As most of you already know, my desires to travel and experience other places and people are born out of those same desires held by my parents when they were my age. They too fell in love with and traveled extensively throughout Latin America (mostly Mexico, parts of Central America, and Colombia) in the 70´s...a much different time than now. They were in Mexico and Central America for over a year when they arrived in a beautiful colonial , carribean coastal city of Cartagena, Colombia. They fell in love with the city, its people, its culture, and its beauty. So they [View Full Entry]

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Ok...so I never really explained what was so great about Canaima and what exactly happened on that crazy 2 day trek from middle of no where in southern Venezuela to the coastal city of Cartagena, Colombia. I couldn´t possibly be able to explain it all...sadly I have yet to develop my memory into one that remembers every detail that is worth remembering. There are so many worth remembering! So many striking and marvelous moments, thoughts, observations, experiences that enter my consiousness and within hours are gone...well, not gone...just receded and pushed back into my unconsiousness by new [View Full Entry]

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So many of them are my favorites...which one is yours? [View Full Entry]

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They are a couple of blog entries back...check them out...they are not quite complete yet...a few more are coming. :) [View Full Entry]

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Wow...I made it through a very tough few days of travel on several very LONG bus trips. I now sit in an internet cafe in the barrio of Gestemani in Cartagena, Colombia...but didn´t get here easily. At this point I am too tired to go into detail...I will leave that till tomorrow. Lets just say that negative parts of the story include freezing and then sweltering buses, thunder storms, highway paralyzing car accidents, purse snatchers, unrelenting itty bitty gnats that bite like hell, corrupt as f--- policia at 10 different checkpoints at every damn kilometer approaching the border, credit cards [View Full Entry]

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So when I arrived in Venezuela I was a little disoriented (see previous blog entry). Not just because of the whirlwind of different modes of transport that I took to get here, nor the problems with getting money once I arrived (which incidently lasted into the next afternoon but was fixed once I was able to first get into the bank and not just use the ATM, then second call my bank in the states and get the fraud alert removed from my ATM card....yes, I was in Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela in the last 24 hours...duh, why is that so [View Full Entry]

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Ok...so I am not in Kansas anymore! I am experiencing a travelers culture shock of some sort. First difference is obvious...I have never been to Venezuela before...so EVERYTHING is new. The money, procedures with transportation, even that you drink water out of a water bottle with a straw! Second difference is that Venezuela is definalty not on the GRINGO TRAIL like Cuba, Mexico, and Guatemala...much more authentic and less polished...but also much more foreign! Third difference, I am traveling alone from now until the end of my trip...no more meeting up with anyone...here I go! After 24 h [View Full Entry]

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The last week has been full of so many beautiful and very fun experiences on the "gringo trail" in the indigenous lands of the Maya in San Cristobal, Chiapas (Mexico) to Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala and now ending with Antigua, Guatemala. It was very nice to have already been to these places and therefore know my way around already...easier and less stressful travel! There have been many changes in these towns due to increased amount of tourism...as is to be expected. I spent the week with my friend and new "travel buddy" Andres...it was his first time to this amazing and [View Full Entry]

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I have spent the last 2 weeks back at home. It was a very emotional time for me...for many reasons. Of course it was emotionally difficult to grieve the passing of my grandpa, and adjust to life without him physically being here with us. I am very thankful to have had the ability to come home so quickly and stay for this time. Thankfully, my Dad, Grandma, and other relatives have all come together to support each other in this time. We are a family of many...no one goes through struggle alone. I know they will be fine and so will [View Full Entry]

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We arrived home on Thursday at noon from a brief overnight stay at a hotel next to the airport in Mexico City...just in time for the Thursday night viewing ceremony for my grandfather. The funeral and burial was the day after. I was very sad to be home for many reasons...obviously I was sad to have lost my grandfather. But I was also very sad to have left Cuba. I really, really liked it there. Something about that island planted itself in my heart and mind...the strong, proud, optimistic, friendly people, the culture of community and family, the politics as it [View Full Entry]

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