nancic123's Guestbook



16th January 2019
Blue City Puppies

Look at those puppy eyes and waggy tail...
Your photos have perfectly captured Rajasthan's majesty, and what a beautifully written blog too. I had similar reservations to you before our trip to India, and if truth be told, we probably wouldn't have gone if Andrew hadn't had his heart set on it. And even though it was everything I feared it would be, it really didn't matter, because it was also so so so much more - as you've beautifully captured in this post. While it's certainly not a destination for everyone, it certainly rewarded us with the most extraordinarily rich travel experiences :)
16th January 2019
Blue City Puppies

Puppies...
These cuties were a good indication of what we found in India. Characters, who despite tough lives that might cause many to give up, still took every opportunity to wag a tail and get the most out of what they have. India truly inspired and changed us which is more than I can say about most places we have travelled. We are sad to leave this morning and hope the feelings we have follow us in our travels. P.S. We would have loved to figure out how to fit these guys in our carryons somehow....
12th January 2019
Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Caves is so my kind of place
Elephanta Caves is really my kind of place. I have visited several similar places in China and really loved them. Next time we go to India Elephanta Caves will be high on the wanted list. /Ake
12th January 2019
Elephanta Caves

Caves...
I enjoy caves also. Elephanta was good, but the best part was the ferry ride to the island from the Gateway to India area. A nice break from the busyness of Mumbai and very cheap!
12th January 2019
National Museum

On Lucy and Haile
Do you know why they named the remains Lucy? When they discovered them they had a radio on and it was playing "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds". Funny that when we visited Addis Abeba we went to look for sights related to another Haile, the long distance runner Haile Gebreselassie. /Ake
12th January 2019
National Museum

Lucy....
Unfortunately, we weren't in Addis long enough to learn much more than we did. Interesting about Lucy! I just thought it was a good name and didn't know the history. Thanks for commenting, Ake!
7th January 2019
Jagdish Temple

Cohesion in Chaos
I have shied away from India so far as I fear the chaos of crowds, poverty and the potentials that may bring. We love remote but also different. But since my time on Travelblog I am drawn by the smells and portraits of India and feel I may be remiss to miss out. Your blog captures the essence so well Nanci. This great pic reminds me also that if we visit India it cannot be a brief sojourn as there is so much to see.
8th January 2019
Jagdish Temple

Chaos...
All of those things exist here...in abundance. However, there is a spirit in India that is unique. You won't find it anywhere else. Once you get past the things you mention, magic overtakes you that will change you more than any other place you have been. It is not any worse than China (which I remember you like) or any place in SE Asia. Plus the food is waaaaay better. You don't need a guide either. It may be time to take the plunge, Dave. Thanks for reading and commenting!
6th January 2019

You said it. India is definately a cohesión of chaos! It was nice reliving my Mumbai and Udaipur experiences through your blog. And of course some fantastic photos. Happy New Year!
8th January 2019

Memories...
India will definitely make memories for any visitor. We have moved deeper into Rajasthan now and each city seems to offer better photo opportunities. Thanks for reading and the nice compliments, Andrea!
2nd January 2019
Carnevale

Carnevale photo
That is an absolutely sensational photo. Well done!
29th December 2018

No regrets
You say, "As everyone who travels knows, it is not where you have been, but rather where you are going." I like that Nanci but my take is, "It is not where you have been, but rather where your memories keep returning." I gave up counting when our children had passed our countries visited and disappeared into the distance! We have not added to the score by visiting any of the numerous countries in Europe. But we have travelled through Ethiopia north and south and in between...my number 1 recommendation of the dark continent. And we drank coffee in places an airport stopover could not imagine. Sometimes where you are going must be to return. May I recommend Ethiopia...a true jewel of Africa.
29th December 2018

Regrets...
A wealthy man is one who can fill the rest of his life with happy memories! We would have loved to have travelled longer in Ethiopia. Perhaps one day, but for now we must move on. I don't know if our children have picked up the travel bug as bad as we have it, but hopefully one day. Thanks for reading, Dave! Happy Holidays!
26th December 2018

