly that I wanted no part of that and wanted out of his truck.

As soon as he realized I was serious about it, he apologized profusely and was extremely embarrassed, but it could have gone quite differently.  After that, I never hitched alone after dark or on extended trips where there was any possibility the driver would stop for the night.

GN: Why Hitch? Are you trying to save money or just after some adventure?

Sally: Hitching is more than just a way to save money.  It is a great way to meet some extremely interesting people you wouldn’t otherwise encounter, see a different side of countries, and some amazing nature along the roads.  It is also wonderful to see how kind so many people are, hear their stories, and get an entirely different perspective on life.

I hitchhiked with one miner who had grown up in a family so poor the nine children had to share four pairs of shoes when they went to school.  Half the children had morning classes and would bring the shoes back for the other children to wear in the afternoon.  Not only did the miner have fascinating stories, but he took me and my travel partner to the mine he worked at and let us stay in this amazing house made completely out of salt, with salt tables and benches!

GN: Any advice to anyone out there, especially for females who are looking to travel by thumb?

Sally: There are a million ways to hitchhike, but I’d be happy to give a little advice to help get some new hitchhikers started.

• Do not get into a truck if you get a bad feeling about the driver or the vehicle.

• Bring a map with you. That way you will be able to see the best route to where you want to go.

• Starting early is another good idea, especially for women, but for men as well. Drivers rarely pick up hitchers after dark, and with good reason. You and the driver want to be able to see one another.

• Smile, do a dance, look the driver in the eyes, and make yourself stand out.  Drivers want to pick up hitchhikers who will be good company and pass the time.

Sally has written Ten Things she should know before couchsurfing: Tips for Women and A Hitchhiker’s Guide to South America for GoMad Nomad. She blogs at: Adventuresse Travels

Interview by Stephen Bugno

Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

One of the highlights of Nicaragua, Ometepe Island, or La Isla de Ometepe, should not be missed on a trip through Nicaragua.

Get to the island on a ferry boat ride from Rivas, crossing the choppy waters of Lake Cocibolca. The twin Volcano peaks Concepcion and Maderas rise out of the lake and dominate the island. There are a few villages around the island with hostels, guesthouses, and farms to stay at.

There is no shortage of places to volunteer around the island either. An orphanage, organic farms, and a biologic field station all welcome volunteers. I met an American couple staying at Hotel Hacienda Merida who lingered there for a couple weeks teaching English to the local kids in exchange for free accommodation.

Besides volunteering and farming, you can swim in clear springs and climb the volcanoes. But don’t expect any views from the top of Maderas or Concepcion because their peaks are covered in cloud forest. It was actually so cool and wet at the top that my hiking party didn’t even want to continue down into the crater of Maderas.

For an awesome guidebook to Nicaragua, I recommend Moon Nicaragua (Moon Handbooks)

For more photos of Nicaragua visit my album on Flickr.

Text and photos by Stephen Bugno

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

The docks at Moyogalpa

The trail through the cloud forest on the top of Maderas Volcano on the Island of Ometepe, Nicaragua

A fish dinner at our hostel in Merida, Ometepe

Cascada San Ramon on the Island of Ometepe in Nicaragua

A view of Concepcion Volcano on the Island of Ometepe in Nicaragua

By Stephen Bugno

Mokpo is a city in the far southwest of the Korean peninsula that most people told me to avoid. They looked puzzled when I told them I was stopping there. There’s nothing to see in Mokpo. It’s only a place to transit. Not worth staying there for any amount of time. That only encouraged me to go.

A fishmonger slices hoe at the market in Mokpo, South Korea.

I’ll make decision for myself weather a place is worth stopping for or not. And because I wasn’t traveling through Korea to see anything in particular, I figured I had nothing to lose.

What I found

Mokpo is a city defined by the sea. It is a major port. Seafood abounds. The climate is kept mild by its coastal location. And while I didn’t find any compelling reason to visit Mokpo, I also didn’t find any reason to avoid it either. That said, I did enjoy my time there. However, if you’re really into eating seafood, I would definitely recommend stopping in Mokpo. I mean, how many other places can you get fermented stingray?

There is also a dedicated group of foreign English teachers, hired by the province and scattered at schools around the region. They are mostly Canadians and Americans, but I met an Irish as well. Their comradery was reminiscent of that which I experienced in the Peace Corps; the group is close, supportive, and knowledgeable about their host country. Except they seem to moan and groan significantly less than my group of volunteers did in Uzbekistan.

Overall they like their life in Jeollanam-do and they showed their city off to me like proud locals. We toured the city by foot; my favorite way to explore cities. Our path led past some architectural reminders of the Japanese colonial period, by an outdoor sculpture garden, and to the top of Yudal-san: the mountain that rises above Mokpo Harbor.

Mokpo’s Fish Market

Welcome to Marine Product Town (Mokpo, South Korea)

The highlight of the walk around Mokpo, was a visit to the fish market, which lines the road along the harbor north of the ferry terminal. Unfortunately, it was a slow day, following the Lunar New Year holiday, but there were still plenty sea products out on display which I was excited to photograph.

Below are additional images from the fish market.

More photos from the rest of the walk through Mokpo can be viewed here.

The fish market in Mokpo, South Korea

Fishing nets in Mokpo, South Korea

Mini shrimp at the Mokpo Fish market.

At the outdoor fish market in Mokpo.

Rays

A woman at the fish market in Mokpo, South Korea prepares hoe, sliced raw fish.

Fish at the Mokpo fish market.

By Sally Kay

The Couchsurfing Project is a great tool for the curious and thrifty traveler.  The project idea is a cultural exchange in which members are the type of people who want share their culture and to learn about others.  Couchsurfers want to get to know more than just the tourist attractions: they are travelers, not tourists.

I have been a member for almost three years now, surfing, showing people around my city, and hosting.  As fantastic as couchsurfing can be, there can be a dark side too.  Because of that, as a woman, especially if you are a woman traveling solo, you do need to be careful.  In some countries, in the Middle East for example, it is better to couchsurf with women.  However I do not like to limit myself as far as hosts.  Here are a few guidelines to make your experience the best it can be.

A couchsurfing party

Read your potential host’s profile carefully

Couchsurfing isn’t about getting a free place to stay; it’s about cultural exchange, getting to know the real place.  Don’t send a request to people you don’t think you’ll get along with.  Everyone has different criteria for choosing hosts, but I try to contact people who share my interests, have hobbies I find interesting, seem like I could learn from, or who would just be fun to spend time with.  Traveling is a lot more fun when you’re with people you like.

Only contact members with filled-out profiles

If a person hasn’t taken the time to fill out their profile, they probably aren’t the best choice for a host (or for a guest).  How can you tell what interests you share, what their views on life are, or really anything about them unless they have filled out their profile?

Only contact people with pictures who have pictures

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.  If a member hasn’t taken the time to upload a picture then one has to wonder why. (Editor’s note: you also want to make sure the picture is the same individual you meet in person)

Read over the Couch Information

This tells you what the bed is like, if you’ll have your own room, and what the sleep set-up is. It is couchsurfing, so you shouldn’t expect to have your own room, but I stay away from men offering to share their room.  Even if there are two beds in the room, I feel like it’s best not to tempt fate.

Make sure your potential host has references…

and read them carefully.  References are there as a safety measure, and you can learn a lot about a person from them.  Sure, everyone starts out without references, but for a woman couchsurfing alone it’s safer to send couch requests to hosts with good references.  If you want to be extra careful then look at the profiles of the people who’ve left the references.

Vouching

Another safety measure in couchsurfing is vouching.  It signifies the person vouching for the couchsurfer trusts that member.  Members who are vouched for are safer to contact.

Stay away from male hosts only offering couches to women

There are always exceptions, but often when a man puts “preferred gender” as “female” this means that the man is using couchsurfing for the wrong reasons: to meet women.  One of the first rules of couchsurfing is that it is not a dating website.  Of course romances can happen; sometimes there is chemistry between two people.  However, if the host assumes something romantic will happen with their guests, tries to manufacture a romantic connection, or feels that the guest is in some way obligated to him, then that is definitely not okay.

Always trust your instincts

If anything gives you a bad feeling about a profile, then don’t send a request.  Intuition is a powerful thing and it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Stay with families

I prefer to stay with women, or men living with their family.  Living with your family into adulthood is extremely common in many countries, and the families are generally extremely kind.

Talk to your host first

Send a few email exchanges back and forth, chat on Skype or MSN messenger to get to know your host a little before staying with him or her.  At least for your first few times couchsurfing.

If you don’t feel comfortable in a place then leave.

Go to a hostel or check into a hotel. If something in the back of your mind says that this isn’t the right place then listen. Just because you’ve sent a couch request does not mean that you are obligated to stay the exact number of days requested.  If you feel awkward telling them the truth, then invent an excuse, but always remember: your safety is first.

