Robyn's Wanderings

What's that swimming in your luggage?

What should I pack? Hmmm…. shirts, shoes, pants and…..my spare fish?

Apparently, fresh fish was a must-have for one passenger traveling through Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport yesterday.

He/she packed it in his/her checked luggage to come to America. I guess the trip didn’t work-out well for all involved because the bag, spice fish and all, was left at the airport!

So at noon yesterday, in one of the busiest airports in the United States, baggage handlers started looking through the abandoned bag for identification of the owner.

Leaves and aluminum foil, however, stopped them in their tracks and a bomb squad was called!

What did they find? Well fish wrapped in banana leaves of course!

Apparently Police were not surprised by the find. The Police explained that passengers often try to spice their fish during their trip.

Who can blame the unidentified passenger?

I don’t like the plane food either, but how did he or she retrieve it from the check luggage?

Questions continue!

A bus with a bike...on top? Of course it's Laos!

How do you explain half-naked backpackers cavorting with Laotian children while rum flows faster than the water? Well there is only one: Vang Vieng.

This tiny town in the middle of Laos is the Vegas of South East Asia. It’s a place that uses the Mekong River not for the practical delivery of goods, but of a good time.

What am I talking about? Upon arrival in Vang Vieng the plan is: rent tube, ride old truck with the tube to a bar and then sit in the tube to jump between bars along the river.

Buckets of different drinks await these tubers along the way making it more precarious as you continue down the river.

The danger? Well besides the buckets? The danger is being stuck there. Vang Vieng is also the Bermuda triangle, as it were, of South East Asia.

So how do you survive this town? Well my tip one starts with how to get to Vang Vieng. Ensconced in the hills of Laos a tricky bus ride can leave your stomach upside down, so make sure you DO NOT EAT before you board.

Tip two? Do NOT follow the first westerner that takes you to a hostel. Especially if it is an Australian guy who promises to fit you and your two friends in your own house. The next morning? We had mould growing over us and could barely breathe. Nice, huh?

Tip three: Stay with a Laotian family who survive on your rent and who care whether you get back from your tubing experience alive!

The river where backpackers send themselves silly on drink

If there is one problem I met in Vang Vieng it was the backpacker that could not escape.

“Dude, I’ve done it 20 times.”

“No biggie, I’ve been here two months.”

“Whatever 65 days in a row man!”

I’m not kidding. DO NOT let that happen to you. Tip Four: plan to get out of Vang Vieng. Have somewhere after the tubing you ABSOLUTELY have to do…..or face your liver abandoning you.

How do I know how long these guys have been in Vang Vieng? Good question.

They told me….by writing it all over their bodies. Now this can be a tough tip five, but make sure no one spray paints, writes or draws on your body.

It will take you enough days to wipe it off that you will be tubing again! Do not tube again!

One is enough. Ok it’s six, but one day of tubing is enough! I know you can get a deal on tubes for more than one day and you may not even want to bring your tube back, but DO IT!

You must, must extricate yourself from Vang Vieng. Yes, it’s a great town with beautiful mountains and sunsets, but it is dangerous.

Exaggerating? Nope. Tip seven be careful with the caves. There are caves in those mountains, but they are guarded by little boys with knives.

Walking out to the caves of Vang Vieng

Ok, well it was one boy and it was after we ignored his pleas to pay him for a non-entrance. In any case, I wouldn’t ignore the kids or visit the caves on your own.

Tip eight: while tubing be careful on the slide (do I sound old, yet?). Slide? Ok that’s not really what I would call it all. Maybe a tiled (yes, tiled) attempt to end your trip to Vang Vieng.

Yes, this tiled-attempt-to-end-your-trip is located at one of the last bars on the river and by then anything might sound good.

But don’t do it! There is no forgiving one false move on the slide and you will conk your head on the hard corner of the TATEYT.

Tip nine: ignore the constant streaming of TV shows like Friends and Family Guy in the bars. Do not become the zombie backpacker who “takes a break” from tubing to leave your brain on the side of the road. It’s too easy a life. Remember you want more! You want more!!

Finally, the only other way that Vang Vieng can trap you is by drugs that seem way to available and far too dangerous. Go to Amsterdam if that’s your gig. The problem with Vang Vieng? It’s so far from reality the drugs push the backpackers over the edge and away from home forever. Then you find them serving you the only all-you-can-eat buffet (I know buffets are self-serve so you get what I’m saying now, right?)

