Consume & Update: #1, Frequent Flyer and New News

Hope this makes for excellent coffee shop reading material this Sunday morning. Gooooo travel!

We're #1! No, really!

Even though our tourism numbers are going down the pooper because of the economic downward "flush," we still managed to beat out countries like New Zealand and Japan in the Country Brand Index, which is "an online survey of about 3,000 international business and vacation travelers that ranks how countries are perceived." Out of 29 specific categories such as "ideal for business" and "shopping," the USA received some high grades, which these days sounds more like "you're not failing too badly" rather than "you're on top of the world!" Regardless, way to go, 'Merica.

Get off the Pavement

Though I'm of the school of thought that Frost was being ironic about this "road less traveled" business, I do think Jonny Gibaud brings up some lifestyle design issues on ThrillingHeroics.com that can help us reevaluate or verify our paths are right for us. Not everyone is going to believe in doing what's unconventional or unexplored, but I think it's necessary to some extent in order to come up with original approaches to life, work, and more.

A “balanced” approach to life is not about not focusing on a job or any other single aspect of life but conversely focuses on seeing a job or career or any other aspect of one’s life as exactly that, one aspect of their life, not the aspect.

Earning and Burning: Frequent Flyer Video

Frequent Flyer from Gabriel Leigh on Vimeo.

I don't know if I could handle the life of an earner and burner, but the possibilities make you wonder where you could go. I guess it could pay to take the advice from the pros if you're into traveling, especially the advice of Chris Guillebeau, creator of The Art of Nonconformity. This man is one of the few that make a very comfortable income from traveling and promoting a nonconventional lifestyle. Here is his latest venture: How to Use Frequent Flyer Miles to Travel For Free! Sounds promising...

Other Discoveries

Nomadic Matt discusses Why Americans Still Don't Travel Overseas as he tromps around Europe.

A very cool site design of the World's Cool Capitals

The Professional Hobo makes her experienced perspective known with Voluntourism: Hip or Hype? Though this is no new post, it's pretty relevant to my most recent trip plan.

Update on Nomadderwhere

I am currently in Chicago, Illinois, and if you're a friendly friend in the area, send me an e-mail or direct tweet and let me know! You may catch me in between museum visits and "L" riding or while I'm trying desperately to wake up from a deep slumber (as this has recently become a daunting task).

Some of the biggest news is the decision to catapult myself far away starting December 1st of this year. The trip's concept began forming in the summer, but the plan to travel only became real on Monday morning of this week. Within 18 hours, tickets were purchased. The gist will soon be published on this site, and the details are in the developmental stage. Probably the most exciting aspect of this experience is the presence of my favorite travel buddy, Garrett Russell, from my experiences on Semester at Sea and in Europe during the Big Journey.

Video of the Week: African Favorite Things

Revamping a classic musical number with a twist on Africa. These lyrics were written while bumping across Zambia on my Dragoman overlanding experience on the Big Journey in 2008. I know this is ridiculous, but I couldn't help myself...

A wee musical number explaining my favorite African moments from a 2008 East African overlanding experience. http://nomadderwhere.com

Lyrics:

Cockfights and beach nights and living in classrooms, Drago employees and bush camping cook groups, Elephant charges and subsequent screams, These are a few of my favorite things

Peering out tent flaps at African hippos, Learning sign language and swimming with locals, Feeling at home up in Bujagali, These are a few of my favorite things

When I throw up over Maggie, Cov'ring KJ's lap, I simply remember I'm Zanzibar bound, And then I don't feel so bad

Jambo and mambo, Cheesy camondeezi, Sailing in dhows and learning Kiswahili, Red Bulls and Cholos and beach break dancing, These are a few of my favorite things

Jinja hitch-hiking, couch-surfing Kampala, Canoeing Zambezi and perfect Uganda, The instant traveler camaraderie, These are a few of my favorite things

When my new friends have to leave me, A rolling stone so sad, I simply remember I'm living a dream, And then I don't feel so bad.

Video of the Week: World Traveler Intern Highlights

One of my least favorite questions to answer is "What was your favorite part?" Slimming down a trip into the best moments leaves out all the thrills in between and the trip's entirety as a journey, which amplifies the highlights even more. The experience of the World Traveler Internship had an obvious highlight for me: the job itself. Going back to my room at night to write a blog or make a video was fulfilling and affirmed my desire to be a travel writer.

Oh, but if I must tell you what was fun, here are some highlights from Australia, East Africa, India, South Africa, and Fiji.

Australian wildlife, African cats, Indian comfort, South African adventure, and Fijian hospitality http://nomadderwhere.com

Consume & Update: Poetry, China and Band-aids

What a smorgasbord! There is great material across the travel community this week, and here are some of the highlights.