By following these guidelines and by using a little common sense, you’ll have a fantastic time.  In fact, I find that couchsurfing is actually a safer way to travel; you have a friend wherever you go.  To make things better, you are under the auspices of a savvy local who knows his or her way around the city, give you advice, and want to help.  So what are you waiting for?  Get couchsurfing!

After graduating from the University of Kansas’ school of Journalism Sally hit the road and hasn’t looked back.  She has explored Europe, Africa, South America, and North America, lived in Slovakia, Hungary and Argentina and is currently traveling in South America. She writes about her adventures in the blog www.adventuressetravels.wordpress.com, has had articles in various online travel magazines, and is a travel guru for the website Tripeezy LLC.

By Michael Bugno

Upon arrival, I am greeted with a huge brick wall that says, “Keep Portland Weird”. I sort of knew what I was getting into when I read Keep Portland Weird: 5 Crazy things to do in Portland, Oregon. But seriously—whatever happened to arriving in a city and having a Top 10 sights to see? Am I that old fashioned that when I visit a city, I want to see the sights that it’s known for, not the crazies that inhabit it?

Donuts and coffee, Portland style

VooDoo Doughnuts in Portland

First stop, Voodoo doughnuts. My marketing gears started immediately spinning – I could make this place millions! The line/wait is ridiculous – and it’s only because the folks running the joint are going at a snail’s pace – ah, perhaps this is the New Yorker in me coming out. Slow down, smell the flowers and enjoy life, isn’t that their motto? Reducing the wait time in half could bring this place millions of additional dollars each year! In all my NY haste, I think Voodoo does as well as it does because it’s in OR, perhaps the NYers like me need to sip the Stumptown Coffee and take a chill pill.

A Market (that even New York marketers can enjoy)

Welcome to the Portland Saturday Market.

So, what next, perhaps a jaunt through the Portland Saturday Market? It was tons of fun – I smelt everything from hippies burning incense, to two dudes rubbing Cajun spices all over their chicken. Have I mentioned how nice everyone is? I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a city with nicer dwellers. I mean don’t get me wrong – they’re crazy, but the non-crazies are super nice too.

From there, I headed over to see what the Chinese gardens were like. I wasn’t feeling so zen. The gift shop had a window that peered into the gardens, so I took a brief look; so not for me today. What should I do? I did what every stereotypical gay man in his 30’s does – I went shopping! The North Face, Under U 4men, Nordstrom and of course the ever popular Powell’s Books. I mean seriously, an independent bookstore that’s a whole city block! I was lost in there for well over an hour and I loved every minute. Why can’t Powell’s take over Barnes and Noble?

Medieval combat anyone?

My sweet ride in Portland-- the MAX Light Rail.

A friend of mine who is native to Portland told me to take the MAX from one end to the other. I did and it was grand, best free ride ever! I got to see a snapshot of the city and on the way back I stopped off at Portland State University to watch students playing Valhalla, which is Medieval Combat. Yikes! I also saw another Saturday Market on campus with fresh flowers of every color, all sorts of vegetables including a basket of Brussels sprouts still on the stalk, and more.

As I walked through the market taking pictures of everything, I realized that the photos did not do the produce justice; how could I describe in my recap all the wonderful smells and the visual stimulation this Market brought? I can only say the Brussels sprouts smelt so amazing that I wanted to begin cooking right then and there. I love Wegmans produce, but there is something about farm fresh items in a farmers market – the colors, the smell, the feel – it beats a grocery store any day.

Powell's Book in Portland, Oregon

City for Foodies

I had dinner at Clyde Common. Only after putting down two barrel-aged Negronis: Beefeater gin, Cinzano Rosso Vermouth, and Campari, aged for 2 months in a Tuthilltown bourbon whiskey barrel and finished with an orange peel, did I decide it was time to eat. For my meal, I opted for the tagliatelle, cauliflower, lemon and breadcrumbs with a plate of Tumalo Farm’s Pondhopper (goat milk) cheese with preserved figs, honey and walnut bread. Which brings me to another point – one can always plan a budget conscious vacation getaway, but don’t cheap out on food; you need to visit the local posh restaurants. And downtown Portland did not disappoint!

Waterfalls, Hops and Barley

Sunday, up and at em’! After a big breakfast at the hotel, I made my way to Avis Rental Car and drove away in a light blue Nissan Versa. First stop – Multnomah Falls. I walked up to the main bridge and then hiked to the top for an amazing view. From there, I drove to Horsetail Falls, another hike and two spectacular views as the falls actually split in two different sections. The peaceful sound of falling water calmed me for hours.

Hood River was the next destination, with a stop at Full Sail Brewery, complete with a tour from Randy, my tour guide. The best part about the tour is, at the end you turn in your wooden nickel and get a pint glass – they must know folks have sticky fingers. Full Sail became an independent, employee-owned company in 1999, divvying up the company between 47 people, hence the 47 on their logo. Clearly when one does not work for “the man” and works for himself, he is so much more passionate about his job and it showed.

The beautiful Multnomah Falls just 30 minutes outside Portland.

I ate lunch in the pub there – an amazing fish sandwich with spicy tartar sauce, a side salad with house vinaigrette and two Sessions – the beer was great, so smooth and not at all hoppy. Once I left Full Sail, I was feeling a little tipsy, so I thought best to walk to the local bistro and grab a cappuccino, this time with whole milk. Sitting outside and sipping cappuccino in the mountain air of Oregon is like no other – and this provided me ample time to write postcards. After an hour, I was off to Mt. Hood with the loop around and a pit stop in Gov’t camp.

The author on the bridge looking at the Waterfront and Portland Saturday Market.

Once I was back in Portland proper, I was off to buy a book at Powell’s to show my support to the locals. Dinner that night was at ¿Por Que No?, complete with a chorizo taco, an Alaskan fish taco, ½ order of chips with guacamole, and one Tecate – just like the locals.

Monday morning, it was back to work. Oh how I miss my days of vacation!

Michael Bugno is employed as a Marketing Events Manager in New York City, commuting three days a week from his home in Philadelphia (not the kind of traveling he likes to do). Fortunately he has the opportunity to travel in the US and abroad with work and for pleasure visiting friends, revisiting fabulous past favorite destinations or exploring places totally new.

Dear GoMad Nomad,

Have you ever been to Iceland, or would ever consider making the trip?  My wife listened to the audio book Frost on my Moustache: The Arctic Exploits of a Lord and a Loafer and ever since has been hooked! How much money do we need to save?  How long would you recommend we take to get a good feel for the country, etc.?

-Bill in Pennsylvania

Landmannalaugar Iceland

Dear Bill,

I have never been to Iceland, but from what I hear and read it is a fantastic place to travel—lots  of really cool geologic features, hot springs, volcanoes, great scenery, hiking, ice-climbing, glacier hiking.

How much

Unfortunately, Iceland is notorious for being a very expensive place to visit. But since the stock market crash of 2008, prices have become a little more reasonable for travelers.

Iceland might be the place to do some camping, RVing, or try couchsurfing, hitchhiking, not drinking alcohol, and staying in hostels or sleeping bag accommodation in guest houses and farm houses. Also try self-contained cabins if you’re traveling in a group.

As far as an exact number for your budget, it all depends on your travel style. Lonely Planet suggests the bus riding/camping/self-catering budget traveler could scrape by on $25 US per day. Throw in some comforts like staying at an average hotel, eating out, and driving your own car, you could spend $215 per day. So that leaves a wide spectrum in between depending on your needs and your approach to travel.

How long

As far as time, I wouldn’t go for less than two weeks. It’s a relatively small island, but it’s just more economical and greener to spend more time in a place you have flown to. If you don’t have the time to make a trip exclusively to Iceland, consider stopping on your way to Europe. I know Iceland Air allows free stopovers. Check out this article on How to Make the Most Out of Your Stopover in Iceland.

When to Go

Time of year is important.  High Season is June to August, when the sun only sets briefly each night. During the March and September equinoxes, days and nights are about equal in length. If you go in December, it’s almost 20 hours of darkness.

Early or late winter, however, can be a surprisingly good time to visit. In late January, daylight lasts from about 10am to 5pm, and expenses can be 40% lower during this off-season. And although the snow covered landscape can be beautiful at this time, not all the sites are accessible in the winter. Flights may be cheaper in the winter too.

Get a Guidebook

Iceland (Lonely Planet Country Guide) The Rough Guide to Iceland 4 (Rough Guides) Iceland (Bradt Travel Guide)

-Stephen

Photo credit: Michel Osmont

Recently I’ve been increasingly interested in those travelers whose intense interest, hobby, or profession take them around the world. Be they surfers, chefs, farmers, artists, or hunters; they go to far off places to see how their specialty is done in that particular place.

I met Ben Tobin trekking in the High Sierra of California this summer. He’s the assistant cave technician (or caveman as he likes to joke) at Sequoia King’s Canyon National Park.  Whether he uses traveling as an excuse to go caving or caving as an excuse to travel, he’s been exploring caves around the world for more than a decade now. I asked him about the places caving has taken him.

Ben at the bat monument in Austin, Texas

GN: What places have you been caving?

