Day 14: In the middle of the Ionian Sea

It's 4:00pm ----everything is closed (shops) until 5:30pm. The cafes that were full this morning now only have tourists catching afternoon coffee. I've been catching a mid-day nap. Greeks always seem to be arguing... strident voices making the point; the background music .. vespas buzzing by, the street goes quiet waiting for the day to begin again.

Today's Tuesday and it's Kate's birthday and Magee's was Sunday. 2 sister-in-laws with almost the same birthday. Happy Birthday ladies. Wish they were here because I just finished planning an adventure for Thursday. Somewhere you would probably never go unless you were here. And I am here...so we're going! No telling until Thursday.

In the mean time .... FOOD... what else to explore! Breakfast was hours ago. A salad and bread...Greek Salad... wedges of ripe tomatoes, red onion, Corfu's famous olives, feta cheese and cucumbers ... chunky crisp with bakery fresh crusty bread. I'm searching for fish tonight.

Now we're off and up over to the harbour and old fortress that can be seen from my top of the house window. A maze of narrow lanes between the houses and streets that run up and down this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Esplanade is everything that Lincoln Rd. in Miami Beach is trying to be. There is a timelessness here. A frenetic commercialism that is missing, slipping back in time? Perhaps it is the island location that keeps the 21st century from spilling in but it is more than that. Outdoor restaurant tables line the street with tall old street lights and the Esplanade gardens.

It's a good thing that I managed not to eat the orange and honey upside down cake in the bakery this morning because........  I see gelatto and smell fat. TIGANITOS ....fried balls of dough. A Corfu trandition that originated with a form of Venitian pastry, made for St Spyridon's feast day... served with honey, sugar and cinnemon. There's always a way to rienvent the wheel and ....... has done just that. Searching for a small business concept that would appeal to both the people of Corfu Town and the tourists. Check in at Facebook: Stazei meli. Made to order, hot and fresh filled with chocolate, vanilla or strawberry cream, But that's just the begining, now he drizzles white chocolate , or caramel or praline cholcolate over the top and nuts or crushed cookies, fruits and/or ice cream.. (gellato) Of course you can also have them hot with honey and cinnemon.. And they are DELICIOUS... what better way to finish out a day on the street in Corfu Town.

Day 13: 5 Airports, 4 Airplanes, 11,000 miles and 32 Hours later.

On schedule we landed at London, Heathrow at 6:15am followed by a 4 hour layover and then another three and a half hour flight followed by a last 50 minute flight tracking backward and it is 7:30 pm. Dollars to Pounds to Euros.... (still) Currency conversion, mileage counter, time tracker!

And we are in Greece..... first Athens and then Corfu:  Continent 2 ...  Island 3. Corfu is part of the Ionian Islands in the Ionian Sea down across from the heel of the boot of Southern Italy, off the west coast of Northern Greece. www. .................... . Now we are in the land of FOOD! Oh my, Wendy it's fresh grilled calamari, flat just tender pieces and the squiggly baby squid bits in olive oil and lemon juice with flat leave parsley. Why do I cringe at fuzzy worms? Olives, vegetable salad served hot... the local spinach with thick stalks, lemon juice and olive oil; I can't resist espresso, I may be up all night but after hours and hours of plain bottled water it would taste so good and with it comes a 'house gift' of a triangle of lemon and honey and I don't know what else. An ancient taverna in the old town of Corfu around the corner from my small hotel.

Siiorra, Vittoria; built in 1823 as a private home in the Venetian style this gem of a find is really newly redone. www.siorravittoria,com    I'm in the room at the top of the house which must have been servants quarters. It is a spacious room with a view down to the old harbor and over to the fortress

There is a 100 year old magnolia tree hanging huge white blossoms in my way. I was at a loss for somewhere to stay for 2 nights before the next conference starts and went into Aegean Air's web site where they offer discounted rooms and updated reviews. I often use airline hotel reservation sites as they have great rates in cities like London. Well I got lucky with this one. Lovely breakfast, Greek coffee and a garden; all that with a super restaurant reference and a warm welcome for a tired traveler.

