Huang Hua, China June 4, 2002 Despite the dire forebodings of Jing, back at the guesthouse, I had made it to the Dong Zhi Men bus station successfully on bus number 416 and now I had to find the 916. I sputtered out the Chinese phrase I had been told to say, sounding – at … More Up the Wall
Merida, Venezuela December 29, 2001 It is just as well that I did not set out for the trek today; I couldn’t have. I have been paying for the revelry last night and hanging out in the hammock for most of the day is just the recipe. That and stocking up with food and fuel. … More In Sierra Nevada Parque Nacional
June 29th, 2001 Arusha, Tanzania I met a woman tonight. She is from the Netherlands, fifty eight years of age and calls herself Yenni. Gray haired and soft-spoken she is. I had noticed her the first day I stayed here at the Meru Inn. But I had not spoken to her then. Tonight we sat … More Yenni’s Tale
Masai Mara, Kenya, June 13th, 2001 I am on a safari-bound jeep heading toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve. There are five others in our group. Sofie and Michel are from Sweden. Henny and his father are from the Netherlands. Gary is from Scotland and there’s myself. Steve, our Kenyan driver seems taciturn at best. … More On Safari
Ventilla, Bolivia January 20th, 2001 There are mountains on all sides of La Paz, but there is one in particular that has caught my eye. I wanted to go trekking along a trail in the Cordillera Real. The topographic map that managed to buy at one store shows a trail that starts from a Quechua … More Peligroso!
Cusco, Peru 3600 m January 7th, 2001 This has been a frustrating day! Since reaching Cusco I have been trying to find information about trekking the famous Inca Trail, especially if I can get a solo permit. The rumours about the Inca Trail that I heard in Lima seem to be true. The rules changed … More Trekking the Inca Trail
9 p.m. July 9th, 2000 I am sitting at the outer courtyard of the Jokhang, as I have been most evenings here in Lhasa. There is the usual crowd of people doing their prostrations. I recognize many of the faces by now, and they recognize me. They all have their spots, and I have mine … More Leaving Lhasa
July 4th, 2000 Irene, Orianne and I are sitting on the steps outside the back entrance of the Potala Palace, high above Lhasa. We have been sitting here a while. Talking occasionally, thinking mostly. We had come here earlier today for a tour of the Potala. Like all the monasteries, the walls, hallways and rooms … More A Gift
Solu Khumbu, Nepal June 25th, 2000 There is a trail that leads from Jiri, near Kathmandu all the way to the Everest Base Camp. It is justifiably famous among the trekking and mountaineering communities and thronged by them come high season. But in the middle of the monsoon season, there were hardly any other tourists … More On the Trail to Everest
Solu Khumbu, Nepal June 20th, 2000 I had trekked to the Everest base camp from Jiri and was now on my way back down. Along the way, I passed the same villages that I had passed on the way up to the base camp. It was at Tengpoche that a curious thing happened. In the … More She
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 