BT: Kenya, Greece, the Bahamas, China, Mexico, and throughout the USA at various National Parks: Wind Cave in South Dakota, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, among others on both public and private land.

A current obsession with a lot of American cavers is China, so I took a trip there with some colleagues a couple years back. In Kenya I saw some lava tubes. Greece was for an international caving conference. And most recently, some friends and I took a road trip into northern Mexico to go caving.

A large chamber in San Wan Dong (Ben holding a flash in the far distant part of the room), in Chongqing, China Photo Credit: Hazel Barton

GN: Do you meet any cavers in the countries you’ve visited? Do you connect through your common interest?

BT: One of the most enjoyable parts of caving in other countries is meeting cavers and other locals. Caves seem to provide a good focal point to expand our understanding of one another. Typically, locals (non-cavers) think that we are crazy for traveling around the world to crawl into a little hole in the ground. But in many ways, that provides a means for more meaningful interactions.

GN: Do you have any funny stories?

BT: We were in a remote region of Hunan Province in China, living with a local farmer, exploring and mapping some nearby caves. It was a group of six cavers from the US and Britain along with three Chinese cavers. Every day we returned home, exhausted from spending the entire day caving—crawling, climbing, hiking around—that we would have a few drinks, crash, and crawl into our sleeping bags for the night. Well, apparently one family in the village ended up calling the police to find out if we were legally allowed to be there.

The police arrived to investigate and asked us for our passports. Because we didn’t really understand what was going on, we all began to grow nervous.

Apparently a neighbor had reported to them that we were “really strange” and would “go crawling in the dirt all day and then not take a bath and then get into our sleeping bags to marinate in our own stink.”

Ben climbing out of cave #196 after a mapping and exploration trip in Chongqing, China Photo Credit: Hazel Barton

GN: What is the attraction to climbing into these sometime dangerous and small spaces in the earth?

BT: What gets me excited about caving, I think, is the same thing that got explorers energized about traveling to uncharted lands, the unknown. Not only are we exploring passages that people may not have ever seen, but understanding how these places work. Understanding the life that’s there, the ecosystems that have developed, and generally understanding more about this part of the world that we don’t know too much about.

GN: What’s the difference between spelunking and caving?

BT: My personal definition of the two and one I think is held by most cavers is this: People who go into caves generally fall into two categories. There are those who understand the unique delicate nature of caves, as well as some of the inherent danger of these places, and those who don’t understand that. People who enter caves and are prepared for the environment they are entering (both for their own safety and the safety of the cave) are cavers. Spelunkers are not prepared and often do not recognize the importance and unique beauty around them.

GN: Do you travel for caves or do you cave to travel?

BT: It entirely depends on the situation. Some places the caving is so enticing that that is the driving force behind going there. Other times it’s the culture and environment of a place that provides a really good excuse to travel to the cave.

Quan Kou Entrance: Ben with two other cavers entering a cave named Quan Kou Dong, in Chongqing, China

GN: What are the best regions of the world for caving?

BT: World caving hot spots right now depends somewhat on the type of caving people like. If you are into cave diving (SCUBA diving in caves), then the Yucatan of Mexico is probably the place to go.

China is hot right now because of its mostly unexplored caves and the opportunities to map and discover these areas.

For vertical caving (using ropes to lower yourself into caves), Mexico and the Caucasus are on the top of the list.

The United States is actually a substantial caving destination. Some of the longest known caves are located here. Mammoth Cave is the world’s longest with over 360 miles of mapped passage and Jewel Cave comes in second with 150 miles.

Southeast Asia up into China has some of the largest rooms and passages in the world. I know cavers who enjoy these areas not only for their caving, but for the environment they are located in. In a place like Borneo, for example, you are surrounded by tropical rain forest as you hike around looking for cave entrances.

GN: What areas are on your must-see list?

BT: My must-see list is way too big. Currently, I have an obsession with marble caves, which are much less common than those made of limestone. In addition to California, there are marble caves in Norway, Madagascar, and New Zealand that I would like to explore.

I’d love to return to China as well and also check out some caves in Southeast Asia. And the Pantanal in Brazil is a place I’d like to investigate too.

But basically if there is a country that has potential for caves, I have a lot of interest in going there.

By Stephen Bugno

It’s finally safe enough

A painting from Medellin's Museo Antioquia

The days of worrying about getting kidnapped in Colombia are more or less over. Colombia’s tourism board is telling us that “the only risk is wanting to stay”. The main tourist routes are established and travel to Colombia is the safest it’s been in years. True, the FARC still exist, but they have been pushed deep into the countryside, mostly in the southeast of the country. Don’t worry, there are plenty of fantastic and safe sites, both on and off-the-beaten-path, so come before it gets too crowded with tourists.

Colonial Settlements

Besides, Cartagena, the crown jewel of all New World colonial cities, there are plenty of gorgeous small colonial cities and towns. Arguably the most beautiful are Barichara and Villa de Leiva. But Popoyan, Giron, Mongui, and the village of Guane make a good case too.  These places have well-preserved architecture and I spent much of my time just strolling through the streets and in some cases enjoying the fine views surrounding the towns. Get to your feet and hike the 180-year-old Camino, a stone path connecting Barichara to Guane.

Colombians

I haven’t met such warm and friendly people in a long time of traveling. The majority of Colombians I came in contact with are outwardly happy and love socializing, dancing, and listening to music. They are open to sharing their upbeat culture with foreigners, so don’t miss the opportunity to join in the multitude of year-round fiestas or Saturday night Salsa dancing at a club.

The Lost City

Photo credit: Sailing Nomad

The Lost City is an archeological site of an ancient city in the Sierra Nevada near Santa Marta. It is accessible by a five-day trek that rivals that of Machu Picchu. The verdict is universal from those returning: it is a fantastic experience and a classic South American adventure. The Lost City was only discovered in 1972 and requires hikers to tramp through jungle and rivers, passing indigenous communities and cocaine producers all the way to the 1200 stone steps that lead to the entrance of the ancient site.

Caribbean Beaches

If your idea of a tropical beach paradise includes spending the night in a hammock overlooking white sand beaches fringed with palm trees, then you’ll like Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Two places in particular you should head for are the pristine beaches and thick jungle of Tayrona National Park and the beautiful bays and clear waters of the remote coast in and around Capurgana, near the border of Panama.

The Unexplored Pacific Coast

Photo credit: svenwerk

Isolated would be a good word to use when describing Colombia’s Pacific coast. Only two roads lead to this vast coastline of 1300 km. The rest you’ll have to explore by boat and plane. What you’ll find there are empty beaches and islands, remote fishing communities, and spectacular whale watching. On Isla Gorgona, the former prison island-cum-national park you can spot monkeys, iguanas and an abundance of flora and fauna.

Coffee Country

Although sometimes cool and rainy, the Zona Cafetera, or coffee country, is a great place to slow down and relax for a few days. Around the sleepy village of Salento, near Armenia, you can tour family-run coffee farms, hike among the bizarre wax palms in the Cocora Valley, or just sit in cafes sipping coffee. For a nice town that sees almost no tourists, head to Salamina, where you can stroll the streets while taking in the great views of coffee farms on the hillsides surrounding town.

Good Value

Colombia’s not the bargain basement that Bolivia is, nor is it as expensive as Brazil, but it still represents a great value for travelers. With hostel dorm beds ranging from $US 8-12, full three-course lunches from $2.50-4, beers for about a buck a piece, you can have a great time and not spend too much money. Why not give paragliding (for $33) a try while you’re in San Gil?

It might get dangerous again

Although, Medellin has made tremendous strides to become a completely livable city again, the crime rate has spiked back upwards in the last two years and people are talking about it. Better get to Cali, Medellin, and Bogota before they get too dangerous again. The worldwide economic crisis has lead to an increase in unemployment, which has taken its toll on Colombian society.

Stephen Bugno has spent the better part of the last decade traveling the world in between English teaching gigs and writing about the places he visits, from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia to the tapas bars of Madrid. He blogs at Bohemian Traveler and edits the GoMad Nomad Travel Mag.

By Noel Lau

An Amazon river boat passes slowly by

What is it about languidly cruising down the Amazon River that strikes people as romantic or exotic? Tales from travelers, documentaries and movies have made this boat ride up or down the cafe au lait-colored river a must-do South American adventure.

Manaus, Bazil: Your Amazon Adventure Begins

Whatever your route is, you’ll either start or end in Manaus—a hot and humid city stuck in the middle of the world’s largest rainforest. The city itself is quite boring except for the beautiful theater, but it will be your base if you choose to do a bird watching or piranha fishing trip into the jungle.

Manaus managed to appeal to me mainly because I wanted to be on solid ground for a while after taking a three-day boat ride from Porto Velho, a Brazilian city close to the Bolivian border. In Manaus, I learned the next boat leaving on the seven-day trip to Tabatinga (next to Leticia, Colombia), wouldn’t be leaving for another four days.