Poetry in Motion

This looks like a truly lovely opportunity:

Imagine being given one year to travel outside North America. That’s exactly the situation I’m now in after being chosen as the 2010 Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholar.

The Amy Lowell Poetry Travel Scholarship is brand new to me and seems like the most incredible chance for those who breathe and move to the rhythm of their reflections. The application is due October 15th for those hoping to receive this honor and travel starting in the Fall of 2010. Where would you travel?

Happy 60th Birthday to One of the Oldest Civilizations on Earth!

Dan Chung creates a video for the Guardian, based in the UK, one which displays the beauty that comes from the interpretation and presentation of little moments in reality. This video displays the reasons why I became interested in photography. Of course, that's all on an unrelated note to the fact that this is about China's 60th birthday. Man, are there a lot of people in China...

Eye Candy

Shannon Stapleton's photograph of a surfer in New York makes me smell fresh air just looking at it.

Spreading the Love

Rolf Potts, author of Vagabonding and feature writer of Ask Rolf on World Hum, answers the question: How can I convince my friends to travel overseas?

...the best way to win over travel skeptics is to humbly allow your overseas journeys to deepen your life. Over the course of many years, as you return from exotic places energized and inspired—with your body (and bank account) intact—your friends may start to take an interest. Once they start barraging you with questions of how and when and where (instead of just why), odds are they’re seriously starting to consider their own international trips...

...A good strategy at this point is to answer the “who” question for them—i.e. offer to have them meet up with you during one of your own journeys. Your companionship and confidence will help allay their fears on that initial overseas trip, and odds are they’ll catch the travel bug in the process...

Wisdom from the Pros

Dan and Audrey of Uncornered Market take a moment to lay out seven habits of highly effective travelers for those of us ready to learn from two people with a lot of miles. And what are these magical tips?

1. Adapt Constantly

2. Make Plans A, B, C, D, E...always

3. Work a Way In. Leave a Way Out.

4. Negotiate and Compromise

5. Tune In. Filter Often.

6. Have Less. Do More.

7. Find a Common Language

Obviously these somewhat cryptic tips have descriptions to be found on the post as well as references to specific instances when Dan and Audrey implemented their tricks. You could be reading - and learning - for hours.

Other Greats this Week

Celebrating in Rio from Intelligent Travel

Hermail: a free e-mail based service that allows any woman anywhere in the world to connect at this site with other females who love to travel.

Vagabondish displays a beautiful photo of Popa Taungkalat Temple in Myanmar

Update on Nomadderwhere

I didn't think it would be possible, but only a couple months after the internship, I'm back on the road! Actually, I'm back on water. I am currently at sea off the west coast of Mexico with my parents and about 4,000 other 60-somethings playing shuffle board and shooting skeet off a Princess Cruise vessel. Stories and photographs will come in the next couple weeks, and if you have any questions about destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan or Cabo San Lucas (or questions about cruises or Mexico), comment below!

Want to help out Nakavika? Under the tab entitled "Behind it All" sits Nakavika village in Fiji, a community at the end of an undulating road through the Namosi highlands, surrounded by thick tropical jungles and topped with a transformative sun. Education is an emphasis for these residents, but health seems to be an afterthought. In the coming months, I hope to plan another trip to Nakavika, Fiji and figure out a sustainable means of providing first aid supplies. If you have any advice on books about first aid, setting up a system for restocking supplies, fundraising and collecting Band-aids and Neosporin, e-mail me at Lindsay at Nomadderwhere dot com. You are also most welcome to donate to this project by going to Nakavika Village and purchasing a box of Band-aids or a tube of antibiotic ointment.

The Makings of a Travel Video

It's quite possible that in the next couple of months, I'll be approached by online strangers wanting to know the inside scoop on the World Traveler Internship. I know this will happen because I did the exact same thing for the last two years. And though I've tried to describe the application process to those interested - offering a few tips for standing out from the crowd - people may still wonder how they should tackle the less intuitive art of video-making that is crucial for this position.

I didn't study telecommunications or video art in college, nor did I have a good operating system while making my application video last year. If you're new at this, like I was, don't worry because if you have a computer, some travel footage and a passion to produce, you can make some mean videos.

The Software

If you work on a PC, chances are you have Windows Movie Maker, which can also be downloaded for free online. Allow yourself some time to get comfortable with this program by throwing together mini-videos and utilizing effects such as titles, transition and audio to get your blood pumping. Don't be lazy and press Auto Movie, and there's no substitute for just throwing yourself into the program; it's the fastest way to learn.