Wel that’s about the end of my tips to survive Vang Vieng. It’s a great town with a lot of fun, but just like Vegas….there is no need to be there for more than two days! Enjoy!

So why Flamenco on this Tuesday? Why not?

Well, no it’s not quite that simple is it? Well my Flamenco story starts from a trip to the Bermuda Arts Festival. Yes, I decided to “be cultural” and signed-up for a $65 ticket to see Paco Pena and his dance troupe.

Who are they? Well, for $65 they better be pretty good at shuffling their feet. And luckily they were…..only two hours later I did have a headache. I guess you can’t have everything you want!

What’s crazy (?) is that from all the traveling I have done (and I’ve been around the world and up and down Europe) I have never seen Flamenco performed.

Sure I listened to the Gypsy Kings, but they are nothing compared to what I saw on Wednesday night! Do you want to see? Check out this video.

River Dolphins

It was far too early in the morning, but we persisted. We dodged the bodies being carried over our heads on bamboo carriers and we arrived at the Ganges River.

It’s Varanasi. One of the holiest and craziest places I have ever visited in my life. Sitting on the banks of the Ganges in India – a mere couple of hours from New Delhi by train – it is auspicious to die here and if you die somewhere else? You want to come here to be burned on one of the various piers here.

But that’s not what we were doing that morning. Nope. Instead we were trying to find a boat. Why? Well one of the other traditions here is to light little candles and send them floating down the river as an offering to Ganga, who is revered as the living goddess of Varanasi.

We found a row boat and three others – one photographer from National Geographic – to share our morning outing. He took us along the river where we saw people laying-out their laundry and bathing in water that was barely lighter than the colour of soil.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing Robyn, you’re still asleep.”

“No, I swear it’s a fin.”

“You’re right! It’s a dolphin.”

Of all things we would find on the Ganges with it’s pathway to the afterlife and apparent healing powers we also found a…..dolphin!

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Ganges Dolphin on the Red list of endangered animals and we were watching it glide through the water! It was an amazing sight with the sun rising behind its dorsal fin.

Laundry along the Ganges

But poor river dolphins. They don’t have much to swim in anymore. The pollution, lowering water levels and the nets are catching them in their prime.

Hence why on this day in 2006 the Chinese River Dolphin or the Baiji, was pronounced extinct! Yes, only four years ago was one of these aquatic animals gone from Rivers.

A 45-day search by leading experts found zero examples of the dolphin and lead to it being declared “functionally extinct.”

In fact the only verified sighting of the cetacean (dolphin family) had been in 2004. Listing the Baiji as extinct makes it the first aquatic animal to be listed so since the Japanese Sea Lion and the Caribbean Monk Seal in the  1950′s.

Good job humans! At least I was able to catch a glimpse of one of the, perhaps, last Ganges Dolphins. Have a conservative Monday and stay tuned for tomorrow and all your needs for your travels!

Are you looking for a new job? Are you a keen cook? Do you enjoy a decent meal? Well I have found another dream travel job for you.

Yes these travel gigs are starting to look better and better with each new exciting job offer. Last week it was diving in Bali.

This week? This week the job of the hour is eating your way across Asia. No, I’m not kidding.

The Pei Wei Asian Diner has launched an international search for someone who will travel with their Executive Chef Eric Justice across Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, China and Japan and blog about it.

In two weeks you will cover five countries, eat more noodles than you ever thought possible and help find inspiration for the Pei Wei Asian Diner’s menu.

For this “work” you will receive a $10,000 stipend.

Wanna sign-up? What do you need? According to the Diner’s website you need: A talent for writing, a boundless appetite and willingness to experiment with the unknown, an eye for the unforgettable image and the ability to capture it, comfort both on-camera and behind the lens, a spontaneous spirit but a grounded work ethic, and a passion for Asian cuisine.

Sweet. But it’s not just a writing campaign. As the blogger you will also be required to take photos and video. The entry process, as you can imagine, is no easy task.

To enter you must upload a photo, bio, and sample blog post, but can also add four additional posts, five more photos, and one YouTube link. Entries will be accepted between now and December 20, 2010, and the winner will be announced during the week of January 17.

The trip will take place in late February 2011 so what are you waiting for? Food? Well why not go to the best places possible to try it! Check out the application.

That’s your Friday inspiration. Now bring-on the weekend!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAoOKAoVzoI&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Turn-off the lights…..listen to the chain saw…..Get scared. Very scared.