Hammocks on the Amazon River boat

Buying your Ticket

For the next few days I walked to the Manaus Port everyday to check the prices, which ranged from 330-350 reais ($190-205 USD). I was told that you could get it cheaper at the last minute when the captains want to fill up their boats. Unfortunately, I found out two days before the departure that this was the only boat leaving in the next week, so prices kept rising.

I started asking around and the locals told me that there’s another port entrance about 400 meters away where the locals buy. I rushed there and found a ticket for 300 reais ($175 USD). The only catch is that because it’s the secondary entrance, you have to pay a small launch to take you to the boat.

Normally you are allowed to sleep on the boat for the days prior to its departure without extra charge, but the captain was having the boat painted, so I had to stay another night in the hostel. The next morning I left very early to get to the boat. If you are among the first to arrive, you get to pick a good spot to put up your hammock.

The author on the boat

Choosing your Hammock

You can buy a cheap hammock at the market in town. They cost from $5 USD upwards. Or the second option is pay triple the price to get an air-con, cell-like cabin. The boat has three levels; the best place to put your hammock is on the second level at the front. You want to avoid the foul smell and insects from the toilet and kitchen which are located at the rear of the boat.

The bottom level is for merchandise and goods, so if the boat is full and you come late, you might have to sleep among crates and boxes. The top level is an open deck where the bar is located. Whatever you do, don’t sleep there. The one thing all these boats that ply the Amazon have in common is that they like to play music, mostly raggaeton and forro (a type of Brazilian popular music) at an insanely loud volume from the morning, all day until 2 or 3am.

Life on the Boat

Houses along the Amazon

All three meals on board are included in the price of the ticket. Breakfast is served at 6am which is usually biscuits and coffee with milk. Lunch is at 11am, which consists of rice, beans, pasta, chicken or beef. Dinner is the same as lunch and is served at 5pm. We had to take turns during meal times because there were so many people. But don’t worry, there is always plenty of food.

It is advisable, however, to go to the supermarket beforehand to stock up on bread, biscuits, snacks, etc. Make sure you keep them in air-tight bags and hang them on the beam above your hammock. I bought a bag of sweets and by the second day an army of ants were having a party in it. Since all bars on boats sell beers, most boats prohibit passengers from bringing their own alcohol.

There is no routine on the boat besides meal times. We were woken up every day by an ear piercing whistle. Then we had the rest of the day to do nothing. Most locals took to chatting; the men with the men, the women would huddle together to do each others’ nails or exchange gossip, and the children played together—the whole boat became their playground. Backpackers  and travelers tended to seek each other out, exchanging stories, experiences and books. Someone will definitely have a deck of cards or some games to kill the time.

On the shore of a Amazon village

Whenever I could get away from them, I enjoyed sitting on the top deck, watching the lush green jungle pass by. Wildlife watching was my pastime as well. Birds were quite easy to spot, but naming them was impossible. I had never seen such a colorful and diverse array of birds. Once I spotted some monkeys swinging from tree to tree. And I was quite lucky to see some pink dolphins. I got used to life on the boat. It became very soothing to see the wide slow-flowing river beneath me and not be in a rush to do anything.

Stopping in Villages along the River

The boat stopped often in villages to unload cargo, sometimes up to a few hours. Even though most of the villages aren’t very beautiful, I still wanted to step onto solid ground, even for a few minutes, just to break the monotony of life on the boat. I would go into the villages, have a drink and watch life in an Amazon village unfold before my eyes. It was quite hypnotic.

The arrival of boats is usually the highlight of the week for these villages, as they bring home loved ones, supplies, medicine, etc. It’s hard to imagine living in a place so cut off from the rest of the world, where the only connection is days ride down the river. Yet due to modern technology such as TV, phones, etc. these places don’t feel so isolated.

On the second to last day, we stopped in an indigenous village. I was surprised at how modern things are: children wearing hand-me-down western brand t-shirts, young men in stylish sunglasses riding motorcycles, houses built with cement rather than wood. Yet among the western influences, I was happy to see kids still playing in the river without care, their laughter ringing out in unison to the pounding sounds from the women washing their clothes by the river.

Just when I was enjoying myself and growing accustomed to life on the boat, we arrived at our destination: Tabatinga. It felt rather anticlimactic, because I realized that the existence of those few days on the boat was a time-wrapped bubble and now that bubble had burst and reality had rushed in.

Practical Info:

Cities, days, costs
Porto Velho to Manaus           3 days              $60-90 USD
Manaus to Tabatinga               7 days              $190-205 USD

What to bring:
Insect repellent, light blanket/sleeping bag, hammock, earplugs, books, playing cards and a healthy dose of patience.

Noel Lau has been traveling and working his way around the world for the past decade. Most recently he has been living in Colombia after a year of slowly crossing the South American continent by bus, boat, and plane.

By Sally Kay

South America is a huge continent, and a lot of backpackers want to hitchhike through it.  But in this vast continent every country is different, so hitchhiking can vary quite a lot.  Here is a rough guide to hitchhiking in the different countries of South America.

Argentina

The author hitching in Argentina

Argentina is a wonderful country and hands down one of the safest and best countries for hitchhiking.  You may occasionally have to wait a few hours for a ride, but one always comes along.  Argentina might not be quite as easy as Chile, but it is still one of the best countries to hitchhike in South America.  It’s a good thing too, because bus prices in Argentina can be quite expensive.

Bolivia

In many ways Bolivia is a backpacker’s paradise.  Unfortunately, it is one of the poorest counties in South America.  Because of this there are very few privately-owned cars and hitchhiking can be extremely difficult.  The busses, trucks, and public transport are extremely cheap and would certainly be an easier option in this country.

Brazil

Brazil is far and away the largest country in South America and one of the most expensive, but hitchhiking here is hit or miss.  I have had a truck driver offer me a ride all the way to Rio from Santiago de Chile, but often people have terrible luck finding a ride even a short distance.  Brazil is also not one of the safest countries and I would not recommend solo travelers tackle hitchhiking there.  On the other hand if you are trying to save money, Brazil’s bus prices are astronomical and the country is huge.  It might be a good idea to look for a hitchhiking partner to come with you on your tour of the vast expanse of Brazil.

Villa Traful Argentina

Chile

Chile is a fantastic country for hitchhiking.  People pick up both male and female hitchhikers quickly and are extremely friendly.  Often they will buy lunch, pay for the hostel or hotel they drop their passengers off at, and take passengers right to the address they are going.  Even though it is a relatively safe country, I still wouldn’t recommend women hitchhiking alone, especially at night.  Still, with Chilean bus prices quite expensive hitching is a good option to consider.

Colombia

Colombia is an amazing country.  The people are friendly, open, caring, and welcoming; it is unquestionably one of the friendliest countries in South America.  On the other hand, Colombia is one of the hardest countries to hitchhike in. Though people do have their own cars and transportation is more expensive than neighboring Peru or Ecuador, rides are few and far between.  Though the guerilla is chiefly under control and the country is relatively safe, the country’s violent history is fresh in peoples’ minds.  Because of this, many Colombians remain leery of picking up strangers on the road.  The government also has run ad campaigns discouraging citizens from picking up hitchhikers which does not help.

If you do decide to hitchhike in Colombia, remember not to offer or accept food or drinks.  (this does not apply to being taken to restaurants) In the past, kidnappers have used drugged drinks to capture their victims and sharing your water will not be taken kindly.

Hitching with a friend through South America

Ecuador

Busses in Ecuador are not expensive, about USD $1/hour, but it is possible hitchhike there.  You  might have to wait a while for a ride, but someone will pick you up.

Peru

Peru is another of the poorer countries in South America.  Because of this, though it is possible to get rides, people will often ask you to pay for gas.  Many truck drivers will even go so far as to ask passengers for a fare, supplementing their paycheck by giving rides to backpackers.  Busses in Peru are reasonably inexpensive and rather than wait hours for a ride that you will probably have to pay for anyway, the bus might be a better option here.

Uruguay

Formerly a province of Argentina, Uruguay continues to be similar in many respects, kind of a mini-Argentina if you will.  The attitude towards hitchhiking is one of these many commonalities.  Though Uruguay is a tiny country, it is up there as one of the safest, easiest countries in South America to hitchhike.

Venezuela

There are varied reports of hitchhiking in Venezuela.  Some have tremendous luck while others struggle.  As a US citizen I am reticent to go to Venezuela and even more hesitant to hitchhike there.  Because of Chavez and his problems with the US government, if US citizens choose to travel to Venezuela it is easier, faster, and safer to take busses.  But don’t take my word for it, if you are comfortable and confident with it get out there and prove me wrong!

After graduating from the University of Kansas’ school of Journalism Sally hit the road and hasn’t looked back.  She has explored Europe, Africa, South America, and North America, lived in Slovakia, Hungary and Argentina and is currently traveling in South America. She writes about her adventures in the blog www.adventuressetravels.wordpress.com, has had articles in various online travel magazines, and is a travel guru for the website Tripeezy LLC.