Day 12: Out of Africa ------

Last day in Africa...... early morning sun and still no hippos..... the Zambezi flows on it's way to Victoria Falls. Monkeys run across the grass eyeing the breakfast tables. Simba has a sling shot --- a real sling shot the sight of which sends the monkeys running.  I tried it, and it's the real thing. Simba goes for coffee and they jump right up, paws on the tablecloth ready for sugar, their favorite it appears. They go after the sugar packets, but here comes Simba and they scatter. The sight of him is enough. They're off onto the river barge to see what's been left behind. They'll be back!

The river's placid flow and sparkle belie the hippos and crocodiles that lurke below. Crocodiles, Simba tells me, have round snouts and their upper teeth come down over the lowers showing a wicked grin. Alligators, on the other hand, shut their mouths and nobody sees anything.

Simba lets fire stone pebbles into the trees. They fly over the lawn, a dozen of them.

And so the games begin again. This is where traveling alone on this adventure can get a little tough. First its the luggage weight and not having another person to pass off stuff to. Then it's the logistics themselves and just having companionship to jump in when my patience wears thin or I don't hear correctly. But then..... there is always another American who wants to talk or someone thoughtful who grabs the bag.

We have a 36 hour journey ahead. First Leg.... 1:20 pm South African Airways flight: Victoria Falls to Johannesburg, South Africa. Then a 4 hour layover before the 7:45pm flight to London, Heathrow.

There are a few ways to make this whole trasnsition and right now I am sitting in the airline pay for lounge that provides wifi, food, beverage, comfortable chairs, internet stations, and a level of comfort for $30 for 4 hours. Not bad, I could spend that much in  the coffee shop on a hard chair with no wifi, and I need to finish up Day 12 with you. My boarding pass says 11+ hours and 5,843 miles. We have a hopeful arrival time of 6:35am Monday the 28th because .....guess what.... we have to make another set of connections, 2 flights... but I'm not telling where to. Lets get to London first......... That will be Day 13. Don't forget to check back and see where we land,,,,,, next..

Day 11: And Four Legged Animals .....

5 am wake up call and 6 am pick up... focused on laundry drop and an urgent drive for coffee I rush out into the still dark morning to be hit with the strong smell of animal. Hummmmm.... maybe I should move a little slower here, nothing like running into the side of a grazing hippo in the dark. There are 3 hippos that choose this lush lawn to graze on at night and I think that I heard them. Felt like a large truck going by....

Ready? We are off to ride elephants in the bush.... it takes about 45 minutes to get down the back roads, into the game preserve and then the site. Dawn is breaking quickly, Victoria's steam is a heavy plume against a clear dawn blue sky. Steam rises from the river and there IS hot tea. But I'm going to be bouncing on an elephants back.... actually swaying if I do it right. Here's hoping that my new hip joint will not be too cranky, or the elephants back too broad.

Yes this is great, this is a group of 5 so I get the single seat up behind the guide. Its a 13 year old female so she is not too big and I can ride reasonably comfortably (though I was happy to get off when we ended up) Swaying along in the cool morning air African Bush Elephant Calista decided that she didn't want to lead so after a bit of a temper tantrum she settled down in second place and we looked for and found Kudu, large, dark grey with stripes and a huge rack, a herd of young Impala and 3 Cape Buffalo. The silence is musical, all kinds of birds. And I am very much at peace. This is the perfect way to go wildlife looking, a natural rhythm.

We are off tomorrow, so stay tuned..... we have many miles to go before we sleep again.

Day 10: Lusaka to Livingstone.... Dr.. I presume?

 It's a 2 engine prop 16 seater... purring away at 18,000 feet, flying south to Livingstone, Zambia. Over first agricultural and then dry summer bush, following the path that we drove up on Wednesday. The sun is streaming in and I'm curled up near the cockpit.... settled against the window, taking a cat nap. Why did it take so long to drive. Just an hour flight to Livingstone, a jump off town for safaris. Its airport is as small as this plane.