For those lucky ones with Macs, iMovie is the included video editing software that doesn't require a big learning curve for newbies. Also take your time in investigating this software and its capabilities by making short videos, and don't forget to utilize the online tutorials from Apple. iMovie 09 has quite a bit more to manipulate than its previous generation of 08, and iMovie HD is quite a different set-up as well. Get comfy...then get cracking.

Steer Clear of Slideshows

Some of your first creations may be more like slideshows than travel videos. Though I value the static visual quality of photographs in a video, you have to keep in mind why you're using this medium: to display motion and create a specific mood or impression with the entire compilation. In the three years I've been at this, I've thankfully learned this lesson, because videos like the following are a lot like making your friends and family suffer through a slow playback of each painful slide taken on your holiday.

The first port of call...woot woot!

Options for Beginning a Video

Hopefully you will begin to regard video-making as an art form, one you take seriously enough to hone a personal style and technique. In order to find the most conducive method to starting each new video, try these options out:

Write out the purpose of each video, identifying who will watch it and for how long you think their attention will last.
Take a look at all of your video footage, photographs, audio clips, etc. and decide on the most descriptive or entertaining morsels from your trip. If you're using Windows Movie Maker, just upload the best raw material into your work space on the program. If using iMovie, peruse the footage and use the favorite selection button with the star. Pulling the good stuff aside at the beginning could speed up the actual assembly of the video and allow you to see what crucial material needs to be included.
Start with a song (this is my method). Once I know what destination or experience I'm documenting and possibly the mood I want to exhibit, I browse my music to find something people would love to listen to that also has a great introduction. When I know the flow of the first ten seconds of audio, I then know how I will incorporate my video's title or introduction. I prefer to use one song instead of layering different music from (gasp) various genres. Use the climaxes, tempo changes, and character of the song(s) to your advantage in manipulating the emotions of the viewer. Make your choice of soundtrack appear deliberate.

Based on ratings by divers all over the world, Plettenberg Bay on South Africa's Garden Route is the most scenic drop zone there is. And there is where I fell from 10,000 feet strapped to a dude I didn't know! http://nomadderwhere.com

Using Effects to your Advantage

I struggle with the following concept every time I sit down to a new video: Know when to use simplicity and when to use pizzazz

Applying ten different types of transitions to the same video is like saying "Look what I can do!" and showing how many ways your computer program can shift from one clip or photo to another. Decide upon a couple transitions you can use that tie into the mood or theme of your video and stick with them. When making a video on ziplining, I used the transition that slides the previous clip to the left in order to accentuate that act of shooting across the line.

When making a destination video of India, it was all about over-stimulation - to replicate my impression of the country. I used a flashy title, dream-like filters, harsh light effects, muted colors, half speed and double speed shots, and just about every polar-opposite effects iMovie 09 allowed. I left transitions abrupt to give the video SOME semblance of continuity, and the final product was very reflective of my actual experience, thanks to using the editing tools in the right manner.

This place really moves you. http://nomadderwhere.com

Crafting a Story

Another technique I use in the assembly line is to throw all my quality material in the "pot" and begin lining the clips up in order and adding effects/transitions as I go. At one point, you'll have to step back and evaluate the story that is being created. Are you using your best material at the end and building the tension throughout the video's length? Are you making a statement at the beginning and supporting it with the remaining time?

In my opinion, destination videos should be statements from the start that are supported and strengthened as someone continues to watch its entirety.

Travel experiences need a slow build-up to the climax; however, pulling a Memento by using reverse (or scattered) chronological order could amplify the story and all its elements.

Bottom line is to be aware of the story you are crafting and make sure it gives people a reason to watch beyond 10 seconds and a reason to stick around until the end. The music helps me monumentally with this step of the process.

When it came to the creation of my application video, I formed it into a résumé.

Formerly entitled "Lindsay Clark Makes My STA Travel Intern Dreams Come True." -Desmond Tutu This job, what you are asking someone to do, is what I do already, not because I have to, but because I can't stop.

0:00 - 0:04 Establish my name 0:04 - 0:11 Give people a reason to take me seriously 0:11 - 0:23 Flash back to last year's application video, accentuating my drive and familiarity with the program 0:23 - 1:00 Prove I already do this job well; there's no gamble in choosing me 1:00 - 1:12 Travel Experience 1:12 - 1:34 Skills and Interests 1:34 - 2:06 Competence and Entertainment 2:06 - 2:27 Reiterate previous points to stall for musical climax 2:27 - 2:50 Crowd appeal, entertainment, humor 2:50 - 3:21 Lasting impression of why I'm different from the rest (This is a specific type of video, but it shows how I crafted years of travel and talking shots into a cohesive unit with a universal, entertaining storyline.)