Dear GoMad Nomad,

I see you were in Mexico for the Bicentennial on Sept 15^th. I was thinking about traveling to Mexico for a few weeks, but was concerned about safety since people are calling Mexico the most dangerous country in the world. Is it really that bad? Isn’t most of the danger due to drug gang violence? Is it safe for tourists? Should I go to Mexico?

Sincerely,

Concerned in Connecticut

Dear Concerned in Connecticut,

Yes, you should go to Mexico. But you should know how to stay safe there. Much of the problem is the media blowing the violence out of proportion.

First, there are places that are more dangerous than others and situations that are riskier than others.

If you’re planning a little getaway to one of the really touristy places, like Cozumel, Cancún and Los Cabos, you shouldn’t have any problems, so don’t even think about canceling your trip.

Border towns are best to avoid: Nogales, Juárez, Nuevo Laredo, and Matamoros. I was too scared to go into Juarez, so I crossed the Rio Grande at the small town of Presidio, Texas into Ojinaga, Chihuahua.

I have also read reports that Durango, Torreón in Coahuila, Cuernavaca, and the states of Sinaloa (home to Mazatlán), Michoacán (Morélia) and Guerrero (Acapulco) could be dangerous. Even riding through Sinalona on the night bus to and from the border may even pose a threat, but the chances seem minimal. But I can’t verify this first hand, since I didn’t travel to any of these regions.

Monterrey and Chihuahua City have some trouble areas, but if you stick with locals and don’t stray into random neighborhoods late at night, you should be OK. I spent a few days in Chihuahua and didn’t feel like it was very dangerous. And it seems like Tijuana is also not quite as bad as it once was.

It’s best not to drive your own car in Mexico right now, but if you do, stick to the toll roads, even though they’re outrageously expensive. And don’t drive at night. You’re more likely to run into trouble after the sun goes down, especially on the “libre” roads.

Being in Mexico for 18 days, I got an overall feeling that the security situation isn’t too bad for travelers. The majority of problems are between drug gangs and consequently tourists are seldom targets. It is important to remain vigilant: petty theft can always be a problem. So I kept aware of my surrounding at all times without feeling paranoid.

So the bottom line is: Mexico is a fantastic place to travel, with a rich culture, incredible archeological sites, delicious food, and great beaches. Just heed these warnings and be a smart, aware, and educated traveler.

Here are some thoughts on safety in Mexico from other bloggers at Hole in the Donut Travels and Mexico Botique Hotels Blog.

Any thoughts from Mexicans, expats living in Mexico, or those recently in Mexico would be appreciated in the comments below.

By Jett Thomason

Lamu Travel

Lamu was to be the crown jewel of my East African coastal journey. I had read about the town and the imminent construction of a new port. After Mombasa, which is already at capacity, Lamu is the only natural spot for a harbor in Kenya. The construction of a port is a few years away, though some dredging has already started. Roads will be built, rail lines introduced, and an oil pipeline for South Sudan’s crude will likely be in place within ten years.

The article I read described Lamu as an unspoiled Swahili town. Swahil is Arabic for ‘coast’, and the mélange of Arab and African created a hybrid culture along the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya that still feels quite distinct from the interior. This pristine town, preserved in many ways since the 19^th century, is about to be overrun by the new port and modernity with all its disposable income, improved standard of living, and destruction of traditional ways of life. Go now, the article implies, because Lamu the living historical fossil is soon to be no more.

The trip started with a bus ride from Malindi, further down the coast. Unfortunately the journey progressed in the opposite way you would hope with the road steadily worsening as we went along. I was in the back and my bus-mates and I suffered as the ripples in the tarmac magnified into assaulting waves of pain by the time they reached our seats.

When we turned off the asphalt and drove onto a mostly packed dirt road, the bumps got worse. I could feel a headache coming on from the shocks my brain was absorbing. There was a distinct point where I began to question what I was doing. Was I chasing a dream here? The bus trip would be adventurous and great material for my stories when I was nineteen, but now headed towards thirty-three the charm seemed largely gone from this sort of thing. And yet, for the people living here, this was life, this was their only choice to get to Lamu where friends and family lived.

It is not a good place to be, simultaneously filled with weariness of the road and new questions about the path my life had taken while also realizing the incredible insensitivity of these concerns faced with the stoic acceptance by my fellow passengers. The bus hit an incredibly large rolling bump and we all sailed into the air, the bus dropping below us, and then the entire rear coach population came down hard.

This was, apparently, too much even for the locals whose stoicism I had been silently admiring. I do not speak Swahili but the last half of the bus screamed in unison, “Hey! What the heck are you doing up there?!? That bump was too much too fast and don’t you dare do it again!”

I guess we had all been silently suffering and questioning our sense in taking this bus. Misery loves company, and the rest of the ride suddenly seemed a bit more tolerable.

On the ferry from the bus stop of the mainland, the sight of three young German backpackers was my first indication that the unspoiled dream of Lamu was not to be. Arriving at the wharf, my second indication that my expectations needed adjustment was the teeming mass of people eyeing our boat and its arrival. I did not realize I had all these apparently long-lost ‘friends’ and ‘brothers’ calling out for me, eager to get me to my hotel. The image of a cow wading into piranha-filled waters suddenly entered my head.

The hotel manager in Malindi told me, “Don’t worry. My friend Sayd will meet you at the boat. He will have a sign with your name on it and he will take you to several places, you just pick the one. It’s no problem. Hakuna matata.”

The boat grew closer to the waiting pack and I clambered off the vessel with the others. The wharf was a flurry with passengers scrambling up the port steps, porters scrambling on, and hotel agents screaming out “JAMBO!” at me, the lone traveler. Jambo is Swahili for ‘Hi’, but it was anything but friendly in this context. Where was this Sayd person who should have been waiting for me?

Just then, a furtive guy comes up and unfolds a piece of paper with my name written on it, “Jambo, are you this man?” Lawrence, my hotel manager from Malindi, had come through.

“Yes,” I say, and then foolishly, “Are you Sayd?” No, drat. Should have asked who he was.

“Yes, I am Sayd. I am with Sayd. Where’s your bag?”

I disregard the confusion of who he is and accept that if he has got my name, then he is probably alright. I point to my backpack, originally black but now grey-brown from the dust of our trip. Sayd leaps over the other porters onto the boat, fighting them off to get my luggage. I realize now why he had my name concealed until he saw the foreigner. The other touts at the wharf would have just copied it or told me they were there to pick me up.

Sayd, or Sayd’s guy, grabs my backpack, swings it onto his shoulders, and begins walking so fast in his flip-flops that I have to skip a bit just to keep up with this pace. Men come up alongside us just as quickly.

“Jambo, brother, I am a captain. We are going on a fishing trip today, you come?” says one man.

“Remember me? I was the one who helped you last time!” tries another.

“Do you need anything? You want to eat? I show you a nice place,” says the third. Sayd’s pace is too fast for these guys, and the fact that he has got my sole piece of luggage means that I am going to keep up. Sayd’s caught this tourist fish and I am dragged out of the clutches of the others.

Lamu, unspoiled paradise

The sales assaults continued as I checked into the hotel. A few dhow captains were lounging around the lobby, ready with package rides out to the islands and deep-sea fishing trips. An older gentleman in a neon yellow safety vest carried my bag up to my room, sat me down in the low and sagging hotel room recliner, leaned on the opposite table and told me he was the town’s tourist “chairman”, but I could call him ‘Chief’. City tours, boat tours, donkey rides, he was the guy to arrange it.

The Chief followed me out of my room, out of the hotel, into the narrow and tiny old city streets pitching his services and the remarkable impressions he had apparently left with previous tourists; all now satisfied customers. It was only the passing of a more affluent looking tourist couple that convinced him to let me go free, though with the extracted promise to let him know first about any plans I might have for spending money in Lamu.

I needed a place to hide from the claws of this tourist-churning machine. Then I saw it, “Lamu Book Point. Sell, Rent, Trade!!!”

I am a sucker for three exclamation points, so I turned the corner and ducked into the bookstore.

While the sales clerk closely examined the potential exchange value of a very dry historical review of Ethiopia, (recently liberated from an unnamed US Embassy’s lending library), the clerk’s friend struck up a conversation.

“Do you play bowel game?” she asks.

“Sorry?” I ask.

“Do you play the bowel game?”

“Ahhh…. ‘Bowl’ game?” I venture?

“No.” She sighs. “B-A-O Game. Bao game.”

Without waiting for a response, she walks over to the corner and grabs a wooden board with carved spaces arranged across the top and a large bottle of pebbles.

Introductions. “I am Rose. And  you?”

“I’m Jett,” I say. “From America.”

“Yes. So this is how to play.” She lays out the board, filling each cup space in the surface with two pebbles and starts teaching me the bao game. It reminds me of backgammon, and the other clerk takes pity on my inexperience and throws a few key tips my way, tipping the scales a bit back in my favor.

Half an hour and a couple rounds of bao later, I say goodbye to Rose and the clerk Rebecca, and walk out with a new beach read and a promise to come back tomorrow for a rematch. I take a few steps out and realize I’m a bit stunned to realize there was no sales pitch in the entire exchange.