Now the cross border fun begins. A car service picks me up to handle this rather complicated border crossing dance. Livingstone, Zambia is on one side of the gorge for the Zambezi River at the Victoria  Falls. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is on the other side and a one lane bridge connects them both. The driver who picks me up at the airport in Livingstone drives me to the border crossing at the bridge. I get out, go into immigration, show my passport and entrance visas to Zambia and 2 trip visa to Zimbabwe. I get handed a little scrap of paper stamped and out the door I go. The driver then takes me across the bridge to the Zimbabwe border. I get out, go into immigration, show my 2 entrance visa to Zimbabwe, get a little scrap of paper stamped and out the door I go.(these little scaps get collected at each border) The driver then hands me over to another car and driver, gets back in his SUV and returns to Zambia, I climb into another SUV and off we go, to the bank so that I can get dollars. Don't be confused, a few years ago Zimbabwe's treasury was in such a free fall that the dollar was instituted as the currency to stabilize the economy. I don't get charged for currency conversion... in the heart of Africa, that's economics for you.

The A'Zambezi River Lodge is the destination until Sunday morning.  www.azambezilodge.com  I left the 45 pound suitcase here on Wednesday and have been looking forward to a relaxing 36 hours. The fire pit burns hardwood, the Zambeze flows by, the star sky is out and I am waiting for elephants, down by the river.

5 am wakeup call in the morning. Come see what we are up to at that hour. Night!

Day 9: One canoe, one island...and alot of laughing children

It takes an hour driving through the rural country side to reach the MCW Center in Chanyanya. We are switching gears here.... now onto the volunteer tourism segment of this odessey  trip. As an advisory board member of Miracle Corners of the World I like to do a site visit when it is at all possible. This will make three MCW Centers that I have visited in Africa: Tanzania Arusha and Songea and now Chanyanya, Zambia. Check the MCW site for more details on what we do... www.miraclecorners.org  Victoria Falls was a 7 hour drive, or 1 hour and something flight to Lusaka,, that's being in the neighborhood.

Once we clear the city the roads go from paved to paved but the dirt road is better to drive on to dirt. This is very rural and the poverty is too, which actually softens it and makes it not quite so harsh. There is a beauty to the countryside that is largely agricultural between crops and cattle. We are in the valley of the Kafue River and so the mountains are not far in the distance, we have come over and through them yesterday on our drive south.

Chanyanya is a fishing village on the Chanyanya Lagoon which is part of the Kafue River and that flows into the Zambeeze which then flows into the Indian Ocean. A flat delta that is now home to 'environmental refugees' who have been pushed from their home lands by two years of flooding from heavy rains and rising waters. That's better known as population migration but no lectures today.

We are taken out on the lagoon in a metal canoe (we would have taken the wooden hand hewn but then bailing all the way out and back would have been part of the experience) to an island where a number of families used to live and now only 2 with a small chapel. As we walk around fishermen have come to sleep through the mid part of the day under trees. The sun is hot but not uncomfortable and a breeze comes off of the river. . We buy 5 bream (fish) from two fishermen. This is part of their days catch and is all that they have until they go out again tomorrow. Subsistence living...... women in the fishing village sell vegetables and bread.... they welcome me with a traditional greeting that I return. We look to be of similar age. I know that my life has been much easier...... and different.

The mission of this MCW Center is to provide vocational training and skills to the community surrounding the center in hopes of providing more stable and consistent income for many. This center opened its doors last summer and now offers tailoring classes, craft making lessons {such as woodcarving) and later this summer, IT classes. The staff is all local with the exception of Nate who is the area MCW director and oversees other the centers in Sierra Leone, Raawanda and Tanzania as well.
Children are an important part of every MCW Center and Chanyanya is no exeption... school is largely provided up through the 9th grade by the government but there are still fees attached and many do not go. The Center provides afternoon dance and music programs while teenagers do the drumming and the younger ones teach each other the cultural dances. Even little ones come, some in obvious need and others better taken care of .

We have a group lunch that two of the young women prepare over the most basic kitchen equiptment on the floor in the library. A combination of a wood charcoal burning brazier and two electric grills provide the heat.

Day 8 Walking the Cats

Its 5 am, the luggage is almost  packed and a cup of coffee would be a very good idea here, By 6:15 I am out the door and joining friends to catch bus transport to a private game reserve. It is cold out here and I am grateful for the layering clothes lugged along. Socks by the way and walking shoes. We are going into the bush, dodging elephant droppings and cat scat.