Texas is here and Texas is ready with the largest haunted house on earth….according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Built in an old meat factory it is not for children or the faint of heart. I don’t think I could handle it, but you’re up for a scare? Go for it.

Apparently it takes Todd James, the creator, ten months to put this mammoth project together all in the name of scaring everyone (except kids) silly for one night a year.

Other scary places to visit this Halloween? What about Salem, Massachusetts? Witches used to burn at the stake and now they take their scaring seriously here.

Or even more frightful? New York City’s Greenwich Village Parade. Filled with all sorts of characters it will truly make you fear for your life. I don’t know if I have seen more sequins or tight spandex in my life!

Need more inspiration for your halloween? Check out the Travel Channel’s Ten Scariest Places in this slideshow and get your make-up ready!

Get ready tomorrow for Halloween around the world!

Phil and Vikki at Lake MacDonald in Glacier National Park

He might be confined to a wheelchair, but Bermudian Phil Cracknell and his wife, Vikki, are not letting it confine them to their 21-square-mile island home.

Instead the couple found the easiest way to see the world – trade-in the airways for the roadways. Which landmass is best for this kind of travel? Where else….North America.

The ambitious duo tackled eight of North America’s National Parks among other stops in six months and combined it into their own book – Views from a Wheelchair.

Soon to also be featured in The Royal Gazette, Vikki (of the Phil and Vikki duo) happily answered a few additional questions for Bermuda Abroad:

Q: Why do you travel? A: I think some people have the wanderlust gene, we certainly do – it’s a very important component to our relationship and a testament to our compatibility; that, and our immense respect and curiosity about nature and the diversity of people and their cultures. I guess we’re just nosy people with too much time on their hands! Actually, with retirement we finally have the opportunity to explore forgotten passions.

Q: You just finished a trip through 8 national parks in America. What prompted this?

A: Air travel for everyone is difficult, but for us, it had become a nightmare; the wheelchair created problems for airport staff and flight crews not to mention the stress and strain it took out on both of us. Turning our sights to North America was a no brainer – it’s a huge land mass with unlimited possibilities for road travel and is accessible. The US has strict ADA requirements (Americans with Disabilities Act) which affords us easy access or better access than other countries.  Choosing the focus of visiting all the 58 National Parks in an RV with a desire to photograph and publish a book of our experiences called Views From A Wheelchair.  Yes, we did complete a trip through 8-National Parks, but also twenty-two other wonderful stops along the way. Including state parks, historical monuments, national recreational sites and wildlife refuges – completed 25k miles spread over 5 western states in about 6-months. Our home-away-from home is a 24 ft ability equipped Dodge Sprinter van, called Dragonslayer.

On the road with the Dragon!

Q: How did you plan your trip and why did you chose to camp?

A: Believe it or not, traveling is hard work and not for the faint of heart, as you yourself must know– but when you add the component of accessibility it becomes another hurdle. Not all hotels have accessible rooms or more importantly, bathrooms. With our camper van we have everything we need to our specifications. Life on the road is also expensive, so it keeps the costs down but the best part of camping, besides a million other explanations; we have become more in-tune with the cycle of wildlife – rising with the first hint of daylight and retiring as the last bird tucks his head in for the night – we are smack in the middle of it and that’s exactly where we want to be.

Planning the trip for 2009 was hit and miss – we were greener than green to life on the road and our destinations were chosen for two reasons, Comfort and comfort. And comfort was priority number 1. As we started the journey in January of ’09 (excitement overruled practicality – don’t plan a trip in the dead of winter) it was damn cold on the west coast so we headed to Arizona where we met a couple from Montana who invited us to visit them in the summer, which we did.  Knowing 3-national parks were in close proximity, Yellowstone, Glacier and the Grand Tetons we headed out and spent 6-weeks tooling around big sky country. On the return trip from Montana we swung into Utah to visit their 5-national parks; Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion.

Q: What were some of the challenges and/or benefits you faced traveling in a wheelchair?

A: Benefits – not sure if there are any benefits when you’re confined to a wheelchair even if ‘Little Blue’ can tool around at 8 MPH and has a rising bar-height seat, it is a wheelchair after all, with outdoor limitations. And trust me, the option of walking versus; wheeling is no contest. For as many trees, bugs, clouds and rocks there are, I wish I could remove my legs and lend them to Phil. Sharing the gift we ‘walking types; take for granted; the many places a wheelchair can’t go: Descending a ravine, hiking a rock strewn path through a river or climbing a hillside, these treasures he can only see in someone else’s photos. Since my legs didn’t come with the removable on/off option, Phil and I will continue to explore what is available and with our combined assets turn can’t into can every day. So I guess there is a benefit – positive thinking.