Avoiding the wharf, I slide through the early dusk shadows in the more residential streets packed with locals who cast me a quick glance and a polite ‘jambo’. I ‘jambo’ back and walk through the north end of the town and out into the mangrove stands exposed out on the low-tide beach.

No one tries to sell me anything, dhow crews are too busy unloading coral bricks dug out on the opposite island while the light is still good. At the end of the work day, local couples have tucked themselves into the groves, just enjoying the end of the day. Sun sets and throws bright orange light on the boats in the water before dropping away completely.

Walking back into Lamu, I come in fresh and revived. I walk back in through the residential end, seeing Lamu as it should be seen. A dense mass of urbanity on a scenic island. The plots of land appear to have been only loosely planned and the sand and shanties transition in the space of two blocks to hundred-year-old houses just a few feet apart, real estate jumping up three or four stories with rebar extending upwards, optimistically implying future living space for a growing family.

Lamu might be alright after all, I think.

After two days on the island, I sit on a bench outside the arched entrance to the main square of Lamu. There is the odd tourist passing through, but mostly it’s just old men sitting and chatting. Dodging the wharf now at all costs, I have joined them at the square, drinking cups of sweet, spiced coffee brewed in a massive pot over a charcoal brazier. The vendor sets up in the late afternoon for his daily nine-hour shift, providing stimulant and pretext for conversation seekers.

Patrick, who works at a nearby hotel, is telling me about the hamali teams. These groups of four people push a two-wheeled cart – the hamali – and deliver literally everything that comes from the mainland to its destination on the island. As we speak, a team struggles by with a load of boxes, massive burlap sacks, and what is clearly an exercise bicycle wrapped in newspaper. The only other delivery method on the island is one of the 3,000 donkeys that meander through the streets when they are off-duty, scrounging for the stray corn husk or bit of grass.

Rose comes up with her hand extended out, “Jambo Jett! Greet me!” I do. “Why did you not come to the shop today?”

“I’ll come tomorrow,” I promise.

“OK, we wait you then.” With a smile she is off into the crowd.

I turn back to my new friend, “Tell me Patrick, are these really Maasai?” I ask. I was convinced the men dressed in the red robes, sporting shields and spears, and working in the ‘Maasai Market’ had to be locals dressed up for the tourists. It was akin to seeing cowboys in full outfit in South Florida.

“Yes,” Patrick nods once fiercely. “They come to work here, too. People like them as guards.”

“Really? Here on Lamu?”

“Yes. There was one problem with a hotel owner. A Swahili said he was going to cut him.” Patrick gestures a machete cut to the neck. “The hotel owner got some Maasai. They catch this guy! They not scared of anything.” We both pause in respect. “So, people like them as guards.”

I nod, not much to add there. “Even on Lamu, people are people, huh,” I say to him.

Patrick laughs, “Yeah! People are people!”

Finishing the coffee, I walk past the old men idly adjusting their skullcaps, sitting on the stone benches underneath one of the massive trees that drape over the square. Women in full veil greet their male friends. How do they recognize each other? The tumult of the center quickly gives way to narrow lanes with small drainage channels cut on the side. I recognize the now-familiar clomping of hooves and step into a doorway to let the donkey and rider pass behind me.

A young girl comes around the corner in the other direction, one hand pulling up her head scarf.

“Jambo!” she says with excitement at seeing me.

“Jambo,” I say.

“How are you?” she asks as we pass by each other.

I turn back, “I am fine. How are you?”

“Welcome in Africa!”

“Thank you.” Yes, thank you very much.

Jett Thomason is now a program analyst managing small grants projects in Africa. The views expressed are entirely his own opinion and in no way are representative of any government or other institution. Over the past decade his travels and work have taken him throughout the former Soviet Republics and Europe to Afghanistan and Iraq. He blogs for GoMad Nomad at the No Leave Travel Blog.

After battling mobs of American and European families on holiday in Colorado’s crowded Mesa Verde National Park, we headed west into Utah to find a much less visited park. National Bridges National Monument is a great example of extraordinary display of beauty that is southern Utah. There are three natural bridges in the park, Kachina, Sipapu, and Owachomo, each a natural bridge of a slightly different age. We took a steep and twisting trail down to the river that flows underneath this bridge, Sipapu.

Text and photo by Stephen Bugno

Dear GoMad Nomad:

I’m low on cash but still want to travel, what should I do? Go into further debt and live life in the moment, or do the prudent thing and save up my money?

-Broke In Brooklyn

Dear Broke in Brooklyn:

My first advice is to get the heck out of Brooklyn! You’ll save up more money living in the sticks. But, yeah, yeah, I know you want to be at the epicenter of Hipsterdom.

Anyhow, to answer your question: Don’t go into debt! But…you can still travel on very limited funds. The options are limitless.

Since you don’t have money, I’m assuming you have time.  You can spend that extra time that you normally spend nursing PBRs on Bedford Ave, researching and planning out your travel.

First thing you’ll have to understand about cheap/budget travel is that it happens very slowly. You’ll have to opt for the pueblo bus over the bullet train; and if you’re going to hitch, you’ll have a lot of time to perfect your hacky sack skills while waiting for your free rides. So I’d reserve anywhere from two months to a year for this expedition.

If you just happen to have graduated from college and don’t know what to do, check out this fantastic post over at Almost Fearless.

Since you have the time, I would highly recommend volunteering, “helping,” working, and temporarily residing in the places you plan on visiting. This will allow you to actually experience the place and get to know the people you have traveled so far to visit.

Volunteering

This one is tricky. You want to avoid paying a fee to volunteer. I don’t mind helping others, but I don’t like to have to pay for that privilege, and neither should you. Check out these awesome articles for low-cost or free volunteering opportunities in Nepal, the West Bank, and Spain. Transitions Abroad Magazine is also an incredible resource for volunteering abroad info.

Help Exchange

Before I started teaching English in Madrid, I almost took a gig helping an English couple in Brittany restore an old train station into a B & B. I would have helped them for four hours a day and they would have fed me and given me a room in their home. The rest of the day I could spend working on my writing projects with the help of their wireless internet. I used Help Exchange to connect with these people in need of a helper. But the dream was never realized.

Working

Get to the Caribbean or cross the Atlantic while working aboard a yacht. Skippers in ports far and wide are always looking for a crew that preferably speaks their language and may or may not have sailing experience. Good sites to connect skippers and crew: Crewfinders, Yacht Crew Register, or Dovaston Crew.

Temporarily Residing

A great option is house sitting. I kind of want to make a career out of this, except it doesn’t pay very well. Why not take care of the perritos and water Señora Torres’ garden for the month August while she’s vacationing at her other home on the Canaries? You’ll probably need a good reference before strangers will entrust you with their home and animals. Use Mind My House, House Careers, or House Sit World.

So if you combine a little traveling in between some of these ideas, you’ll have a well-rounded trip.  Use couchsurfing for accommodation read up on hitchhiking before you leave.

-Stephen

Dear GoMad Nomad:

My husband and I are going to England in two weeks. We have four days planned in London, but for the rest of the trip (6 days), we don’t really have plans.  I’ve been reading books and trying to figure out what to do.  Ideally, we’d like to take the train out to the country, visit some sites, etc. I was just wondering if you knew or had visited some off the beaten path places in England. We probably wouldn’t want to camp out too much, but stay in little inns, etc. With that said, we’d be up for camping maybe 1-2 nights if there was a particularly unique place.

-Erika, Louisville, KY

Dear Erika,

in the Yorshire Dales

Yorkshire is a favorite of mine, whether you check out the city of York and its enormous minster and associated medieval history or the insanely delicious fish and chips and Abbey on the hill in the amiable seaside city of Whitby. It’s an especially good choice if you head out to the countryside.

It would probably be best to take the train up to York and then rent a car (a very small one, petrol is expensive) in order to drive around and see Yorkshire at your leisure, allowing you to stop at any random village in the countryside and enjoy a pint in the local pub or tea and scones at a café, or take a break to walk an inviting path along the famous stone walls on the edge of a sheep pasture. In the small market town of Masham you can taste the ales at two great breweries: Black Sheep and Theakston.

For National Parks, I would choose Yorkshire Dales over North Yorkshire Moors. I’m sure you could find plenty of camping in the area, although many will probably be private RV parks. I hear the Peak District is also worth visiting for some great hikes, but keep in mind it is the most visited park in England.

Further to the north from Yorkshire, are Durham and Newcastle, two cities that I’ve wanted to check out, but haven’t yet.

I might try and book your accommodation ahead because you will be traveling in high season. Of course you could take your chances and just show up in some random villages and hope somebody has an open room.

If you wanted to avoid renting a car I would suggest, (and I know I’m all over the place now, far from Yorkshire) the Heart of Wales train line, which hits a number of villages and spa towns for 121 miles between Swansea and Shrewsbury through the middle of picturesque rural Wales.