What a delightul surprise for early morning. A  non profit organization both saves and breeds lion cubs, raising them in a controlled environment, releasing them in stages until finally they are returned to the wild to help to rebuils Africa's dwindling lion population. www.lionalert.com To help raise funds and awareness you can 'walk with the lions' and that's exactly what we did.

As if this was not enough today we traveled to Lusaka the capital of Zambia, by heading out on a road trip...all 7 hours of it, down the backbone of Zambia from Livingston to Lusaka.

The day has ended up in a renovated business hotel in downtown Lusaka, a Protea Hotel. Clean, newly renovated and well organized but I'll move on tonight. It seems that even in Southern Africa, nothing is cheap,,,, $112 a night with breakfast. My base criteria are clean and safe, after that the rest is add on. Everything else in range under $200 is sold out and I don't want to spend more than that for this leg. Tomorrow we are off on a visit to the Miracle Corners of the World Center just outside of Lusaka. That;s why I;ve traveled here. As an advisory board member I want to see how this newly opened center is doing and what 'micro' businesses have developed for the young people that this Center seerves. www.miraclecorners.org so tune in and we'll add on more from the lion walk.

Lots more coming but I'm just too exhausted. 10:30pm here.

Day 7: By Land By Water....

Wake up out there it is a gorgeous day at Victoria Falls and I am out with the monkeys and warthogs and GAZELLES wresting horns with each other. ....... two beautiful boys who can't decide whether to flee or keep playing with each other. The concert went on into the night but I didn't get the dress code memo and caved in to the cold. The result is that I'm awake but the people around me are looking a little ragged around the edges.  Monkeys are collecting litter left behind searching for food bits and things to make mischief with.

Adventure today...We are on the move.......but no suitcases,  stay tuned

Day 6: Worms and other scratchy things.....

7am: The 'Smoke' rises above the tree line , the mists of Victoria Falls. Later in the day they will catch the sun and be a glow of rainbow color above the trees and river. The landscape is classic Africa.... past the trees down across river's edge a line of palm trees on an island, muted in the ever present mist...with the Zambeze sparkling,  running round them.

11am. It's a stay put day, a work day believe it or not.... .but then I can do interesting things in the course of my work day. Today's is judging a culinary competition as part of a promotion for culinary toruism and the integration of local foods into hotel and retaurant menus that tourists frequent. The required ingredient is warthog meat, the rest appears to be up to the teams. Included in Team B's menu are morie worm kebobs. Hummm does this means that I have to taste it.........
Ambassador Charles Ray (U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe) has decided to join me and together we work with Chefs Pierre  and Eric .... to identify a winning combination of taste, presentation and creativity. Boaoba Mousse, a pod like fruit which seems a strange fruit for this recipe but it is citrusy and surprisingly well suited as the base for this smooth and creamy dessert. Warthog... my reference is unfortunatly The Lion King... but that hog like figure with a long snout and tusks, like those running around the golf course this morning,  is tasty if a little tough served as chops or sliced. Now for the womm kabobs.... not the whole worm.... grilled and unlike our smooth and slinky worm these seem to have little legs that scurry them across the ground, whatever... grilled they are spiky and scratch going down....

7pm: Wandering off across the golf course following a trail of little kerosene lamps, The stars....the milky way ... everything in the Southern Sky. Elephants are down by the river, warthogs watch and monkeys sleep in the trees except those who lke to party and they are wide awake..

Tonight I 'm at a rock concert on the Zambeze River Plain (the golf course) complete with sound stage truck, spot lights, and massive vibrating bass speakers.  Cultural Night includes local dance, local bands and the national Zimbabwe Rock Star. The surreal part is the bobbing Zulu feathers behind the enclosure fence. Fire pits and grills, the night goes late and cold. This is not Miami.

Day 5: Continent Two: Where in the world is ............