As for challenges in a wheelchair – the biggest challenge is ignorance. Believe it or not, we have been asked many times if he/you can stand up and transfer into the jeep, boat or bus. Educating the public regarding people with mobility issues is a constant challenge. Also, access – example: The building will have a ramp, but the door into the building has an impassable step.

The most amazing and astonishing challenge; people stumble over Phil and the wheelchair because they didn’t see him, as outrageous as it sounds, if you’re less than 5 ft tall; you’re invisible.

Q: Do you have any suggestions for someone who would also like to do this?

A: Yes, oodles of suggestions – more than this article could accommodate, but the most important is, desire. Where there is a will, there is a way, and that applies to everyone. Also, our book Views From A Wheelchair will help.  The 2009 Expedition publication should be available mid-summer.

Phil and his camera

Q: Where is your next trip?

A: Ah that’s a great question and what a trip we have planned! We head out June 11 for Telluride, Colorado to the 37^th Annual Telluride Blues Festival; from there we visit 4-national parks – Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde National Parks. In between the parks we will soak in mineral springs, take 2-train rides on historic steam engines, experience the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and take a 4-wheel jeep tour into the San Juan Mountains. After crisscrossing southwestern Colorado we will drop down into Arizona to witness the splendors of the Grand Canyon.

were you a year ago? Why am I writing about this? Because I received an email from a friend who commemorated his year anniversary of his flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. It was the first time he left home (England) for such a far away land on his own.

Ho Chi Minh's Tomb in Hanoi

It was an experience that he will, unfortunately, never regain. I can understand.

Last year at this time (i.e. June 2) I was in London, England debating an escapade on my own as well. It wasn’t an easy decision and that was even after all of the traveling I have done in the past.

I did it. I decided to jump with both feet and do it. Was it worth it? Absolutely. I have never done anything quite as empowering as travel on my own for six months.

I managed in that time to meet some great friends who I caught-up with this weekend in Boston. Two weeks traveling together can seem like a lifetime and seeing those guys again (they helped me reach Machu Picchu) was like taking the trip again.

Peaks of Patagonia, Chile

But what about the sites? Yeah they were alright too. You know, what can you say about the mountains in Patagonia, Chile? Really!? You’re going to try an adjective? Good luck. I’m just going to show you.

So why this rant, blog, post, whatever you want to call it?  I suppose reminiscing with the guys this weekend plus the email from another travel buddy today. It made me miss traveling.

And it makes me want to hear more about your travels. I am still looking for the next, best Bermuda Abroad story for this website.

It can be 500 words, a photo essay, both. It just needs to be featured on this website so we can all be inspired to step away from the desk, take that car to the airport and board a plane to……anywhere.

Travel Buddies. My nick names for the friends and randoms I picked-up along my solo trip around the world. It was easier than ensuring everyone wanted their names in the daily newspaper of Bermuda, The Royal Gazette.

And it was also a term that could easily apply to people I met for lunch or someone I traveled with for a month. Often they would vary between these two extremes.

Who is it in the picture? Bond, Yes Thai Bond. Or at least that is what the jungle captain of Thailand fancied himself. He was fun. He led me and ten other travelers for three days through the jungles of Northern Thailand.

It was through this trek that I met two guys who I would take a four-day motorbike tour. Yes still in Thailand. They proved to be decent travel companions.

Which is why I wrote this recent column for The Royal Gazette. Travel buddies are hard to come by and even harder to keep. Travel is stressful. It can be more so than being at home. You need to find someone who can put up with you as much as you can put up with them.

Today’s column:

Why it is important to choose your travel buddy carefully

By Robyn Skinner

The author enjoys the view of all three pyramids in Egypt

Have you ever tried to live with a best friend? A grown-up sibling? A young sibling? Your parents after years of living abroad? You love them, right? (well we hope). It’s one thing to love someone. It’s another thing to survive situations that involve money, organisation and stress.

That means traveling. Yes, trips are not all roses. A bus ride that throws your head into the roof, two hours of sleep because someone downstairs decided to party the entire night and food that leaves you on the bathroom floor. Travel.

It can be a lot of fun, but it is also a heightened stress zone and if you pick the wrong travel companion, that will only increase. Whether it’s for a long weekend or a trip around the world, a travel companion can either add too or take away from your experience.