The Art of Detail

Once your video forms into a solid story with great visuals, come back through with the figurative X-Acto-knife and make sure all cuts are perfect. Make sure no syllables are cut off spoken words. Be sure that transitions don't reveal unwanted visuals or audio. If you timed your content to match your soundtrack, double check that every clip is synced perfectly. It's human nature to focus on the imperfections of an otherwise fantastic piece, so leave nothing to distract your viewers from all your hard work.

Testing for Success

If you're posting a video with music that isn't your own, test its copyright eligibility by making a private Youtube account that lacks any search terms that would identify what you're creating (for instance: I posted my application videos before the fact under the terms Raven Simone and Gaming as to not attract those searching for WTI or my videos). If you're music puts up the red flag and gets taken down, that's certainly going to be a problem for you if your video is a submission for a contest. Re-do!

Is your video really as good as you think it is? Let people who know you and people that don't take a gander at your work before you publish it mainstream. If family members love it and strangers don't, it lacks the adequate information that hooks people into what you're showing them. Give people a reason to listen to your work from the start. Family already have a reason to be engaged in what you create. If both family and strangers find it compelling and worth a second or third view, you know you've created something stimulating that exhibits skills that get people thinking. And of course, if no one likes it, it just plain sucks. Don't expect that just because you made a video with movement and audio it means people will like it. Assume everyone has ADD and far too little time to spend looking at your stuff.

Market your Great Content

Stand behind what you made and allow anyone who may be interested to access your creation. Youtube it. Vimeo it. Display it on your website. Of course if your video is for personal purposes, this obviously doesn't apply to you or that video, but be sure you give your hard work its due acknowledgement. It's awful when you spend hours or days on a video only to let it gather dust on a buried blog post. Display it for all to see and tweet about it.

And what about better programs like Final Cut Express and beyond? I'll report on those when I know more about them!

Did this post help you with your video-making needs? Comment below on anything I missed!

Video of the Week: Ireland

The last destination from the World Traveler Internship. Ireland has a lot of things to entice the traveler. http://nomadderwhere.com

Consume & Update: Tea, Ponies, and Good Reads

After perusing the web for the most interesting goodies, here are my suggested reads and views for the week!

Burning Man Timelapse

World Hum and Eva Holland displayed a video by Ben Wiggins of stunning, time-lapse footage that gives a visual account of Burning Man, an annual art festival that seemingly cannot be truly described by even the most verbose and enlightened minds. Below is an excerpt from the Burning Man website explaining the basics:

"...Larry Harvey, founder of the Burning Man project, gives a theme to each year, to encourage a common bond to help tie each individual's contribution together in a meaningful way. Participants are encouraged to find a way to help make the theme come alive, whether it is through a large-scale art installation, a theme camp, gifts brought to be given to other individuals, costumes, or any other medium that one comes up with."

The event took place during the first week of September this year, and for many days every travel publication exhibited photo blogs, videos and narratives from the sun-bleached Black Rock Desert location. Of all the attempts to describe this extreme experience, this was the most moving documentation for me.

Carnivorous Countries

"GOOD is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward," and this poignant graphic by GOOD displays the realities of Earth's carnivorous habits. We can see here that the average Kiwi eats the equivalent weight of two burgers, a can of soup, and a Santa Claus each year.

Coffee Houses in a Tea World

I've recently discovered I'm borderline addicted to tea. After purchasing my first load in Darjeeling last year, I got very excited when the Internship brought me back to India for a top-off on my tea stash at home. This blog post from Intelligent Travel comes at a good time for my new obsession and also takes a wee gander at the concept of a coffee house in a tea-centric country.

Speaking of tea...

Just a simple video displaying a morning at an Indian tea stand. This man makes chai all day, every day. http://nomadderwhere.com

Trekking in Nepal

"It was 4 a.m. in mid-November, and I was stretching in a lodge in Thorong Phedi, Nepal, at 14,500 feet, trying to pump warmth back into my body and get rid of a throbbing headache brought on by dehydration and altitude sickness. Wolfing down chapati bread with jam and a fried egg, I chased it with pints of hot tea and water, and started to feel better. I knew I was going to need all my strength...Fifteen of us, along with porters and guides, were about to climb Thorong La, a pass 17,769 feet up in the Himalayas." Continue reading...

These stories are always worth the time to read them.

Other Online Discoveries

Be a Reporter at Sea

Day 20: 67 Travel Friendly Jobs

GAP Adventure's Coolest Travel Intern Job...oh really?

Update on Nomadderwhere

A new MacBook Pro now graces my presence, making it easier for me to create the work that I love to do.

I also had two presentations on travel this week in northern Indiana, which both went very well and were quite profitable. By selling hand-knit scarves and ceramics, I was able to collect $220 for the children at Palm Tree to receive more protein and fruit in their diets. I'm so appreciative of everyone who came to these events, listened intently, and found it important to contribute to my causes. Thanks again! The check to Cambodia's Hope is going out this week.