Dropping down out of 32,000 feet, no clouds and a landscape rising out of the sun rise. Through the far window I see the sky break glow orange against the night blue back sky. 10 and a half hours and 5836 miles later... Johannesburg, South Africa.... Stop One today. A huge metropolitan city at the end of the African Continent. No time to visit however and we are limited to a modern airport filled with duty free, celebrities and friends. Debra Messing from WIll and Grace fame is boarding a plane to Lusaka, Zambia. Out comes Chef  Pierre Thiam off a flight from Dulles, Washington, And here come other friends to join on the next leg of our journey to The Africa Travel Congress, a meeting of travel ministers and delegates from many of the African States.  I am soooo tired, little sleep on last night's flight, all I really need is food and coffee... and a place to take a nap during this 3 hour layover, so I do what comes naturally, drop my head and fall asleep.

Gate 22...... boarding to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe another hour and a half north and 600 miles. As the plane drops down the landscape is brown, dry and then closer still, The Bush, This is AFRICA....... you can smell it from here. Victoria Falls airport is on the edge of a game park, the one story version with hand carried luggage off the cart. I'm back in the country visa line. One or two visit visa,  one time, two times? I'm in and out and back again so two visit visa. (more on that later). Here the roughing it stops as we slide into a hotel car and take off the back roads for Elephant Hills Resort.  Elephant droppings spatter the road but not a one in sight. At least there is evidence and it's mid-day and hot so any sensible animal is going to be in the bush for shade. Take a look.... (www.elephanthillsresort.com)

Don't leave the doors open... is the warning from the hotel staff. Either slide the screened shutter doors shut or the glass doors and make sure to put the latch in place BECAUSE... if you don't the monkeys will be in here and through your things..... and over the bed and in the bathroom. It is dusk and the warthogs are running about the lawn in front of me. Another sort of badger like animal is trying to avoid them and pick up scattered fruits. We are off to BOMA.... a barbecue food festival with spitted lamb and an open fire pit, wood charcoal open grills with warthog meat and crocodile tail. Music, drums, dancers, color and FOOD. Back through the bush roads in the dark, feeling eyes but not seeing any movement.

Sooooo tired. I promise to tell more and that we stay here for a couple of days but right now I have to sleep.

Day 4: Come Fly With Me......... to ?????????

Afternoon and it is London time here. I have had a meeting at Terrace on Regents Park, a really lovely area of London right behind Baker St Station. I am on the advisory panel of the International Tourism Partnership and this morning's job was to get to work on sustainability issues in the hospitality industry and education foillowed by a Japanese lunch box of grilled salmon. Back on the tube to Kensignton High St. and now ramping up to travel mode. Taxi to Earls Court Tube station and then off to Heathrow. It really is the best way to get directly out to Heathrow, especially this time of day. Warning .... not all stations have elevators and escalators. Schleping luggage is not my favorite activity when it weights 50lbs.... but Earls Court has an elly....... Just in case I can't get onto this site at the airport..... Next stop I have a 10 hour flight...... that arrives at 10:30 am Sat morning...which time zone, which continent.... then a connecting flight north....... Anyone got it? You are going to be surprised..... not your average vacation spot but then this is for business.... sort of. See Ya........

Day 3: Trains,,,, No Planes

Still in England ...... My arrival schedule in England was planned around this date for an event that I have long had on my wish list. Somethings, long anticipated fall flat and others work brilliantly, today was a great treat. HRH The Prince of Wales has, since 1980, owned a country estate near Tetbury ---in the Cotswalds ---about 25 miles northwest of Bristol known as Highgove which he has developed into a renowned garden along with orchards and organic farm. This is often seen in products from the Duchy of Cornwall, one of the fundraising arms of the mnay charities that he supports. Today The Prince of Wales Foundation held its annual members tour of the gardens of Highgrove.  www.highgrovegardens.com Take a look at the link as picture taking is forbidden past the entrance road. Security is very high with a police presence, this is the private home of the heir to the British throne.

First let's talk about the weather, this is a garden in the country. I had been warned to bring shoes for mucking about as there has been a very rainy spring. I brought along layers of clothes and alternate walking gear. What a great day, cool not hot and sun breaking through but not beaming... the colors of the garden vibrated against that subtle light cast by blue-grey skies. When asked if I had ordered up the weather I said, of course, when leaving Miami I sent instructions ahead.

