Yesterday I sat on a street corner in Cuenca, Ecuador and talked with Cesar from Maracaibo, Venezuela. He was sitting with his 5 year old daughter. His wife had gone to the hospital with their son as he had developed a fever. They had walked 18 days across Colombia and halfway through Ecuador. They left their home, car (no fuel or money) and the friends who had not yet fled. … [Read more...]
Farewell 2018 – a few highs & lows from a Life on the Road
Travel is Fatal to Prejudice - Mark Twain Sadly, I’m not convinced Mr. Twain was entirely correct. For a clear majority, travel opens eyes and hearts, but there are those who seem to travel just to confirm their own biases or, even worse, to take advantage of people in marginal conditions. Undoubtedly travelling the world is fun and highly addictive, but I … [Read more...]
The Grand Tour of Central America
Once again I have had the pleasure of travelling through all 6 Spanish-speaking countries of Central America. On this Travelsphere trip I was met by 17 enthusiastic visitors from England, Scotland and Wales. While I have come to know the region well, each trip is different with its own adventures and events. Panama Beginning (as always) in Panama, we flew into the isthmus … [Read more...]
January & The Winter Rockies (Jasper Included)
As we begin February here in the Canadian west, days are already becoming longer, although spring still feels very far away. I leave February 7 for Panama and will surely enjoy the 30+ degree (90 F) weather that awaits. Nevertheless, I am a winter person and have just come back from a windy day of skiing at Sunshine Village where we took fun advantage of the new, heated … [Read more...]
The Heart of the Mayan World – Guatemala, Hope and an Era of Peace!
Among all of the countries of Central America, Guatemala is the most populated, most diverse and culturally the richest. I have returned to the Mayan heartland many times and, in fact, it was here I first studied Spanish (in 1998)! … [Read more...]