Did you find the Good Reads?

I'm pretty unbalanced when it comes to reading material. All I read are travel narratives, often with an adventurous or humorous twist. The stack on my nightstand is about two feet high with books from BookMooch and the library, all of which I want to read asap. If you enjoy the same genre and need some suggestions, check out my page on Good Reads, where you can find short reviews on all the travel books I can recall and see which have made the list for the future. Though I like brevity of articles and features, nothing beats the total transportation caused by a good book. This is why I aim to write a book myself in the foreseeable future.

Video of the Week: Ireland on a Budget

Stay in hostels with free internet. Buy food to cook in the kitchen. Save your money for the pints of Guinness and ice cream you know you want. Occasionally have a pub meal, but remember all the things you can buy with a 20 Euro restaurant bill. And always be on the look-out for fun, free cultural activities that will make you feel like you're seizing the moment. To read my Ireland blogs, click here.

There's no doubt Ireland is expensive, and I'm just here to reiterate that it can also be done on the cheap. http://nomadderwhere.com

Video of the Week: Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Fringe festival in Edinburgh has an atmosphere that would tantalize any arty, expressy person in this world. Constant performances in hundreds of venues. Street performers clogging the main thoroughfares. It's a grand ambiance and worth visiting over and over again. If only I had more time to do this festival justice.

The world's largest arts festival in one of the world's greatest cities. http://nomadderwhere.com

Video of the Week: Scotland

She's certainly hard to describe, but I've done so right here with my blogs on Scotland!

We need to come up with better words to describe the places we love. http://nomadderwhere.com

Video of the Week: Greece

There's the peaceful, picturesque side of Greece...and then there's the other side. http://nomadderwhere.com

Video of the Week: Awesome South Africa

The Rainbow Nation has more to offer than you even realize. http://nomadderwhere.com

Plummeting towards Earth: Day 51

Adrenalin junkies. Sometimes it seems like its a requirement to be heavily inked, fully pierced, leather-skinned, and a big fan of phrases like "that was so sick", "unreal, man", and "aw, dude, I've heard about that jump --it looks so ill!" These guys and gals flock to freefalls, half pipes, and semi-dangerous situations around the world, looking to cause that big release by pursuing adventure, sometimes at a lofty price. I never thought I would be one of these people, but then again, I never tumbled out of a plane voluntarily...until now. It seems a little daring or presumptuous to try describing a feeling that can only really be experienced to be known, but my awesome job is to tell you what there is in the world to do. Well, alright then. I'll give it a go.

You go up in a plane. You don't land with the plane. You sit backwards without a seatbelt on a tiny aircraft (where the pilot also wears a parachute), and as the altimeter reaches 10,000 feet, you open the latch to send the door flying upward. Then you throw your knees over onto the wheel step, rock backwards, and tumble towards Earth. All of these things sound very wrong, no? They are. We, as humans, were not made to do these things. If we were, we would have evolved wings or really big nostrils to float us down to land. But that's the whole thrill. Sky diving is doing what you're not supposed to do. Plummeting towards Earth is a bad idea, one that can result in a massive boo-boo, and you should totally do it.

For some odd reason, I wasn't all that worried about this, the biggest freefall of my life. Carly Mills, of STA Travel (as well as our hilarious travel partner this week), was petrified, and I think being around someone who was more nervous than I made my worries seem pretty easy to handle. I don't think I gave much thought to the image of the open air under me, and that certainly helped. I knew I'd be safely brought down to South Africa by my tandem partner, Donovan from Skydive Plett, who had jumped over 6,600 times before. Whoa, boy, that's over 55 hours of airtime.

And not only was this my first time flying through the skies, but we were jumping at one of the top two highest ranked drop zones in the World (along with Cape Town). The scenery was teal, mountainous, and capable of making your heart fly higher than it already does after a 35 second free fall. We were supposed to look for whales up there while parachuting to safety, but I was too engaged in my own disbelief of what just happened.

We landed perfectly, a few steps to a complete standing stop, and I yelled my amazement to all the men at the bottom who hear these exclamations every day. And that was it. I jumped out of a plane. Nuts. Simply nuts.

I'm hooked. I'm going again soon. Darn this new expensive hobby! A big thanks to Skydive Plett!

Stay classy, Stellenbosch: Day 47

Wine Tasting: a classy concept that seems to inspire smarter ensembles, a listening ear, a more discernible palate than one actually has. I've gone wine tasting three times in my life. The first time was in Napa Valley after Semester at Sea. I was in culture shock and missing my new friends, so I got drunk about three times per day on quality reds from the California hills. The second time was in Indiana, believe it or not, at a vineyard that has rumors of using Welch's grape juice instead of that which falls from the grapevine. This third time, in Stellenbosch outside of Cape Town, was the most successful and most enjoyable of them all.