So an important part of travel is choosing someone. Here’s some tips:

One: Take a look at how you handle stress. I know I can’t handle anything when I get too hungry. I need to eat at regular intervals or everyone else will hear about it. I know I need a travel companion who cares about food as much as me. I also need someone who can keep a level head when I need to eat. What are your stresses?

Two: When I travel I want a little of everything: some history, a lot of the food, and some of the nightlife. What is your mixture? Are you a ruin-fiend? What about shopping? I hate shopping. If you’re a shopaholic we probably wouldn’t work as travel partners. When you figure out what you want from a vacation you need to ensure your travel buddy also knows. Then you can figure out a compromise.

Three: Maybe you went to nursery school with your friend. Maybe you borrow clothes and enjoy going out together. Maybe she’s the one you turn to when everything goes wrong. These are very different tasks from travel, so maybe she or he is just not the person to try to travel with.

Travel can require 24 hours together, sometimes in very close quarters. It requires finding a train station, in a different language, while ensuring your handbag doesn’t go missing. And what happens when you miss your train? Do you want your best friend who can sometimes be manic? Or someone who is level-headed? It also means if you start solo you will likely pick travel buddies on the same wavelength as you. Well.. ’cause otherwise they wouldn’t be in the hostel/Thailand/two-day slow boat to Laos.

Four: Money and budgeting. What do they say about money coming between friends? Well if you think figuring out the bill on a dinner out is tough, try sorting out every meal three times a day, the hostel and tickets for transport. It’s a headache. It’s a migraine when you’re on different budgets.

I love my friend Maria, but when she came to Buenos Aires she was on a week-long vacation. I had another two months of travel left. We had very different ideas of a hotel rooms. Luckily she’s generous and because she wanted luxury I got a free ride. But these are things that need to be discussed on any trip before you go. What is a hotel? (we’re talking hostel to five-star here. people have very different ideas). Where do you like to eat? Are food stands ok or do you need a sit-down restaurant? etc…

Which brings me to five: My favourite food. I am celiac. Anyone who travels with me has to be ready. But I also like spicy food. This caused a problem with one travel buddy who couldn’t handle a pad thai. His idea of food? A burger. Mine? A spicy curry. This might sound silly right now when you have to organise a dinner with friends once a week. But wait ’till it’s every day. You need to talk to your travel buddy and ask what they like to eat, whether they’re adventurous with their food and how you both see accommodating the choices.

Six: Food choices will obviously be influenced by the destination. Where do you both want to go? Does the idea of traveling through South East Asia sound good? Are you interested in staying in a resort or is visiting a ranch in Argentina more enticing? Both of you need to be honest about what kind of trip you want and where you want to go. This can require some research before having the discussion, but better now than separating in a Bolivian beer hall.

Seven: Length of stay: Even if you have a week to travel or five weeks, both of you may have a vision of how long you want to stay in a place. “No I want a week in Paris.” “Oh I was thinking of two days and then a visit to the Loire Valley.” Sort this out before you go. Talk about compromise and if you can’t….solo travel is great.

Eight: Is this a culture-crusade or an excuse for a party? While I was in Chaing Mai, Thailand, I shared a room with two Irish boys who spent their evenings drinking and their days sleeping. We barely made roommates let alone travel buddies. This will cause conflict and you both need to have a frank discussion about what you want to do. Are temples the only thing on your list? Well don’t go with someone who only has a passing interest.

Nine: Make sure you’re both ok with time spent on your own. Will the other person mind if you go home early from the bar and get up early for temple visits? Do you have to do everything together? Or will an entire day apart be ok? Some people will be up for this others will not. When I went biking with my travel buddy from California and another from Germany, California gave-up a quarter the way in. She didn’t mind that we continued which made life a lot easier for me.

Ten: What happens if something goes wrong? If you travel for long enough something will go wrong. Someone will get sick. The train tickets will go missing. Talk about possible challenges when traveling; i.e. a lot of ‘what ifs’. What happens if you get in a taxi that is sketchy? Do you have a warning signal that means you both jump out?

Good. That sorted. You are either travelling solo or with a companion. Either way…. you need to get off Bermuda.

Next week: The man in charge of this exact thing Aaron Adderley explains the day in a life as Manager at the L F Wade International Airport.

Backpacking in Patagonia

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

It’s back to the travel gig and here’s the latest column from The Royal Gazette.

Travelling solo – that wasn’t really my plan when I started travelling around the world last year. Yes, I started with a boyfriend (I called him a travel buddy) but that ended.