I will admit, these suggestions certainly aren’t hard-core off the beaten path, but they are great places to visit and exploring the countryside, either in Wales or England will allow you to find your own off the beaten path favorites.

Other ideas:

In terms of other cities in England, I’ve found Liverpool to be one of the most interesting because of its history, excellent (free) museums, and locals.

And if I were to return to England, I’d probably check out the Lakes District and Cornwall (the Eden Project might be your style or even volunteering at the Monkey Sanctuary if you had more time).

-Stephen

What are your favorite spots in England? Feel free to give Erica and her husband your own tips in the comments below.

Visit Tokyo on a Tight Budget

By Katherine Whatley

Morning in Tokyo Photo credit: Altus

To a foreigner, Tokyo conjures up images of kimono, sky scrapers, Godzilla and crazy fashions. A city with a great vibe, it’s somewhere that any self respecting tourist should visit once. But let’s face it, Tokyo is expensive. It’s easier to spend more and more money than to find great bargains. But, if you know where to go and what to do, it doesn’t have to be prohibitive.

Planning Ahead

Before you even book your flight to Tokyo, be aware of a few things. First, Tokyo is a city with four distinct seasons. From December to early March, Tokyo can get very cold. Spring is lovely, with flowers everywhere, including the famous sakura in March. June is the rainy season which is humid and very rainy. It is incredibly hot and humid in August, think Singapore, so don’t go then if you can avoid it. Try to go to Tokyo from the middle of March to the middle of June and from September to November.

Tokyo is a huge metropolis. If you are interested in beautiful scenery, relaxed atmosphere and old temples, hop on the train to Kyoto or any number of small and picturesque towns in rural Japan. Come to Tokyo for an exciting melting pot of cultures where seeing a lady in kimono next to a goth on the train is an everyday experience.

Survival Tips

Food

photo credit: Nicola Cassa

The first thing you should do is get used to eating a big lunch. Many restaurants have lunch sets on weekdays that are substantially cheaper than ordering a la carte. Usually between 500 and 1000 yen, around $5.40 and $11.00 U.S dollars, these lunches normally come with a main course, salad and sometimes dessert.

For dinner, check out the many fast food chains near stations that cater to the tight budgets of business men on the way home. Noodles and rice bowls or donburi are some of the more popular choices. The meals will typically cost around 400 yen.

Many of these establishments will make you buy a ticket for your meal before you order. Though it may unnerve you to see all the Japanese writing, try talking to the waiters, everyone is willing to practice their five words of English.

Convenience stores or combini are a great place to buy food. Unlike convenience stores in the US, the prepared food is quite good at these combini. There are all kinds of ready prepared meals including salads, onigiri which are rice balls with flavorings, bento which are lunch boxes typically consisting of rice and a piece of meat or fish and, of course the omnipresent cup noodle. Onigiri and salad typically cost around 120 yen and bento cost between 300 and 500 yen. In the summer time, try the cold noodles for a refreshing treat.

What to do

Many Tokyoites head to the few big parks in the city for a picnic on the weekends. Yoyogi Koen, right near Harajuku, is always packed with people eating, talking, walking their dogs and performing all kinds of things. Don’t be surprised to see 1950’s rockabilly dancing next to a trio playing the bongos.

Bring along some of your combini purchases and join in for a break from the concrete. To see some spectacular modern Japanese architecture, go right next door to the National Stadium designed by Kenzo Tange for the 1964 Olympics. The closest station to Yoyogi Koen, is Harajuku station on the JR Yamanote line.

For a more quiet picnic, try Shinjuku-Gyoen. Originally a wealthy family’s gardens, this park with its rolling lawn and big trees is reminiscent of an English Manor garden. Come here during March to see the sakura flowers blooming.Shinjuku-Gyoen has a fee of 200 yen and its closest station is Shinjuku-gyoenmae on the Marunochi line.

Tokyo in Winter Photo credit: Katherine Whatley

Learn to travel on foot. Though individual train rides aren’t expensive, from 160 yen, Tokyo is a city that is best seen by foot. There are no great sights to see in Tokyo, just neighborhoods to visit and take in. Try going to any number of stations to walk around for the day.

Asakusa should be one of the first stops for a first time visitor to Tokyo. It is in the shitamachi, the working class district of Tokyo, and is famous for its Sensoji temple. Though the temple is not particularly impressive, the area surrounding the temple is filled with many traditional snack shops, clothing shops and restaurants. This area is also popular for Japanese tourists and has been for hundreds of years. Every year, on the third weekend of May, Sanjya-Matsuri is held in Sensoji temple. With a reputation of being one of the wildest festivals in Japan, if you’re in town, don’t miss it. The closest train station to Sensoji temple is Asakusa station on the Ginza line.

After seeing Sensoji temple, head over to Meiji Jingu, a shrine built in 1920 to honor the Meiji Emperor. Surrounded by 175-acre man made forest, you will be thankful for this oasis of green after tramping Tokyo. This serene shrine with its austere roofs is totally opposite to the excitement and commotion of Sensoji temple. Meiji Jingu is right next to Yoyogi Park and to the Harajuku shopping area. The closest train station to Meiji Jingu is Harajuku station on the JR Yamanote line.

Harajuku is one of the most popular shopping areas and you can find everything there from Nike to Louis Vouitton to teenage fashions to cosplay stores. Walk down Takeshita-dori to see some crazy teenage fashion then head to the main drag of Omote-sando to see some fabulously designed buildings for international brands. Keep walking to see the famous Prada building built by Herzog & de Meuron, the same architects as the Beijing 2008 Olympics Stadium.

To see some history, take the train to Otemachi station and take a walk inside the Imperial Palace Gardens. Part of the Imperial Palace complex, the section open to the public includes the ruin of the old castle that was destroyed by fire and a prime example of a Japanese garden. Also in the complex is a sizable park with many trees. Take a walk around the complex and look at the great moat. Entrance is free.

Tokyo is a city that can be explored and scavenged on a very tight budget. Just use some creativity and most importantly, enjoy!

Links

• Metropolis, free English language magazine for expats, includes listings: http://metropolis.co.jp
• Imperial Palace information: http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/koukyo.html
• Japan Guide, guide for tourists in Japan: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2164.html

Katherine Whatley is a student who has spent the past 13 years living in Tokyo, Japan. Fluent in Japanese, she enjoys spending her free time exploring the nooks and crannies of her favorite city.

The Wheels of the Combi Go Round and Round

By Danielle L. Krautmann

A Lima bus with a cobrador hanging out

Currently Lima, Peru has no public transportation.  This restricts Limenians to use either taxis, buses, cars, or “combies”.  Charlie and I don’t plan to get a car while we’re here because it’s easy enough for us to get from one place to another.  Plus, with the plan to stay for two or three years, it hardly seems worth it.

Every person you meet has either had a bad experience with a taxi or knows someone else who has. A Peruvian friend of mine took a taxi to get from one fairly safe neighborhood to another.  When he noticed the taxi wasn’t going in the right direction, he said something to the driver.  Sooner than he could stop them, three men approached the taxi, and the next thing he remembers is waking up in a bad part of town on the side of the road.  His money and cell phone had been stolen.  A guy Charlie works with got robbed at knife point in a taxi.  One time Charlie and I were taking a taxi and the driver fell asleep…while driving.

In most of my experiences, except for the frequent opportunist or pervert, the drivers are more or less harmless.  They either charge exorbitant rates to tourists and gringos who don’t know any better, or hit on me the whole time.  They like to ask me questions about myself, where am I from, how do I like Peru, where do I live, would I like to get coffee with them?  They tell me I’m beautiful or sexy (duh), and once, the driver drove along with an obvious erection.  Gladys says not to be friendly, smile, or even talk to the driver.  Wear your sunglasses and a frown.  Every time you get into a taxi, you take a risk.

The payment system is different than in the States.  Since taxis don’t have meters, you negotiate a price with the driver. Before entering the car, tell him where you’re going, all the while scoping out the cab to assess its safety.  If it’s a station wagon, check the back for people or weapons.  If you are a gringo, the driver will give you a price far higher than what you should pay.  “Dies soles,” he might say after contemplating for a few seconds.

Gladys and I with our serious riding-the-bus faces

At this point, you have three options. 1. Take his first offer and pay “el pricio gringo.”  If you’re strapped for time, this is your best option.  2.  Decline his offer and wait for the next taxi who is inevitably waiting nearby.  I often do this before negotiating to show the approaching taxi that I will not accept a ridiculous quote.  3. Negotiate the price.  I’m getting quite good at this.  I will say something like “normalmente yo pago tres o cuatro soles.”  Then he either accepts, drives off because he’s offended, or negotiates further until we come to middle ground.

Suggestions for a safe taxi ride in Lima include:

1. Speak as little as possible to the driver.  In my experience, conversations about myself often lead to the driver either trying to get more money from me, trying to convince me to go somewhere else, or asking me on a date.  I have heard predators will use conversation to distract tourists who want to practice their Spanish.  Meanwhile they might change routes.