As I've illustrated, wine tasting isn't something you can't do elsewhere. And during our planning sessions for South Africa, we almost vetoed this idea because of that fact. But that would have been a mistake, as everyone, travelers and residents, that we asked for suggestions on SA activities mentioned we needed to spend a day trying the grape products of the Western Cape. Not only is there delicious alcohol involved in the equation but beautiful landscapes, a little bit of learning, and no doubt fun people in it as well.

We were in.

We set up our tour at the hostel's travel desk, which was so incredibly handy I didn't mind the commission they probably got from each activity booked. Our guide, Merinda, picked us up in the morning along with five young, spry others that all possessed that wine sparkle in their eye. Our schedule was to hit four or five vineyards that all had something special to offer: unlimited goat cheese tasting, sparkling wines, stunning views, and the best, most varied selection of Pinotage around.

And it was here we found the one thing that made wine tasting in South Africa unique: a combination of Pinot and Hermitage (so I was told...can't remember exactly for some reason...hic!). The king of Pinotage had white, blush, and red versions of this South African speciality, and we tried every single one of them. I tried to differentiate the tastes between an oaken barrel and steel tank fermentation and decided wood trumps steel any day.

The drive back was dramatically different than the drive there. Everyone had a plastic glass sloshing recent purchases and chocolate fingers. Red teeth dressed up every photograph captured. And a massive sing-along of Aussie national songs and American classics like "American Pie" commenced that probably rocked our driver's ear drums. The day ended at 5pm, and for some of us, that was pretty much all we could handle.

Just being our classy selves in Stellenbosch. http://nomadderwhere.com

Hiking up and Giggling Down Table Mountain: Day 46

I didn't know where Table Mountain was (nor that it existed) until I pulled up to Cape Town harbor and saw her silhouette. That first sight of her was the kind that solidifies a mystical attachment and constant amazement that becomes evident in random dreams days and years later. And since that first sighting I've wanted to climb her extreme slopes and see her supposedly divine views. Many of my friends were granted the pleasure, but I never had the time while there. I was glad to hear Carly's enthusiasm for the hike this time around because it meant quenching an overdue thirst. So Table Mountain is 1000 some odd meters and only about a third of its original size. It used to stand along with its neighboring peaks as the only land while Cape Town was still underwater. People have found fossils and seashells on her slopes, but we weren't so lucky...or observant. We decided not to go with a guide, whom would have filled us in on more than just this information we got from some driver. But we weren't looking forward to an educational walk with nature.

The three of us began walking up the road towards the path turnoff and entertained ourselves while trotting higher in altitude. Virtually every step on the path was a rock stairstep, making the climb easier for more age groups and killer on the glutes. And one of my favorite parts about scaling nature is the constantly improving views, so just about ever chance we took, we shot some footage of Cape Town, the looming tower of rock before us, and ourselves in this picturesque scene.

Summiting Table Mountain isn't the most difficult thing in the mountaineering world. It's a moderate, 3 hour climb for anyone who can ably scale a long staircase. And if you're like us, you'll want to stagger your ascents between dancing sessions, photo shoots, travel games, and waterfall basking. There is a cable car that can bring you up to the summit in minutes, but as with anything you earn, the top is much more fulfilling if you intimately know every step it took to get there.

And since we were winded upon reaching the Table "top", we treated ourselves to some beers...and candy...and more beers...and a little debauchery. It was a perfect way to spend a perfect weather day in Cape Town. It's something that cannot be done anywhere else, because obviously there's only one flat-top mountain overlooking a harbor called Table. Even before doing this, I would have recommended the activity to anyone traveling to Cape Town, but now that I've finally got some first-hand experience under my belt, I can scream it.

CLIMB THAT TABLE!

There's really only one great way to get to the summit of Table Mountain, and that's to dance and sweat every step of the way. http://nomadderwhere.com

The East African Safari Experience: Day 36-42

You've just flown thousands of miles across massive oceans and expanses of land. You've had too many airport transfers to bother remembering. Those weren't cheap tickets or easy transit days. But you came to relive those deeply rooted Lion King fantasies from your childhood and by golly you'll do anything to make those happen!One thing you will realize upon getting to Africa is that the wild animals aren't really as close to civilization as some North American wildlife can be. We may imagine lions wandering into people's flower gardens and elephants backing into generators, cutting of the city's power supply. But unless you hit up a National Park in a city like Nairobi or Nakuru, you have a long way to drive to get to those classic landscapes teeming with long-necked, 2 ton, man-eating herds.

