Damn! I remember living in Houston when hurricane Ike hit us directly in September when it was hot as hell, the devastation was massive so I can only imagine how it was there. I personally was without electricity and water for over 2 weeks as crews from all over the U.S. descended upon Houston to get it back up and running. Your story and pics give a great glimpse into daily life and the aftermath of devistating events. Well done!!
Thanks otra Andrea! Yes, this was taken by a friend of mine when hurricane Vance rolled in while I was there. Instead of being terrified, we threw caution to the wind. Sometimes you just have to do that.
Cabo changed I didn't realize the storm hit so hard. I know you've been going there for many, many years and have many friends who I'm sure have been impacted from this storm. In Mexico the divide between the rich and poor is very apparent. Interesting how quickly they "fixed" the tourist areas. I'm glad you were there to help. I'm sorry the people outside the tourist area were not given more help.
I have one friend who lost everything. He and I have been friends since we were teenagers and I'm very close to his extended family who live in Oaxaca. Jaime and his wife are living under tarps at the moment with their three kids. I can barely stand it, but he just shrugs his shoulders and carries on. I've managed to help raise $3600 so far so he can start a rebuild. He of course is politely embarressed by this.
Trouble in paradise! How great that you weren't there for the hurricane, but were able to go and help in the aftermath. I imagine that this was big news in North America, but down here in Peru, I heard nothing about it. Sunketing just wrote about recent disastrous floods in Malaysia about which I also knew nothing. Amazing the unreported disasters and recoveries going on all over the world, while the media focuses only on a small number.
Isn't it amazing how we hear about some things, but others, not a word. I remember being in Australia when some crazy weather was occuring in Canada and it not being mentioned at all. And I too just read Sunketings post and hadn't heard about the flooding either. Hmm. and all this time I thought I was innodated by media coverage. Hope all is well in Peru!
No Bad Days I never knew of any of this...fascinating on so many levels. How many of this information is from the media and how much was garnered from your sources on the ground?
Yes, humanity to me is fascinating, the good, bad, and the ugly. Most of the information I gleemed came from first hand accounts, not media, however I did borrow a few photos illustrate the sheer nightmare the Los Cabos people endured the days after until I arrived.
What an adventure.... Wow you are just having an amazing time there in Africa! Love the blogs and the pictures of the dead marsh...no words simply stunning! Have a great time and keep up the traveling and writing!
Terrible fast travel in a fabulous place! As a slow, independent traveler, I so agree with all written here of fast tours. I research places, so as to avoid tour guides with their often-opinionated, incorrect info. However, here, George sounded like a gem even if rushed you (I too, would have been bad and lingering). How great to meet the San people, hear hollow-sounding rocks and see the Quiver/asparagus tree. Great journey and photos!
You, I think, have figured out the best way to see a country. Slowly! I hopefully will get to do the same when I retire. I plan to visit one country a year.
Joe Walsh, Mick Jagger, A clockwork orange.....all in a quiver! I absolutely adored this blog - so much information delivered in your unique hilarious style. Love it Andrea :) Thanks!
Chasing an Ostrich Always hang on your word descriptions. A clockwork orange....yea. Glad all the folks on your tour were like minded and you at least attempted to slow things down a bit. These travels are meant to be savored, absorbed and embraced not rushed.
Shell shocked tourist When I read you blog I remembered this episode.
When I was in Beijing a few years ago I came into the hostel and in a couch there was a tourist sitting. He looked like he was shell shocked. He slowly started talking about what had happened. He was in Beijing with his mother. His mother was each day going on the prearranged group tours but the son preferred to do things on his own in his own pace. His mother, wanting her unmarried son to meet the lovely young unmarried tour guide, asked him to join her on the tour for the day. That day the tour included the Forbidden city. He explained that the pace they kept on the tour was so high that taking photos was out of the question and he almost had to jog through the Forbidden City in order not to loose sight of the group.
Loved the blog and this photo is great. /Ake
To tour or not to tour Oh, that is too funny, I too experienced the same at the Forbidden City, literally running to catch up to my tour after taking a picture. Yet if I had gone it alone, I wouldn't have learned anything about this landmark, so I guess scheduled tours are a necessary evil when travelling!
A spectacular country We don't do pin the tale on the donkey but we did let friends pull the names of countries out of a bowl. Dave put in 5 and I put in 5, not knowing which the other had selected. That is how we ended up in Nepal in 2012. We are doing that again in two weeks and our friends will be selecting where we travel in 2017. Should be fun. Glad you found Namibia! Sounds like lots of fun. You'll need to educate your fellow Canadians on geography...which I'm sure you've been doing for years. Your blog looks like a national geographic magazine from the 70's, great people photos, bugs, snakes, etchings and oh so more. Thanks again Andrea.
2017 here come the Binkleys! Oh exciting! Yes, I think you need to put Namibia into the hat! I find myself in San Jose del Cabo at the moment cleaning up after a horrific Cat4 hurricane in Sept. Lots of work helping the homeless people in the barrios. Can't even think of travelling elsewhere yet. Can't wait to hear what you pull out of the hat Binkleys!
This Canadian girl's passion for travel comes from two very adventurous parents...my brother and I spent most of our youth traveling all over North America in the family campervan, airplane & boat - going as far north as Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Sea...and as far south as Mexico and beyond - doing lots of adventurey stuff...canoeing, surfing, fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, exploring, jellyfish poking...it was the best childhood ever!
Nowadays, most of my vaycay-time is spent in and around "Los Cabos" on the tip of beautiful Baja California Sur, Mexico. A sandy wasteland of scrubby cac... full info
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I remember living in Houston when hurricane Ike hit us directly in September when it was hot as hell, the devastation was massive so I can only imagine how it was there. I personally was without electricity and water for over 2 weeks as crews from all over the U.S. descended upon Houston to get it back up and running. Your story and pics give a great glimpse into daily life and the aftermath of devistating events. Well done!!