2. When you do speak, use as much Spanish as possible to show the driver that you know what he’s saying…even if you don’t.

3. Know where you’re going and if possible, tell the driver what route you would like to take.

4. If you are alone, sit directly behind the driver.

5. Know where the lock to the door is.  Some taxis have auto locks and lock you in when you enter.  Just make sure you can undo the lock if need be.

A quiet day on the bus with very few passengers

In research for this article, I took my first “combi”.  These are mini-vans that go hurling through the streets at top speeds sparing no pedestrians.  They are infamous for hitting people and getting in accidents.  Initially I was not in favor of how close I was squished in between two men, one of whom insisted on making kissing noises towards me for the duration of my ride.  The last of the three combies I took was lacking a floor.  It had wooden boards nailed down along the cross rails between the tires.   I rode along with my feet suspended, fearing for my life as I watched the wheel turn round and round underneath me.  Although not my preferred option, they are the fastest and cheapest way to get around town.

Personally, I prefer taking buses whenever possible.  They are cheaper than taxis, somewhat safer, and far more entertaining.  The equivalent of 40 cents can get you close to anywhere you need to go in the city.  As I mentioned previously, there is no public transportation.  The buses are all private competing companies with no schedules, websites or monthly passes.  “Cobradors” stand on the first step of the bus calling route and street names rapidly like auctioneers.  “Javiar Prado, Prado, Prado, Todo Javier Prado, La Molina,  Molina.”  As the buses quickly approach, you have very little time to contemplate which one you want to take since they rarely come to a complete stop.

Three or four buses approach at the same time, trying their hardest to cut each other off in order to be the first to pull up.  I scan them quickly as they approach, hoping to view one with an open seat.  If there aren’t any, no worries, the cobradors stuff passengers in as tightly as they fit making each journey its own olfactory experience.  You may be lucky enough to be pushed up against the chest of an older woman with musky perfume that stays on you for hours afterward.  On an even luckier day, you have less than an inch of space between you and a sweaty construction worker on his way home from work.  Just make sure you push your way to the front of the bus several blocks before you plan to disembark since, like I said before, they rarely come to a complete stop.  Be ready to jump. As you ride along, you can watch as the standing people get thrown back and forth as the bus forces its way through traffic making brief stops when it gets cut off by other busses.  If you end up standing, your best bet is to keep your knees bent, feet wide apart, with a low center of gravity.  Focus and be prepared for a quick stop-and-go at any time.

While the bus sits in traffic, vendors approach the windows selling cold beverages, snacks and newspapers.  During peak traffic, you can buy sunglasses, wallets, lighters, large maps of Peru or South America, necklaces, pens, and various other trinkets all for sale at the convenience of your bus seat.  There’s a guy I sometimes see weaving his way through traffic selling beautiful handmade pirate ship replicas.  When there are few enough passengers, vendors board the bus and ride from one to three blocks.

First they stand at the front of the bus so everyone can see them.  They sell their pitch, “Hello, my name is Miguel.  I am selling these Pilot pens for a great price.  In a store you can buy them for no less than three soles.  Because you are such beautiful people, I will sell them to you for one soles per pen.”  Miguel proceeds to work his way from the front to the back asking each person individually if they would like to buy a pen.

If you’re lucky, Miguel might be a starving musician who boards the bus to play a song on his guitar, then walks through asking for donations. Despite his filthy attire, pathetic attempt at a performance, and drunken, stumbling gait, people donate!

If you plan to take a bus, hold your purse close to you, try to get a seat, and cross your fingers as accidents are not uncommon.

By Scott Homan

Traveling abroad for roughly the last decade has often included visiting internet cafes in even the most remote locations. Usually built for locals, they also serve as a connection home for vagabonds. But a new trend has emerged worldwide as people are increasingly traveling with portable wireless devices and computers. The latest are the eight to eleven inch laptops referred to as mini laptops or netbooks. They often weigh less than three pounds (1.5kg) and some boast a six to ten hour battery life and a surprisingly low price tag.

The last night in Munich before we all scattered around Europe. Photo credit: Jenn Vargas

Bringing a netbook is becoming more common. Depending on the hostel, somewhere between 10% and 20% of backpackers are now carrying one. A number of travelers, including myself, even bought one while traveling. What makes toting a netbook such a great idea is the ever increasing availability of free or inexpensive WIFI in public places, hostels, hotels and cafes.

Whether you’re off for a couple of weeks or gone for a full year with an around-the-world ticket, traveling today involves computers of some kind. Having a PC can make traveling an extension of a person’s real life instead of a temporary diversion. A netbook provides entertainment, escapism, and makes you more accessible to family and friends. But more importantly, it allows you the ability to work remotely, keep you on the road longer, and a place to journal. In addition, it is a reliable and virus-free place to backup photos, prepare blog updates offline, do research, change and update your iPod/mp3 player, download applications and videos, watch videos, edit photos, and share photos, music and videos with new friends. You will save money by not paying for use of a public PC, there is no line and no pressure to log off or a closing time and it’s very easy to skype home and talk as long as you would like.

All of the above are what we now consider normal in day-to-day life, however we are traveling to experience something new and interesting. This connected world of ours may distract us from conversations with others or time spent exploring and taking in a new environment and culture. As it does at home, hours can quickly evaporate that could be better spent escaping from our super-connected life. Other possible negatives include the added weight and the additional risk that involves carrying another valuable gadget. Your netbook will also gain in value as you use it to backup photos and videos, and draws attention from those who may be inclined to steal.  It’s a regular business in places to rob backpackers. Your cash and laptop are goldmines. It’s important to try and keep it concealed or at least out of sight when it’s not being used.

After buying my netbook, I attempted to eliminate some of my things in an effort rid my pack of an equivalent amount of weight. It can potentially replace books, but I find that I don’t really enjoy reading from a screen like I do printed pages even though I’ve already downloaded a dozen books in PDF format that I’d love to read. I did however get rid of four of my eight printed books (I’m a little ridiculous) and a few magazines I had accumulated. Now I no longer need the second larger iPod that I brought to back up photos.

It is possible to do a lot of the above with public computers as we’ve all been doing during the last decade. But this can be frustrating. For instance, I love to write while traveling and that can be done electronically without lugging a PC. My blackberry has served me well to type on but I have found no way to get the text files off of the phone without a data plan. A number of backpackers I met used their iPhones to stay connected and to write on. Most companies will send you the un-lock codes for whatever phone you have simply if you ask them before your trip.

I used various PCs for a few hours per week during the first four months of my Latin American trip. Using online services can work well, such as auto-saving blogs at www.blogger.com, writing a draft with your web-based email, or using online word processing systems like Google Docs. I have found that I’m often nowhere near a public PC when I feel like writing. When a PC is free to use in a hostel there is usually a 15 to 30 minute limit and a line which is a strange and unwelcome time pressure. In internet cafes there is also a time pressure from the cost and the business closing time. Needless to say I have a lot of unfinished writing saved in various places.

For most of us, connecting with family and friends is the primary reason for getting online and often takes the most time. An important part of this is connectivity for portable devices like memory cards to upload and back up photos while on the road. PC’s found in internet cafes are often old, slow and lack good connectivity and sometimes ridden with viruses making them a pain to use. I’ve had two different computers blue screen on me while online. It can take minutes to load a web-page and hours to upload a few photos in some places and to protect from viruses they may have the option blocked completely. Most internet cafes are equipped to use Skype and there is usually at least one headset that works OK. Uploading photos and surfing the web is possible but often agonizingly slow.

To protect your new investment I stumbled onto a relatively inexpensive option that works quite well. Travel Insurance often costs $700 or more per year including medical, theft, and transport back to your home country. If you’re like me and willing to hedge your bets on the amazing phenomenon of free (or inexpensive) health care in third world countries, but are still concerned with theft, you’ll find renter’s insurance for just over $100 per year to cover that risk. Most insurance companies have an inexpensive option for renters. It usually covers at a minimum $15,000 worth of goods and it is of no importance to them where on earth your insured things are, even if they’re strapped to your back in a sketchy area somewhere in a country that ends in STAN.

Don’t forget to bring a lock and use the provided lockers in your hostel. Most places where you pay to sleep are more than happy to store some or all of your things in a more secure area when you feel the need. Also you can add at least one person to your renters insurance free of charge which is great for your travel friend or for a couple.

For me, the three pound PC, long battery life and $350 price tag were just the right combination to make the leap and start toting this thing along. But depending on your style, a few hours here and there at a cafe and writing with a pen and journal may be all you need to make your trip a connected and fulfilling one.

Scott Homan has traveled extensively through Latin America and Europe in the last six years with thirty countries under his belt. An avid hiker and snowboarder, he seeks out national parks and mountains wherever they may lie and loves the unique cultural variation of every locale. For the search, the change and the challenge he’s lived in various states east coast and west, as well as in Spain and Ecuador.  Originally from rural Wisconsin, he enjoys the Rockies of Colorado from a base in Boulder when not traveling.