Highgrove met all of my expectations. HRH in his own words, sees the mission of Highgrove to be a sustainable example of traditional gardening methods that are wholly organic.  Whatever I expected it was not the privileged opportunity to gaze into Prince Charles's private world, one that he generously lets those, who want to, wander thru its whimsical, humerous landscape, awash in color, texture and a sheer genius of landscape design. This is 'his' place, where he is most clearly 'at home... his idea of a garden. Discover for yourself in the Highgrove website and don't miss the arboretum. Imagine using apple branches trained to grow up the frame work, they are budding and walking under them promises a blanket of fragrance and blossoms shortly.

After.... a lengthy stroll, no speed here. Blue bells, when I was 7 they were up to my knees. Then a cream tea in the restaurant.  warm fresh scones, clotted cream, yellow, raspberry fruit jam, jam and more jam, Huge pots of tea and a Victoria sponge cake layered with jam, sprinkled with sugar and just a bit crunchy on top. Roll your eyes good.  Typically American I ordered everything!

Getting there was the tube to Paddington Station (7 pd day trip) train to Swindon change to Kemple 32 pds reserve seat rnd trp. Local car service from the station that took us cross country thru the wool town of Tetbury and up to Highgrove with a quick stop at the Hare and Hound ,, don't miss this its worth the car rental to stay the night and eat  (www.cotswald-inn-hotels.co.uk)   but I'm back in London because tomorrow WE ARE OFF AGAIN..... check in for more details.

Island One: Day Two

A Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Summer Games.... and if that's not enough to keep you busy then ride the tube. London......... England, mid day arrival with lines at immigration that had me hearing my friend Marlena's voice asking 'just what is going on here'..... orderly and smooth flowing but long. At least our luggage was on the belt waiting. By 2pm I was sorted out and perched in what is the top of the house and the old servants quarters of a London brownstone in Kensington. Glad to get a room reasonably with the Jubilee in process. I am in direct line to the front gate of Kensington Palace in Kensington Gardens. A 237 acre expanse of flowering trees, shrubs and grassland.... all incredibly green. Check the link www.hrp.org.uk  and learn all about its history. Walk about the gardens and see the sunken pool and covered walkways. Princess Diana's dresses are also on view. In case you have been living in another universe that is also where Will and Kate will be living along with Harry and a lot of other people. Open to the public and just an amazing piece of history. Queen Victoria lived there as a child.
I am having challenges here and have lost this blog twice so I'm cutting it short. Fantastic lunch that I will share later....... Tomorrow... out of London and off west..... you'll never guess where it is an absolute treat...... . See you then.

On the Road...Day 1

On the road Day One..1462 miles from Miami at Newark Airport. Got an hour and a bit nap, changed to long sleeves and chased about with the usual gate changes. Foggy here tonight. In front of me are 4 gates..I love this part.. Tel Aviv, Beijing, London Heathrow and Rome. It's the 10:30 international shuffle. Which gate will I choose? Where to end up in the morning? Which time zone... What language...See you there! Chao

Lift Off..... Day 1: Miami outbound............

It's May 15, 2012 and I'm packed barely, or should I say heavily...... trying to tie up last minute bits and pieces and generally attempting to keep the panic level set at low....  Here in Miami it's 86 degrees F and where I'm landing tomorrow morning it's 57 degrees F...... which I realized at 4am this morning and that my wardrobe had to be significantly padded for layering. Departing 4:25pm Miami time and landing 10:00am destination time. That's 4741 miles .... If all goes well I'll stop by on my way and leave a hint behind me. Ready to go yet? This is just trip one so grab a snack, some water, eye mask and ear plugs... remember I've been up since 4am. Nap time to next stop.......

22,000 miles, 3 continents, 4 islands, planes, trains, cars, boats and four legged animals

          

           Like to think about travel? Watch the travel network.... plan vacations, but don't have the time to go? Join me on a walkabout of three continents and four islands beginning on Tuesday May 15th........ A 32 day journey for The Vicarious Traveler.... log in to find out where I've landed ...... and what the next stop is...... I'll be back with my travel checklist........ see ya!