Traveling as a Couple – by Patrick

I’ve noticed some differences between traveling as a couple and traveling as single, as I did in 1991. We are more likely to meet and socialize with other couples who are traveling, rather than singles. We’ve spent time with other male/female couples (either married or dating), but also other pairs Continue Reading

Traveling Then and Now – by Patrick

After completing university, I traveled in South East Asia for nine months from Sept 1990 to June 1991. Traveling almost twenty years later, there are some notable differences. Internet – We are able to stay connected with friends, family, and vendors (like banks, utilities, travel agent, etc.) through email, online Continue Reading

Observations about India

Men where pants here, regardless of the temperature. Usually only boys (and tourists) wear shorts. Indian women typically wear a sari (a single piece of cloth that is wrapped without pins or buttons) or a salwar kameez (a long shirt and trouser combination). Younger people prefer jeans, despite the fact Continue Reading

Karni Mata Temple

Today we visited one of the most bizarre temples in India. It is located in the village of Deshnok, 30 kilometers outside of the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan. According to Hindu legend (as retold in the Lonely Planet guidebook), Karni Mata, a 14th-century reincarnation of Durga, asked the god Continue Reading

Rajasthan – by Patrick

I’m sitting on bunk number 41, coach S1, on the train from Jaisalmer to Bikaner. It is very hot. And very dusty. The train windows are all open as there is no air conditioning in sleeper class. Dust filters in, too fine to be seen during daylight hours, but it Continue Reading

Doha First Class

On our flight from London to Mumbai on Qatar Airways, we had a short stopover in Doha, the capital city of Qatar. The airport is basically a transfer station for those flying elsewhere, but it had an amazing duty free shop selling both the full suite of luxury goods, and Continue Reading

Africa

Here’s a quick summary of our last few weeks in Africa. After four flights over two days, we made it back to Arusha, a town in Northern Tanzania, which was the base for our next two weeks. We met our friends from Canada who came to join us on vacation Continue Reading

Observations about East and Southern Africa

People have a vague understanding of Canada, and a generally positive impression. Some think it is part of the US. Many know that it is cold there, and can quote the city names of ‘Toronto’ and ‘Vancouver’, even though they have no idea where these are. The majority of the Continue Reading