Therefore, most travelers who want to see East Africa and live out their safari dreams either book a full service transport/guide/camping/catering service from Arusha or Nairobi or they overland on massive multi-functional vehicles. Regardless of your travel mode, quality is key and can dictate whether you enjoy yourself or not. Research the companies and their average age of passenger or style of travel and make sure it fits with you. Ask about the experience of their drivers or guides. When it comes to the driver or tracker on safari, he or she needs to have loads of experience in order to find what you are hoping to see. Those who have been around for a while are downright psychic when it comes to predicting animal appearances or future behavior. Also, inquire about the vehicles for the drives into and around the game parks. Land Rovers clearly trump Land Cruisers, and vehicles with frequent maintenance will make, not break, your experience. No one likes getting stranded in those steamy, remote landscapes.

And if you're looking for a straight forward recommendation, I actually really dug our tour company because they met every standard of quality I found important. Bottom line is to decide what you find important (comfort, experience, fellow passengers, travel style, etc.) and do the research. No one wants to spend wads of dough and realize they missed the mark on their travel dreams.

For those of you who have no idea where to begin planning your Lion King fantasies. http://www.nomadderwhere.com

The Sauna that is Dubai: Day 30-33

I’ll be honest. The only time I’d subject myself again to a natural, sauna-like environment with sky-high prices and buildings and a soul burning sun would be on a really…really long layover. Though I absolutely love the airlines flying around the Gulf (and so much of these cultures is fantastic), I just don’t see myself coming here for any other purpose than to get somewhere else…fast. Now that you know how I feel about traveling in Dubai, and other cities akin to it, I’ll spend some lines telling you about how to make your layover friggin’ stellar.

First stop, book yourself in a nice hotel, not that hostels scatter the landscape, but fitting yourself in a stylish accommodation will score you a bed that releases the deprived slumber angels from their hiding places. The billowing breeze of the air-conditioning chills your travel weary bones, causing you to wrap up with a lovely down blanket and rejuvenate the soul. And it sounds like you could really go to town on this bullet point by booking yourself in a seven star (yes…7) hotel on the water if you felt like it. Of course, if you were capable of doing such things, you probably aren’t reading this blog ;).

Second is the kebab. Arabic food and its nearby influences make the Gulf a pretty dandy place to grab a meal. My mouth had a ball with chicken kebabs and shawarma. The yogurts and blends of spices are really unique and demonstrate the “schmushing” of cultures that occurs in this immigrant-filled city.

Third and most important stop…dune bashing. Remember that opening scene of Aladdin? Well, we saw no enchanted tiger head sand sculpture, but the dunes an hour outside the city stretch forever and provide a perfect setting for testing the limits of Toyota SUVs. It was a slow-motion car commercial, or slow-motion car accident without the eventful ending. We drove sideways and slid down sandy slopes. Upon finishing our ride (which had me bracing my stomach and holding a baggie), we ended at a desert barbeque fit with henna tattooes, sandboarding, ATV rentals, and belly dancing. Natalia was quite the ripped, yet feminine, shaker and showed up every single ambitious soul that joined her on stage. Chris and I managed to get up there for a few shimmies and hip shakes. It was completely touristy and completely awesome, and those words definitely aren’t synonymous. It was a success.

So now you know what to do in Dubai. And if you’re capable of sticking around for longer than three days, you’re pretty hardcore in my book.

It's totally touristy...and totally awesome. http://www.nomadderwhere.com

A Friend Among the Hassle

Upon reaching our luxurious hotel in Delhi, I practically sprinted for the area I know best, the backpacker district…Pahar Ganj Main Bazaar. This one stop shopping/lodging/dining/etc. paradise for budget travelers was the first place I planted my feet and bags during my India visit last year, thinking this would be the perfect launching point for both the mountains as well as the iconic Taj and Ganges stops. Surrounded by fellow, like-minded vagabonds, I figured I’d be in good company.

Instead, I befriended a shop owner on the street, while looking ever-so confused during a roti purchase, who convinced me to go on my incredible Kashmir trek. With this connection, I experienced an enlightened perspective on Pahar Ganj and India in general that surpassed what I could have wrangled from a late night conversation in a hostel’s rooftop restaurant.

And so, with our arrival to Delhi, I made an effort to find my old friend and reminisce in the comfortable squalor of the Main Bazaar, which is the main drag where one could buy fruit, internet minutes, a new cheap wardrobe, lodging for $1.50 per night, and I’m certain a slew of unspeakable things. Immediately, I received a cold drink, a quality lunch, and all the insider information I could hope for.