A very insightful blog...
bragging without appearing to brag! Most travelers do brag in subtle ways. I'm not about to pay $75/yr to join the TCC which lists as a benefit bragging rights. And as to what qualifies as to a visit is a never ending discussion. For me it is physically touching the ground, but I recognize that I have not gotten to know the country at all. I like your approach to visiting countries for a longer period of time. As for what defines a country, I used the list provided at the TB website, which I hope Ali brings back.
26th December 2018

Bragging...
If we had spent as much of our life as you have travelling the world, then we would probably have something to brag about! I know you are getting close to the century mark. I don't think we would pay money to brag either. Probably like everything else in life, nobody really cares anyway (except yourself and close family). I also hope TB gets back to normal. It has become part of our lives and we enjoy it and hate to see it fall apart. Thanks for writing and Happy Holidays to you and your wife!
25th December 2018

What counts?
I'm with you about how to count countries, and can get a bit smug about it. But what counts?My mother was born in Denmark, so I visited several countries in Europe when I was very young. Is it fair to count Sweden when I remember nothing about it except the ferry ride from Copenhagen? I got turned off the counting part when I met a guy who counted a country as visited when he had only changed planes there. And then it came to me that even if I had visited a place before, it is still a new experience. I'm not the same person I was, and countries and cities go through changes as well. Under that criteria it's a new country. So I've been a few places, but not enough, and I hope to keep moving and traveling and experiencing this big, crazy, beautiful world.
25th December 2018

Counts..
I suppose you can count however you want. We generally don't count countries unless we leave the airport, but that's only how we do it. I suppose if someone has only been to Disney World, then they could count the US, but it doesn't seem like you really saw the country. We have found that no matter how far you travel, there is always something just past where we went that probably warrants a trip back. So I suppose we will never be done. It is a big world and even though our count is high, we still have only scratched the surface of all there is to see. Thanks for commenting and Happy Holidays. Keep on travelling!
24th December 2018

The beauty of stimulating your imagination
I love getting up in the mornings with a cup of coffee to read your blogs. They are thoughtful and pose meaningful questions.Congratulations on 50 countries! It does set you a part. I'm not sure any of us start out to count the number of countries we have been to but one day you think, huh, I've been to a lot of places... and it begins. Once you count you are pleasantly surprised and feel like a world traveler. We do not dwell on the number because we truly want the experiences. We don't rush but don't spend a month per country the way you generally do. We all have our own style. As for counting we use The Travel Camel method... you must leave the airport or train station and make a purchase of some kind. There is a group called Travelers Century Club for people who have been to 100 or more countries. They do have a provisional membership for people who have been to 75 countries... but I believe they just changed provisional membership to 50 countries so you would qualify. They have an odd way of counting... they count if you have landed in a country and never got off the airplane. Plus they count countries and territories. If the land mass is 200 miles from the country so the numbers can add up quickly.. example Alaska and Hawaii are counted separately from mainland USA.
24th December 2018

Imagination...
Thank you for the nice compliment! We both travelled quite a bit before we started on Travelblog. I was on a ship for quite some time and saw a lot of places doing that. I don't think either of us has been to 100 though. With the way we prefer to travel now(longer times in each country), I doubt we'll make it. I guess we could go faster, but our experience in Addis Ababa really took a toll. We followed it up with another crazy flight the next day and we are both exhausted. Oh, to be young again! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. It really makes us feel like it was worth it. Happy Holidays to you and Dave!
17th December 2018
Boulder Beach Penguins

Great happiness
They are so dang cute.
18th December 2018
Boulder Beach Penguins

Happiness....
They do have human characteristics. This one reminds me of some boy bands I have seen.
17th December 2018

Cape Town
Good to see you in South Africa. We loved our recent time there. So sorry to hear about your unhappy encounter. So much to see and enjoy. Rich in history. We loved the district 6 museum. I wish you could have gone to Hermanus. Maybe another time. You saw a lot of the local area. Great penguin photos.
18th December 2018

Cape Town...
I can see why you would have a good time here. It really is a stunning setting and the weather has been perfect. I wish we could have experienced it more like you guys did. We definitely could have used a little more lux. Maybe someday....Thanks for reading!

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