In a place like Delhi (and tourist India in general), it truly pays to know someone without an agenda. To get anywhere or anything in this country, one must understand the art of the haggle, know who to ask for recommendations for anything, and realize (and accept) that everyone has connections for potential commissions on their end. An unbiased opinion hardly exists.

Enter local friend. Making a local friend with no personal agenda is a treasure to pamper, enjoy, and maintain for years to come. I credit my comfort with India to befriending these people who want you to know the real charm of their complex country.

A quite sketchy but lovable home away from home. http://nomadderwhere.com

India, Shock with Awe: Day 20

The last time I left India, just eight months ago, I related the effect the country had on me to a scruffy, irritating, acidic kiss from which I recoiled…and then later longed for. As the horns screamed around our taxi from the airport, I turned to Chris and said, “Home Sweet Home.” He nodded.

This place, upon first impact, is not exactly this easy to embrace and appreciate. In fact, the heat radiating from every passing vehicle and the sun was blistering. Dust already covered my face. The passing vistas revealed some atrocious living conditions, but having already been here on a combined three trips, we were aware of what to expect and how things work in the Subcontinent.

I asked Chris, “If this were your first time in India, what do you think you’d be in shock of right now?”

From this started a sporadic conversation of things that described the crazy differences between our American understandings and the realities of India.

The modes of transportation spanning from cars, bikes, and auto rickshaws to camels, horses, and the occasional very hot elephant.
The near absence of road rules and the organized chaos of traffic flow.
The smog that covers the entire city and reflects back in the eye as blinding light.
The smell: a mix of feces, incense, flowers, chicken coups, dirt, trash, spices, delicious food, bonfires, and a few other things indiscernible.
The brightly colored sarees, Sikh turbans, and fully covering clothing in +40 degree Celsius heat.
The red, rotting teeth edging most open mouths.
The roughly one inch space between our taxi and all vehicles surrounding ours while moving at 40mph.

How is a place so rough to our senses so lovable?

India. Over one billion people can’t be wrong.

Red Rock, Roadkill, and Rough Transit: Days 18/19

Our penultimate Oz experience was nothing short of a red rock smorgasbord. King's Canyon had a steep start and a smooth finish as we hiked around this fault line in the Earth's oldest crust. Nature and rock are gorgeous themselves, but for some reason, we felt it necessary to complement the experience with our own humorous interpretations of the red rock. Chris made it very clear he knew absolutely nothing about the terrain, and I had a ball feeding him lines like "This looks like Grandma's Elbow Red Rock" or "This should be entitled Teenager's Complexion Red Rock." We're so global and mature.

Descending the canyon, our fingers swelled from the blood flow and feet ached from stomping around six kilometers of hard rock. We happily boarded our luxury overlanding vehicle to sleep and relax for the five hour drive back to Alice Springs. Upon parting with our tour and very cool guide, we had two objectives for the evening: to buy mad loads of internet minutes and to eat the most uncommon meat we could find. In between our feverish bouts of work all night long, we took the much needed break to have dinner at Bojangles, the local famous saloon that served the meat lover's platter with our names on it.

We chewed around some kangaroo, crunched into a crocodile spring roll, sawed into an emu sausage, and topped it all off with two pitchers of beer we mistakenly ordered. Who knew "lost in translation" moments could happen in countries that speak your native tongue! Two beers please. Two pitchers?! Well, okay, that will have to do!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DHVoUXFBgc

We made the long walk back to our hostel (the fourth time I made this jaunt that evening since I forgot my ID and needed it to get into the ever-so classy and popular saloon) and passed some shadowy characters in the night. Someone on our Fiji tour announced to us that Alice Springs wasn't the safest of destinations, and I think we figured out why this was the case. Unfortunately, the stats on Aborigines in local society do not describe great birth rates, high literacy, or many things positive at all, and considering the fact that Australia only formally apologized to the original Oz inhabitants only LAST YEAR for their horrible treatment for centuries, it's understandable that they are hurting as a group.

And then began the process of sleeplessly uploading our many, many blogs, photos, and videos from both Fiji and the most recent tour. We froze outside near the only wireless hotspot, trying to meet our deadlines, but ended up getting slap-happy and playing games of "Slap the Bag" with the boxed wine our tour guide gave us. What professionals we are. We boarded a bus the next day at 11:45am, which started our 27 hour transit period between the smack-dab center of Australia and the steamy capital of India. For 2 hours, we were bumping and cramped, sleepy and hungry, disoriented by time and location, and increasingly concerned for Chris' swelling ankle. That thing got massive, and he developed a disturbing limp.

But that all didn't matter. We were heading back to a country both of us have not only experienced but grown to love. We were destined for the Subcontinent. Hindu country. India. Oh, and on the way...we saw Mt. Everest.